AP source: Zimmerman, Nationals add $100M, 6 years

Ever since he became the Washington Nationals’ very first draft pick, Ryan Zimmerman wanted to stay with the club for the long haul.

Now he’ll get that wish.

The Nationals took what they hope is another step toward consistent contention by locking up their third baseman—and the guy many still call the face of the franchise—through 2019, adding six years to Zimmerman’s existing contract in a deal announced Sunday.

The extra six seasons are worth $100 million, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no financial terms were revealed publicly.The deal includes a full no-trade clause.

“It’s nice that it’s done,” Zimmerman said at a news conference at the club’s spring training stadium in Viera, Fla. “It’s where I want to be. It’s where I’ve always wanted to be.”

He already was signed for 2012 and 2013, with $26 million remaining on the five-year, $45 million contract he got at the start of the 2009 season. He’s now guaranteed $126 million over the next eight seasons, and there is a club option for 2020.

“I love pressure. I don’t think people get these kinds of contracts that don’t want to be in pressure situations. Ever since I’ve been here, I’ve wanted to be the guy that’s up last in the ninth inning,” Zimmerman said. “I’ve wanted to be the guy that everyone looks to. I’ve wanted to be the so-called leader. I relish being that guy. I love it. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

He grew up not from the nation’s capital in Virginia Beach, Va., and his parents still live there.

The two sides talked late into the night Saturday, making enough progress for the 27-year-old Zimmerman to extend a self-imposed deadline that coincided with that day’s start of official full-squad workouts. He wanted to get a deal completed now or postpone talks until after the season so his contract situation wouldn’t be a distraction in the clubhouse for the Nationals, who are hoping to finally be competitive in the NL East.

Washington finished third in the division in 2011, the franchise’s best showing since moving from Montreal.

Zimmerman was the team’s first draft pick after the Expos became the Nationals before the 2005 season—he was taken No. 4 overall that year after playing college baseball at Virginia—and he quickly emerged as Washington’s best player.

He’s been an NL All-Star, and also collected Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards.

Last season, Zimmerman was limited by injuries to 395 at-bats over 101 games. He hit .289 with 12 homers, 21 doubles and 49 RBIs.

For his career, Zimmerman has a .288 batting average, 128 homers, 214 doubles, 498 RBIs, a .355 on-base percentage and .479 slugging percentage, and he’s considered one of the top defensive third basemen in the majors.

He’s also emerged as one of the leaders of the team in the clubhouse.

“In my opinion, it’s just another indication the organization is moving in the right direction,” shortstopIan Desmond said. “To lock up a guy and show loyalty to your franchise player … and to see `Zim’ be happy at home, and not to have to worry about that any more, it’s going to be nice. I’m happy for him. We definitely need him.”

More than a dozen Nationals teammates showed up for Sunday’s news conference.

“It’s great for them to come, obviously, to show their support. That’s one of the reasons why I want to stay here,” Zimmerman said. “I want to be with these guys for a long time.”

The average annual value of Zimmerman’s extension is $16.7 million; the average for the eight years works out to $15.75 million. Zimmerman is one of six major leaguers signed through at least 2019, joining Albert Pujols of the Angels, Cecil Fielder of the Tigers, Troy Tulowitzki of the Rockies,Ryan Braun of the Brewers and Matt Kemp of the Dodgers.

When Stan Kasten was team president, the Nationals had a policy against giving players no-trade clauses. But they added such a clause when they signed outfielder Jayson Werth to a $126 million, seven-year contract as a free agent last offseason.

And now they’ve done it for Zimmerman.

“I’d rather not give a no-trade than give a no-trade because it gives me more flexibility. But for players like this, if it’s give a no-trade or not have the player, that’s a pretty easy decision,” general manager Mike Rizzo said.

Rizzo said the no-trade clause does not cover the 2012 and 2013 seasons, only the additional six years. Still, he said he won’t trade Zimmerman.

“It comes into play when you have trust and honesty between both parties. We didn’t go through this exercise and sign `Zim’ to a six-year (deal), plus an option year, to trade him in the next two years,” Rizzo said. “With Mike Rizzo as the GM of the Nationals, he will not be traded in the next two years.”

Notes: The Nationals had their first live batting practice session Sunday with Stephen Strasburg andGio Gonzalez throwing. But the anticipated matchup of Strasburg vs. Bryce Harper never took place. Harper hit against Nationals closer Drew Storen and later said he was disappointed he didn’t get to bat against Strasburg. “Absolutely. I wanted to face him so bad,” Harper said. “I wanted to see what he was about. If he made me look stupid, I don’t even care.”

Federer says confidence loss cost him major titles

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—Roger Federer suspects he knows why he hasn’t been able to add to his record 16 Grand Slam titles the last two years.

