What does the depth of a MLB Farm System mean?

The depth of a Farm System for a MLB Club means that they have excellent prospects who are or who are nearly MLB ready waiting in the wings for their chance to help the parent club on the field OR by being an important trading chip to land that really big MLB Star from another club. It is always a good idea to have your farm system as fully stocked as possible and keep that pipeline flowing. This means that your scouting department needs to be on their toes. You need to do well in the draft. You need to be reviewing the High-School standings in power [amature] baseball environments like Southern California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, and even the Cape Cod League!

In 2010 the top 10 Farm Systems, based on number of prospects that club has within the 'top 100 prospects', were [in order]: Tampa, Texas, Oakland, Atlanta, Cleveland, Baltimore, Florida, SF, Milwaukee, and Colorado. In 2011, it has been proposed to be: KC, Atlanta, Tampa, NY Yankees, Toronto, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, LA Angels, Texas, and the Minnesota Twins. Now, if you look at those two lists and examine them against the Play-off teams from the 2010 Playoffs what do you think you would see?

Yep, that's right, all 8 teams are in one of those lists or the other. Is there a link? Or is it a 'fluke'? I think there is a direct co-relation. Having a Stocked Farm System is like currency in terms of player talent. You have a larger, deeper, well to draft from to replace other platers who go down to injury, trade, free-agency, etc.

If you examine those lists, you will also see teams on them that had no chance in 2010. Teams such as KC who were 28 games out at the end of the season. Or Baltimore [30 games out]. Oakland was 9 games out, but the ended in 2nd place. The Texas Rangers just took off the last 6 weeks of the season. Oakland had been keeping close until then. You really can't blame the Florida Marlins or the Toronto Blue Jays for not making the play-offs. Both of those teams play in the East Division of their respective Leagues, notable 'hot-beds' for heavy hitting teams such as the Red Sox, the Yankees, the Phillies, the Mets, and the Braves.

You might see a potential playoff contender in THAT 2011 list, right now. Who knows how the 2011 season will turn out? I'd welcome any thoughts, opinions, or feedback.