In Colorado, doing a “14er” is a great triumph — using local lingo, that means a person climbed 14,000-plus feet on one of the state’s 58 tallest mountain peaks. But last week, Miles Mikolas achieved his own Colorado “14er,” which indubitably was a valley.
In his start against the Rockies, which lasted 2⅔ innings, Mikolas allowed 14 hits.
“He was just real disappointed about pitching like that,” fellow Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright said. “But we do have a little (season-long) competition on innings pitched and strikeouts and a couple other things. And he walked over to me in the dugout and said: ‘Consider that your early retirement present.’”
The story prompted laugher from listeners — and no, the 40-year-old Wainwright hasn’t declared this to be his last year — because it showed Miles’ levity in the elevation of the “Mile High City.”
“He always has a great attitude,” Wainwright said on Saturday. “He's a great competitor. ... Looking forward to him going back out there and reproving himself, though he doesn't need to do that for us. But I know he wants to.”
The next day, Mikolas won the biggest game of the year.
On Sunday against Milwaukee, he pitched eight innings, allowing four hits and two runs in the Cardinals' 6-3 victory. Huge win. It marked the third time this year he went at least eight innings with two or fewer earned runs allowed.
That start put Mikolas at 149⅓ innings, the fourth-most in all of baseball this season. Poor “Waino” sits in fifth now (143⅓). But Wainwright has one fewer start than Mikolas — and Wainwright starts on Thursday. So anything longer than six innings Thursday would put Wainwright ahead in their competition ... until Mikolas takes his turn the next day.
And so on and so on, two old-school hurlers battle with each other in a competition that allows everyone to win. The more innings they eat, the more rest relievers get. And the more innings they eat probably means they’re pitching well to begin with. And in an era in which a solid six innings is a triumph, these persnickety veterans expect to pitch a complete game until proven otherwise. It’s pretty cool to see.
And here’s hoping there is an appreciation for Mikolas’ endurance from even the most casual Cardinals fans. Even though Mikolas was named to the All-Star team this year — his second nod for the Midsummer Classic — one wonders if some people take him for granted? Sure, he sometimes wears a cowboy hat, but he is a horse.
Speaking of the cowboy hat: He sported it after his embarrassing start in Colorado. Over the years, I’ve often wondered why some athletes wear particularly gaudy — or sometimes even ridiculous — outfits to games, knowing that if they lose, that will be their attire during a postgame news conference. You see it in the NBA sometimes — a player discussing a three-for-20 shooting night while draped in something from a fashion runway. But if Miles Mikolas can allow 10 runs and 14 hits in a loss and wear a cowboy hat, then anyone can wear anything at any time.
And really, Mikolas’ attire showcased his imperviousness. Win or lose, he’s still the same guy. And even after a loss, the cowboy hat showed that he didn't consider the loss as the end of the world. Or, like he said to reporters that night in Colorado: “You get right back on that pony again.”
Incidentally, while Mikolas pointed out that many of the 14 hits were “weak contact,” the 14 hits were the second-most ever allowed by a pitcher at Coors Field, which opened in 1995. Ever. Five others reached the fateful 14, while two fellows — Rockies pitchers Jason Jennings and Jamey Wright — allowed 15.
Mikolas' Colorado start took his ERA from 2.92 to 3.50. It will be hard to mathematically recover from that.
But he remains among league leaders in other stat categories, notably the innings pitched as well as quality starts. Entering Monday, his 16 were tied for second most in the National League. And his WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) was 10th best. And he’s allowed just 27 walks. Only the Phillies’ Aaron Nola has a better walk rate in the NL.
“Miles is just such a good pitcher, he can do so many things and throws everything for strikes — up and down, in and out,” Wainwright said. “All four pitches where he wants them, when he wants them. And he's just a real pro's pro out there.”
Of course, all of this leads to a looming but fun question. Assuming the Cards make the playoffs, who pitches Game 1?
A couple statistics to consider:
FIP (fielding independent pitching) is a fascinating formula because it removes fielding from the equation. FIP only analyzes strikeouts, walks and home runs. Well, Mikolas and Wainwright are tied with a 3.71 FIP (33rd best in baseball). Teammate Jordan Montgomery is right behind them (3.77). Actually, new Cardinal Jose Quintana is 14th best, at 3.21.
And ERA+ is a stat that is adjusted to the ballparks pitched in. The 2022 league average, per baseball-reference.com, is 101. Quintana’s ERA+ is 124 (23rd in MLB), Wainwright’s is 118 (28th), Montgomery’s is 115 (30th) and Mikolas’ is 111 (34th).
But come on — Mikolas is a horse and the lone St. Louis starting pitcher who was named All-Star.
All that said ... you’ve got to give the ball to Wainwright.
