So how many more of those are we going to have to endure before they call up Alvarez or Parker. Or, maybe swap him and Lord's position. He didn't look good in his first game. He looked even worse here.
Mark, I'm glad you feel compelled to post immediately after the game, but not everyone has the luxury of watching in real time and you are spoiling the results with your headers. Regretfully I am going to have to unsubscribe to these posts because if I am going to derive any joy watching the Nats this year it is essential that I not know the result of the game before I even get a chance to start watching it.
In this case, maybe you should look at the headline the way a bird looks a brightly colored butterfly - a signal that it's poisonous and shouldn't be consumed. You're not gonna derive any joy from watching this one.
Good suggestion about the email, thanks! I think I'll probably stick with the Substack app, which doesn't pop up unexpectedly in my field of view like the emails. Since I now live in California, I rarely watch the games in real time, but I still want to follow the Nats!
James Wood, Luis Garcia Jr, Daylen Lile, CJ Abrams, Brady House, Jacob Young(!), and Jorbit Vivas(!) recorded hard hits.
None of the pitchers involved in today’s game will be a National next year.
Dodgers still used 5 separate pitchers.
All runs given up were due to Mikolas and Mikolas alone. Defense played right; the worst defensive miscue was Daylen Lile not miraculously robbing a home run.
Small sample sizes suck, but this is already a better team.
When CJ hit that three run shot, I was like a little kid on Christmas morning...then Mikolas reminded me that every Christmas morning comes with a bill.
I don't know why posters are questioning the new regime's expectation or seriousness. Mark has been reporting all spring that they, specifically Toboni and his staff, don't expect them to be a good team this season. Toboni said it when he made his public statements post Gore trade.
Crystal clear to me. But "a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest", as one of my favorite songs notes. This year is about improvement, not world dominance. We've seen some change already, and we will see more. Change takes time. Celebrate when we can; groan and move on when we can't.
I think there's a big difference between bad meaning a bunch of mostly green youngsters and bad because the guy on the mound is washed up and can't pitch his way out of a paper bag. The former is -- or should be -- absolutely acceptable. But fans will not have much if any patience for the latter, especially when the kids have been scoring runs and might otherwise have been in a position to win. I don't think it's asking too much that a starting pitcher not give up double digit runs.
Which is about fan tolerance. While that is important for him to keep track of, it doesn't change what was laid out there as an expectation on the season. Trotting him out again this season shouldn't question whether he is still serious about building for next year and beyond. While its painful for us to watch, its meaningless to a bigger vision.
I'm not questioning that at all. But at some point it has to be really demoralizing for the rest of the guys on the team to know that no matter how much they do it's probably not going to be nearly enough because he cannot get outs. It's cold comfort that 6 runs will get you a win more often than not. It's one thing to lose a close, competitive game. Losing blowouts is another thing entirely.
I just do not understand what on earth they saw in him that made them think he was their best option.
Well. He made 31 starts and was at least as good or better as 4 of their 5 starters from last year. He had several blowups, but also had more quality starts than anyone on the Nat's 2025 staff not named Gore. At 2.2M that was a decent filler option. Someone that could be expected to hold a spot until someone else that is part of the longer plan was ready and cheap enough to easily eat his remaining salary when that happened.
I can't say I disagree with the feeling here about Mikolas. Alverez pitched very well last night in Rochester. I hope this isn't Patrick Corbin part 2, but it sure looks that way.
You mean the guy who gave his arm to be a very key contributor to the WS Championship? He is go to go in my book, even with his bad ERA after that. Besides, he is off the books.
Paul Toboni can buy a ton of goodwill with the fanbase if he goes full Jeremy Guthrie and gets rid of Miles Mikolas asap.
It's an apt comparison except for the fact that Guthrie was a likeable dude.
That’s true, I’m leaning more into the cut ties immediately after one blow-up start aspect.
No, I get it. Just sayin' lol
Well that was money well spent..keep chewing up those innings..somewhere else Mikolas..
If Mikolas is still here next week they are not serious about having a good baseball team
Toboni and company have said that this year’s team is going to be bad
Agreed. @Mark - What's the over/under on additional Mikolas starts?
Hoping it's zero - even putting aside the Gulf of America hat that Keith Law posted a picture of him wearing.
You don't need to put it aside...
Doesn't surprise me at all. 90 percent is more of mlb
Short lease, but a few more starts
Mikolas better hope he has a short lease--I don't think he'll be on the team long
(although I suspect you meant short leash--it was an interesting typo though).
Yes, auto correct!
You can always edit your comment. Tap the three dots …
Tired of crappy baseball this decade
So how many more of those are we going to have to endure before they call up Alvarez or Parker. Or, maybe swap him and Lord's position. He didn't look good in his first game. He looked even worse here.
It would be Gray, no?
