Klawchat 10/29/15.

Klaw: The bridge you burn is gonna take its toll. Klawchat.

Drake: Who do you think could replace AA as Blue Jays GM? Would they promote LaCava?
Klaw: The name I keep hearing is Ross Atkins, who has overseen the farm system in Cleveland for several years now.

Steve: Since more people are killed by knives than by rifles, do you think there should be laws limiting knife ownership?
Klaw: I think this question further illustrates how bad American public schools are at teaching math.

David: Thoughts on Bud Black to the Nationals?
Klaw: Solid, but how solid depends on whether some of his in-game tactics improve. He gets high marks within the game for his behind-the-scenes work, and I know when Hoyer was GM there Black’s in-game management was better, too.

Bryan: Will Almora be an early season call up next year?
Klaw: To do what? A no-power CF with poor on-base skills isn’t going to help the major-league club.

Aaron Gershoff: It seems like Harvey and deGrom are hitting the end-of-season wall…they were both missing in bad spots (as opposed to missing off the plate). deGrom especially was missing right over the heart of the plate…even the worst MLB teams can hit a 95mph fastball right down the pipe. I also thought deGrom’s arm was at a lower angle…I’m guessing this would take some movement off his fastball and make it easier to track for KC’s hitters. Thoughts?
Klaw: Lower arm slot generally leads to more movement rather than less, but also I think the Mets’ plan of attack vs KC didn’t work: most hitters miss their fastballs, but the Royals’ hitters didn’t and probably won’t.

Sam: Which Astros pitching prospect has the best stuff? Do you still see Appel as a top of the rotation guy?
Klaw: Prospect as in still in the minors? Probably Martes. Appel has more like #2 starter stuff but still needs better command, and the Astros need to let him become primarily a two-seamer guy because pitching up with the four-seamers isn’t working for him.

Derek Harvey: What is your opinion of Josh Hader? I heard he was hitting 97 in instructs and now in the AFL. Do you think that’s a real change for him or is it more likely he’s unloading because he’s only pitching in short stints?
Klaw: I saw him hit 96 or 97 in the C-C All-Star Game here last year. He’s a reliever for sure but filthy with the life on the sinker and the hard slider.

Kingpin: What can you tell us about Byung-ho Park? Can he be at least an average big league first baseman? From what I’ve read, he is limited to 1B so the bat has to be pretty darn good, right?
Klaw: And there’s a lot of swing and miss too.

J: This is a bit of an open-ended question, and maybe one less well-suited for a chat than another forum. You’ve been adamant about the loss of efficacy for a starting pitcher the 4th time through a line-up. At the same time, pitching staffs are already overstuffed to an annoying degree. How can baseball recalibrate to handle what feels like, if not contrary, then at odds thoughts – less complete games and less specialization. Perhaps the answer is in what we’re seeing after two games of the WS with Niese, Colon, and Young – the joys of a good long reliever. In short – how can we get back to an 11-man staff, tops, and accommodate new understandings of pitcher fatigue?
Klaw: Employ some actual “long” relievers – which in this day and age means anyone who can pitch to more than four batters without being hauled back into cold storage.

Jonathan (St. Louis): Randal Grichuk question: The knock on him is that the hit may not be good enough to get to the power. His OBP this year was about 330. To my (uneducated) ear, that sounds good enough. Is it? Is he likely to repeat it, or was that him playing over his head?
Klaw: Playing over his head in a short season with some judicious usage.

My real name is Matt: Hi Keith. Is Schwarber at 3B a crazy idea? Seems like a all-state linebacker candidate in high school would have good quickness/lateral movement- at least enough to man third. Bryant to left. What say you?
Klaw: Yes, it’s a crazy idea. Also a very bad one.

Brian: Any chance the Mets can dig themselves out of this 2-0 hole to win this thing? The Mets look overmatched and their pitchers look frustrated. Thanks!
Klaw: Of course. That’s pure recency bias – they’re the same team that swept the Cubs. And plenty of teams have come back from 2-0 to win seven-game series in MLB history.

