Wire Taps: Nationals' catcher Matt Wieters can turn Blake Treinen into elite closer; Nats didn't need a closer; Nats need to win one for Dusty

Happy Opening Day! IT ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL STARTS.... RIGHT NOW.

Here's what's new at Nationals Park.

Matt Wieters helped Zach Britton become an elite closer, and he can do the same with Blake Treinen
Matt Wieters helped school Orioles' closer Zach Britton in the art of being a reliever and a closer. He can help Blake Treinen make an extremely similar transition.

Stephen Strasburg on his new bearded look and how he'll try to stay healthy
Strasburg has been allowed into the bearded brotherhood, and may pitch out of the stretch at all times in order to keep his mechanics sound.

Dusty Baker deserves a World Series, and it's the Nats' job to win him one.
The Nats' are Dusty Baker's team now, and he's only missing one thing on his resume: a World Series title as a manager. Jayson Werth knows the feeling. (In the meantime, the Nats need to extend Dusty Baker, like, now.)

The Nats didn't need to carry a closer, but carried one anyways
The idea of a 'closer' is unnecessary, argues Beyond the Box Score's Devan Fink, and the Nats had a perfect opportunity to showcase how a team without a closer can succeed. Instead, Dusty Baker's traditional ideas will hold them back.

Nats: D.C. Opening Day newsreels and video from the Hoover administration to 2016
"While a Washington Nationals presidential opener would have been interesting this year, it’s not happening. However, it used to be a annual event."

Judge allows Ryan Zimmerman's defamation suit against Al Jazeera to move forward
In the documentary "The Dark Side", a pharmaceutical dealer Charlie Sly claimed that Zimmerman had used PEDs. An investigation found him innocent, and Zimmerman's defamation suit just made it through the D.C. District Court, and will proceed.

Clint Robinson clears waivers, joins Triple-A Syracuse
Robinson will remain in the Nats' organization, but as a Syracuse Chief instead of a Washington National.

The story of Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth's "Stepbrothers" photo
Werth was hard on Harper in his first year or two with the club, but the two developed a friendship deep enough to do something as fun as the "Stepbrothers"-inspired photo they took during spring training.

After decades without baseball, Washington should savor Opening Day
Kids from D.C. have an opportunity their parents probably didn't: to enjoy baseball on a sunny April day in the District of Columbia.

He lost his father to the same cancer he’s facing, but their Opening Day tradition endures
The Hackers' had gone to every Opening Day in Washington, D.C. since 1964. The elder Hacker has passed away, but the group they began to bring to the ballpark continues to attend.

Ranking the Opening Day hashtags
Apparently, #Nats just isn't that impressive.

Today's Game: Marlins vs Nationals -- 1:05 PM (WUSA 9, MASN, 106.7 The FAN/WJFK)
Probable Pitchers: Edison Volquez vs Stephen Strasburg
Days until Opening Day: 0. WE MADE IT!