What were the solid deadline deals Ryan made? Stewart- anyone else? Getting Pavano, Cabrera, Rauch, Fuentes, even Capps was Bill Smith. Ryan would more likely ship off major league players like Lawton and Redman and not improve the team at all.
Their years of futility are made acceptable by their years of going all in. The Twins have similar years of futility and bring in Sam Dyson and Sergio Romo.