Starting at 1 pm today. Questions go in the frame below, NOT in the comments.
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Klaw: You’d better learn your lesson well. Klawchat.
TJ: Im new to this, so I do not know if you have answered this before; but with John Coppolella and his endless pursuit of pitching, in your opinion what is the chance the braves end up going Groome or Pint?
Klaw: I have a mock up today that has them taking Groome, but I know they are also seriously considering several college bats. I don’t think they have decided, as you might be implying, that they’re taking an arm no matter what.
Chris: Hi Keith, thanks for the chats. Does Harrison Bader’s performance in Double A, coupled with last year’s performance in A ball, earn him a spot in top 100 lists if they were rewritten today?
Klaw: Not on mine. Can’t speak to anyone else’s.
Nick: Seth Beer slashed .372/.532/.686 with 16 bombs. More importantly, he struck out 24 times compared to 57 walks. Is he a (very) early 1-1 candidate for 2018?
Klaw: I’d call him a high first-round candidate. Don’t see a lot of bat-only corner guys going 1-1. The last college outfielder to go 1-1 was Darin Erstad, a centerfielder (Beer is not), in 1995. Pat Burrell was 1-1 in 1998 but was drafted as a 3b, or at least had been one. I don’t know about Rick Monday in 1965 but since then there hasn’t been a college LF or RF going 1st overall.
Justin: I know you have mocked a HS for the Jays in some of your mocks but there seems to be a sense that Shapiro wants to go the “safe” college route? Have you heard the Jays prefer college guys over HS guys and does this follow a typical Shapiro draft strategy?
Klaw: No I have not heard that. If I had, I would have had them taking a college player.
Anonymous: Haven’t heard much about Anfernee Grier but he’s been projected to be at least a sandwich round pick for months. Seems toolsy & hit well at Auburn. What do you have on him?
Klaw: Stopped hitting so well once SEC conference play began. Can’t recognize breaking stuff at all. Good athlete, only 20, still a lot of upside there, but he’s not a very advanced hitter.
Cape Cod: Beede a 1-hitter yesterday. Any change in your evaluation or does he still have FB command issues
Klaw: The 1-hitter doesn’t change anything (one game couldn’t do that). He still has command issues, and while the velocity’s back because he’s not throwing sinkers any more, he’s also a bit of a flyball guy now.
Dan: Hey Keith – is this what you thought Brandon Belt would eventually become? He seems to have really changed his approach this year. Strikeouts are way down, walks are way up. Maybe he’s not eating at Olive Garden as much…
Klaw: Whatever he’s eating I wouldn’t change it. This is the player I always thought he’d be. I had him as a top 20 prospect at one point because I thought he’d have patience and power and play at least average defense at first.
Dan: I seem to recall you had good things to say about Austin Slater at the time of the draft. He’s splitting time at LF and CF. What’s his MLB outlook? The stats look good, but he also wasn’t young for AA.
Klaw: I thought he could hit, then he didn’t hit that well last year and didn’t look good in Fall League. If this little power spike continues, I’ll buy into him as a regular.
Anonymous: Keith, What are your thoughts on taking TJ patients in early rounds (1-3)? Someone like Kyle Serrano could be an upside play for a team with multiple picks searching for a slight injury discount
Klaw: I have no issue with taking TJ guys that early, but Serrano is a 6′ RHP who doesn’t throw strikes. That’s not the guy I’d take. Quantrill, sure. Luzardo, perhaps. Those guys might be impact starters.
Joseph: If vaccines don’t cause injuries, why is there a vaccine court?
Klaw: Because lawyers. Vaccines are not very profitable for pharmaceutical companies, and the threat of lawsuits – which are seldom decided on the basis of science – in the 1980s meant we might not have any companies willing to manufacture vaccines. Congress set up what is essentially a no-fault vaccine ‘court’ to compensate people who claimed they were injured by vaccines (with a non-scientific standard of evidence) and then granted manufacturers immunity from lawsuits. The move has likely saved millions of lives, because otherwise vaccines would either have become scarce or become much more expensive.
