Klawchat 1/31/18.

My National League org reports and top tens are all up now for Insiders, by division: West, Central, and East.

Keith Law: High on diesel gasoline … it’s Klawchat.

Mike: May have missed it, but haven’t seen your thoughts on Greene/Leone for Grichuk.
Keith Law: Didn’t write it up, too minor, discussed in last week’s chat. Greene is now in the Cardinals’ org report, which went up yesterday. Grichuk has been sunk by OBP problems dating back to when he was drafted.

Troy: Thoughts on what the Brewers have done? Will they add another SP and should they?
Keith Law: I don’t think they’re serious division contenders unless they add a real SP. And I don’t understand making those two big moves without addressing the rotation.

Deke: 15 years down the road, how will we look at the 2017-18 offseason? A blip, a new normal, or an impetus for systemic change?
Keith Law: I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a blip that led to a change in players’ attitudes towards CBA negotiations, after a round where they fought for quality of life improvements and ceded ground on more substantial issues.

Marshall MN: Klaw, last week you gave a pretty quick reply to a question about whether Stephen Gonsalves was considered as a Top 100 prospect. I realize that I am scouting the stat line some (that is all I CAN do afterall), but what did you hear this year as compared to last year when he did make the Top 100? Also…thank you!
Keith Law: Same guy he was a year ago, still doesn’t have the average breaking ball to make him more than a back end starter.

Jon Weisman: How many Padres prospects would be good enough to be in the Giants top 10?
Keith Law: If I combined the two lists, it would start with 7 Padres, then Ramos, then 2 more Padres.

Tom Hendry: I read somewhere that the Orioles consider Cameron Bishop off limits in trades. Has he really catapulted from being selected in the 27th or so round to being a top end prospect in the organization? Do you have thoughts on him?
Keith Law: I haven’t heard that he’s off limits, just that other teams have asked for him.
Keith Law: He’s in the O’s top ten, which will be up tomorrow.

WarBiscuit: Thoughts on the federal prosecution dropping all charges on Senator Menendez? Also thoughts on the Memo release?
Keith Law: I haven’t followed the Menendez case very closely, but I don’t care what party a politician is from – if he’s corrupt, he’s corrupt, get him out of there. As for the “Memo,” nothing the current Republican party surprises me any more.

Mike: With the current baseball economic system, can small market teams successfully stay competitive continually (like the Pirates ‘quick reload’ trades) or is it smarter to fully tank for a few years, take advantage of draft picks and the international system and then really go for it for a few years.
Keith Law: I think it depends on what your goal is. Are you trying to make money, to be competitive, to win a World Series? If the goal is a championship, then you probably need to sell off your older/more expensive major-league players for high-end prospects. You can’t really stock a system strictly through the draft; the Cubs landed Arrieta and Hendricks in dump trades, and the Astros did even more.

Chuck: Any idea why the A’s wanted Buchter? Is it his fly-ball proclivity and Oakland’s big park?
Keith Law: That’s a philosophy the A’s have followed for years.

Dana: Should the Yankees just go with Gleyber and Andujar at 2B/3B or bring in a veteran or two?
Keith Law: I’d definitely let Andujar start the year at 3b, but Gleyber hasn’t hit since June and may need some AAA time before he comes to the majors.

Josh: Looking forward with graduations, Do you see the top 3 after this season being Vlad Jr, Bo, and Tatis Jr?
Keith Law: Give me one guess as to your favorite team.

Robert: Do you think Soroka or Allard will debut with Atlanta this year? Also, who has the higher ceiling in your opinion?
Keith Law: Soroka more likely. Neither is a high-ceiling guy; Allard’s curveball is the best pitcher either guy has.

Dave: Is it too soon to assess how good the top of the draft is this year? If not, what type of player are the Tigers likely to get at 1-1– generational talent/All Star/solid regular/tall righty with a fastball?
Keith Law: There is no generational talent in this class but a lot of players who look like above-average regulars. It’s a good draft.

