Ryan Zimmerman 'ready to go'

When Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman makes his first start in nine days tonight, he will do so without concern. His tender right hamstring, he believes, has fully healed and should not affect his performance or all-out playing style.

"That's the whole point of taking the time, to come back and not have to worry about it," Zimmerman said. "I'm not going to come back if I can't play the way that I play. It won't help me, it won't help these guys, it won't help us win. I feel good, ready to go."

Said Manager Jim Riggleman: "I think we've got to be able, at this point, to let him go. If he can't go 100 percent, we'd probably shut him down."

There is one scenario, Riggleman said, in which he would use caution with Zimmerman. If Zimmerman represents the tying or winning run late in the game, Riggleman could use a pinch runner. The intensity of the moment, Riggleman believes, could present an excessive risk. "I'm sure that's when [a re-injury] would happen," Riggleman said.

Still, neither Riggleman nor Zimmerman expects him to play carefully.

"It's hard to do that," Zimmerman said. "Once you get on the field, you play like you've always played. It's hard to kind of think while you're out there. Stuff takes over, and you do it. I think I'm to the point now where I can do all that stuff and I don't have to worry about it."