I saw this tweet last night:
Poor zimmerman. Stuck here forever now.
Ryan Zimmerman signed a five-year, $45 million dollar deal with the Washington Nationals.
The five-year deal begins immediately, overriding the earlier contract. Without a new deal, Zimmerman would have been eligible for free agency after the 2011 season.
Coming off an injury-interrupted season, Zimmerman had reason to delay the signing of a long-term deal. But despite career lows in homers and RBI in 2008, Zimmerman saw no benefit in waiting. Plus, his sustained strong play in the final months of 2008 offset many concerns about his worth.
Washington may be stuck with him, too. I’m just not that high on his offense, as he’s failed to build on his rookie season at an age when players should be improving. He is a good defender, but he gets a huge boost from one great defensive year. Given the price of players today, the contract seems appropriate given what he’s accomplished, but I would like to see a season where his offensive numbers improve before I lay out the big bucks. Zimmerman strikes me as the kind of player I’d wait a year on before going long term.
As a Nats season ticket holder, I am extremely pleased with this signing — it signals so much more than filling a third base hole. If this were an established team like the Red Sox, your point would make sense. But the Nationals need to do something to please the paying customers more than a playground in the outfield plaza, and this goes a long way towards that. I went to several season ticket holder and fan events over the off season and the number one, two and three points fans made to management was SIGN ZIMMERMAN. They would have aliened the few die hards like myself that they have left had this deal not been done.
Disagree. His numbers may have taken a dip his 2nd season but look at his surrounding cast in 2007. Any good hitter suffers when the guy batting behind him is hitting .220 with no power. And he was 22. Most guys at 22 are playing high-A or AA ball, not entering their fifth professional season.
Even now he’s only 24. He’s the undoubted face of the Washington franchise. He’s clutch (something that you can’t measure with stats). His defensive capabilities are only measurable by stats that nobody else gets (certainly not the gold glove voters).
And his contract is not that bad. It saves the Nationals from haggling over a few hundred thousand dollars for the next couple years with their marquee player. It gives Zimmerman stability to relax and play. He’s got similar stats career to Markakis who just signed for a ton more money.
Plus the franchise here needs to wake up and prove to its fans that its serious about building a winner. 4 years of mis-management and cheapness have really stretched the patience of most fans here. Signing Dunn, now signing Zimmerman were key moves to prove the team is serious about its long-term future. that has to factor in as well.
Zimmerman was great in ’06 b/c he had Alfonso Soriano and a healthy Nick Johnson in the same line-up. Now he has a healthy Johnson, the slap hitting Cristian Guzman, athletic Elijah Dukes and slugger Adam Dunn. The Nats offense is fine, it’s the pitching that has betrayed them.
This is a good move by the front office. We’re not talking $100 million here, or even $50 million. And Ted Lerner is one of the top 100 richest people in America and hasn’t spent much at all. It’s about time they show they care about the fans and success (somewhat).