Memo to: Mike Rizzo, general manager of the Washington Nationals.

Mike:

Stand your ground. Ignore the critics. You are absolutely doing the right thing shutting down Stephen Strasburg, your phenom ace pitcher.

He's your franchise and your future. Reconstructive elbow surgery, better known as Tommy John, is no joke. If Strasburg blows out his elbow again, from where will the surgeons extract another ligament?

You have been ridiculed by some of the great minds of baseball, people like John Kruk. Even Dr. Frank Jobe's original human guinea pig, Tommy John himself, thinks you are making a mistake to shut down Strasburg.

John cites the flimsy circumstantial evidence that, at age 33, he pitched 207 innings in 1976, the first year after his surgery, and pitched 200-plus innings six more consecutive sevens. But is he pitching now? I rest my case.

You may think it strange receiving this support from Atlanta Braves country. But I'm just looking out for this young man's well-being and for the good of the game.

In fact, don't stop at Strasburg.

Shut down Bryce Harper. Yeah, this kid is some kind of player. But he's just a kid. He won't even turn 20 until the playoffs. Research proves that "too much, too soon" can lead to real issues later in life. Do you want another Macaulay Culkin on your hands?

Harper is already showing the symptoms. He's hitting .175 over the last 30 days. Shut him down and give him a weeklong pass to Disney World. Let him be a kid while he can.

But don't stop there.

Shut down Ryan Zimmerman. The Z-man is getting old. He will be 28 next month. He has missed significant playing time due to injuries two of the past four seasons. His batting average has declined from .307 in 2010 -- his career best for a full season -- to .289 last year to .279 this season. Shut him down while he can still make it to first base.

But don't stop there.

Shut down Adam LaRoche. This one is simply a business decision. After missing most of last season, LaRoche has been one of baseball's best bargains this year: .266 average, 26 home runs, 77 RBI going into Sunday's game, all for the puny salary of $9 million. He has been a streaky hitter his whole career, and he's hot again. If he keeps it up, it would raise his market value and could cost you millions.

That's money you could invest in another high draft choice.

But don't stop there.

Shut down Steve Lombardozzi. With the baseball world infatuated with Harper, few people probably realize that Lombardozzi has been your most consistently productive rookie among position players. He's hitting .280 and playing a pretty solid second base. But the kid came into this season with just four minor league seasons under his belt.

Shut him down now before one slump shatters his confidence.

But don't stop there.

Shut down Michael Morse. Sure, Morse has been productive since coming off the disabled list, when he was rehabbing a torn lat muscle. But you know how those lat muscles can be. One good sneeze and he could be done for 2013. You don't play games with torn lats and sneezes.

But don't stop there.

Shut down Danny Espinosa. Shut down Roger Bernadina. Shut down Jordan Zimmermann. Shut down Ross Detwiler. Shut down Gio Gonzalez. Especially Gonzalez.

Shut 'em all down. Yes, Davey Johnson, your manager. He's 70 years old. Imagine the stress of a pennant race would have on a man who just a little over a year ago thought he was retired.

You will get no argument from us down here in Braves country. Consider it genuine Southern hospitality.

-- Guerry Clegg is an independent correspondent. Write to him at sports@ledger-enquirer.com