NHL Stanley Cup Final, Garrett and AJB trade, Amik Robertson review, Nats swept by Miami

This week I touch briefly on the Stanley Cup Final, talk a little about the Myles Garrett and AJ Brown trades, give my thoughts on Amik Robertson, and get my frustration out on the Nats getting swept by Miami.

Questions? Comments? Let me know at carl.lanore1@gmail.com

Transcript

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Yo, what's up everybody? It's the DC Die Hard Podcast for Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026. I'm your host, Carl Lenore, and I am just another overweight white guy with a mic talking about sports. Today, talking about the NHL Stanley Cup final. I'm going to touch a little bit on the Miles Garrett and AJ Brown splash trades. We knew the AJ Brown one was going to happen, but Miles Garrett one uh kind of came out of nowhere. Kind of a crazy one. Um talk about a little Meek uh Robertson tape. Um I've been interested uh to watch this guy see how he brings depth to the cornerback room in Washington, and we will talk about the Nationals pitiful series against the Marlin. So here we go. Um NHL final. Uh it was a great game to start the series. It was super entertaining. Um I was like kind of thinking like, oh, Caroline about to run away with this one, because I it was just two quick goals in the first period. Then uh Vegas comes back and gets one in the same period, first period. Comes back, uh I think it was a little back and forth in second. I can't remember the score of that one, but then um Vegas ends up tying it up and then taking the lead in the in the third. So it was just super fun game to watch, just excuse me, uh really back and forth. Um I I've the reason I really thought Carolina was gonna like run away with it was because at one point I think I mean they were just like up like 20 shots on goal to like 10. And then um Vegas just kind of stayed in it, you know. They they just kind of if if uh if you'll give this one just kind of like they just kind of puked and rallied. And um, and then I looked up by the third period and they were pretty close to tied on on shots on goal, and and Vegas, you know, made it a game. Um so super fun. Super fun to watch, man. They were guys were flying around um given given it they're all. Um so I I really hope to see a seven-game series. Um I'm I'm gonna be pretty butthurt if we don't if we don't get at least six to seven games out of this one, like I've said before. Uh so you know, that's it. Uh I don't know which side I'm I'm really I I think uh I think I want to see Vegas Vegas get it because uh Nick Dowd and uh not a big fan of Carolina be especially because you know them being in our division, not not real uh not a real big fan of them. So um hopefully hopefully Vegas Golden Knights can can uh take it. That that's what I'm rooting for. Honestly, at the end of the day, I kind of don't really care. Um so uh it's just it's just hockey's just fun to watch. Um and I'm I'm sure if you're uh huge hockey fan, um you're probably already keened in on that. I'm pretty much casual when it comes to it. Um I I don't really know a whole lot of the technical side of the game besides, you know, put puck in goal. Um so but anyways, it was it was a really fun series to watch. I mean I'm excited to watch the rest of it. I'm I'm pretty pumped for well, I won't be able to watch Thursday nights because I got I got golf league, but um I'm I'm excited to watch just the rest of the series in general. So um it'll be fun. It'll be fun. I hope we get more you know back and forth games like that to to watch because I'm gonna be honest, the last like the last like four games of that Carolina series in the Easter Conference final and the last few uh games Vegas was the Vegas one was actually fun, it was just short. Um but outside of that, like I I just find like blowouts in the playoffs to be absolutely boring, and it's like man, I we built up all this suspense for for this. Um yeah, no, not uh not big on that. So moving moving right along, sorry if you hear my dog in the background, anyways. Um so Miles Garrett got traded to the Los Angeles Rams and automatically threw them into I mean they were already a Super Bowl contender, but now they're like the Super Bowl favorite, which is pretty crazy. It was like I I think it's a good trade on both sides, honestly. Like it makes sense for both. Um the Browns aren't on the same timeline as Miles Garrett. Miles Garrett's getting up there in age, but he's still the best. I don't even think it's arguable. I think he's the best defensive player in football. So Miles Garrett gets traded to the Browns for I think it was like next year's first, 2028 second, and uh 2029 third or something like that. I don't know. It was it was like first, second, third, um, just in ascending years. Um and so I, you know, and then they got Javon Kurse, of course, who is a really, really good player. And so uh it was uh just kind of a splash rate. I had no idea that that it was kind of that it was coming. And uh I think I think it makes a lot of sense for both sides, and uh, I think I think Miles Garrett absolutely propels them to Super Bowl favorites because they've already got a good defense. Um they already had a good defensive line. Um they have uh Devontae Adams, they have Puka Nakua, Matt Stafford at quarterback, Kyron Williams coming out of the backfield, uh, and then they had that freaking kid coming out, the running back coming out of Michigan coming out of his third year. What's his frickin' name? What the hell is his name? I'm blanking on it. Anyways, but they got him too, and he can ball too. So, you know, um not to mention they they have a good offensive line, like