September 8, 2005

Piling On...

I meant to mention this earlier, but it didn't fit in with my pitching rant. Super-rookie Ryan Zimmerman, playing shortstop for the first time, made two errors in last night's debacle against the Marlins. Two days ago, Frank said playing Zimmerman at short wouldn't be "fair," a position I heartily endorse. Yesterday he said, "From day to day, things change." Frank Robinson: Font of Consistency.

Zimmerman's errors aren't exactly unprecedented, he made 4 in one week at shortstop in Double-A ball. When informed of Ryan's defensive lapses, deep thinker Jim Bowden replied, "I never pay attention to errors in the Minor Leagues. Derek Jeter made 43 errors in the South Atlantic League, and I didn't care." Which is swell, but why should the Cincinnati Reds GM care what the Yankees top SS prospect is doing? And I don't remember Jeter making 2 errors in his first game at Yankee Stadium.

Could we possibly let the kid learn to play one position before we attempt to turn him into a utility infielder?

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