06-15-2009, 12:56 PM
Rok, I'm not convinced consistency is possible unless our minor league system produces quality players on a frequent basis. Especially with the future financial commitments of the team. I hope Ricketts places a large emphasis on scouting. I think the obvious model to look at would be the Red Sox. They developed some top talent the last several years. In some cases they traded it to obtain top talent (Hanley) and in others they've developed them into great players (Youkilis, Ellsbury, Pedroia, Lester, Papelbon) They have a large payroll and a significant amount of home grown talent.