pretty solid team all around. Like they're obviously putting their foot on the gas and going, this is the year to do it, and it shows in a very aggressive trade to get the best defensive player in the league. So, I mean, obviously we gotta we gotta see it. And um we gotta play the games, but it wouldn't be a shocker to me at all if if the Rams uh went and won the one Super Bowl this year. So um, but but we'll have to see. We'll have to see. Um and then AJ Brown got traded to the Patriots, which was not a surprise. That had been room that's been rumored for for a good month now. It's been rumored AJ Brown going to the Patriots, and that absolutely propels the Patriots into serious contenders as well. I mean, they already went to the Super Bowl last year. A lot of people thought it was kind of fluky because of the ease of the schedule. Um, I don't think you can really fluke yourself through the playoffs. I I you know I can understand if you thought the AFC championship game was kind of fluky because uh, you know, Bo Nicks got hurt after their divisional game against the Bills, and that uh they had to play Jared Stidham instead. Um I I I can totally uh kind of understand that. I still I still wouldn't put that in the fluky part of it because Denver was also still really, really good on the defensive side of the ball. So I can't um I'm I'm not gonna I'm not gonna call get into the get into the Super Bowl fluke because they still had to play good teams. They still had to get through the Texans, who have an amazing defense and a decent offense, regardless of what you think about CJ Stroud. Uh they had to get through the um they had to get through the Chargers, no slouch team, even though they tend to kind of choke on in the in the playoffs, and then um uh Denver, and then they lost the Super Bowl to the to the Seahawks, of course. Um but hey, I I think you know they had a wide receiver room last year that consisted of Kayshawn Booty, uh Pop Douglas, and uh Stefan Diggs. So you put AJ Brown in that room now um instead of Stefan. And I mean, with a coach that he's familiar with, with a with a kid in Drake May that can throw with anticipation, that can read it out and uh throw in tight windows, um, do basically do all the things Jalen Hurts can't do. And I'm I'm that's not me saying Jalen Hurts is a bad quarterback or you know he's you know got lucky or like any of that shit. I I think Jalen Hurts is a good football player. That's not that's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying he just doesn't do the things at the NFL level that most can do. Like he doesn't like throw guys open or anything. And I can see, you know, AJ Brown, like there was a lot of just frustration and a lot of um just just not good vibes going on in the locker room, and you know, with AJ Brown kind of devaying out, I you know, I I think this trade um at at least at the very least it made sense for AJ Brown to get out of Philly and go to a place that feels you know a little more comfortable, that that fits his skill set a little bit better. I mean, we gotta remember Philly's had a different offensive coordinator for the past has it been the past six years, they've had a different offensive coordinator. So I mean, and the fact that Jalen Hurts has been relatively successful with a new offensive coordinator every single year he plays. I mean, I th I think that's pretty freaking impressive if you ask me. Kind of hate to give um the Eagles credit, but I can I can absolutely give the individual credit. Um the guy is absolutely uh definitely just kind of figures it out. But um I can see where where AJ Brown can get you know frustrated too, and and where you know you bring in uh Saquon and now you're just a run heavy team and he's you know not getting the ball like you think he should. And when you when you're a player AJ Brown's caliber, you can call him D Ball all you want, but I can understand where he's just like, hey, I I need to get the damn ball more. So um but but the Eagles will still be, you know, there's still there's still no slouch. I'm still not I'm this trade doesn't make me go, oh, we can sweep them this year. That's not even close to to what I think I think actually it's still gonna be pretty tight. I still don't think our roster is where it really needs to be, despite the free agency moves and um the draft that we had. But I I think we can we'll we'll be able to go out there and compete um a lot better against them, especially without AJ Brown now. And now we're we're gonna get to see, you know, can Devontae Smith be a true one? Uh I think he can. I th I think I think he's good. He's definitely a damn good wide receiver. Um, but can he be a true one? We'll we'll absolutely uh we'll be able to see that, and I'm excited to see that. Um honestly, I'd I'd like to see Philly take a step back. I'd like to see everybody in the NFC East take a step back besides Commanders, of course. But um it's gonna be it's gonna be interesting for sure. Um I I would assume maybe even is Dallas Goddard I I think he's still on the Eagles. I I would assume that you know now Smith, Saquon, and Dallas Goddard are kind of the three-headed monster in Philly now. And Philly has an amazing defense still with Vic Fangio. I've honestly um that defense is still scary. That defense is still so scary. So, but we'll see what what happens. Um, we'll see what happens this year. Because if the offense takes another step back, you know, that 12-13-win team now turns into maybe a 10-win, 10-11-win team. Um, I'm not gonna I'm not gonna sit here and say they're gonna go, you know, like 9-8 or anything like that. I think that would be absolutely absurd to say. But I I it's it feels like the