The rainout in Lehigh Valley last night raises an interesting question regarding the major league debut of RHP Jordan Zimmermann.
The Nationals had placed him on a schedule that would have had him starting this coming Sunday at Nationals Park on regular rest. The rainout last night means that Zimmermann will have to get some work in today on a limited pitch count or rely on side sessions in order to be ready for a major league debut on Sunday.
The question I have is whether it makes sense to rush him to the majors by Sunday?
Here is what the Nationals schedule looks like for the next six turns
| Date | Starter |
|---|---|
| 15-Apr | Martis |
| 16-Apr | Lannan |
| 17-Apr | Olsen |
| 18-Apr | Cabrera |
| 19-Apr | [#5 SP] |
| 20-Apr | Martis |
| 21-Apr | Lannan |
| 22-Apr | Olsen |
| 23-Apr | Off Day |
| 24-Apr | Cabrera |
| 25-Apr | Martis |
| 26-Apr | Lannan |
| 27-Apr | Olsen |
| 28-Apr | [#5 SP] |
| 29-Apr | Cabrera |
| 30-Apr | Martis |
| 1-May | Lannan |
| 2-May | Olsen |
| 3-May | [#5 SP] |
| 4-May | Cabrera |
| 5-May | Martis |
| 6-May | Lannan |
| 7-May | Olsen |
| 8-May | [#5 SP] |
| 9-May | Cabrera |
| 10-May | Martis |
| 11-May | Lannan |
| 12-May | Olsen |
| 13-May | [#5 SP] |
| 14-May | Off Day |
Assuming there are no rainouts and Lannan, Olsen, Cabrera & Martis remain healthy and on regular rest, the Nationals will require a starter on 4/19 but not again until 4/28.
Would it not make more sense to make do on Sunday with some combination of Jason Bergmann, Mike Hinckley, Wil Ledezma, etc and allow Zimmermann to keep pitching on regular turns until Tuesday 4/28? He would then get at least four starts on regular rest and perhaps more importantly would remain on a steady schedule rather than sit around Washington for eight days without starting.
#1 by Rocket1124 - April 15th, 2009 at 08:45
Joey Eischen is intrigued. ;-)
#2 by Anonymous - April 15th, 2009 at 08:49
Why do you automatically assume they will be skipping turns for the #5 starter once they have him in place? Just because they don’t “require” a #5 starter doesn’t mean they wouldn’t use one.
#3 by Andrew Z. Stebbins - April 15th, 2009 at 08:53
Use Zimmermann today.
#4 by Mike Harris - April 15th, 2009 at 09:04
It makes sense - but I bought tickets for Sunday just to see his debut! So he best pitch.
#5 by AlexVA - April 15th, 2009 at 09:32
Had he pitched last night he wuld have a side throwing session some time between then and Sunday. Have him work in relief that day and make his start on 4/19 in DC. Then insert him on 4/25 and keep the rotation from there. Everybody else gets pushed back a day, in the big scheme of things, soon forgotten.
#6 by DJ - April 15th, 2009 at 09:33
Hopefully he pitched a simulated game or he can throw a light side session today and be ready for Sunday.
#7 by Pilchard - April 15th, 2009 at 09:59
Yes, it would make sense to not bring up Jordan Zimmerman on Sunday when he will have faced no live competition for 10 days. Yes, there is no sense in rushing him up now as the number of innings that he will throw or (should throw) in 2009 is limited anyway (Zimmerman threw 133 innings last year; don’t see him throwing more than 160 in 2009). Yes, rushing him up to the bigs right now makes little sense as he has only pitched 21 games above A ball. Other teams with have value young pitching prospects (Braves, Rangers, Orioles) will show patience.
That said, the Nats will not wait. They will not take into account that he will not have faced live action in 10 days. They will not consider any factor which relates to the long term interests of the team or JZ. Instead, he will pitch on Sunday because the team is desperate for a glimmer of hope and because there is no and there never was a “plan”.
