Bob Boone gives an honest assessment of the Farm System.

[MrMadison]

Nationals.com

Q & A with Bob Boone
MLB.com sits down with Nats VP of player development
By Bill Ladson / MLB.com
   
One of the reasons the Nationals' farm system has seen dramatic improvement in the past year is because of assistant general manager Bob Boone, who is vice president of player development.

Boone has hired tireless instructors, from Tim Foli to Ralph Dickerson to Darnell Coles, to teach the Minor Leaguers how to play the game the right way. It seems to be working, too, as players such as left-handers Ross Detwiler and John Lannan and outfielder Justin Maxwell have already reached the big leagues and are expected to be a big part of the team's future.

MLB.com caught up with Boone to talk about the team's Minor League System.

MLB.com: You have been with the Nationals since December 2004. How much has the Minor League system improved?

Bob Boone: On a scale from one to 100, when we took over the Minor League System, it was about a 12. I would say it's 58 to 68 right now. The whole system -- from the teaching aspect, getting the right instructors and getting everybody to buy in to the philosophy and really work as an orchestrated team -- is a work in progress. We are getting better.

The system has improved so much mainly because of the players we have. For whatever reason, Omar Minaya decimated the farm system. I don't begrudge him because [the Expos] were going to be contracted. Normally, you hold on to your jewels and Montreal felt they didn't have time to wait for them. So they traded Grady Sizemore, Chris Young, Jason Bay and Cliff Lee. You look at them and go, "Gosh, it would be nice to have them in our system right now." For whatever reason, which doesn't matter now, we started with very few prospects.

MLB.com: The Nationals have a plethora of quality pitchers in the Minor Leagues. How surprised are you that the team was able to get so much pitching so quickly?

Boone: It's certainly by design. If you ever talk to [general manager] Jim Bowden, we hear the mantra everyday -- pitching, pitching, pitching. We are going to take the best player, but we are very much aware that pitching is what floats the boat. Pitching is the currency to the game.

At the end of the day, when we see the World Series, I guarantee there will be two guys standing on that mound who are pretty good. If you don't have it, you are usually not playing in [the World Series]. And our goal is to play in that last game of the World Series. It's what we are about.

MLB.com: There have been questions about the offense in the Minor Leagues. Do you feel you have to change your philosophy in order to get the offense you need?

Boone: We are developing the bats. The thing is, they are young. Since we've been here, we have been filling in our Double-A or Triple-A clubs with Minor League free agents. You prefer not to. The people we have are not ready to play at [Double-A or Triple-A]. That's just fact. It's very expensive to [buy Minor League free agents].

This coming year, we think that the Potomac players can play in Double-A next year. As the head of player development, it gets you in your gut. You go, "Gosh, I hoped, I think, I'm pretty sure, this guy can handle that level." You hate sending them back down another level. We made a real big mistake two years ago on Ian Desmond, who got the chance to play in Spring Training. He did so well. We knew he could handle it with the glove at Double-A and felt like he could compete there. At the end of the day, we set him back a little bit. We made a mistake because we were greedy. He had a great second half in 2007 and he is really coming along. I'm really excited about Ian Desmond. He has been off the radar screen for a couple of years.

MLB.com: We know about Maxwell, Chris Marrero and Mike Daniel. Could you tell us some of the other position players we should be aware of?

Boone: From a position standpoint, Bill Rhinehart, who hit .300 at rookie ball. He is a legitimate hitter. The kid I'm excited to see is Andrew Lefave, who we got for Ray King. I've seen tape of him. He has a pretty good swing. It will be interesting to see what level he plays at next year.

Edgardo Baez is a nice player and has an idea at the plate. Roger Bernadina is really talented and has a lot of tools. He is kind of raw. He is not quite ready. This guy could be a star with that kind of speed and athleticism.

Aaron Seuss is an interesting kid. He can really hit. Does he have enough power to play in the outfield? I don't know. Jacob Smolinski, Derek Norris and Steven Souza are good hitters.

Michael Burgess is probably going to be a star. He is really special. He has some quirks that he is working at. He has the perfect arm.

All of these guys are young. You probably are not gong to hear from them for another year. Our strength is in the last couple of drafts.

MLB.com: How is Marrero doing in the Instructional League?

Boone: He is doing really good. I think we are going to finally settle in that he is a first baseman over a left fielder. He looks good at first base.

MLB.com: We know Marrero slumped toward the end. Maxwell and Detwiler said he really hit the ball hard, but it was right at someone.

Boone: Yes, and he went through periods where [his stroke] wasn't working. It's like all of them. But when you go see him play day in and day out, you are going to say, "Wow, this guy is going to be good." He went to a little faster league [Carolina] and he is probably one of the youngest kids in that league. He will have a shot at Harrisburg, but he'll probably start at Potomac. We'll see. He looks terrific in the Instructional League.