powerhouse of Philadelphia is starting to kind of edge back a little bit. So, but but we'll we'll have to we'll have to see what happens. I mean, we get him week one. We get him week one. So I'm gonna be really, really interested to see how you know Jalen Hurts looks and the new offense, just how the new offense looks in general with a new coordinator, and then how I mean we're a pretty much a a brand new team schematically, with David Blau as our coordinator, and with Durante Jones as as our new defensive coordinator. It's gonna be really interesting to see like what this looks like and and how how the commander's gonna compete this year. And with that, um, we're gonna move on to the Amique Robertson tape that I watched. Um, I watched every single target he had. Um, and I would say overall, he is a good player. Um, I meant to look up his uh his stats before I started recording and I blinked on it, and I'm so sorry. This is just absolutely stellar podcasting going on here. Um so um, but I think he was targeted like 120-ish times um with like 69 completions given up and um like eight touchdowns, which I will touch on. Um because I I don't think a couple of those, I don't think uh NFL.com pisses me off, dude. I try to get on NFL Pro and it it it acts like I'm I'm signed in, but I'm not signed in. It fucking makes me so mad. Um anyways. Anyways. Um let me sign in here. Because I I do want to rattle off these stats. Because I don't think the stats tell the entire story. Um I I think it it's definitely I think always really important to dig into the tape and see like, you know, there there's a few plays where it's like, oh, so instead of like eight touchdowns given up, it's more like, you know, uh it's more like six because um and and I'll get to that in a sec. Okay, okay, here we go, here we go, here we go. So um he had 102 targets with 69 receptions given up with 881 yards allowed, uh eight T D eight touchdowns given up and got one interception. Um he also had 52 tackles, and there are a few forced fumbles in there that aren't being accounted for, and there's a lot of tip passes that are causing turnovers that aren't being accounted for in that stat sheet either. So um I also thought watching his tape that he was a decent tackler, not a great tackler, not like uh you know, like I was talking about last week was Leo Chennault. Um but because because he did miss a couple, there there was a few that um, but but you gotta also remember he's not a big guy football-wise. He's 5'9, a buck eighty. So he's not very big, but he he's he's got a little he's he's a dog. He's a dog out there for sure. Um I think about back to like Fred Smoot. Fred Smoot was not a big guy, but he was a dog. Um he he was a good he was a good man corner. So um he does he does get beat at times, but he also has he also has good coverage. The one interception that he was accredited with came against Jamar Chase. Uh Jamar Chase tried to run an out route. Um, and if it was Joe Burrow, maybe it would maybe it'd be a little bit different because the ball was thrown a little bit behind, but uh Amiek ended up capitalizing on it, and that's how we got his his his interception. So um yeah, he he he and he had a few you know more than a few really good reps against uh against Justin Jefferson. Um there was one play where it was like okay, that's just Justin Jefferson. One of the touchdowns that he gave up. Um I think that one should go down on the stat sheet, but it was a good ball thrown. It was uh and it was a great catch by Justin Jefferson. So I'm not I I didn't look at that and go, oh geez, this guy's like we're cooked. Our our corner room is cooked. Like, no, that's not um what I was thinking. Um there was also um when I say like he he gets beat at times, uh we also got to remember the context that Detroit plays a lot of man coverage, a lot of it seemed like more often than not they were playing a lot of single high safety in man coverage, sending at least five guys at the line of scrimmage. Um, so there were he had to defend a lot of man beaters, a lot of shallow crosses, a lot of rub routes, a lot of scissors. Um he had to defend a lot of that, and those are tough to defend, especially when the the offense knows for a fact that you're in man. I I don't know how much that this might be my freaking overweight opinion here talking. I and I don't know how much where I don't know how much they really disguise man coverage. Um I don't think it's a lot at all. But anyways, um yeah, like offense just knew that Detroit played a lot of man, so they would just run man beaters, and you know, you're gonna give up plays like that. That shit's just gonna happen. The difference is like last year um people got really frustrated with Lattimore when we were playing man, and it's just because it like instead of you know only giving up like five yards on the shallow cross or giving up um you know seven yards on the out route, he gave up a whole ass first down. I think that's where Lattimore kind of people got frustrated with Lattimore. I didn't really see that with Ameek. Um, I didn't see that with a Meek for sure. Um there were a few there was a couple double moves that he bit on. Um I needed to be better when watching the tape, and I need to do this from now on about understanding the situation because one of the double moves that he got beat on was it was a second and three against Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So when the receiver ran that double move, I totally I I didn't um hold that against him because I totally understood he was trying to uh his number one priority was defending short yardage. So, you know, second and three runs a double move um and and the corner