Wire Taps: Nationals and Astros start 2019 World Series tonight in Houston; Max Scherzer ready; Anthony Rendon returns home...

It’s finally here. Last Tuesday night was amazing. The six days off waiting for the start of the 2019 World Series? Not so much. It’s the big stage for Davey Martinez and the Nationals vs the Astros. How will Martinez and Co. handle things as the Fall Classic gets underway? You know what’s coming next, right? Have you watched the Nats at all this season? Mr. Martinez, what will the approach be tonight?

“We’re going to play every game to go 1-0, as I talked about all year long.”

Davey’s ready. Are you? Go read your links. The Nationals are in the World Series at 8:08 PM EDT tonight...

NATS BEAT:

How the Nationals’ clubhouse created real chemistry with a new mix of players - (WaPost)
"Having made four first-round exits in seven years, the Nationals typically spend October trying to figure out what went wrong, why the latest mix of personalities and talent didn’t click."

Three reasons to love Trea Turner - (MLB.com)
"The 2019 World Series is packed with ace pitchers and powerful sluggers, but here’s why we love Turner -- and why our eyes will be glued on him -- in the Fall Classic."

Howie Kendrick will ‘probably’ be the Nationals’ designated hitter in Houston - (WaPost)
"Nationals Manager Dave Martinez has an additional decision to make for the first two games of the World Series."

World is about to meet Nats' 20-year-old phenom - (MLB.com)
"This is what the Nationals rave about most with Soto, the ability to make adjustments swiftly and decisively and apply them on the field."

Will extra rest help or hurt Nats in World Series? - (MLB.com)
"Thus, it's hard to ignore the annual question of whether that extended rest will benefit the Nationals -- or their counterparts."

Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander meet again in World Series - (WaPost)
"Justin Verlander was polite about all the Max Scherzer questions. Scherzer was polite about the question he got about Verlander, too."

Nationals see D.C.'s first World Series opener in 86 years - (Washington Times)
"Yes, that’s right — this town hasn’t seen an event like this since the last time Washington was in the World Series in 1933."

Nats must decide who starts Game 3, who starts at second base - (MASN)
"The decision to start Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg in Games 1 and 2 of the World Series was easy for Davey Martinez and the Nationals. The tougher decision is how to line up Patrick Corbin and Aníbal Sánchez after that..."

Scherzer gets ball for Game 1 of World Series - (MASN)
"In the end, manager Davey Martinez decided to keep thing simple and just go with his best guys right out of the chute against the Astros’ comparable aces."

The Nats’ ‘Face of the Franchise’ enjoys October at last - (WTOP)
"Ryan Zimmerman is deep into the autumn of his career, one that spans the entirety of the Washington Nationals’ stay in D.C."

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

World Series: Nationals' Kurt Suzuki aware of paranoia around signs - (Yahoo!Sports)
"He knows they’re watching. They always watch. Then they rewind, watch again."

World Series: Schedule, preview, pitching matchups - (Yahoo!Sports)
"The Houston Astros and Washington Nationals did their part to lend credence to the theory that it takes good starting pitching to win in the postseason."

Nationals' Max Scherzer to face Astros' Gerrit Cole in World Series Game 1 - (ESPN)
"Scherzer had the 10th-highest average fastball velocity at 94.9 mph and the third-highest strikeout rate in the regular season."

World Series Preview: Big questions for Astros vs Nationals - (Sports Illustrated)
"Don’t expect much bullpenning out of Washington or Houston in this series. We’ll be turning back the clock in this one, with battles of multiple aces likely swinging the series."

Nationals-Astros World Series: How they match up - (NYPost)
"The 115th World Series kicks off Tuesday night when the Houston Astros play host to the Washington Nationals at Minute Maid Park. Who has the edge? Let’s break it down by unit and skill."

Resurgence Of Elite Starting Pitchers Headlines An Intriguing 2019 World Series Matchup - (Forbes)
"Elite starting pitchers toeing the rubber in the Fall Classic have always been met with a sense of reverence."

ASTROS BEAT:

World Series: How the Nationals and Astros match up - (Houston Chronicle)
"A position-by-position look at the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros going into the World Series, starting Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park..."

No pitcher waited longer for WS than this Astro - (MLB.com)
"How long has Joe Smith had to wait to finally make an appearance on a World Series roster?"

World Series in Houston a homecoming for Nats star Rendon - (Houston Chronicle)
"Anthony Rendon vividly remembers his one visit to the Astrodome as a child to see the Houston Astros and his beloved Killer B's..."

LOCAL NEWS:

Washington National Anthony Rendon comes back home to Houston for World Series - (abc13.com)
"Washington Nationals' superstar third baseman Anthony Rendon is returning home, where he played both high school and college baseball."

Corbin family journey from Clay to World Series is all ‘smiles and tears’ - (syracuse.com)
"Success requires a team effort top to bottom, and for the Corbins it’s four wins away from paying off with a title."

Nationals 2B Brian Dozier got his start in a Bethesda Summer League - (wusa9.com)
"Brian Dozier will be living out his World Series dreams as 2nd baseman for the Washington Nationals, and it was not too long ago he was a small-town kid with big-time dreams."

World Series: Kevin Long has keyed Nationals' playoff run - (NYPost)
"Nationals hitting coach Kevin Long, the former Yankees and Mets hitting coach, is going to his third World Series since 2009, in large part because of the work he did over the winter with Nationals hitters, most notably veteran Howie Kendrick."

Adam Eaton's parents 'blessed' to see him reach World Series - (Springfield News-Sun)
"Adam Eaton’s mom and his dad, Glenn, drove to Washington, D.C. from Springfield for Games 3 and 4 last week and were in the stands Tuesday when the Nationals beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4 to earn their first World Series appearance."

10 things to know about Nationals manager Dave Martinez - (Orlando Sentinel)
"Martinez played for nine teams, including 3½ years with the Montreal Expos. They became the Washington Nationals in 2005."

How ex-Ray Davey Martinez ended up leading Nationals to World Series - (Tampa Bay Times)
"Standing atop the on-field stage after his Nationals swept their way into the World Series by dismissing the Cardinals last Tuesday, Davey Martinez sounded more like a poet than a manager describing the season."