A very apropos comment about Lloyd.
And I'm not sure I could have articulated that before reading your post, Doc.
Lloyd had the "team's" back, but I'm not sure he gave any sense of having a PLAYER'S back (minus the H0F'ers), especially the ones who needed it: Taijuan, Erasmo, Taylor, Montero, etc. When he was done with a player he was done with him.
He took a while, sometimes, to be done with a player, true. Almonte, for example: but often he beat up on a (young) player (Taijuan) in a way that seemed to be counter-productive.
In June, I was terribly ready to see him out the door, even Bloomie looked like a better choice. By Sept. I was prepared to live with Z and (because they were married at that point) Lloyd. I had grown accustomed to his face, as Rex Harrison once (sort of) sang
But I am not upset that he is gone.
(The other) Lincoln fired McDowell, McClellan, Pope, McClellan, Burnside, Hooker and Meade before he found his man.
Let's hope Dipoto gets it right the first time.
Lloyd McClendon is a fine man; I am positive I would like him much were I lucky enough to get to know him. I wish him luck; He's got a million samollians coming next year with which to find it. I do not feel sorry for him, as such is the nature of his business.
I will say this about Dipoto: He does bring a "holier than thou" approach with him, intended or not.
Such an attitude can be tough to work with, unless you have your own guy in the field general's seat.
Dipoto lived in a (baseball) universe where going big (with contracts) was the rule of the day. Do you know his Angels never won a playoff game, let alone a series? He was no miracle worker, certainly....
The best run franchise in professional sport is the St. Louis Cardinals. John Mozeliak just wins, and does it with little splash.
There's your template, JeDi,
Make it so.
Go team.
Go team.