‘But there will be a step backward in 2018 before any steps forward are taken in 2019 and beyond, and that’s just reality. And in a read-between-the-lines sort of way, Beane did acknowledge that before training camp when he said, “This is a new year, but hopefully fans understand or believe in what we’re doing here as a group … that we have it (headed) in the right direction, but we have not arrived, by any means.”’