Black Sox Select Buckley, Power Bat and Longtime Fan,
At #2 in Amateur Draft
Chicago, April 22, 2054 -- Michael Buckley grew up begging his parents to take him to Black Sox games, a three hour drive from his Indiana hometown. Now, his folks might have a chance to see him play on that very same field. The Black Sox have selected 20-year old right fielder in the first round -- number 2 overall -- in the 2054 Monty Brewster Baseball Association Annual Draft.
Will greed impede a feel-good story?
Sox GM Mike Dunn issued a prepared statement praising the young outfielder. "Michael is more than a series of batting statistics. He's an upstanding, mature young man who managed a 3.9 GPA in his senior year despite the pressures of playing ball. He is very intelligent and we believe he will soon be at the core of the young team we're forming in our system. The fact that he grew up as a Black Sox fan is bonus."
Buckley grew up in Greentown, Indiana, three hours southeast of Chicago, which has a population of around 3,000, all of whom apparently erupted in cheers when the Black Sox selected their favorite son. "I am thrilled," said Buckley when reached for comment. "I still have Rocky Wattson's poster on my bedroom wall." Buckley was eight years old in 2042, when the Black Sox earned the first of what became seven straight playoff appearances. "Those Black Sox teams are why I grew to love baseball," Buckley recalled, "And I would love the chance to become part of a new golden age for the team."
Still, two notes of caution. First, Buckley's fielding is suspect at best, so unless that develops he likely will slot as a DH. More importantly, Buckley is considered to be extremely hard to sign, since he is represented by reviled baseball agent Scott Soreass, who convinced Buckley to walk away from the Des Moines off last season. Now we're told Soreass only wants to talk if the Black Sox start out in the $7 million range. Fortunately the club, currently with the lowest payroll in the Brewster, is in a position to offer that. Both Soreass and Dunn refused to comment on the ensuing negotiations.
