Forget Derek Shelton. Forget whatever perceived bullpen mismanagement you think there is (although that stuff strikes me most of the time as Monday morning quarterbacking). Forget griping about late game pinch hitting decisions. Forget about the hitting coach who has gotten zero results anywhere he’s gone. Forget about the bullpen implosions. Forget about every conceivable individual cause for any of the losses on the now nine-game losing streak that has sent this Pittsburgh Pirates team plummeting into last place in the NL Central.
That doesn’t mean ignoring all of those issues, it means taking a step back and a deep breath and accepting the big picture reality that this roster is not good enough.