Soto to 1B?

[dracnal]

Maybe the boat anchor which is Zimmerman is sinking the entire team. He needs to be on the bench.

JFC. Just stop.

[Section214]

I don't really understand why the fan base is so hard on Zim. He is going to hit .250-.280 if he's healthy, he plays a terrific first base and he is a pretty clutch hitter in big spots. I could see Soto moving to 1B someday, and it would be great for him to start getting some work there just for position versatility, but it's certainly not something that needs to be done right now.

[Natsinpwc]

I don't really understand why the fan base is so hard on Zim. He is going to hit .250-.280 if he's healthy, he plays a terrific first base and he is a pretty clutch hitter in big spots. I could see Soto moving to 1B someday, and it would be great for him to start getting some work there just for position versatility, but it's certainly not something that needs to be done right now.

He was a terrible hitter in 2015-16. Great in 2017. Passable in 2018. So it’s hard to say with certainty he will hit in that range again. He’s not very good defensively. He seems a nice guy.

[Section214]

He was a terrible hitter in 2015-16. Great in 2017. Passable in 2018. So it’s hard to say with certainty he will hit in that range again. He’s not very good defensively. He seems a nice guy.

I definitely disagree about him at first. He is more than solid there IMO. I think there is a big drop off between him and Adams.

[Natsinpwc]

I definitely disagree about him at first. He is more than solid there IMO. I think there is a big drop off between him and Adams.

Ok. The arm is always a concern. Adams is not a good fielder either.

[Section214]

Ok. The arm is always a concern. Adams is not a good fielder either.

That's true. His inability to throw a baseball is a problem you know, in baseball... but he has a very good glove.

[expos1994]

Zim is excellent with the glove as he used to make highlight plays daily at 3rd base. But he got the yips and can't throw the ball any more... but at first that doesn't come into play very often.

And he has 8 RBI this season so far. So I'd say he's off and going. Just let him play he's an all time great Nat finishing out his career.

[tswphoto]

Zim is excellent with the glove as he used to make highlight plays daily at 3rd base. But he got the yips and can't throw the ball any more... but at first that doesn't come into play very often.

And he has 8 RBI this season so far. So I'd say he's off and going. Just let him play he's an all time great Nat finishing out his career.

Don't think it's the yips.  His shoulder is broken. 

[tswphoto]

He was a terrible hitter in 2015-16.

Hence the "if he's healthy"  . . . 

[Natsinpwc]

Hence the "if he's healthy"  . . .

So he wasn’t healthy the games he played?

[spidernat]

So he wasn’t healthy the games he played?

stricter PED monitoring

[tswphoto]

So he wasn’t healthy the games he played?

Don't think so.  His shoulder was completely wrecked, took some time to heal and relearn how to perform.  He still can't throw, really.  I seem to recall some other injuries in that time frame too.  When he's healthy, he rakes, still.  It takes some effort to keep him healthy.  Not ideal, but it is what it is, for one more year. 

[Natsinpwc]

Don't think so.  His shoulder was completely wrecked, took some time to heal and relearn how to perform.  He still can't throw, really.  I seem to recall some other injuries in that time frame too.  When he's healthy, he rakes, still.  It takes some effort to keep him healthy.  Not ideal, but it is what it is, for one more year.

Looks like he got some special PEDs in 2017 and the realized he could be caught.

[Slateman]

Zim is excellent with the glove as he used to make highlight plays daily at 3rd base. But he got the yips and can't throw the ball any more... but at first that doesn't come into play very often.

And he has 8 RBI this season so far. So I'd say he's off and going. Just let him play he's an all time great Nat finishing out his career.

Zim didnt get the yips. He took half a dozen cortisone shots and destroyed his shoulder.

[GburgNatsFan]

Zim didnt get the yips. He took half a dozen cortisone shots and destroyed his shoulder.

Didn't he freak it up sliding head first into 3rd? That's how I remember it. I'm sure the cortisone contributed.

[Slateman]

Didn't he freak it up sliding head first into 3rd? That's how I remember it. I'm sure the cortisone contributed.

Probably that too. Point is, he didnt get the yips. He was freaking broken.

[Jeff in Gaithersburg]

I get that Zim is the whipping boy on here for some of you because of the contract, but the bottom line is the guy is still productive and rakes when healthy. Yes I'm expecting the inevitable injury at some point but until then the idea of benching him and essentially replacing him with MAT's bat in the lineup is just nonsense.

[WashingtonWizards23]

No. First base is always for those overpaid old players who cant field 

[Slateman]

No. First base is always for those overpaid old players who cant field 

So .... all we have to do is overpay Soto?

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

Soto and Robles will be getting similar deals to Albies and Acuna and other young players very soon.  Make sense.  Wish we did it with Turner a few years ago.

[Slateman]

Soto and Robles will be getting similar deals to Albies and Acuna and other young players very soon.  Make sense.  Wish we did it with Turner a few years ago.

lol, why would you even think that?

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

lol, why would you even think that?

Why not?  It's the trend now.  Teams everywhere are locking up their young players at a discount by buying out their pre-arb and arb years plus a few more.  The player gets more money now and security long-term, and the team gets a huge discount versus what the player could've made on the open market. 

[Slateman]

Why not?  It's the trend now.  Teams everywhere are locking up their young players at a discount by buying out their pre-arb and arb years plus a few more.  The player gets more money now and security long-term, and the team gets a huge discount versus what the player could've made on the open market. 

What in the Nationals history has indicated they would do a deal this early? It was the trend to get good relievers, but they didn't do that. It was the trend to get young, cost controlled pitchers, but they didn't do that.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

What in the Nationals history has indicated they would do a deal this early? It was the trend to get good relievers, but they didn't do that. It was the trend to get young, cost controlled pitchers, but they didn't do that.

Not even close to the same thing. 

[UMDNats]

Nothing in the Lerner history indicates they are even considering locking up these guys. In fact, other than Strasburg and (I guess) Zimmerman, they don't seem very interested in long-term deals like those going on around the league.