People keep saying this but the players were a big deal, individually they all have value. Alvarez has provided 4.1 fWAR (to Buehrle's 5.3), Marisnick 1.4 WAR and was a major piece in a deal for Cosart (2.0 fWAR himself). DeSclafani (0.5 fWAR) was traded for Mat Latos (a $9.4M 1 year contract that many wanted to the Jays to pick up this year), Escobar (I don't give a s*** about the "had to go" stuff...that was their own PR department mishandling) 4.4 fWAR and traded three times (all for positive value players, including this year for a top 20 reliever), Nicolino is still a top 100-150 (depending on what list you use) prospect. Hech is the outlier here as his defensive metrics have not matched what he was thought to be. He's put up -1.0 fWAR.
So alone the players involved have gone:
Players going out 9.4 fWAR
Players coming in 12.0 fWAR
Once you calculate the continued control years for the players going out it's pretty much a value and actual loss. Or the players could have been individually dealt and provided solid returns.