At first I thought you were going to fault him. I agree though, the idea he’s airing out is a big LSB gripe.

The only odd thing is he’d talk about “kids.” He’s actually talking only about pitching. Position players are working out pretty fantastic. Even Jack Arse is putting up multihit games.

I might have the answer: the players are much better in the majors.

That sounds an awful lot like “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” to me. I’m interested in hearing more about it, but I think I would be willing to sacrifice a little bit of the power for a little more average (if that makes sense).

What makes Albert Pujols (IMO) the best player in baseball is his amazing mix of power and average. If Ham sacrifices seasons like this one (.306, 32 HRs) for, say, seasons like what could be (.320, 25 HRs), I think I’d be for that.

I believe Vegas Over Under odds were at 82 wins for the season.

for last night’s game was, IMO, a rare cut above the normal talent – took some nice pics

Actually there are multiple possibilities, all of which played a part:
1. Some just aren’t very good
2. Some simply weren’t ready but were pressed into starting because of staff injuries
3.They were injured or not completely healthy
4. There is no room for error in front of the worst defense in baseball and in a ballpark that is very unforgiving to righties and fly ballers
5. possibly dangerous tinkering from, and at the least little success/response to their pitching coach
6. Usage weirdness by their manager
7. It’s hotter than shit out there
8. pitcher and catcher defense

Remedies:
1. Get better talent, and lots more of it (check, on the way)
2. Examine conditioning, training, stretching and every other possible way to mitigate injuries. Instruct pitching coaches to stop fixing what ain’t broken and to tinker with greater care. Try voodoo, accupuncture, and anything else that might help.
3. See no. 2; never ever start a pitcher who is not healthy (this is not coddling)
4. Do something drastic if necessary to improve defense, especially on the left side of the infield; ballpark has to be lived with
5. New pitching coach is either in place or on the way. Peripherals improved under Hawkins, but they might decide he’s valuable in OKC and hire one of the big guns out there. Either way this will be addressed.
6. sigh
7. nothing to be done here
8. much can be done here, but youth and inexperience will lead to errors as they get their legs under them

There is no one, magic bullet answer. The single most important element is talent, though, and that is on the way.