Eric: Hi Keith, should Tony LaCava get any consideration for the GM job in Toronto?
Klaw: Yes but apparently he won’t.

Sriram: Did you read the Rosenthal piece on the hiring practices of MLB – agree, disagree, it’s complicated?
Klaw: Agree. We’ve had one Black manager or GM hired this offseason and he’s white.

Derek: Perhaps the best way to improve the Nats’ lineup is to move Harper to CF and buy FA for RF (e.g., Heyward, Gordon, Upton, etc.) What do you think about Harper in CF (it sure seems like a good way to maximize his insane value; he’s been a competent CF in the past)? The reasoning is that the spread of potential outcomes for M.A. Taylor in CF is too much risk for a contending team like the Nats to bear. What do you think? If the plan is to go with Taylor in CF, I think I’d want a premium 4th OF who could step in if he craters. You probably can’t sign a guy like that, so you’d have to trade for him. Do you think AJ Cole could fetch somebody who fits that mold?
Klaw: I agree with you on Harper – I think he can handle it and be at least an average defender. Taylor’s glove is much better, but there’s huge OBP downside risk. Also, I don’t see the Nats (or most teams in this situation) giving three significant roles to rookies – CF, SS, and a rotation spot. Cole could (should) fetch you a fourth OF or better as I think he’s an MLB ready starter right now.

Jason: My buddy is trying to tell me the two best teams in baseball are playing right now, I countered that the Jays are better than KC…. Settle this for us…. He told me that Price just isn’t good in October
Klaw: The playoffs don’t determine better or best. They determine the winners. Once your friend accepts that those two things aren’t the same, and that you don’t have to care about the former if you don’t want to, he’ll enjoy the playoffs much more. And Price looked just fine to me.

Jesse: Granted the trades were probably necessary and Tulo’s got some years left, but on a scale of “coincidence” to “coincidence, my ass,” where do you rank AA gutting the farm, then declining an extension and ultimately moving on elsewhere?
Klaw: Absolutely a coincidence. Your read on the situation is comically wrong.

Blake Guyer: What’s your take on the Royals adding Raul Mondesi Jr. to their World Series roster?
Klaw: Joe Sheehan’s newsletter piece on it was great: if this is indeed a way to cover for Ben Zobrist possibly leaving if his wife goes into labor early, then Yost and company deserve a ton of credit for doing so and for handling it as they did. Because Mondesi has basically no way to help this team right now.

Alex: We know the Cubs will pursue Price and/or Zimmermann, but what do you think the likelihood of a trade is? Do they flip one of the kids for a more reliable bat or do they keep the band together and hope everyone just learns from experience?
Klaw: How about both? They have more bats than they can use. Castro and Baez can’t both be on this roster in 2016.

Pat: Did you notice anything last night that would lead you to believe de Grom was tipping his pitches? It seems like the Royals knew what was coming once he got into the stretch.
Klaw: Many people have said that, but I doubt I would have seen it even if I’d watched the game live, which I didn’t.

Greg: As much as I wish I could read through great novels like you seem to, I prefer comics. Easy quick stories but still complicated plots, great humor, and never ending twists. Did you as a kid or even now read comics?
Klaw: Never – neither comics nor “graphic novels.” I like words.

Scott: Is strikeout rate an improvable skill? Specifically, do you see the Cubs young hitters capable of improving that skill? If you don’t, how much will that hamstring them?
Klaw: The skill is the ability to make contact. It can be improved, although some of it (e.g., hand-eye coordination) is likely innate.

