Best Young Team in Baseball

[hiaspire]

Originally Posted by bedir than average

I just caution as to the idea that a 2010 projected lineup.

That's certainly understandable, and a wise caution. That's just the list they put out and it makes it easier to examine everyone's possible development future at a glance when trying to eye-ball where the Rox might compare to others a couple of seasons from now. Have someone write up their projected 2008 or 2009 list for all teams and we can compare how the Rox fall within that closer timeframe.

If you also did a much shorter projection it would likely be more accurate, but you probably couldn't consider some team's best young prospects because that wouldn't be their timetable to make a MLB impact just yet either.

Whether or not some first round hot shot in a rookie league truly becomes an ace or not in 2010, he's still a strong asset for that franchise to mention as we compare us to them. Maybe he really doesn't make it into the 2010 lineup as projected, but he still figures to be a key figure in their development plans and have significant value even as a highly rated prospect for trade discussions. So such players arguably should still be considered strongly when looking at development comparisons across the league. Development and the stockpile of young talent is the key I'm trying to look at around the league, since that is what the Rox are trying to accomplish.

[BigRapidsJackass]

I just caution as to the idea that a 2010 projected lineup. Look back four years at their projected lineups for 2007 and look at the change from projected to reality. I'm wondering what percentage of guys are actually starting, who is still with that organization, who was moved for any value, who is even still in baseball.

You mean Isringhausen, Pulsipher, and Wilson didn't carry the Mets to 3 consecutive World Series championships from 2002-2004?

You mean there's an outside chance that Morales-Jimenez-Hirsh-Reynolds won't actually be the next Palmer-McNally-Cuellar-Dobson?

C'mon, it's spring, you gotta believe!

[hiaspire]

Originally Posted by BigRapidsJackass

You mean there's an outside chance that Morales-Jimenez-Hirsh-Reynolds won't actually be the next Palmer-McNally-Cuellar-Dobson?

All joking aside (I'm a laugh riot, really)...

About that point... It hasn't been addressed much specifically (other than trade rumors or suggestions probably), but when we look at projecting the Rockies in a couple of years to see if they are going to have a shot to accomplish what they hope, perhaps they would be better off trading MORE of these young guys away because of that uncertainty compared to their VALUE on the trade market.

Most non-Fanhome fans were quite upset about Jennings being dealt because of the message it sent about us being nothing more than a farm system for the real teams out there who can pay players. But maybe more should go if they really aren't going to get where they say they want to be in a couple of seasons and they are worth so much to other teams.

If you have top young talent - as the Rox surely do by most accounts - then you need to either convert that into real MLB success by turning those guys into successful big leaguers, or convert them into proven players via trades. Anything less is under-utilizing your valuable assets and not getting your money's worth from them. Jose Ortiz has a ton of value one day, but none the next. Timing is everything.

Maybe there is something to be said about trading away the Jennings and Hollidays and whoever else until you are fortunate in one of those deals to land yourself a prospect who turns himself into a true superstar to save the day. Even the cummulative effect of several Jennings for better young talent deals could really add up to something more than they think they have.

It looks good possibly on paper, but certainly not to most fans sitting in the stands and being told to wait even longer.

I can agree with the plentiful praise about our powerful farm system, but when you take a look at what kind of impact it might make within critical areas on the diamond in comparison to other teams and how they are building also, I'm not sure it is going to amount to as much as the overwhelming praise would seem to indicate.

[Roxpert]

I agree we should be trading some of our quantity at positions of depth for QUALITY at postions of weakness. I would have liked us trading Stewart and a low level pitchers (Deduno?) for a top young CFer, for example.

DOD has shown one real weakness.....holding onto young players so long that he ends up not getting much when he trades them (Shealy, Cust, Uribe, etc.).

[indianadrew]

Originally Posted by hiaspire

It seems to me there is more reason for optimism on the field than there has been in a very long time here. Not talking about ownership or GMs or managers (where there never seems to be any positive - and justifiably so I would argue in most cases with all the losing), but what actually happens when the ball is put in play and athletes make plays. That other stuff doesn't matter as much on the field in those critical moments of actual baseball, nor in this thread as intended (though I doubt we can keep it out unfortunately but let's try).

I think the Rockies would be in the top handful of teams (if not the very top spot) in most categories for best up-and-coming young talent. Who will have the most impact rookies and young players who are still before their prime? What organizations have done the best job of developing critical pieces to their improvement puzzles and put themselves into the strongest positions down the line?

I'm not talking about the year 2020, but it doesn't have to all come together this season completely either. Who has the best young talent to make a huge difference starting this year and the next couple years beyond that as we look forward? More credit goes toward actual displays of that potential more so than just projectable promise that may or may not materialize, and I think the Rockies grade out well there by having given a lot of young players a chance to prove themselves already.

BEST YOUNG UP-AND-COMING LINEUP FROM TOP TO BOTTOM
High percentage of 20-something bats powering your lineup

BEST YOUNG 3/4/5 RUN-PRODUCING MEAT OF THE ORDER

BEST AT GETTING YOUNG RUNNERS ON BASE TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES

BEST YOUNG INFIELD OVERALL

BEST YOUNG OUTFIELD OVERALL

BEST YOUNG ROTATION DEPTH

BEST YOUNG TOP OF THE ROTATION

BEST YOUNG BULLPEN

BEST YOUNG FUNDAMENTALS

BEST YOUNG PROFESSIONALISM AND COMPETITIVE MAKEUP

I have some thoughts on that to expand upon below. Looking at some of the projected lineups for 2010 from BA there are certainly will be some good young teams out there, but the Rockies have a chance to be right there with the best of them on the field in many important categories that will decide wins and losses.

Keeping them together, of course, is where some negativity can creep in if we let it, but that's further down the road and another story for another day entirely.

wow hiaspire, did you have a crystal ball?

[RMF]

Something that hasn't been discussed is the financial impact of going to the WS as well as the increased revenues due to this playoff run. IMO a WS appearance will add well over 50 million dollars to the Rockies coffers just for this post season.

Obviously if we do in fact make it to the final series we should also see a substantial increase in season tickets and general interest for next season. This team and the Humidor have suceeded in Exorcising a decade worth of disaster. The question now is how do the owner deal with this.

Do they pocket the $$$ or do they choose to invest in the product. If they choose option 2 there is no reason to lose Atkins, Hawpe or Holliday. In fact it could be argued we could afford to add to this team.