Shoulder problems force Ryan Zimmerman to change throwing style

In an attempt to lessen his chronic shoulder problems Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is altering his throwing motion to avoid over-the-top throws. Zimmerman has done this occasionally in the past, on certain plays, but now he’s giving the three-quarters arm slot a full-time try.

Here’s what he told James Wagner of the Washington Post:

I’ve gone through this for awhile now, so you can’t get too relieved. It’s a constant work in progress. It’s tough. But for now, we found something that I think has a chance to work without hurting. So that’s a relief. Because I want to be out there and I want to help the team win. When I can’t do that, it’s frustrating.

Nationals manager Matt Williams, himself a third baseman, thinks it could work because Zimmerman’s new arm slot isn’t far off from Williams’ arm slot as a player.

Still, if Zimmerman is at the point where he’s having to manage pain on a daily basis, local media is reporting on how many pain-free throws he was able to make in pregame warmups, and literally every throw with his normal arm slot has a chance to turn into a major setback ... well, it’s not a good situation. And, seemingly, not a long-term solution.

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