Stephen Strasburg: The Biggest Thing Since Kevin Maas

Stephen Strasburg dominates college baseball for a couple of years, clocks in at over 100 MPH, gets picked first overall by the Washington Nationals, signs a $15 million contract, is named the most hyped pitching prospect by Sports Illustrated, plows through minor league teams for a couple of months, and has cards that sell for thousands of dollars despite being released just weeks earlier.

He gets called up this week to make his first major league start. Some might have thought we were all primed for a letdown, but what does he do?....strikes out 14 Pirates! (I know what you're thinking, but last I checked the Pirates are still a Major League ball club). And now the Hall of Fame has asked for a cap and ball from his debut, before he even has made another start.

The only two ballplayers that I have seen receive so much hype are Ken Griffey Jr. in 1989, and Kevin Maas of the New York Yankees (pictured to the right on his Upper Deck rookie card) in 1990. Sure, Griffey went on to become one of the greatest players ever and is on his way to the Hall of Fame (he actually retired just last week), but Maas went bust....hard. So, before you shell out hundreds for Strasburg memorabilia this week, take a long hard look at Kevin Maas and let me know if you still think your "investment" is worth it. But, you might want to just buy one rookie card...y'know....just in case.