I'm with you Doc in regards to Saunders in CF. I think, given a bit of time, he can be a league average CF - maybe even minor plus.
I think Langerhans is a complete disaster in CF.
I think the Ryan/Wilson infield is proving to be a dismal failure - (though I suspect a Wilson/Kennedy MI could be a major plus).
The part I think most people - (and to a degree, even you Doc) - just aren't quite getting is that the 2010 club had a 79 OPS+ and a 100 ERA+. The 2011 club has an 88 OPS+ and a an 89 ERA+. The reason for that drop in ERA+ can 'mostly' be laid at the feet of a defense which has plunged from elite to catastrophic. And the ERA+ is actually OVER-stating the run-prevention, because the error to unearned ratio for the Ms is atrocious.
You want to make this club better? You put Wilson back at short - Kennedy at second, and let Ryan be the guy playing 3 times a week instead of 5. (Except, I think Jack is hoping Ryan can "become" a .650 hitting defensive whiz SS until Nick is ready - so that ain't likely).
In the OF, put Saunders in CF against 100% of RHP, Bradley DHing against 100% of lefties, get Langerhans as much defensive time in LF as you can manage, and treat Langerhans "as if" he is a switch hitter, (since for his career, he basically has no split to speak of).
The pitching "could" be elite. But, it won't be elite, unless the great defensive recession is ended.
In truth, it might be too late to "save" Wilson. I think getting demoted to 2B hurt his pride. But, I think Wilson knows Ackley is in the wings and likely coming soon ... so, he's likely also got a bad case of short-timers-disease ... probably feeling pretty darned expendable at this point. He's probably doing the best he can, given being utterly depressed about his future.
The "ideal" way back was an ERA+ of 120 and an OPS+ of 90. Well, ain't no way this club is going to manage an ERA+ of 100 if they continue getting .670s DER.
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