5 hours ago, Chick Mercedes said:

It doesn’t have to be. It’s about the team’s best option. It doesn’t have to be Montgomery moving either. But there’s no reason it shouldn’t be Montgomery. The argument against it is leaning towards territorial, and pecking orders. That has its place, but it’s not baseball

There's no reason the second best defensive shortstop in baseball since be entered the league shouldn't be moved? Huh?

It has nothing to do with pecking orders. These takes are laughable. You don't move elite shortstops off of short. Certainly not for a college kid.

The disrespect and ignorance here about something like this is fascinating.

Edited May 18May 18 by Look at Ray Ray Run

7 hours ago, Chick Mercedes said:

Eh, Manny Machado moved to 3rd base. It’s not a big deal

Jj hardy is the 3rd best defensive shortstop in baseball in the past 30 years. You not realizing this is the same situation, but at least Manny had shown he was an elite professional defender... obviously the o's didn't move a generation leading defender for a prospect because no one in their right mind would.

6 hours ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

There's no reason the second best defensive shortstop in baseball since be entered the league shouldn't be moved? Huh?

It has nothing to do with pecking orders. These takes are laughable. You don't move elite shortstops off of short. Certainly not for a college kid.

The disrespect and ignorance here about something like this is fascinating.

The problem is that people still don't realize how good Colson is defensively. He wasn't labeled as a "great defender" when he was a prospect, like a Billy Carlson is. In fact, many scouting reports had him moving to 3B at some point, and many fans can't get that out of their heads.

Colson is elite defensively. The stats and the eye test both say this. It would be crazy to move him to another position. We truly have one of the best shortstops in all of baseball.

His reputation is lagging behind the results. They’ll catch up eventually.

17 minutes ago, SoxBlanco said:

The problem is that people still don't realize how good Colson is defensively. He wasn't labeled as a "great defender" when he was a prospect, like a Billy Carlson is. In fact, many scouting reports had him moving to 3B at some point, and many fans can't get that out of their heads.

Colson is elite defensively. The stats and the eye test both say this. It would be crazy to move him to another position. We truly have one of the best shortstops in all of baseball.

First off, let's let Billy Carlson, or Roch, or whoever get within sneezing distance of the majors before we go moving everyone all over the field. The other side is something might change during that time frame will Colson too. If nothing changes, and one of these guys is actually knocking on the door, THEN we can start to worry about who is moving. As of today, Colson stays put.

1 hour ago, SoxBlanco said:

The problem is that people still don't realize how good Colson is defensively. He wasn't labeled as a "great defender" when he was a prospect, like a Billy Carlson is. In fact, many scouting reports had him moving to 3B at some point, and many fans can't get that out of their heads.

Colson is elite defensively. The stats and the eye test both say this. It would be crazy to move him to another position. We truly have one of the best shortstops in all of baseball.

He also has the disadvantage of being big. A lot of folks still have a mental image of shortstops as 5'9 speedsters (regardless of the developments at the position over the last couple decades) and just assume big Colson is destined for a corner spot.

I would love a double play combo each hitting 30 to 40 homers.

2 hours ago, SoxBlanco said:

He wasn't labeled as a "great defender" when he was a prospect, like a Billy Carlson is. In fact, many scouting reports had him moving to 3B at some point

Blanco speakin truth here!

1 hour ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

He also has the disadvantage of being big. A lot of folks still have a mental image of shortstops as 5'9 speedsters (regardless of the developments at the position over the last couple decades) and just assume big Colson is destined for a corner spot.

Ascending while Seager and T.Turner are falling off this year.

Pretty much nobody beats Mason Wynn, though.

Tovar having a terrible year.

Swanson still a 3-4 fWAR defender on defense alone.

McGonigle considered right up there with the best young offense/defense guys.

KGriffin has been absorbing some negative grades so far...surprisingly.

Cleveland kids doing surprisingly well...with Kwan and Ramirez scuffling.

A lot of those downgrades on Colson defensivelybwere when he was dealing with some back spasms and general mobility/agility issues related to that problem...there was also the idea that everyday SS play would lead to too much wear and tear, which he has answered positively. Of course, crushing homes makes everyone feel a lot better all-around, that whole confidence/swagger thing he has as a multisport star growing up in basketball crazy Indiana.

I'm slowly beginning to buy into the logic that the Sox go with Emerson instead of Roch, if only because there's nowhere for Roch to play right now and Emerson isn't expected to move through the system as quickly which gives the Sox more time to sort out who they wanna consider the core

If they draft Roch, they would need to DFA Benintendi this year/next year, which would open up a rotating DH, which lets you move Vargas/Colson/Mune/Meidroth/Roch around the infield and still keep all of their bats in the lineup. But apparently Benintendi and Mune share the same agent and would this sour their relationship with the agent and hurt their chances of extending Murakami?

or the first man out would move to the bench (Meidroth) which opens up 2B for Roch because I don't think they're moving Colson or Roch to 3B the way Vargas is playing, that could all change. I'm basing my opinion on the current guys performing continue to rake and Murakami gets extended

god forbid they cut Murakami loose after 2027 (what a huge loss for the franchise and the culture of the team), but that would allow you to move Vargas to 1B and you can figure out between Roch and Colson who goes to 3B and Meidroth sticks around or Antonacci maybe gets moved back to his original position

Basically if they draft Roch, they're gonna have to make some tough decisions in the next 6 to 12 months and someones gonna be off the team or on the bench

15 minutes ago, joejoesox said:

the logic that the Sox go with Emerson instead of Roch

For me it boils down to how they project Emerson’s growth and his timeline to the bigs. If the Sox think he can be in a position to be called up early 2028 and will indeed grow into more ceiling than Roch, it is actually a no brainer.

