Zimmerman Update

As HotNats posted on the last thread, you can see his at bats for free at mlb.com

okay everybody. act casual...

attababy Zim. Great at bat

Willingham better not screw that at bat up...

uh oh... 0 for 1, with two plate appearances away. He's likely only got two more...

Or maybe our bullpen will have a GOOD game, meaning they only blow the save, not lose the game, and we go into extra innings...

haha nattaboy :)

doh. Bright spot - Zito's pitch count thus far

Fear not, 506. According to b-r, Zimmerman has gotten 5 or more plate appearance much more often than not, esp. recently. He could easily have more than two more chances.

Lookin good, K-Mart

No kidding, amorris? May I kindly introduce you to a concept called "snark"? It's a widely favored approach to blog commenting in the 21st century, particularly after one's team suffers gut-wrenching losses on a nightly basis and this pain is compounded by having to wade through broken-record commentary the day after.

Posted by: JennX_ | May 13, 2009 12:24 PM | Report abuse

I don't see how taking a record and making it a date is "snark" but ok. Sorry I didn't know he was a troll.

Huh? Maybe I'm just tired, but since when does snark=troll? On the contrary, snark is one of the best traits from commenters here, IMHO.

Wtf, i did not call the people saying snark trolls, i called the person that posted 10-21 fire acta a troll. jesus h...

Uhm, not to distract, but Martis just hit a double.

S Martis doubled to right center?! I can't believe my gamecast/eyes

agreed, now we need someone to bring him in with a clutch hit

is it bad that Martis is a better hitter than some of our PHs?

walk him you chump!

The Nats really need to trade Johnson...

even better. Attaway Nicky J!

Way to go Nick! Let's go Zimm . . .

JennX - I loved your definition of snark. I think you hit the nail on the head and had a goo chuckle when I first read it.

Oh Zimm . . . what have you done for us lately?

Zimm sucks! He's overrated! Clearly never going to be the star he was billed as! etc.

0 for 2....

Martis taking the game into his own hands.

Where's Dunn?
Why does Dunn need a day off? They don't play again until Friday.

By pitch count, Martis can go 7, maybe 8. (heck, maybe CG #2?) Zito is probably going to be done at 6 or 7...

They're going to need a 6 or 7 batter inning to get Zimmerman up there a fifth time.

We need at least a couple more baserunners so that the lineup turns over twice and gives Zimmerman two more cracks at it.

Kearns gets the first spare baserunner via walk. Need to stretch these outs, boys.

Martis is reminding me a lot of last years Lannan.

Except he can really handle a bat

4 base runners to get Zim an extra AB. Unless my math is wrong, which it usually is.

Ummm, 5 base runners. I told you my math is usually wrong.

Is it too early to start rooting for extra innings

I guess I'll wait until his 4th ab to root for extras.

Martis is a beast!

Byebye Ziti...

Here come those extra baserunners we were looking for ...

Zito won't face Ryan.

I stand corrected.

BOOOOOO!

Wait, remind me, does an intentional walk continue the streak or no?

Cheap! C'mon Elijah...get him another AB....

Oh boo. That is so very lame. So very, very, very lame. Boo Giants.

BOOO!!!!!

I have to say that I like the crowd in Frisco booing their team for the IW...

BOOO they just walked ZIM!

If I recall correctly, if the game ends without another at-bat, he would lose the streak, because not ALL of his at-bats resulted in walks, sac. bunts, or hit-by-pitches. One intentional walk won't salvage the streak.

Bruce Bochy is Dick Cheney.

No, Zimmermann is 0 for 2 with 2 BB at this point. He need another at bat for one more chance to continue the streak.

As long as he goes 0 for 0, he isn't considered to have broken it. so BB and IBBs don't count in that regard. But since he already had at bats, this game could break the streak.

His streak would only continue if he had ALL BBs in this game. Since he's had two ground-outs, the streak would end today unless he gets another AB.

That doesn't happen with Dunn in the lineup. BOOOOOO SF!

We have eight more outs. Barring a DP, one of the next eight batters needs to reach base to get Zimm up again. Let's do it!!!! Make them regret the IBB!!!

Would've never happened if Dunn weren't being rested with a day off tomorrow. Ugh. Big fan of Acta and generally support him but this stinks.

That's right, thanks, I forgot. Rats. Need to turn the lineup over again, guys.

220: No, an IW does not count as a "hit" for streak purposes.

Another BOO!!!

DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUKES

Thankfully no DP on the line-out by Willingham. Still need one more baserunner with no DPs or pick-offs to get Zimmerman up in the 9th.

Nice lineup Acta.

WOOT!

