Washington Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo said Friday that young pitching star Stephen Strasburg underwent successful Tommy John surgery. The three-hour operation was performed by Nationals team doctor Wiemi Douoguih and orthopedist Dr. Lewis Youcum in Los Angeles.   Rizzo said, "everything went very smoothly and the reports were very good. He'll start his rehab in a couple of days and we're very confident he will come back strong from this surgery. I really feel this is just a blip in what is going to be an outstanding career for Stephen." Strasburg's ulnar collateral ligament was replaced by a tendon from his thigh. The 22-year-old will start his rehab close to his home in San Diego. Full story It will certainly be a long road to recovery for Strasburg, as he could be on the shelf for up to 18 months. Dozens of pitchers have made triumphant returns after Tommy John surgery. Tim Hudson, Francisco Liriano, AJ Burnett, and Ryan Dempster of Gibsons, British Columbia are just some of the big names that have made successful returns.    Strasburg was the first overall selection in the 2009 amateur draft. He signed for a record $15.1 million. He had a 5-3 record with a 2.91 ERA, striking out 92 in 12 starts.