A few short weeks ago, fans and media were rightfully wondering whether Rocco Baldelli‘s job might be in danger as the Twins dug deeper into an early-season hole, following last year’s second-half collapse. That notion’s been quelled by a 12-game winning streak that has Minnesota back to five games above .500 and firmly in the American League contention mix.

Ironically, the epic run from Baldelli’s squad played a direct role in the dismissal of a different manager: Brandon Hyde of the Orioles, against whom half of Minnesota’s wins during the streak were recorded. On Saturday Baltimore announced that they’ve relieved Hyde of managerial duties, replacing him with third base coach Tony Mansolino in the interim.

 

The Orioles are in last place in the AL East with a 15-28 record. The Twins looked like the clearly superior team while going 6-0 against them in an 11-day span this month, outscoring the O’s by 23 runs. As Minnesota rose, Baltimore fell, and now their skipper is the one to take the fall, after guiding his team to the playoffs in each of the past two seasons.

It was true with Baldelli and the Twins, and it’s true with Hyde and the Orioles: the manager is not the primary issue at play. The desire for a shakeup is understandable, but the Baltimore Orioles are plagued by deeper problems that are in large part self-inflicted by the organization’s leadership and its shortcomings.

There is one glaring point of distinction between these two ships passing in the night: Pitching.

The Orioles can’t stop losing for the same reason the Twins can’t stop winning. Baltimore’s team ERA ranks dead last in the American League at 5.31. Minnesota, by contrast, is second at 3.23. When your arms are giving you that kind of advantage — or disadvantage — the manager’s job becomes almost irrelevant.

Twins fans have had plenty of valid gripes over the past couple years, most notably the front office’s decision to scale back payroll after a playoff breakthrough. But they can’t hold a candle to what the Orioles have put their fanbase through. After forcing fans to endure years of non-competitive rebuilding, Baltimore finally emerged with a fun, talented young core … and then failed to follow through with the investments needed to take the next step.

Most notably, they couldn’t retain Corbin Burnes — one of the few high-end pitchers they had managed to acquire — allowing the four-time All-Star and former Cy Young winner to walk in free agency. Burnes is now excelling in Arizona while the Orioles scramble to field competent starters.

 

But Baltimore’s problems go beyond money. The Twins aren’t dominating opponents because they outspent anyone; they’re dominating because of development. Under Derek Falvey, Minnesota has built a pitching pipeline that consistently turns mid-round picks and overlooked arms into legitimate contributors. They’re identifying talent, nurturing it, and maximizing its value. It’s the difference between a flash-in-the-pan contender and a team with staying power.

Case in point: Danny Coulombe. The Orioles had him in-house, but declined to activate a modest contract option this past offseason. Minnesota scooped him up, and Coulombe has returned to their bullpen as a key force with a zero runs allowed in 19 appearances and an MLB-leading 1.19 FIP, helping anchor one of the league’s most overpowering relief groups. Meanwhile, Baltimore’s bullpen is a mess, and one of their better lefty options is thriving elsewhere, on a team that’s now beaten them six times in a row.

 

Twins fans have every right to be irritated in many regards with the state of their favorite franchise. But we just saw firsthand how much worse it can be. If you can pitch, you’re going to have a chance. Right now, the Twins have arms in abundance, and a front office that’s showing it knows how to keep them coming.

Falvey may not be perfect, but he’s doing the main thing he was asked to do when the Twins hire him. Rocco Baldelli is enjoying the benefits. Brandon Hyde, not so much.