What Does this say about the Buc's Farm System?

[Goooooo]

What does this say about the Buc's Farm System?

That it is bereft of true major league prospects and filled with journeymen?

From today's Post-Gazette.......

Florida's $14.9 million payroll is roughly $55 million below Major League Baseball's median and less than one-third of the Pirates' $47 million. Their average age is 26.7, by far the youngest in the game and markedly younger than the Pirates' 28.6.

For that matter, the Marlins are younger than the Pirates' Class AAA affiliate in Indianapolis (28.5) and the Class AA affiliate in Altoona (26.8).

Florida's players sound as if they relish the position.

"I think it's awesome," first-year second baseman Dan Uggla said. "For us to come into the big leagues together, we have a chance to bond, to know what the other is going through, and it's going to make the team a lot stronger in the future. We all know we're going to be part of something special for a long time."

[Ravenlord]

Pirates are/were one of the more underated farms in the majors last year. the problem is, most of those top guys are pitchers (who traditionally don't fare well en mass).

as far as the Marlins go, most of their team their farm didn't produce.

Travis Bowyer came from the Twins.
Jesus Delgado came from the Red Sox.
Jose Garcia came from the Brewers.
Sergio Mitre came from the Cubs.
Yusmeiro Petit came from the Red Sox.
Anibal Sanchez came from the Red Sox.
Todd Wellemeyer came from the Cubs.
Mike Jacobs came from the Mets.
Hanley Ramirez from the Red Sox.
Dan Uggla came from the Diamondbacks.
Reggie Abercrombie came from the Diamondbacks via the Dodgers.
Joe Borchard came from the White Sox.

[Goooooo]

interesting

[Ravenlord]

yep, they got themselves a huge return for their vets, especially Castillo. they did after their 97 World Series title too. about half the team that won the Series in 03 came from the trades in 98 and 99.

[CiforTheKing]

pirates spent money in the wrong places plain and simple.. why sign randa??? i asked it when littlefield named 3B as a need.. i asked when they signed randa... and i ask now when freddy is hitting 350... instead of stiffs like burnitz and randa... who easily could have been replaced inhouse by sanchez and wilson.. why not go after a pitcher?? we have great young pitching potential in duke, perez, maholm, snell, vanbenschoten, sean burnett, go out and get a real dam closer and a real dam ace... if any of the following go on the market pirates should go all out to get them... c.zambrano, zito, or any other bonifide #1 to lead these young arms, and please... enough of mike gonzalez... get a real closer.. did we think we would miss jose mesa this much??? jeez