To me, the failure of the "suits" was most evident in the Baltimore trade at the deadline. Four pitching prospects traded for one All Star reliever. We were supposed to make a run, which never happened. We faded.
Baltimore meanwhile made a run of sorts, and finished above .500 without Perez, and brought in a bolus of young talent late in the year.
I don't blame the trade. I just think it points out flawed thinking. They lost sight of the long term goal.
(And I thought so at the time. This is not hindsight.)