Klawchat, 6/16/16.

Questions go in the frame below, NOT in the comments. My draft recaps for all 30 teams are up for Insiders, one file for AL teams’ drafts and another for NL teams’ drafts.

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Klaw: In this journey, you’re the journal, I’m the journalist. Klawchat.

Joel: Re Nimmo: Is it that you’ve heard that nothing much has changed or that simply put, it’s basically impossible to tell if prospects doing well in Vegas and the PCL are for real (sorta a reverse Savannah problem)? Either way, Nimmo had struggled for a while so it’s certainly nice to talk about him tearing the absolute cover off the ball, regardless of where it is happening…..
Klaw: I’m hearing nothing’s really changed, but the latter point is probably the more important one here. Vegas, Albuquerque, Colorado Springs, Reno are all such severe hitter’s parks – mostly due to altitude – that it skews the stat lines of lots of players and makes it hard to separate the wheat from the chaff by eyeballing the numbers.

Cedric: I know you’ve always been high on Dom Smith and have said we should just wait till he gets to the normal ballparks in AA…….only he’s been awful this year (at least just by “scouting the statline” standards). have you heard anything regarding him and his struggles?
Klaw: He’s been very disappointing, but he also just turned 21 yesterday and is in AA. And he’s still making lots of contact and is even drawing a few more walks. But yes, to your point, this is below what I expected from him, and no, I haven’t heard of anything like an injury that might explain what’s happened the last few weeks.

John: You mention that moniak will probably never have an average power tool. One of the reasons that’s you say is because of his narrow stance and line drive swing. How often do teams tinker with this? Is it a common thing for teams to change a stance or a swing path?
Klaw: Stance isn’t hard to change, swing path can be very hard to change. Some guys can do it – Ben Zobrist and Jose Bautista are the two best examples I can think of – but far more struggle. Better to take the player based on what he is and will be with his current swing, at least when you’re drafting 1-1.

EC: I haven’t heard much talk about the “inverted W” recently. Was it disproved? Just a silly way to talk about mechanics?
Klaw: A silly way to talk about mechanics. I never liked or used the term and have said that I can make a lot of pitchers appear to do it simply by changing how high I’m standing while I shoot the picture or video. However, the “high elbow” in that position often means the pitcher is pronating pretty late relative to his front foot landing, and that’s generally a bad thing for arm health.

Michael: I love your work and generally agree with your positions, but I am pretty disappointed you have pushed for the judge in the Stanford case to be recalled. While you or I may disagree with the sentence, it is at least defensible given the probation officer’s recommendation and the severity of filing as a sex offender for life. Judicial independence is an important part of the American legal system and for you (or anyone) to advocate the removal of a judge for one decision is unprecedented and dangerous. (Attorneys who have worked with that judge have repeatedly called him impartial) You may have read extensively on the case (actual court documents), but most have not, and to call on the mob is somewhat irresponsible. Judges are independent for a reason: so they purposely do not give in to the whims of public opinion. You have a voice many of us would love to have. Criticize the judge and his decision all you want. But do it through speech, not a recall.
Klaw: He sentenced a man convicted of felony sexual battery to a jail term commensurate with a misdemeanor. The sex offender registration issue is a red herring: California law does not say jail OR registration, it says jail AND registration. If you read the probation officer’s report, it’s a pro-defendant disaster, and the victim has said it misrepresents her wishes for the defendant’s sentence. I think it’s perfectly reasonable to say a judge who treats sexual battery in such a cavalier manner, even in one case, does not belong on the bench.

Eric H.: Realistic ceilings for Christin Stewart and JaCoby Jones, in your opinion?
Klaw: Stewart above average regular, Jones up-and-down guy or AAA player.

