I am floored that anyone is getting mad at Toboni for the state of the bullpen right now. This team did not make a single win-now move all offseason. They were rebuilding. But now that they're exceeding expectations (thanks to him and Butera), it's his fault for not spending?

@ajflax @TalkinNats Active Nats pitchers used as relievers with 2026 ERA by GM who got them: TOBONI: Lovelady 3.90, Kent 5.23, Mikolas 5.24, Littel 5.40, Lawrence 8.04 DEBARTOLO: Poulin 2.84, Beeter 3.33 RIZZO: Lord 3.31, Alvarez 3.44, Ribalta 3.52, Parker 6.39. “Honeymoon” is over for Toboni.

@GeneCutright @TalkinNats Does this image mean anything to you?

@ajflax @TalkinNats Looks like the soft underbelly of a B-17.

@GeneCutright @TalkinNats It's an example of survivorship bias. It's relevant here because the only relievers who have stuck around from DeBartolo and Rizzo are the ones who are good. Rizzo picked plenty of bad relievers: Poche, Sims, etc.

@ajflax @TalkinNats Agreed. Riz also had the knack for improving bad pens in mid and late season almost every year. 2012, 14, 16, 17 and 19 were obvious successes, but improvements came in some lean years, too. It’s not unreasonable for Nats fans to ask for in-season improvements this year, too.