Why Stephen Strasburg and the MLB Draft Matter to Your Pocket

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Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg

PHELAN EBENHACK/Reuters/Corbis

What’s the rush in bringing the 21-year-old phenom up to the major league level?

When it comes to Nationals rookie hurler Stephen Strasburg, there is no danger of him getting too old any time soon. MLB.com’s draft tracker shows that in 2009, 1,521 players were selected in the Major League Baseball draft. Of the 30 first-round picks, only 10 were legal when selected, and Strasburg wasn’t one of them. And despite the rampant youth that the draft brings along every year, Strasburg was touted as the top prospect long before he threw his final pitch at San Diego State.

So what’s behind Washington’s quick push to get Strasburg on the mound? Sure, he’s a talented pitcher who appears ready for the major-league grind. But he’s also a chip toward a more immediate, profitable future. Despite losing a major league high 205 games over the last two seasons, the Nationals remain a top-10 team in terms of the Fan Cost Index (FCI) — a dollar value that measures a family’s average expenses at the ballpark. The FCI accounts for four tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas, two beers, parking for one car and souvenirs (two programs, two baseball caps). Team Marketing Report publishes the annual data, which shows that last season, each family spent an average of $215.52 per Nationals game.

For that number to really impact Washington’s bottom line, the ballclub needs to fill every seat possible in its house. ESPN’s attendance figures reveal that the Nationals were buried at No. 24 last year, filling just 54% of the 41,888 seats at Nationals Park. Even with an improved 27-31 record entering Tuesday’s game, Washington is stuck on No. 24 this season. As the New York Times wrote on Tuesday morning, the anticipation surrounding the rookie has boosted ticket prices into the three-digit range against a not-so-marquee opponent — the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Washington is a large market that can afford to charge more to its fans. But young talent will never lose its role as a key piece in bridging the gap between sagging attendance and skyrocketing prices.