That is a MASSIVE “if” though.

17 minutes ago, joejoesox said:

Basically if they draft Roch, they're gonna have to make some tough decisions in the next 6 to 12 months and someones gonna be off the team or on the bench

Or on the other hand they use the odd man out as bait for a starting pitcher… which would be sweet.

12 hours ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

There's no reason the second best defensive shortstop in baseball since be entered the league shouldn't be moved? Huh?

It has nothing to do with pecking orders. These takes are laughable. You don't move elite shortstops off of short. Certainly not for a college kid.

The disrespect and ignorance here about something like this is fascinating.

It’s not Cal Ripkin #1, and if another elite SS is moving into the lineup, you’re right, I am ignorant to the problem

3 hours ago, joejoesox said:

I'm slowly beginning to buy into the logic that the Sox go with Emerson instead of Roch, if only because there's nowhere for Roch to play right now and Emerson isn't expected to move through the system as quickly which gives the Sox more time to sort out who they wanna consider the core

If they draft Roch, they would need to DFA Benintendi this year/next year, which would open up a rotating DH, which lets you move Vargas/Colson/Mune/Meidroth/Roch around the infield and still keep all of their bats in the lineup. But apparently Benintendi and Mune share the same agent and would this sour their relationship with the agent and hurt their chances of extending Murakami?

or the first man out would move to the bench (Meidroth) which opens up 2B for Roch because I don't think they're moving Colson or Roch to 3B the way Vargas is playing, that could all change. I'm basing my opinion on the current guys performing continue to rake and Murakami gets extended

god forbid they cut Murakami loose after 2027 (what a huge loss for the franchise and the culture of the team), but that would allow you to move Vargas to 1B and you can figure out between Roch and Colson who goes to 3B and Meidroth sticks around or Antonacci maybe gets moved back to his original position

Basically if they draft Roch, they're gonna have to make some tough decisions in the next 6 to 12 months and someones gonna be off the team or on the bench

Sounds like a good problem to have. We make some trades for outfielders or pitching.

Gonzalez to catcher…

17 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Gonzalez to catcher…

There can be only one @greg775.

3 hours ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

There can be only one @greg775.

He hasn't been around for a bit. Same with Chicago White Sox. Hopefully all is well with both of them.

4 hours ago, ron883 said:

He hasn't been around for a bit. Same with Chicago White Sox. Hopefully all is well with both of them.

Greg said he cant access the site since they did the remodel of it. Im guessing that is true for quite a few posters. I know I can barely get on it. I wish there were a way to fix it.

Edited May 19May 19 by Buehrle>Wood

I don't follow college or prep baseball like Future Sox, Sox Machine, and James Fox does but I thought they were saying Roch is the #1 pick.

What's the latest?

37 minutes ago, Falstaff said:

I don't follow college or prep baseball like Future Sox, Sox Machine, and James Fox does but I thought they were saying Roch is the #1 pick.

What's the latest?

The latest is people getting prospect fatigue

12 minutes ago, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

The latest is people getting prospect fatigue

I hear you, at least with the NFL mock draft I have seen the top players on tv, I don't follow College/ Prep baseball.

The best #1 pick run by the Sox was '87-'90; McDowell, Ventura, Thomas, Fernandez.

'20-'22 has the makings of great picks also; Crochet, Montgomery, Schultz.

42 minutes ago, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

The latest is people getting prospect fatigue

You keep saying this, and I just don't get it. The problem with Roch is he's been worse this year than last year. That's concerning for a prospect.

This idea that the kid is some slam dunk 1-1 is only something I read at Soxtalk.

1 hour ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

You keep saying this, and I just don't get it. The problem with Roch is he's been worse this year than last year. That's concerning for a prospect.

This idea that the kid is some slam dunk 1-1 is only something I read at Soxtalk.

It is? Can you share all the articles, rankings or mocks that have Roch not number 1?

46 minutes ago, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

It is? Can you share all the articles, rankings or mocks that have Roch not number 1?

Sure, here's one by Keith Law that has them going with Emerson just two weeks ago (not that I agree with that!):

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7255697/2026/05/07/mlb-mock-draft-2026-grady-emerson-chicago-white-sox/

Additionally, if you follow the draft coverage it is pretty much unanimous that Roch has fallen back to the pack behind him (or they caught up to him, however you want to phrase it).

Do I think most would still call him the top prospect in the draft? Yes. Do I think he's a slam dunk #1, obviously not. As noted, I'd rather draft Lackey as his stock is trending up.