Ryan Zimmerman
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| Washington Nationals — No. 11 | |
| Third base | |
| Bats: Switch | Throws: Right |
| Major League Baseball debut | |
|---|---|
| September 1, 2005 for the Washington Ntionals | |
| Selected MLB statistics (through 2006) |
|
| Batting average | .296 |
| Home runs | 20 |
| Runs batted in | 116 |
Ryan Wallace Zimmerman (Born September 28, 1984 in Washington, NC) was the first first-round draft pick of the Washington Nationals. A 6-foot 3-inch third baseman from the University of Virginia, Zimmerman, though still in his rookie season, has quickly established himself as a quality major-league third baseman -- with potential to blossom into one of the game's true stars -- with his defensive abilities and contact hitting.
Zimmerman's mother Cheryl was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1995, and has been in a wheelchair since 2000. Zimmerman has cited his mother's condition as a substantial formative influence on his development, saying that it forced him to grow up and assume responsibilites at an earlier age than most children.[1]
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[edit] College career
A three-year third baseman for the University of Virginia Cavaliers in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Ryan Zimmerman started in all 174 games he appeared in, and his collegiate career statistics include 250 hits, 140 RBI, 128 runs, 47 doubles, seven triples and nine home runs. He was successful on 32 of 39 stolen base attempts. His career totals are among the top ten in Virginia statistical categories for doubles (5th), hits (6th) and RBI (7th). Ryan established the school record of hits in a season with 90 in 2004, breaking his own record with 92 in 2005.
In his final collegiate season, Ryan led the Cavaliers with a .393 average, .581 slugging percentage, 136 total bases, 92 hits, 59 RBI, and 51 runs. He coupled his high batting average with striking out just 14 times in the full season.
Zimmerman’s collegiate awards and honors include 2005 All-American by Baseball America, 2005 All-American by National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, 2005 All-ACC selection, 2005 ACC All-Tournament Team and 2005 Virginia College Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Player of the Year. He was also a 2004 First Team All-ACC selection, 2004 VaSID All-State Team selection and named to the 2004 Charlottesville NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team.
[edit] USA Baseball
Ryan Zimmerman started at third base for the 2004 USA Baseball National Team that won the gold medal in the FISU II World University Baseball Championships. Zimmerman’s summer with Team USA included starting 18 of 24 games and leading the team in batting average (.468), hits (36), RBI (27), runs (25), doubles (12), home runs (4), slugging percentage (.805) and total bases (62). He also posted a .933 fielding percentage and won the team Triple Crown.
Zimmerman’s .468 batting average set a National Team single-season record and was a factor in his earning the FISU II World University Games tournament MVP.
His performance with Team USA led to Ryan Zimmerman being named the 2004 "Dick Case" Athlete of the Year by USA Baseball.
[edit] Professional career
Drafted in the first round as the fourth overall pick by the Washington Nationals in the 2005 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft.
After being signed on the day he was drafted, he was sent to the Savannah Sand Gnats - the Nationals minor league A affiliate and then quickly moved up to the Harrisburg Senators - the Nationals' AA minor league baseball affiliate.
Zimmerman was called up to the majors when rosters expanded in September 2005, and shared third base duties with Vinny Castilla, taking over the position on a more permanent basis between the time the Nationals were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention and the end of the season. Over the course of 20 games, he posted a .397 batting average, 10 doubles, and 6 RBIs in 58 at bats.
He remained with the major league club to start the 2006 campaign, taking over third base duties from the traded Castilla. Prior to 2006 Spring Training, Zimmerman changed his jersey number from #25 (2005) to #11, his former college number.
On April 5, 2006, he hit his first major league home run off a 93-mph fastball in the ninth inning against Mets' closer Billy Wagner. It sailed into the second deck in Shea Stadium, tied the game in the top of the ninth, and allowed the Nationals to go on to win their first game of the 2006 season by a score of 9-5 in extra innings.
On June 18, 2006, he hit his tenth major league home run and his first walk-off home run when he hit a 2-run shot in the bottom of the ninth to beat the New York Yankees 3-2. The usually stoic Zimmerman gleefully tossed his batting helmet in the air while rounding third and leapt onto home plate as his teammates crowded around him. He later took a curtain call and tossed his batting gloves into the stands. On July 4th, 2006, he hit a 3-run home run against Florida closer Joe Borowski on a two-strike pitch with two outs in the 9th inning of a game Washington was losing 4-3; the walk-off home run carried Washington to a 6-4 victory. This was Zimmerman's 12th career home run and his second walk-off. Two days later he delivered a walk-off single against the Marlins to win the game 8-7 in the 11th inning.
On September 27, 2006, against the Philadelphia Phillies, Zimmerman hit his 20th home run of the season and tied the Expos/Nationals franchise record for home runs by a rookie; in 2002, Brad Wilkerson hit 20 home runs for the Montreal Expos.
During his time as the Nationals' third baseman, Zimmerman has become a hometown hero and a beloved player with the fans with his defense and ability to come through in late-inning situations. Frank Robinson once compared Zimmerman's defense to Brooks Robinson, a former teammate of Robinson's. During the 2006 spring training, Frank Robinson said that he thought 12 homers and 60 RBI's would be a realistic goal for his rookie infielder; Zimmerman exceeded those expectations and finished with 20 home runs and 110 RBI's. Along with those two figures, he finished the 2006 season with 156 games played, 612 at-bats, .288 batting average, .352 OBP, 84 runs scored, 176 hits, 47 doubles, 3 triples, and 11 steals. Although he was named on more ballots (29-27), Zimmerman finished second in the 2006 NL Rookie of the Year voting to Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez in the closest ROY vote ever.
