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if Seattle hadn't self destructed at times during the season, it kind of makes you wonder if the Angels would have even made the post-season.
I wouldn't call winning 93 games self-destructing.
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Oakland has gotten lucky because certain players have been availible when they drafted them.
If the Reds had drafted Mulder, Hudson, and Zito, then PROPERLY developed them, I hardly think you would use the word 'lucky'. Drafting is a LOT more than luck. It involves intensive scouting, workouts, etc. And it doesn't stop after drafting. The player has to be properly developed through the system, the perfect combination of patience and caution. Drafting and developing involves a lot of skill. And certain players have been available that the Reds didn't take in various situations. Strong drafting and development is not merely lucky -- good organizations do it well and bad organizations don't.
We've been drafting as high as Oakland in the recent years, yet don't have a pitcher to show for it while they have three bona fide studs. That reeks of an organizational deficiency and not pure luck.
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You let a couple of those young stud pitchers develop arm trouble, and spend an extended amount of time on the DL, and suddenly the A's are back in the cellar with the rest of us small market flunkies.
Mulder was on the DL last season, and Hudson and Koch were wild and ineffective for portions and they won 103 games.
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The difference between the small market teams and the large market teams is that teams with $$$$ can overcome bad luck by replacing/moving slumping/injured players with more players.
I agree with this.
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Even if the Reds bring in Bartolo Colon, and make all the fans happy, what happens when Colon goes on the DL for two months? There are no replacements and there's no money to bring in another Colon-caliber pitcher.
Colon has rarely been on the DL for his career. He is a horse. But even if he did go on the DL, I would much prefer 4 months of him than anyone else on the Reds staff.
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If Derrick Jeter goes down to a season ending injury, the Yankees can afford to go out and trade for ARod to replace him. If Bernie Williams goes on the DL, the Yankees can go out and trade for Jim Edmunds.
Jeter and Bernie have been out for periods in the past yet a single trade hasn't been made. The Yankees have NEVER made a trade of the caliber you describe to replace Jeter or Bernie, they have used in-house substitutions. And I am not sure how comparing this to Griffey is fair because he has never been out for the season. And the two teams you are mentioning would never trade ARod or Edmonds or any player of that caliber, it would be absolutely impossible for the Yankees to somehow upgrade despite an injury.
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Our minor league system seemed to remain void of superstar talent until about 1998, when Kearns and Dunn were drafted. Since then, it's gotten better, but the one area we've yet to see results is starting pitching.
Our system is currently rated #26. Our top prospect is a guy who came out of nowhere (Basham).