John Manuel of Baseball America, posted the latest ranking of MLB’s farm systems on SI.com. Baseball America ranks the 30 MLB farm systems twice a year — in the spring, as the minor league season is about to start, and again every December.
In the latest rankings, the Texas Rangers have the best overall farm system and the Houston Astros finished last.
I’m more concerned about the National League East where the Philadelphia Phillies ranked #4, the Atlanta Braves ranked #6, the Florida Marlins ranked #8, the New York Mets ranked #20, and the Washington Nationals ranked #26.
Regarding the Mets he blurbs,
Solid top 10, but the Mets don’t have anyone likely to help in New York in 2010.
Regarding the Phillies he writes,
Philadelphia had the depth to trade for Cliff Lee and still have a top-flight farm system. Outfielder Michael Taylor has hit .333 over the last two seasons, rocketing to Triple-A, and fellow outfielder Dominic Brown has better tools, though he’s still a bit raw. Righty Kyle Drabek, son of the former Cy Young Award winner Doug Drabek, has three above-average pitches to go with excellent athletic ability. Beyond their Big Three — all of whom have performed at Double-A or above — the Phillies are bursting with young power arms, toolsy Latin American infielders and athletic outfielders, such as Anthony Gose.
It’s a very interesting read and I encourage you to read the full article at SI.com or if you have a Baseball America subscription you can read it there and leave him comments.
Off topic, but speaking of Sports Illustrated, what did you think of Derek Jeter being named Sportsman of the Year?
*Mets Merized Online Needs Your Help*
Two guys I’ve admired over the past half dozen years are Derek Jeter and Tiger Woods. One shoe has dropped. Has Jeter been squeaky clean or is another shoe going to drop?
DES, I DON’T THINK JETER IS AS VULNERABLE BEING THAT HE’S SINGLE IN A FAIRLY PERMISSIVE SOCIETY & I DO BELIEVE HE’S ‘CLEAN’ REGARDING CHEMICAL ENHANCEMENT. SO, BESIDES FROM THE OLD PROVERB REGARDING SPORTSMEN SHOULD STAY SINGLE, YOU’D STILL HAVE 2 IDOLS HAD TIGER NOT BEEN HUMAN & STUPID. EVEN IF JETER SHOULD BE DISCOVERED TO HAVE FATHERED A SM VILLAGE, HE WOULDN’T BE AS HARMED AS LONG AS THEY ALL RECEIVE SUPPORT $. EVEN DR.Js PROGENY’S TENNIS EXPRTISE REMINDING EVERYONE DIDN’T FOUL HIS IMAGE TO TIGER’S EXTENT.
CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
DOES THIS SUPRISE ANYONE, NEITHER PHILLY NOR ATLANTA HAS SIGNED A TYPE-A IN SOME TIME AND THEY HOARD THEIR DRAFT PICKS WHILE CONTROLING PAYROLL SIMULTANEOUSLY. FOR 2009 THEIR RESPECTIVE PAYROLLS WERE 127.9M IN PHL & 97.7 IN ATL. BOTH HAVE GONE ON RECORD PREFERRING NOT TO INCREASE THOSE NUMBERS FOR ‘10 & ATLANTA IS PRESENTLY SHOPPING A SP(LOWE OR VAZQUEZ) TO REDUCE COSTS.
IMAGINE TAKING THEIR ROUTES IF THEY SHARED A CITY WITH A BIG SPENDING PERENIAL CONTENDER? THE NYM ORIGINALLY ATTEMPTED TO FOLLOW THAT SAME PATH; BUT FANS HOUNDED THEM INTO THE F/A MKTPLACE FIRST BIDDING Vs NYY OVER WINFIELD & THEN SECURING FOSTER. THAT SLIPPERY SLOPE LED THEM INTO THEIR PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCE.
COMBINED WITH FRED’S DECISION TO ADERE TO THE COMMISSIONER’S GUIDELINES PERTAINING TO DRAT BONUSES. THE TALENT LEVEL WITHIN OUR SYSTEM WAS DECIMATED. PHILLIPS’ POLICY OF CONCENTRATING ON DRAFTING PITCHERS OVER POSITIONERS WAS DERAILED ONCE PETERSON WAS APPOINTED PITCHING CZAR AS MOST DID NOT FIT INTO HIS PROGRAM, LEADING HIM TO PUSH FOR THEIR REMOVAL VIA TRADES…BELL,LINSTRUM,KAZMIR,ETC..
I OFFER NO EXCUSES; BUT AM TRYING TO EXPLAIN HOW THIS SITUATION OCCURRED OR WAS BLUNDERED INTO. IT’S MOST IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT PRESENTLY THERE ARE 2 CORE MEMBERS FROM OUR SYSTEM AS WELL AS PAGAN, FELICIANO, FIGUEROA & PELFREY AS ORIG MET SYSTEM GRADUATES. IN 2004, WHEN OMAR WAS HIRED THE CUPBOARD WAS BARREN WITH ONLY ONE “TOP” PROSPECT IN THE SYSTEM(MILLEDGE) AND A MAJOR LEAGUE ROSTER FINISHING WITH A FOURTH PLACE RECORD. BUILDING BOTH TOP & BOTTOM SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE MAINTAINING PAYROLL UNDER LUXURY LIMIT, ADHERING TO DRAFT GUIDELINES IS AN IMPOSSIBLE UNDERTAKING. GUIDELINES PRECLUDES THEM FROM CHOOSING FIRST ROUND HIGH-BONUS DEMAND TALENTS PREVIOUSLY PASSED OVER, IN SUBSEQUENT ROUNDS AS BOTH BOSTON & NYY HAVE DONE. DUE TO ‘CRAP’
ON THE ROSTER IN ‘04, OUR DEPARTING F/A DIDN’T WARRANT HIGH DRAFT COMPENSATION WITH TOO FEW EXCEPTIONS. WE ALSO DECIMATED OUR ROSTER OF VETS UNDER DUQUETTE WHILE OBTAINING TOO FEW PROSPECTS SINCE JEFF REFUSED TO OFFER CONTRACT ASSISTANCE CASH AS A MEANS TO IMPROVE TALENT REC’D.
ALL OF THIS INCOMPETANCY TOOK YEARS OF ACCUMULATED BAD JUDGEMENTS & POOR DECISIONS DATING BACK TO 2001 IN MY ESTIMATION.
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