Wire Taps: Will Washington Nationals change managers, coaching staff? No love for Matt Wieters + more...

It’s that time of year, where things are over for all but four teams and news has slowed to a crawl, but that doesn’t mean we won’t keep searching the internets every day and sharing what we’ve found. Had enough of the “Will Dusty Baker return?” talk yet? How about the “Will this be Bryce Harper’s last season in D.C.?” chatter? If you thought the Stephen Strasburg shutdown story in 2012 was interminable back then, (and it hasn’t ever really stopped), prepare yourself for a year’s worth of speculation about the Nats’ 2010 No. 1 overall pick and what his future holds. But try to enjoy what everyone with a connection to the internet will tell you is the recently-turned 25-year-old outfielder’s last season in Washington next summer. It isn’t necessarily true, of course, but you know, the internet, so we’ll see. Until then, links...

NATS BEAT:

Will the Nationals make changes to their coaching staff?
"The most-asked question about the Nationals, and the question likely to be answered before all the others posed here this week, is whether Dusty Baker will return as their manager."

Turner again showed off elite skills, but still has room to grow
"On the heels of an electric rookie season, Turner entered his sophomore campaign with lofty expectations at the plate and some reservations about how he’d handle the move back to shortstop."

How Can The Nationals Improve Behind The Plate?
On the face of things, a general path to a solution behind the plate isn’t too hard to decipher.

Bryce Harper entering final year of his contract
"The price for his services will be astronomical, talked about ad nauseam, and one of the lead headlines of the offseason. But, for now, he’s still in Washington."

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

Nationals' Daniel Johnson impresses in AFL
"Daniel Johnson has made a habit of going from getting overlooked to grabbing a starring role. The Arizona Fall League is giving him yet another chance to do so."

How a Maine carpenter's side gig became a $2 million baseball bat business
"His clients include Chicago Cubs third baseman and 2016 league MVP Kris Bryant, Washington Nationals right fielder and 2015 MVP Bryce Harper and Red Sox legend Manny Ramirez..."

If MLB Looks To Expand, Portland Has Group Looking To Pave The Way
"At the time the Montreal Expos were up for relocation, and as everyone now knows, the team eventually wound up in Washington, D.C. and became the Nationals."

Rumors And Rumblings | 2017 MLB All-Awful Team
"After spending his entire career with the Orioles, he bombed in his first year in the NL by hitting .225/.288/.344 with 10 homers while making $10.5 million."

Michael A. Taylor showed a national audience the power in his bat
"Taylor is likely not a true-talent .338 wOBA hitter. He cracked a .300 OBP for the first time in his career in 2017 thanks to a fair amount of BABIP luck."