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 TRL, right?