This was posted in the comments of “Shades of Mookie” by ADV:
Agree about a lack of fundamentals - but they have had that for a few years so you have to blame it on the laid back Manuel.
I know you can't blame all the injuries on him, but you can blame the lack of preparedness and the lack of drive and emotion of this team on him. They need to get healthy, but when this team is on the field in 2010, they need swagger, they need bravado, they need fire, they need some damn fight in this team.
Bobby V anyone?
I know it won't happen because ownership is giving the manager and GM one more year since this one was a hospital stay and not a season.
So let's get a good, healthy first baseman and a left fielder who WANT to win and maybe can be emotional leaders in the club house. Because it sure isn't going to come from the manager or the existing 'core' players.