Zirinsky: Hi Keith. Will you be watching the super bowl and, if so, what will you be cooking?
Keith Law: The Super Bowl may be on the television, but I won’t really be watching it. I just don’t care.

Charlie: If you were the Nats, what prospects would you be willing to give up to get Realmuto? Robles? Soto?
Keith Law: Soto & Kieboom would be a great return for Miami, but I also think that’s fair given Realmuto’s age, cost, and production.

Jared: Going back to your Brewers answer, do you think getting a top of rotation pitcher is realistic for Milwaukee?
Keith Law: Who? Darvish isn’t that. Arrieta isn’t that. Not sure who they could get.

Guest: Have you tried out Gloomhaven, are you a fan of big 4X boardgames like it?
Keith Law: No. That’s not a board game. It’s an RPG in a board game box. Given its length, physical weight (20 lbs!), and cost ($120, I think), that’s just not a board game by my definition.

dan: do you agree with the blue jays prospects being ranked 7th?
Keith Law: I ranked them 17th.

Matt: Manny Machado to shortstop. Big deal?
Keith Law: I think he can still play it, and it certainly helps his value this winter.

Cleveland Kyle: Is Lazarito the next import to go from raw tools to top perspectice ala Robles?
Keith Law: I highly doubt it. He’s not a “raw tools” guy; he’s already in LF because he can’t throw well enough for anywhere else and doesn’t run enough for CF.

DJ: Does Taylor Hearn have enough secondary stuff to make it as a starter if control improves?
Keith Law: Very unlikely.

Rich: #BellLetsTalk. Let’s get the word out, Keith. No one should be ashamed to ask for help!
Keith Law: I’m not participating; that program has lacked oversight in the past, funneling money for a few years to a clinic that tried to talk trans kids out of being transgender. Hard pass.

Big Time Timmy Jim: hey klaw, thanks for all the hard work for the prospect rollout. I’m concerned Jose Siri is just the next Aquino – loud tools but an approach that just wont cut it in upper levels. Are my concerns valid or is Siri better equipped w/ his approach because he can play CF?
Keith Law: No, your concerns are valid. He swings and misses a ton, and he wasn’t young for low-A. He has to improve his approach AND move up two levels this year to be even a consideration for the top 100.

Jim Nantz: Is Brandon Nimmo worth holding onto for the Mets? Lots of trade buzz surrounding him. I think last year you thought of him as more of a 4th OF.
Keith Law: That’s almost certainly all he is. Between knee issues and platoon splits, he doesn’t seem like a starter.

Josh: Odds after this season Tatis Jr is seen unanimously as the superior SS prospect over Gleyber?
Keith Law: Not good, because Gleyber is absolutely a SS, while Tatis still may outgrow the position.

Freddy: If Alex Jackson can’t stick behind the plate, is the bat enough to be an every day corner OF?
Keith Law: Not yet, but the bat already improved a ton since Atlanta acquired him, so perhaps there is more improvement to come.

Don-key-ho-tay: Hey Keith. Can the Reds contend (or at least flirt w/ .5000) with the pitchers they’re throwing out there this year? (Castillo, Bailey, Disco, Romano, Mahle) or does too much have to go right with that group for that to happen?
Keith Law: I don’t believe they can or should. They’re no better than fourth in the division right now. They need to let the kids pitch and see who emerges as a clear starter – you omitted other guys who should be on the roster like Stephenson, Reed, Garrett – so they’re better set up for 2019 and beyond.

Aaron: Hey Keith, thanks for the lengthy write-up today on the Padres. I was surprised at how many more prospects you discussed than even the Braves # 1 system!
Keith Law: Padres have more guys, but a ton were in the AZL or even DSL, so they’re farther away & less valuable right now than some of Atlanta’s guys.

Brian: Why is Yadier Alvarez ranked substantially higher than Touki Toussaint? It seems like the plus stuff is similar, and Touki’s command and control is at least marginally better
Keith Law: Stuff isn’t that similar, Alvarez is more physical, Touki more athletic, neither throws enough strikes. More sentiment from pro scouts that Alvarez starts than Touki, although I bumped Touki up a bit because I believe he’s so athletic he’s going to find enough command to be a starter.

