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The future never looked so bright for Boston as it did last weekend. Buchholz and Jon Lester, 23, won back-to-back starts. Jacoby Ellsbury, 23, who will take the job of Coco Crisp or J.D. Drew sooner rather than later, hit his first big-league home run while looking like Jim Edmonds in his prime -- only faster. Jonathan Papelbon, 27, chalked up his 31st save. Dustin Pedroia, 24, smacked hits all over Fenway, looking like the best-hitting rookie second baseman in history. Justin Masterson, 22, a groundball pitching machine, is a phone call away in Triple-A.

Indeed, you look at the Yankees and Red Sox these days and you see the players who will keep the rivalry hot for the next decade (sorry, Toronto, Baltimore and Tampa Bay). New York has Chien-Ming Wang, Robinson Cano, Chamberlain, Hughes, Kennedy and Alan Horne to wage war with Boston's kids. New York and Boston have moved their rivalry from the free-agent market (though that venue always will simmer) to the draft and player development.

The future never looked so bright for Toronto as it did last weekend. Dustin McGowan, 25, and Shawn Marcum, 26, lost back-to-back starts. Russ Adams, 27, who will take the job of John McDonald sooner rather than later, looks like Dave Berg in his prime -- only worse. Brandon League, 24, chalked up another ugly outing. Redd Johnson, 31, struck out all over Yankee Stadium, looking like the worst-hitting leadoff man in history. Ricky Romero, 23, a poise machine, is a phone call away to send back to Single-A.

Indeed, you look at the Yankees and Blue Jays these days and you see the players who will keep the rivalry hot for the next decade (sorry, Boston, Baltimore and Tampa Bay). New York has Chien-Ming Wang, Robinson Cano, Chamberlain, Hughes, Kennedy and Alan Horne to wage war with Toronto's garbage. New York has moved their one-sided rivalry from the free-agent market (though that venue always will simmer) to the draft and player development.

Holmes wrote:

The future never looked so bright for Toronto as it did last weekend. Dustin McGowan, 25, and Shawn Marcum, 26, lost back-to-back starts. Russ Adams, 27, who will take the job of John McDonald sooner rather than later, looks like Dave Berg in his prime -- only worse. Brandon League, 24, chalked up another ugly outing. Redd Johnson, 31, struck out all over Yankee Stadium, looking like the worst-hitting leadoff man in history. Ricky Romero, 23, a poise machine, is a phone call away to send back to Single-A.

Indeed, you look at the Yankees and Blue Jays these days and you see the players who will keep the rivalry hot for the next decade (sorry, Boston, Baltimore and Tampa Bay). New York has Chien-Ming Wang, Robinson Cano, Chamberlain, Hughes, Kennedy and Alan Horne to wage war with Toronto's garbage. New York has moved their one-sided rivalry from the free-agent market (though that venue always will simmer) to the draft and player development.

Holmes wrote:

The future never looked so bright for Toronto as it did last weekend. Dustin McGowan, 25, and Shawn Marcum, 26, lost back-to-back starts. Russ Adams, 27, who will take the job of John McDonald sooner rather than later, looks like Dave Berg in his prime -- only worse. Brandon League, 24, chalked up another ugly outing. Redd Johnson, 31, struck out all over Yankee Stadium, looking like the worst-hitting leadoff man in history. Ricky Romero, 23, a poise machine, is a phone call away to send back to Single-A.

Indeed, you look at the Yankees and Blue Jays these days and you see the players who will keep the rivalry hot for the next decade (sorry, Boston, Baltimore and Tampa Bay). New York has Chien-Ming Wang, Robinson Cano, Chamberlain, Hughes, Kennedy and Alan Horne to wage war with Toronto's garbage. New York has moved their one-sided rivalry from the free-agent market (though that venue always will simmer) to the draft and player development.

r_gill wrote:This is baseball, every team has good prospects. It is pretty much impossible not to. Anyway the Yankees and Red Sox have good systems, they don't just pay a lot in payroll for their big league clubs. Both also pay big time in the draft to break slot for the players other teams can't afford to sign and pay big money to sign major latin and international talents when they turn 16. Another reason why baseball has the worst system in all of sports. Saying all that I think a lot of Yankee prospects are over hyped just because they are Yankees, on any other team they would not receive as much attention. Hughes and Chamberlain are real, the rest may be good players but are way over hyped.

Of the Jays' 59 players at '07 major-league spring training camp, none that were born outside the USA were signed and developed by J.P. Ricciardi's regime (2001-07). Consider also that at the AAA-Syracuse and AA-New Hampshire levels in 2007