"Martis is at 90 pitches. I don't see a complete game in his future. At some point, Manny Acta's going to have to go to his bullpen." QUIT SCARING ME, DAVE JAEGLER!!!!

Dukes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Atta Boy Dukes!

Sweet - Elijah comes through. No pickoffs or DPs, and Zimm will get another at-bat.

Nice bonus: two RBIs for Elijah, Nats up 4-0.

Yes, Dukes! Very clutch 2 out hit! Man, how many RISP has Willingham left on in this game?

And Zim lives to see another at bat! (And who knows: with our bullpen, maybe two or three more at bats!)

FotF up no less than one more time.

Actually, for once I'm rooting for the bullpen to come in and . . .

Nah, I can't do it.

Carpenter on MASN just said that Hanrahan is the likely closer today. Complete game shutout, please, Shairon.

Yeah, this'll be the time the bullpen shuts them down. When extra innings would actually help.

How about we intentionally walk a couple runs in?

Zimm will hit again - thanks to Dukes hit. No bullpen meltdown please!

Martis is already up over 100 pitches and he's struggling with control this inning. No way he stays in much longer.

are the wheels coming off?

That was a scary catch by Willingham...

Did they buzz the catcher? or was Martis just wild. Can't tell on mlbGameday.

I wouldn't be opposed to them knocking someone down for the poor form demonstrated in the prior Zimm PA.

No help in dragging this out from the bottom of the order. The obvious alternative to having the bullpen implode is just batting around and around and around until Zimmerman gets his hit in.

If he's the last batter with nobody on in the top of the 9th, is it too much to ask that they lob him softballs?

yeah, da|\/|n that manny acta for giving a guy a day off before july! can't let dunn have a day off if it endangers the streak! they can only give zimm and dunn both the same day off!

Piping one for him is alomst as lame as the IBB.

Nice to see done was available for an empty PH appearance, shesh.

Here we go again...

What's wrong with Beimel? He's supposed to be the one GOOD reliever!

We should beam Molina (since he's batting for the pitcher's spot) to pay back the intentional walk on Zim.

Time to call up Bergman and Clippard, they can't be much worse....

Might as well bring up Stammen too and put Danny Cabrera out of his misery while we're at it.

Wells will get it done.

It's beaning. And no they shouldn't. Beaning is a very specific thing. It's hitting a guy in the head and that's never OK. I'm all for a professional plunking but not one that would put the winning run on base.

Exhale.

I"m on gamecast, did willingham just rob molina of a dinger?

nice of the bullpen not to wait until the ninth inning to self-immolate.

@kingtutts

our misery, not cabrera's misery.

hey, just think of it this way, extra innings - more Zim ABs

Here we go - let's get Ryan some momentum with a couple hits!

They've brought in some dude named Pat Misch to pitch. 0 IP in the majors this year. Is he the sacrificial lamb to see if Zimmerman can get his hit off a minors pitcher?

@swang

don't forget, these arsonists could give up the winning run in the bottom of the ninth just as easily. and apparently hangrahan is closing. zim better get his knock now.

Kev29- Zim is 0-2 with runners on base. Maybe it'd be better if he came up with no one on.

There's a hit - I like what I'm hearing from Misch

Ha! Dude thought he could walk Guz. Silly pitcher.

Following up, Misch's got 34 ML appearances (11 starts), and sports a 5.00 career ERA and 1.41 WHIP. Called up from the minors twice last year, this is his first appearance back up with the big club this season.

they better not ibb him

Here we go!!!!!

wanna bt zim gets IBB'ed here to "set up a force at any base?"

That's it

Thanks for the good run, Zimm

force out. up to the arson squad to get zim another ab.

Groundout. Damn.

Nice round of applause from the San Fran crowd

i assumed the streak would end during a game when lannan was pitching...

I've never hoped more for a bullpen blowup before...

Woe!

Man - the front office has got to be bummed. They could have used a 31 game streak rolling into the home stand. Oh well, I'm still going Friday and Monday. Let's get a win!

p.s. Tracee-- he didn't ground into a DP. Fielder's choice.

Maybe they can bat around

@JennX

you may not be disappointed if hangrahan is summoned to open, er, close.

p.p.s. I blame Barry Zito for the end to the streak.

amorris: I was just about to suggest the same thing. Let's bat around, boys!

Oh Barry Zito is going to get a Chase Utley level raspberry from me when I next see him.

Zimm's streak ends on a day when Dunn isn't batting behind him.
Coincidence?

Well, I'm still going twice this weekend, and I'll clap my hands red for him. Great run, kid.

