Before and after every game, a baseball player at some point will deal with members of the media. There are newspaper reporters who cover the team on a daily basis. There are television reporters who need a quick sound bite. Or maybe the broadcast crews want to talk. All of these people are in the clubhouse a few hours before the first pitch, on the field during batting practice and back after the game.

It’s a big part of what we do. But I think it’s a pretty self-explanatory relationship. If you perform then the media obviously is going to ask you why you did well and if you make a mistake they’re going to ask what happened. If you look at it that way it’s kind of easy to handle. It’s when you aren’t honest that you get in trouble.

And it doesn’t do any good anyway. Everyone at the game saw what happened if you struck out with the bases loaded. There’s no reason to make an excuse. Just take the blame and move on.

But different players handle the media differently depending on their personality. And if someone reads the paper or listens to the radio every single day it can be tough. But I also don’t buy it as an excuse.

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The media has to be your friend. If you get on their bad side or if they get on your bad side it’s not going to be very healthy because you have to talk every day.

I think the amount of media exposure is a good thing, especially in today’s world. Athletes are put out in the community and looked upon as role models. And it’s a great financial opportunity, too. If you’re a well-known athlete in a big city you can have your own radio show or your own television show.

There will always be people who are critical. But if you just worry about yourself and play the game the right way you really have nothing to worry about. It’s hard to say or write bad things if you’re playing well.

— As told to the Examiner’s Brian McNally

Nats third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is one of baseball’s rising stars and, at 23, the face of the franchise. Now he’ll share his thoughts with The Examiner’s readers each week throughout the baseball season.