AJ: Hi KLaw. Am I crazy for thinking that a rebuilding team with payroll space (Phil, ChiSox) should be willing to take Ellsbury if they get Frazier and maybe Tate as well? Then flip him (keeping most of the salary) to a team out West (AZ, SF, etc.) For possibly a mid level prospect? Thanks.
Keith Law: I think Ellsbury is toast.

EL: Keen on any of the young guys signed out of the Bahamas? Do that country have a shot at becoming a minor baseball power like the Netherlands?
Keith Law: They’re all coming out of one program, I believe, and several of them are legit prospects – Chisholm and Robinson in particular, both with Arizona.

Tom Hendry: The Orioles are barely present on the international market. If they put in an average effort how many places higher would they be? What kind of a detriment is effectively ignoring that market?
Keith Law: Not sure you can ever have a top 10 system while ignoring the July 2nd market the way they do.

Arnold: What is the reason for the Giants’ poor farm system? Poor scouting? Emphasis on wrong type of player? Trading away their best prospects? Something else?
Keith Law: Lot of trades, rarely picking higher than they did last year (19th), terrible results internationally.

RSO: You have Justus Sheffield higher on your prospect list than most publications. When do you see him becoming a full time member of the Yankees rotation?
Keith Law: By year-end, pending opportunity, of course.

Don-key-ho-tay: A recent piece on pace of play brought some really interesting points (I think Scherzer had some great points) is a 20 second clock really too difficult to implement at highest level? At very least, conditioning minor leaguers to clock might see the pace quicken just based on churn, right?
Keith Law: Pitch clocks are going to increase pitcher injuries because they have less time for muscle recovery between pitches. God forbid we cut the fucking commercial breaks every time a team changes pitchers. We know why games are longer, but MLB keeps addressing non-factors.

RSO: What’s the deal with Blake Rutherford? He seemed like a stud while with the Yankees, and now he’s not being talked about at all.
Keith Law: Look at his year – he hit for no power at all and didn’t even hit for average like he should have. Hard to justify the year he had at age 20.

Derek: Are your prospects rankings based on prospect’s potential ceiling or what you expect from their career going forward
Keith Law: Those are factors as well as a prospect’s probability of having any positive value in the majors.

John: What do you think is holding up the free agent market this year?
Keith Law: It’s turtles all the way down.

NH: Matt Festa of the Mariners organization. What, if anything have you heard on him? Showed a strong propensity to miss bats last year, could he be a quick-rising relief prospect in their upper-minors?
Keith Law: Yes. He’s in their org report, which is … concise.

Patrick: You are obviously not as high on Florial as others. If you were running the Yankees and could make him a headliner for a Fulmer deal, how much more would you be comfortable giving up? Could it be done without Gleyber and Sheffield if Florial were on the table?
Keith Law: If the market thinks Florial is a top 100 prospect – which I’m not sure about, because I talked to a lot of people who saw what I saw, and execs who share my concerns – then he would be someone who could lead a Fulmer deal, maybe with a second top 100 guy thrown in. I do not know what Detroit wants, though.

John: As a Phillies fan, I am not quite sure how to feel right now about the franchise. They have been methodical in their rebuild, but unlike the Astros/Cubs, they dont have a few superstar core pieces to build around. Nola looks good, but has already had arm trouble. Their prospects, while looking like solid regulars, dont seem to have very high 70th percentile outcomes, and they’ve whiffed (it looks like) on a number of high picks in the last 5 years. Are they set to spin their wheels and be average over the next 5 years?
Keith Law: Don’t think it’s that dire; they have money to spend on free agents, and they look like they’ll have the prospect depth to swing a big deal or two. But the whiffs atop the draft are a real concern; they’ve been better with later picks, which is great, but you do have to hit more than half the time when you pick high.

Dutch: You think A.J. Reed could get some ABs as DH? Gattis has been very subpar the past few years.
Keith Law: I would love to see Reed get some of those ABs. Think he’ll swing and miss too much but get on base much more than Gattis does, and Reed has just as much power.

