Ryan Zimmerman, a two-time Gold Glove winning third baseman for the Washington Nationals, has had a rocky defensive start to the 2013 season. He has been battling a case of the "yips," and has made four throwing errors in his last five games.
The "yips" are described by The Mayo Clinic as "involuntary wrist spasms" but according to Yahoo! Sports they are a mental issue that has plagued several players before Zimmerman, the most famous of them being Yankees second baseman Chuck Knoblauch, who famously threw a ball into the stands and hit the mother of political pundit Keith Olbermann.
Zimmerman has had shoulder problems in the last few years, but does not blame his throwing woes on previous injuries. "Nope, shoulder feels great. That's why it's so frustrating. I was just going into the dugout and talking to some of the guys. Nobody's more frustrated than me. I'm the guy out there that doesn't want to do it more than anyone."
Zimmerman is having a tough time figuring out how to cure the issue, and has sought the help of first baseman Adam LaRoche, who has saved Zimmerman more errors with nifty glovework, and shortstop Ian Desmond.
Desmond battled similar problems in the minor leagues and at the pro level (34 errors in 2010), and feels confident that Zimmerman will conquer this obstacle. "People blowing it up more than it is, that doesn't help anything. I think if this is going to be the fall of a superstar, you've got it completely wrong. You don't get to the level he's at without overcoming some things along the way."
In addition to figuring out his throwing problems, Zimmerman must not allow his defensive troubles to encroach on his offensive production. Through 15 games, Zimmerman is hitting just .226 with one home run and 11 RBI. His on base percentage is 42 points lower than his career average.
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