As has been discussed on the board many times over the past week, third base is a relatively thin position in 2008 fantasy baseball.  Alex Rodriguez and David Wright are pretty much guarantees to produce big numbers.  Miguel Cabrera should thrive, as he'll get to DH a hefty amount with the Tigers.  Aramis Ramirez is a solid bet.  But after that?  Ryan Braun could go through a sophomore slump, Chone Figgins had some injury issues last year, and Garrett Atkins tends to be a bit streaky.  So if you don't get one of the big guns, you might be better off taking a flyer on a second-tier player.  And one of those flyers is Ryan Zimmerman.

Now let's go ahead and discuss the pink elephant in the room.  There's some injury risk with Zimmerman.  He broke a bone in his left wrist in November, a break which required surgery to repair, and then a second to remove blood from the area (I've never had surgery to remove blood, but I can't imagine that's a good or painless thing).  All reports say that his recovery is right on schedule, but you know how teams don't always divulge all the information available to them (think B.J. Ryan's "sore elbow" last year), so pay close attention to spring training reports and draw your own conclusions.

If he is healthy, you're looking at a total gamer that's going to provide you with some solid, and potentially spectacular numbers.  The 23-year old moved very quickly through the ranks, winning the starting third base job with the Nationals just nine months after being their top draft pick in 2005.  He finished 2nd in the 2006 NL Rookie of the Year voting, after posting a .287 average with 20 HR's and 110 RBI's.  Last season saw a minor correction on its face, but if you look a little closer there are some very promising signs.

Zimmerman hit .266 in 2007, and saw his SB's slip from 11 to 4.  However, he hit .282 with 24 doubles after the All-Star break.  When a young player experiences a spike in doubles, it's usually a sign that he's going to increase his home run output the following season.  Also, remember that the Nationals are moving into their new ballpark in 2008, which will be an upgrade over the cavernous RFK Stadium.  Add both those factors together, and it's the recipe for a big power season for Zimmerman.  The steals could be a bonus as well; if he gets a few green lights, double digit steals are a possibility.

If you're a risk averse owner, spend the extra dollars (or an earlier draft pick) on Ramirez; he's steady as they come, and you won't be disappointed.  If, however, you're looking to get the most bang for your buck and aren't afraid to take a chance, definitely take a look at Zimmerman.  He's a perfect buy-low candidate that could pay big dividends for you.