Unless he fell out of bed this morning and re-injured himself, Zimmerman will be back in the Nationals' lineup, fully healthy and eager to get his swing back down before the season begins in a mere six days.
Actually, Zimmerman isn't worried at all about his readiness for the season. Some guys prefer to get as many at-bats as they can in spring training, like Adam LaRoche (a historically slow starter). Others prefer to get the minimum amount of work in March, knowing they'll still be ready come April.
"Basically the plan was, once it felt good, give it another week just to be extra careful," Zimmerman said. "It's not like I need a lot of at-bats anyway. I'll actually be kind of fresh going into the season, which will be kind of nice."
Zimmerman has played in only eight games so far this spring, going 6-for-22 with two homers and six RBI. He expects to play in four of the Nationals' final five Grapefruit League games.
Though he insisted he could have played had this been the regular season, Zimmerman took six days completely off from hitting and throwing after first noticing the problem March 14. Hitting actually didn't bother him, but throwing caused a slight pull on the groin area, so the Nationals training staff instructed him not do anything for that first week. Since then, he's taken batting practice and fielded grounders with no issues.
"My arm actually feels unbelievable from not throwing for six days," he said.
Zimmerman is slated to bat third tonight against the Cardinals, behind Jayson Werth and ahead of LaRoche, just how Jim Riggleman plans to hit his top three offensive players when the season begins.
When he takes the field, Zimmerman won't have any worries about his health.
"It's better that it happened now, for sure, and that we stopped it before it got worse," he said.
40 comments:
Mark, you gave me a scare for a moment. I inadvertently read your post as "UNTIL he fell out of bed this morning and reinjured himself..."
Clearly watching my huskies win and Duke lose last night has rattled my brain a bit.
"Basically the plan was, once it felt good, give it another week just to be extra careful," Zimmerman said.
This is the type of double talk that just pisses me off. Don't say 5 days when it clearly by his statement never could have been 5 days.
The mathematical formula according to Zim's statement was X+7=Y so we know now that since Y=11 we can solve X=4 as it felt good after 4 days and you throw on a week equals 11 days.
Yes, I excelled in Algebra along with kinesiology and a few other subjects.
When the Cardinals lost Adam Wainwright they told the world exactly what they knew within minutes.
Every time Ryan Zimmerman hurts something, there is always a plan that comes out just like I wrote about before.
The Nats pulled the same BS with Strasburg. I exposed it right after the first evaluation as I knew what it was just like they did. Under the Kasten management, it is always under a cloak of secrecy and letting out the bad news slowly.
I know some like to digest the bad news slowly and some like the honest upfront approach like the Cardinals handled Wainwright with. I just want to keep it real.
Zim didn't disappoint for throwing in at least one WE.
"It's better that it happened now, for sure, and that we stopped it before it got worse," he said.
Speaking of injuries, is CM Wang even throwing lately? Haven't heard a thing.
Talking about injuries Mark, do you have a BHarper update? Thanks.
someone asked about Jessee English the other day
he has signed with the Indians, rejoining Manny
Steve M... Double talk??? !!! out of DC???? who'd of thunk???
Steve M. rides again! Exposing the truth, righting wrongs, and dispatching injustice with algebra, verve and zeal. Fear not young citizens, for the world is once again safe for baseball fans everywhere.
If you think appearing to this point in 8 games is sufficient then glad some of you are fine with that.
Steve M.... no knock coming from me BUT.... Zim has always been really fast out of the blocks in Spring Training usually tearing the cover off the ball and this usually carries through April. (See 31 game hitting streak 2009)
Then he experiences a drop off before settling back to his normal .290 pace for the remainder of the season.
I have no concerns with his 8 games to date and finishing out in 4 of the last 5. Hopefully, this will relate to some sort of solid start and an enduring pace throughout the season.
NatsJack in Florida said...Steve M... Double talk??? !!! out of DC???? who'd of thunk??? March 25, 2011 11:39 AM
Good point, it is DC but more of a coincidence on the DC politico double talk.