Dukes stinks at baserunning - that certainly doesn't help in our quest to bat around this inning :)

It's beaning. And no they shouldn't. Beaning is a very specific thing. It's hitting a guy in the head and that's never OK. I'm all for a professional plunking but not one that would put the winning run on base.

Posted by: bisonaudit | May 13, 2009 6:15 PM | Report abuse

____________________

I didn't realize there was a distinction between a "plunking" and a ball thrown at the head. I never meant a head-shot,I used beaning for it all. I'll be more careful next time.

The streak was fun...now it sucks to be a Nats fan again

So much for batting around. WTF was Dukes doing?

holy crap - what's with Dukes' timing!? that's got to stop...

So, what are the odds the bullpen can give up four runs here, and give Zimm another shot?

Good. Wells is still in.

Zimm's streak ends on a day when Dunn isn't batting behind him.
Coincidence?
*******************************************

No, it's stupidity. There's a day off tomorrow, so I don't see why Manny left Dunn out today. That hurts, especially now that we're headed toward a homestand without the streak.

Alright. Let's go Giants! ;)

Oh Lord, thank you for giving us this streak, so you could take it away, and thus remind us all what lowly Nats fans we are. Thou hath humbled us and ground us into the dirt, like a slider thrown by Joel Hanrahan. In this, our new-found poverty, we will remember to go without, as the Nats bullpen goes without a save, that we may one day draft all the finest players from high school and college, to populate our disabled list.

Amen.

It's from the slang "bean" meaning "head". :)

Here we go...

Hey kids, it's time for the ninth inning meltdown!!!

catching fly balls isn't one of the nats' outfielders' strengths, is it?

this is too funny

You know, I'd be worried right now, but I know we have Hanrahan ready to come in if we need him...

I miss the Chief!

Attaboy Wells. 1 down.

catching fly balls isn't one of the nats' outfielders' strengths, is it?

Posted by: surly_w

It's like the old joke based on the Carson "Carnac The Magnificent" route:

Catch 22

What would a Nats outfielder do if you hit 40 fly balls to him?

Exhale! Breathe . . . there is life.

Trying to remember the last time I was depressed when the Nats won. Not happening.

Ah well.

*Sigh* of relief.....

*SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGH* of disappointment. I think the streak was more important to me than the win in this already-lost season...

is martis going to have one of those steve carlton 72 phillies seasons where he's going to win nearly half of the team's total victories?

Well, ya'll - my guess is that Zimm's postgame is gonna be all about "it's just great to get a win" and "Shairon pitched a heck of a game out there". The streak was great, but the wins are what it's all about. Another nice start by (Cy) Martis, and the bully didn't completely implode. Nice!

Frickin bullpen. Disappointing me once again...! ;)

Sigh... would have been nice to have some baseball buzz in D.C. Hope the fans will still pay tribute to him.

LETS GO CAPS!

Who was it that recently said how Zimm is cute all of a sudden? I never saw it, myself, but he was really hot in that MASN interview just now. Hello, Ryan!

Sometimes, it ISN"T all about winning a particular game. The Nats could have used the buzz tomorrow night with R-Zimm striding to the plate for his first at bat looking to break a tie with Vlad's 31-game streak. Natsluck, I tell ya, Natsluck.

Martis is 5-0. New streak?

If I lived up there, I'd be at that game friday night just to give Zim a standing ovation. I hope a big crowd shows up to welcome him home and give thanks for keeping the Nats in the news. Nice job by Mr. Martis, and finally the pen bent but didn't break for a change. 4-4 trip, not bad.

This was hilarious:

Oh Lord, thank you for giving us this streak, so you could take it away, and thus remind us all what lowly Nats fans we are. Thou hath humbled us and ground us into the dirt, like a slider thrown by Joel Hanrahan. In this, our new-found poverty, we will remember to go without, as the Nats bullpen goes without a save, that we may one day draft all the finest players from high school and college, to populate our disabled list.

Amen.

Posted by: Section506 | May 13, 2009 6:38 PM | Report abuse

Well, that was exciting. Maybe a little too exciting at the end. But we got the win and a .500 West Coast road trip is better than we've done there in a long time.

Loved watching "Babe" Martis wield the bat, run the bases, and, oh yeah, pitch. The kid has a few tools.

Also loved the SFO fans' booing the IBB and later giving Zimmerman a standing ovation when the streak was broken. Thanks for looking out for our guy, Patty, swang30, and other West Coast fan reps. We'll have it covered upon his return to D.C.

Confidential to Jenn, I believe that both 506's fiancee and NatsNut commented on Zimmerman's, uh, new look.

