01-21-2009, 02:45 PM
<!--quoteo(post=12736:date=Jan 21 2009, 08:45 AM:name=BT)-->QUOTE (BT @ Jan 21 2009, 08:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->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.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The pitching side of our system has admittedly approved the past few seasons, but what about position players? I don't see too many of those on your list and I'd ask for you to go back before Soto and give me some names if I thought such a task was possible.
Regarding Pie, I'm not writing him off completely and calling him a failed prospect overall, just a failure as a Cub, and since we didn't get anything for him (barring a Peavy deal including Olson - why San Diego would want him is puzzling to me) a failure of Hendry and the organization.
-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.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The pitching side of our system has admittedly approved the past few seasons, but what about position players? I don't see too many of those on your list and I'd ask for you to go back before Soto and give me some names if I thought such a task was possible.
Regarding Pie, I'm not writing him off completely and calling him a failed prospect overall, just a failure as a Cub, and since we didn't get anything for him (barring a Peavy deal including Olson - why San Diego would want him is puzzling to me) a failure of Hendry and the organization.