Washington Nationals

It was made known that Stephen Strasburg will most likely undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right elbow. 

The Nationals award Strasburg with a $15.1 million contract after being selected No. one overall in the 2009 MLB draft.

Update: The results of Strasburg’s MRI were not good. Strasburg was diagnosed with a tear in his ulner collateral ligament in his right elbow. Strasburg will most likely need Tommy John surgery and miss the 2011 season.

A couple of thoughts about this:

The National Treasure that was supposed to put Washington on the baseball map at long last didn't last.

Instead, the National Treasure tore apart in the way of a torn ulnar collateral ligament which will require the infamous Tommy John surgery: every pitcher's nightmare. 

The Washington Nationals were being as careful as any team would be with a young fireballer by limiting his innings and pitch counts each outing and through a season. 

Look, Washington National fans, I know you all must be feeling like absolute crap right now. And with reason. Stephen Strasburg going down, especially this late in the season, might have been the worst news a Nationals fan could've ever heard. In particular when considering how good he looked in only his first year in the majors.

However, here are two silver linings to cheer all of you up.

We all know Stephen Strasburg as the phenom call-up by the Nationals back in June. But there's a new problem he faces.

Stephen Strasburg has been diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. This is not exactly what the Nationals had planned for.

Fans had to wait longer than they wanted to see Stephen Strasburg make his MLB debut.

Well, now they will have to wait even longer to see him pitch again.

The Washington Nationals' rookie phenom has a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament, which will require Tommy John surgery.

While Strasburg will seek a second opinion, he will likely be out for at least a year, and up to 18 months. 

Strasburg threw 68 innings in 12 starts, going 5-3 with 92 strikeouts, 17 walks and a 2.91 ERA.

Baseball's newest pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg of the Washington Nationals has been on and off of the DL in recent weeks, and the Nationals have had their concerns about Strasburg's condition.

If only they knew that Strasburg had suffered a career-threatening injury. Their crown gem, the number one overall pick in the 2009 Draft—Strasburg is the present and future of the franchise.

They are the two words no pitcher wants to hear, but for Washington Nationals phenom prospect Stephen Strasburg, it appears "Tommy John" will soon enter his vocabulary.

The right-hander who took baseball by storm this summer appears headed for surgery, much to the dismay of the Nationals organization and baseball fans alike.

It is a very tough blow for a pitcher that not only the Nationals, but Major League Baseball as well, anticipate will be a star for the next decade.

Here is the latest on the injury concerns regarding baseball's top prospect.

Somehow, I saw this coming. It wasn't what I was hoping would happen, but I just had a feeling this kind of news was coming.

Today, it did come. According to Brent Gambill, an executive producer of MLB Network Radio, is reporting that former San Diego State standout, and the first overall pick of the Washington Nationals in the 2009 Amateur Draft, Stephen Strasburg, will undergo Tommy John surgery.

Just when things were beginning to look up for the Washington Nationals it is being reported (via twitter) on ESPN 980 in Washington D.C. that Stephen Strasburg has a significant ligament tear in his right elbow and may need Tommy John surgery.

Tommy John surgery or ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction is where a ligament in the elbow is replaced by a tendon from the patient's forearm.

In the past this would almost spell the end of a pitching career or hamper it.

However, the full recovery rate from this surgery is now between 85 and 92 percent.