State of the Farm System

[soonercub]

I saw an article on Espn that featured a look at the system. If anyone can post some info on this article or any others you can find. Thanks

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/news/story?id=5454462&addata=2009_insdr_mod_mlb_xxx_xxx&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fmlb%2finsider%2fnews%2fstory%3fid%3d5454462%26addata%3d2009_insdr_mod_mlb_xxx_xxx

[jersey cubs fan]

The bad news here is that the team is still more than a year away from being able to begin a true rebuilding process; the only big contract coming off the books this winter is Derrek Lee.

 

While shortstop Starlin Castro and righty Andrew Cashner have given the club a minor glimpse of the future, the problem is runs scored (the Cubs are currently 12th in the NL there). Josh Vitters hasn't lived up to expectations, so Brett Jackson is the only guy in the system who can seemingly contribute offensively in the next couple of years.

 

There's better news on the pitching level -- but much of that goes to the Cubs' hopefully making the decision to return Cashner to the rotation.

 

Mentions Jay and Jeff, that's it.

[soonercub]

Thanks Jersey!

[Illini Iceman]

The bad news here is that the team is still more than a year away from being able to begin a true rebuilding process; the only big contract coming off the books this winter is Derrek Lee.

 

While shortstop Starlin Castro and righty Andrew Cashner have given the club a minor glimpse of the future, the problem is runs scored (the Cubs are currently 12th in the NL there). Josh Vitters hasn't lived up to expectations, so Brett Jackson is the only guy in the system who can seemingly contribute offensively in the next couple of years.

 

There's better news on the pitching level -- but much of that goes to the Cubs' hopefully making the decision to return Cashner to the rotation.

 

Mentions Jay and Jeff, that's it.

 

Lilly isn't a big contract coming off the books?

[jersey cubs fan]

The bad news here is that the team is still more than a year away from being able to begin a true rebuilding process; the only big contract coming off the books this winter is Derrek Lee.

 

While shortstop Starlin Castro and righty Andrew Cashner have given the club a minor glimpse of the future, the problem is runs scored (the Cubs are currently 12th in the NL there). Josh Vitters hasn't lived up to expectations, so Brett Jackson is the only guy in the system who can seemingly contribute offensively in the next couple of years.

 

There's better news on the pitching level -- but much of that goes to the Cubs' hopefully making the decision to return Cashner to the rotation.

 

Mentions Jay and Jeff, that's it.

 

Lilly isn't a big contract coming off the books?

 

He's not on the team. And he might be resigned.

 

But the point is it's not really a state of the farm system, it is very light on info.

[davell]

I have done some recent scouring of other teams systems and allowing for who's graduated and who's been drafted to their systems, this is what I've come up with, as far as where we'll most likely rank at the end of this year......

 

 

Teams definitely ahead of us(no order)

 

Tampa, Philly, Boston, Seattle, Atlanta, KC, LAA, Toronto, Yankees

 

Teams on our level that we may or may not wind up higher than

 

San Fran, Texas, Cleveland, Minnesota, Colorado, Oakland, Milwaukee, Cincy, LADODGERS, Nats

 

To me, the following teams are CLEARLY below us at this point......

 

Houston, Cards, DBacks, Detroit, Mets, Pads, White Sox, Pirates, Orioles, Florida

 

 

 

When all is said and done, I figure we'll wind up somewhere in the 13-17 range next year most likely......

[jersey cubs fan]

I have done some recent scouring of other teams systems and allowing for who's graduated and who's been drafted to their systems, this is what I've come up with, as far as where we'll most likely rank at the end of this year......

 

 

Teams definitely ahead of us(no order)

 

Tampa, Philly, Boston, Seattle, Atlanta, KC, LAA, Toronto, Yankees

 

Teams on our level that we may or may not wind up higher than

 

San Fran, Texas, Cleveland, Minnesota, Colorado, Oakland, Milwaukee, Cincy, LADODGERS, Nats

 

To me, the following teams are CLEARLY below us at this point......

 

Houston, Cards, DBacks, Detroit, Mets, Pads, White Sox, Pirates, Orioles, Florida

 

 

 

When all is said and done, I figure we'll wind up somewhere in the 13-17 range next year most likely......

