Baker meets with Torre, talks plan for Wieters and Zimmerman

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Before emerging from the clubhouse for his first Grapefruit League game of the spring, Dusty Baker got a crash course in Major League Baseball's rule changes for 2017.

Joe Torre, MLB's chief baseball officer, met with Baker and members of the Nationals coaching staff for more than an hour this morning. There aren't many formal rule changes, but there is a renewed emphasis on improving pace of play.

And then there is the controversial new rule for issuing intentional walks. Instead of forcing the pitcher to throw all four pitches, managers now must signal from the dugout (holding up four fingers) when they want to intentionally walk a batter, who will immediately trot to first base.

"That's big," Baker said. "A big change."

There are rules for certain intentional walk scenarios. For example, a manager still must alert the plate umpire and hold up four fingers if he wishes to intentionally walk a batter in the middle of a count. If he wants to intentionally walk a pinch-hitter, he must wait for that batter to be announced and step into the box.

This morning's meeting, which Torre is holding with every major league manager throughout the spring, did offer Baker and his coaches opportunities to offer their opinions. But there isn't much they can alter at this point.

"You give feedback," Baker said. "You ask questions. But it is what it is. We've got to adhere to what the rules are, like or dislike them. It doesn't matter."

Other pregame news and notes from Baker ...

* Matt Wieters most likely won't make his game debut for a week while he both gets into baseball shape and gets an opportunity to work with everyone on the Nationals pitching staff. That process is beginning today in West Palm Beach, where Wieters is scheduled to catch Max Scherzer's first bullpen session of the spring.

"He's not on the trip today because I think he needs to stay back and work," Baker said. "I want him to learn some of the guys, catch guys in the bullpen. I think he's catching Scherzer today. To see their movement. I want to use his brain and (Derek) Norris' to try to come up with their recommendations who they like: Who do you think has the stuff to be a closer? Cause he's helped some guys become closers that weren't closers from the start."

* Baker said Friday he planned to bring Ryan Zimmerman to Fort Myers for Sunday's game against the Twins, with Zimmerman serving as designated hitter, but he changed his mind. Zimmerman will stay back in West Palm Beach and work out with other veterans who aren't making the five-hour round trip.

"I just thought that it would be wise to wait some," Baker said. "I don't want to take any chance on not having Zim. Plus, we are a week early. I wasn't going to play Jayson (Werth) the first four or five games anyway. Heck, by this time (during a normal spring with no World Baseball Classic) we wouldn't even be playing games almost for another week. So it gives me a chance to see more guys. ... We've got plenty of time to get our big boys ready."

* One of the guys Baker wants to watch closely early this spring is Adam Lind, who signed only one day before pitchers and catchers reported. The veteran slugger figures to serve as Zimmerman's primary backup at first base, but Baker also wants him to get work in the outfield this spring. Lind has 224 games of big league experience in left field, but none since 2010.