Do we deserve to be called shit still?
As we head to the 2044 season there’s a lot of chat in the Bars, Restaurants and internet cafes in and around Wichita on whether their farm system still deserves the tag of “the shit farm”? OK, they did at one time, through their early years none of the minor league affiliates made the post season, let alone actually win anything. A couple of brief, mainly ‘one & out’ appearances was all the farm system of six affiliates could muster. Since GM Laverick has taken over though in late 2041 there has been a definite shift, in 2042 Anchorage made their third ever play-off appearance and Palm Bay went 27-1 on the way to (a brief) play-off appearance, but 2043 it exploded. Albuquerque, Columbus, Topeka and Palm Bay all made the post season, Albuquerque, Columbus and Palm Bay all made the league finals and Albuquerque came up with the franchise’s first minor league silverware since Short-Season Springfield picked up the cup in 2035.
In 2041 the farm system had been the worst in the BBA, no-one in the Top-100 prospects list, now this year they have four, Augusto Ramirez (57th), Sumitomo Takahashi (68th), Chris Jenkins (75th) and Jorge Garcia (81st). Still no-one in the Top-50 but the improvement is there to see, up from the #32 system to the #21 system. The question really is this a real upturn or just an outlaying wave? The good guys are sweeping to the top of the system now, no coincidence that both the Triple-A & Double-A sides made their league’s play-off finals. Will that be the end of it all now, the end of a purple patch? Or will the improvement continue to sweep in behind them, reinvigorating other behind them?
It looks good for this year, Albuquerque certainly have high hopes of retaining their Triple-A championship, Columbus will be disappointed if they don’t make another post season outing, but Topeka looks weak. They’ll have to improve to go anywhere while hopes are probably slim for Springfield & Anchorage. The final question is though, will this big wave of prospects washing ashore in Wichita in 2044/45/46 actually move the needle in seismic terms? Will the Aviators move off their comfortable spot at the foot of the Frontier division with their help?
