State of the System
Baseball America weighs in on the Bucs' top 10 prospects today. Aside from curiosity of who would be number one (Walker or McCutchen), the list also illuminates a huge problem that is lingering just over the horizon.
Much has been said and written about the current glut of major league ready youngsters the Pirates have at their disposal. However, I am very concerned about where the next wave is coming from. Granted, Walker and McCutchen are two very nice chips to have on your side and I look forward to following their ascent up the organizational ladder. However, two prospects does not a system make, and right now the system looks very thin behind those two guys.
Sure, the outlook of things could change if a handful of guystake a huge leap forward in their development, but as of now, it don't look good. A sign of a good system is one that can produce a pipeline of talent, not just a one-time geyser. Littlefield is in the final year of his contract and I believe his fate should not be tied to the success or failure of the big league club, but whether he can turnaround the downward spiral of the farm system. Otherwise, the organization is just likely to remain on the treadmill of futility it has found it's self on.