BB: D-3 Players in minor leagues/MLB

[WLCALUM83]

Now they're in a rain delay -the Braves were up with 2 out and none on in the top of the 8th when it was stopped.

[WLCALUM83]

Game just resumed.

[WLCALUM83]

Washington hods on and wins, 3-2.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Just in case anyone didn't follow the implications, Zimmermann gets the win, and is now 1-0 with a 3.00 era.  His batting average, alas, is .000 (0 for 1).

[BoBo]

Just in case anyone didn't follow the implications, Zimmermann gets the win, and is now 1-0 with a 3.00 era.  His batting average, alas, is .000 (0 for 1).

...with 1 sacrifice bunt to boot!!  Let's hope for the ERA to go down and the win total and BA to go up!! 

[ECSUalum]

Atlanta           IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Lowe (L, 1-1) 6.0 7 3 3 3 2 0 3.27
O'Flaherty      1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6.23
Soriano         1.0 1 0 0 1 3 0 0.00

Washington                   IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Zimmermann, J (W, 1-0) 6.0 6 2 2 1 3 1 3.00
Wells (H, 1)                   1.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.00
Beimel (H, 4)                  0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.23
Mock (H, 1)                    0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Hanrahan (S, 1)             1.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 7.50


IBB: Willingham (by Lowe).
HBP: Willingham (by Soriano).
Pitches-strikes: Lowe 115-64, O'Flaherty 19-13, Soriano 24-13, Zimmermann, J 72-51, Wells 8-4, Beimel 5-4, Mock 2-2, Hanrahan 15-7.
Groundouts-flyouts: Lowe 8-8, O'Flaherty 2-0, Soriano 0-0, Zimmermann, J 9-5, Wells 1-2, Beimel 1-1, Mock 1-0, Hanrahan 1-1.
Batters faced: Lowe 27, O'Flaherty 3, Soriano 6, Zimmermann, J 22, Wells 4, Beimel 2, Mock 1, Hanrahan 4.
Umpires: HP: Jim Wolf. 1B: Gary Cederstrom. 2B: . 3B: Brian O'Nora.
Weather: 58 degrees, overcast.
Wind: 5 mph, In from CF.
T: 2:24 (2:43 delay).
Att: 12,473.
April 20, 2009

[OshDude]

Besides JZ, Washburn, Kaase, Reinhard, Remo, Figueroa, Furbush, Binick, Bayliss, Kiely, Esposito, Arnesen, Chiasson, Glushon, Lutz, Gilbert, Kulik and Paterson are all off to outstanding starts.

Beazley, Glushon, Wagner and Tupman have spent time on the DL.

[ECSUalum]

Zimmermann wins big league debut
Delayed start does not faze rookie right-hander 

Jesus Flores singles home Elijah Dukes to make it 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning

04/21/09 2:29 AM ET

Box >
WASHINGTON -- After a two-hour, 10-minute rain delay, rookie right-hander Jordan Zimmermann threw his first big league pitch at 9:15 p.m. ET on Monday. From that point on, he was solid, as the Nationals edged the Braves, 3-2, at Nationals Park.

Zimmermann, the team's best prospect entering this season, went six innings and gave up two runs on six hits. He threw 72 pitches, 51 of them for strikes.

Manager Manny Acta thought about letting Zimmermann pitch another inning, but the Nationals started a rally in the bottom of the sixth, so Acta decided to have Alex Cintron pinch-hit.

"I had my helmet and batting gloves on, and John Lannan said, 'Cintron may be hitting for you if [Alberto Gonzalez doesn't hit into a double play],' " Zimmermann said. "I'm already on deck, and I put everything away and sat down. The only way I was going back out there was if Gonzalez hit into a double play, which he didn't. Everything worked out well."

In his two-plus seasons in the big leagues, catcher Jesus Flores said, he has never caught a pitcher like Zimmermann. Flores said the young hurler was focused and throwing the ball from both sides of the plate.

