Stephen Strasburg Compares His Experience With Hype To Bryce Harper's

Washington Nationals star pitcher Stephen Strasburg compared his experience being drafted No. 1 overall by Washington to the one that Bryce Harper had being drafted by the same franchise at the same spot just one year later.

"Harper handles it differently than I would,” Strasburg told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “There’s nothing wrong with the way he handles it. That can work to his advantage to some extent. I’ve talked to him a few times about it. He’s a great kid, a young kid who comes from a different situation.

"Me being a college guy, I got a chance to kinda slowly move into it, whereas he was 16 on the cover of Sports Illustrated.”

Strasbrurg and Harper were both considered two of the best draft prospects in the history of the game. As a result of the Nationals finishing with the worst record in baseball in two consecutive seasons, Washington was able to acquire both with the first pick overall.

Last season in his return from Tommy John surgery, Strasburg went 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 24 innings pitched. In 2010, he posted a 2.91 ERA with 92 strikeouts in 68 innings pitched.