bites. I'm not gonna hold that against him. Um given the situation. There are a couple other double moves that he definitely uh bit on. Um, so that but that's you know, it's tough. Corner was one tough to evaluate. I totally understand um scouts now, like when I when I listen to some of the draft podcasts, um, when they're talking about corners of corners being hard to evaluate, because corner is one of the hardest positions to play in the NFL. You're talking about going against like very athletic guys, and you can't you can barely touch them these days. So corners hard to play, and you're gonna give up plays at corner. Uh it just unless you're Darrell Revis, um, which no he's one of one. Nobody else is Darrell Revis. You could put that guy on an island. And and there were times where they put a meek on on an island, and and he covered pretty well. So not no, I'm not gonna hold too much against him there. Um, like I was saying earlier, he can produce the football. Uh he had a couple on those shallow crossers, he punched a football out uh and ended up causing a turnover. I was really uh impressed to see that. Um, and I'm excited to to see him, you know, hopefully do that do that for the commanders. But it was the I I remember I was like halfway through and I was like, Jesus, he caused another fumble on a shallow crosser again. So um and he also had a few tip passes that led to interceptions, and that's just not what showed up. You know, that's not going to show up on the stat sheet. So I thought he also read screens and short yardage passes really well. Um there were times, you know, because he's a smaller guy, uh sometimes the offense would draw it up to where they blocked him really well, but there were other there were a lot of times also where he got through and and either made a really good tackle for a loss or kept that, you know, you know, what would have been five, six. seven yards into you know two to three so I I I thought he he was really good definitely in the short area yardage for sure um there was uh there one of the touchdowns that went on a stat sheet that I didn't think should have gone was when they played the Giants and they ran that trick play with Jameis Winston uh they threw it to I think it was Singletary um I can't I can't remember the name of their no it was Tracy it was Tyrone Tracy you know they do the like I'm gonna call it as a horizontal flea flicker um and it I don't think it should have gone on his stashy because it not only did he get fooled the safety got fooled too that was supposed to be over over top help so like what what the hell are we supposed to do with that they but they called that you know then the whoever does stats for the NFL put that against D'Ameek. It is what it is. So that's why I think you know he he might have given up like instead of eight he gave up like seven or six because there was one against the Bears too where um it seemed like he was supposed to be defending his own um and then uh the receiver just ended up getting loose and it was a busted coverage. I don't know if that was on a Meek or if that was on the safety or not either. So it is what it is. I thought maybe there was there was a couple times when they were in man that he gave a little too much cushion where um and this is where I might attribute that more to coaching. Maybe the coach wanted him to play that far off but it ended up being uh that you know that you know wide receiver runs a good route they run a curl or like you know dig or whatever and um he ends up you know giving up that 10 yards or whatever. So that's that's just kind of like my thought on that. I don't know if he's you know meaning and and there were times I wish he would there were times where I wish he did get a little more handsy when he was pressed um and when he did you know that was uh when he when he did press and and get handsy it was pretty effective. Now there are times maybe maybe he's not getting handsy at the line of scrimmage trying to jam him because it's Jamar Chase or Justin Jefferson and they're really long and they can just push him out the way I I don't know I don't know um I've never played cornerback fucking day of my life this is just my you know non-football playing overweight you know analytics on on a guy in the NFL so um but I thought you know after I watched the tape I wasn't like oh my god we got a stud out there like um how I felt with Leo Chenal and Adafayo but I definitely thought overall like he's he's a good corner like he's a he's a veteran um he'll be able to you know teach a thing or two to to the young younger guys in Sandra still and Amos um and I I'm I'm you know pretty excited to see how those how those three mesh together um barring if we don't you know sign or I I don't think we trade I don't think we're in the position to trade anybody we're not an organization that can be like the Rams and say fuck them picks. We're just not um but anyways you know I I think he'll add good depth to the to the cornerback room. I I I do um because he does have places where he'll you know he's he's good at playing I think you know when I think about Durante Jones defense and what it could be of being you know more of a Brian Flores blitz happy defense which will be so fun to watch if it is um you know I think they'll definitely have a role for him um being the player that he is so yeah that that's just that's just my like high level like thoughts on on Amique Robertson um you know I think next week I don't know I don't know oh I'ma do I'm gonna do Calavion chase on next week um we'll we'll do we'll do Calavion next week um apparently I think so I heard a stat somewhere like he had more than 10 sacks last year and the Pats let him