Hypothetically: If the Major League Season is Delayed, Who is the Team to Beat in AAA?

[Buenos_beisbol]

As the reality of a delayed opening day looks neat, April 5th seems to be the only saving grace.  Players who are on 40 man rosters won't be able to play, but which team do you think will be the best and worst?

[Rosterman]

There is seldom a best or worst team in AAA or most any minor league ball, as players move about with too much frequency. Although the sponsoring hometown franchise hopes for the playoff best, they service player development and advancement.

 

A team may be better, or ouright worse, by fielding only their own developed and signed prospects. Others may find a surge because they are top heavy with established minor league veterans. 

 

Which is why minor league play tends to be more of a "fan experience" day at the game.

 

Always surprising how many a mid-season All-Star is no where in the league that would choose them, or the actual playoff roster is 40% changed from the opening day roster.

[Sousy]

I completely agree with the idea that it's nearly impossible to know who the top AAA teams might be - or where they will end up - from the beginning of a season to the end.

That being said, if you're thinking specifically of the AAA-East Midwest Division (St. Paul Saints), I was impressed last year with how much young talent that Omaha (Kansas City) and Toledo (Detroit) fielded from start to finish last year. I'd expect that trend to continue, but it hasn't paid huge dividends for KC / Detroit as of yet.

I watched a lot of Iowa Cubs games last year. Any talent that was _close_ to the majors was called up after the trade deadline when the Cubs did some liquidation sales. There was a lot of terrible baseball going in the last half of the year.