Farm System Ratings = Rubbish

I want this thread to come across more of a discussion than a rant, but it may be harder than it is to prescribe. Time and time again when in debates about the Cardinals last year, people always went to the perceived fact that the Cardinals are going to have a hard time rebuilding because their farm system is so poor. The forgotten Rwilymz and plenty others would explain how bad the Cardinals are going to be in 2008 and 2009 because their farm system has no talent outside of Colby Rasmus.

Well guess what.....

The Cardinals are winning on homegrown talent and a mixture of outcasted starters. Adam Wainwright anchoring the staff whose numbers are in the top 5 in all of the Majors since July 1st of 2007. Skip Schumaker sets the table for Rick Ankiel, Ryan Ludwick, and Albert Pujols. It is well unknown, but with Ankiel, Ludwick, and Schumaker in the outfield, the Cardinals may have the best tandem of throwing arms in the MLB.

Don't forget about one of the most important players on this team. The guy that implements the game plan brought to the team by Dave Duncan and Tony La Russa. The guy that controls this well performing pitching staff and arguably the best defensive catcher in the game today. Yadier Molina.  People want to talk about his power numbers now that he has been hitting for average since 2007, but I would always take a guy that dominates from behind the plate.

There also is Randy Flores, who is quietly putting together a great campaign as a multi faceted reliever. Other farm system notables are St. Louis native and ex teammate of the Diamondbacks phenom Max Scherzer. Brendan Ryan and Mike Parisi.

Did I mention they are doing this all without Colby Rasmus BUMP?

Chris Duncan also has a good arm...

lol. good one...

He is probably the one guy in the bigs that has a worse arm than David Wright.

Kobefanjosh=Braves fan/not a Mets fan

Torii Hunter, Vladimir Guerrero, Gary Mathews Jr. vs. Skip Schumaker, Rick Ankiel, Ryan Ludwick????

I know Hunter and Vlad both have guns, but how about Mathews?

Aside from PED busted Ankiel, most of them were not on the farm last year when people were bashing the farm.

Sure they were. These debates came after the 2006 World Series. Most of those players were in that farm system. Besides, the negative ratings on the Cardinals Farm system was not just in 2007. It was when AW and Molina were down there. Quit arguing against me just to do so. It gets old.