walk now that could have been you know money issues caps base whatever but they let him they let him walk so I and I'm super happy to have him so now because I'm pretty sure Dietrich wise came from the Patriots and now we'll have uh Clavion coming from the from the Patriots as well I don't know where he started but it's just kind of funny how that's how that's kind of worked out um yeah we'll watch that we'll watch that tape next um and and try to get hopefully get pumped about this this defensive line um so here we go on to baseball what's happening right now um no more off season shit what happening right now in sports that are in season in DC and when we're talking about the nationals um I do not understand this team at all we play up against playoff contenders and we shit the bet against the Marlins who are they well they're probably close to 500 now if not 500 right you know after tonight or today um that was just a rough series to watch man I mean we took a series in Atlanta in Cleveland and then we take a series at home against San Diego who is holding the top wildcard spot by the way so we gain some ground on them and then we get swept you know we didn't you know drop the series we got swept by the Marlins in our own house I don't that like that is absolutely if if this team is serious about being a playoff contender that's absolutely unfucking acceptable and I hope the whole team goes and looks in the mirror and fucking slaps themselves with fucking cold water or something because that was fucking atrocious what we watched the past three days. The first night talk about Cade Cavalli um he started off so rough walk a guy walked a guy was it it was either three walks and a hit and a hit by pit and a hit and he hit a batter or he uh I don't know I don't think he maybe he gave up a hit in that first inning I can't remember for sure it was a couple days ago but either way base is loaded and it's the it's the first inning and I'm like oh my god here we fucking go and then we walk in a run he like he gives up another walk of run scores and then he ends up getting out of the inning. Now this is where Cade Cavalli I'm like okay maybe I shouldn't be that harsh on you because you uh you ended up puking and rallying you know after he gave up those three walks um he only gave up one earned run after that and he ended up getting getting putting six guys away um with strikeouts so um I still think there's a lot of promise with Cade Cavalli and I think hopefully he'll become the pitcher that we drafted him to be I think he's starting to kind of emerge as that ace it's just we can't have that first inning man and he this isn't you know it it hasn't been that egregious um in his previous starts that I remember but he's got he's had some rocky innings like I don't I don't know what it is it's just like we'll have you know one two three good innings and then the fucking wheels come off and we start walking guys and guys get it you know we start just giving up runs that we I feel like we just shouldn't be giving up um now the first night it was a three to one game cavalry gets you know gets through five innings and I'm like okay you know we have a we have a good chance to still win this thing this is this is looking alright we'll be okay and then Cole Henry and Richard Lovelay give up six runs combined um unfortunately you know Cole Henry has you know he's just coming off a rehab assignment I don't want to like just you know say oh option him to freaking triple A just yet um I I he should definitely but but it's also something where it's like guys if you didn't if you don't give up six runs combined I mean we're still in that game you know what I mean but it is what it is uh and then Richard Lovelady he's had a couple of rough outings um and uh I'm starting to kind of starting to kind of run wonder about Love Lady the the consistency it was there for for a little bit but you know past past couple outings except for his open his opener was actually really really good he went two innings pitched was zero with no earned runs and struck out and struck two out so that that was good there there are times where these guys shine and it's like oh see there's something in you and then it just it just goes off the rails and it's like fuck and then I'm and then I'm wondering like okay well what are the guys at triple A have because it can't be this bad right um so it yeah that first night sucked especially because my boy Jacob Young homered again that's his sixth home run of the season in a big spot around the fourth fifth inning is when is is I think when he hit that home run. And um you know I I'm I am just it put all the other bullshit aside of you know being you know fringe playoff contenders surprisingly very surprisingly being fringe playoff contenders we were you know we were wondering if we were going to get 60 wins this year um but put all that all that crap aside Jacob Young it's been super fun to watch this guy grow especially especially at the plate because we knew he was just a dog in center robbing home runs and just there are so many like you know a ball come off the bat and I'm like oh fuck that's in the gap and then he's just right there like he's so fast it's it's so fun to watch this guy just continue to get better and I'm absolutely rooting for this kid and I hope he stays around in DC for a while and continues to get better and becomes you know I'm not saying the guy has to hit you know a thousand ops with 40 home runs a year but if he you know hits 10 to 15 home runs and sits around a 250 average and you know brings in you know runs like I I think he's definitely got a place in the league at the very least um so uh yeah just super happy for