Michael: Why did the Rockies wait so long to DFA Reyes? Clearly, that was a PR decision, but they kept him on the club through the winter and let him play in the PCL.
Klaw: I don’t think they would have been allowed to cut him sooner, at least not before MLB or authorities had weighed in on the charges. Also, I’m good with the outcome. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Bruce: I know it’s SSS but do you think Chris Paddack has top of the rotation potential? Did you foresee this when he was drafted in the 8th round?
Klaw: You’re definitely scouting the stat line if you’re taking 18 innings and talking TOR potential. For that to be true, I’d want to see at least two plus or future-plus pitches, a solid third and maybe fourth, a great delivery, size, history of health … a lot that Paddack doesn’t have. He’s 89-94 with an above-average split-change, no real breaking ball, and just missed almost two months with some kind of arm soreness. Good body and delivery. Great pick in the 8th round, but I could not possibly hang an ace ceiling tag on him just yet.

Owen (London): It’s only June and already Dusty is talking about consistency &the importance of being consistent, not to mention clutch hitters hitting clutchly in clutch situations. I live in London and I’m schvitzing.
Klaw: But they’re in first place ergo he must be a good manager!

Fred: How would you rank Thor, Matz, deGrom, Harvey, Wheeler in order must re-sign/not trade?
Klaw: Thor and deGrom at top. Wheeler is an unknown till he’s back. I’m least sanguine about the long-term health and durability of Harvey and Matz.

NickTheStick: If you had an AAA affiliate with an extreme hitters environment, would that change how you move a hitting prospect through the system? Hold him a little longer at AA? Maybe even call him straight up from there?
Klaw: Skip AAA entirely.

TedT: Assuming Jason Groome signs, about where on your list of top Red Sox prospects will he start out?
Klaw: No more than fourth or fifth I’d say. Pretty good system already.

Rick: You had Dylan Cozens as your sleeper for Philly pre-season. He’s roared out to a 19 HR, 13 SB, .967 OPS start with higher walk and strikeout rates than last season. Product of Reading or is this the breakout you imagined?
Klaw: I think it’s a lot of Reading, but also some maturation at the plate. I’ll buy into it more fully when he does it AAA. Hoskins too, whom I like even though he’s not my ‘type’ of player. I think some of it’s legit, but you can’t believe HR totals in Reading.

Adam: You referred to the Padres draft as confusing. Do you generally like the talent they were able to acquire by essentially buyin low or would you have preferred to see them go top heavy like what the Braves did?
Klaw: I would have gone for it at 8, 24, and 25, while the best players were still on the board, and then gone a little cheaper later to overpay those guys if needed.

Nelson: Klaw, do you consider osteopathy a real science or more pseudo? And if so, when would it be better to go to an Osteopath over a MD?
Klaw: There is a lot of pseudoscience within osteopathy. This essay does the best job I’ve seen of breaking it down.

Michael: Jenkins called up by the Braves……in the bullpen now but you still buying him as a starter long term??
Klaw: Yes, but he needs to miss more bats to be a starter, and I’m wondering if he’ll move to the pen and miss more bats straight off so that that becomes his long-term role.

Francis R.: Have you read Sam Harris’ essay “The Riddle of the Gun” His arguments are so reasoned, this should be required reading for all lawmakers and pundits before they start discussing gun control.
Klaw: Yep, it’s outstanding. Highly recommended.

Al: How can the Orioles stay in the race? Is it impossible? Is strong hitting, defense and bullpen work enough? Because they arent going to get quality starting all year….does that hurt the bullpen then?
Klaw: They haven’t been getting quality starting so far, other than Tillman, and are still basically a .500 team since the 7-0 start. If that means they’re heading for 86-76, are they still fringe contenders?

DPF: Could Cutch get 2 top 100 prospects and a MLB regular if traded this offseason?
Klaw: Depends on whether he gets healthy and performs in the second half. I’m sure he’d still fetch something of value even if not, maybe two top-end prospects and that’s it, but teams will be wary of paying up for him if they’re afraid he’s not 100%.

