I think fans should be much higher on this system than the rankings of aggregate talent in the minors suggest.
1. The system has proven that it can produce, whether that is mlb talent (PCA, Shaw, Rameriez, etc.) or in generating MLB talent through trades (Mathis for Peterson . . . nice)
2. The system is acquiring talent in a multitude of ways: first round picks are on target, later round picks are developing, IFAs can be found both in the majors and at every level, and even minor league free agents (e.g. Beck) are bringing value
3. This trade period / over the winter at least, the Cubs were willing to part with talent before it atrophied (Long, Ballesteros, Casey, etc.), and got value before it disappeared
4. Development is happening . . . talent gets better once it's in the system. It's hard to look at Cabrera, Rameriez, Ayers, etc. and think that this is all just 'normal maturation'
