Not entirely true, they've been drafting pitchers to take over when Shields is gone....they still have a decent farm system. People keep typing "they won't have any pitching when Shields leaves", and that just isn't true. Also, Wil Meyers is not good on defense. He does not fit their strategy of run prevention at all. Maybe that is one reason they traded him. they also felt, wrongly, that their other hitters would progress (like everyone here seems to think young players in MN will do). One thing that bothers me in this thread.....the statement, like it is a fact not an opinion, that trying to jump from 75 wins to the playoffs in less than 5 years is wrong.....that's an opinion, not a fact.