The belief: Stephen Strasburg's next start for the Washington Nationals should come in 2012

This baseball season, Sporting News writers will debate two key beliefs each week.

Today's belief: Stephen Strasburg's next start for the Washington Nationals should come in 2012.

Believer: Stan McNeal

Why we believe: The Nationals have far more to lose than to gain by pitching Stephen Strasburg in a big league game this year. It's not like his return would make a difference in whether the Nationals go to the postseason. It's not like a start or two would make a noticeable difference in their annual revenues, either. Sure, a positive start could send Strasburg into the offseason with his confidence restored that he's ready to resume the road to Cooperstown next year. Confidence, however, does not seem to be a trait that Strasburg has lacked to this point.

On the other hand, what if he were to get roughed up in a 2011 big league return? That could lead to doubts that he otherwise would not have to think about. A lousy start certainly would not help the offseason hype machine sell tickets, either. The unknown, in this case, would be better for the Nationals' off-season ticket sales and for Strasburg.

What else we believe: The Nationals would not send Strasburg to the mound if he weren't deemed healthy. But merely dangling the chance of a big league start in September could cause him to rush just a little. Pitchers who have undergone Tommy John surgery say the most difficult part of the rehab is exercising patience. They feel so good and they have gone so long without pitching that the itch to push is hard to contain. Strasburg's rehab has gone as well as the Nationals could have hoped. To even think of rushing him at this point makes no sense. If there's a 1 percent chance the Nationals could end up sorry by starting him in the majors this season, then they should be safe.

Pitchers have a finite number of "bullets" in their arms, and the Nationals should save every one of Strasburg's for when they matter. What matters for the Nationals and their young ace is 2012.

Skeptic: Anthony Witrado

Why we don?t believe: Why would you bring him back this season to pitch meaningless games in September? Because, Stephen Strasburg is ready. That?s why. He hasn?t had one major setback in his rehabilitation after having Tommy John surgery, and his natural rehab schedule had him pitching this year assuming there were no wrenches thrown into the plan. Strasburg was following his schedule when he started throwing simulated games in the Florida humidity, where he regained almost all of his velocity and started thrown his off-speed pitches without a problem.

Now, Strasburg will finish up his rehab assignment, which can?t exceed 30 days for a pitcher, and then the Nationals have to bring him back, find a new injury or option him to the minors. The last option is possible, but the minor league season ends Sept. 5 and the Nationals want Strasburg to continue throwing, finishing the season with somewhere around 50 innings to gain command and build arm strength. The final 25 innings of which, give or take, will have to come in the majors since he can?t pitch in the minors in September.

We believe this instead: Strasburg pitching in the majors is not going to be any different than him spending the rest of the season pitching to minor leaguers. The competition is better and he?ll get to test himself a bit more, but other than that, it will be as if Strasburg is pitching for an affiliate. It will be a controlled environment with strict pitch counts and innings limits. It?s not like he?ll throw 100 pitches a start. Jordan Zimmerman also underwent Tommy John surgery in 2009 and he came back to pitch at the end of 2010, and now he?s one of the baseball?s most promising young pitchers, just like Strasburg will be again.

What else we believe: Rob Dibble disagrees with the Nationals bringing back Strasburg. Enough said.

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