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NICK GOOD TO GO FOR SPRING TRAINING

[September 24th] -- I don't feel like writing an in-depth story today after watching what happened to Nick Johnson yesterday at Shea Stadium. We've all seen it -- we've all been sickened by it.

The good news is that both the Nationals' team trainer and team physician Dr. Ben Shaffer have said in separate Sunday morning interviews that Nick's surgery went extremely well. A rod was inserted into the broken femur and he will begin bearing weight on his right leg as early as this evening. Surprisingly, he won't be in a cast, and he is expected to be 100% ready come spring training.

Had this happened to anyone else, I would have been saddened. But because this happened to Nick, the posterboy for weird injuries, I was devastated. Although he didn't make it through the 2006 season without going on the disabled list, he nonetheless produced a solid, full-season effort.

Godspeed, Nick. We're all 1] (for those of us who are religious) praying for you or 2] (for the secularists) wishing you well.

I have said for the last couple of weeks that Dan Uggla will probably win the National League rookie-of-the-year award, but that Ryan Zimmerman is without question the best rookie in the National League. So much of what makes Zimmerman "top-rook" are the intangibles -- especially his fielding prowess.

This is a (admittedly very bad) screen capture of the kid's leap into the third base stands on Saturday -- he caught the ball between three fans while almost perpindicular to the ground. It was another ESPN "webgem," but I'm afraid defensive ability and baseball acumen just don't get you votes in today's "home-run derby" world of baseball.

I don't care how the vote comes in -- Ryan Zimmerman is the best rookie in the bigs this year.


Comments:
I think that you meant to write "parallel" to the ground. He's perpendicular to the ground when standing on his feet.
 
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