Brian: In regards to Jeff Bannister’s refusal to play Joey Gallo over Prince Fielder last week and his apparent determination to ride his best 4 bullpen arms into the ground before the All-Star break, are we watching Ron Washington 2.0 (i.e. I don’t care what the stats say, those are my guys).
Klaw: I doubt he does that without some kind of consent from the front office. As a group, the Rangers don’t appear ready to give up on Fielder, even though he appears to be done.
Chip: For lunch today I’m having grilled cheese (American cheese on white bread) and Oreos all in your honor. #culinartist
Klaw: God I hope the Oreos are not actually in the grilled cheese.
Steve: Should I have any confidence that the Phillies will get an overslot-ish type of guy at #42? I wasn’t convinced the last regime really understood the system.
Klaw: That’s their plan. Whether it works depends a bit on who falls to that spot, which I’m finding very hard to predict (and so are the Phillies).
Don: More difficult read: Gravity’s Rainbow or Infinite Jest?
Klaw: Gravity’s Rainbow. Infinite Jest is long and tortuous. Gravity’s Rainbow is long and torturous.
Pat: With the seeming ability of certain pitching coaches to consistently restore pitcher value, why wouldn’t a big market team just steal a Ray Searage or Don Cooper away with a big $$ contract? With even mediocre starters requiring $10 million+ a year, it seems the value of a top pitching coach could be $5-10 million a year or more. Add in that the pitching coach salary doesn’t count against the luxury tax& it seems like a team like Detroit that is constantly looking/signing big $$ pitchers (& failing) would use a different approach.
Klaw: I think these guys are quietly getting more and more money, as are top GMs. They’re all still underpaid relative to the value they (the good ones) deliver, though.
ExposForever: Can Jorge Mateo hit 20 HRs in New York?
Klaw: I don’t think he can hit 20 HRs anywhere.
CJ: Which player would you be least surprised falls more than expected due to bonus demands and eventually doesn’t sign? Appel and Bickford come to mind as two past examples.
Klaw: Matt Manning, Braxton Garrett, Kevin Gowdy, in that order.
Bill: What are the odds Rutherford is available at 42? Saw this mentioned as a possibility in your mock.
Klaw: Maybe 20%? I suppose that, since he’s 19 and thus would be draft-eligible as a college sophomore, he could just decline to sign if offered less than he wants and say he’ll go back in the draft in 2018.
Andy: Hey, I know you’ve been paying more attention to the draft, but since last Tuesday, Prince Fielder is 4 for 32 with 2 walks and 1 XBH, while starting every game at DH. Meanwhile, Joey Gallo has equaled those numbers in the last 3 days in Round Rock. Oh, and Profar will likely go back to the minors when Odor’s suspension is done. If they end up losing the division by a couple games, I’m sure no one will correlate any of these things.
Klaw: I talked about this on ESPN radio in Dallas yesterday. It’s absolutely hurting the major-league team right now.
Steven: What happened to Nolan Jones? From 12 to out of the first round? If it’s not an oversight, would the Rangers be interested in him at 30? They love HS guys with a bunch of potential.
Klaw: I don’t do “oversights.” It’s because he is expected to command a large signing bonus. He could still end up going in the top 15, or get paid well over slot in the sandwich round, or end up in school and vie for 1-1 in three years.
Kelly: Have you seen or heard many reports about Matt Cleveland from Windsor, CT? I coach in the same high school conference. I know he’s highly regarded by some, but it sounded like his performance was very up and down this year. Thanks!
Klaw: I heard it was down all year and that he wasn’t someone to consider for my rankings.
Patrick: I’ve heard people throw around Kyle Schwarber comps for Zack Collins. Lazy comparison since they are both high quality college hitters with little to chance to stick behind the plate, or is there something to it?