#8 by Bill Wanner - April 15th, 2009 at 10:05
I am just hoping Stan still has the magic in him that he had with the Braves. Please Stan, be smart with Zimmerman
#9 by John - April 15th, 2009 at 10:38
I say leave him down. It’s not like the team is going to win anything this year other than maybe the right to draft Harvey/Blair in 2010. I’d rather see them do what’s best for his development.
I know it’s not good to cross sports, but the Caps were very patient with their prospects and put long term development ahead of getting a few meaningless wins.
#10 by VladiHondo - April 15th, 2009 at 10:57
Raining now in Lehigh Valley - could be cancelled again, further pushing him back. Brian’s onto the solution, besides Bergy deserved to make the team out of ST.
#11 by DJ - April 15th, 2009 at 11:08
John-
I’m usually not one for rushing prospects, but the reports are that the kid is ready to go and besides he was already in the mix anyway (being named a starter when camp broke).
And the Caps have had an established fan base. The Nats are still trying to win fans in their now fifth season in town. All these fans have known is losing.
Call up the kid.
#12 by bdrube - April 15th, 2009 at 11:15
Bergy…Bergy…Bergy.
Sorry, I have a soft spot for the only guy I saw on the Nats Caravan last offseason who is still with the team.
#13 by Sue Dinem - April 15th, 2009 at 11:36
Need does not change his lack of minor-league experience (AAA innings = 0), but getting stomped on like a narc at a biker rally could do some serious damage to his psyche.
#14 by Sue Dinem - April 15th, 2009 at 11:41
Check that: 5 and 1/3rd AAA innings with a 5.06 ERA, but the point remains: He’s not mowing ‘em down at the AAA level, so another start there can only help prepare for his eventual (and too-soon, IMO) MLB debut.
#15 by DJ - April 15th, 2009 at 11:46
Again, obviously the front office thinks highly enough to have him in the rotation and it’s not just them. Talking heads across the land are saying Jordan Zimmermann is a viable candidate for NL Rookie of the Year. He is said to have the make-up to handle the big league level at his young age and it seems like his stuff is good enough. Who else are we going to go with? Oh, good more AAAA retreads. It’s not like our club went out and got a Derek Lowe or Jon Garland or someone of that caliber.
#16 by Berndaddy - April 15th, 2009 at 11:53
If we have a rain out today with the Nats then Brian play for a 4/28 start seems likely, eh and makes sense. We can’t rush this kid. We’ve put a bunch of eggs in the our team’s basket already and they’re getting beaten to egg salad. Man it must be lunch time…
#17 by expo_ram - April 15th, 2009 at 11:54
Keep him down because as someone pointed out - we aren’t winning anything this year. Plus, it helps push back his arbitration clock…
#18 by John - April 15th, 2009 at 12:20
DJ: The Caps did not have an established fan base. At least not a good one. They were among the lowest in season tickets sold at the time I’m talking about and last or close to it in TV ratings.
This is a lousy sports town on the whole. I promise you as soon as the Nats become contenders everyone will jump on the bandwagon. The FO knows this. They’re not going to do something desperate just to try and draw a few extra fans now.
Do you honestly think it makes a big difference to the team if JZ misses what would be one or at most two starts? The team stinks either way. There’s no way he wins NL rookie of the year on this team. I’d be stunned out of my mind.
I agree with Sue. Let him get some AAA starts and dominate down there. He’s likely going to be a star, but rushing him in what is essentially a meaningless game/season isn’t worth the risk of ruining his confidence or causing injury.
#19 by KevinR - April 15th, 2009 at 12:22
Well, the Nats are in a bit of a roster squeeze at the moment. I think for the time being I’d rather bring up an infielder to replace Milledge, AND perhaps a fresh swing guy for the sunday game in exchange for a reliever or catcher #3. ZNN stays on his rotation in AAA and comes up for good on 4/28. I mean, it’s not like the nats are in contention or anything.
#20 by Kirkie - April 15th, 2009 at 12:24
A bit on Norris and McGeary on the BA Blog today:
http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=3457#more-3457
#21 by Steven Sommers - April 15th, 2009 at 12:30
We need J. Zimm now! Let him throw three innings today then start him on sunday. He is major league ready! He would be a major shot in the arm for our rotation.