"He has tremendous command with his pitches. He threw the ball very well today," Flores said.

Zimmermann cruised until the fourth inning, when he gave up a two-run homer to Matt Diaz. After that he retired six of the next seven hitters he faced.

Acta said that Zimmermann threw even harder on Monday than he did during Spring Training. Zimmermann's fastball was clocked at 95 mph against the Braves.

"He was pretty impressive, especially since this was not the nicest day to play baseball," Acta said. "The kid hung in there and was very patient in the clubhouse. He went out there and gave us a tremendous effort."

After the Diaz homer, the Nationals came back and were able to get the victory for Zimmermann, starting with the bottom of the fourth inning.

With right-hander Derek Lowe on the mound, Elijah Dukes singled to right field to drive in Nick Johnson and cut the lead by one. Two batters later, Flores tied the score with a sacrifice fly to left field to send home Ryan Zimmerman.

Flores gave Washington the lead two innings later, when he singled to left field to drive in Dukes.

Zimmermann was named the Nationals' fifth starter during Spring Training with the understanding that he would pitch with Triple-A Syracuse until his services were needed 11 games into the schedule.

The 22-year-old made one start with the Chiefs, tossing 5 1/3 innings on April 9 against Rochester. He was supposed to pitch last Tuesday, but that game was called because of rain. Instead he threw a simulated game and pitched six innings.

Zimmermann was scheduled to make his Major League debut on Sunday against the Marlins, but the start was pushed back a day because of the rainout between the Nationals and Phillies last Wednesday.

Then there was the delay this time around.

"It has been a long two weeks, I should say, having to go out to Syracuse and knowing that I'm going to be here on the 19th," Zimmermann said. "Then a rain postponement, and it got pushed back to the 20th. And I get here, and it's raining again. It was a pretty long two weeks, and I was just happy to be in the game tonight and get this out of the way."

For the first time since last Thursday, against the Phillies, the Nationals preserved a victory, with Kip Wells, Joe Beimel, Garrett Mock and Joel Hanrahan pitching a combined three shutout innings.

Hanrahan, who picked up his first save of the season, needed this game after blowing save opportunities on Friday and Saturday against the Marlins. He acknowledged that Sunday was a long day, as he was not available after pitching three games in a row.

"Any time you mess up, you want to get back out there," Hanrahan said. "It felt good to go out there to get the job done."

And preserve the victory for Zimmermann.

A happy Zimmermann said that he was going to his apartment after the game to celebrate with his parents, grandparents and 20 friends from Wisconsin.

"All 25 people are probably going to come over and hang out for a while," he said. "Then it's time for bed and back to the ballpark."

[WLCALUM83]

Zimmermann's record improved to 2-0, Nationals beat the Mets earlier today 8-1.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Yep, Jordan now 2-0 with a 2.38 era, but his BA is still .000 (now 0-4)!   (C'mon, pop a HR for d3! )

He's definitely a rookie.  si.com posts a picture of the winning and losing pitchers; no picture for Zimmermann.

[BaseballFan]

Yep, Jordan now 2-0 with a 2.38 era, but his BA is still .000 (now 0-4)!   (C'mon, pop a HR for d3! )

He's definitely a rookie.  si.com posts a picture of the winning and losing pitchers; no picture for Zimmermann.

thats because its si.com, they are inferior to espn, yahoo, mlb

[Just Bill]

Yep, Jordan now 2-0 with a 2.38 era, but his BA is still .000 (now 0-4)!   (C'mon, pop a HR for d3! )

He's definitely a rookie.  si.com posts a picture of the winning and losing pitchers; no picture for Zimmermann.

You can quote me right now.  Barring injury, Jordan hits a home run before the end of the season.

[BoBo]

Yep, Jordan now 2-0 with a 2.38 A, but his BA is still .000 (now 0-4)!   (C'mon, pop a HR for d3! )

He's definitely a rookie.  si.com posts a picture of the winning and losing pitchers; no picture for Zimmermann.

don't forget that sac bunt in his first game!!   

