The Nationals have "dabbled in preliminary conversations" with SFX, the representatives for Jordan Zimmermann according to Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post. The team has not yet reached out to the right-hander about a long-term deal, but he would be open to one.
“I haven’t talked to the Nationals about it,” Zimmermann said. “I’d be interested. I’ll just play it out and see what happens. I’m just going to go out and pitch the way I can pitch. Everything will take care of itself.”
Zimmerman, 25, can not become a free agent until after the 2015 season. He was arbitration-eligible for the first time as a Super Two this offseason, and will make $2.3MM this year. Zimmerman missed most of 2010 with Tommy John surgery, but he returned to post a 3.18 ERA in 161 1/3 innings last season. Back in February I suggested that a four-year deal worth $22-25MM could work for both sides.
The Nationals signed Gio Gonzalez (five years, $42MM) and Ryan Zimmerman (eight years, $126MM) to long-term deals this winter.
Do. It. ASAP.
I still have him on my short list of most underrated guys in baseball. If they sign him within the next few weeks it will definitely be a bargain compared to how he’s been and will perform.
I wouldn’t. With his mechanics (similar to Strasburg’s) he’s a good risk for another blowout.
That’s why you extend him now…because you get a big injury-risk discount. If they wait until his last year before free agency and he lives up to his potential, he’ll be looking at a contract well north of $100 million.
That’s a good point. In any event he’s not a safe investment long-term.
“The Nationals have ‘dabbled in preliminary conversations’ with SFX”
The should watch themselves, dabbling is the first step to becoming hooked. Just because all their peers are doing it doesn’t mean they have to.