Toboni: Not just a Jabroni for POBO

[imref]

Nats have spent a whopping $5M on FA salaries (though it could go higher of some ST invitees make the club), by far the lowest in baseball, so at least they are spending money somewhere (sunshine squad view).

[nobleisthyname]

Foster Griffin signed for $5.5M and Miles Mikolas for $2.25M. Still abysmal but I think that $5M figure is incorrect.

[imref]

Foster Griffin signed for $5.5M and Miles Mikolas for $2.25M. Still abysmal but I think that $5M figure is incorrect.

you are right, i was looking at an older data set. Spotrack has us at $11.5M, only Cleveland and KC have spent less.

https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/free-agents/team/_/year/2026

[nobleisthyname]

Looking around on that spotrac link it looks like that $11.5M figure includes Smith and Pérez. Only fully guaranteed contracts are Griffin and Mikolas, though I guess Smith and Pérez are basically locks as well.

[English Natsie]

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-aim-to-achieve-highest-potential-in-2026

Good job 'The Mission' isn't going to be measured in wins and losses...  

[Lintyfresh85]

Add another $7 million to money spent after Littell signing

[imref]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7114327/2026/03/13/washington-nationals-paul-toboni-blake-butera/

Why the Nats went young with their leaders and why it just might work.

[aspenbubba]

I have to admit that the FO has done a great job given the parameters of the goals set by ownership. I concur with the rotation selection and Crews being sent down. I wish we had obtained a real 1B.

[HalfSmokes]

I have to admit that the FO has done a great job given the parameters of the goals set by ownership. I concur with the rotation selection and Crews being sent down. I wish we had obtained a real 1B.

FanDuel has our over under at 64.5 wins. We’re +10,000 to win the NL East, unless the goal is fielding a push over so visiting fans can enjoy a win, I don’t see how the front office has done a great job

[JCA-CrystalCity]

FanDuel has our over under at 64.5 wins. We’re +10,000 to win the NL East, unless the goal is fielding a push over so visiting fans can enjoy a win, I don’t see how the front office has done a great job building a team for 2026

Asymmetry. This is a throw away year. Within that context, they've done a decent job targeting down the line. They rounded out the starters with some filler to hold places while there's internal development. About the only future for 2026 help move is the Vivas deal, and even that creates some useful flexible roster depth.

[HalfSmokes]

Asymmetry. This is a throw away year. Within that context, they've done a decent job targeting down the line. They rounded out the starters with some filler to hold places while there's internal development. About the only future for 2026 help move is the Vivas deal, and even that creates some useful flexible roster depth.

What year are they targeting? Have they extended anyone who might walk before then? Traded for any high end talent that will be ready then? Or does building for the future just entail sucking for draft picks and trading for lottery tickets?

[tomterp]

FanDuel has our over under at 64.5 wins. We’re +10,000 to win the NL East, unless the goal is fielding a push over so visiting fans can enjoy a win, I don’t see how the front office has done a great job

For the coaching staff, how well will they do versus the expectation is what I'd like to see.  75 wins would be a validation that they are on the right path with respect to player acquisition and development at this stage. 

They did buy a starting pitcher (Littell) that is throwing money away, except for trade value at the deadline.  How much more would you want them to spend just to, say, get to 81 wins?  And even that isn't front office, that's ownership.  How good is the ownership doing given the constraints they are placed under is the more appropriate benchmark IMO.

[Natsinpwc]

I don’t think the number of wins means that much.  A couple of years ago they overperformed expectations. And didn’t mean a thing going forward. It’s are they more fundamentally sound and seeing progress from the young players. House especially.  And Crews to earn his way back.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

What year are they targeting? Have they extended anyone who might walk before then? Traded for any high end talent that will be ready then? Or does building for the future just entail sucking for draft picks and trading for lottery tickets?

Always year N + 2, where N= this year.

probably the Willits / Fien timeframe, with Sykora and a few internal pitchers, plus the tail end of Wood and Lile. 2028/29.

[HalfSmokes]

Always year N + 2, where N= this year.

probably the Willits / Fien timeframe, with Sykora and a few internal pitchers, plus the tail end of Wood and Lile. 2028/29.

If the plan is all in for a year or two before wood leaves, I’d prefer a league average payroll and hoping for the occasional playoff run

[aspenbubba]

What year are they targeting? Have they extended anyone who might walk before then? Traded for any high end talent that will be ready then? Or does building for the future just entail sucking for draft picks and trading for lottery tickets?

Who would you extend ? Wood Abrams Cavelli Lile. Not one has a track record more than half a season.
 

[HalfSmokes]

Who would you extend ? Wood Abrams Cavelli Lile. Not one has a track record more than half a season.
 

Once they get a track record, the get too expensive for the Lerners. It just seems ridiculous to we’re targeting a narrow window three seasons out and then we’ll end up tanking until the next window because the group we tanked for last time will entering free agency by the time we’re competitive.

[blue911]

If a player isn’t good enough to extend, how are they good enough to build around?

[nobleisthyname]

Listening to Toboni's interview right now with Grant and Tobi on the Bustin' Loose podcast...

When asked what areas he hopes to be noticeably improved as the season goes on he cited:

• Catcher pitch framing
• Defense (especially infield defense)

Also called out Ronny Cruz and Marconi German as two prospects that were better than he thought from when he viewed the system from the outside.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

10 of the 26 players on today's roster were acquired since the  end of 2025:

Vivas, Wiemer, Mead, Mikolas, Griffiin, Littell, Granillo, Varland, Waldichuk, and Perez.

[imref]

10 of the 26 players on today's roster were acquired since the  end of 2025:

Vivas, Wiemer, Mead, Mikolas, Griffiin, Littell, Granillo, Varland, Waldichuk, and Perez.

a good chunk of our top-30 too

[zoom]

Maybe wrong thread, but I liked the moves DeBartolo made as well.   Nats haven't had decent options in AAA for a really long time.   Provides a little flexibility for Toboni and Butera.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Maybe wrong thread, but I liked the moves DeBartolo made as well.   Nats haven't had decent options in AAA for a really long time.   Provides a little flexibility for Toboni and Butera.

absolutely. I will update this with a better count, but several good adds were made by DeBartolo: Beeter, Poulin, Eder who Toboni turned into Mead, Linan who turned into Vivas, I think Franklin, and lots of lower minors.

[nobleisthyname]

Was Eder actually traded? He's still listed as part of the Nats org every place I look, just DFA'd.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Was Eder actually traded? He's still listed as part of the Nats org every place I look, just DFA'd.

I think you are right. Like I  said, that was top of my head.