Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman: Not concerned with slow start to spring

Zimmerman has yet to collect a hit in 11 Grapefruit League at-bats but isn't too concerned with the slow start, The Washington Post reports. "It's just getting used to just going through your routine every day without feeling like crap, like you got run over," said Zimmerman prior to Thursday's game against the Marlins, in which he went 0 for 1 with a walk. "So that's kind of where I'm at right now. Going 0 for 10, it doesn't matter. It's not fun on March 9 or July 9, but I think the most important thing this early in the spring is just to make sure you set a good base. Right now I feel good. That's all you can really ask for."

Analysis:

He could be the poster boy for how unimportant spring training stats really are after hitting .333 with four home runs in 14 games last March, only to post a .642 OPS in 115 games during the 2016 regular season. Zimmerman is also working on adding some loft to his swing, so poor results so far aren't surprising all things considered, but it would be reassuring -- both for the Nats, and for fantasy owners thinking about adding him to their roster -- if the 32-year-old was able to string some hits together over the next few weeks.