Yes, if you need to field a competitive product to maintain fan interest especially developing a younger fan base, then if the farm system bombs you are left with no choice but to spend big on FAs. You need a star or two to sell the team and more than that to contend. On the current team, we have produced Nola. That's our only home-grown star. We could build a team that could reach and advance in the playoffs with Nola as our only star supported by the number of star free agents we have been able to afford, but... the farm has also done a very poor job of producing farm products who can be average or just below average performers. Who do we have in that category? Certainly Hoskins. Sanchez. Suarez. I guess Bohm has risen to that level. Does Falter rise to that level? Stott? Surely not Moniak. Siranthony when healthy, It's pitiful production from the farm, and therein lies the team's problem. The Phillies won't be a team that progresses in the playoffs until the farm is fixed.
When the Phillies were last good in 2007-2011 it was because of the farm. Almost all of the guys who made us good were mid-first round or later picks, cheap LA, or dumpster dives. We had an organizational ability then, which was certainly lacking a couple years ago and still seems to be lacking, at least on the international and position player categories. The organization rather suddenly became very stupid. Why? People typically offer excuses of not high draft position (although we had quite a few great draft position years) and missing 2nd round picks. I think that is an excuse which doesn't hold water. Has the organization done a serious study of how they very quickly transitioned from an organization which was very strong in developing homegrown talent to one which is simply awful? The good period was almost entirely draft and develop. The international has been subpar for a very long time.
Costly FAs and the to be expected sometimes huge failure of a particular signing are not the cause of the Phillies' problems. They've had quite a good run on their major FA signs. Not so good on the intermediate level ones.