Oh wait, I forgot one more thing that I loved. When Zimmerman came down the line and was safe at home to add another run after the streak was broken. After the ump signaled that he was safe, Zimm repeated the safe motion, pumped his fist, and looked like he was saying "YEAH!" That's our boy!

you may not be disappointed if hangrahan is summoned to open, er, close.

Posted by: surly_w | May 13, 2009

Kid is too talented. You either throw him back in there because he has some of the best stuff ... or get someone else to designate in that job and make Hanrahan a starter again.

Me thinks some arrogant former MVP type veterans (like Frank Robinson, Rizzo) needed to stabilize things. A pitcher or two as described might help get the "deer in the headlamps" look out of their eyes Rizzo. Or you could bring back Frank Robby.

I caught that too, 1a. All heart. Love it!

Oh no, no Dunn. Zimm your on your own today. Thanks Manny!

Posted by: TippyCanoe | May 13, 2009 3:39 PM | Report abuse

My heart aches as two of my favorites look to have their streaks of untold glory end on the same day. Zimm takes one for the team and Ovie and the Caps get spanked in the end.

How can Zim not be mentioned on the Post home page? Um, is this the home team, or what? Maybe the Montreal Gazette?

A win, finally, we should have finished 6-2 on this western swing but because of the pyromaniacs that occupy the bullpen we instead go 4-4. An earlier post alluded to Hanrahan being moved into the rotation, i would switch Cabrera to the pen and let Hanrahan start for a while, it takes the pressure off of them both let Cabrera pitch middle relief and let him know that's his role if he wants it if not then send him to triple A and bring up a promising pitcher and give him a shot,any thoughts?

Great game today at AT&T park! The standing ovation for Zimmerman was really nice - too bad the streak is over. Time to start another one! Martis was awesome - he did everything. No runs scored until the 7th, he scored the first run, and he even put down a good bunt to advance the runner in one of the later innings. Great stuff!

I noticed Daniel Cabrera come in from the outfield after batting practice or warm ups (can't remember which) - I think he had stayed a little longer to sign autographs out there for a bunch of kids. Also, Nick Johnson seemed to spend a lot of time signing autographs. I bet that never gets old. He also threw a ball into the stands after every inning (that may be something he always does, not sure).

Anyway, can't wait to see them next year! Go Nats - good road trip.

Why can't a read a report of the game hours after its completion on Nationals Journal anymore???!!

A great run by Zim! I kind of thought when Dunn was taking a rest today that it may have an affect.

New streak starts Friday. Spent too much to watch the Caps choke tonight, but I'll be there Friday to give Zimm a standing O.

Were those members of our bullpen that I saw skating at the Verizon Center in Capitals jerseys tonight?

@jdsp2000...Chico had to take off due to a death in the family. As a result, we're dealing with reduced coverage this week (which is why we have very few posts here in NJ-land). I imagine, especially with return back to DC, normal coverage will resume with the homestand starting on Friday.

Ch-Ch-Ch Changes coming today?

My goodness, by any standard I can think of at least two on the pitching staff who have worked themselves off of the team. Unless, of course, "We abide failure" is the new slogan in Natstown.

Wouldn't be surprised to see some changes, although Saturday's double-header might be a factor in any delays, as someone has pointed out.

Now that Zimmerman's streak is over, what do we as fans have left to rally around? The campaign to put Milledge on the All Star team might be a good choice. Is anyone on board for that?

Hey, here's a hot discussion topic. Jim Bowden's Twitter account, real or fake? http://twitter.com/Jbowdeniv

No 417, please.
No Millz for all star team campaign. I get that it's to ridicule fan voting, but jeez, the kid ended up in AAA where he belonged, which is enough embarrassment, making him a joke is just plain mean.
Geezer

Here are my suggestions on what to do during the off day:

1. Go to Zim's blog and fill up the comments with congratulations, thanks for the streak, keep it up, etc. I'm guessing he actually reads the comments, so it's a nice chance to express our appreciation directly.

http://comcastsportsnet.tv/pages/blog/zim

2. Vote as often as possible for Zim to make the All-Star team. There's no question that he deserves to start, and if we don't do something, we'll see David Wright at third instead.

Nope. As utec notes, he was already sent down, and I'd add that he's now injured as well. Piling on at this point = not classy.

---

Now that Zimmerman's streak is over, what do we as fans have left to rally around? The campaign to put Milledge on the All Star team might be a good choice. Is anyone on board for that?

Posted by: section417planD | May 14, 2009 7:29 AM | Report abuse

Also, I'm old school and don't do Twitter. How narcissistic must people be to think that people want to "follow" them and read their every random thought?

I like the Zimm blog and All-Star vote ideas, though. Thanks for those, jcj.

New post from Tracee (yay!).