Phil Coke – New York Yankee Prospect A Perfect Example Of Farm System Success
Phil Coke is looking to make a major impact with the New York Yankees in 2009. After spending five years in the minor leagues, and plenty of seasoning, the young lefty is ready to do just that. Coke was brought up last season for the Yankees to provide left handed help in the bullpen, and now they are set to let him step into a broader role. The beauty of this situation is that the Yankees used the farm system beautifully to set up this promotion.
Phil Coke showed has been steady and strong since joining the Yankees five years ago. There were plenty of reasons to rush him through the system, and to bring him to the next level quicker. Rather than giving in to that temptation, they instead allowed Coke to gradually develop through the minor leagues and get a good grasp of what it will take to succeed on the next level. The dividends are paying off nicely as Coke was fantastic in the appearances in 2008.
This is the problem with the majority of the Major League Ballclubs. They get a hot prospect and jump him from the minors up to the majors quicker than you can bat an eye. This can work with some special players, but the vast majority of young players end up taking a huge hit to their confidence levels. This makes the process longer than it would have been had they progressed normally through the farm system. Some players come up to the Show and never recover from the failures that they encounter.
Knowing when to bring a prospect up is very difficult and it is even more difficult when you have only watched the player for a year or two. The exception to this rule is few and far between. If the Major League ballclubs give the prospect time to rise or fall in the minor leagues, then they are much more likely to succeed at the next level. It is far easier to see them grow in this way, and it gives the youngster a chance to adjust to some of the things that ball players do. Adjusting to the schedule is a tough thing to do even in the minor leagues. The travel and the season are long and tiring, and the minor league ball player has to learn to adjust.
That builds character and helps the player mature.
Phil Coke is a perfect example of how to bring a minor league ball player along properly. This year, the Yankees will be rewarded for doing so, and maybe the rest of Major League Baseball will follow suit.