Klaw: Lazy comparison for me.
Paul: KLaw – as always, thanks for all the great draft coverage and chats. I have a feeling you’ll get this question from more than just me, since we Braves fans have really shifted our focus from the big league club to prospects and the draft. Have you heard specific names the Braves are linked to at 40 and 44? My personal dream scenario is Corey Ray, Joey Wentz, and Will Benson.
Klaw: I don’t think that happens. I’ve heard a bunch of names – mentioned Matt Dietz in a previous mock – but I think you’re aiming too high.
Eric: What are your thoughts on Alex Speas? His potential seems super intriguing – think there’s any shot the Mets pop him at 31?
Klaw: He’s not their kind of guy at all. Great arm and body. Zero command. Like, couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn at times.
Aaron Cameron: Is “league-average starter” a realistic upside for A’s AAA farmhand Daniel Mengden?
Klaw: Fair. Maybe a tick optimistic.
Sean S: Keith, With the Tigers just having the one pick in the first 3 rounds are you sensing that they’re being conservative with that pick? Picking Hudson there seems to point that way. I am interested in seeing the new regime in action
Klaw: Don’t think they’re being conservative since I’ve said they’ll take Pint if he gets there.
Jordan: I know Devers is young compared to his competition, but at what point do his struggles concern you?
Klaw: Probably never, since he’s making plenty of contact.
Jay: Is Soroka on a top 100 list right now?
Klaw: No. Remember how many people thought I should have had Austin Riley on my top 100 last winter because of his good stats in August?
JJ: How many acts of God really need to happen for Moniak to really slide to #12?
Klaw: Maybe three. I doubt it happens. But what’s weird is that I hear Moniak a lot at 1 and 4, and then very little at 6 onward. Maybe some teams just assume he’s gone and haven’t bothered, but when I saw Moniak live two weeks ago there were all of maybe eight scouts there.
Santos: My biggest pet peeve is when a broadcaster says Guy with highest batting average is leading the league in HITTING. No question, just wanted to tell someone.
Klaw: The guy didn’t win the “batting title,” he won the “batting average title.”
Mike: What’s your feeling on over working a high school or college pitcher who is a non-prospect? If a pitcher has no professional future and wants to “gut it out” do you give him (and his coach) a pass?
Klaw: No, because he can still get hurt, lose range of motion or flexibility, require expensive surgery, face complications, and so on. Your tendons don’t know you’re a non-prospect.
Michael: Why doesn’t the NCAA institute mandatory pitch count restrictions?
Klaw: They’re too busy making sure some reserve linebacker at South Carolina State actually paid for his Big Mac.
T Hagz: Have you heard anything about Allard with the braves? Is he still in extended spring? I thought he was going to be called up to A ball in May
Klaw: Still in extended, which ends this upcoming week I believe.
Marcos: How strongly can recency bias impact where someone gets drafted? Do the last few looks a scout gets at someone carry a lot of weight?
Klaw: Yes but I wouldn’t call it recency bias – for a pitcher, especially, you want to be sure he’s fully healthy and also not wearing down.
Fitzy: Any thoughts on Ron Fowler’s tirade? Seems rather silly to blame the players and not the suits.
Klaw: Totally inappropriate. Keep that stuff internal.
Billy Pilgrim: Would you rather go Groome @ 3 and hope a prep bat like Rutherford or Benson falls to 40, or go Ray/Lewis @ 3 and get prep arm at 40?
Klaw: I would take Ray or Groome. Then just take the best players who fall to 40/44, without regard to who I took at 3. Just grab all the talent you can.
Hinkie: Hi Keith … Phillies fan here. Have you any knowledge of the difference in signing demands between Puk at 1.1 and Moniak at 1.1 ?
Klaw: No and I don’t expect to. Also, I really do not believe they’re taking Moniak at 1.
Jon: You mentioned Wentz and Nolan Jones as dropping due to asking price. Do you have a ballpark as to what they may be asking?