Chris: Hi Keith, I was surprised that Dustin May was ranked outside the top 10 for LAD. Do you see some reliever risk if the changeup doesn’t develop?
Keith Law: Yes, some violence in the delivery too.

Jay: Keith, what is your general opinion of Wagyu beef?
Keith Law: I don’t eat beef any more, but when I did, I didn’t understand paying extra for wagyu when it isn’t really a thing – Kobe beef is something very specific, but Wagyu is more of a marketing term. In theory, it’s better for the cows, the environment, and for the consumer because the meat has a better profile of fats, but you can’t guarantee what you’re getting.

RSO: Will the Yankees regret giving up Mateo, Kaprelian and Fowler for Sonny Gray?
Keith Law: Maybe, although since two were injured at the time, it was hard to argue with it – or with a deal that landed Gray but didn’t give up Torres or Sheffield.

John: Question: if MLB still wants to compensate teams for losing free agents, why not just give them compensation picks between rounds 1 and 2 instead of taking picks away from teams that sign free agents? It seems like that would be the best of both worlds scenario. Players could still sign wherever and get paid, teams would not be punished for signing free agents, and the teams losing players would still collect compensation picks to try and rebuild.
Keith Law: Because the point of compensation picks was never compensation: it’s punishment. MLB wanted to drag down free agent salaries and it worked.

ssimon: Hey Klaw, we know you are higher on Dom Smith than the Mets seem to be. Do you think the team is unfairly holding his 183 MLB PAs or the high-offense Las Vegas environment against him? (It can’t be Terry’s fault anymore.)
Keith Law: Yes, I do. He’s also started slow at several stops before. They shouldn’t act like this is a surprise.

Brian: Question about your observation that the Phillies system has depth but no superstars. With as much depth as they have, isn’t it likely that a few guys dramatically exceed expectations?
Keith Law: I don’t agree with that. It is likely that a few guys dramatically fall short of expectations, but the curve is not symmetrical about the mean.

leprekhan: How would you compare the interest level in the draft and prospects in general to say 5 years ago? Obviously it will vary from fans of different organizations, but overall it feels a bit like there is more interest than ever.
Keith Law: I agree. And I am fortunate that this is so.

Anton Chiguhr: Do you think Dombrowski moves on from JDM & seeks a trade or a Bautista/Cargo type reclamation?
Keith Law: I think Martinez ends up in Boston … but you could flip a coin.

John: I worry that the Brewers are getting a little ahead of themselves this offseason–their 86 win season was built on several out-of-character seasons from their players that aren’t that likely to be repeated. Seems like they’ve locked in to getting the end of Cain’s peak before they’re truly competitive with the Cubs and Cardinals, and then they’ll be stuck with some dead money in 2020-22. Do you agree?
Keith Law: I agree they may be over-estimating their odds of replicating 2017 performances, but I don’t think any of this money will be dead in 2020.

Troy: Luke Weaver a future 1or2 or more likely 4or5?
Keith Law: Way more likely 4 or 5.

Marissa: What are your thoughts on TJ Zeuch in the Blue Jays org?
Keith Law: Back-end starter. Jays report goes up tomorrow.

Dan: Carter Kieboom and E Fedde for Realmuto. Who says no?
Keith Law: Marlins.

jake: are you buying desmond lindsey’s issues being related to his vision (and now fixed)?
Keith Law: I wrote that.

John: You recommended Flavor Bible. Thank you so much! What a great tool! What do you think of their “what to drink with what you’re eating” book?
Keith Law: I’m not a wine drinker, so I haven’t read it.

Marshall MN: Is pitch recognition the key trait that ends up determining if a hitter can make it in the big leagues? Is it a teachable skill in your opinion?
Keith Law: It is a key trait but not the only one. It can improve, but it depends on the individual.

Reid: I always look forward to your work and as a Padres fan, it was great to read detailed info on so many of their prospects. While much of the talent is in the lower levels of the minors do you foresee an issue down the road with not enough room on the 40 man roster when they become Rule 5 eligible around the same time?
Keith Law: That’s possible, but would be an impetus for trades. I also think a few of those teenagers just won’t hit enough in pro ball to be rule 5 bait.

