Zimmerman on rebounding from poor year, new additions, Nats' window

Ryan Zimmerman has been around baseball long enough to know that there's only one thing a player can do after a disappointing season: turn the page, committing himself to do better in the coming year.

That's just what the Nationals first baseman is doing after posting a career-low slash line of .218/.272/.370 in 115 games during a season interrupted by stints on the disabled list for rib and wrist injuries.

"I think I ended the season strong last year," Zimmerman said Sunday at Nats Winterfest. "Last year was obviously a tough year for me. I expect more out of myself than I think anyone expects out of me, so I was disappointed in how I did last year. But the great thing about baseball is that was last year (and) you kind of move on. I've got three years and an option left on the contract I signed and I plan on living up to that contract and performing like I'm supposed to perform."

Manager Dusty Baker has liked what he's seen of Zimmerman this weekend in terms of conditioning and readiness. Last season, Baker went into his first season at the Nationals' helm without the benefit of a full spring training from Zimmerman, whose participation in early drills and games was limited by a foot problem left over from the previous year.

"Zim's looking real good," Baker said. "He's so far ahead of last year, because he had that foot going into spring training. I had to really kind of program and ask him how he was doing every day, start him with two innings, three innings. So he's way ahead of where he was in spring training."

Avoiding injuries - especially the nagging variety that can impact a season over the long term - is one of Zimmerman's goals heading into 2017. If he can stay healthy, Zimmerman thinks he can be a productive asset to the lineup.

"I started working out two or three weeks ago," Zimmerman said. "I think last year the body felt good - I had a couple of things - but other than that, this year I just look to stay healthy, feel like I can put last year behind me and I look forward to this year."

Zimmerman's .212/.247/.308 included only three home runs and eight RBIs in 41 games as injuries limited his availability. But in the National League Division Series against the Dodgers, Zimmerman was his old, productive self, slashing .353/.450/.471. The postseason numbers were impressive - and perhaps a sign that he's ready to rebound - but weren't enough to prevent the Nats' third first-round exit following an NL East title in five seasons.

"Honestly, there's one team that's happy at the end of the year," he said. "I think last year, I wouldn't consider last year a failure by any means. When you win your division and make it into the playoffs, you achieve a lot of your goals that you set forth in spring training. The ultimate goal obviously wasn't reached, but I think you have to look at the positives that came out of last year, as well."

As the longest-tenured Nationals player, Zimmerman has kept an eye on general manager Mike Rizzo's offseason moves. He thinks the acquisition of catcher Derek Norris in a trade with the Padres will give the Nats a seasoned veteran who works well with a pitching staff and provides a good clubhouse presence. And Zimmerman is eager to see what kind of havoc newly obtained center fielder Adam Eaton and shortstop Trea Turner can create at the top of the lineup.

"I don't know what the lineup looks like, but maybe (Eaton) and Trea at the top of the order one-two," Zimmerman said. "(Daniel Murphy) talks about it all the time: The key to offense is having traffic on the bases. That puts pressure on the other pitcher, it changes how their catcher calls the game. With more fastballs, guys can run all over the place. It puts pressure on the other team."

As for the three pitching prospects - right-handers Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning - the Nats surrendered to get Eaton, Zimmerman would gladly trade promising futures for the chance at an established major leaguer who fills an immediate need.

"Nobody ever knew about prospects until they made it to the big leagues 15 years ago," Zimmerman said. "Now, because of all the coverage, every prospect is the next best thing. I hope that all these young guys do well and have a great major league career, but the odds are not in their favor - it's kind of mean to say that. For the team that we are, that has a chance to win every year, where we're at now, Adam is a guy that can help us today and for the next five years. ...

"Lopey and Lucas and Dunning - I think Lucas has a chance to develop into a special pitcher. I don't think he has a ways to go because last year he showed some signs at the big league level, which is hard to do at a young age, but there's variables that are going to have to go right for him to become who he wants to be. I think Lopey has electric stuff; he showed that he can also perform. But there's a lot of question marks about everyone. Dunning, I don't think he's pitched past low A ball. The White Sox get three kids that have a chance to be really good and we get a guy that doesn't have a chance to be good, he's already good. For me, I take that chance every time."

Zimmerman thinks the Nationals are built to win - now and in the next couple of years. He's hesitant, however, to establish a window in which they can compete before needing to be rebuilt.

"I don't ever like to say 'window.' Max (Scherzer) and Stras (Stephen Strasburg) and Tanner (Roark) - pitching takes you as far as you're going to go, and those two guys at the top - I don't know how many years they're signed for - if they can stay healthy, I think your window's as good as they are," Zimmerman said.