Wire Taps: Washington Nationals wait with rest of baseball world; Starting staff still one of the best + more Nats links...

The idea of the 2020 baseball season starting on April 9th never really made much sense when the official postponement of the new campaign was announced earlier this month.

On Monday afternoon, Major League Baseball issued a statement, which cited Centers For Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for dealing with COVID-19/coronavirus, “restricting events of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks,” in announcing that, “... the opening of the 2020 regular season will be pushed back in accordance with that guidance.”

That would mean a best-case scenario of a mid-May start to the new season, so prepare for a long, long, long wait for the return of MLB baseball, though that should hardly be the big concern for anyone right now.

We’ll do what we can to keep you up to date on the latest information whether it’s Nationals news or just general baseball news. How we’re going to do that... well, that’s a really good question, actually. We’ll see. For now...

Go read your links ... and wash your hands (and stop hoarding toilet paper):

NATS BEAT:

MLB cites CDC guidelines, moves Opening Day back another eight weeks - (NBC Sports Washington)
"Major League Baseball announced Monday it will follow the Center for Disease Control guidelines restricting gatherings of 50 or more people for the next eight weeks."

Coming to grips with this new reality - (MASN)
"We turn on the TV looking for baseball, and the best we get are reruns of old games. That may be our new reality for a while, as well, not only on air but online as well."

Minor league baseball players face uncertainty during MLB's coronavirus break - (WaPost)
"The minor league regular season was scheduled to start April 9 — a date that could get pushed back by a few months — and the players won’t get paid until games begin."

Do the Nationals still have the best starting pitching trio in baseball? - (NBC Sports Washington)
"Between ownership’s willingness to distribute long contracts for starting pitchers, and Mike Rizzo’s affinity to build the team from that spot, Washington has ended up paying for its top three in a way no other team does."

3 key Spring Training takeaways for Nats - (MLB.com)
"When camp opened, one of the main questions was: How are the Nationals going to repeat? No team has done it since 2000, and the list leading up to then is short."

Baseball America Nats No. 1 prospect: 3B Carter Kieboom - (MASN)
"Baseball America Nats correspondent Lacy Lusk said prior to spring training that Kieboom has demonstrated he is worth the risk at that important spot."

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

Stephen Strasburg, Blake Snell lead overrated pitchers in fantasy drafts - (Yahoo!Sports)
"Spending an early pick on an oft-injured pitcher who is coming off a career-high workload is rarely a strategy that works out well."

One player on all 30 MLB teams we should appreciate more when baseball resumes - (ESPN)
"Even after signing a big free-agent deal, Corbin's season flew under the radar, which is understandable on a pitching staff with Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg and given the big years Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto had at the plate."

Former Jupiter H.S. star Mason Doolittle coping with Nationals shutting down training - (WPEC)
"Among those getting used to the 'new normal' is former Jupiter High School and Palm Beach State star Mason Doolittle, who was living out his dream in his first pro season with the Washington Nationals."

NL EAST UPDATES:

4 Phillies Questions That Must Wait Until Baseball Returns - (Forbes)
"Ten days ago, sources indicated that negotiations between Realmuto and the Phillies are moving slowly, with Realmuto saying: 'There’s no update. We’re talking, but we’ll leave it at that.'"

Mets prospect finds baseball heaven in coronavirus escape - (NY Post)
"He strolled in wearing a Mets T-shirt, shorts and cap, knowing no one on the premises. 'I saw a baseball field,' Matt Mullenbach explained, simply enough, 'and figured that I’d come ask if I could throw.'"

3 key Spring Training takeaways for Marlins - (MLB.com)
"Before MLB canceled the final two weeks of Spring Training, and delayed the start of the regular season due to the national emergency created by the coronavirus pandemic, the Marlins were winding down one of their most successful camps in years."

5 key Spring Training takeaways for Braves - (MLB.com)
The rejuvenated King: As soon as [Félix] Hernández arrived in camp in much better shape, it was apparent he was determined to extend his career."