He's on the IL-60 with a flexor mass strain so we won't see him for a while.
Duh. Totally forgot that.
I think Alvarez needs a bit more time there.
Can’t take new regime serious until Mikolas is gone
Hey no errors or brain freezes so give the position players a little credit for cleaning up their side.
Mark, I'm glad you feel compelled to post immediately after the game, but not everyone has the luxury of watching in real time and you are spoiling the results with your headers. Regretfully I am going to have to unsubscribe to these posts because if I am going to derive any joy watching the Nats this year it is essential that I not know the result of the game before I even get a chance to start watching it.
In this case, maybe you should look at the headline the way a bird looks a brightly colored butterfly - a signal that it's poisonous and shouldn't be consumed. You're not gonna derive any joy from watching this one.
Too true! But I prefer to approach each Nats game like Shrodinger's cat - neither won nor lost until the box (score) is opened.
Do you get them via email or with the app? If it's email, why not filter them directly to a folder?
(I do not use the Substack app so have no suggestion there.)
Good suggestion about the email, thanks! I think I'll probably stick with the Substack app, which doesn't pop up unexpectedly in my field of view like the emails. Since I now live in California, I rarely watch the games in real time, but I still want to follow the Nats!
I don't care what the question is, Miles Mikolas is not the answer.
What if the question is - Who will be the first Nat to be dropped from the roster?
We should be so lucky.
Every Nat got a hit.
James Wood, Luis Garcia Jr, Daylen Lile, CJ Abrams, Brady House, Jacob Young(!), and Jorbit Vivas(!) recorded hard hits.
None of the pitchers involved in today’s game will be a National next year.
Dodgers still used 5 separate pitchers.
All runs given up were due to Mikolas and Mikolas alone. Defense played right; the worst defensive miscue was Daylen Lile not miraculously robbing a home run.
Small sample sizes suck, but this is already a better team.
So, maybe this was the laugher of the series and the next two games will be more competitive.
Tune in tomorrow - different time, but same station!
Go, Nats!!
I think we can win tomorrow's game. Better pitcher. Better remaining bullpen. Good plate appearances. Glasnow can be hit.
Would be nice because I will be there!
When CJ hit that three run shot, I was like a little kid on Christmas morning...then Mikolas reminded me that every Christmas morning comes with a bill.
LOL
Sad, but true.
LOL That's a great way to put it!
I don't know why posters are questioning the new regime's expectation or seriousness. Mark has been reporting all spring that they, specifically Toboni and his staff, don't expect them to be a good team this season. Toboni said it when he made his public statements post Gore trade.
Crystal clear to me. But "a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest", as one of my favorite songs notes. This year is about improvement, not world dominance. We've seen some change already, and we will see more. Change takes time. Celebrate when we can; groan and move on when we can't.
I think there's a big difference between bad meaning a bunch of mostly green youngsters and bad because the guy on the mound is washed up and can't pitch his way out of a paper bag. The former is -- or should be -- absolutely acceptable. But fans will not have much if any patience for the latter, especially when the kids have been scoring runs and might otherwise have been in a position to win. I don't think it's asking too much that a starting pitcher not give up double digit runs.
Which is about fan tolerance. While that is important for him to keep track of, it doesn't change what was laid out there as an expectation on the season. Trotting him out again this season shouldn't question whether he is still serious about building for next year and beyond. While its painful for us to watch, its meaningless to a bigger vision.
I'm not questioning that at all. But at some point it has to be really demoralizing for the rest of the guys on the team to know that no matter how much they do it's probably not going to be nearly enough because he cannot get outs. It's cold comfort that 6 runs will get you a win more often than not. It's one thing to lose a close, competitive game. Losing blowouts is another thing entirely.
I just do not understand what on earth they saw in him that made them think he was their best option.
Well. He made 31 starts and was at least as good or better as 4 of their 5 starters from last year. He had several blowups, but also had more quality starts than anyone on the Nat's 2025 staff not named Gore. At 2.2M that was a decent filler option. Someone that could be expected to hold a spot until someone else that is part of the longer plan was ready and cheap enough to easily eat his remaining salary when that happened.
I can't say I disagree with the feeling here about Mikolas. Alverez pitched very well last night in Rochester. I hope this isn't Patrick Corbin part 2, but it sure looks that way.
Comparing Mikolas to Corbin is woefully unfair to Corbin. He'd have gone at least 6, maybe 7 innings, in giving up double digits! 😉
We disagree.
It's ok. You're allowed to be wrong, er, have another opinion. 😉
To route HL Menkin, I prefer thinking for myself, it's a prejudice of long standing. If you have anything else to say to me, take it to DM.
I think we've said enough!
You mean the guy who gave his arm to be a very key contributor to the WS Championship? He is go to go in my book, even with his bad ERA after that. Besides, he is off the books.