for Jacob Young uh for home ring again he's been just getting better and better and it's been it's been an honor to watch this guy uh play. It's you know it it's it's absolutely just like he's he's a he's a diamond in the rough and I think we're starting to kind of polish it and um he's he's definitely if he keeps on this trajectory um he's gonna be a damn he's gonna end up being a damn good player in you know a year or two I would you know two to three years he he could absolutely end up being a good player if he keeps figuring it out like he has. Like I was saying Richard Lovelady opened game two had a good outing and then Miles Michaelis came in and gave up six home runs and I'm I'm watching I'm watching a game and he gives up back to back to back home runs he gave up back to back I'm I'm listening sorry I wasn't watching the game I was listening to the game and he gave up back to back to back home runs and I'm like at this point the guy is one in five thus far and he's got a 6.39 ERA that is absolutely atrocious I don't know why this guy is still in the MLB at this point because like I don't know what like every time you he's pitching I'm just like oh here we go we might just chalk this one up as an L because Michaelis and it you know what's funny is is he went um I think he went all the way to the ninth for whatever reason um and then Mitchell Parker came in and gave up another freaking you know home run. Anyways back to I'm not I'll talk about Mitchell Parker in a second but I mean Miles Michaelis he's an older guy we only paid him five million I'm at the point you know once Jake Irvin comes back like do we still need this guy can we you know keep Andrew Alvarez in the rotation can we is there another pitcher that we can you know bring up from AAA or something and see what they've got because at this point I I I don't even know why this guy is is even on an MLB team with the numbers that he's putting up. It's just been super it's just been super disappointing. Like I hate to be that hard on the guy when I've never done anything at the professional level in any sport but I I mean I think it just is what it is at the MLB level. Like he's just he just hasn't been good by any stretch he's had maybe one to two good outings like decent outings where he gave up you know one to two runs which you could I I can handle I can handle that but six runs on six hits with three homers that are you know three consecutive home runs given up lucky luckily the first one there was nobody on base I just I don't get it I don't I don't know why I don't know why we don't just cut the cord just just get rid of it and and you know try to bring another guy up but at the same time like Michaelis is an older guy so if his if his confidence gets killed I mean I guess who gives a shit like why would we why why would we care if we like kill his confidence he's already at the end of his career like whatever but if we killed if we brought a kid up from triple A and he gets rocked now his confidence is killed I can see how that might hinder a little development so maybe that's like the only argument that I can think of of keeping Miles Michael listen. That's the that's the only thing I can think of is not wanting to f feed a a young kid to the wolves and you know um and and and and kill his confidence and and now you just you just potentially ruined one of your prospects by by bringing him to the show a little too early. I think I'm just frustrated as a fan. It's like come on dude like we have the highest scoring team in the MLB that we might have got surpassed this with this past series because they played so fucking bad um but um but at the same time it's you know it's like it's like come on man like and that's that's how I feel with the whole pitching staff. It's like come on like it like at some point we gotta give just like you guys need run support we need just a little bit of freaking pitching support. Like you know if we score three runs don't give up four fuck's sakes like that's what it's just kind of felt like even though we're you know now we're a game under 500 I think and uh but we were we we beat some good teams I just don't understand back to the I don't understand how we're playing well on the road against playoff contenders but then we come home against a Marlins team who was fourth in the NL East um I think they had just lost a series to the Mets and we just absolutely shit the bed. I I just I don't get it I don't know what the Marlin I don't know what black magic the fucking Miami Marlins do to just come in and play well against us whether it's at Nats Park or in Miami but it's working it's fucking working um yeah just super frustrating series to get swept by the Marlins um I just I don't get it um Mitchell Parker's been struggling lately um I've seen him come in and have a couple of bad outings there was one out you know when Mitchell Parker first came up from Rochester this year I was like okay we're gonna use him as a reliever I kind of like this like he's he's he could be a uh a depth guy a guy that can come in and give you three or four innings because he had that starting pitching experience but um I don't know anymore I I don't know anymore because past couple times I've seen him it hasn't been great so well I I hope I hope he gets it together Mitchell Parker is actually a guy that I've oddly maybe not oddly but I've rooted for him for some reason I can't really put a finger on it um I just like the guy um so I so I hope he figures it out man I think he could be a really good reliever I think he has really great stuff at times it's just it's not consistent the consistency just isn't there across the team um like James Wood struck out three