01-21-2009, 10:45 AM
Random thoughts
-Brock, the idea that a system which has recently produced Zambrano, Gallagher, Nolasco, Marshall, Soto, Theriot, and for that matter, Juan Cruz, Weurtz, Ohman, plus the pieces to get Lee, Pierre and Ramirez, factoring in injuries to guys like Prior, Brownlie etc, in addition to whomever I am forgetting, is some sort of train wreck, is ludicrous. I'm not sure how many guys you think a farm system should be churning out every year, but the Cubs are doing well. Are they as good as the Braves were in their heyday? No, but they are in the upper half.
-Pie is 23 years old. Ryan Howard was in A ball when he was 23. Jack Cust hit .169 when he was 23, and wouldn't be a full time player for another FIVE years. I have no idea if he will ever turn out to be anything, and the odds are against him being a superstar but the idea that we can write him off now as a failed prospect is just silly.
-The fact that Corey Patterson failed as a Cubs prospect has NO bearing on what future Cub prospects will do. Therefore every Cub prospect who doesn't light the world on fire the moment he gets to the majors should not be automatically compared to Corey Patterson. Just as anyone before 2001 shouldn't have been compared to Gary Scott. Prospects flame out all the time.
-Brock, the idea that a system which has recently produced Zambrano, Gallagher, Nolasco, Marshall, Soto, Theriot, and for that matter, Juan Cruz, Weurtz, Ohman, plus the pieces to get Lee, Pierre and Ramirez, factoring in injuries to guys like Prior, Brownlie etc, in addition to whomever I am forgetting, is some sort of train wreck, is ludicrous. I'm not sure how many guys you think a farm system should be churning out every year, but the Cubs are doing well. Are they as good as the Braves were in their heyday? No, but they are in the upper half.
-Pie is 23 years old. Ryan Howard was in A ball when he was 23. Jack Cust hit .169 when he was 23, and wouldn't be a full time player for another FIVE years. I have no idea if he will ever turn out to be anything, and the odds are against him being a superstar but the idea that we can write him off now as a failed prospect is just silly.
-The fact that Corey Patterson failed as a Cubs prospect has NO bearing on what future Cub prospects will do. Therefore every Cub prospect who doesn't light the world on fire the moment he gets to the majors should not be automatically compared to Corey Patterson. Just as anyone before 2001 shouldn't have been compared to Gary Scott. Prospects flame out all the time.
I wish that I believed in Fate. I wish I didn't sleep so late. I used to be carried in the arms of cheerleaders.