Gary: Do you think Keuchel turns it around? His peripherals seem to suggest he will.
Klaw: Yes. Seems to be way off mechanically. Stuff is fine.

Pete: Hi Keith. Will the Pirates promote Meadows and Keller soon? Would you?
Klaw: No. No rush on either guy. Both young for their levels with minimal experience below.

Joe: Jake Lamb’s power outburst legitimate? Already up to 12 so far this season.
Klaw: Yep. I’m on it.

Pineapple: Are you a Psych fan, Klaw?
Klaw: You know that’s right.

Nate: Does Josh Hader move into your top 50 for the next prospect rankings?
Klaw: No. Delivery issues remain.

Brad Z: Does Beau Burrow’s low K rate concern you?
Klaw: No. He’s 19 with a handful of innings of pro experience.

Brad Z: Matt Hall has pretty good numbers at West Michigan. How do you project him going forward?
Klaw: Non-prospect.

Nelson: How many older guys like Duvall are there in the Minors that can come up and hit 25+Hrs with a .300 OBP immediately. Are there a bunch, or is he really unique?
Klaw: I don’t think he’s that unique. Most teams wouldn’t play a guy with his lack of OBP skills, so we don’t see it happening very often.

Mulechop: Merrifield has looked pretty good so far. Can he be a league average 2B?
Klaw: No. Like, not even sure I’d give him a 1% chance.

I reordered the following two questions for clarity. I have not changed any of the text.

Anonymous: We talked briefly on twitter yesterday about Syndergaard and you said a complete game has no intrinsic value. Taken to the extreme, if pitcher A has 30 starts of 8 IP and player B had 30 complete games and all other stats are equal, nothing differentiates these two guys in your eyes?
Klaw: Well, player B has nine more innings. Whoop de do.

Ben: Keith, Player B would have 30 more innings in that scenario. One more inning for each start X 30 starts=30 innings. That’s a pretty big difference, is it not?
Klaw: Sorry, I totally misread the question and you’re right. Still, the difference is the thirty innings, not the complete games. I guess the better analogy would be Player A makes 20 starts and completes them all, while Player B makes 30 starts and averages six innings in each, so 180 innings each. Is Player A somehow more valuable because he’s completing all of those games? I don’t buy it. How?

Nathan: Logan Shore at #47. Was that a good, safe pick or should the A’s have aimed for a higher ceiling talent?
Klaw: Little safe, but appropriate for the round.

Ray: You believe in science. Are there studies that show one week of pitching too much causes major injuries? I’m against overuse too, but it seems that throwing 250 pitches in 72 hours one time isn’t as big of a risk as pitching itself.
Klaw: ASMI research has consistently shown that pitching while fatigued increases the risk of injury. If you think anyone can throw that much and not end up fatigued, well, we just disagree.

006: Don’t understand why they would activate Willson Contreras at this point….they are 24 games over .500, no? Unless something is wrong with Montero/Ross?
Klaw: I believe Ross got dinged up last night – Ron Coomer apparently floated this on Chicago radio today.

Ben: Is Kendall the best college hitter in the draft next year as of now? What about best overall college prospect?
Klaw: Right now, he’s the best college position player in the class. I don’t know who’s clearly 1-1 if anyone, but I am hopeful this is a 2011 situation where 4-5 players are good enough to go 1-1 and you can’t really go wrong with any of them.

Tom: Josh Bell already has more homers this year than last year, although his K% is up to 17. Is he turning into a power hitter or just a hot streak?
Klaw: Not sure what the “although” is … that’s a comically low K rate for a hitter like Bell. I think he’s pulling the ball more this year, unlocking power he’s always had.

Vin: Why do you think Bryan Reynolds fell so far in the draft? With so much ability, it seems foolish that teams were so scared of his strikeouts, especially considering his awareness of the strike zone.
Klaw: Yeah, the strikeouts, concerns he’ll struggle vs good lefties, better pitching … where the Giants took him, I’d take that toolset eight days a week. I would have taken it 30 picks higher. He’s not hopeless at the plate, but he’ll need to tighten his approach.

