MLB.com caught up with Milledge recently to talk about his season with the Nationals and his future in center field.

MLB.com: The '08 season marked the first time that you played every day in the big leagues. How do you think the season went for you?

Lastings Milledge: I think it went well. I got off to a slow start, but I also showed that I can have a clear head even though I wasn't doing as well. I think it is real important for a young player to know how to deal with failure and get himself out of a hole. During the first half, I was in the hole, but I got out of that hole and had a decent year.

MLB.com: What did you learn about yourself this season?

Milledge: I found out that I'm actually a better hitter than I thought. I thought I had a lot of weaknesses as a hitter.

MLB.com: Give me an example of a weakness you thought you had.

Milledge: [I didn't think I could go] the opposite way. I had a lot of success going the other way this year. I actually have more power than I thought I had to right field. [Hitting coach] Lenny Harris kept reminding me to go the other way. It really didn't click in until I had good results.

MLB.com: During the final month of the season, the media and some members of the front office criticized you for the way you played center field. What was your reaction to the criticism?

Milledge: I don't think it's fair, to be honest. I didn't feel I had enough time to be whatever they wanted me to be out there. I just came from left and right field the last two seasons I was in the big leagues. Playing center field in Washington is not so easy, as well. At the same time, I think I played pretty well in center field.

There were plays where I should have got to the ball, but I was out of position. You can't do anything about it when you play a guy [to hit to the opposite field] and he pulls the ball. At the end of the season, I started to get comfortable and started to have a little more success in center field.

People are going to say what they want to say about me, but I'm not a corner guy. I'm definitely a premier center fielder as long as I get the opportunity and get my repetitions.

MLB.com: Let's say the Nationals decide you will play a corner position next year. How will you react to that decision?

Milledge: I have to do what I have to do, but at the same time, [general manager] Jim Bowden got me to play center field. I told [former first-base coach] Jerry Morales in Spring Training that I needed a lot of work out here. I worked hard from Spring Training to the end of the season. I told him I needed a lot of work because I hadn't played center field in two years. So I need the repetitions. I knew myself that I was going to struggle a bit. I didn't let everybody know about it, but I let Jerry know. It was a little difficult for me, because I didn't play out there. At the same time, I continued to work hard and made some great plays out there.

MLB.com: Let's talk about the Nationals. A lot of people thought the Nationals would be better than the previous year. How shocking was it that the team lost 102 games?

Milledge: It's baseball. Anything can happen. Look at the Detroit Tigers: They were supposed to win it all. Look at the L.A. Angels: They were supposed to win it all, too. Now they are sitting at home like us. This game is funny.

I think a lot of guys [on the Nationals] didn't know their roles as much this year. We didn't know what our lineup would be until Opening Day. That was a little bit confusing for us. We didn't know if Nick Johnson was going to be our first baseman. We didn't know if Dmitri Young was going to be there. We didn't know if Jesus Flores was going to start the year [in the Major Leagues] or Paul Lo Duca was going to catch.

We also had guys that were put in difficult situations as well. We had a lot of guys come from being everyday players to being bench players. I still think if you put everyone out there who were supposed to be out there, I think we would have played up to our capabilities. At the same time, a lot of guys didn't know their roles.

Take me, for example, I started the year off in the two hole and I went down to the seventh hole and then to the sixth hole and then hitting cleanup. I had to deal with different roles myself.

Ronnie Belliard and Elijah Dukes -- all those guys had to play different roles. Willie Harris had to step into the starting role. He never really has been an everyday starter in his career. Everybody had a different role and it took time to adjust.

MLB.com: How does the team get better for next year?

Milledge: We have to play fundamental baseball. We don't have a 40-homer guy on this team, but you can still get the job done. You could say we need pitching and you can say we need a big-name guy, but at the same time, we have to play together to win. We have to know ourselves and play together. I don't think we knew how to play together this year.

We have a great group of guys. After losing 102 games, there were no fights. You can't ask for much more.

MLB.com: Because of the bad season, the Nationals dismissed some coaches. One of them was Harris, who you were close to. What was your reaction that he was let go?

Milledge: To me, I didn't think it was a good move. They always have to blame somebody, but it's not his fault. It wasn't fair that four or five of our guys were hurt. I don't know who could do a better job than the all-time pinch-hitting leader. I guess he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. I learned a lot from Lenny. He made me a better hitter. I will continue to talk to Lenny, whether he is with the organization or not. We share common knowledge of the game. I like his hitting style. I have a problem when I can't be with the guy, who really helped me and polished me up to be an even better player.

MLB.com: You have known manager Manny Acta since your days with the Mets. What was it like playing for him this year?

Milledge: Going from being a best friend to following his orders, it was kind of weird this year. It wasn't bad at all. It was just a little bit different with him -- being in the driver's seat to actually being a coach. I knew I could, but it was different trying to go to him for pointers here and there and how to handle stuff because he is the manager.

I know he is busy and has press conferences all the time. By being the manager, you don't have the time that you had being a coach. It took time to get used to it, but he's still a great guy and manager. I know he takes a lot of heat because we didn't win. He handles the team great and he knows how to handle young guys. The biggest thing is, he knows how to communicate with guys.