I guess I don't understand this question. You seem to be saying Diamond needs to be on a good team to be an ace. In other words, he can't be an ace because the Twins aren't good. Is that it? So by extension Felix Hernandez is not an ace because he's on the Mariners? I don't understand why Diamond could not be an ace on the Twins. Is the implication that if Diamond were on a 'good team' he would not be the number one starter? If so, isn't that because most good teams already have an ace? Just to show you how hard this question can get--who's the ace on the Phillies? Or since the Phillies are not a good team this year, then they don't have an ace this year? I know when we think 'ace' we think of power pitchers that get a lot of strikeouts and dominate opponents--Verlander, Jered Weaver, Strasburg. So R.A. Dickey, at 15-4, more strikeouts than IP's and a 2.89 ERA is not an ace? Zach Greinke was an ace on the Brewers but now that he's on the Angels he's not? I think what we need is a consensus definition of what makes a pitcher an ace. I don't think there really is a consensus definition of an "ace." I don't think he was saying that you have to be on a good team to be an ace. I think he was referring to an ace of the staff as being the best pitcher in the rotation and that if, and when, the Twins contend again Diamond is not going to be the best starting pitcher in the rotation.