Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Zimmerman may not return until Tuesday

Though he's eligible to come off the disabled list Sunday and has been aiming to play in that night's nationally televised series finale against the Phillies, Ryan Zimmerman may not be ready to return from his shoulder injury until Tuesday.

Nationals manager Davey Johnson said Zimmerman will begin hitting off a tee Friday, and he'll likely need a few more days to ramp up his stroke in the batting cage and against live pitching before he comes off the 15-day DL.

"He's throwing and doing all that," Johnson said. "He feels great. But he's still got to wait, make sure we get by this injury. So I think Tuesday is his coming-out party, hopefully."

Zimmerman hasn't played since April 20 due to inflammation of the AC joint in his right shoulder. He's remained with the big-league club throughout his DL stint and for the last two days has participated in defensive drills.

The injury, though, only affected his swing, so the Nationals won't know for sure whether he's completely healed until he has a chance to pick up a bat again.

Zimmerman had expressed optimism he'd be ready to return as soon as he becomes eligible Sunday, which would allow him to play in the finale of this weekend's series against the Phillies (the first time the Nationals have appeared on Sunday Night Baseball since Zimmerman christened the new ballpark with a walk-off home run in 2008).

"I could use his bat, but I don't want him for three or four days and then have a problem with it," Johnson said. "If that's missing a couple more games, so be it. I'll wait on him."

Even though he won't have appeared in any actual games in more than two weeks, Zimmerman probably won't need to go on a brief rehab assignment with one of the Nationals' minor-league affiliates.

"Not for me, he doesn't," Johnson said. "I'll take him cold turkey."

26 comments:

The Great Unwashed said...

Why am I not surprised?

The Great Unwashed said...

Why am I not surprised?

Darin H said...

They are hiding something! Surely this is an injury similar to Wilson Ramos and it's going to put Zimmerman on the sidelines for months if not years! Way to go with the horrible long term extension Rizzo. He may look good when pitchers just fall into his lap, I could have picked Stratensburger but what else has he done? He can't build any offense, he has guys like Espinosa and Desmonds swinging and missing at everything and he pays TONS of money for injury prone one year wonders like Morse and expects us to be good?

This team's quick start was an illusion, they won when no one could hit because of the cold weather, now that it is warming up and other team's bats are getting hot we are getting exposed. We are making AAA quality pitchers look like Nolan Ryan.

I expect a sub-.500 record this year, I also expect that Zimmerman, Morse and Storen will not play another inning.

Fire Rizzo! Hire a real GM how knows how to build a true team!

JayB said...

What a shocker.....

The Great Unwashed said...

Darin H. said...

I could have picked Stratensburger...

Desmonds swinging and missing...

Clearly you don't watch this team.

natsfan1a said...

Le sigh.

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

Darin H., find another blog. Just a waste of a post.

peric said...

McPoop is back.

NatsNutty said...

How can Davey keep saying "he likes what he sees" when his sluggers remain on the DL, no one of substance is hitting, and the team is in the midst of a 5-game losing streak? What team is Davey watching or, more to the point, coaching?

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

Davey is trying to stay positive. Its amazing when you tell someone they are good they actually believe it and start hitting.

Its building momentum and getting on a roll.

Kirbs said...

Darin H is a idiot. And ill take a cold zim bat over another week of him in the minors.

Kirbs said...

Darin H is a idiot. And ill take a cold zim bat over another week of him in the minors.

Anonymous said...

I would have liked to have seen Zimmerman chomping at the bit to get back for at least the last game of this "Take Back the Park" series against our dreaded divisional rival as we battle to stay in 1st place on a prime time Sunday night game...

But I guess that is not how he rolls...

peric said...

Davey is trying to stay positive. Its amazing when you tell someone they are good they actually believe it and start hitting.

Yep, exactly. But, he is capable of changing rapidly as is necessary. In Moore's case he is not yet a major league outfielder. He's still a first baseman. Otherwise, he might be in the lineup instead of Nady.

MicheleS said...

howl31.. I am guessing RZ is chomping at the bit to get back.

Darin H.. Decaf.. Buddy...

natsfan1a said...

Maybe that was an ironic post? Or not.

NatsLady said...

Wait--what injury to Wilson Ramos?

Anonymous said...

Point taken, I'm sure Zimm wants to get back... my thought is colored by my disapointment...

I guess I would like to see him chomping that bit so hard that nothing could stop him from getting back to play the Phils... after all, the story says "He feels great"...

Hopefully when he picks up the bat again on Friday, everything will be cool and his name will be penciled into the lineup on Sunday... I can only hope...

natsfan1a said...

Possibly he was thinking of Flores.

NatsLady said...

Wait--what injury to Wilson Ramos?
May 02, 2012 6:07 PM

NatsLady said...

1a, or LaRoche. You know I am easily confooooosed.

natsfan1a said...

Me, too, NatsLady. :-)

UnkyD said...

Darin H: Leader in the clubhouse, for silliest post of the year... Hurry back and post, any time! Comic relief like that is perfect for the end of a five game losing streak {:^D

natsfan1a said...

Woooooooooo Hooooooooooooo!! Oh, did I already post that? Oh, well. :-)

Dryw Loves the Nats said...

1a, in case you didn't say it before, I'm going to follow up with a
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo

NatsNut said...

Oh really? Not on Sunday? I'm so surprised.

Tcostant said...

I guess I'm not the only one who wants no part of an 8PM start, RZ said, see you Tuesday!

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