I feel your pain, CD. I agree on just about everything you say here and that you've said since last fall.
The state of the team vs Gillick's date for contention is a BIG issue to me. A BIGGER issue for me is that TPTB give no date for contention and that there just hasn't seemed to be a sense of urgency. Too many market opportunities missed internationally. I just don't see how the new President/GM of a last place team can take a year of pause to evaluate, rather than doing whatever they can to improve the farm/team. The budget was greatly reduced, no need to conserve $ with the Comcast contract, so the excuse that they didn't want to possibly waste money, before evaluating the baseball managerial talent always rung hollow to me.
I think something really did change in Middleton's approach after his sister sued him. The spend whatever it takes to win faded into the rearview window and slow and cautious became the watchwords. Wouldn't want to overspend internationally. Wouldn't want to sign a bad FA multi-year deal or get a multi-year expensive contract from another team.
On the talent front, it's great to see Nola back better than ever and Altherr make a splashy return from injury. Nick Williams has rejuvenated his career and Galvis and Hernandez are establishing their value. The big player disappointments for me -- the ones which set back the rebuild -- are Franco, Joseph, Rupp, Thompson, Eflin although certainly still a lot of hope for the last two. It would be nice if Moniak, Randolph, Haseley were making a bigger splash -- I still have faith there. Ortiz having a nice season and Tocci being the player I thought he could be. Sixto and a lot of young pitchers stepping forward, but Pinto won't be the rotation guy we expected. Crawford has revived his career, Hoskins has shown he is for real. Unfortunately Cozens has faded, but perhaps, like Crawford, he just needs another year at AAA.
I also don't like our manager or pitching coach. It still galls me that the pitching woes were laid at Rupp's feet. Isn't it the pitching coach's responsibility to game plan how the pitchers are going to attack each opposing hitter. It seems this is the coach's failure. A lot of interesting discussion about Samuel as 3B coach.
I also agree with you that the team should be celebrating the year Odubel Herrera is having, not trying to blame all of the team's woes on him. He is a bright spot in a bad year. He, Nola, and Altherr, as well as Galvis and Hernandez, are the season's pluses.
I still want to see a far greater sense of urgency from the owners/management.
