Rangers have #1 farm system

[kepdawg]

According to Baseball America...

More on the BA rankings
6:13 PM Wed, Jan 14, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Richard Durrett E-mail News tips

I talked to John Manuel, editor-in-chief of Baseball America, and he said that the Rangers beat out Florida and Oakland because of balance within the system.

"They have pitching and hitting prospects with some close to the major-league level and some at the lower levels with high upside," Manuel said. "Other teams had great pitching or great hitting, but the Rangers had the best of both."

The top 10 Rangers prospects according to BA. Manuel projects Neftali Feliz and Derek Holland as making the major league club at some point in 2009. He thinks Justin Smoak will be in Arlington in 2010.

1. RHP Neftali Feliz
2. LHP Derek Holland
3. 1B Justin Smoak
4. SS Elvis Andrus
5. LHP Martin Perez
6. C Taylor Teagarden
7. OF Engel Beltre
8. RHP Michael Main
9. OF Julio Borbon
10. C Max Ramirez

LINK

[crzyjournalist03]

Feliz will most likely be listed among Baseball America's top five prospects in the game when it's announced next week. ESPN.com had a chat with someone who works on the rankings, and he said he had Feliz around #3, just behind David Price.

[kepdawg]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
Feliz will most likely be listed among Baseball America's top five prospects in the game when it's announced next week. ESPN.com had a chat with someone who works on the rankings, and he said he had Feliz around #3, just behind David Price.

You could definitely tell he has the stuff but he had control issues when I saw him.

[Macarthur]

Well, this is certainly better news that if we were poor.

HOWEVER, you have to strike a balance of growing good kids and adding free agents. That doesn't mean that you have to spend $250 million on one player, but the reluctance the organization has had to spend money lately is very frustrating. And it's translating into less attendence. The reality is that even though all these kids look promising, history tells us that we will be fortunate if half of them become good major league players.

It seems as though the organization has taken the opinion that we have to build through the farm system exclusively. I don't like how the Yankees conduct business which is the direct opposite so I'm certainly not advocating that. It's got to be a balance.

The Rangers are not a small market team, but it's being run as such.

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by Macarthur
Well, this is certainly better news that if we were poor.

HOWEVER, you have to strike a balance of growing good kids and adding free agents. That doesn't mean that you have to spend $250 million on one player, but the reluctance the organization has had to spend money lately is very frustrating. And it's translating into less attendence. The reality is that even though all these kids look promising, history tells us that we will be fortunate if half of them become good major league players.

It seems as though the organization has taken the opinion that we have to build through the farm system exclusively. I don't like how the Yankees conduct business which is the direct opposite so I'm certainly not advocating that. It's got to be a balance.

The Rangers are not a small market team, but it's being run as such.

I really don't think that the Rangers have had a reluctance to spend money as much as an inability to get the people that they want to take it. This year, there really hasn't been much in the free agent pool worth delving into. Sabathia wasn't going to come here, and after that, most pitchers on the market have huge question marks. Offense isn't and won't be a problem, so the Rangers are better off saving the money they could spend on a guy like Manny for whenever they ARE in position to contend for a title.

It's kind of a Catch-22 right now because you have to have talent to get free agents to come here, but if you keep signing free agents, you don't have a lot of room to evaluate your own talent.

It's been a winding road for Rangers fans this decade, and I can definitely understand frustration. But I really believe that right now, the team is on the verge of getting somewhere that they haven't been probably in the team's history.

[Macarthur]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
I really don't think that the Rangers have had a reluctance to spend money as much as an inability to get the people that they want to take it.

I think that's a valid point.

This year, there really hasn't been much in the free agent pool worth delving into. Sabathia wasn't going to come here, and after that, most pitchers on the market have huge question marks.

Why not Ben Sheets? I know he's going to cost money, but that is something that would build some excitement in the fan base.

Offense isn't and won't be a problem, so the Rangers are better off saving the money they could spend on a guy like Manny for whenever they ARE in position to contend for a title.

I don't know...Norm on the ticket has been saying for 2 years now that this team is not as good an offensive team as everyone thinks they are, especially on the road.

It's kind of a Catch-22 right now because you have to have talent to get free agents to come here, but if you keep signing free agents, you don't have a lot of room to evaluate your own talent.

But there's got to be a balance there. They are not going to contend by ONLY building through the system. Just like they can't spend money like the Yankees.

It's been a winding road for Rangers fans this decade, and I can definitely understand frustration. But I really believe that right now, the team is on the verge of getting somewhere that they haven't been probably in the team's history.

Maybe so, but I think it's dangerous to pin all our hopes on the farm club. History would tell us that probably a little less than half of these kids will actually be good major league players. And I think that percentage is probably less for pitchers.

I hope you're right.

[Bearkat]

The thing about the RANGERS is they have very few fans, and no matter how much they spend they will still have very few fans. One day, who knows when that will be, they will be good and people will jump on their bandwagon because everyone likes a winner. I just happen to be one of their fans, so it is a little frustrating to be so bad for so long. They will continue to take the slow, build through the farm system approach because this is the only way they will ever get quality pitching. So, if you are one of the few TEXAS RANGERS fans just continue to be patient. IT WILL HAPPEN ONE DAY!!!

[Macarthur]

Originally posted by Bearkat
The thing about the RANGERS is they have very few fans, and no matter how much they spend they will still have very few fans. One day, who knows when that will be, they will be good and people will jump on their bandwagon because everyone likes a winner. I just happen to be one of their fans, so it is a little frustrating to be so bad for so long. They will continue to take the slow, build through the farm system approach because this is the only way they will ever get quality pitching. So, if you are one of the few TEXAS RANGERS fans just continue to be patient. IT WILL HAPPEN ONE DAY!!!

Bearkat, It's only been recently that the Rangers have had problems drawing numbers. Over the last 3 years, they have been below the AL average, but the 13 years previous, they were above the AL average in 12 of those 13 years.

So really, the attendance has only dropped in the last couple of years and I think that's just because eveyone is sick and tired of the losing.

I think if they start to field a good team, folks will come back.

[Keith7]

I like Derek Holland better than Feliz

[CelinaCatFan]

It's great to see that they are ranked #1 at something...

Too bad they will just trade these promising young prospects for a "magic bag of beans" (aka overpriced, aging veterans on the downside of their career) just before they have their breakout season. It happens way to often with the Rangers.

Unfortunately, the "Rangers" are the number one farm club for developing young players for other major league teams and trading them away.

[coach]

i have two words for that ranking....prove it

[Twirling Time]

The Rangers have their first baseman for the next 12-15 years — Chris Davis.

Smoak will be traded.