Champs vs. cheaters as Nats and Astros meet

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. » It will be champs vs. cheaters in a World Series rematch when the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros play their exhibition opener on Saturday night.

The last time these teams met, the Nationals were celebrating their first World Series title in Houston after winning Game 7 at Minute Maid Park. Since then, the Astros have become the league’s villains, with a sign-stealing scandal sullying their reputation and casting a shadow on their 2017 title.

As the Astros prepare to take the field for the first time since their cheating scam was uncovered there’s much speculation about what kind of reception they’ll receive, though the players say they’re focused on baseball.

“Honestly, I haven’t thought about it,” shortstop Carlos Correa said. “But whatever it is, our job is to go there and play baseball. So, I’m not too concerned about that.”

There have been a handful of hecklers at Astros camp this week as the team assembled for the first time since Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred found they used electronics to steal signs during their run to the 2017 World Series title and again in the 2018 season.

Correa, who was part of the team that was found to have stolen signs, knows things are going to be “tough” for the Astros on the road this season but doesn’t expect things to be bad in a spring training game.

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. » On the day Houston outfielder Josh Reddick said he and other players have received death threats in the wake of the team’s signstealing scandal, union head Tony Clark said safety had become an issue for some of his members.

“There are undoubtedly concerns out there based on some of the commentary that .. there’s a heightened sense of concern to make sure that themselves and their families are protected,” Clark said Friday after speaking with the Astros. “There’s no doubt

“But there’s always going to be fans that are going to go to the ball park and have fun in their own way, and that’s talking trash,” Correa said. “And that’s fine. You see that in every sport. So that shouldn’t bother us.”

New Houston manager Dusty Baker hasn’t spent any time concerning himself with how the Astros will be received.

“I try not to worry about things because it doesn’t do any good,” he said. “You can anticipate this or that, but you don’t really know until you get there. So I’m not really worried about the reception.”

While the Astros get peppered daily with questions about their cheating and are constantly being asked to comment on the negative reactions of players around making sure that our players and their families are able to go to and from the ballpark and perform safely ... is a huge piece of the puzzle.”

Clark spoke before Reddick told reporters that he received death threats on social media and that people have commented on pictures of his infant twins, saying they hope they get cancer. He said teammates have also received threatening messages and he thinks it will be “pretty scary” for his wife and children to join him on the road this season since club hotels become known.

the league, their spring training facility-mates are still basking in the glow of their championship.

On Thursday night, the Nationals continued celebrating their victory with a championship parade in downtown West Palm Beach. Fans cheered as players and staff rode down the street showing off their trophy.

“In 2019 we were the best,” manager Dave Martinez told the crowd at the end of the parade. “We were No. 1. We were the world champs and I want to thank all of you for sticking behind us.”

Max Scherzer will start Saturday for the Nationals.

“I’m sure he’ll probably be the same old Scherz,” Baker said. “He could be pitching at a high school game and he’ll be fired up.”