Sean B. Fitzgerald It doesn’t go something like this, it goes exactly like this.

Stephen Strasburg: A Timeline

After reading dozens of scouting reports, articles, memoirs, and blog posts about the "One" Stephen Strasburg, hyperbole seems to be standard operating procedure. Phrases such as "Greatest prospect ever" or "Best arm of all time" are used with regularity. The comparisons are even more impressive. It has been said that he has the control of Pedro, the speed of Ryan, and the intelligence of Maddux. "Is he clutch?", you ask. Clutch? One article invented the word clutchiness to describe how clutch he was. And according to some reports, his fastball was clocked at 103-miles an hour. Just look at this impressive montage of strikeouts during a game against Utah. It's easy to get excited about a potential game-changing player, but scouts and writers must have short memories. Once a year it seems there is some prospect who is more myth than man. And more often than not, said prospect barely sniffs AA ball. With the Nationals winning the least amount of games last season, they have been saddled with the first pick in the draft. Here's how I see that going for them:

June 9th, 2009: With the first pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Draft, the Washington Nationals select Stephen Strasburg out of San Diego State University

June 12th, 2009: Negotiation begins. Scott Boras (Strasburg's agent of course), asks for a record 7 years, $58 million. Nationals hesitate, request to sleep on it.

June 14th, 2009: With the Nationals in last place and desperately in need of an identity, they cave and sign Strasburg to 7 years, $59.5 million.

June 21st, 2009: Strasburg is immediately sent to Washington's Single-A affiliate, Potomac Nationals.

July 4th, 2009: After striking out 14 batters in 10 innings in two starts, he skips AA and is sent to the Syracuse Chiefs, the Nationals AAA affiliate. He makes six starts, gives up 3 runs and strikes out 22 in 25 innings.

August 18th, 2009: With a 43-79 record and attendance steadily dipping, the Nationals decide to bring up Strasburg as a reliever at home against the Rockies.

August 18th 2009 (9:23ET): Nationals take the lead in the bottom half the seventh on a three run homerun by Ryan Zimmerman. Washington leads 6-3. As the top of the eighth begins, Stephen Strasburg trots out of the bullpen for his first major league appearance. The crowd of 26,324 rise to their feet and cheer.

9:29ET: His warm-up pitches are a little shaky as expected. But after each pitch, he looks decidedly more comfortable. Then Todd Helton steps to the plate. Strasburg winds-up and fires, strike one! The gun reads 98-miles an hour. The crowd erupts. The next pitch is a slider that breaks off the table and Helton swings right over it, strike two! The crowds grows louder as he winds up again, strike three! A 99-mile an hour fastball at Helton's eyes.

9:33ET: Strasburg proceeds to get the next batter out on three similar pitches and the stadium is buzzing. Brad Hawpe enters the batters box. Strasburg goes through his wind-up and deals, ball one! Way outside. In fact, it misses the catcher completely and rolls to the backstop. Oh no! Strasburg is grabbing his elbow. Manager Manny Acta and the trainer rush out to the mound. Strasburg is wincing in pain and they are forced to take him out. The silence is deafening.

February 23rd, 2011: Stephen Strasburg arrives at Washington Nationals spring training after a year and a half rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Still only 22, there is plenty of time for him to return to his old form. However, he his 30 pounds over weight and has only soft-tossed since August of 2009. Running poles are tough for him as he runs out of breath easily. Given the fact that he already has signed an extensive and expensive contract, he has lost all his competitive fire. He spends money on lavish and unnecessary things. He is rude to fans and reporters and has alienated the entire Washington Nationals fan base.

July 31st, 2011: After posting a pedestrian 4.83 ERA out of the bullpen for the Nationals, Strasburg is traded for cash to the Milwaukee Brewers as Washington decides to eat most of the contract. Bitter about the trade, Stephen half-heartedly complains about a twinge in his other elbow. And after getting several opinions from "reputable" doctors, Strasburg gets another Tommy John surgery.

April 24th, 2013: The Brewers designate Strasburg for assignment and suddenly he is out of work. No one wants to deal with him because of his attitude and injury plagued past. So he signs a contract with the Long Island Ducks and works part time as a floor manager at Target. He marries a local girl and has nine kids. Their names all starting with "S".

Who knows? Maybe I'll be wrong.