Just tell us the truth, we can handle it. People plan vacations to the ballpark just to see certain players in the game.
Someone needs to post again that Jack Nicholson piece from A Few Good Men about handling the truth. Yah, I probably take things to seriously but I am an intense person so my verve and zeal get the best of me.
By the way, Ryan Zimmerman is the player I think has the greatest impact on this team. He has a chance to be one of the greatest and consistency is one thing all the great ones have.
"Yes, I excelled in Algebra along with kinesiology and a few other subjects."
It's good that you told us this. I was beginning to think you were an illiterate crackpot conspiracy theorist like JayB. But now I know that you're the Drew Storen or Jack McGeary of crackpot conspiracy theorists. You're still every bit as wrong, though.
Natsochist: For the record, I had the EXACT same misread of that first part. We've certainly been conditioned, that's for sure.
Anon 12:11, really, wrong about what? If I am wrong, I would like to know about what.
"Anon 12:11, really, wrong about what? If I am wrong, I would like to know about what."
All of your conspiracy theories, of course. What else? But then you conspiracy theorists are never ever wrong, are you? Or so you think.
Mark Zuckerman wrote on March 15, 2011...UPDATE -- ... Zimmerman has a groin strain; Jim Riggleman told reporters in Port St. Lucie the third baseman will miss at least five days, though he would be able to play if this was the regular season.
Riggleman said at least 5 days. Clearly by Zimmerman's own statement it was going to be at least 8 days in theory as he said "once it felt good, give it another week" so if it felt good after a day + give it another week then it was going to be at least 8 days never a minimum of 5 days.
I don't make this stuff up. That is what he said. They have this way of downplaying injuries which is why everyone gets on the edge of their seat when there is an injury just like Jordan Zimmermann with his initial TJ injury in 2009.
Someone forgot to take their meds this morning.
OK, Steve may be a bit high-strung for some peoples' tastes, but he has a _very good_ point. Personally, I'm getting really tired of the utter unreliability of the nats' injury announcements. I understand not wanting to tell your opponents too much, but every labrum tear and TJ operation started as "day to day" and "being extra cautious." If you're going to do that, stop wasting our time by even telling us anything.
SteveM, you don't need to defend yourself. Your logic is correct just with hints of being negative and many want a rosy picture but I for one really like your insight.
Zimmerman has been saying all along that if this was the regular season he would be playing. He was filmed by MLB Network several days ago taking BP, fielding grounders and running the bases with absolutely no impairment at all, thus reinforcing the statements made at the beginning that this injury was minor and he was sitting out only as a precaution. I would think that anyone who's in their right mind would not be questioning the wisdom of Zimmerman skipping a week's worth of meaningless games in order that he be totally fresh and ready for the games that count. Having a player fall on his sword in spring training is the ultimate of stupidity.
It's a good thing some of you don't follow hockey - you'd have heart attacks over the injury announcements there.
A player could get run over and killed by the Zamboni and the team will list him as day-to-day with an upper body injury.
IT'S NOT THAT IMPORTANT!
In hockey they don't tell the fans ANYTHING at all - case in point-- Alex Ovechkin is out for a while with a completely undisclosed injury. The most they ever say is "upper body" or some such thing. Sometimes things are really just day to day and they don't want to commit to some arbitrary time frame that will be thrown right back at them by bloggers if it turns out to be off.
Kevin Rusch, Section406 said...
OK, Steve may be a bit high-strung for some peoples' tastes, but he has a _very good_ point. Personally, I'm getting really tired of the utter unreliability of the nats' injury announcements. I understand not wanting to tell your opponents too much, but every labrum tear and TJ operation started as "day to day" and "being extra cautious." If you're going to do that, stop wasting our time by even telling us anything.
March 25, 2011 1:03 PM
Thank you. That was my point going back to Shawn Hill, John Patterson and all the day-to-day BS.
