I really do not think he's doing a bad job contractwise. The big issue is that we are a having a much more aggressive mindset from top to bottom now. A much more high risk, high reward style of management vs conservative in the Fisherera and batshit crazy era of 200-2010.
Demoff has front loaded contracts which I agree with. It allows to cut as the player gets older and not be penalized with dead money or play to the value, as they age and production falls.
We stubbed our toe on Cooks\ Gurley not being able physically to play out their contracts. This was not a error in talent or value at the time.
If you criticize, I think you also have to hold Woods, Nickel-Robie, Hill, and it would seem Higbee ( though I blanched at the numbers initially) as examples of contracts that are great values and the players are currently out playing the contract.
I see Demoff as the guy getting the directive by McSnead as, we want this player and value him in our system at this much $ and then he makes it work.
We have become much more aggressive in acquiring talent in trading and contracts, which I think is fantastic vs our head in the sand we were in for so long. I do think the margin for error is much smaller with this mindset however. In this I would see more blame in McSnead, whom I am a big fan of, in the aggressive mindset vs Demoff in writing\ adjusting contracts.
We are in a bit of a tough spot now, but I can why we did it, what the risk was and the direction we are going. I think we will learn from this big time and still have a bunch confidence in our FO and am looking forward to more of this aggressive mindset and where it will lead us.