Wire Taps: Is Dusty Baker overworking Nationals’ starters?; Max Scherzer planned for Friday; Trea Turner and Jayson Werth near return

Game 1 of the West Palm Beach World Series goes to the good guys!

More importantly: does the winner of the series get to choose who’s at home for when the two teams match up in Florida?

Here’s the news from Minute Maid Park.

Dusty Baker is throwing caution -- and pitch counts -- to the wind
The Nationals are allowing their pitchers to go longer, and they let them go longer more often. Even with a 14-game lead in the NL East and a playoff spot essentially locked up. Go figure. (Does the bad bullpen have anything to do with this, perhaps?)

Is Dusty Baker doing that "let's overwork the starters" thing again?
Dusty Baker is well known for what happened to Mark Prior and Kerry Wood after he infamously overextended them. If the Nats' pitchers falter in the playoffs, recent pitch counts will open him up to criticism.

The Nationals' starters are getting healthy, and it's making things very difficult
A "good problem to have" is a super difficult one, The Post's Thomas Boswell writes, suggesting that platooning Jayson Werth and Howie Kendrick along with Trea Turner and Wilmer Difo, as well as holding off on rushing both Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper back could be the Nats' best course of action.

Werth feels like "little kid" finally playing baseball again
Of course, "little kid" means Trea Turner's age to Jayson Werth. Either way, both he and Turner are really close to returning and really excited about that fact.

Dusty Baker 'planning' for Max Scherzer to start Friday
Baker said it was too soon to say anything definitive, but it seems likely that Scherzer will return Friday. (Also: More murky injury updates, including the fact that the Nats aren't sure if Ryan Madson will have time to recover from his sprained finger!)

Goodwin takes swings for first time since groin injury
Brian Goodwin also jogged (lightly) and continued conditioning work without feeling too much pain, but hasn't begun running full speed -- it's unknown if he'll need a rehab assignment before returning.

Three MLB trades that would rival Kyrie for IT
Bryce Harper... for Corey Seager. Really? Okay, I mean... okay, sure, why not, I guess?

Today’s Game: Nationals vs Astros — 8:10 PM
Probable Pitchers: Edwin Jackson vs Mike Fiers