Not sure if Mark Zuckerman wants to go on the record on this issue, but under Kasten it was don't give them the news today. Also, don't give them the good news today. When Ryan Zimmerman got his contract extension they waited for over a week to announce it. I still can't figure out why they wait when there is no strategical advantage.
They handled the Stephen Strasburg TJ news the same way as the Jordan Zimmermann. They knew immediately what it was after the Doctor told them and waited several days to report the story.
masnstinks said...
In hockey they don't tell the fans ANYTHING at all - case in point-- Alex Ovechkin is out for a while with a completely undisclosed injury. The most they ever say is "upper body" or some such thing. Sometimes things are really just day to day and they don't want to commit to some arbitrary time frame that will be thrown right back at them by bloggers if it turns out to be off.
March 25, 2011 1:13 PM
__________________________
Come on, we all know that is to give Ovie a rest before the playoffs. He is banged up and has no specific injury. This is apples and oranges or pucks and balls. Wink!
N.cognito, I can appreciate strategic injury reports during the regular season especially football. Not necessary in ST for sure and probably not at all with an easy DL system that allows you to go retroactive.
People who get all spun up over injury reports really ought to ponder the immortal words of Vin Scully. Of course, the specific player or the specific injury are irrelevant. The truth is the truth.
"Andre Dawson has a bruised knee and is listed as day-to-day. Aren't we all?"
The Brewers are interested in Morgan, trade him for a six-pack. It doesn't even have to be cold and I'd take the deal.
http://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/51311798623801345#
The Yankees signed Kevin Millwood to a minor league deal. Such a low rent organization. They stink.
:) (wink thingy)
Well, the Yankees are dumpster diving as they just signed Kevin Millwood to a minor league contract. ESPN says it is for $1.5 million only if he makes the MLB team by May 1st and if not he becomes a Free Agent.
Those Damn Yankees! From the poetic words of Mark Zuckerman, "Perhaps some day, maybe even some day soon, the Nats will be in a better position as a franchise and not have to resort to such dumpster dives."
What does that say about the Yankee$ with Freddy Garcia, Bartolo Colon and now Kevin Millwood?
That list of names for the Bronx Bombers may be 3 more re-treads then the old clunker driving down the street.
Anon @ 1:58
And Mark Prior !!
The Yankees were so sure they were getting Cliff Lee, they ended up waiting him costing them other options. This was a much worse Plan B - no doubt.
Thanks new plan is hope that the Twins have a bad year & trade you Liriano at the trade deadline.
JD, and they have Justin Maxwell so that is 4 retreads and a spare tire!
"Brewers interested in Morgan" -- maybe he gets pointers watching Bernie Brewer slide down the chute . . . feet first.
Tcostant said...
The Brewers are interested in Morgan, trade him for a six-pack. It doesn't even have to be cold and I'd take the deal.
---------------------------------------------
FYI ... I laughed too loud when I read this, it startled all of my cube-mates. Good one, Tcostant!
Well, never mind.
"Teams Eyeing Nyjer Morgan
By Ben Nicholson-Smith [March 25 at 1:15pm CST]
1:15pm: Rosenthal hears that the Brewers passed on Morgan (Twitter link). They'll go with Brandon Boggs and Jeremy Reed as extra outfielders."
Looked back to the Milwaukee Journal article: Brewers are "one of the teams" -- plural! -- looking at Morgan. Praise heaven, there's more than one sucker waiting to be fleeced!
Morgan is like roadkill. Everyone looks, but no one picks it up.
About Morgan, seriously, last night he was late on fastballs all game long. Something is seriously wrong -- his eyes, his head, the Nats' attempt to re-engineer and re-program him -- but if he can't hit a curveball or a fastball there is clearly no hope.
Reading all the Nyjer comments is sad but true. I have this strange feeling that they won't trade him and will keep him.
This will be an interesting week.
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