Greg: Assuming Daniel Murphy leaves the Mets, how do you see the infield shaping next year with Herrera, Flores, and Tejada. Would you play Herrera at 2B, Flores at SS with Tejada the back up? Do you see a FA infielder that you think fits with the Mets well?
Klaw: Flores is not an everyday shortstop. Neither is Herrera, though, so they may have to look outside – and may have to decide now if they believe Cecchini is likely to fill that spot for them in the next 24 months, before Rosario becomes a possibility for the major-league job.

Casey: What’s the ceiling for Patrick Wisdom? Is he just a bat off the bench or could be an everyday player?
Klaw: Bench or less.

Casey: Where will Alex Reyes start next season and could he be in the Cardinals bullpen or rotation by the end of the season?
Klaw: I assume he starts in AA or AAA and finishes in their rotation if healthy. He looked outstanding in the AFL but I can see some delivery issues that might have contributed to the shoulder problem.

Rick: Which white Ivy League graduate will replace AA in Toronto?
Klaw: The Ivy League bit really pisses me off, and I think I can go after it because I went to one of them fancy schools. It’s less about white – Harvard’s population is only a little less diverse than the US as a whole, at least in terms of African-American and Latino students – but more about privilege. Ivy League is not a good proxy for intelligence, and it isn’t even a great proxy for wealth, but it is a damn good proxy for privilege. It’s damn hard to get there unless you grew up in the right circumstances. And if we are closing the door as an industry on anyone who didn’t grow up in those circumstances, then I won’t be supporting the industry for much longer.

Alex D.: Did you happen to see Bubba Starling during your AFL visit? If so, have you seen anything different that would lead you to believe he can be an everyday major leaguer, or is the window closing?
Klaw: I did, and it was more of the same. He’s marginally better than he was in 2014, with more consistency to the swing, but not enough that I’d say he could hit enough to be a big leaguer.

Adam (PHX): What are your initial thoughts on Olivera? Needs to improve his approach? Defense to stick at 3rd?
Klaw: All of the above. Defense might not even stick at third, so that has to improve too.

Dino: What are your thought on Jemier Candeliaro and W. Conteras. Are we looking at Major league regulars?
Klaw: Yes on Contreras. Candelario hits enough to be a regular at 3b but is a 40 defender there.

Ray A.: What do you think of Christian Arroyo? Get a chance to see him during your Fall League trip?
Klaw: I did but not enough. I like the swing – I did when I saw him in the AFL in 2013 – and I don’t think he’s a shortstop.

David (San Diego): Gardenhire and Sofield are allegedly the two finalists for the manager’s job in San Diego. Any thoughts on these gentlemen?
Klaw: White guys! I don’t know anything about Sofield but Gardenhire was so bad tactically and showed zero improvement in Minnesota that I think I’d rather take the complete unknown (from a great organization).

Alex: Did I make a good choice?
Klaw: I’m behind anyone who chooses family, job satisfaction, or personal happiness over money or prestige.

Jon V: Cleveland allowed Shapiro to leave for a lateral move and now could lose a top front office guy (albeit to a promotion). Are they being “too easy” to work with?
Klaw: Not a lateral move (he was not involved in baseball ops in Cleveland) and maybe they were OK with him leaving too?

Jeff: Opinions on the Matt klentak hire?
Klaw: I think it indicates that MacPhail will be very heavily involved in baseball ops. Klentak is very sharp and has a strong resume, but I read his hiring as one of Andy choosing someone he knows and with whom he’s comfortable. Given this trend in so many front offices now, MLB has to bear down on hiring of Presidents because they’re becoming the de facto GMs – and I think there’s exactly one of color in any organization.

Anonymous: So, what coaching position will AA get with the Red Sox? But seriously have you ever seen anything like the Amaro move? The closest I can think of is Farrell himself. I believe he was Cleveland director of player development before becoming pitching coach. But that’s neither as high as GM nor as low as 1B coach.
Klaw: I love it. I never cared for Ruben’s work as GM, and my limited interactions with him weren’t positive, but it takes a lot of character to start relatively low on the totem pole (first base coaches don’t have a ton of responsibility) like he is.

