A bullpen rant

I know, you have probably heard it before on numerous websites, blogs, etc. It may seem like beating a dead horse, but if the Twins are going to continue with the same recipe that has landed them in 3rd place and given them their current 53-54 record, then it needs to be discussed.

What has to happen for the Twins and their 'leader' Bill Smith to make a change in their bullpen? Are they actually still fooled by the early success that guys like R.A. Dickey and Bobby Keppel had in their respective seasons?

Both Dickey and Keppel had excellent months of June - they posted ERA's of 0.66 and 0.00 respectively ignoring the fact that Keppel threw just 6.1 innings in June. However, since their 'honeymoon' with the Twins, both Dickey and Keppel have been awful; absolutely awful.

In July, Dickey and Keppel posted ERA's of 7.94 and 6.75 respectively and have followed that up by posting ERA's of 8.10 and 7.36 respectively during the early portion of August. Sometimes when you dig beyond the ERA statistic, you find that a pitcher has been on the receiving end of some poor luck. However, don't even both digging into Dickey and Keppel - because the ERA tells you everything you need to know.

Just unbelievable. Again, how are these guys holding their jobs? If you were that bad at your daily job, would you still hold your position? I know there are other factors involved when it comes to professional sports, but that is no excuse.

If not for dominant seasons from Joe Nathan and Matt Guerrier along with a very good season from Jose Mijares, the numbers regarding the Twins bullpen would look much, much worse. However, for some reason both Dickey and Keppel continue to hold their jobs in the Twins bullpen - stronger than one would expect actually.

Get this - in a 4-1 ballgame in which the Twins trailed the Indians last night, Manager Ron Gardenhire opted to bring in Dickey. Why? Well, he was not going to use someone like Mijares or Guerrier that early in the game and the Twins really have no other options beyond those guys. Don't you view that as an issue?

I do - but I guess Bill Smith, Gardenhire, and rest of the decision makers do not.

I asked this on my Twitter last night, but would Anthony Slama (currently at AA) and Rob Delaney (currently at AAA) really be ANY worse than what Dickey and Keppel are giving the Twins? I mean, honestly? Could they not post the same terrible BB rates? Or K rates? Or current lack of success?

Even if those two were to struggle as often as Dickey and Keppel, which I would not see happening, would you not rather go to war with the guys who are going to be here beyond this year? Rather than two guys that should find themselves no where near the mound on what is considered a postseason 'contender?'

If you were to ask the Twins why Slama and Delaney continue to sit in the minors, they would most likely feed you the same Twins bullshit about them needing to work on their leadership, their makeup, or that they don't provide enough 'veteran presence.'

Well, that is what is wrong with this organization. That is what has been wrong with this organization, and that is the main thought process and mentality that has landed the Twins in their current spot of 3rd place behind both the Tigers and White Sox.

It is just unfortunate that that mentality is not going to change quick enough for it to have an affect on this baseball team that seemingly has a 'chance.' It is just too bad the front office has failed to give this team that 'chance.'

As for Francisco Liriano - ugh. Don't get me started.