#22 by DJ - April 15th, 2009 at 12:38
The Caps had some decent years in the mid-to-late 90s and made the Stanley Cup Finals, before they began to go in the dump. Of course their numbers were low b/c of how bad the team was, but they had at least had a taste of winning.
Point is, JZ isn’t a savior by any means, but as Steven sayid, he would be a major shot in the arm for our rotation.
If our baseball people are saying he’s ready, no need for him to be throwing in the minors any longer. In the end, it’s up to them.
#23 by John - April 15th, 2009 at 12:52
Yeah. JZ may mean the difference between 65 and 68 wins!!! ;)
#24 by Jon - April 15th, 2009 at 13:37
So everyone agrees with the front office when they say Zimmerman is big league ready, yet bashes them on every other move they make?
Everyone around the league agreed that David Price was ready to go out of camp, yet they started him in AAA to delay the start of his clock and get him into full playing form before he makes his first big league start. Why not do the same with Zimmerman?
#25 by VladiHondo - April 15th, 2009 at 13:39
I think the sooner JZimmy is up, the sooner he turns the corner from prospect to Major Leaguer. The fact he has little experience in AAA is meaningless - most people (Sickel’s for one) believe how they do when they jump from A to AA is the true test - and he passed that last year.
Facing AAAA players in AAA doesn’t help, they’re in AAA cuz they’re not good enough for MLB. Have Jordan learn against the hitters he’ll NEED to get out, not some wannabes and ne’er-do-wells. He’s going to have to take some lumps in the Majors, let’s get it over with.
But with the state of our current rotation, when we bring him up, let’s do it to pitch him every 5 days through the end of the season. Let’s NOT yo-yo him between the pen the rotation.
#26 by VladiHondo - April 15th, 2009 at 14:57
PS - in Ladson’s blog, he states Zimmermann did a simulated game yesterday http://therocket.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/04/zimmermann_on_schedule_to_pitc.html
#27 by Hoagie - April 15th, 2009 at 15:20
And says that he’ll pitch Sunday against the Fish.
#28 by Sue Dinem - April 15th, 2009 at 15:20
Jon - I’ll restate, for the record, I don’t think it’s a good idea for JZ to be brought up this soon. He still has less than 200IP of pro experience, 5.1 above AA. We can only hope that they’ll have him on a pit-bull-with-AIDS short leash for the first few weeks, as it does appear they’re hell-bent on starting him Sunday.
#29 by pahou - April 15th, 2009 at 15:46
after watching Jordan pitch last year he is ready for the majors. remember real prospects so from AA to the majors, Jordan will be pitching in DC sooner rather than later.
#30 by Pilchard - April 15th, 2009 at 15:46
I agree with SD 100%.
There is first time for everything.
#31 by BinM - April 15th, 2009 at 16:52
What’s best for JZMM - keep him in SYR until the 28th. What’s best for the Nationals (long-term) - keep him in SYR until the 28th. What’s best for the Nationals (short-term) - call him up, start him on the 19th & shift to a 5-man rotation immediately [Lannan-Olsen-JZMM-Cabrera-Martis]. I know SP’s tend to be creatures of habit, but they’ll only have to work on extra-day rest for a couple of weeks.
#32 by Jeff E. - April 15th, 2009 at 19:51
Do the Tony LaRussa/Oakland A’s experiment: bullpen outing starting off with Bergmann. Zimmerman can wait. After seeing Leonard Davis outrighted, I would love to see Rizzo, Brown and Co. go with a kid in the second pick with the tools of a Sizemore/David Justice. period.
#33 by A DC Wonk - April 17th, 2009 at 09:24
To those who say “we need him now”, my question is “for what?” So that the Nats can be in contention for fourth place instead of fifth? So JZ can get (if we dream) 13 wins instead of 11?
Seems a bit short-sighted to me. Patience with pitchers is almost always a good bet.