Adam D.: Have you ever found yourself giving a prospect the benefit of the doubt simply because you’ve met them and like them as people? The other way around? More harsh on a guy because you know he’s a bad character guy? Any examples?
Klaw: No on the former. I would suck at my job if I did that stuff. A “bad character guy” who has a lousy work ethic or doesn’t listen to coaches is legitimately a worse prospect, though.

Randy Burgess: Since being signed, there has not been much discussion of Yadier Alvarez. Do players in his situation have to wait before working in the minors or do they workout at some kind of extended full-season training?
Klaw: He’s had trouble getting his visa to get to the US.

JR: Do you get a kick out of all these articles we see this time of year about how player X has made/cost himself $$ due to postseason performance? Do they really think GMs are going to toss out years of data based on a 10-18 game sample size (or even smaller for pitchers)?
Klaw: I bet that stuff used to happen 15-20 years ago but now it’s just filling column-inches for lazy writers.

Michael: Where does Cooper Johnson rank among amateur catchers?
Klaw: Among the best. It’s a bad crop, but he look like a legitimate potential first rounder.

Ryan: Is it weird to be at the AFL while the Series is going? i.e Conceptually strange at all to be so completely focused on the future at the cost of the present?
Klaw: I’m back from the AFL but no, it’s not weird to be there in October. It’s my job and one of my favorite trips of the year.

Ryan: As a Rangers fan, where should I set my expectations for Profar?
Klaw: I think he’s all the way back as a hitter. I have no idea what his throwing will look like once he’s cleared in the spring, and of course they don’t have an obvious place to play him.

Mike: If you were Bud Black, what would do on your first day on the job in Washington?
Klaw: Call Bryce Harper and make sure we’re on the same page as much as possible. He’s the center of the team right now, and while you’re his nominal ‘boss’ you want to start that relationship off on the right foot.

JA: Thanks for taking time to answer q’s on your vacation Keith! What have you seen out of Mac Williamson during the AFL? Is he ready to contribute in SF next season?
Klaw: Bat speed looked good, recognition of sliders wasn’t, seemed to be limited throwing (nursing an injury?), still a great athlete who runs well and should be very good in RF.

Austin: What do you make of the comment that Shapiro was upset with Anthopolous for trading so many prospects? Should Jays fans be worried about a decrease in payroll, or anything of the sort?
Klaw: If that’s true, and I don’t know if it is, it seems awfully shortsighted (ironically enough) given the mandate to win and the market’s desire for a playoff appearance. AA used those prospects the right way – to get high-impact players in return.

Ryan: You have a youngish child. Is it a problem that MLB has playoff games ending at 2:20 am EST on a school night?
Klaw: I can’t stay up that late for the end of a game. She wouldn’t either, assuming she cared about baseball.

Hermoine G: Is there any chance that baseball will address its anachronistic and self-defeating blackout policy. It seems that a sport with a declining viewer base doesn’t really want to arbitrarily limit demand.
Klaw: Yes. Really, the whole TV policy is going to have to change as more homeowners cut their cable/satellite subscriptions. We’re going to deal directly with content providers more frequently.

Keith: There’s currently 1 minority manager (Gonzalez) and he’s bad. I don’t buy that there’s just not any good/qualified minority managers, so are teams just failing in their searches and not giving enough minorities consideration?
Klaw: I think like hires like, and people hire people they already know. With whites all over the top of the game, you’re not getting much consideration of minority candidates below them because (I believe) the white execs just don’t know enough people of color within the sport.

Michael: What generally happens to the scouting and front office infrastructure after a move like AA’s? Will the scouts/executives move on and/or get fired?
Klaw: Over the next twelve months you’ll probably see a lot of them move on, either because they wanted to or because they’re not renewed.

Anonymous: You have to think this spells the end for Gibby in Toronto, no? I think he’s done a great job but he was AA’s guy
Klaw: I think it’s the end for him. Look for Shapiro to bring in someone he knows/likes – maybe my colleague Eric Wedge?

