It may work out that Zimmerman ends up at first base. If his arm can somehow recover, then he will stay at third.
Odds where Zimmerman is on opening day, 2015
10% third base
40% first base
50% disabled list
He'll eventually play 1st base in 2015.
First base -- next year. Now that they know its arthritis, there is targeted medication he can take that will help. He'll probably have to miss a couple of dozen game, or more, this year.
Trade him to the yanks for ARoid
No one will ever notice the difference
Keep him... him and I share the same birthday, lol.
Let me start by saying I've never been a Zimmerman fan; that's not to say I think he's a bad ballplayer but he doesn't impress me.
But throw out the 2005 season, in which he was a September call-up, and his numbers still aren't eye-popping. His seasonal averages include a .285 BA, 20 homers, and 74 RBI in just 125 games played. Forgive me if I expect more from the "face of the franchise".
Zimmerman's ability to make it through a season unscathed is troubling and it now appears that he's having arm/shoulder problems, with an MRI revealing inflammation but no structural damage. The man can't make the throw from third to first because of it, and that's a throw that 3rd basemen are expected to make.
So now the Nats have a dilemma: Make Zimmerman a $14,000,000 a year pinch hitter, leave him at 3rd and hope opponents stack their lineups with left-handed hitters, or move him to another position.
They could move him to 1st but then they'd have to do something with Adam LaRoche who, even though he didn't hit much last year, is a Gold Glover at the position. Trading LaRoche is an option if they can find someone who'll take him, or they could sit him, move Zimmerman to 1st, and buy out LaRoche's contract at the end of the season.
Or maybe they could move Zimmerman to the outfield -- he and Bryce Harper should be able to stay healthy for 162 games between them.
Or maybe they could trade him.
Thoughts?
