*grins* I can't argue with the sentiment.
I'm pretty sure Doc is with me on this one, though: with regard to the kids, we could talk about how it is more likely that they will not work out than that they will, but that doesn't give me much to look forward to after a long year.
I'd rather be optimistic with 4 months until Spring training rather than pessimistic. There's already plenty to be pessimistic about with the Ms, they don't need my help tamping down prospect expectations just because most prospects don't work out.
We've seen em work out and we've seen em fail. The reason you want multiple great prospects is because WHEN one of em fails, you have a success story to write about. We're lucky enough right now to have multiple great prospects.
When the Mariners went in the tank this year I immediately turned to the minors again. Some years we're stretching to find premium prospects. Blake Beavan is a Bobby Livingston/Travis Blackley type - and there are times when that would be our top starting pitching prospect.
Blake was the AA Texas League pitcher of the year, and he might not be in our top 5 minor league starters. That's good - and that means that if someone like Robles doesn't work out as a starter we have more arms ready and willing to try to take his place.
All we can do is give ourselves a shot with GOOD prospects, instead of the athletic junk prospects or crafty left-handers of years past.
Ackley is a GOOD prospect. So is Smoak. So is Pineda. Failure is possible with any player, at any time, rookies or vets. Pineiro came out of the gate like a monster and regressed to near-patheticness before rebounding in the NL with a new pitch and approach.
But you hope for the best regardless. In-season is about reality. Off-season is about hope.
If Bavasi was still running this farm system we would have none, so I'm very grateful for Jack's farm efforts in this case giving me some of that hope.
We definitely need it.
~G
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