Washington Nationals: Predicting the 2018 Opening Day lineup
By Ron Juckett
1B RYAN ZIMMERMAN
.269-.273 Avg. 24-26 HR 74-83 RBI .339-.347 OBP
Remember, we are assuming Murphy misses the start of the season recovering from his knee surgery. When he returns, slide Zimmerman down to the fifth-hole where he was most of last year.
Although the projections drop from 2017’s lofty heights, those numbers over 120 games are ones the Nats take in a heartbeat. The key for Zimmerman is working on the launch angle and keeping his rockets in the gap and off the ground.
Zimmerman’s bad 2016 plays a part of those bad percentage projections. After hitting .303 with a .358 OBP, there is no reason the batting average should dip 30-35 points. Anything around .285 will make everyone happy.
With Matt Adams in the fold, and Murphy capable playing first, the question this year is playing time. In 2017, Zimmerman appeared in 144 games. If healthy, 135-145 is about right. He must apply what he learned last year and use it again.
A quiet leader, his influence in the clubhouse grows with his experience and losing Werth. But, as his big Sunday Night Baseball home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers showed, his leadership also stems from big hits in the clutch. As the baseball world zeroes in on Harper, the pressure is off Zimmerman.
No matter where he hits, Zimmerman is ready.