Washington Nationals' Stephen Strasburg was definitely the star in the team's recent game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, in which the Nats won 5-2. As a right-handed pitcher for MLB team Washington Nationals, Strasburg was able to garner a total of 14 strikeouts during his debut game, an achievement that puts him into the spotlight. Strasburg's performance in his debut game certainly went beyond what fans and spectators were expecting. According to Ivan Rodriguez, a Hall of Famer, as he pats Strasburg on the shoulder, he's been catching plenty of guys, but Strasburg is "unbelievable." Amidst a stand-only crowd, Strasburg displayed his amazing power pitches, proving that being last year's no. 1 overall draft pick is just the beginning. His fastballs reached an amazing speed of 100 mph, while his wicked curveballs were almost impossible to hit. Twenty-one year old Strasburg "didn't walk a batter," had earned 2 runs, and allowed a total of 4 hits. His stats made the records, as he was able to compile the most number of strikeouts in a debut in a big league game ever since J.R. Richard's 15 strikeouts for Houston during a 1971 game. His team's reaction Because of his outstanding performance, Strasburg was voted by his teammates as the "player of the game," making him don an oversized Elvis Presley wig as part of the team's clubhouse ritual. Right after the game, he was smacked on the face with three pies made of shaving cream as the astounded crowd roared in support. According to Strasburg, "I just wanted to go out there and say I’ve had my first outing in the big leagues. I’ve had a great time." And he did had a great time as he wowed the crowd, his fans, teammates, and his family members. Known for his fast pitches, the actual game lasted for only two hours and 19 minutes. As a matter of fact, Tom Hallion, the plate umpire, even suggested that he (Strasburg) try to slow down during the warmups since the breaks between a major game's innings are longer. Strasburg also compared the game to getting married. According to him, the game was like getting married; you begin the game hoping that you'd remember every detail but after the game, you can't remember anything. He also stated that "...everything else is just such a blur.." as he detailed his experience during the fast-paced game. The day Strasburg wowed the crowd was affectionately declared as "Strasmus," considering that this game was the biggest MLB event in Washington. Some can argue that Strasburg is probably one of the most anticipated MLB rookies in terms of pitching debuts since Walter Johnson in 1907. More on Stephen Strasburg Selected by the Washington Nationals in the 2009 MLB Draft as a first pick, he closed a whopping $15.1 million deal with the Nats on August 17. ESPN declared him as the "most hyped pick" in MLB draft history, while Sports Illustrated declared him as the most closely watched and hyped prospective pitcher in baseball's history. Fortunately, Strasburg didn't let his fans down during his debut game.