Klaw: I don’t think either has put out a dollar figure yet.
Jay: Thought on Max Povse? Doing really well in A+, is this a case of an older guy carving up hitters or does he have MOR upside?
Klaw: Yeah, don’t think he’s a future starter.
Adam: Would you go over slot for Matt Manning?
Klaw: Yes, but I’d go over slot for a lot of guys. The draft is still a screaming bargain for impact talent.
jon: if Groome and lewis are available do the braves go bat? I don’t see how the could pass on groome, and find they value pint more seems off
Klaw: They don’t value Pint over Groome, if that’s what you’re saying. I think they’d take Groome, obviously, but I don’t think that’s decided yet.
MAddon: Is DJ Lemahieu now a legit MLB player or a product of the thin air in CO? The Cubs gave him away for nothing.
Klaw: Colorado. I mean, home/road splits don’t tell the whole story, but he’s hit .254/.295/.327 in his career on the road. That gets you released.
Joe: In general, how much do teams put stock in Cape league? I’m sure it differs from team but I’m curious with someone like Lewis who performs well but faces less competition in his division.
Klaw: For Lewis it essentially made him a top 20 pick, maybe even made him a top 10 pick. It’s a wood bat league and for Lewis better competition than what he faces in the SoCon.
Paul: The local sport radio blog suggested the Red Sox taking Burdi at #12 with the hope he could help out the struggling bullpen this year instead of going the trade route. Do you think this is a realistic option?
Klaw: I think it’s ridiculous.
Chip: What are the chances UVA’s top pitching commits will ever get to learn “the squat”? They usually get their guys on campus
Klaw: I think they force all their guys to learn it. And so far it seems to have failed to produce a single big-league starter – but it might have ruined a few arms.
Nick: Do you think Will Craig stick at 3B for 3-5 years?
Klaw: No. Arm is there, but that’s it.
Jake: Eloy Jimenez or Victor Robles ?
Klaw: Robles right now – more polished, more dynamic, stays in the middle of the field. Eloy’s pretty damn good, though. I liked his swing when I saw him a year ago.
Hinkie: Is it more realistic to think Rutherford (as you mentioned today) slides to the Phillies at #42 or one of the HS arms? If it’s an arm, could Ian Anderson or even Riley Pint be the guy ?
Klaw: Arms. There are more of them in this draft, and they are seen as riskier to begin with. Pint ain’t getting past 9, though. And I hear Anderson won’t get past the Yanks, but there are other scenarios where they end up with someone better than Anderson anyway.
Dave: It has always been Ray Montgomery’s MO to draft the best available player. So if they were to pick Lowe with that pick wouldn’t that be somewhat odd for him?
Klaw: It would be the first time since he became a scouting director that I strongly disagreed with his team’s first pick. It happens.
Chris: Two A’s prospects lighting it up this year are Daniel Gossett and Ryon Healy. Either one of them project as anything special at the MLB level?
Klaw: Gossett’s legit. Saw him in spring training and wrote about him.
David: Your mock notes that Puk has a great shot at going #2 if Philly passes – does that mean they could more easily convince Kyle Lewis to take a below slot deal (6M) and have 4.5M to give someone like Rutherford at pick 42?
Klaw: Probably, but again, I don’t know this for sure and don’t want to give you the wrong impression. It’s logical.
N: Who was the first team who actually made a bad decision at the time by not drafting Trout?
Klaw: The only team ahead of the Angels who I know for sure had Trout in their decision set was Oakland. I think I wrote it at the time, too. They chose to take Grant Green, figuring he was more major-league ready.
Dave: Thoughts on how the Brewers are handling Josh Hader, he hasn’t thrown more than 90 pitches in a start and now they plan to limit his innings. Seems like a strange way to develop a starting pitcher who is 22 years old.
Klaw: Well his delivery is not a great one for a starter and I wonder if they consider the arm action a potentially risky one, so they’re trying to avoid having him pitch while fatigued at all.
