The roster construction issues have been debated plenty, but I thought it was interesting that you called out a lack of urgency. To me, running into all those outs is a sign that the team is playing with too much urgency, rather than not enough. I got the same impression watching Bogaerts and Devers exhibit frustration on the field. I'm not in the locker room, but I can imagine why Cora feels like the best move with this team is to try to keep everybody's blood pressure relatively low. That's especially true if you're right and players are feeling discouraged because Bloom didn't trade for Anthony Rizzo or Max Scherzer, which I assume are the "urgent" moves you wish they'd made?
I believe Smiling Joe was saying the
organization was operating with a lack of urgency, rather than the players.
And I agree. I think the lack of urgency, along with some other points Romine and other folks have made, point to what I see as the Bloom/Cora era being one that maybe overvalues the long view. Almost fetishizes it. Yes, yes, in this game you gotta have the long view in mind, both within a season and from season to season. But there come moments you gotta act, make some bold and decisive moves, and hit the gas. The FO/Bloom had a moment here to act decisively, and didn't, given how they handled Sale's rehab, Houck, the deadline, and bench ...
I think the decisions in this period of the season indeed lacked urgency, creativity, a willingness to adapt, and a willingness to be bold. Very very cautious and this might be who Bloom is (we all pine for Theo, who seemed to have the ideal balance as a GM, but alas, nobody's perfect!) ... we'll see I guess, eventually.
Meanwhile - tangentially - it's possible for the players to play with both urgency and relaxation. That might seem like an oxymoron, but I think it's the "dialectical" state of all high level performance (I am in the performance biz FWIW, maybe not much). Overly energized or pushing and yes, you can force things, get tight. Overly relaxed or casual, and you can get sloppy, unfocused. Ideally, the players are playing with an energized relaxation, loose but driven and super concentrated.
EDIT: Sale himself said in interview after his start Saturday in Worcester that he was ready after his previous start and could have thrown the game he threw at Worcester for Boston.