Waiting Till Next Year’s Next Year Might Not Be So Terrible

About a month ago I made a post centered around Dan Hayes’ report regarding the “leaps and bounds” improvement of San Diego’s international scouting department over the last few seasons.

In addition to their success overseas, San Diego has recently been able to add some tremendously young and talented players to their franchise through other means as well.  Through intelligent drafting, better player development, and some crafty trades, an excess of talent has begun to concentrate in the Padres’ minor league system.  This minor league buildup has not gone unnoticed either, and the Padres are beginning to get noticed for the wealth of solid young players which they possess.

Yesterday, Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune highlighted the Padres’ new and improved farm system by providing a list (and short rundown) of who he believes are the Top 20 prospects in San Diego’s farm system now.  Furthermore, Center’s article also illustrates the “night and day” nature of where the Padres’ farm system is now, compared to only a year or two ago.

On Chicken Friars, we have talked at length about some of the most M.L.B. ready prospects San Diego has “waiting in the wings” that could be ready to contribute as early as this season.  Yet if you would like to go more in-depth and gain some perspective to some of the Padres solid Single-A and recently drafted players, Center’s article is a fine place to start.

Personally, I am excited to finally see the Padres’ apparently headed in the right direction with their farm system.  Too often have we seen highly touted prospects “flame out” or not even contribute to the franchise whatsoever.  While these investments and high hopes may not bear fruit until 2014, it certainly looks like the Padres have made a concerted effort to improve their ball-club from the ground up now.

Don’t get me wrong, I know that we have collectively seen too many “rebuilding seasons” to count over the last four decades.  And despite the Padres’ too good to be true feeling and “cup runnething over” with blossoming talent, these guys still have yet to play any big league ball.  But if at least a few of these guys on Center’s list are able to prove their worth and illustrate why they are such highly touted prospects sooner rather than later, San Diego can actually be a factor in their Division and possibly the National League by 2014.

Then the question will not be whether or not the Padres can develop loads of talent, the question will be whether or not San Diego can keep their talent in house and/or continuously develop more and maintain a high level of success.  Such is the life of a team with a microscopic payroll in M.L.B. just trying to get by these days.

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