Jay: Assuming health, the likely top 4 starters for Houston are Verlander, Keuchel, Cole, McCullers. Who do you think should get the most starts as the 5th?
Keith Law: Morton would be 4th. McCullers still hasn’t shown he can stay healthy for a full season.

Rick: Do you think Brendan Mckay will try to play both ways in the minors or will the Rays make him pick a position?
Keith Law: I believe he’ll do both this year, and they may reevaluate after that. My #1 concern now for him is fatigue.

Dave: What’s your favorite dish to make using a sous vide device?
Keith Law: Chicken thighs. Whole Foods had 2-pound packages on sale this week, so I bought one (9 thighs), cooked them 4.5 hours at 165 degrees, chilled them, and then seared off a few each night for dinner.

Steve: What are the odds Cole Ragans hits your midseason top 50?
Keith Law: You tell me: does he throw more strikes? The walks are perplexing because he’s not truly wild and he repeats his delivery well.

Michael K : Hi Keith. I’m a big fan of your chat. I’m a lifelong Giants fan. With the #2 pick in the upcoming draft who do you think they should select?
Keith Law: Too soon. I’ll do a draft ranking in a few weeks, but even that will be on the early side, subject to a lot of change. I will say that there seems to be an early consensus that Ethan Hankins, Georgia prep RHP, is the top talent, but no HS RHP has ever gone 1-1.

Ted: Is the Red Sox farm system heading in the right direction after the 2017 draft and IFA signings? The 2 big trades and system grads left it bare, understandably.
Keith Law: Yes, the arrow is pointing up, but a lot of those new players’ values are still based on amateur looks.

Allan: Is a spike in velocity a warning sign for TJS, like in Joe Palumbo’s case.
Keith Law: I have never seen a study that attempted to prove/disprove the thesis, but I believe a sudden velocity spike increases the risk of a ligament tear. Perhaps the arm speeds up and the ligament can’t handle it?

Jared: Do you consider Archer top of rotation? I personally do not, but most Brewer fans do. His stats just don’t match up with his peripherals. Just wanted to get an expert’s opinion.
Keith Law: Potential top of rotation, hasn’t quite had those results.

Tom Hendry: The Astros made a lot of noise by reducing their minor league scouts. Didn’t the Orioles do this back in 2012? How many minor league scouts do they have vs. what is normal? Are few scouts a bad thing?
Keith Law: Not aware of the Orioles having fewer scouts; I think few scouts is a bad thing, yes. There is information you glean from watching players that won’t show up even in advanced data like Trackman provides. The latter is critical too, but why not supplement with in-person observation?

Chris: Do you see major changes ahead in the next CBA, as far as shifting more money toward players’ prime years (24 to 30) instead of teams signing guys to ten-year deals through age 40? It seems as though teams are beginning to realize the error of their ways, but the union’s not just going to give the owners that money.
Keith Law: It’s a few years down the road, but I would imagine players would fight more for earlier free agency next time.

Nate: Will you a preseason draft list or does it carry so little value at the end of the day, it isnt worth producing?
Keith Law: I do every year.
Keith Law: It’ll be up in a few weeks.

Stephen: What makes you higher on Justus Sheffield than most?
Keith Law: Don’t know. Ask Most why he’s so low on Sheffield.

Jeff: Lolo Sanchez and Luplow were absent from your Pirates writeup. Any quick thoughts/explanation on those guys?
Keith Law: Sanchez is on the Pirates’ writeup now; I screwed up and never transferred his blurb from my notes to the file I sent to ESPN. Luplow is an up-and-down guy at bst.

BRIAN: I know Cliff Frazier was not eligible for your prospect rankings – but he is really only a prospect with less than 150 ab last year… IF he was in the rankings — would he be top 50? Top 20? Is he a legit prospect or NY hype?
Keith Law: Would not be top 50. I understand the frustration about guys like him not making prospect lists, but we have to draw the line somewhere.