Ken: I was surprised with the number of relievers throwing high 90’s, low 100’s in AZ. What is holding them back from being on a big league roster? If they flame out, it seems the best strategy is to get them up and use as many of the bullets as you can.
Klaw: Lack of command and/or secondary stuff.

Tim: The Royals and Giants both strike out at very low rates. Given their recent success, does this weaken the “a strikeout is just another out” thinking by some FOs? I kind of see both sides.
Klaw: The strikeout is just another out thing is true from a direct run-expectancy perspective, but that’s not the same as saying that there’s no added value in making contact, because not all contact is created equal.

Evan: Am I crazy to think the Cubs should do nothing with Schwarber (as in keep him in left)? I have seen way too many people (on the internet granted, not to self: don’t go on the internet) ready to trash him as useless for the Cubs.
Klaw: Play him in LF. He’ll be fine and he’ll hit a lot of homers and everyone will be all YAY SCHWARBER again.

AJ: Hi Keith any thoughts on Chris Shaw? He had a good short season and showed some power the Giants seem to lack in their system
Klaw: Has power, power over hit though, and decent chance he’s a DH not a 1B in the long run.

Justin: Considering Toronto is the only team in Canada, which, while lovely, has a different exchange rate, tax rate, and an additional immigration component, is it harder for the Jays to find front office talent? What about coaching, scouting, and player talent?
Klaw: No, that’s just a myth. You pay very slightly more to cover the tax issues and you’re fine. Plus it’s an amazing city from April to September. As long as I don’t have to spend the winter there I love it.

John: Looking at the Nats’ selection process, Black is clearly a better choice than Baker. Do you think teams game the system with respect to which minority candidates they bring in? Like, “Ok, we checked the box by interviewing Manny Ramierez, but all of you can clearly see that he has some defects compared to our first choice.”
Klaw: There’s no question they do. In many processes it’s more important to get a minority than to get the right one.

Dan: Asking once more then I’ll leave you alone (respecting if you don’t want to answer and I don’t want to bug you) – are there any prospect annuals you would recommend to someone who doesn’t know much but enjoys your yearly ranking columns?
Klaw: No, sorry. I haven’t bought or used any books like that in years.

nb: Keith – Andrew Knapp tore things up in Reading after his promotion. Did you see him in Arizona? Do you see him or Afardo as the Phillies catcher of the future? Thanks.
Klaw: Alfaro. Knapp’s stat line doesn’t match the scouting report. You can beat him pretty easily at the plate.

Julius (Oakland): Have you seen Matt Manning in person yet? He seems to be getting a lot of helium in the fall showcases. Could he be working his way into first round consideration?
Klaw: Longenhagen saw him good this summer and I heard from a scout Manning was 91-95 with a good CB in Jupiter, so I think he’s a possibility for the first round – but it is SO early to make any bold statements on that topic.

Jeff: Keith I am sort of “getting back” into reading but generally prefer nonfiction. Of the little I have read of his, Malcolm Gladwell’s writing appeals to me. Have you reviewed his work in the past? General opinion of him?
Klaw: Tends to gloss over some details to craft a stronger narrative. Michael Lewis does the same; both are wonderful writers but their work doesn’t stand up that well to deeper scrutiny.

AJ: Hi Keith what are your thoughts on Tyler Beede? Is his low K rate a concern? Reports are that he’s lost some velocity. While he did well in high A, he also got hit quite a bit in AA
Klaw: He didn’t lose velocity per se but switched to a sinker and is now 88-89. He no longer misses bats and his control has gone backwards. I think there’s still a big-league starter in there, but the current iteration doesn’t look like one.

