Dodgers Down on the Farm, July 18, 2009: Lindblom & Russell

Welcome to the debut edition of my third weekly Dodger column, “Dodgers Down on the Farm.” Once a week, I will profile one high-level, ultra-elite prospect, along with one high-upside talent from lower down on the farm.   I will also try to balance the reports with one pitcher and one position player per week.   As a prospect makes more noise, he will be profiled more frequently; however, we will focus on getting to know as many of the prospects as we can before we begin duplicating entries.   If a prospect is making so much noise that he is on the verge of getting called up, well, that’s a special case.   Periodically, I will attempt to do a comprehensive statistical round-up.   The Dodger farm system has cycled through amazing periods of proficiency—witness four consecutive Rookie of the Year awards from 1979-’82, and five more in a row from 1992-’96—and more recent times (in the late ‘90s) when the mino...