Ryan Zimmerman News: Pro Sports Daily

Zimmerman not always the first face seen

0 Comment

August 1

Washington Times

columnist Thom Loverro

""The Washington Nationals are committed to providing programs that enhance education, increase participation in youth baseball and softball, while improving the quality of life in the local communities of the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, and Maryland." The organization is committed to community relations and deserves praise for its efforts. Some Nationals players, though, are a little more committed than others. Turns out the "faces of the franchise" - at least the ones fans see at community events or signing autographs at the ballpark - are Joel Hanrahan and John Lannan, based on appearances for the first half of the season. What about Ryan Zimmerman, the Nationals star often ..."

Zimmerman Hit by Pitch, Forced to Leave Another Loss

0 Comment

August 1

Washington Post

"Impossible as it may sound, the Washington Nationals' season almost plunged farther into unrecoverable depths. Losing has been an infection -- Washington lost its ninth consecutive game last night, falling to the Philadelphia Phillies, 8-4 -- and the injury bug again bared fangs. Yes, somehow, it almost got worse. After being hit on the right hand with a pitch, third baseman Ryan Zimmerman exited and was taken for X-rays. The results were negative, and Zimmerman is listed as day-to-day with a right hand contusion. After the game, he said he might have a precautionary MRI exam. If good news ever emerged from a Washington loss, that Zimmerman did not break his hand on the play would ..."

Zimmerman back in Nats' loss

0 Comment

July 23

Washington Times

"Their No. 3 hitter and third baseman was back in the lineup, their closer was on a plane to Phoenix to join his new team and their shortstop was all smiles after signing a two-year extension. But after a day of change that saw Ryan Zimmerman come off the disabled list, Jon Rauch get traded and Cristian Guzman earn $16 million, the Washington Nationals spent the evening looking very much like the club that had lost 61 of its previous 99 games this season. A 6-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants featured many of the themes so common to this disappointing season."

Nats Hoping Zimmerman Provides Boost

0 Comment

July 22

Washington Post

"Only Ryan Zimmerman's return can finally fill the void he created some eight weeks ago. Sure, when Zimmerman suffered a left shoulder injury May 18 -- and when he vacated the Washington Nationals' lineup for good after May 25, in a prolonged attempt to recover -- Zimmerman was in the midst of a substandard season. Because of a miserable April, he had just a .257 average. With runners in scoring position, he was batting .170. But somehow, Zimmerman's importance to the team became more pronounced once his contributions disappeared. Without the third baseman, who will return to the lineup tonight against the San Francisco Giants, Washington had a 16-32 record."

Zimmerman Gets In a Few 'Dry Swings'

0 Comment

July 2

Washington Post

"Ryan Zimmerman called them "dry swings" -- just a few hacks with the bat, no pitcher, no tee, no ball. He took 40 swings, broken into two sets and separated by a short rest. "I'm a little out of shape," he said. Still, for the Washington Nationals' third baseman, those dry swings were a means for getting his feet wet -- as well as a sign of encouragement that his rehabilitation program is working. Until Tuesday, Zimmerman, on the disabled list for a month with a small labral tear in his left shoulder, hadn't swung a bat since an ill-fated attempt at batting practice during a series against Arizona at the end of May."

Zimmerman to Miss At Least Four Weeks

0 Comment

June 12

Washington Post

"Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman will be out of the lineup at least another four to six weeks, General Manager Jim Bowden said Thursday. But if his injured left shoulder fails to respond to an exercise rehabilitation program during that period, he will undergo arthroscopic surgery and be lost for the season. According to Tim Kremchek, the Cincinnati-based orthopedist who evaluated Zimmerman on Wednesday, there is a 70 percent chance that the slightly torn labrum in his shoulder will heal without surgery."

Zimmerman a model for quick signings

0 Comment

June 11

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"The Pirates' management has cited a handful of examples recently to illustrate why it might behoove first-round draft pick Pedro Alvarez to sign quickly. The thinking: Get some time in the minors this summer, adjust to wooden bats and the professional environs, then arrive in Pittsburgh perhaps as soon as 2009. If he holds out until the Aug. 15 deadline, management maintains, the time lost will hurt that process. Among the examples they cite is another third baseman, Washington's Ryan Zimmerman . And Zimmerman, who accompanied the Nationals to town despite being on the disabled list, does not dispute that line of thinking."

Zimmerman Starts Light Exercises With Shoulder

0 Comment

June 10

Washington Post

"On the day he resumed light exercises to test his injured left shoulder, Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman expressed hope that his recovery won't require surgery. Now, or after the season. "I wouldn't say we're out of the clear yet," Zimmerman, on the disabled list for a week, said after a workout with trainer Lee Kuntz. "I haven't even picked up a bat. But I'm optimistic after what I felt today. And we'll see what happens." Exhausting summer-long focus on his shoulder, not his regular third base position, is something new for Zimmerman. "It's killing him," Manager Manny Acta said. And to exacerbate matters, his recovery has been tedious."