[ECSUalum]

From Fox Sports on MSN:

NEW YORK (AP) - Despite an inept start to the season, the Washington Nationals have a couple of reasons to get excited in Jordan Zimmermann and Jesus Flores.

Zimmermann showed off the impressive combination of sharp stuff and steady composure that makes him one of baseball's top prospects, and Flores led the offensive charge Sunday as Washington routed the New York Mets 8-1 for its first road victory of the year.
"It feels great. We know that we're better than our record shows," manager Manny Acta said. "We needed a game like this."

Flores homered and drove in three runs against his former club, Austin Kearns also teed off on an ineffective Oliver Perez and the Nationals improved the majors' worst record to 4-13.

The 22-year-old Zimmermann (2-0) beat Atlanta 3-2 in his major league debut last Monday and stifled the inconsistent Mets, too. Mixing a 95 mph fastball with snappy off-speed pitches, he struck out slumping David Wright three times and allowed one run with six hits in 5 1-3 innings.

"He's going to give us a chance every game to win," Adam Dunn said. "He's got a real calm demeanor. He's got the perfect pitcher's mentality."

Handed an 8-1 lead, Mike Hinckley, Garrett Mock and Kip Wells provided hitless relief as Washington won for the first time in nine games away from home.

Zimmermann and starter Shairon Martis, both rookies, have all four wins for the Nationals.

It was a lethargic loss for the Mets (8-10), who host first-place Florida for a three-game series beginning Monday night at Citi Field. Converted infielder Daniel Murphy botched another line drive to left field and Carlos Beltran pulled up on an attempted steal, thinking he heard the ball hit the bat.

"It was a mistake. I know that I should slide right there," said Beltran, tagged out easily on the play.

Before this season, Zimmermann had never been above Double-A. But despite his inexperience, he pitched with the sort of poise and grit the Mets have long sought from Perez (1-2).

After getting tagged for seven runs and nine hits in 4 1-3 innings, the erratic lefty has a 9.31 ERA. Only four starts after re-signing with New York for $36 million over three years, he could be in jeopardy of losing his spot in the rotation.

"I'm really concerned about him at this point. I don't know what we do. I'm not going to come out and make a decision right now," manager Jerry Manuel said. "I haven't seen stuff yet. I don't know what it is with Ollie. I'm going to sit down and talk with him and try to figure it out."

Perez has allowed 15 walks and 23 hits in 19 1-3 innings. He was booed off the field by a frustrated crowd of 40,023 - even Wright heard catcalls during an 0-for-4 day that included a run-scoring throwing error from third base.

The All-Star slugger has fanned 23 times in 70 at-bats this season, an alarming rate for a player who set a career high last year with 118 strikeouts. He has one home run and six RBIs.

Manuel was asked if Wright needs a day off.

"I think I need one," he said.

Flores finished with three hits and a walk, including a two-run homer (his second of the series) and an RBI single. After driving in 59 runs in 90 games last year, he is batting .327 with 10 RBIs.

The young catcher was snatched up by Washington when the Mets left him unprotected in the December 2006 winter meeting draft (Rule 5), a move that certainly appears to be a mistake.

"He's a good hitter - period," Acta said. "Especially against left-handers, he's a killer."

Kearns' solo shot to center, estimated at 420 feet, started a four-run surge in the fifth. The ball landed on the painted black turf that serves as the batters' eye at Citi Field, and it was the first home run in the spacious new ballpark that went between the alleys.

"I'm not doing my job and I don't feel good about that," Perez said. "It's not there

[Mr. Ypsi]

Zimmermann, alas, took his first loss tonight.  In 5.2 innings he yielded 8 hits and 5 earned runs.  He did have 6 Ks, but also gave up 3 HRs.  (And, alas, his ba is still .000 )