Nate: I see a lot of other reports on Matt Manning that are much more glowing than yours. What do you see his chances of developing the command and secondary stuff necessary to become more than a big armed bullpen guy?
Keith Law: People wishcast on players all the time; I can’t help that. He’s athletic enough to find the command and secondary stuff, but i can’t help but think he’ll need to scrap the CB for a slider and to get less robotic in his delivery first.

Aaron C.: Since 2002, the A’s have had spurts of MLB success, but it seems their minor league system has needed heavy supplementing from trades to actually bring talent into the pipeline. Why have the A’s struggled so much in the draft over the past 15 years?
Keith Law: I think where they’ve gone astray, it’s usually been on college performers whose tools didn’t/wouldn’t translate. I think they’ve drafted much better the last few years, though, even with Beck struggling in his first summer.

mike: Keith – Brewers question. Yelich was a great pickup, Cain a fair one. Let’s say they ARE in on Yu, and get him. Is a rotation of Yu, Nelson, Davies, Anderson and Chacin (with their above average bullpen) competing for an NL crown? It doesn’t pass the smell test.
Keith Law: I don’t think so.

Scott: Any thoughts on Top Chef this season?
Keith Law: Haven’t watched.

Matthew: Thoughts on Senzel moving forward… quick player comp and how the Reds find him playing time. Or does he stay down until May 2019?
Keith Law: 2019? God I hope not. He’s ready or very close to it.

Mike D: I am nervous about Gabe Kapler, I do not want to see a couple of wasted years and start again. Does he have the managerial skills? Can he move this club forward ( if he gets pitching)?
Keith Law: I’m a big fan and I think he’ll be just what that roster needs, too.

Evan: Nolan Martinez doesn’t get a lot of press in a crowded Yankees system. What’s his upside long term?
Keith Law: Hurt all last year. Back-of-rotation upside if healthy.

Mike: Two OF questions – 1) are you still a believer in Dahl, IF he can stay healthy? 2) what do you make of Verdugo and his chance to be a key member of Dodgers’ OF plans?
Keith Law: I believe Dahl will be an above-average regular if healthy but don’t know if he’ll ever be healthy. That back injury is a bad one. Verdugo was in my top 50, above-average regular if/when he sticks.

ck: Just curious. When do you use a 6 arm for scouting vs 60 arm?
Keith Law: Same thing.

Marshall MN: Klaw which of your annual projects (top free agents, top amateur prospects, top draft prospects) do you most enjoy? Each seems like quite a lot of work, and I thoroughly enjoy reading each of them.
Keith Law: I hate the free agent stuff. The classes have been so bad the last few years that I end up talking about players I don’t think are very good.

Dan: Ellsbury was worth 1.8 WAR last yr
Keith Law: Thanks, Dr. Google. About 80% of that is the value he got for standing in centerfield. If he can’t move enough to truly play that, then he has no value.

Andy: Everyone would love for the Bahamas to become a baseball powerhouse. Talk about a fun place to scout players in.
Keith Law: Amen.

Ryan: saw you’re playing Charterstone. worthwhile with just 2, or would it benefit from a higher player count?
Keith Law: We’re playing with three; four might be nice, just because there would be more interaction. The empty areas on the board will eventually be filled in, though, so you’ll have more options, just less active agency interfering with your plans.

JR: Did you watch SOTU? I elected to get a work out in instead. Zero regrets.
Keith Law: Nope, don’t think I’ve ever actually watched a SOTU. It’s basically a political rally.

mike sixel: Why don’t you eat beef anymore? Any other meat restrictions?
Keith Law: My daughter and I share an inborn error of metabolism that led us to give it up.

Damon: How many years have to pass before we can say that the Padres did not properly capitalize on their 2016 Draft bonanza? Whitely, Bichette, Trammell, all available at for the teams first three picks and they selected none of them
Keith Law: That is pure hindsight.

Harry: Whatever happened to Hak Ju Lee??
Keith Law: Blew out his ankle in triple-A; when he came back, his speed was mostly gone.

