Nats Lunchbox: Is Jordan Zimmermann The Washington Nationals' Best Pitcher?

26-year-old, '07 2nd Round pick Jordan Zimmermann is (8-6) after twenty-one 2012 starts for the Washington Nationals in his fourth pro season, posting a 2.28 ERA, 3.42 FIP, 3.60 xFIP, 24 BB (1.61 BB/9) and 96 K's (6.43 K/9). On a staff that includes Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez it's the right-hander out of Wisconsin who's got the lowest ERA amongst Nats' starters and the second-lowest ERA in the National League. Zimmermann's (3-0) in his last five starts with a 0.87 ERA, 4 walks (1.61 BB/9) and 24 K's (6.97 K/9) in 31.0 IP, over which he's held opposing hitters to a .189/.216/.255 line. ESPN980's The Sports Fix's Thom Loverro and Kevin Sheehan talked to Zimmermann this afternoon and asked the humble starter if he'd ever thought about the fact that he might be considered a Cy Young candidate this season?

"I have some control," Zimmermann said explaining that he could take care of what happens on the mound, "But obviously I'm not the one that's doing the voting, so I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing and try to finish the whole year and we'll see what happens at the end of the year." Pedro Martinez (1997 MON) is the only pitcher in franchise history to win a Cy Young award, and you have to accept the Expos' history in order for that to count for the Nats' franchise. There's never been a Senators or Nationals' Cy Young award winner. But whether or not Jordan Zimmermann should be considered for the award is a discussion for after the 2012 season is over, when we already know how his 2012 campaign ended. The question that CSNWashington.com's Chase Hughes (@ChaseHughes), the District Sports Page's Dave Nichols (@NationalsDSP) and I discussed recently, is whether or not Jordan Zimmermann is the best starter in the Nationals' rotation right now: