I also chose "farm system" for the first option-for all that we've heard about what a great system we supposedly have, no position players have come up in the last two years and done much (Jed has, but only when healthy). It can't continue to keep coasting on its press releases-sooner or later it's got to put up or shut up. When cracks appeared in our lineup, nobody down there was able to fill in. I'll give it Clay and Bard tho of course.
So, except for Clay Buchholz and Dan Bard nobody came up and established themselves this year? That's their #3 playoff starter and their #3 bullpen option (and frankly, he's #2 on most every other team in baseball). How many teams in baseball did better than that? How many playoff teams did better? I think that's no worse than middle of the pack for playoff teams and certainly better than most non-playoff teams. I think any year where you have 2 players establish themselves as integral parts to a playoff team the farm system has had a successful year.
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no position players have come up in the last two years and done much
Technically, 2008 was Jacoby's rookie season.
The thing is, I think this is going to be a legitimate gripe in a year or two. I just don't think it's legitimate right now. The farm has not produced a dynamic/impact positional talent since Youkilis or Pedroia (ignoring Hanley), which is fine since it has churned out the players we just mentioned. However, Reddick, Kalish, and Lowrie project more as above average regulars (as a likely ceiling) and Anderson took a big step back. The next guy after Anderson who really has a chance to be an impact positonal player is Ryan Westmoreland, but he's years away. In other words, I think there's an opening for criticism here, but I don't think we're there yet.
The front office knows this and they can mitigate this problem with a big trade. If they can bring in an All-Star quality player by trading a couple above average regulars the farm system will have done its job.