Ben: At what point do we become concerned with Judge’s AAA stats, particularly his propensity to strikeout at a high rate?
Klaw: I believe I raised this concern last summer when he was in AA. That said, he’s been cutting the K rate this season – started June 0-8 with 3 Ks, and since then has 9 K in 56 PA, hitting .409/.536/.636 in that 12-game span. Small sample, hardly definitive, but at least pointing in the right direction.

Doug: Are you surprised Cal Quantrill received an above slot deal? Especially considering Pint went well below.
Klaw: Yes. I can’t imagine returning to stanford next year for Marquess to run him into the ground was an appealing alternative to signing.

Ben: Do you think Severino figures out his command issues on his offspeed pitches?
Klaw: I have no way to tell. I think the delivery makes it hard for him to repeat his arm stroke, but that was true last year and his command was better than it was this year.

Andrew: David Paulino has posted impressive numbers in AA, but I don’t know too much about him…is he a potential rotation guy?
Klaw: Bullpen guy. Power arm with delivery/command questions.

BW: You said you were surprised Alex Kirilloff went to the Twins. How good do you think he can be?
Klaw: Only in that I just didn’t have good intel on the Twins this year. That’s my mistake, not theirs. Above-average everyday right fielder with power.

Jack: Why did Groome back out of his Vandy commitment?
Klaw: He was never going to Vandy. I think the ploy was for him to threaten to go back into next year’s draft, but that class is so loaded with college arms that it’s not a credible alternative to signing.

Nate: What do you expect from Tim Anderson this season? 275/300/400?
Klaw: I’d take the under, slightly.

Brett: Keith, are you concerned at all about Rafael Devers season so far in high A? You had him ranked I think #9 in your pre season prospect list. Any concerns long term?
Klaw: None. Again, he’s been much better lately, and he’s only 19 years old.

Scherzer’s Blue Eye: So Bob Davidson tosses Rendon because “he thought he was going to throw the bat at me.” Is there a more ridiculous statement, especially given the player involved. And, why aren’t Umpires held to more public accountability?
Klaw: No idea. That was clear provocation by Davidson, who was confrontational with Rendon immediately after tossing him. MLB should be much more open about umpires who pull this crap.

Rudy: The AZ baseball coach said he’d rather not breathe than lose a game which tells you why he doesn’t give a shit about his players.
Klaw: And adds to the impression that he flunked Anatomy 101.

Tuesday: I’ve got a weakness for mysteries set in another time, if not involving actual people (see Name of the Rose by Eco, Instance of the Fingerpost by Pears, Monaldi & Sorti). Any good ones you can recommend?
Klaw: The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (and his other great novel, The Moonstone) are set in the 1850s because that’s when they were written. TWIW is considered the first major suspense novel.

Michael: Why do the PCL and California League exist then? Is it too expensive to start leagues in better environments?
Klaw: Where would you put them? Especially the PCL, which has teams in good-sized metro areas in the west that can by and large support these clubs. There are a handful of A-ball type markets unserved on the east coast, but not enough to add a half-dozen or so AAA teams.

James: Still think Archie Bradley is a starter?
Klaw: Long term, yes.

Donny Baseball: Is it realistic to ask for Schwarber for Miller?
Klaw: You can ask. The worst that happens is they say no. It’s not insulting to ask for that.

Scherzer’s Blue Eye: Scouting the Stat line: Drew Ward is breaking out. True or False?
Klaw: False. Repeating the level.

Jeremy: Zagunis just moved up to AAA. Can he be a major league contributor? He has a .400 OBP at every level in the minors.
Klaw: And has no position. He’ll play in the majors but I don’t see where he’d be a regular.

