Dave Martinez's message for Nats fans: 'GET LOUD!'

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Washington Nationals skipper Davey Martinez has never managed a postseason game but doesn't lack postseason experience.

Martinez was on the bench with the Chicago Cubs when they ended their long World Series drought and knows that postseason baseball presents a new set of challenges.  

"You know it's the adrenaline, it really is. You get fired up for these games," Martinez told 106.7 The Fan's Grant Paulsen and Danny Rouhier.

"You played 162 games throughout the year to get to where? To the postseason," he said on 106.7 The Fan. "And then everything just kinda clicks. And everybody is excited, everybody is ready to roll.

"The biggest thing I tell the boys is control the heartbeat. It's hard to do, but we've gotta be able to control the heartbeat in big moments because it goes really quick. So just stay in that moment and focus on the moment, don't get ahead of yourselves, and just play the game that we've been playing all year."

Despite the emotion and the pressure of a one-game playoff, Washington's manager said the team is prepared for the situation.

"Obviously, it is going to be all hands on deck," Martinez told 106.7 The Fan. "We've got Max Scherzer on the mound, (Stephen) Strasburg and (Patrick) Corbin will be in the bullpen, which is kinda nice along with those other guys."

"Coaching staff is ready to go, players are super excited, ready to go. We came a long way and boys are playing well, so let's keep it going," he added.

However, Martinez doesn't necessarily want to use his top three starters in the game Tuesday with a potential NLDS Game 1 in a few days in Los Angeles. 

"I don't want to show my hand right now, but we've got a lot of different scenarios that we've talked about. Like I've said the best thing is Max goes eight innings and we can go to (Daniel Hudson) or (Sean Doolittle) right away for the victory," he said.

While acknowledging it was a tough decision to start Scherzer, Martinez said with five days rest they are confident in Strasburg coming out of the bullpen before adding the 31-year-old was "all up for it, so he is all gung-ho" for potentially coming on in relief of the former Cy Young winner.

When asked about his message to the 40,000 Nationals fans who will fill Nats Park Tuesday, Martinez had a simple request.

"Get loud, cheer, and we're gonna stay in that fight," he said. "Come out and have fun, but get loud."

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