Youth Baseball Parks Blog

Derrick Goold pens an excellent article on the Cardinals propensity to promote minor league players quickly. The Cardinals understand a fundamental truth:

“When you look at the age at which the best players in baseball reach the big leagues, it’s younger than most people think,” Luhnow said. “The Scott Rolens, the Jim Edmondses, the Yadier Molinas — all of those players — they make it to the big leagues at 21, 22 or 23. So, that has to factor into it a bit. What it means more importantly is we’re drafting younger players, we’re developing them ourselves. And, we’re pushing them aggressively through the system.”

“Young is good,” Luhnow continued. “There is no doubt. (Players) who make it in their late 20s are often serviceable guys, a bench guy, a late bloomer, but stars tend to make it young. … We differentiate ourselves as a system if we’re producing stars at the big-league level — average to above-average performers, and those guys tend to be younger guys when they get here.”

My only worry here is that they mistake success in a small sample size for talent. However, I agree that if a player has nothing to prove at his current level, he should move up. Younger players are just as good as older players, and come at a much lower cost.

This team won’t make the mistake the Red Sox made with Wade Boggs and the Mariners made with Edgar Martinez.

Correction: Fixed link.

Source:Prompt Promotions