Path of the Pros: John Lackey
The first time was in 1983 when rookie Roger Clemens, playing for the Winter Haven Red Sox, told Kotchman if he left him in the game Clemens could end the contest in three pitches. And the future seven-time Cy Young award winner did just that, a testament not only to his talent, but to his competitive nature.
It was 16 years before Kotchman witnessed that same fire on the hill, this time from 20-year-old rookie John Lackey.
The Angels' second-round pick in '99, Lackey's first stop was with Kotchman's Boise Hawks. The veteran manager still remembers one particular game when he tried to replace Lackey only to have the tall Texan tell him otherwise. Sure enough, Kotchman trotted back to the dugout and Lackey kept dominating, as if to say, "See? I'm not done yet."
Point taken for Kotchman, who never signaled to the bullpen first when Lackey was on the mound that season, a rare display of assurance from a Minor League manager with more than 1,500 career wins.
"One important trait that [Clemens and Lackey] have in common is that they are competitors," Kotchman said. "It's probably an overused word. [On my report on] one of the players I drafted last year and signed ... it says, 'He competes like John Lackey.'"
And in the Angels organization, that's one heck of a compliment.
Following his successful debut season in Boise, where Lackey went 6-2 with a 2.98 ERA in 15 starts, the ace-in-the-making opened the 2000 season with Class A Cedar Rapids. Lackey went 3-2 with a 2.08 ERA in five starts and sped through the Halos' Minor League teams, making stops at Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore and Double-A Erie.
Everywhere Lackey went, he made an impression. Not only was his 6-foot-6, 245-pound presence daunting on the hill, but Lackey's arsenal of top-end pitches consistently overpowered Minor League hitters.
And then there was that look; so serious and driven that current Seattle Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu still remembers it nearly a decade after helming Erie in 2000.
"I would go out there [to the mound] and, man, he would stare you down, which is good," Wakamatsu said.
When Lackey gave up a rare home run, Wakamatsu would watch even closer, wondering what the young right-hander -- who he dubs one of the toughest mental players he's ever seen -- would do the next time he faced that batter.
"He would throw the exact same pitch just to prove that he could beat him," Wakamatsu said. "Guys like that find a way to win."
And with the wins came the promotions and the accolades. Lackey was named the organization's Minor League Player of the Year in 2000 and was the Pacific Coast League's 2002 Pitching Prospect of the Year after posting an 8-2 record with a 2.57 ERA for Triple-A Salt Lake.
However, those distinctions would become an afterthought on Oct. 27, 2002, when Lackey became just the second rookie in baseball history to win Game 7 of the World Series. Lackey allowed only one earned run on four hits while striking out four in five innings, allowing the Angels to hand an early 4-1 lead over to the bullpen trio -- Brendan Donnelly, Francisco Rodriguez and Troy Percival -- that would seal their World Series title.
Kotchman remembers the pregame chatter around the league, particularly in the Minors, about starting Lackey -- a 23-year-old who had just 18 regular-season games under his belt heading into the playoffs.
Could a rookie really handle starting Game 7 of the World Series? Kotchman never doubted it.
"He ain't a normal rookie," Kotchman said then.
It's a fact he reasserts now.
"[Lackey] wasn't intimidated," he said. "Obviously, [for] Game 7 everybody's going to have some type of nerves, but there's things on a scouting report you can't gauge enough of. And he's got that [x-factor].
"There are certain guys that don't accept mediocrity which translates into, 'I want the ball'," Kotchman said. "He just didn't accept mediocrity."
It's a trait just as true now as it was 10 years ago.
 |
1999: Following the Draft, Lackey was assigned to Rookie-level Boise. In 15 starts, he went 6-2 with a 4.98 ERA and notched his first professional complete game. |
 |
2000: Lackey started the season with the Class A Cedar Rapids Kernels before receiving successive promotions to Class A Advanced and Double-A. He posted a combined 15-9 record with a 3.15 ERA and was named the Angels' Minor League Pitcher of the Year. |
 |
2001: After going 9-7 with a 3.46 ERA for Double-A Arkansas, Lackey struggled at the Triple A-level, posting a 3-4 record and a 6.71 ERA. |
 |
2002: In his final full season in the Minors, Lackey rebounded to go 8-2 with a 2.57 ERA for the Salt Lake Stingers. |
Brittany Ghiroli is a contributor to MLB.com.
Minor League Baseball, Joe Torre Safe At Home partnership enters ninth year
For the ninth year, Minor League Baseball and Joe Torre Safe At Home have teamed up to raise awareness about violence and abuse and to inspire fans of all ages to join them in SAH’s critical work. This year, 63 MiLB teams will participate in an in-ballpark initiative from May
MiLB podcast discusses Anthony, Caglianone at Triple-A
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
These are the greatest Minor League promos happening in June
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
New playoff format coming to 2025 Dominican Summer League
Minor League Baseball announced the 2025 Dominican Summer League (DSL) season will begin June 2 with Opening Day festivities taking place at the Boston Red Sox Academy in Guerra. The 2025 campaign will also see the introduction of the DSL Cup, a new playoff format that will see 16 DSL
Debating best Minor League home caps on podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
The Omaha Storm Chasers' 'Take Meow-t' cat night included a Litter Box Sundae
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Boston's Triple-A affiliate throws birthday bash for Roman Anthony
With all the hype that has surrounded Roman Anthony over the past two seasons, it’s easy to forget how young he really is. MLB's No. 1 prospect played 70 games at the highest level of the Minors before he could order a beer. But he can now. Roman Anthony turned
Friendly foes, 2024 first-rounders Moore and Caglianone trade first Triple-A homers
For years, Christian Moore and Jac Caglianone laced up their cleats against one another in the SEC. A rivalry that spanned Florida, Tennessee and other landmarks across the South moved to Salt Lake City this week as the Royals and Angels' top prospects got simultaneous Triple-A promotions. So it was
Phillies' Moore, Fausnaught join MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Red Sox prospect rips double THROUGH Fenway-esque scoreboard
Red Sox No. 4 prospect Franklin Arias, an infielder for High-A Greenville, REALLY didn’t want to let visiting Asheville score any runs in the top of the eighth inning on Friday night. With runners on first and second base in the bottom of the fourth, Arias showed he apparently held
April's hottest hitting prospects -- one for each organization
The Minor League season is a month old and several of the game's best hitting prospects are off to fast starts. Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is tearing up Triple-A (just like he did at the end of last year), Padres shortstop Leo De Vries is leading the High-A Midwest
Check out the best -- and wackiest -- Minor League promos happening in May
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Orioles' Honeycutt joins The Show Before the Show
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
MiLB podcast coming LIVE to a Somerset this June
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
New ballparks highlight 2025 MiLB road trip stops
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Minor League Baseball partners with TruGreen
FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- TruGreen, the nation's leading lawn care treatment provider, is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Minor League Baseball that includes activations across all 120 clubs, a makeover of the home dugout in each market, sponsorship of select MiLB team grounds crews, and a new initiative called
Podcast explains why the Syracuse Mets are looking for Jim Morrison
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Dash im-prom-tu promo and Mets' Suero joins the podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Minor League Baseball partners with Circle K
Minor League Baseball announced a new national partnership with Circle K, which will see the convenience store giant become the “Official Convenience Store of Minor League Baseball.” During the 2025 season, the Circle K brand will be integrated into the MiLB in-stadium experience through in-game video board assets at most
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other