How ironic is this?

The Washington Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg will not pitch this postseason because he is on an arbitrary 160-inning limit following Tommy John surgery.

But Tommy John, the man for whom the surgery is named after (obviously), doesn’t think it’s necessary.

I don’t agree with the decision to shut him down either because an inning can last 3 pitches or 30 pitches. So that makes the number even more arbitrary. Why not a pitch limit? But believe me, I certainly understand the precaution.

So some ESPN Radio host asked Tommy John what factors should go into Mike Rizzo’s decision to shut Strasburg down.

“I would hope the general manager has a degree in orthopedic surgery, or at least kinesiology or physiology, and I don’t think Mike Rizzo has any of that,” Tommy John said. “Here’s the thing, go back, WikipediaTommy John and see how many innings I pitched in 1976, my comeback year.”

“I think it was like 206 or 207 innings.”