The Swiss great last won a major championship at the 2010 Australian Open. He insists this has nothing to do with a declining game but “a bit of confidence not on my side and on my opponent’s side.”

“I’ve had some tough losses over the past couple of years,” Federer said, without referring to any specific matches.

Federer is ranked No. 3 and is joined in the field by No. 1 Novak Djokovic and No. 4 Andy Murray for the Dubai Championships, which start Monday.

Having broken Pete Sampras’ mark of 14 Grand Slam singles titles, Federer missed breaking the American’s 286-week reign at No. 1 by a single week.

“It would be great having that record but my life is very much OK without it, too,” Federer said. “Pete is a good friend and was an amazing champion for our game. I don’t need to break every record he has. I came so close and I could have chased it if I had wanted to. I didn’t choose to.”

Federer still believes he can return to No. 1, however, noting that he has won three titles in the past four months—the most recent in Rotterdam this month.

“I feel if I play really well until the U.S. Open, then obviously there is a shot. But then again there is a shot for about 10 players,” Federer said. “I am aware I’m not the only one. But I feel like I’m on a good run right now. I’ve won a lot of tournaments in a short time, which gives me a lot of confidence.”

CBs Jenkins, Harris deal with misconduct questions

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)—Only a few miles from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, former Oregon cornerback Cliff Harris explained that driving 118 miles per hour somewhere other than a racetrack wasn’t a good idea.

Often praised for his speed on the field, his excessive speed off it got him a citation in June 2011 and cost him his season opener for the Ducks.

“It was fun, but it was a bonehead move,” Harris said Sunday at the NFL scouting combine. “I come from a family of drag racers. I was raised at the races. Going fast is almost in my blood, but I have to do it at the right time and at the right place.”

Harris’ need for speed was just one of many off-the-field issues that likely hurt his draft stock. He was later dismissed for the final seven games of the season after being caught driving with a suspended license and without proper insurance or a seatbelt, then released from the program for good in December. The Fresno Bee reported that he was cited for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana in Fresno, Calif., on Nov. 25, leading to the final disciplinary move.

“I was young, I was dumb, I made a couple of bonehead moves,” Harris said. “From the success I was having and having it taken away just like that, that was an eye-opener for me. I’m ready to prove that I’m not going to make those same mistakes.”

Janoris Jenkins also had issues after a promising start to his career as a cornerback at Florida. He started 36 games for the Gators over three years and was an all-Southeastern Conference pick as a junior, but he was dismissed in 2011 after the third arrest of his college career, the final two being drug-related.

Harris and Jenkins answered questions about their misconduct in recent days, hoping to convince teams that their wayward ways were behind them.

“I was honest and straight forward,” Jenkins said. “Told them what I did. I admitted everything, I took full responsibility and that I learned from it.”

Jenkins finished up his college career at Division II North Alabama and ranked second nationally with a 21.7-yard punt return average. He hopes his ability helps teams take a chance on him.

“They see the talent, they just want to know the kind of kid I am,” he said. “I just come in here and show them that I’m not a bad kid. I’m looking to put it in the past and move forward.”

NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said Jenkins has little to worry about.

“What happens, whether you believe in it or not, is the more talented kids get more chances, and Jenkins is a pretty talented kid,” Mayock said. “Someone’s going to want to buy into that.”

Jenkins said he’s past his drug use.

“I’m done with it forever,” he said. “I can’t do it. I can’t let myself do it again.”

Harris said he got caught up in the hype after his success in 2010. He broke up 23 passes, averaged 18.8 yards per punt return and set an Oregon record with four punt return touchdowns as a sophomore.

“I believe like that my off the field, how I was living and my on the field, the worlds collided and when they collided, I got taken off the field,” he said.

Harris said he struggled emotionally during the suspension.

“I fell into a dark hole,” he said. “I fell into a little pit where I felt sorry for myself and I was really down in the dumps and I just was losing myself. And one day it just clicked in my head that I have to dig myself out of this hole that I put myself into.”

He got some help from above to regain his focus.

“I talked to God,” he said. “I was raised in the church and as I got older, it kind of got away from me. You could see how, when it got away from me, everything in my life started to have a turn as well. I started going back to church.”

He regrets the mistakes that cost him most of his junior year and said talking about them has been tough.

“It’s probably a little more difficult than I thought,” he said.

Harris said he has to get things right because he knows he’s a role model.

“I have a personality that a lot of dudes gravitate to, so I have to always be doing the right thing and make my next decision the right decision,” he said.

Mayock said Jenkins could afford to make more mistakes than Harris.

“The Harris kid is not as talented and not quite as big or quick,” Mayock said. “There’s going to be a shorter leash for him, and I think he’ll go later because of that.”