I think you are dead on right in this post about everything, especially the "we buried the last guy" attitude. I think it was a "we buried the last guy and we liked him" mentality. I think unfortunately, Pedroia failed us in this regard. He stepped to the front of the line and let the whole clubhouse know that the inmates were going to run the ship with his "we don't do things that way" remark in Spring Training. That and Cherries rebuke castrated Booby V for all intents and purposes. It became the players clubhouse, and they basically said FU to the manager. Well, they ran the team right into the ground. I love Pedey, but he really should have shut his mouth at that time. I think he was close to Tito and was going to resent any manager who did anti-Tito things and he shot off his mouth. Leaders sometimes don't realize the effect their words will have. If Albers had said it, it would not have made a difference, but Pedey said it and the words echoed loudly in the clubhouse.