red321

I think some of us (including myself) need to stop caring so much.  It's a shame that a sports teams can put me in a bad mood so regularly. 
 
I want to support them, I really do.  I love the halos.  Always have, but I can no longer justify spending time, money or mental effort on a team that really gives us nothing in return but frustration.  I am done blaming people or getting my ire up over what amounts to mass underachievement. 
 
Don't get me wrong.  I am still interested in what's going on, as I am a huge fan of the game in general.  Yet with any product, my patronage will depend on whether the product satisfies my needs and I think it's worth the money or effort to incorporate it into my life. 
 

In that situation if he steals second, the Twins walk Pujols to get to the rally killer known as Hamilton. The plus of having him hit second, having protection behind him. The downside is he's not going to be as active on the basepaths because you don't want to take the bat out of your 3-4 hitters.

Who is below career norms? You keep saying, and yet go look up and down the roster...whose performance is surprising so far?

This has the looks of a a bad roster. Nobody is going to turn career #5 starters in to all-stars. Scioscia didn't create a bench consisting of, hell, I'm not sure I even knew some of those guys existed. Scioscia didn't build a bullpen where you say..."Kevin Jepsen...why the **** is Kevin Jepsen in there"...and then you realize he's probably the best option.
 
That's not on the manager.

This is a bad roster. 160 some odd million dollar payroll and it's constructed of 3 #5 starters, CJ Wilson, and Weaver. The bullpen is still a shambles and the key offseason acquisition still hasn't thrown a pitch, in any sort of game. There is little to no depth on the bench.
 
Folks can blame Reagins, Moreno, Scioscia, Butcher, etc....but ignoring what Dipoto has done is foolishness...he's spent a lot of money and you are left looking at the ballclub a week in to the season scratching your head.

I don't think that's true at all. If you put up a credible moderate Republican candidate who didn't push far right positions on social issues they might have a decent chance. The problem is to win the Republican primary you have to put on triangle hat and carry around a bible.