I would say starting him this year after how he played the last two years, which I am fine doing, qualifies as patience.
With that said the team needs to be responsible. He has had the whole offseason to get healthy, this is year three, and we now have a suitable alternative at the position. If Neal goes in in the first couple of weeks and is once again awful right from the jump, and it is clearly hurting the team, I would not continue to cling to him in that role much beyond that. I'd give Eleumenor a shot. My best guess is that that is the current plan.
With that said the team needs to be responsible. He has had the whole offseason to get healthy, this is year three, and we now have a suitable alternative at the position. If Neal goes in in the first couple of weeks and is once again awful right from the jump, and it is clearly hurting the team, I would not continue to cling to him in that role much beyond that. I'd give Eleumenor a shot. My best guess is that that is the current plan.