Jon: Remember Stetson Allie and his heater? How much different is Riley Pint to the now converted to first baseman Allie?
Klaw: Allie has more in common with Speas than Pint. Pint doesn’t have command. Allie didn’t have control.
Tim: You seem lower on Logan Shore than others, with him at 69 (nice) on the Big Board. Is that a profile preference (ranking high floor guys lower than high ceiling) or are you not buying his floor as a back-end Major Leaguer who could be in the bigs 12 months from now?
Klaw: His floor is that he gets smoked in AA and never gets any further. It’s not a major-league average fastball and he doesn’t have an average breaking ball. Marco Gonzales came out of Gonzaga with better stuff and he didn’t do what you described.
Eric: You mentioned in your mock that the White Sox are recently on Collins. Would that be with the idea of going under-slot and using that money on high school talent that falls?
Klaw: Doubt it. Collins isn’t getting past 12, so why would he take well under slot at 10?
David: Alec Hansen has performed better of late – does the stuff match the improving box scores?
Klaw: No. I heard he was mostly 90-92 at the big 12.
Michael: My friend’s son didn’t start pitching until his Freshman year. He’s now a Junior and is 6’6″, 240 pounds, fairly fit and throws around 88. He has offers from three SEC schools right now. Is he a dime a dozen or someone that would be expected to go in the first 10 rounds?
Klaw: 240 pounds and sitting 88 is not a great pro profile. You couldn’t call him projectable, given his size/weight. I think he’d have to throw harder as a senior to be in line for, say, a couple hundred grand.
Greg: Wait, so a guy like Dietz is what we should be expecting Atlanta to go overslot with at 40? Woof. That’s pretty disappointing for having such a huge draft pool.
Klaw: No, I mentioned that as one name I know they particularly like. The truth is I don’t know who gets to 40/44 and neither does Atlanta right now.
Jeff: Espinosa still cannot hit but has been good on D at SS. Would you bring up Turner now, or at this point does his good offense and mediocre defense cancel out?
Klaw: Isn’t Turner up today? He’s clearly better than Espinoza. Holding him down for service-time reasons was foolhardy.
Kevin: Keith, Oregon pitcher questions. Matt Krook still a top-five round pick? Could Cole Irvin and Stephen Nogosek go that high too.
Klaw: Krook maybe fourth/fifth, but given healthy history I think he could get past that. Neither of the others seems like a great bet to go that high either.
Jon: When do you see Kyle Funkhouser getting drafted this year?
Klaw: Third round. He’ll never see the $2 million-plus he turned down last year.
Chris: Keith, thanks for the chats and the variety of topics. As someone that struggles with anxiety, your transparency with your own struggles has been very helpful and an inspiration. Living in the Seattle area, Christian Jones (Federal Way) is the player that gets the most attention. Do you see him in the round 3-5 range? Are there any other players in the state of Washington that intrigue you or you are hearing buzz on?
Klaw: I didn’t have anyone from the northwest in my top 100 at all. Worst year I can remember up there.
fats: Aaron Sanchez changing your mind yet? Looking like a starter all the way
Klaw: Remember I had Sanchez as a top 20 prospect once, as a future #1 or #2 starter, before someone changed his delivery. So your question is really inaccurate.
Joe: Do you actually believe that nobody compensated by the vaccine court was actually injured by a vaccine? You’re as bad as anti-vaxers if that is true. It is rare, but it happens.
Klaw: Straw man. There are things like Guillain-Barre Syndrome that are extremely rare side effects of certain flu vaccines (and also of the flu). GBS is also a side effect of Zika, if that disease weren’t already scary enough.
Zach: You won’t say but I will. This is the player you said Mookie would be from day 1. Although you didn’t have him pegged as an all world right fielder, so I guess you’re not that good
Klaw: I don’t think I had Mookie as a 30 HR bat either. I can’t take much credit there.
