Wire Taps: Washington Nationals’ manager search chatter; Nats’ minors + more....

Think how different things would have been if the Nationals had been able to lure the Dodgers’ shutdown closer away from LA last winter. I mean, Kenley Jansen is just about as sure a thing as there is in baseball in the last few years. With a lead in the ninth, it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that... wait, what happened in last night’s Game 2 of the World Series? Seriously? A blown save in the World Series? No. Sean Doolittle would totally have locked that down. On to the links... DOOOOOOOO!

NATS BEAT:

Did Scott Boras Factor Into Nationals’ Dusty Baker Decision?
"Regarding the Strasburg/Game 4 ‘will he or won’t he’ debacle, [Buster] Olney noted he’ll “always believe that that played a role in what happened with Dusty.”

After seven years with Nats, Jayson Werth now faces uncertain future
"Werth has long maintained he believes he can continue playing major league baseball into his 40s, citing the way he’s taken care of his body..."

Breakthrough season changed Nats' outlook on Michael A. Taylor
"Taylor did make significant strides in refining his approach at the plate, driving the ball to center and right fields far more than he did in the past."

Who should the Nationals’ next manager be? Mike Rizzo
"But the more I think about it, the more I think Mike Rizzo should just install himself in the dugout as manager of the Washington Nationals for 2018."

Dusty Baker didn’t deserve to be fired
"Firing Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker for failing to win the playoff series with the Chicago Cubs was sad and misguided."

World Series was a big hit from the beginning
"What most Washington baseball fans know about the World Series is that the Nationals are not playing in it this year."

NATS MINORS:

Single-A Hagerstown recaps: Perkins, Sharp, Noll, Kieboom, Soto
"Center fielder Blake Perkins made nice strides in 2017. The 21-year-old hit .297 down the stretch for low Single-A Hagerstown."

Gushue on Nationals organization
"Nationals 23rd ranked prospect Taylor Gushue talks about coming over to the Nationals organization and what he has learned so far..."

Minor League Ball Gameday: Wednesday, October 25th, 2017
"Opponent Kyle McGowin of the Washington Nationals system was also effective, fanning six over four innings with one run allowed."

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

Cincinnati Reds Beat Podcast: Farewell Dusty Baker
"People in Cincinnati have strong opinions about Dusty Baker. A lot of them came out when he was fired by the Washington Nationals..."

Why Yankees keeping Girardi is not a slam dunk
"There are those in the game who suggest the tie between Girardi and Cashman has frayed without severing."

Bat Left, Throw Right: Baseball Stardom?
"Three of the 10 current Major League players with the highest batting average throw righty and bat lefty, Mann said -- the Washington Nationals' Daniel Murphy, the Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto and the Houston Astros' Josh Reddick."

White Sox transaction review: The Adam Eaton trade
"The move was immediately panned as a rare misstep for Nationals GM Mike Rizzo, although the criticism wasn’t exactly fair."

Report: John Farrell interviews to be Phillies manager
"While it is unlikely either the Nationals or Phillies would make a move during the current World Series, both organizations almost certaintly will lock somebody up by the start of the GM Meetings, which kick off Nov. 13 in Orlando."