times today um now never mind that might be unfair because everybody has their day it and James Wood has had very few of those days and a lot more of the days where he's blasting the ball um out of the park so hopefully hopefully Mitchell Parker can can get it together. I I really do I really hope Mitchell Parker can figure it out because I I you know Brad Lord can't come in and pitch you know every other night for three four innings. Like that's a lot to ask out of a guy um another thing from today was that uh every single pitcher today that pitched today June 3rd gave up a walk. That is absolutely killing us um we have got to quit fucking walking guys. Just stop j I mean I I don't understand why we've been we've been walking guys so much. Um it's just it's it's pretty it's pretty frustrating man when you're watching guys just get just get walked. Um and and and then those walks turn into turn into runs that shouldn't be there um or would be there maybe it but I mean just the walks are are absolutely killing us. Um while we don't lead the league in walks we're seventh we're seventh behind the athletics the Los Angeles Angels lead the league in walks um oh by the way there's there's a little bit of good news coming out of me from the Nationals after this atrocious fucking series um we have not given up the most runs anymore uh it's actually the Colorado Rockies um maybe it was a long time coming um but the next closest to us from second so we've given up 341 the Baltimore Orioles are at 323 behind uh just ahead of the Los Angeles Angels are tied for third in the major league baseball um at 323 runs uh given up so that's that's a crazy jump to go from 323 to 341 and then 350 for the Colorado Rockies that's kind of fucking crazy anyways maybe they just played the Dodgers or something who knows um so anyways it's it's just I I hope they I hope they bounce back in a big way one bright spot um you know I thought Andrew Alvarez came out after his last outing I think he gave up like three runs or something it was a little rocky little you know but I gave him some grace I was like you know what young guy he's figuring it out he just got called up this year he was relieving now he's now he's with the Jake Irvin injury which I heard he hasn't even been throwing yet so um just you know buckle up guys because I don't think the pitching's getting any better until uh until Jake Irvin gets back and he was on the 15 day IL but he hasn't been throwing yet and so I'm I'm guessing that 15 days might turn into something a little bit longer. So we'll see what happens. Anyways uh Andrew Alvarez is is definitely stepping up. I thought I thought he had a good day today. I thought he pitched well um he uh he gave up one walk. Um I think he pitched um like four and two thirds or d or maybe he got to five five and a third something like that um and pitched and gave up only one run on on five strikeouts. So I, you know, I think that's I think that's trending in the right direction for Andrew Alvarez. I'm excited to watch this guy grow. I hope uh I hope he keeps doing well. I think he's got good stuff. I mean that that curveball of his falls off a frickin' cliff. So we'll uh I'm I'm gonna keep my eye on him and keep this updated because I'm really keeping my eye on Andrew Alvarez and see how he grows and you know see how good he gets. So we'll just we'll just see what happens. The bats, you know, as as bad as the pitching was the bats weren't good either. Bats weren't good any either and we grounded I think we grounded into like three three double plays today that ended innings that could have been you know runs across across the across the plate. Especially with the way we've been hitting the ball. I I think that's what's so frustrating is this team shows a lot of signs of you know they can be a playoff contending team. They can give you know good teams run for their money. It's just for some reason or another you know and and maybe sometimes teams maybe maybe I'll back off the criticism a little bit um and just say sometimes you just fall into a little ruck. Sometimes you know things just don't go your way in a series for whatever reason and for some reason it's always the fucking Marlins so it is what it is. They get an off day tomorrow and then they'll be in Arizona for a series against the D-backs on Friday on Friday. So uh hopefully hopefully like I said hopefully they just take a good look in the fucking mirror and just see this series for what it is which is absolutely unfucking acceptable because we have you know the Diamondbacks over the weekend in Arizona and then um we have the Giants um in in San Francisco and then we come home to face the Baroners who I think are kind of reeling right now. Let's look at the let's look at the good ol' uh standings real quick because um it's let's look at the standings real quick oh for shit's sakes um how do I get back to why don't they just have a fucking standings tab? What the fuck? Oh there it is right there I'm just an idiot that can't that can't see um like I said great podcasting happened here I was just so fucking prepared uh for for this one anyways um so we're third in the NL East at 31 and 32 golly that what a gut punch what a gut punch especially because uh you know like good but not good where uh um man we the NL East is just giving it to the fucking Padres the past week where they come in against us and lose the series and then they go to Philly and lose again. Um so meh is what it is is what it is I mean we're still right there you know this is where I'm gonna end this podcast of is this team serious about playoff contention I don't think we are I don't think we're there yet I I think like absolutely we