[LdSentinal]

It could be that just as many ships that can be found in such a short time to set up a counter-attack after Picard was captured.

They just sent the Enterprise for that reason in Star Trek: TMO.

[Sam the Sham]

I disagree.

Any fleet has a distinction between ships used primarily for patrol and recon and exploration and battle ships of the line which would be kept in the major starbases.

When the Borgs drove for Earth, the major starbases around Earth assembled the battle line.