Zimmerman starts shoulder rehab

0 Comment

June 10

Washington Times

"Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman started exercises on his left shoulder Monday, the first step toward his return from the small labral tear that has sidelined him since May 26. While the exercises were fairly light and only meant to begin the process of strengthening Zimmerman's shoulder, he said the pain in his shoulder is lessening. He will stay on anti-inflammatory medication and likely will meet with Cincinnati Reds medical specialist Tim Kremchek to develop a rehab program this week while the team is in Pittsburgh."

Zimmerman Is Placed on Disabled List

0 Comment

June 4

Washington Post

"The Washington Nationals placed third baseman Ryan Zimmerman on the 15-day disabled list for the first time in his two-plus-year major league career yesterday. Zimmerman, 23, and the Nationals do not know if the small labral tear in his left shoulder will require surgery or how long it will hold him out. The first step in his rehab, as recommended by specialists Tim Kremchek and James Andrews, will be a week of rest and anti-inflammatory medication. Zimmerman will be re-examined afterward."

Nats putting Zimmerman on disabled list

June 3

Washington Times

"Ryan Zimmerman has a small tear in his left shoulder, and though it hasn't been determined yet whether the Washington Nationals third baseman will require surgery, the club will place him on the disabled list. An enhanced MRI taken of Zimmerman's injured shoulder yesterday revealed a small tear of the labrum."

Nationals' Zimmerman Heads to Disabled List

June 3

Washington Post

"The Washington Nationals, or whatever is left of them, will today send their starting third baseman, Ryan Zimmerman, to the place where much of the team nucleus already resides: the disabled list. This Story Nationals' Simple Plan: Draft the Best Player Nationals' Zimmerman Heads to Disabled List Wednesday, June 4, 2 p.m. ET: Washington Nationals An MRI exam yesterday on Zimmerman's left shoulder indicated a small labral tear. The Nationals will seek at least three more medical opinions before determining how much time Zimmerman is likely to miss."

Zimmerman Scheduled for Shoulder MRI

June 2

Washington Post

"Ryan Zimmerman, who has missed the Washington Nationals' last seven games, will have an MRI exam Monday on his injured left shoulder. This Story Nats Tally Nothing A 2nd Straight Game NATIONALS NOTEBOOK: Zimmerman Scheduled for Shoulder MRI Box Score: Diamondbacks 5, Nationals 0 Monday, June 2 at 11 a.m. ET: The Chat House View All Items in This Story View Only Top Items in This Story Results of that test by team orthopedist Benjamin Shaffer will determine whether Zimmerman can play Tuesday, when the Nationals begin a homestand, or whether the third baseman will require further rest and a possible trip to the disabled list."

Coolness at the Hot Corner

June 1

Washington Post

"It not only is Zimmerman's approaching arbitration date that has cooled the momentum, which appeared to be building last year and into the offseason -- it's also his on-field performance. His OPS (on-base plus slugging) has declined in each of his seasons, from .822 in 2006 to .788 last year to .718 so far this year. While the Zimmerman camp has viewed David Wright's contract with the Mets as its benchmark -- Wright, who shares Zimmerman's position (third base), home base (the Hampton Roads area of Virginia) and division (National League East), signed a six-year, $55 million deal in 2006 -- it is safe to say the Nationals certainly no longer do. In fact, the Nationals could make a ..."

Zimmerman's Shoulder Pain Might Linger

May 31

Washington Post

"For the first time Friday, Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman indicated that he might have to withstand lingering shoulder pain for the rest of the season. Out of the Nationals' lineup since Sunday because of an injured left shoulder, Zimmerman took a few light swings several hours before his teammates played the Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Saturday, he'll resume regular batting practice. Still, he's almost certain to sit out for the remainder of this trip, which concludes Sunday."

Zimmerman takes a seat

May 29

Washington Times

"On a team that has been though a steady stream of change and upheaval, he has been the one constant. Manny Acta never has to pause and think before writing in the name of his No. 3 hitter on his nightly lineup card. He just assumes Ryan Zimmerman will be there. So the sight of Zimmerman watching his teammates from the dugout railing for the second straight day while battling a nagging right shoulder injury was equal parts surprising and discouraging for the Washington Nationals manager."

Zimmerman Continues to Wait and See

May 29

Washington Post

"After performing strengthening exercises for his sore left shoulder Wednesday afternoon, Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman still didn't know how much longer he would be out of the lineup. Maybe he'd be ready to play Wednesday, he said. Or, maybe he'd sit out until the team finished its road trip Sunday in Arizona. That's the definition of a day-to-day injury. It's also the definition of an annoying one."

TV revelation not a big deal for anyone

May 26

Washington Times

"The Washington Nationals are not concerned there will be lasting effects of third baseman Ryan Zimmerman's left shoulder injury. Nor are they concerned there will be lasting effects of catcher Paul Lo Duca talking about it on television. Yesterday morning, both manager Manny Acta and Lo Duca downplayed the injured catcher's appearance on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network's broadcast of Washington's loss to the Milwaukee Brewers the night before, when Lo Duca said the third baseman was dealing with a "nerve issue" in his left shoulder."