The Nats made third baseman Ryan Zimmerman available via conference call twice this week – once for winning his first Gold Glove. The second for winning the Silver Slugger Award as the best offensive third baseman in the National League. Other than an unintenionally hilarious mishap during Wednesday’s call – let’s just say Channel 9 weather man Topper Shutt ended up taking over a call he didn’t even know he was on – there was one especially noteable quote.
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We still tend to think of Zimmerman as the young gun here. Seems like just yesterday he was drafted and handed the unfortunate label of “Face of the Franchise” – which is sort of like being casually tossed a grenade. “Here kid, see what you can do with this. Good luck.” To be honest – I like Nyjer Morgan’s “Pete Franchise” nickname better anyway. But after signing a 5-year, $45 million extension with Washington last spring it seems Zimmerman is ready to take a leadership role in the Nats’ clubhouse – or at least a more public one than he’s shown so far. During Thursday’s call, Zimmerman was asked for reaction to Jim Riggleman getting the permanent manager position. That quickly morphed into thoughts on the Nats’ clubhouse
“[Riggleman] did a great job when he got his chance last year,” Zimmerman said. “I think everyone respected him. But to be honest with you I think we’re getting to the point now where we have our four or five core group of guys that can kind of police and manage the team themselves. That’s going to be one of my goals and the other guys’ goals is to not have to let Riggs worry about any of that.”
I don’t remember hearing words like that from Zimmerman in the past. But he did just turn 25. He’s been here longer than any other key player save Cristian Guzman, who just doesn’t have the personality – or the desire really – to command a room. Remember, Zimmerman came up at the tail end of the 2005 season when the Nats had already fallen out of their improbable run at a wild-card berth. He’s known nothing but misery in four years here – 91, 89, 102 and 103 losses. That got old for Zimmerman sometime around June of 2006. But he sincerely believes in the direction the franchise is headed and feels ready to do more than just produce on the field. It’s probably a natural transition as a crop of younger players – Strasburg, Storen, Desmond, Marrero, Espinosa, Norris – filters into the clubhouse for good over the next two or three years. Those guys will naturally look up to a personable guy who thinks he can pop 30 homers and 100 RBI every year – all while playing defense with a golden glove.
“[Riggleman’s] done a great job of making a little more accountability, making us concentrate a little more on defense for people who weren’t,” Zimmerman said. “He’s going to be great for that. As far as the team, I think it’s going to be mine and [Adam Dunn’s] and maybe Hammer [Josh Willigham] and those kind of guys. I think we’re going to take it upon ourselves to kind of make that our job this year. That shouldn’t have to be the manager’s job. I think we’re to the point where that’s the way it’s going to happen.”
