I think I Dated Dumb Twins Once

[DOUGHBOYS]

Smart-

The Atlanta Braves starting quintet is now
Kris Medlen
Ben Sheets
Mike Minor
Tim Hudson
Paul Maholm

None of these pitchers can be called work horses. In fact, most have a history of injury. It's a suitable staff. A staff that seems designed to go six innings and then hand it off to their bullpen.
What is spectacular about this group is that only Mike Minor was in the Braves rotation when the season began.
Here is the Braves rotation in April-
Tommy Hanson
Brandon Beachy
Jair Jurrjens
Mike Minor
Randall Delgado

Incredible in that all these starters are still in the organization. This is without mentioning their top pitching prospect, Julio Teheran.
What does this mean?
Well first, this is another case of 'projections' being stupid. Nobody projected Mike Minor to be the last starter standing as August started for the Braves. In fantasy, we draft talent and hope. Drafting talent and 'projecting' is just fooling ourselves.
More importantly, it shows how a system can overcome injuries that wipe out a staff with a mix of a good farm system, a little creativeness, and making timely deals.
In my book, Atlanta has one of the wisest Managements in baseball.

Dumb-

There's been a lot of talk of Closers being a revolving door in fantasy this year.
It's true.
But, it is not just Closers. Almost every staff in baseball has taken a hit.
Here is the Twins starters at the beginning of the year-
Pavano
Liriano
Blackburn
Swarzak
Hendriks
Keep in mind that the Twins lost Scott Baker before the season started. Which explains Swarzak's presence. There is no excuse for Hendriks.
Twins management has deteriorated over the last couple of years. They seem lost with injuries, especially to pitchers.
Only Blackburn remains in the present rotation and he is only there because he is a warm body.
Minnesota once prided themselves on control pitchers in a big ball park. That era is gone.

You may say, 'Yeah, but the Twins are a poor small market team. What can they do?'
BUNK!
Would you be surprised to know that the Twins payroll is larger than the Braves?
It is.
Starting 2012, the Twins payroll was $94 million.
The Braves, $83 million.
Payroll comparison will be in a post later. Too often teams are given a pass because of low payroll. It's a constant in Kansas City. But while Kansas City languishes year after year, the Oakland A's with even less payroll are creative enough to make contenders of their teams some years.
And SOME years is better than NO years, right KC fans?
And it's not just the Twins or the Royals.
Rockies Management is questionable at the least, and most do not have a clue what Houston is thinking.

If owners were more 'hands on' in baseball, General Managers would not have the long shelf life that they enjoy now. While Atlanta Management busts their ass to put a good product on the field and have a contender for a pennant race, organizations like the Twins phone in the second half of the season and bemoan their misfortune.
It's not only Minnesota.
Going back to the Royals, Kansas City had a laughable pitching staff to start the season.
Now think of laughable, and then add Jeremy Guthrie.

And you know what?
It won't change.
The General Managers will stay, while Managers get fired.
Ron Gardenhire is a good manager. But even a good manager has to have something to work with. When a team is running out Blackburn, DeVries, Deduno, Diamond, and Duensing every day, they are going to get their asses kicked.
With that staff, the best a Manager can do is have his bullpen on speed dial.
Somehow though, the fault will lie with Gardenhire and Twins Management will be allowed to under perform for the next Manager as well.

If there was a 'Make a Wish' Foundation for derelict fantasy owners, my wish would be to be the GM of a team like Minnesota or Kansas City for a year.
Maybe I'd come away shaking my head over the huge challenges of the job.
I could, but at the same time a little creativeness is needed.
Starting a season with Liam Hendriks and ending it with Deduno is not creative.
It is giving up.