ZIMMERMAN called up by SEPTEMBER?!?

[Senators2005]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/17/AR2005081701874.html

NATIONALS NOTEBOOK
Zimmerman To Get a Shot At Shortstop

By Barry Svrluga
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 18, 2005; Page E07

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 17 -- With shortstop Cristian Guzman struggling both offensively and defensively, Nationals General Manager Jim Bowden instructed the team's player development department to play top prospect Ryan Zimmerman, a natural third baseman, every day at shortstop.

"He has the ability to play both short and third," Bowden said. "That protects us at both positions as we head into September. He's a very special defensive player with great hands and a good arm. He's going to hit. He's going to hit with power. And he's going to be, probably, rushed to the big leagues. That's life."

Zimmerman played third base at the University of Virginia, but Bowden said he saw him take ground balls at shortstop during a workout. Bowden, not shy in favorable evaluations, wrote in his ensuing report that Zimmerman "could be Cal Ripken at shortstop and somewhere between Scott Rolen and Brooks Robinson at third base."

Zimmerman entered Wednesday hitting .315 and slugging .525 with seven homers and 27 RBI in 49 games for Class AA Harrisburg. On Tuesday, Manager Frank Robinson blasted Guzman's shaky defense -- six errors in the previous eight games.

In Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the Phillies, Guzman responded by hitting two balls hard, one for a double, and making a sterling play on defense, picking a throw from catcher Brian Schneider out of the dirt and turning a double play.

[Senators2005]

I don't think I like this idea.  Calling up Zimmerman now is too early.  I want to get rid of Guzman as much as the next guy...but this may be too large a pill to swallow for this kid this soon.  He needs time to develop first!

Please Jim...don't whore-out our future for this one season.

[Montcobaseball]

As someone said "desperate times call for desperate measures"..  Who said that?

[Hardball in DC]

Jim Bowden reinforces the belief that he is an idiot.  Not only is he considering rushing a player to the majors but he is considering rushing a player to the majors at a new position after only 2 weeks of minor league exposure there.

::banging head::

[JMW IV]

anyone who thinks that Ryan Zimmerman is really ready to face Major League pitching after only what, 50 game(??) of professional experience is sadly mistaken.

[Ryan Zimmerman]

anyone who thinks that Ryan Zimmerman is really ready to face Major League pitching after only what, 50 game(??) of professional experience is sadly mistaken.

True.Let the kid finish the season in AA.He's having success against AA pitchers, major league pitchers are way better and I don't think, he's ready to face major league pitching.

But geez, Guzman is hitting for 190....I"m sure Zimmerman could hit for 190 and be better defensively! But Hardball is right on everything.Bowden is a pure idiot, it's never a good idea letting a kid not play his natural position in the majors and to rush him like that!!!!!!

[Ryan Zimmerman]

Btw, if Zimmerman is gonna play SS for a while at AA (or in the majors) why not promote Casto to AA?

[JMW IV]

Btw, if Zimmerman is gonna play SS for a while at AA (or in the majors) why not promote Casto to AA?

good idea.

[Senators2005]

Bringing up Zimmerman now is the total destruction of our best prospect and the fire sale of the Nationals future.  All so Jimbo can keep his job.

This season is not worth it.  I want to make the playoffs just like everybody else...but I'm going to be brutally honest here:  Even with WonderBoy SuperSolution Zimmerman in the lineup.  We aren't getting past the Cards if we DO go to post-season.  A year or two from now...the Cardinals will be a totally different ballclub (example: Yankees).  Then in the future instead of just making the post season...we might (dare to dream) win the whole freaking thing!

[Nationalzfanatic88]

I totally agree, I mean if the Nats just make the playoffs, no matter if they get crushed in teh first round, I think everyone will be astounded by the Nats first year!! I think its more important to build for the future, where I guarantee we will be a dominant team

[Dave B]

I'm sure if they bring up Zimmerman, they wil lgive him the speech "We are not counting on you to save us.  We just want to see what you can do.  We are desperate. If you help, fine. If not, just go back to the minors and work on some stuff".

There was a good article on him today, that really gets you psyched about him.

Really the only downside I can see is that the arbitration clock starts.  Mind you, the Nats will have money five years from now. So, I'm not concerned about that.  The Nats wont need to be run like a small market team.

They need to do something.  Him, Rick Short. Take your pick.  Do both.  Is Rick Short really that much worse in the field than Baerga.  Didnt mean to bring up Rick Short.

[Montcobaseball]

Short hit two more homers last night and is batting .402 !  Is there any conveiable reason thaat he is not on the team ???

[The Chief]

He's batting .500 career in the Majors

[Kenz aFan]

I don't think I like this idea.  Calling up Zimmerman now is too early.  I want to get rid of Guzman as much as the next guy...but this may be too large a pill to swallow for this kid this soon.  He needs time to develop first!

Please Jim...don't whore-out our future for this one season.

If you are content to let the Nats fall in the standings because of Guzman's inability to hit and the disappearance of his glove, then I agree Zimmerman should be left in the minors until next season. But since way long before the draft, many scouts were saying that Zimmerman's glove was and is major league ready, and since they also said he would be a gold glove at either third or short, even if he hit 225 the rest of the season with the Nats, that's a TON better than what we're getting from Guzman now. Also, after seeing Zimmerman play in AA, they predicted he would hit similar to Castilla at around .240 to .250... OH MY GOD, if Guzman was  hitting .240, the Nats wouldn't be where they are now in the standings.

If they call up Zimmerman, I have a strong feeling he'll do better than expected, especially in the first couple of weeks because of the adrenaline rush. And remember, he's playing in a pitcher's league, not a hitters league like the Pacific Coast League the Zephyrs are playing in.

[Kenz aFan]

Bringing up Zimmerman now is the total destruction of our best prospect and the fire sale of the Nationals future.

That's almost EXACTLY what they said when they called up Chad Cordero. In baseball, there are players who are ready to make the jump quickly, what kind of experts are we to say he's not ready now? Everyone knows his glove is ready, be it as SS or 3D, so WHO ARE WE TO SAY that Zimmerman isn't major league ready? Since when do any of us know more than the people paid to evaluate player talent?

We aren't, so we all should shutup and support whatever move gets made, because I doubt very much anyone in this forum or who goes to games at RFK plans on booing Zimmerman when he comes to the plate.