(AP Photo. Jordan Zimmermann threw his first bullpen session of the spring on Monday, a major milestone on his road to recovery from Tommy John surgery.)
"He looked at me and under his breath he goes, 'Gasss!' "
(Steve McCatty, describing Chien-Ming Wang's reaction to Jordan Zimmermann's first pitch in seven months, via Nationals Journal, 3/22/2010)
Nats wanted Zimmermann to throw at "50 percent"; Z-Mann didn't get the memo.
The second best news of the spring for the Nationals (first best? Strasburg didn't injure himself) today in Viera: Jordan Zimmermann threw his first bullpen session in seven months since having Tommy John surgey last summer.
From Nationals dot com:
The trainers wanted Zimmermann to throw at 50 percent, but he threw the ball as hard as he could after the session started. Pitching coach Steve McCatty scolded Zimmermann for going full bore, but the misunderstanding didn't stop McCatty from praising Zimmermann for the way he looked on the mound.
Over at Nationals Journal, Adam Kilgore captured the Zimmermann/McCatty hyjinx in all its glory, highlighted by McCatty threatening to hit The Other Zimm with a bat:
"The first one, I had to yell at him. I told I had my bat and I was going to whack him."
(Steve McCatty, via Nationals Journal, 3/22/2010)
Bill Ladson of Nationals.com says Zimmermann is "ahead of schedule", but that Rizzo is going to keep him from pitching in a game until August. Good news. Take it slow.
Apparently Wang and Detwiler threw today, too. Ho hum.
Is 2010 over yet? Is it too soon to start dreaming of a 2011 rotation headed up by Stephen Strasburg & Jordan Zimmermann with John Lannan slotted nicely in there as the #3 starter?
No, it isn't. Take it slow, Z-Mann. 2011 will be here before you know it.
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