The BP First Take: Tuesday, December 15 by Daniel Rathman

All general managers have strengths and weaknesses, some of which are easier to observe than others. When it comes to the Diamondbacks’ Kevin Towers, the ability to construct a solid bullpen without breaking the bank is clearly the feather in his cap. Towers first worked that magic during his 15-year tenure with the Padres, before bringing it with him to Arizona in September 2010. Last offseason—while the Tigers and Yankees were busy dishing out expensive, three-year deals to Joaquin Benoit and Rafael Soriano—Towers bolstered the Diamondbacks’ pen with three low-cost moves. J.J. Putz inked a two-year, $10 million hitch with Arizona, and outperformed both Benoit and Soriano with a 1.1 WARP effort as the closer. David Hernandez, acquired from the Orioles in the Mark Reynolds deal, posted a 2.91 FIP as span<span data-scayt_word="Putz