Jason in Detroit: Hi Keith. Thanks for the chat. Fulmer has looked like he’s taken a step forward in his last couple starts. Too soon to say, or is he progressing?
Klaw: The last few starts he’s looked more like the guy I saw in Lakeland in March. Maybe he just needed a little confidence and a routine.
Santos: What does MOR stand for?
Klaw: Middle Of Rotation. Or model order reduction but I don’t think the question was about applied math.
Mark: The Mets best option right now is prob calling up Dilson to play 2b and move Walker to 3b, no? I dont get this insistence on playing Flores and keeping these atrocious backups like Reynolds and Kelly around.
Klaw: Yes but doesn’t it seem like they’ve lost faith in Herrera?
Lute: This time last year some people were talking 1-1 for Dalbec and then he shit the bed. Does he go back to school or take whatever he’s offered in round 20?
Klaw: OK, anyone who was talking 1-1 on him last spring or summer was out of his or her mind. He was NEVER that kind of prospect. If he’d hit some, he could have been a first-rounder, but his hit tool has always been a question mark. I think he’d be better off going back to school if someone doesn’t offer him, say, top 3 rounds money.
Alex: Delvin Perez is working out for the White Sox today. Have you heard them on him at 10 at all?
Klaw: I’ve heard him sliding and now teams after the Padres are revisiting him when earlier it seemed like he wouldn’t get that far.
Bob: Was that poor guy, Donnie Everett, going to be a significant prospect? Man, things can happen so fast.
Klaw: I had him as a first-round talent in last year’s draft, but I feel like that’s irrelevant right now. I feel for his family and for the teammates he was with who must be dealing with enormous guilt on top of their grief right now.
Elton: I was surprised to see Kinsler is almost at 50 career WAR with his strong start this year. If he ages gracefully and reaches 60-65 WAR is he a HOFer for you?
Klaw: No, because he really never had a HoF peak. I don’t think a straight WAR total tells the whole story, unless it’s someone with, say, 28 WAR, which shouldn’t even get you a free ticket into the museum.
Randy: Is Hendricks smoke and mirrors or could you see him now as a #3 or #4?
Klaw: Not smoke and mirrors, better than I thought, also benefiting a lot from the Cubs’ defensive work and some tweaks from the coaching staff. He’s matured into a very different pitcher than he was at the time of the trade.
Jay: Klaw. I’m going to cape cod in a week and want to catch a cape cod league game… Off the top of your head who are some potential high picks there this year to watch?
Klaw: No idea – I haven’t even looked. Just pick a game and go enjoy it. The atmosphere is wonderful.
Bob: Casey Gillaspie a future all star 1b?
Klaw: I’d take the under on that, but he has reestablished himself as a legitimate prospect, at least a near-term everyday player.
Nick: Very small sample size for Hyun-Soo Kim I know (70 abs) but it’s looking pretty bad that Buck buried him based on a bad spring training for a rule 5 guy who is negative WAR while Kim is sporting a .450 OBP
Klaw: Not just buried him, humiliated him in the press. I don’t understand why Buck gets a free pass on stuff like that or messing up Gausman’s delivery or all the stuff that went down with his handpicked pitching coach Rick Adair and Jake Arrieta. Buck does some things very, very well. He also has made some significant mistakes that deserve greater scrutiny.
Caleb: Are the Cards mostly in on college players?
Klaw: I have not heard that.
Xander Boegarts: Is it still to early to be thinking about my HOF speech?
Klaw: With your accent I would gladly drive umpteen hours to go hear this.
Adam: How much of a lock do you think Manning to the Padres at 8 is?
Klaw: I don’t think anything in my mock draft this morning was a lock. They could take Perez or Garrett or surprise me entirely.
Nick: Are there many high round high schoolers that completely avoid there showcases and all star clubs and just play the high school season? I’m thinking potential 2 sport guys maybe.