should like earlier this season Blake Butter was like we're trying to win every single game but there's a process that we're following that should lead us to more consistent winning um and I just don't think the roster is there yet especially with the with the pitching I think the bats are there like do not do not fucking sell at the deadline I don't think we should sell at all um because for what we would be giving up and and this is me talking about trading CJ Abrams. I don't think we should trade CJ Abrams I I can't remember what my stance was on that a couple weeks ago I don't think we should trade CJ Abrams I think he's way too good of a bat I think you could mix some things up where you either moved him to second or put him at uh put him in the DH depending depending on Seaver King is killing it in Rochester right now is absolutely hitting the fuck out of the ball I d I haven't seen I haven't heard too much about his defense I'm you know I haven't heard you know that his defense is bad so you know you know for maybe you can't call it good but you can't call it bad I think that's fine right especially if he's hitting the ball the way he has I I wouldn't be surprised honestly at all if that kid keeps playing the way he does a triple A Rochester we could see him by July I don't I don't think that's or or maybe even uh maybe you know late July I think would could be the you know could be a good timeline for him because because he's doing very well um I you know so I I back to are we serious about playoff contention right now I don't think we are I don't think we are I think we've had a good run we've beat some good teams we've had some you know balls bounce our way uh but I don't think I don't think we're we're serious about playoff contention just yet I think now if uh the learners would open up their fucking pocketbook and sign a few guys in the fucking off this up this upcoming offseason or make a trade or do something to put us there you know maybe maybe um but we'll see what happens we'll see what they what kind of budget they give Paul Taboni and um where Blake be I think I think Blake Butterra overall a plus I think he's done an absolutely fantastic job I don't think we're getting this kind of hope as fans with with Davy at all Davy and and and Rizzo I I don't think we're getting this kind of hope. I think we the the one thing the learners did right was bring in uh Paul Taboni and Blake Butterra some younger guys analytically driven um I I just as of right now I think there's still a few pieces that were missing I think there's a few like Nasim Nunez for how good he is on the bases which he kind of got they um the uh um Marlins did the old bait and switch on him where they threw over twice knew he was gonna run on the next pitch and then he got you know thrown out on uh I'm gonna call it a pseudo pitch out it was high in a way but wasn't like a like a true pitch out and and catcher made an awesome throw. So but he's still leading the league and uh I think as of right now he's still leading the league in in stolen bases he just he he just doesn't get on base as much as as we need him to um he's still I think he's still batting sub 200 um and he's just you know as good as his defense is his offense is also just that bad um which is where I'm talking about Seaver King like okay you know you move CJ to sevente second you puts uh seaver king at short now we got a we got a good middle infield you know you might lose a couple of swipes with Nassi maybe you keep him around a pinch run or whatever but you also um hopefully gain a good bat because Seaver King I think he's batting um what like he's I think he's batting north of 300 uh 300 average you know like he's he's definitely doing it what's where are we at? Um yeah he's batting a 332 with a 983 ops he's killing it he's absolutely fucking I'm so excited for this kid he's absolutely fucked killing it um so yeah like I said I don't think if if we did make the playoffs I'd be absolutely ecstatic I hope we do like I want to make the playoffs are you kidding me we haven't been to the playoffs since 2019 you know let let's get to let's be let's be a playoff contending team again let's get some teams and run for their money it's just after seeing this series of how bad it can get I think we're just still we're still a few pieces away we're restarting this rebuild this is still a rebuild I don't think we should get ahead of ourselves with that I think I'm gonna sign off uh if you made it this far thank you so much for listening I know it probably gets rough at times when I'm not fully prepared I'll try to be more more prepared with um what I want to talk about um I'll try to have you know the stats that I want up and and stuff like that but um is yeah I don't know what this is my 13th episode oh of of all of all time so I mean how good am I supposed to be I guess uh but anyways if you didn't make it this far um thank you so much for listening and honestly uh like hit me up um carl.lenor one at gmail.com it's it's in the it it should be popping up in the description if it's not I guess drop a comment and let me know but I I'd love to you know hear from people if it's I I can't I see that I'm getting you know decent you know you know a couple downloads so really really happy uh be really happy to hear from the people that that are um that are listening and you know I'd love to connect with a few few other DC diehards uh if if they're and I know there are a lot of DC diehards out there. I'm sure there are people that are um a lot more diehard than I am that's for sure. So um yeah uh anyways thanks for listening appreciate it if if uh if you made it this far and uh I will talk to you guys next week