Opinion

With the St. Louis Cardinals clinging to the NL Central lead, the Pittsburgh Pirates may reluctantly settle for a National League wild-card berth.

Around this time of year in Major League Baseball, trying to keep your head on straight, while focusing on the playoff roulette that happens, gets to be very difficult. 

On the plus side, with so much movement and so many storylines happening all around us, it gives everyone something to talk about on a nightly basis. We can dissect games, plays, moments, pitches, etc. 

While the St. Louis is eyeing its third consecutive postseason appearance, a number of important events dramatically altered the 2013 season.

Most of these events are based on opportunity, while others are wrapped around raw talent. Perhaps the most important is youth, which the Cardinals boast plenty of.

The baseball world has been focused on the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox for much of the season, but the Cincinnati Reds are one of the under-the-radar teams with the talent to win the World Series.

Teams like the New York Yankees have received more attention than the Reds and the other teams on this list, and they aren't even in position to make the playoffs.

The Reds recently went 6-1 against the St. Louis Cardinals and the Dodgers, so they know they can compete with the best teams.

It's that magical time of year again where we look back at the recently completed minor league season and examine the state of the farm for Major League Baseball teams. 

Even though all of the focus is, rightly so, on the pennant races going on across MLB, we should not forget about the youngsters who represent the future of the game. In due time, a lot of them will be playing key roles in the postseason chase. 

Before we dive head first into ranking the top 10 systems, I first want to explain the process that is used.

Bryce Harper is already one of MLB's best all-around outfielders, but it often seems that we overlook the uniqueness of his rapid rise.

Remember, the Washington Nationals centerpiece hasn't even turned 21 yet!

One of the greatest careers in New York Yankees history is coming to an end.

As first reported by Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Andy Pettitte has announced he will retire at the conclusion of the 2013 Yankees season:

An era is rapidly coming to an end in New York, as Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte is announcing his retirement effective at the end of the 2013 season, per the team's official Twitter feed: 

What's it like to be a sportscaster? 

Behind the Mic caught up with Ernie Johnson—one of the most distinguished broadcasters in sports—to give us a peek behind the scenes of his process and the production of an MLB broadcast.

Watch now and stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes action on Behind the Mic. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Colorado Rockies are willing to listen on possible trades involving Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez.

According to John Harper of the New York Daily News, one executive close to the Rockies said the team will seriously consider offers for the pair in an effort to rebuild.