Matt: Some see AJ Puk as a bargain at No. 6, but with his recent struggles, was he actually a big risk at 6? Or do you think he will get things sorted out being with professional coaches?
Klaw: Not a bargain. About right. Has work to do on the delivery – lower half in particular is not well synced with upper half.

Santos: Serious question – why can’t you trust HR totals in Reading? You generally don’t hear that in the East.
Klaw: Small park that favors HR dramatically relative to other Eastern League parks.

Ignatius O’Reilly: The Rangers have a comfortable lead in the A.L. West, despite getting very little from Yu Darvish and nothing from Prince Fielder. They have a strong farm system they can use to make deadline deals, but other than bullpen help, is there anything (or anyone) out there they should really be giving up a big package for come July?
Klaw: Nope. And really, they could continue to improve by benching Moreland for Gallo.

Kevin: In what round, or specific player, was the first guy taken that you had no notes on or had not heard of?
Klaw: Travis MacGregor was the only day one guy on whom I had nothing. Not coincidentally, everyone I asked called that the ‘worst’ pick of the day – the subset of teams I asked had him either as a fifth rounder or as someone who should go to college.

Jason: Tyler O’Neill is putting up even better numbers as a 20 year old in the Southern League… is he on the rise?
Klaw: Yes – I’m most impressed that he’s not striking out, actually, as that was a real concern I had about him. Power was absolutely there, Cal League or not, but I didn’t know if he’d hit enough to get to it. He’s doing that and more and is still just 21 in AA.

Colin: I know Grichuk can’t tell a strike from his head, but do you like what the Cardinals are doing with Wong and CF. Do you think he can handle it adequately?
Klaw: I haven’t liked their handling of Wong for a while now, going back to the weird (punitive?) demotion … last April? or was that 2014? Either way, moving him off 2b seemed awfully reactive. He was never great there, never bad.

Kyle: Keith – do you think Mengden and Overton can become #4/5 starters in a solid rotation?
Klaw: Yes. Mengden might be a 4. Odds are both are 5s. Above replacement level, below average. Overton I’d like more if the velocity ever gets all the way back to pre-TJ levels.

NEP: Starting tomorrow how would you split up the playing time between the 3 Cubs catchers with Contreras coming up?
Klaw: Start Contreras 4 days out of 5, let Ross catch the other day, give Montero a fruit basket.

Jimmy: I know Adam Duvall is a first half outlier but can’t there be a ‘well that came out of nowhere’ spot on the All Star team or because home field is wrongly linked we can’t have fun like that?
Klaw: It really goes against the original purpose and main current value of the game: Get the best players all on one field at one time for the mass audience to watch. No one but Mrs. Duvall is turning on the game to watch Adam Duvall play. People will tune in to watch a genuine star having an off half-season, like Giancarlo Stanton. If you want to slip in a few guys who’ve come from nowhere, then make them young players, especially rookies, who will form the next generation of stars.

Justin: What is a realistic line going forward for Aledmys Diaz? .260/.330/.400 with average D at SS?
Klaw: I think he’s a below-average defender at short but the triple-slash line is probably right, maybe a little too low in the batting average.

Tom: I recently blew through a bunch of your restaurant recs found here on this very site. I’ve probably gone to about 15 places you’ve recommended and have always like them. No question – this is just a PSA for everyone chatting.
Klaw: Thanks! Glad they’ve worked out. One of the consolations of heavy travel is that I find some pretty fun places to eat.

Paul: Klaw – I know you’ve been buried in amateur prospect coverage the last month or so, but have you happened to catch any recent reports on Touki? I see that he’s still walking a ton of batter, but his last start was streamed on MILB, and good grief he looked filthy. Guess that’s pretty much the MO, though.
Klaw: Yep, stuff is great, still the same great athlete, just raw. Going to take him a while. I think everyone knew that when the Dbacks drafted him and when they gave him away.