Beau: Noticed no write-up on Vladimir Gutierrez: has he fallen off completely, still have potential? What’s he need to do? Thanks.
Keith Law: Back-end at best, likely middle reliever.

Chris: How did Corey Seager fall to the 18th pick in his draft?
Keith Law: Demanded an over slot bonus.

section 34: Klaw, I’m not one of those “stick to baseball” people. I like reading your opinions on other topics, whether or not I agree. But I am curious: on Twitter, you’re all about women’s issues lately. Why?
Keith Law: I’m pretty sure the world is all about women’s issues lately. It’s kind of in the news.

Bill: The write up on Lolo Sanchez in your NL Central guide seemed much more positive than the ranking. Is it just distance from majors keeping him out of the top 10?
Keith Law: Distance from majors and distance from reaching even a reasonable projection.

Craig: Ross Atkins said with the information teams have now, Nate Pearson would have gone 1-1.

Just an exec talking up a first round pick? Or does Pearson have that kind of talent?
Keith Law: Exec talking up a player. There is no chance that would happen, even now.

Dan: Hey Keith, I apologize if this is too personal, but when did you (or have you) had you start talking to your daughter about sex and related topics? I have a six and a three year old; I want to have age-appropriate conversations where I can tell them things in ways that they can understand without feeling overwhelmed or scared. Did you follow any recommended guideline or just use your judgment and answer questions as they came up? Thanks.
Keith Law: We had The Talk when she was 10, because we wanted to do that before she hit puberty and because it was clear she was starting to get hints from TV and from friends at school. It ended with her sitting under the table going “ew, ew, ew,” so I think we did a good job.
Keith Law: That’s all for this week; thank you as always for reading and for your questions. AL org reports begin tomorrow with the East, then Central Friday, West Saturday. And I’ll actually start blogging here again now that the prospect stuff is done. Thanks again!

Comments

  1. heading to PHX in march for spring training. any new additions to your phoenix eats list? based on your recs, i’ve hit pizzeria bianco, cartel, culinary dropout, hillside spot, and four peaks on previous trips.

  2. Missed the chat today, but I wanted to let you know I am going to start using “Doctor Google” the next time one of my friends looks up a stat or trivia at a bar

    • Hmm. Isn’t “Doctor Google” a derivative of “Stats Nerd,” an ad hominem used to claim superiority of opinion without, in fact, having supported this opinion by facts?

      It was sort of funny, I suppose, but I’m disappointed Keith chose this reply.

    • No, you totally misunderstood my response. Telling me a player’s WAR – which i’m completely capable of looking up – does not advance the discussion at all.

  3. Long term outlook for Albies??? Thanks!

    • Nice Try Glen

      Ozhaino Jurdy Jiandro “Ozzie” Albies is a good long term play.
      Move forward with drafting him in your Dynasty league.

  4. 2017-18 offseason will be looked at as a “perfect storm” of a below average FA class, an above average projected 2018-19 class, a robust trade market of quality MLB players and the year where many teams had to pay for their past financial mistakes (bad long term deals). The list of “bad contracts” in terms of number of players and total $ has to be at an all time high. Choo, Ellsbury, Kemp, A Gon, the vets on the Marlins, Sandoval, Alex Gordon, Homer Bailey, Pence and that’s just off the top of my head. Teams didn’t know what the new CBA would look like when these deals were signed and at least this year, that spending had caught up with teams and is clearly had an effect on the market.

    At the same time, there’s a stat/player evaluation revolution going on and it’s a part of the capital allocation process of all front offices that’s directly impacting every player contract decision. It’s a disruptive secular change and one that the MLBPA has not got in front of. Their decades old mantra of getting stars paid because “a rising tide lifts all boats” no longer works and MLB rank & file aka the 1-3yr service class and MLB middle class are paying the price. Lastly MLBPA has always relied to some degree on that “one dumb owner” to set the market and that person may no longer exist in the game. KC/SD could prove to be the 2018 candidate with their Eric Hosmer fascination, we shall see.