Martinez and players thrilled for home opener; Wieters improving

After six games on the road, the Nationals are finally back in D.C. for their home opener against the Mets. It is also the first chance the home fans can say hello to their new manager.

"For me, first and foremost, opening day in Washington, very excited," said Nationals manager Davey Martinez. "It's my first one as a manager. I'm super excited and elated. I know the players are, as well. Analyzing the first week, it's been a lot of fun. It's been positive. We are doing a lot of things that people question sometimes, but it's exciting. I said from the beginning, we got 25 players on the roster and we're going to utilize all 25. We keep all the players engaged. So far it's been good."

Martinez remembers when he was a bench coach with the Cubs and what it felt like to play games in Nationals Park, especially in last year's National League Division Series.

"I think this place is going to be electric," Martinez said. "I really do. When I came here for Game 5 last year, it was electric. We're hoping that even though this is not a playoff game, but it is a major league baseball game, and it's game one here, that they bring the energy because players feed off that."

As far as the players go, Martinez senses they are also pumped up to be home and playing in front of their fans, family and friends.

"They're excited. We opened up on the road and it was good to get that opening day out of the way," Martinez said. "But now all of sudden, here we are in front of our home fans. A lot more families are here, so they are super excited.

"It's been a fun first six games. We've had a good time. I know you guys don't see all the things that go on in the clubhouse because you got to be in the circle. But it's been a lot of fun."

Martinez played 16 years and 1,918 games in the majors with the Cubs, Expos, Devil Rays, White Sox, Giants, Braves, Rangers, Blue Jays and Reds from 1986 to 2001. In his first six games as a manager, what differences stand out to him?

"The biggest thing for me, as a player, is I worry about taking care of me and what I can do to help the team win," Martinez said. "Now I got 25 guys. I want all of them to do good and be successful. That worries me a little bit. I want to put them in situations where they are going to succeed. I get it. And these guys get it. They just want to play and each one of them wants to help their teammates and be the best they can be that day."

Martinez also noted how important his coaching staff has been in the smoothness of his first week as a big league manager. Chip Hale, Derek Lilliquist, Kevin Long, Tim Bogar, Bobby Henley, Henry Blanco and Joe Dillon have brought their thoughts and ideas to him, and he has welcomed that input. That's the way he was taught when he worked with Cubs manager Joe Maddon. Martinez embraces this input. He believes in only helps the final product.

"The beautiful thing about this game and where we are at for me, it's a collaboration of the coaching staff and I got great coaches," Martinez said. "Every time we make decisions, I pick their brain before we make them. Ultimately, I got to make the final decision, but we're all on board. We've done well so far, we really have. We are going to continue to look at all the information and put guys into where they are going to succeed and win ballgames.

"I've always thought of it as being awesome. Even as a bench coach and watching Joe (Maddon) for many years. I was with Joe for many years. I've always put myself in that situation. As bench coach, or as any coach, when the manager looks at you and asks you your opinion, you better have one. I've always enjoyed that."

And what if one of those coaches doesn't agree with his call or strategy? Will he wave him off? To the contrary, Martinez said he embraces those opinions because that's how he is.

"Absolutely, I'm very opinionated," Martinez said. "The beautiful thing about working with Joe is he is very open-minded. He allowed me to throw out my opinions. A lot of times he would just look at me and say, 'I like it. Do it'. That's what I get out of Chip and Lilly.

"When talking about pitching decisions tell me what you got, tell me what you think. Don't tell me what I think. I want to hear what you guys got. And it's worked out well."

* Martinez had a positive update on the recovery of catcher Matt Wieters, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a mild left oblique strain on April 2.

"He's doing a lot better," Martinez said. "My understanding is he feels really good. It shouldn't take him that long to come back. And that's good. I'm glad we nipped it in the bud."

Martinez would like to get Wieters some swings, but there are factors to be considered.

"We are going to try, depending on the weather," he said. "When you have an issue like that, you go to base all these things around ... make sure we put him in a situation where's he's not going to go backwards, he's just going to continue to go forward."