 

 

Ahhhh, the sweet smell of average.

[sweetpeteman]

I have done some recent scouring of other teams systems and allowing for who's graduated and who's been drafted to their systems, this is what I've come up with, as far as where we'll most likely rank at the end of this year......

 

 

Teams definitely ahead of us(no order)

 

Tampa, Philly, Boston, Seattle, Atlanta, KC, LAA, Toronto, Yankees

 

Teams on our level that we may or may not wind up higher than

 

San Fran, Texas, Cleveland, Minnesota, Colorado, Oakland, Milwaukee, Cincy, LADODGERS, Nats

 

To me, the following teams are CLEARLY below us at this point......

 

Houston, Cards, DBacks, Detroit, Mets, Pads, White Sox, Pirates, Orioles, Florida

 

 

 

When all is said and done, I figure we'll wind up somewhere in the 13-17 range next year most likely......

 

 

Ahhhh, the sweet smell of average.

 

 

Smells better then the crap that was the system in the past.

 

 

 

Also, I hate these types of articles. It's clear that the writer didn't really look into the system at all and only perused a couple of old articles about the system. I wouldn't trust this article for any info or opinion on the Cubs system or any others.

[SouthSideRyan]

I think it's pretty impressive to graduate your top 2 prospects, and another top 10 and still be middle of the pack

[jersey cubs fan]

Smells better then the crap that was the system in the past.

 

It's not all that long ago that the system was very highly regarded.

[sweetpeteman]

Smells better then the crap that was the system in the past.

 

It's not all that long ago that the system was very highly regarded.

 

 

I would consider almost a decade ago to be a very long time in baseball.

[jersey cubs fan]

Smells better then the crap that was the system in the past.

 

It's not all that long ago that the system was very highly regarded.

 

 

I would consider almost a decade ago to be a very long time in baseball.

 

Okay then. So to you, "in the past" means 5-8 years ago?

[sweetpeteman]

Smells better then the crap that was the system in the past.

 

It's not all that long ago that the system was very highly regarded.

 

 

I would consider almost a decade ago to be a very long time in baseball.

 

Okay then. So to you, "in the past" means 5-8 years ago?

 

No. I consider it the future.

[davell]

I think it's pretty impressive to graduate your top 2 prospects, and another top 10 and still be middle of the pack

 

 

Yeah, that's where I'm at too. I like to see improvement from year to year and since Wilken has taken over, I've seen that for sure. We've got the ability to make trades for pretty much anyone that comes available at least, which is better than it had been recently.

 

If I was going to nitpick, I'd like to see a few more power arms and maybe some bats with plus power upside. But, the system is solid and in my opinion, it's very deep too. While we don't have top 10 talent at the moment, we've got anywhere from 4-6 top 100ish guys with a few more top 200ish. Granted, theres a pretty steep dropoff from the 8-10 area, but outside of there, we've got 35-40 more guys that would have made our top 30 a few years ago in all likelihood, which is pretty impressive to me at least.......

[Benchwarmer]

I strongly disagree that our farm system is good. It's mediocre. Hendry can not evaluate talent and that translates into the type of players we seem to always draft. Power pitchers who don't have control. Smaller players with no power and no speed. College players from LSU, Notre Dame, etc..that were picked by us because Hendry is friends with their coach.

 

Give me some power hitters, draft pitchers not just hard throwers and players that know the fundamentals.

[toonsterwu]

Hendry hasn't been in charge of the farm system in awhile, and Tim Wilken is clearly in charge of it. Wilken's philosophy has been to draft athletic, up the middle players. There is actually somewhat a lack of power arms in the system, relative to other organizations.

 

Before Wilken, it was Stockstill. Sure, Hendry has had influence, but you'd have to go quite a bit back to get to when Hendry was last in charge of the system.

 

The farm system isn't great, but it is clearly better than it was in the middle part of the decade under Stockstill.

[Guest]

Hendry hasn't been in charge of the farm system in awhile, and Tim Wilken is clearly in charge of it. Wilken's philosophy has been to draft athletic, up the middle players. There is actually somewhat a lack of power arms in the system, relative to other organizations.

 

Before Wilken, it was Stockstill. Sure, Hendry has had influence, but you'd have to go quite a bit back to get to when Hendry was last in charge of the system.

