Thornton is objectively awful. How can we consider ourselves a contender when guys like him are our first option out of the pen midway through a 1 run game with a team we're desperately chasing in our division? It makes no f***ing sense.
A lot can, and likely will happen in four months. Let's see how things play out. That said, there hasn't been much to instill any confidence outside a few lucky 1-run wins earlier in the season...
I still have hope for the season; didn't the Nationals in the year they won, have like the worst RISP and batting average numbers in baseball for the entire first half of the season? This team just needs to find a spark.
Wasn't there an element of Grichuk not fitting in well enough in the clubhouse or sulking because of limited playing time that made management move him before it could manifest into a real problem? Small sample size numbers aside, there is probably more to this than might be readily apparent.
Out of curiosity, what time did you get here? My dad and I lined up outside gate 15 at around 4:40. The line wasn't that long but when we got in we got one of the last bobbleheads left.