Wire Taps: Washington Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman on rumored plan for 2020 baseball season + more Nats links...

So, yeah, if you’re not aware or maybe missed a previous link, Ryan Zimmerman is writing a coronavirus pandemic diary for the Associated Press, where he’s sharing his thoughts on a number of topics, including that “plan” that leaked this week which had the baseball world considering gathering all 30 teams in Arizona to play out a season of sorts in seclusion...

You can get Zimmerman’s thoughts on the idea below, but yeah, he’s not buying it, and he has a number of reasons why he doesn’t think it would work, all of which we kind of agree with, and he ends it with a fairly powerful question. Check it our for yourself. Go read your links...

NATS BEAT:

Nats’ Ryan Zimmerman’s AP diary: Is baseball that important? - (Washington Times)
”Putting every team in Arizona in May? There would be so many variables and so many things that would have to be worked out that it’s hard to fathom that it would work.”

Ryan Zimmerman: ‘Pump the brakes a bit’ on MLB’s Arizona plan - (NBC Sports Washington)
"Zimmerman is publishing a diary series for the Associated Press while baseball is on hold due to the coronavirus outbreak."

Dogs, books feature in Sean Doolittle's home workout - (MLB.com)
"Doolittle’s wife, Eireann Dolan, posted this video of him incorporating a stack of books into his legs routine."

Who will have Nationals' first retired number? - (MLB.com)
"Overall, Scherzer ranks second among active players in career strikeouts (2,692), fifth in wins (170) and seventh in ERA (3.20). He recorded at least 250 strikeouts in five straight seasons (2014-18)..."

Today in Nationals History - (Curly W Live)
"Hey Nationals Fans! Check out this post each day for a look at what has happened on this day in Nationals history."

Nats Prospect watch: Nick Banks shortens swing to add to power stroke - (MASN)
"Nationals minor league hitting instructor Troy Gingrich had more positive news on outfielder Nick Banks..."

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

MLB Needs 2020 Season To Stay Relevant In Sports Landscape- (Forbes)
"To Nationals’ fans, that game may seem like it finished just 15 minutes ago. However, to the rest of the world, more than five months have passed since Daniel Hudson struck out Michael Brantley for the final out."

Six new Washington Nationals banner ceremony bobbleheads have been released featuring championship rings - (Russian Machine Never Breaks)
"World Series champion Adam Eaton released a photo of FOCO’s latest series of Nationals’ championship bobbleheads on his Instagram account."

With Baseball On Hold, Nationals Ticket Holders Are Stuck In Limbo - (DCist)
"With baseball on hold, Turner is one of many Nationals fans who are stuck in limbo. Some fans have reported not being able to reach the Nats, the box office, or MLB to figure out what their options are."

Finding a home-field advantage when nobody can play ball - (Houston Chronicle)
"I called Adam Eaton, outfielder for the world champion Washington Nationals, at his home in Michigan. Eaton does not have access to a gym. So what is he doing to keep in shape?"

NL EAST UPDATES:

Mets' Wilson Ramos continues to work on his new stance - (New York Daily News)
"Wilson Ramos was the newest member of the quarantine workout club. Late Wednesday night, the Mets catcher posted a 38-second video of himself, decked out from head to toe in protective gear."

What must Scott Kingery do to make the next leap Phillies need? - (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
"In 2020, whenever the season begins, Kingery will likely be at second base for the majority of the season. Things can change quickly, though."

Hill on Marlins' COVID-19 message and more - (MLB.com)
"Since MLB postponed the start of the regular season on March 12, the Marlins are conducting business remotely, with front-office personnel, coaches and trainers keeping in touch regularly with players."

Forbes values Braves at $1.8 billion despite shutdown - (AJC.com)
"Although the price of the Braves’ publicly traded stock is down about 40% from its 52-week high, Forbes magazine’s annual study of MLB franchise valuations estimates the team is worth more than a year ago."