MLB.com: Maxwell, Jesus Flores and Lannan are three guys who made it to the big leagues this year. How do you think they did? What's next for them?

Boone: Flores has shown that he could catch in the big leagues. Lannan certainly did well. We look for him to be in that rotation. What Maxwell showed was that he looked like a big leaguer. He wasn't awed by being in the big leagues. Minor Leaguers that go up in September get overmatched and you see them wailing at curveballs. Maxwell didn't do that. A lot of it has to do with his makeup and intelligence. He is going to be around this game a long time.

MLB.com: Do you think he could solve the center field problem on Opening Day or do you think he still needs more work?

Boone: I think he needs more work. At the same time, he could solve [the center field problem]. Down the stretch, [Manager] Manny [Acta] was trying to play the best players [against playoff teams]. Justin got to play and [Manny said], "I feel comfortable with him out there. I like him hitting a home run off Tom Glavine." Manny was like, "Justin is the guy I want out there and he gives us the best chance to win." Justin certainly opened some eyes. All the coaches and the manager now know who Justin Maxwell is. Could he be in the Major Leagues? Yes, he could. It depends on him. He will tell us.

MLB.com: Do you buy into the theory that Maxwell is vulnerable to outside pitches?

Boone: Yes, he is. Maxwell is vulnerable outside and he's vulnerable to offspeed pitches like all of us. When he covers that up and shows you he could do it, then he's ready. That would probably be a determining factor on whether he starts in the big leagues or not. I would say opening up in the big leagues would be a long shot. But the fact that we are even talking about it is a good thing. He showed that he is a pretty good player.

Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

enjoy.

[MrMadison]

MLB.com: How is Marrero doing in the Instructional League?

Boone: He is doing really good. I think we are going to finally settle in that he is a first baseman over a left fielder. He looks good at first base.

this encourages me.

[spidernat]

this encourages me.

Ditto

[PANatsFan]

[The kid I'm excited to see is Andrew Lefave, who we got for Ray King. I've seen tape of him. He has a pretty good swing. It will be interesting to see what level he plays at next year.

enjoy.

Just awesome. Well done, Jim.

[tomterp]

this encourages me.

Agreed.  If 1st base is Marrero's best position, then make the commitment now and get him as much work as possible there.  2 more years in the minors, would be the end of Young/Johnson's contractual periods, so it would seem Marrero's development track could be well timed to make him a successor at first just down the road.

[Dave B]

this encourages me.

jes

[PANatsFan]

Agreed.  If 1st base is Marrero's best position, then make the commitment now and get him as much work as possible there.  2 more years in the minors, would be the end of Young/Johnson's contractual periods, so it would seem Marrero's development track could be well timed to make him a successor at first just down the road.

Maybe Lefave could fill in, or learn to play left.

[tomterp]

Maybe Lefave could fill in, or learn to play left.

That guy is a bit of a longshot, but hey, you never know.  You don't know for sure about Marrero, either.  Competition, depth, it's all good.  They say Lefave's too short, too squat, doesn't look like a player.  Kirby Puckett anyone?

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Jesus, I've been screaming for Marrero to be put back at 1B ever since the infamous Young/Fatso Debates of 2007.

All I have to say about this move is thank God.

[PANatsFan]

That guy is a bit of a longshot, but hey, you never know.  You don't know for sure about Marrero, either.  Competition, depth, it's all good.  They say Lefave's too short, too squat, doesn't look like a player.  Kirby Puckett anyone?

He can hit. That's all I care about, until I see him butcher a position.

[DPMOmaha]

The system has improved so much mainly because of the players we have. For whatever reason, Omar Minaya decimated the farm system. I don't begrudge him because [the Expos] were going to be contracted. Normally, you hold on to your jewels and Montreal felt they didn't have time to wait for them. So they traded Grady Sizemore, Chris Young, Jason Bay and Cliff Lee. You look at them and go, "Gosh, it would be nice to have them in our system right now." For whatever reason, which doesn't matter now, we started with very few prospects.

If only...

[Kenz aFan]

That guy is a bit of a longshot, but hey, you never know.  You don't know for sure about Marrero, either.  Competition, depth, it's all good.  They say Lefave's too short, too squat, doesn't look like a player.  Kirby Puckett anyone?

Tony Gwynn anyone else?

[PANatsFan]

Tony Gwynn anyone else?

2007 Tony Gwynn can outhit 5 or 6 of our regulars...

[Evolution33]

2007 Tony Gwynn can outhit 5 or 6 of our regulars...

He might be able to out hit that percent of MLB.