You could say that Steven Strasburg's first minor league rehab start since having Tommy John surgery was a success. He faced eight batters for the Hagerstown Suns, striking out four. Sure, he also gave up a home run and two singles, and his 31 pitches couldn't get him through two full innings. But let's not get bogged down in details.

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What's important is that he's back on the mound, and that his throwing arm is still affixed to his body. Despite the Nats organization's Stasi-like efforts to keep the world from knowing anything about Strasburg's performance on Sunday, several courageous Americans managed to sneak these videos across enemy lines.

Strasburg's first pitch elicited quite the response:

After the game, Strasburg told reporters that he was "pleased" with his first start, and wants to pitch for the Nats in September.

[via WaPo]