REALITY CHECK
Our starting 5 pitchers are good next year. Our top 4 is good, Manoah is a solid maybe and if not we can sign a decent 5 for cheap.
Our bullpen is solid as pure protein, no water Eskimo diet s***. It is coming out next year rock hard.
The players they signed to support their "CORE" have done well. The problem is that the players that they signed to support the "core" and provide leadership have instead, carried the team while the players that were supposed to continue to grow have completely s*** the bed. AND the problem with that hasn't been that they are just having statistically improbable seasons, it's that they showed up to camp grossly overweight.
I think Atkins true failure so far has been that he over estimated the impact and commitment of his young stars. His signings have provided full value.