Kyle: At the time the Rangers were thought to “sell the farm” for Hamels. IMO I think they actually sold Williams on a high and that Brinson will be a better overall player especially defensively. Thoughts?
Klaw: I’ve always preferred Brinson, for defense, power, and makeup. Williams’ approach at the plate isn’t that good – he had a few weeks of walking and then went back to his old self – although he has made himself a viable major-league glove in CF.

Mike: Likelihood of Price back to Jays smaller now, or nil?
Klaw: It was always nil.

Travis: How high could Ian Anderson go in the draft next year? Between him and Whitley this year, it’s been an unusually strong couple years for upstate NY prep talents.
Klaw: He’s in that group with Manning of possible first-round HS arms, but it’ll all depend on how they pitch in the spring (and who stays healthy).

Bob: I know you were on the radio in Toronto talking about the AA situation. I have seen anything from you in writing yet. Do you have a short capsule you can share here in chat?
Klaw: I’m not going to write about it (I’m on vacaaaaaation) but TSN1050’s Twitter feed has the linnk to the audio.

Michael: Would you be in favor of preferred hiring for entry-level jobs? I’m white (and yes, had a fairly privileged upbringing), but I’d be fairly disappointed–I have tried pretty hard for years to get a job with a club–if someone got a job on less than merit.
Klaw: Plenty of meritorious candidates of all backgrounds out there. Supply far exceeds demand at the entry level.

Kevin: You were always high on the Royals system, Mouse and Hosmer especially. Is this what you envisioned out of them, or did they take a different path from your scouting, but still manage to turn into very good players
Klaw: Hosmer is getting closer to what I envisioned from him but I still think there’s more in there. Moustakas is right about at the realistic ceiling I expected – but both guys took longer than I would have guessed to get there.

Robert: Have you gotten a chance to see Joe Rizzo in action? Wondering where position you would project him as a Pro, not sure he can stay at 3rd base.
Klaw: Saw him a bunch in August, feel very good about his hit tool, not sure on his position either because I didn’t get many reps in the field.

Rob: You seemed to be down on Domingo Acevedo in your quick mention the other day. Does he even project as a MLB reliever at t his point, or am I reading too much into what you wrote?
Klaw: He’s a possible ML reliever. There are a lot of guys with his size and stuff kicking around the minors.

Steve: My problem with having a youngish child and the WS isn’t start/end times, it’s the fear that she’s paying attention to the commercials and is about to ask me what an erection is.
Klaw: Better that than she ask you what “daily fantasy” means.

Hugo Z: Did you mean that Mauricio Cabrera should literally throw all fastballs for the forseeable future? How will he make progress that way?
Klaw: That’s a bit of a straw man, in a couple of ways. He needs to make progress with his fastball command, and because his fastball has life at 98 mph (a little less at 102, natch), he can get away with throwing it an inordinately high percentage of the time.

Tom: Non-baseball question: are there any books that would crack your top 102 if you updated the list today?
Klaw: Looks like I’ve only tagged two that way – Middlemarch and Infinite Jest. https://meadowparty.com/blog/tag/klaw-103/

Sean: Keith, thoughts on why someone like Jason McCloud is not getting more traction for GM positions. Seems like a sharp guy and for those who care, fills the minortity quota.
Klaw: I am still floored that Milwaukee didn’t ask to interview him. He’s 90 miles away, in their division, hits all of their alleged criteria, and is a minority (Pacific Islander), yet they never called – perhaps because, as I’ve said before, they knew who they were going to hire before they went through the whole interviewing process.

Julia: I’m stunned by the number of books you review. You don’t seem to have a lot of down time. Are you catching up or do you really read a book a week?
Klaw: I’m on pace to read over 100 books this year. I think I read fairly quickly, at least when the book engages me. And when I fly, I read. I knocked out nearly all of Inherent Vice on the flights to Phoenix (that was such a great fucking book).

