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Washington Nationals: No need to worry about Ryan Zimmerman

By Drew Douglas |

Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman has been mysteriously absent this spring. However, there’s no need to worry.

Since the Washington Nationals are in the National League, their pitchers have to hit for themselves during the regular season. However, for the first couple weeks of spring training, the Nats are allowed to adopt the DH rule.

Eventually, pitchers begin to hit for themselves. Now that Opening Day is just over a week away, each starting pitcher has hit for themselves in at least one start.

Max Scherzer has hit for himself in two starts thus far, accumulating three at-bats. While three at-bats is about on par with what a position player would get in a regular season game, Ryan Zimmerman has not yet taken his third at-bat of the spring.

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Pitchers and catchers reported to spring training 34 days ago, yet Zimmerman has only taken two at-bats.

Your first thought is likely that Zimmerman is hurt. However, that is not the case.

So if Zimmerman is healthy, why has he taken fewer at-bats than Scherzer, a pitcher who only recently started hitting for himself?

Well, this is not completely true. Scherzer has taken more major league at-bats than Zimmerman this spring, but Zimmerman has stepped up to the plate much more in minor league games.

For most of the spring, Zimmerman has been mysteriously absent. He participates in team workouts, but has only appeared in one major league game. If you want to see the face of the franchise play in West Palm Beach, you’ll have to stop by the back fields.

Zimmerman, a wily veteran, has long been a proponent of shortening spring training.

As things currently stand, spring training lasts about a month and a half. This gives teams an opportunity to evaluate a wide variety of players, such as prospects and non-roster-invitees, but it is far too long for established big leaguers.

Even if they start slow, taking only an at-bat or two per game and taking a day off between games, spring training can be a drag for veterans.

At this point in his career, Zimmerman knows exactly what he needs to do to prepare for the season. If he wants to get his work in during minor league games, so be it.

Minor league spring training games provide a controlled environment, which can be preferable to veterans. If Zimmerman wants to, he can lead off every inning and only play defense every other inning. He can get his work in exactly how he wants to.

Somehow, minor league spring training games matter even less than major league spring training games.

Zimmerman also has a history of being exceptionally injury-prone. If he feels that preparing for the season in a controlled environment will help him remain healthy, then that is exactly what he should do.

Before last season, Zimmerman was a shell of his former self and appeared to be way past his prime. Then, he finally managed to remain healthy for an entire season. All of a sudden, he resembled the younger version of himself and even started in the All-Star Game.

If playing in minor league spring training games will help Zimmerman remain healthy and have another productive season, so be it.

Zimmerman has proven to be a responsible player and man throughout his entire career. He has earned our trust, to the point where nobody believed the false PED allegations a few years ago. If he says he is prepared for the season, who are we to think otherwise?

Fans were worried about Adam Eaton as well, who spent most of the spring in minor league games, and all he has done since joining major league camp is go 3-for-4 with a homer. Not too shabby for a player who fans thought was injured.

Next: Nats ready to win the World Series

Dave Martinez has only penciled Zimmerman into the lineup once this spring, but he will start at first base on Opening Day in Cincinnati. Like every other player on the roster, he is ready for real baseball.

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