How Much Success Will the Nationals Have Sheltering Stephen Strasburg From the Media?

Nearly as interesting as Strasburg’s return has been how the Nationals have handled the media. Washington has two budding stars in Strasburg and Bryce Harper, and the team appears squeamish – and incredibly unrealistic – about how to handle the media crush. This is the press release that was sent out Sunday prior to his start:

"Washington Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg, making his first rehabilitation start with the Hagerstown Suns on Sunday at 4:05pm after undergoing Tommy John Surgery on September 3, 2010, will not be made available to credentialed media members during the pre-game. There will be absolutely no access to the Suns home clubhouse before, during, or after the game. Due to space constraints, there will be no access to the Municipal Stadium press box without permission from the Hagerstown Suns Media Relations Department. No photography or videography on the field is permitted during the course of the game.Media will be allowed through the gates at Municipal Stadium beginning at 1:45pm. All media credentials can be picked up at will-call with proof of media affiliation. No one-on-one interview requests for Stephen Strasburg will be honored per the Washington Nationals. The field must be cleared of all media members by 3:50pm in preparation of a first pitch fifteen minutes later. Strasburg is slated to throw the first two innings against the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Sunday afternoon. Once Strasburg leaves the game, he will undergo treatment for roughly 45 minutes to one hour. Following the conclusion of his post-game work, Strasburg will be made available in a group press conference in the Hagerstown Suns Press Room inside the front office. Once Strasburg leaves the mound after the top of the 2ndinning, media members are asked to form a group next to the first base line field suite. The line should extend behind the first base general admission stands in preparation for an escort to the Strasburg Press Conference. About 15 minutes after Strasburg exits the game, a Suns Media Relations representative will take the media into the press room to await Strasburg’s arrival. All media are asked to reduce the amount of equipment brought into the press room due to limitations in the interest of accommodating every member of the media. Stephen Strasburg will answer questions about his rehabilitation appearance for approximately ten minutes. No further media inquiries will be honored following the completion of the Strasburg press conference. Suns players, Manager, Brian Daubach, Pitching Coach, Chris Michalak, and Hagerstown Suns staff will be made available to the media following the conclusion of the game. Suns training staff members will not be made available for comment at any time on Sunday. These policies are subject to change without advanced notice to credentialed members of the media."

Who are the Nationals taking their cues from, Bill Belichick? Or is Strasburg another Zack Greinke? What’s with the coddling? I could understand some media limitations on Harper, who is fresh out of high school. But Strasburg is 23, went to college and played on an Olympic team. [Washington Times]