They said the same thing with Twilight Princess on GameCube. Nintendo says a lot of things. This was completely predictable, I called this like a year ago. 

I had no idea they had done that.

Yes. In April when they announced the 2nd delay for the game.

I know Lietendo sucks since years ago. But they keep digging further every time.

Not necessarily; one could still want to play Nintendo games, but no longer want to put up with all the baggage that comes attached.

I dont want to get too off topic but this is one of the main reasons why some people advocate for them going 3rd party (im not one of those people)

I don´t recall pre-orders for The Last Guardian at that time.But anyway... it was too long ago.

What I recall is that that game didn´t even had a website or several gameplay videos and presentations in big events as BotW had by now, showcased on the proper system, so it´s a completely different situation. At most, there were just conceptual trailers.

What it seems though, is that the Switch version will probably be delayed. Rumors are saying that Nintendo is working with a June launch for that version, at least in the U.K..

I wonder if they would do better as a third party considering their evident mismanagement.

They would still delay it if they feel like they need to. If Square is any indication (looking at you FFXV and FF in general), then you can still expect delays regardless. Every developer has delayed games. And its not like Zelda hasn't had delays before (Skyward Sword was supposed to be a 2010 title but released in 2011). It'll be about five years (2012-2017) since BoTW was in development and only four years (2013) since ALBW was released by the time BoTW releases. The first HD Zelda game that is open world. And considering how it took E3 by storm this year...I think some wouldn't mind waiting a little longer (though it was only scheduled for 2017, no month noted). Yes, they hoped for 2015 and later 2016, but things apparently changed when the Switch started getting off the ground and signs apparently were there when Iwata announced the NX back when he announced the partnership with DeNA for mobile in order to calm everyone's concerns about Nintendo potentially dropping out of making hardware. I'm just taking everything into consideration. The Wii U has been selling terribly and had little momentum built up despite the releases of great games like Smash Bros., Mario Kart 8, Mario 3D World, etc. Unfortunately, plans change.

We know the delays are for the Switch, but honestly, as a consumer, why would I have to pay for Nintendo's mistakes? If the console is failing, is it my fault?

It's Nintendo's fault I'll admit, in regards for not being able to promote their product or provide intrigue to the hardware through the features, the price, and the games (regardless how great those Wii U games are). But beyond that, what do you expect Nintendo to do at this point? They can't just stick with the Wii U for 1-2 more years as sales won't get any better and they won't be able to go anywhere in terms of their finances. They'll either barely profit or barely take a loss and have little to no momentum leading into Switch. Plus the 3DS, despite doing well are in it's life, isn't gonna last that long as Nintendo has elongated its life as much as it could with incredible games. Mobile alone isn't gonna get them back to Wii/DS-like profits they're aiming for. They needed to act now, starting exposing their IPs to new avenues and create new hardware that can intrigue audiences beyond the Wii U audience (and even that of the 3DS).

Nintendo was/is in a tough situation regardless because their home console wasn't getting any better and the 3DS isn't gonna last forever. In the end, if it works out, we can see the Switch provide a lineup that can ultimately provide the best of both worlds for those who wanted 3DS games on Wii U and a greater software library that the Wii U lacked. Unless anyone else has a better idea in dealing with Nintendo's current situation, this is the course they're taking. Big Zelda games are big titles that come every 3-5 or so years. If Wii U kept BoTW as an exclusive, then how would Switch get a Zelda game? Again, I said that this new title is HD, 3D, and open world, probably the biggest and most expensive game Nintendo has ever created.

And I'm not sure if you're really paying for their mistakes since you're probably an early adopter compared to someone like me who got the Wii U late 2015. I should be screwed though i don't feel that way because I was able to play Splatoon, be part of the hype of Smash that truly delivered, Mario Kart, Hyrule Warriors, Bayonetta 2, DKCTF, 3D World, and eventually BoTW since I already planned to play it on Wii U. I guess it depends on perspective.