Ed: You often mention that Severino is a reliever for you. In an admittedly small sample size, I see why (physically) you say that. It’s all arm as you say, but his performance was the best on the team besides Tanaka. Do you mean you think he breaks down and they have to put him in the pen because he can’t come back and handle the load? I mean, what is the path by which he becomes a reliever now that he is clearly one of their top starters?
Klaw: Yes, that’s the main thing I mean. I don’t think he’ll ever have good fastball command – he has very good control, though – but the durability is the main concern. They were also very smart about limiting how deep he worked into games. I think guys like him and Reynaldo Lopez will have a hard time staying healthy as starters over multiple years. Perhaps I’m wrong on one of those specific guys, but if you give me, say, 20 minor league starters who throw like that, I would bet more than 3/4 of them end up in the pen. Maybe even that’s too low.

Kevin: Do you see anything in how Aaron Sanchez pitches that makes him so bad against lefties. I imagine he will go back to the rotation next season, but those splits were ugly.
Klaw: His stride is too short. He hasn’t been the same guy since that changed – I once rated him over Syndergaard because he had better raw stuff and just as easy a delivery. Once the delivery changed, the stuff got a tick worse and the effort level spiked.

Addoeh: Staycation then?
Klaw: We went to Disney for 3 days to do Food and Wine at Epcot. My daughter loves that and Soarin. There were some pretty good dishes this year – the pork belly at Brazil, the frozen chocolate mousse at the Chew Lab, the bulgogi at South Korea (although that wasn’t kimchi; those were pickles), the venison at New Zealand. I skipped the haggis though.

Michael: You often point out that people give jobs in baseball to their buddies, but then you praise Eric Wedge and Alex Cora, two people you are very close with. Are you falling into the same trap?
Klaw: No.

Greg: Thoughts on Luke Weaver?
Klaw: Reliever or very back-end starter. Below-average slider.

Dallas: With the World Series almost being over the countdown begins for the Gaylord Opryland hotel; feel the heat!
Klaw: I hate you.

sriram: andy green to sd, thoughts?
Klaw: I’m glad to see someone actually hire a manager who has managerial experience in the minors.

Corey: Speaking of starter/relievers, is Joe Kelly closer material ? if so, should Boston work him into that role or try to trade for Chapman to eventually replace Uehara ?
Klaw: I think that’s his best role in the long run.

Michael: If you were the Yankees though, would you gamble with Severino and keep him in the rotation–even if the odds, as you think, are against him sticking there?
Klaw: Hell yeah – i’ve never at any point advocated they put him in the pen.

Jason: Should left handed hitters spend more of their time in development hitting left handed pitching? It’s amazing how few of them actually hit lefties well.
Klaw: It’s kind of hard unless you know of a parallel universe to which they can travel and face lots of left-handed pitchers for practice.

Greg: Give Lackey a QO?
Klaw: Yes.

Tom: My mom went to Phoenix to visit her sister. I made her go to Cartel to get me some coffee. She texted me a picture of her at the place and brought me back beans. Just wanted to let you know your influence is spreading.
Klaw: I went three times last week, brought home a bag, and sent a bag to a coffee-snob friend of mine recovering from surgery. I miss that place.

Joe Mauer: Should I just catch again?
Klaw: Sure, traumatic head injuries are totally no big deal.

Mike: Why are there no catchers who throw lefthanded? Can it be done?
Klaw: We call them “pitchers.”

Jeff: How would you compare Jason groome to Brady Aiken?
Klaw: Not even close. Aiken was way, way more polished with better offspeed stuff.

JG: How do you not look like the love child of Rich Garces and Bob Wickman with your love of good food and drink?
Klaw: Portion control plus a decent metabolism, a weak stomach, and occasional exercise.

BK: Can the Jays, in fact, NOT have nice things?
Klaw: No, they can’t, but you can just by visiting the dish! Thanks for all of your questions this week – I’ll still be scarce on social media for the next few days but will have posts up here, and am back to work as usual on Monday. Enjoy the rest of the Series … it’s just about all we’ve got until spring training.