FS: if Dunning is ML ready reliever, should Nationals consider promoting him this season? Their bullpen can use the help.
Klaw: No. He’s a starter long-term and I would transition him into that role.

Bret: I know you weren’t a fan of the Blue Jays draft, though in the past few years they have typically had a lot of success (when signing their picks). Do you attribute it to a change on leadership/philosophy, or just a case of not happening to be on the same page with particular player choices?
Klaw: This looks like a new philosophy in the draft and it certainly doesn’t match mine.

Ian: What have you heard on Brandon Marsh?
Klaw: Nothing really, other than that we’re a month from the signing deadline and anything players say at this point is probably codswallop. Perhaps it’s a ploy on his part or his agent’s – I don’t know that, but it’s possible.

Pete: Does Derek Hill’s defense make him at least a 4th OFer, even if he never figures it out at the plate?
Klaw: Yes, assuming he at least can put the ball in play 75% of the time.

Anonymous: I just read that Harris piece. Measured, but flawed. 100,000 people don’t die every year because doctors fail to wash their hands. 100,000 die every year from infections which live in hospitals and when you are cut open, you are susceptible to them. And protocols are in place to reduce that. In the same vein, we should protocols in place to reduce gun deaths whether mass shootings or singular incidents.
Klaw: I agree and favor much stricter laws on who can buy guns and what guns they can purchase. (I do not own a gun and hope I never have cause to change that.)

Busty Taker: Did Dusty Baker kick your dog?
Klaw: No, but he said my cat wasn’t clutch and needed more AAA seasoning. (Grow up already.)

Aaron: How many guys from next years draft class are you familiar with at this point?
Klaw: Twenty guys, maybe? Not enough to really talk in more than general terms. I try not to use any bandwidth on the year ahead until the draft has passed.

Anonymous: Hi Keith, any scouting report on Gourriel? Does he have a much higher floor than so many of the other Cuban players that have defected, given his age and track record?
Klaw: I saw him very bad last summer, but apparently he played much better over the winter. I highly doubt he can come right to the majors and contribute, given his age and time off, but he could be an everyday player next year for someone. I’d be really concerned about investing too much given how slow and old he looked last July, though.

Dan: What is going on with Ronald Acuna? Reports this season have been great but he hasn’t played in over a month and is on the DL but I haven’t seen any details on his injury. Is it serious?
Klaw: Broke his hand, I think. I know some Atlanta blogger(s) tweeted a picture of him wearing a cast.

Dan: What Toni Morrison work would you recommend someone starting with?
Klaw: Beloved, then Song of Solomon, then stop. It’s all downhill from there.

Dan: Brent Honeywell has been out over a month with an arm issue. I’ve heard it’s not overly serious but there has to be some level of concern with a young guy an elbow issues. Have you heard anything about his status and do you think he’s a big injury risk going forward?
Klaw: I think anyone who misses that much time with an arm injury is a risk going forward.

Ed: What does Tom Hatch project as in the bigs? a 4 or 5? Or bullpen? He seems like a solid pick for a college player in the 3rd round.
Klaw: Could be a 3 if healthy but he’s had some real health issues.

Brewersfan: Brett Phillips is striking out a lot… (32%) Should we worry about that? Maybe lost his status as top100?
Klaw: Completely serious question: Why do so many fans assume players jump in or out of the top 100 after 60 games? Is the skill set the same? The swing, the body, the delivery? Is there an underlying explanation, like an injury (remember when Hosmer played half a year in low-A with a broken metacarpal in his hand), that might explain a poor performance? Phillips is still the same guy he was last year. He might just take a little longer than we’d like.

Nationals Review: A few weeks ago when Espinosa was pretty awful at the plate you and I discussed replacing him with Turner (thanks again!). Now that Espi is hitting, at a clearly unsustainable but incredibly awesome 8 HRs in last 70 PAs… Seems silly to replace him with Turnet today, but How much rope should he get?
Klaw: None. I think that’s pure recency bias – he’s the same guy he was in May and April and 2015. What would you project him to be the rest of this year – the player he’s been the last 70 PA, or the guy you and I discussed him being when we talked a few weeks back?

