1 hour ago, Chick Mercedes said:

If I had to guess the Sox are smitten with Lackey and his family as well. The relationship will be there. But actually the tipping factor will actually be baseball

He and Braden just have infectious personalities....Nishida, etc.

Marketing/entertainment value still matters if the talent levels are comparable.

1 hour ago, SoxBlanco said:

Good call.

@Look at Ray Ray Run , I read your post again, and you are just talking about games played, not games caught.

@Y2Jimmy0 , since the best catchers do play 140/150 games, why the hesitation on drafting a catcher? You have mentioned they take longer to develop, but is that really true? Davis was taken 1.1 in 2021 and made his debut in 2023. Adley was drafted 1.1 in 2019 and debuted in 2022. Bart was taken 1.2 in 2018 and debuted in 2020. Heck, even Teel (drafted 14 overall) was up in 2025 after being drafted in 2023.

I just can’t get on board with not drafting Lackey because he’s a catcher. Normally, yes, you always take a SS, but Lackey even seems like the better athlete.

1 hour ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Lackey will take some time…don’t think you worry shout this until 2028 at the earliest.

I don't think Will Venable has any interest in playing two catchers; especially one at DH. Lackey would take time but not that much. Probably like mid-season 2028 I'd think.

On the latest MLB Pipeline podcast, Callis and Mayo discussed percentage chances at #1. It was interesting. Callis said 45% Cholowsky, 40% Emerson and 15% Lackey. Mayo said 40% Roch, 40% Emerson and 20% Lackey.

50 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

On the latest MLB Pipeline podcast, Callis and Mayo discussed percentage chances at #1. It was interesting. Callis said 45% Cholowsky, 40% Emerson and 15% Lackey. Mayo said 40% Roch, 40% Emerson and 20% Lackey.

Who do you think TLR is pushing for? The rumor is about TLR, right?

Edited yesterday at 03:07 AM1 day by SoxBlanco

2 hours ago, SoxBlanco said:

Who do you think TLR is pushing for? The rumor is about TRL, right?

Probably David Eckstein haha. La Russa once traded newly drafted Dansby Swanson for Shelby Miller.

Laxkey is Vaughn redux.

4 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

Probably David Eckstein haha. La Russa once traded newly drafted Dansby Swanson for Shelby Miller.

If it’s him, nobody should be shy about not mentioning that it’s him. Light im up! Light everyone up that allows him to still have an opinion

2 hours ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

On the latest MLB Pipeline podcast, Callis and Mayo discussed percentage chances at #1. It was interesting. Callis said 45% Cholowsky, 40% Emerson and 15% Lackey. Mayo said 40% Roch, 40% Emerson and 20% Lackey.

I'm back on the Roch train. An elite defensive shortstop with 20-30 HR ability. I'm more comfortable with that compared to a catching prospect. I'm fine with Emerson as well if they truly think he'll be a stud. Roch being ready within a year or so is a huge plus though.

11 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

Probably David Eckstein haha. La Russa once traded newly drafted Dansby Swanson for Shelby Miller.

Derek Curiel train here we gooooo

I had a feeling they would take Berger

I had a feeling they would take Crochet

I have a feeling they are taking Lackey

8 hours ago, Lillian said:

What is the consensus opinion regarding possible slot savings, with Lackey, to be employed in later rounds?

More people have hopped onto the Lackey train on the board over the past couple weeks.

I’m still torn.

31 minutes ago, Springfield Soxfan said:

Laxkey is Vaughn redux.

Just because the leg kick?

15 minutes ago, hi8is said:

Just because the leg kick?

There's a picture of him wearing a Packers jacket.

Vaughn/Lackey have as much in common (besides a similar name) as Skeletor and He-Man...

If anything, Andrew Vaughn is much more similar to Roch in terms of ncaa career profiles.

48 minutes ago, wegner said:

There's a picture of him wearing a Packers jacket.

Probably just for fashion.

Everyone from GA pretty much cheers for Falcons Tennessee Carolina or Jaguars.

FWIW, just watched an interview with Lackey and he says he definitely wants to catch as opposed to moving to OF or another position. Likes touching the ball after every pitch.

Said it would be an honor to go 1OA, but that he thinks he could move quickly for any of the top 4. Unsurprisingly wants to get to the bigs ASAP, his goal is within two years.

He mentioned seeing Posey at a Cal game and feeling a little starstruck, though they didn't actually meet/talk.

Kap this morning said Cholowski needs shoulder surgery???

44 minutes ago, Chick Mercedes said:

Kap this morning said Cholowski needs shoulder surgery???

Unbelievable.

53 minutes ago, Chick Mercedes said:

Kap this morning said Cholowski needs shoulder surgery???

Doubt it. Would be all over my Twitter feed if so.

I can’t find it. But he definitely said it

31 minutes ago, DirtySox said:

Doubt it. Would be all over my Twitter feed if so.

I’ve seen some mention of left labrum issue, but I thought it was old

Is it bad I was playing around with some numbers to see how much drafting Burress first would then open up money to push a top ten guy like Bell to the second round? Doesn’t look possible without a comp pick or two added.

3 minutes ago, fathom said:

Is it bad I was playing around with some numbers to see how much drafting Burress first would then open up money to push a top ten guy like Bell to the second round? Doesn’t look possible without a comp pick or two added.

I don't get the Burress thing. I think Tyler Bell is the 3rd best college position player in the class. Burress is a 5-8, RHH corner guy. The issue is also that anyone who takes a physical has to get 75% of slot at #1. $8.5 million is basically the lowest you could pay anyone at 1. I'm not sure Cholowsky gets more than $9.5 million. Seems like a waste of time.

17 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

I don't get the Burress thing. I think Tyler Bell is the 3rd best college position player in the class. Burress is a 5-8, RHH corner guy. The issue is also that anyone who takes a physical has to get 75% of slot at #1. $8.5 million is basically the lowest you could pay anyone at 1. I'm not sure Cholowsky gets more than $9.5 million. Seems like a waste of time.

Next GA Techster (non Adam Engel physique reminiscent) up...

SS?

Edited yesterday at 02:10 PM1 day by caulfield12

1 hour ago, Chick Mercedes said:

Kap this morning said Cholowski needs shoulder surgery???

I reached out to David Kaplan. He told me that he "saw it mentioned somewhere". I saw it earlier this week too. My interpretation (and I've reached out to some national draft people) is that it's a google AI mistake conflating Cholowsky and Tyler Bell. It would be a massive story if Cholowsky needed a surgery.