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It’s irresistable: Strasburg biggest story of year in baseball

He's not yet thrown a pitch in the majors, but he has towns clamoring for appearances and filled the stands in two minor-league stops this season. Tonight Stephen Strasburg makes his MLB debut with the Nats; we'll be watching via streaming media, and we guess you will be, too.

He's not yet thrown a pitch in the majors, but he has towns clamoring for appearances and filled the stands in two minor-league stops this season. Tonight Stephen Strasburg makes his MLB debut with the Nats; we'll be watching via streaming media, and we guess you will be, too.

It's been a while since a pitcher of Strasburg's ability has come down the pike: he's a phenom who has the fastball (which can reach 100 MPH on the speed gun) and the sinkerball to dominate play. By all reports he's a pitcher who wants to get batters out with his great stuff, as opposed to a thrower wanting to blow the ball by everyone.

And, of course, those with a financial interest in the lad are excited. MASN has doubled its ad rates for tonight's game, while the Nats are experiencing a rare sellout at Nationals Park: the only seats left are single seats in the suites, with regular and SRO seating all gone.

Of course, the lad has to perform. Even before his callup the Nats were a big story this season — the team may be in last place in the surprisingly competitive NL East, but they've been flirting with .500 and are generally a competitive team — and between Strasburg's debut and the drafting of Bryce Harper yesterday, the Nationals are definitely a team on the rise.

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