Tom: O’Hearn, Mancini, Healy – are any of them legitimate breakouts? Which one profiles the best?
Klaw: Most hope for O’Hearn. Not much of a believer in the other two. Mancini’s 24 and hasn’t been anything special in AAA.

RP: Jim Salisbury, a well connected Philly writer, says Moniak is getting $6.5-7M and Gowdy is getting $4.5M. The Gowdy number can’t be true, can it?
Klaw: I doubt those numbers are true, sorry.

Rick: How frustrating it must be to offer an honest opinion on a player (McCullers) only to have him totally miss the point and blast you on Twitter as some “crappy” blogger. It’s not even like you said he’ll never be a starter.
Klaw: Also, I said he’d be a closer, potentially, which is like an $8-12 million a year job. It was a childish comment and I did not respond for that reason.

Bill: How does Moniak’s offensive skillset compare to J.P. Crawford’s when he was drafted?
Klaw: Liked Crawford’s swing more. Better runner underway. Didn’t know Crawford was this disciplined a hitter at the time.

Biff: Keith, newly working in the Wilmington metro area, what are your go-to can’t miss local spots?
Klaw: Cocina Lolo, La Fia, Two Stones are our favorites in the area. The best food is in Philly though.

Clem: Do you have a report on Josh Okimey? Tearing up the lower minors with lots of walks…is he a prospect?
Klaw: Yes, he is. Think I mentioned him last week in chat. Got MUCH stronger this winter, body totally changed.

Rob: Rowdy Tellez and JD Davis were once hS teammates. Is there a better chance they play against each other in the big leagues or that they are once again teammates….on the USA Men’s National Slo Pitch Softball Team.
Klaw: The latter.

Marshall: Name the 3 first rounders from last week that you think have the best chance to become multi-time all stars.
Klaw: Not sure I’d put that on anyone in this draft. It was really weak at the top. My top 3 guys were Ray, Groome, and Garrett, so that would be my answer, but even so I’m not sure they have that kind of potential … Ray because he doesn’t have quite that upside as a probable LF, the other two because they’re high school pitchers.

Adam: I am here every week and a big supporter of you and havent had a question answered in months………have I been black balled or just asking bad questions?
Klaw: I get hundreds of questions every week. The software says I have over 400 this week. Can’t get them all.

Chris: Luis Ortiz is holding his own in AA it looks like, but I’m only looking at stats so it could be way off. Is he a Guy?
Klaw: He’s a GUY, but probably not really ready for AA, more there because the Rangers didn’t want to leave him in the Cal League. Kate Morrison (@unlikelyfanatic) saw his last outing. She’d have more for you.

Brian: Do you agree w/the idea that the Phillies system is very deep but has few really elite talents?
Klaw: That’s fair, other than Crawford.

Anthony: Tyler Austin was a guy you liked awhile ago. Then injuries and lack of production struck. He is playing pretty well this year though. Has he made it back on to your radar yet?
Klaw: Really believed in his swing. Was not the same for two-plus years after the wrist injury … and maybe he was never that good before? Long way to go to reestablish himself, since it’s only 11 games in AAA and he’s played at that level before.

James: Would the Padres really trade Wil Myers? How can that be a good move?
Klaw: What if they get back multiple pieces who can help them?

Ben: Six years later I would like to ask it: what the hell were the Yankees thinking with Cito Culver
Klaw: I did not like the pick – he wasn’t on my top 100 for the draft that year – but I believe a lot of it was that they loved the kid, knew him really well because he’d played on their scout team that summer at East Coast Pro and Area Codes, and perhaps overrated him as a player because of his makeup.

jim: Who is the better pitcher out of allard wentz and Anderson
Klaw: Allard, Anderson, Wentz, in that order.

