Sickels ranks Cubs system as top 10 in the game

[ABE32]

http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2...0-in-the-game/

Good read.

[Cub_StuckinSTL]

Nice find Abe Ty for that

[Wackoman1]

My friend tweeted Sickles and got an answer of 7-9, that was a few days ago

[SenorGato]

System is right on the path I projected earlier in the year. Should be a top 5 with relative ease next year.

[KyleJRM]

I'm not sure I feel like celebrating No. 10 overall.

Since the 2011 draft, the Cubs have had two top-10 drafts, spent $20 million on signing draft picks, committed $50 million to IFA prospects and traded eight major league players for prospects.

Feels like No. 10 overall is a par score for that kind of resource commitment.

[ABE32]

I'm not sure I feel like celebrating No. 10 overall.

Since the 2011 draft, the Cubs have had two top-10 drafts, spent $20 million on signing draft picks, committed $50 million to IFA prospects and traded eight major league players for prospects.

Feels like No. 10 overall is a par score for that kind of resource commitment.

after being ranked 20th last year I think this is a huge jump IMO. However with a few new trades of top prospects some teams have been going back and forth.

[Cub_StuckinSTL]

I'm not sure I feel like celebrating No. 10 overall.

Since the 2011 draft, the Cubs have had two top-10 drafts, spent $20 million on signing draft picks, committed $50 million to IFA prospects and traded eight major league players for prospects.

Feels like No. 10 overall is a par score for that kind of resource commitment.

Negative nancy

[KyleJRM]

Negative nancy

I like to think of it as Reality Ronald. I called it par.

[Mell413]

Good read. Makes me feel a little bit better about the direction of the team even though the major league roster isn't all that great yet.

[Gobias]

I like to think of it as Reality Ronald. I called it par.

Their isn't anything "par" about this improvement. To achieve the gains that the club experienced they had to put forth what they put forth. To expect anything more from a FO that has taken a system from 20 to 10 in one year is asinine. You're also failing to address that this ranking is given with the majority of what's interesting in the Cubs system at A ball or lower last season. They aren't higher because the clubs above them have prospects who are closer to major league ready, something the Cubs don't have yet. They are primed to be at the lowest a top 5 system at this point next season. It's ignorant to not recognize accomplishments that scouts around the league have lauded up to this point.

[DavidH]

I'm not sure I feel like celebrating No. 10 overall.

Since the 2011 draft, the Cubs have had two top-10 drafts, spent $20 million on signing draft picks, committed $50 million to IFA prospects and traded eight major league players for prospects.

Feels like No. 10 overall is a par score for that kind of resource commitment.

FWIW, the difference between ten and a few spots higher is pretty trivial. He probably could've called it 7th and not felt much differently about it, as is evident in the fact that he (apparently) tweeted just last week that he had it 7-9th.

[DavidH]

Their isn't anything "par" about this improvement. To achieve the gains that the club experienced they had to put forth what they put forth. To expect anything more from a FO that has taken a system from 20 to 10 in one year is asinine. You're also failing to address that this ranking is given with the majority of what's interesting in the Cubs system at A ball or lower last season. They aren't higher because the clubs above them have prospects who are closer to major league ready, something the Cubs don't have yet. They are primed to be at the lowest a top 5 system at this point next season. Failure to recognize the accomplishments that scouts around the league have lauded up to this point is pure ignorance.

But he's right. They should be where they are after the financial commitment to the 2011 draft, the high draft pick(s) last year and the $30M spent on Soler.

[1908_Cubs]

I'm not sure I feel like celebrating No. 10 overall.

Since the 2011 draft, the Cubs have had two top-10 drafts, spent $20 million on signing draft picks, committed $50 million to IFA prospects and traded eight major league players for prospects.

Feels like No. 10 overall is a par score for that kind of resource commitment.

The celebration should be less about being number 10, but having a system that was clearly in the bottom 1/3rd of baseball around December in 2011, and being 13 months later having a top 1/3rd system. That's a pretty huge jump. And while you'd expect to have a top 10 system when you're throwing in high picks and money, but you don't always expect to have a top 10 system a little over 365 days past where it was the year before, either.

[KyleJRM]

Their isn't anything "par" about this improvement. To achieve the gains that the club experienced they had to put forth what they put forth. To expect anything more from a FO that has taken a system from 20 to 10 in one year is asinine. You're also failing to address that this ranking is given with the majority of what's interesting in the Cubs system at A ball or lower last season. They aren't higher because the clubs above them have prospects who are closer to major league ready, something the Cubs don't have yet. They are primed to be at the lowest a top 5 system at this point next season. It's ignorant to not recognize accomplishments that scouts around the league have lauded up to this point.

There's always an opportunity cost. You can't just cheer what you got without looking at what you spent to get it. We spent a ton.

I didn't expect more. Par is, by definition, what you expect. No more, no less.

[SenorGato]

I'm not sure I feel like celebrating No. 10 overall.

Since the 2011 draft, the Cubs have had two top-10 drafts, spent $20 million on signing draft picks, committed $50 million to IFA prospects and traded eight major league players for prospects.

Feels like No. 10 overall is a par score for that kind of resource commitment.

Larger point is that people are starting to notice, I think. Any Cub fan who enjoys the minors would know that this farm system stacks with all but the tippy top tier one/s.

The most promising part is that the system has a pretty easy climb to the top once the Cardinals graduate Taveras. Should be 15 million more dollars on prospects in 2013 pretty easily to go with the hitters moving up a level and hopefully not sucking.