Zimmerman prepared to play much more this spring

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - He's not about to start playing nine innings on Feb. 23 or make the five-hour round trip for a road game in Lake Buena Vista, but Ryan Zimmerman will see more game action this spring. Really, he has little choice but to make a change from his controversial preparation plan last spring, when he stayed almost exclusively on minor league fields and took only two at-bats in major league games, then proceeded to come out of the gates slow and suffer an oblique strain that cost him two months.

All that said, Zimmerman insists last year's plan wasn't a mistake. And he can't say with any certainty that his lack of game action in February and March had any negative impact on his performance or health from April to September.

"The medical staff and everyone else we have here, we're really lucky. They're really good," he said. "I don't think there's any one thing we did. But things happen and you learn from them. I think it wouldn't be very smart not to look back and try and see why something happened. I don't think anyone can tell you exactly why it happens, but you have to learn from your mistakes and from what happened and use it toward this year. That's the plan."

As always, Zimmerman will be a focal point of the Nationals' success (or lack thereof) this season. In 2017, he enjoyed his healthiest and most productive season in a long time, playing in 144 games and racking up 36 homers, 108 RBIs and a .930 OPS to garner down-ballot MVP votes.

In 2018, he was limited to only 85 games, though his production (13 homers, 51 RBIs, .824 OPS) was still plenty respectable for the amount of time he could play.

With Daniel Murphy certainly gone and Bryce Harper possibly gone from the daily lineup, the Nationals know they need the kind of production they've come to expect from Zimmerman over the course of his career. How, though, do they ensure they get that?

"By keeping him healthy," manager Davey Martinez said.

And how do Zimmerman and the Nationals come up with an offseason and spring training regimen to help make that possible?

"I think it changes every year, especially as you get a little older," the 34-year-old said. "The key for me is to stay on the field. Two years ago, I did. Last year, I didn't. When I stay on the field, I still feel like I'm a really good player. And that's the goal. Everything we do in the offseason and during the season is geared toward that."

He may not be a fan of spring training, but Zimmerman can't be faulted for delaying his arrival this year. He and his family pulled into West Palm Beach in late January, and he has been working out at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches since.

Zimmerman has been hitting in the cage and conditioning on the agility field here. And today he made his way out to one of the practice fields for a private defensive session at first base.

If there's any one thing that will be different about his preparation this spring, it will be increased time spent in the field, especially during games.

"It's not so much that you have to play nine innings," he said. "It's more just playing, rebounding, coming back day after day doing that. Four or five days in a row, even if you only play four or five innings, you still have to go through the whole routine of getting ready to play a game and then going out there for those four or five innings. ... You're on your feet, getting your legs and your body ready for every pitch. Running to first base when there's ground balls. Yeah, I think that makes a difference."

Ideally, Zimmerman will end up with roughly 50 at-bats, plus ample time at first base to feel 100 percent prepared for opening day.

Whether all that helps make him available for 500-plus at-bats during the season ... well, it's gonna be a while until we know the answer to that all-important question.