Jeffrey: I think one could make the argument that in some cases, the best players aren’t really “stars” as far as being widely known off the field throughout the country. I’m as big a Reds fan as their is, and I’m not sure anyone outside of Cincinnati cares a lick about seeing Joey Votto take 2 walks. He’s a wizard, but he has the personality of a loaf of bread. So sure, give the Reds token slot to Duvall. Or Bruce. I doubt anyone will care.
Klaw: Actually I’d advocate Finnegan over those others. Always need more pitching in those games and in one inning he’ll hit 97 a few times with a wipeout slider. And he’s been their best starter.

Pat: The closeness of those PCL cities to the MLB team also adds value when adding AAA guys to the MLB team due to injuries. LAD can call up a guy from Albuquerque & he’s in LA in 3-4 hours. Can’t do that with a guy playing on the East Coast.
Klaw: Very good point. Even helps for the Cal League – you can send Puig to rehab in Rancho Cucamonga and, uh, keep tabs on him while he’s there.

Dan: I just finished The Sympathizer and man, was it good. (pun not intended) I was surprised at how easy it was to read given the structure. I read your review before the chat and saw you enjoyed it as well.
Klaw: Yep, totally see why it won the Pulitzer. Oddly gripping given the subject matter and lack of any traditional narrative element like a mystery or concern over a sympathetic main character.

Mike: I’m a physician (MD). I work with DOs (Doctors of Osteopathy). They’re medical training is largely the same as MDs, and they are held to the same standards for board certifications and medical licensure. While some aspects of their training are questionable, a DO physician should not be considered “inferior” to an allopathic physician. I thought it was worth pointing this out to your readers as there is a lot of unfair bias in the medical community against them.
Klaw: Thank you for that. I think it’s doctor to doctor. That raging crackpot pediatrician in Tennessee who came out as a vaccine-denying quack is an MD, so there are idiots on both sides.

Mike: has your perception on aaron blair changed any from his mlb starts? do you think Flowers would help frame more for him than AJ? Thanks KlAw
Klaw: No change. Isn’t AJP the worst framer or one of the worst in baseball? So an elastic net would be better behind the plate.

Karl: Are Mitch Keller and Kuhl org type guys or do they have potential to be #2 or #3 rotation guys?
Klaw: Big gap between those outcomes. I think Kuhl’s a two-pitch reliever. Keller might be a 2. Good athlete, fresh arm, chance for three pitches.

Ridley Kemp: I have a meta-question: Approximately how many Donald Trump-related questions have been asked of you so far?
Klaw: Almost none. Definitely some selection bias here.

Dan: Hi Keith-saw Tim Anderson in his second game. Not knowing his milb stats, I focused on his plate presence–he seemed like a guy ready to swing, very animated. I cd be totally wrong, of course. But do you eval plate presence like you do mound presence?
Klaw: Not really, unless the body language is terrible, like Donavan Tate’s was in HS – totally disinterested.

Jeff: Tyler Mahler was your Reds sleeper this year, threw a no-no this week. So uh, please pick a bunch more Reds sleepers. Thank you.
Klaw: Um …. Jackson Stephens! Aristides Aquino! Nick Senzel! Wait, that might be cheating.

Mike: The Rockies took mostly arms (probably right due to strength of draft and BPA)….will they ruin a few deliveries by tinkering like Matzek and Gray?
Klaw: I get the sense that’s over with now. I hope so at least.

James: Does Kevin Newman have the best hit tool you’ve ever scouted?
Klaw: No, but I think it’s plus. I got some grief over ranking him as high as I did – not just from readers but from friends within the game. Granted, it’s only high-A, but at least he’s played well out of the chute.

Klaw: That’s all for this week; sorry there were some little software glitches and a brain cramp or two on my end. I’ll be back at some point next week, but with travel to Omaha for BBTN it might not be on Thursday. Thank you as always for reading.