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NL DIVISION SERIES: NATIONALS VS DODGERS

October 7, 2019

Ryan Zimmerman

Washington D.C. - pregame 4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You've been doing this awhile now, so what have you learned about the idea of pressure as you've moved along in your career and has that idea evolved for you at all from being a rookie here to being in an elimination games in your 30s?
RYAN ZIMMERMAN: I think that the more you play in them the more you realize they're just like any other game. There's going to be obviously certain points in the game that are big for both teams and usually the teams that are more successful in those areas is the team that's going to win the game. The little things usually matter. Both teams will make some mistakes, but I think it's the team that capitalizes on the mistakes that the other teams make.

So you just got to kind of treat it as a normal game and go out there and kind of like we always say, take it one at-bat, one inning at a time and not try and think too much about it.

Q. You've been teammates with Max for whatever it is, five years now. What do you expect out of him in these situations? Is there any way to amp him down a little bit? What, is he even more himself in these situations?
RYAN ZIMMERMAN: I think he's a perfect example of kind of what I just said. He treats every game sort of like this, I feel like. Every start during the regular season is, you're going to get basically what you're going to get tonight. That's just the way he goes about his business. Honestly, I think that's kind of the way that we all try and go about it. It's a little different for position players when you're playing every single day. But I think if you ask any of those guys that pitch every fifth day, it's basically the same. They're going to go through the same routine, they're going to try and do everything exactly like they would during a regular season start. And I think for the most part that's what everyone tries to do, treat it as normally as normal as you possibly can.

Q. I know you have to be thinking in terms of there could be many more games to come beyond this one, but as at least in these few playoff games you've had so far this month, do you ever find yourself looking around the stands kind of reflecting at all and thinking about what you've been through and what may still be ahead for you?
RYAN ZIMMERMAN: Not really. When you're in the moment like that you don't think about that sort of stuff. Like you said, I plan on playing more games. I feel like a lot of people think I'm not going to play more games. But I feel good, I feel like I can still be very productive beyond this year.

That being said, it doesn't make these games any less meaningful. They still have great meaning. Anytime you make the playoffs you want to take advantage of it. I think nobody takes the playoffs for granted. But some people get there a lot, some people get there once, some people never get there, you never know when it's going to be your last chance. So I think you obviously take advantage of it.

Q. The Dodgers, as successful as they have been, their players always talk about having to hear about the team hasn't won the World Series in 31 years. I know you guys have had to hear about getting out of the first round. As a player do you appreciate how hard it is to get to the point you guys are at or are you ultimately a frustrated fan just like everybody else?
RYAN ZIMMERMAN: I think as players we definitely appreciate it, but if we say anything about it, we get killed for it. So it's hard to make the playoffs. It's hard to be a winning team in a league like this.

Like you said, what they have done, getting to the World Series, getting to the Championship Series however many years it's been, obviously it's what everyone wants to be. Ultimately everyone wants to win the World Series. You always say, at the end of the year there's one team that's happy and the rest are at home.

But I think you also have to appreciate what you've done as an organization, as a team. Each year's different. Obviously this year's been pretty special for us with the way that we started. Not to say that we're satisfied, I don't think anyone is satisfied. But making the playoffs, any year you can make the playoffs I think it's, some people would be hesitant to say it, but I think it's definitely a good year. The past couple, we have had years in the past where we were supposed to make the playoffs and you don't make it and it's disappointing.

But obviously everyone wants to get past the first round, everyone wants to win the World Series, but, yeah, it's hard to be successful at this level.

Q. You mentioned the routine that the starters go through and how important that is to them. Those guys have had upset routines in this, even this short postseason, but how has that impressed you, what has that told you about even Patrick doing, going in there last night?
RYAN ZIMMERMAN: Yeah, it's not easy for them to do. I think a lot of people forget that those guys are human. They're not just robots that get out there and throw the ball. I don't know if Patrick's ever pitched out of the pen. But you have guys like that that are creatures of habit, you just assume, oh, they have great stuff, they can go down to the bullpen and pitch an inning or two.

That being said, I don't think Patrick threw the ball terrible last night. He was one pitch away from getting through that inning. They had some good at-bats off of him. But I think he definitely, everyone just expects those guys to be able to do whatever they're asked to do. And I commend them for taking the ball and saying, yes, I'll do it. They could have easily said no. I think that kind of shows you what kind of guys we have.

Q. Can you kind of appreciate how rare your status is as a guy who is still with an organization from the very beginning, its very inception, and has really literally been here for every big moment, every playoff series that's ever existed here?
RYAN ZIMMERMAN: Yeah, I think it kind of goes back to sort of what we were talking about before, I don't really reflect on that stuff now. I think you just kind of think about the task at hand and worry about what's kind of in the present. I think there will be plenty of time for me to reflect on that later when I'm done. But I do feel very lucky to be able to do what I've done. It takes some give and take on both sides, on the player's side and the organization, the team side. They have stuck with me through some injuries and some bad times and obviously I stuck with them through some bad times as well.

But I think the situation that I've had here has been a special one. For me, my family's close, my wife is from here, so I'm lucky, I get to see my kids for 81 games. A lot of guys are on the road. So I look at it more as I'm lucky to be in this situation. I think a lot of guys would love to have this situation, but don't really have the opportunity that I've had. So I think I feel more lucky than inning.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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