Zimmerman's contract renewed by Nats

[DravenX]

VIERA, Fla. -- By renewing third baseman Ryan Zimmerman's contract on Saturday, the Nationals have agreed to terms with every player on their 40-man roster.

Zimmerman, 22, was given the news while in a meeting with general manager Jim Bowden, manager Manny Acta and Jose Rijo, the special assistant to Bowden.

Zimmerman, who finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year balloting in 2006, will make $400,000 this season -- $2,000 less than Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who won the honor.

"I would have liked to have signed a contract, but it really didn't make sense. There are no hard feelings, nothing like that," Zimmerman said. "Me, Jim, [team president] Stan [Kasten] and everybody else are on good terms. We are talking about other options. We both know that I'm going to be here for a long time. It's just a matter of when it becomes official."

Zimmerman has fewer than three years of service time, and the Nationals had until Sunday to renew his contract. Zimmerman's agent, Brodie Van Wagenen, and the Nationals were unable to come to terms on a one- or multiyear deal after several weeks of contract negotiations.

Zimmerman is arbitration-eligible after the 2008 season and can file for free agency three years after that.

Source: Nationals.mlb.com

[McKain]

This is bad news, after they spent so much time talking out a long-term deal and then talking out a one-year deal, and they have to resort to just a renewal.

Hopefully they can get something done over the course of the season. They'll have plenty of time to talk things out when they're stinking it up and nowhere near the playoffs.