Klaw: Football guys nearly always skip the summers – I think Taylor Trammell was one. Also Riley Pint’s dad had him pitch just twice last summer after he did too much stuff the prior summer.
Kyle: This is the third year I’ve asked this? Who is your next breakout prospect who will fly up the rankings. A couple years ago you mentioned Gregory Polanco, and several years back Oscar Taveras.
Klaw: Ke’Bryan Hayes, Eloy Jimenez, Junior Fernandez.
Joey: Who makes a bigger impact this season: Glasnow or Taillon?
Klaw: I think Taillon because I believe he comes up first.
Tom: Quick verdict on Quadropolis? Play Karuba yet? If not, highly recommended.
Klaw: Only played Quadropolis once so far. We liked it. Not familiar with Karuba.
James: Good afternoon, Keith! With concern over pitcher arms growing every year, is it conceivable that we might enter a “golden age of knuckleballs” within the next decade? Between the deception and ease of stress on the arm, it seems like a not-so-terrible idea to have more stalled prospects and/or struggling pros at least try to develop a knuckler.
Klaw: It’s not that easy to develop a knuckler.
Jesse: I know Bo Bichette Performed well at the Citi field expedition. Is he on the mets radar at all?
Klaw: I haven’t heard that, at least not at 19, but 31 is about the high end of where I think he’ll go. I like him a bit more than the industry; he’s calmed down his swing since his junior year, and he’s really not like his brother at all, better athlete, better defender, less uphill swing.
Ron: The Sano experiment in RF has to end like very soon in Minnesota right? Move him to 3B and get rid of Plouffe for whatever.
Klaw: Not sure Sano at 3b is going to be any prettier.
Elton: Just out of curiosity: Utley has had a superficially similar but somewhat better career than Kinsler and with a higher peak. HOFer?
Klaw: I would vote for Utley well before considering voting for Kinsler.
Tim: I see Cody Reed made a jump from 54 to 24. His showing in AAA thus far improve his ceiling or his floor in your mind?
Klaw: He’s maintained his performance and his control even against much better competition – this time last year he had just been promoted out of high-A – and I’ve heard his fastball command has improved as well.
Jesse: When you say a team is mostly in on college players. Is it because that’s where they see the best players where they pick. Want lower floor? or something different?
Klaw: I’m literally just giving you what I’ve heard. It means I’ve heard they specifically want a college player, or that the only players I’ve heard connected to them are college players (N > 1, of course).
Karl: What does Gallo need to do to get called up and stay up? Also what do the Rangers do with Profar once Odor returns? Thanks for the work you do.
Klaw: At some point they’re going to have to turn the page on Fielder and play one of those two guys. I’d have Profar DH and sit Fielder, rotating Profar into the field from time to time to spell Andrus and/or Odor.
Taylor: Who is the genuinely nicest person you work with on Baseball tonight? Tim Kurkjen seems like he’d be a really decent person. Just wondering.
Klaw: Yeah, Tim has 80 nice.
Jeff: How do you scout a knuckleballer?
Klaw: You put the radar gun and the notebook down and you enjoy the game.
Doug: Renfroe’s start garnering him any consideration to re-enter the top 100 prospects list?
Klaw: No, he’s the same player he was, now in a great hitting environment, walking once every never. Good tools. Might just be a 45 bat, which makes him a big leaguer but not a star. Hoping he’s not just a 40 bat.
Matt: Do you have a prediction on who you think will win the SEC/ACC Challenge….I mean, the CWS?
Klaw: I’m pulling for Florida a bit just because that team is so good, O’Sullivan handles his players well (he understands the goal is pro ball for a lot of those kids), and they are the best program I can think of that has never won the College World Series. That’s not so much a prediction, but with a staff like theirs maybe it is.
Klaw: That’s all for this week. Thank you for all of your questions and for reading. Next week’s chat schedule might be a little wonky because I’m going to attend the draft in person in Secaucus, but I will keep everyone posted. Have a good weekend.