09 Mar 2006 11:17:35
David the Nationals Fan
Is Zimmerman the New Brooks Robinson

The rookie phenom for the Washington Nationals (Zimmerman) is being
called the "New Brooks Robinson". Has anyone seen him play in person?
From what I have seen (on the very limited TV coverage given the
Nationals) he looks like he might be the real deal. But is it too
early to hang this tag on him? Is it ever fair to hang a tag like this
on him? Does he have any chance of even being noticed on what is
likely going to be a very very bad Nationals team this season?



10 Mar 2006 07:56:33
hokun
Re: Is Zimmerman the New Brooks Robinson

It's insanely unfair to call any rookie "the next random Hall of
Famer." Jeremy Hermida is not the next Willie Mays. Felix Hernandez
is not the next Roger Clemens. That said, Zimmerman looks awfully
good. He's got a terrific glove and he looks like he can hit a little.
I'm not convinced that he'll walk or hit for significant power in the
near future, but when you hit over .300 and play terrific defense,
you're already a great player. He should get plenty of notice if
sportswriters are paying any attention.

Unfortunately, he's still only the second best young 3B in his own
division because David Wright is going to be a perennial All-Star.
(And I'm not a Mets fan; he's just that good.)

Predictingly,
Hyoun



10 Mar 2006 08:24:27
Wunnuy
Re: Is Zimmerman the New Brooks Robinson


hokun wrote:
> It's insanely unfair to call any rookie "the next random Hall of
> Famer." Jeremy Hermida is not the next Willie Mays. Felix Hernandez
> is not the next Roger Clemens. That said, Zimmerman looks awfully


It's unfair but an common occurance. Every year there's two or three
"next so-and-so." How many "next Mantle" have the Yankees have or "next
Mays" have the Giants have? I take all these predictions with a grain
of salt since rarely do they pan out, although it would be nice to
actually see the next Brooks Robinson.



10 Mar 2006 08:25:41
Tom Nawrocki
Re: Is Zimmerman the New Brooks Robinson

I can remember when Dale Murphy was called the next Johnny Bench.

The thing of it is, no one ever becomes the next Willie Mays or the
next Roger Clemens, even if they should happen to turn out to be
legitimately that good. A player who becomes an inner-circle Hall of
Famer is singular enough to carve out his own identity. Mike Schmidt
may have been called the next Eddie Mathews, but no one would think him
of that way now, because he turned out to be the first Mike Schmidt.

Same thing with Randy Johnson and Sandy Koufax. Even if you don't think
Johnson is better than Koufax, he's now distinctive enough that he gets
to be his own person, rather than the next of anyone.

Tom Nawrocki



10 Mar 2006 08:38:32
Wunnuy
Re: Is Zimmerman the New Brooks Robinson


Tom Nawrocki wrote:
> I can remember when Dale Murphy was called the next Johnny Bench.
>
> The thing of it is, no one ever becomes the next Willie Mays or the
> next Roger Clemens, even if they should happen to turn out to be
> legitimately that good. A player who becomes an inner-circle Hall of
> Famer is singular enough to carve out his own identity. Mike Schmidt
> may have been called the next Eddie Mathews, but no one would think him
> of that way now, because he turned out to be the first Mike Schmidt.
>

I remember when Matt Williams was going to be the next Mike Schmidt and
for a while there, it seems like he might be.



10 Mar 2006 17:26:55
Ronald Matthews
Re: Is Zimmerman the New Brooks Robinson

Tom Nawrocki <TJNawrocki@aol.com > trolled:
> I can remember when Dale Murphy was called the next Johnny Bench.

> The thing of it is, no one ever becomes the next Willie Mays or the
> next Roger Clemens, even if they should happen to turn out to be
> legitimately that good. A player who becomes an inner-circle Hall of
> Famer is singular enough to carve out his own identity. Mike Schmidt
> may have been called the next Eddie Mathews, but no one would think him
> of that way now, because he turned out to be the first Mike Schmidt.

And yet the "similar batters" box remains one of the most popular
features of baseballreference.com for stat fans. And if you check,
as we just did, you will find that Mike Schmidt is the next Eddie
Mathews. Or at least, so it says in the popular stat fan feature.

Perhaps you could tell us why so many stat fans, and pseudo stat
fans, like yourself, are Jewish?

Thanks for your time.

cordially, as always,

rm


10 Mar 2006 16:09:15
Tom Nawrocki
Re: Is Zimmerman the New Brooks Robinson


Ronald Matthews wrote:


> Perhaps you could tell us why so many stat fans, and pseudo stat
> fans, like yourself, are Jewish?
>

I don't know. Why are so many people who do nothing but attack stat
fans deeply closeted homosexuals?

Tom Nawrocki



11 Mar 2006 01:49:12
Ronald Matthews
Re: Is Zimmerman the New Brooks Robinson

Tom Nawrocki <TJNawrocki@aol.com > trolled:
> Ronald Matthews wrote:

> > Perhaps you could tell us why so many stat fans, and pseudo stat
> > fans, like yourself, are Jewish?

> I don't know. Why are so many people who do nothing but attack stat
> fans deeply closeted homosexuals?

It takes one to know one, as they say. So we might as well ask, who
do you know who fits that description?

cordially, as always,

rm