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Wed., June 4 • 5:30 –7 p.m. Location: Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center (Brookland-CUA Metrorail stop)
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Sports Switching positions may lead to changes all over the diamond Ryan Zimmerman came off the disabled list Tuesday and was in the Nationals’ lineup playing left field. One of the best third baseman in the majors for nearly a decade is changing positions on the fly. The process of moving Zimmerman around the diamond produces so many ripples. The most immediate question is, how much is Zimmerman going to play in left? No one has an answer, not even Zimmerman. But he seems to believe it might just be on an everyday basis until Bryce Harper returns, which should happen in early July. Once Harper returns, the lineup becomes especially tricky for manager Matt Williams. He has said left field, third base and first base are all “options” for Zimmerman. Zimmerman’s defensive whereabouts upon Harper’s return is a cross-that-bridge situation for the
ALEX BRANDON (AP)
Nationals
Ryan Zimmerman, left, came off the DL after missing 44 games with a broken thumb.
time being. Will another injury arise? Which hitter will go cold? Which will be hot? How does Zimmerman look in left field? All those will factor into Williams’ decisions. But assuming the Nationals stay
healthy, there is no perfect way for Zimmerman to fit into the lineup without potentially ruffling feathers or sacrificing some attribute. If Zimmerman plays left field, that means Harper would move to
center and Denard Span would sit. Span is the Nationals’ best defensive outfielder by a lot, his bat has been coming on recently and he’s even been stealing more bases. He’s been an everyday player for years. How would he respond to frequent benching? If Zimmerman plays first, that means Adam LaRoche would sit. LaRoche has been the Nationals’ most productive hitter this season. So aside from a once-a-month day off against a tough lefty, that’s a nonstarter. If Zimmerman plays third, that means Danny Espinosa would sit and Anthony Rendon would move to second base. The Nationals would give themselves their best possible lineup. But their infield defense would suffer greatly. Williams will have to sort all of that out while keeping everyone happy and giving the team its best chance to win. General manager Mike Rizzo will have to gauge how Zimmerman’s position change should affect the future of the roster. It won’t be an easy for either. ADAM KILGORE (THE WASHINGTON POST )
U.S. Formation Still Unformed
NBA FINALS
Parker Good to Go Tony Parker plans to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Spurs open their rematch with the Heat on Thursday, and their star point guard is nursing a balky left ankle. “He’s getting better every day, and I expect him to play,” coach Gregg Popovich said Tuesday. Parker is averaging a team-leading 17.2 points and 4.9 assists this postseason. (AP)
When the U.S. soccer team talks strategy, it sounds a bit like people picking lottery numbers or the start of a keno game: 4-4-2. 4-23-1. 4-3-3. Two weeks before the Americans’ World Cup opener, they’re still tinkering with their formation. “There’s no such thing as a best system,” U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. “It’s the whole team, how it shapes up and how it works as an entire unit, how it attacks collectively and how it defends collectively.” After replacing Bob Bradley as the Americans’ coach in July 2011, Klinsmann most often used a 4-23-1 formation: four defenders with
MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ (AP)
World Cup
U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann switched to a 4-4-2 formation last month.
two defensive midfielders in front of them. Higher up the field were three advanced midfielders supporting a lone forward. Jozy Altidore usually was the
striker when Klinsmann had his full player pool available, and Clint Dempsey was in the central attacking midfield role or advanced to a withdrawn forward. But Klinsmann switched to a 4-4-2 for last month’s exhibition against Mexico with a diamond midfield that pushed midfielder Michael Bradley into an attacking position and moved Dempsey closer to goal, where he could link better with Altidore. “You can win a tournament like Spain did two years ago, play a 4-6-0, leave all the strikers out and have midfielders that score all the goals,” Klinsmann said. “Systems in the near future have no meaning anymore, really.” RONALD BLUM (AP)
DARRON CUMMINGS (AP)
The Ripple Effect of Zim in Left
Randy Wittman led the Wizards to the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
Wittman Agrees to Extension Wizards Wizards coach Randy Wittman signed a contract extension Tuesday after leading the team to the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Wittman, in the final year of his contract, operated under a playoffor-else edict from owner Ted Leonsis this season. “It’s really the players who made the big decision, not only in the exit interviews the last couple of years and this offseason, but the way they responded to him on the court,” Leonsis said on the team’s website. “They respect their coach, they listen and like playing for him, and it shows.” This season, Washington went 44-38, a 15-win improvement from a year ago, to finish fifth in the East. Washington beat the Chicago Bulls in the first round before losing to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. (AP)
TV Lineup NHL (8 P.M., NBC) The Stanley Cup finals opens tonight in Los Angeles. Will Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist be able to slow the high-powered Kings’ offense?