The Brandons and the Giants' Farm System | Huffington Post

So now the comparison goes from Casey McGehee vs. Pablo Sandoval to Matt Duffy vs. Pablo Sandoval.  For the Giants, it seems as if a veteran retread has to come in and fail miserably before a rookie can come to the rescue. Dan Uggla begets Joe Panik, Now Casey McGehee releases Matt Duffy from Prospect Prison. Before that one of the Molina's blocked one Buster Posey's path and Brandon Crawford had to wait for one of the Cabrera's to falter.

It's always something. 

from Huffington Post:
The Brandons and the Giants' Farm System | Lincoln Mitchell:

The Giants' ability to produce impact players from within has been central to their impressive success in recent years. The evolution of the Brandons from solid regulars to stars, and the development of another not very widely heralded prospect, Joe Panik, into a very solid starter are the most recent examples of this. The Giants have also gotten a bit lucky with their farm system. For example, although it is unlikely to look this way at the end of the season, Matt Duffy, a player about whom a year ago all but the most intense Giants fans had heard nothing, is quietly having a better year (.279/.324/.388) than the major star, Pablo Sandoval (.251/.317/.371), who he replaced. In an era that is more competitive, with more teams, and more safeguards against dominance by wealthier teams, the Giants continue ability to produce quality players from within is an extraordinary accomplishment and one that goes a long way towards explaining those three rings.

'via Blog this'


It almost seems as if this franchise is mentally locked in to their early 2000's draft and player development record, which was putrid. However, since about 2005 or 2006,  the Giants have been about as good at drafting and developing as any franchise going. The Bonds era was laden with free-agent signings and lost draft picks, the post-Barry era is loaded with draft picks and home grown talent.

The results speak for themselves. Bonds era, zero championships. The post-Bonds era, three World Championships. Draft and develop rules.  The Huffington Post has a sports section? Sheesh!!!