Miles Mikolas admitted he let himself get too excited about being back at home and pitching in major league spring training games.
He returned from three years in Japan and was pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals at their training camp in Jupiter, Florida, hometown. The results in his first two outings were not good.
"Like a dog, I finally got the ball, or the bone, and I was so happy to get it I kind of, maybe, overdid it," Mikolas said.
He has bounced back with a pair of strong outings, pitching five scoreless innings for a split squad in a 4-2 loss to Washington on Friday.
Eschewing higher-priced free agents, St. Louis signed Mikolas to a 15.5 million, two-year contract during the offseason. The 29-year-old right-hander had gone 31-13 with a 2.18 ERA for the Central League's Yomiuri Giants. His previous major league experience is 27 relief appearances for San Diego in 2012-13 and 10 starts for Texas in 2014.
"I took the long way around," Mikolas said.
Mikolas allowed six runs and seven hits over 1 2/3 innings against Houston on Feb. 25 and gave up four runs and six hits in three innings against Atlanta on March 3.
Conversations with visiting instructor Chris Carpenter, pitching coach Mike Maddux and teammates Adam Wainwright and Luke Gregerson helped settle down Mikolas. He pitched four scoreless innings against on March 9.
"I'm a lot more relaxed now," Mikolis said. "I didn't really feel any pressure, maybe almost just a little too excited. So excited to be back and so excited - no pressure to impress, just the want to impress."
He gave up ground-ball hits to Brian Goodwin and Trea Turner in the first but got Bryce Harper to ground into a 4-6-3 double play. Center fielder Harrison Bader made a diving catch on Anthony Rendon's sinking liner. Bader made another diving catch in the fourth to rob Matt Adams with Harper at first, and Mikolas struck out Alejandro De Aza with a 96 mph fastball to end the fifth and strand Howie Kendrick at third.
Mikolas figures to start the third or fourth game of the season as part of a rotation that includes Carlos Martinez, Michael Wacha and Adam Wainwrighjt.
"My goal is to throw a lot of innings and throw in whatever spot they want me in," Mikolas said. "I feel everything is earned. I've got to come into camp and I've got to earn a spot. Whatever spot I earn hopefully I'll try to earn a better one as the season goes on."