 

The farm system isn't great, but it is clearly better than it was in the middle part of the decade under Stockstill.

Plus, when Hendry was last in direct control of the farm system we had the #1 farm system in baseball.

[mike2482]

Hendry hasn't been in charge of the farm system in awhile, and Tim Wilken is clearly in charge of it. Wilken's philosophy has been to draft athletic, up the middle players. There is actually somewhat a lack of power arms in the system, relative to other organizations.

 

Before Wilken, it was Stockstill. Sure, Hendry has had influence, but you'd have to go quite a bit back to get to when Hendry was last in charge of the system.

 

The farm system isn't great, but it is clearly better than it was in the middle part of the decade under Stockstill.

Plus, when Hendry was last in direct control of the farm system we had the #1 farm system in baseball.

 

I haven't been following the farm team that long. But were there any players from Hendry's farm that had some pretty good years in the majors.

[Guest]

Hendry hasn't been in charge of the farm system in awhile, and Tim Wilken is clearly in charge of it. Wilken's philosophy has been to draft athletic, up the middle players. There is actually somewhat a lack of power arms in the system, relative to other organizations.

 

Before Wilken, it was Stockstill. Sure, Hendry has had influence, but you'd have to go quite a bit back to get to when Hendry was last in charge of the system.

 

The farm system isn't great, but it is clearly better than it was in the middle part of the decade under Stockstill.

Plus, when Hendry was last in direct control of the farm system we had the #1 farm system in baseball.

 

I haven't been following the farm team that long. But were there any players from Hendry's farm that had some pretty good years in the majors.

 

From that #1 class, Prior and Z.

[Guest]

Hendry hasn't been in charge of the farm system in awhile, and Tim Wilken is clearly in charge of it. Wilken's philosophy has been to draft athletic, up the middle players. There is actually somewhat a lack of power arms in the system, relative to other organizations.

 

Before Wilken, it was Stockstill. Sure, Hendry has had influence, but you'd have to go quite a bit back to get to when Hendry was last in charge of the system.

 

The farm system isn't great, but it is clearly better than it was in the middle part of the decade under Stockstill.

Plus, when Hendry was last in direct control of the farm system we had the #1 farm system in baseball.

 

I haven't been following the farm team that long. But were there any players from Hendry's farm that had some pretty good years in the majors.

 

From that #1 class, Prior and Z.

And Choi who got us Lee. And Bobby Hill who got us Aramis. And Juan Cruz, who has had a solid, though not spectacular mlb career.

[sweetpeteman]

Hendry hasn't been in charge of the farm system in awhile, and Tim Wilken is clearly in charge of it. Wilken's philosophy has been to draft athletic, up the middle players. There is actually somewhat a lack of power arms in the system, relative to other organizations.

 

Before Wilken, it was Stockstill. Sure, Hendry has had influence, but you'd have to go quite a bit back to get to when Hendry was last in charge of the system.

 

The farm system isn't great, but it is clearly better than it was in the middle part of the decade under Stockstill.

Plus, when Hendry was last in direct control of the farm system we had the #1 farm system in baseball.

 

I haven't been following the farm team that long. But were there any players from Hendry's farm that had some pretty good years in the majors.

 

From that #1 class, Prior and Z.

And Choi who got us Lee. And Bobby Hill who got us Aramis. And Juan Cruz, who has had a solid, though not spectacular mlb career.

 

 

Was Beltran and Jones (who got us Nomah) from his system or after?

[CubsWin]

Plus, when Hendry was last in direct control of the farm system we had the #1 farm system in baseball.

 

I haven't been following the farm team that long. But were there any players from Hendry's farm that had some pretty good years in the majors.

 

From that #1 class, Prior and Z.

And Choi who got us Lee. And Bobby Hill who got us Aramis. And Juan Cruz, who has had a solid, though not spectacular mlb career.

 

 

Was Beltran and Jones (who got us Nomah) from his system or after?

Don't forget Brendan Harris. Yes, both Justin Jones and Brendan Harris were Hendry draft picks. Beltran was signed as a free agent in '96, also under Hendry.

[sneakypower]

Beltran was one of my biggest disappointments, i had visions of him closing for awhile

 

that "splitter from hell"