New board game review at Paste of the light, fast-moving card game Smile; and new Insider post looking at who the top rookies might be for 2018.
Keith Law: So numb, can’t even react. Klawchat.
What’s in a name?: Did you know there was never a major league baseball player with the first name of Tyler before 1993? Now there have been about 40. The Yanks set a new record with 4 Tylers last year. There were no Brandons before 2000; now there have been about 50. The 2012 A’s had FIVE.
Keith Law: I believe in 2013 we had four players in the first round or so named Hunter. We gave our daughter a name that had never appeared on any of those top 100 baby names list to avoid something like this (plus we loved the name we gave her anyway).
Joseph: I looked forward to these every week. I heard reports that Vlad Guerrero Jr is THICC right now (not in a bad way). But it seems more likely he moves from 3B to 1B. What percentages of likelihood would you put on it?
Keith Law: I’m not certain you have to move him to 1b; he’s a big boy, but not unathletic, and maybe he could stand in an outfield corner. Probably 40/60 on him staying at third.
Jo-Nathan: Knowing how you feel about Tim Tebow, what were your thoughts on Michael Jordan as a ‘prospect’ in 94?
Keith Law: I was 20 and busy finishing my senior thesis. I really had no idea at the time whether it was plausible or a publicity stunt or something to do with gambling.
addoeh: Who signs first; Jake Arrieta or Kirk Cousins?
Keith Law: Did Arrieta solicit suggestions on social media?
One Klawwi Boi: You mentioned in chat weeks ago that Jo Adell has the highest ceiling of anyone in the 2018 draft. If he has a productive year, does he vault into top 20 consideration going into 2019? Potentially higher? Is his ceiling a 65 FV?
Keith Law: I don’t love putting specific numbers like that ‘future value’ on players this young & far away. I think he has superstar upside, but also huge risk … early last spring I had scouts telling me they were questioning whether he could hit at all, talking about him on the mound, and then he hurt his arm but started making more/better contact. I do think his full-season debut will tell us a lot more about how advanced a hitter he is – whether he’s a Trout/Vlad Jr type who already has a good enough approach to race up the minors or will be more a level-by-level guy or is something even less than that (which I doubt, but it’s possible).
Hello: My friend wants me to ask you: “Is Rafael Devers going to be Baby Miggy?”
Keith Law: I wouldn’t put that on any prospect.
Romo: If you were in a front office, would you have removed Seth Romero from your draft board?
Keith Law: I would have, given what we know about his behavior, his medicals, and his delivery. It is a legit plus-plus changeup, though, and above-average velocity, from the left side. I understand why he went where he did, but there are risks I’ll stomach and some I won’t.
Eric: I don’t expect you to know the Vegas win totals off the top of your head, but are there any teams projected for the bottom half of baseball that you could see surprising people this year if a couple dominoes fall the right way?
Keith Law: I’ll look at that later this month. Right now I’ve been more focused on draft stuff.
Faria: Does Faria have a future as a starter? If so, what’s his ceiling, #4?
Keith Law: Yes. League-average sort of upside.
Garrett: It’ll be at least 2020 before Walker Buehler pitches 200 innings, right?
Keith Law: I’ll put 50/50 odds on him never pitching 200 innings in a season.
Keith Law: And that’s not a criticism; I think he’s potentially elite, but unlikely to handle what is now a top-end workload.
Joseph: I’m making Pastrami for St Paddy’s day and I’ve never done it before (though I’ve smoked brisket half a dozen times). Was wondering if you had any advice for me and wish me luck!
Keith Law: I have never made brisket in any form, sorry. Even when I did eat beef, the time required & the quantity produced made it a poor investment.
Mike: What’s the deal with Dayton Moore about dragging the Royals into his uber-conservative social stances? First the Royals teamed with an anti-abortion group as a marketing partner (and declined to let Planned Parenthood participate in a similar marketing program), and now the Royals are hosting anti-porn workshops for their players. Moore can believe whatever he wants and support whatever social cause he feels best represents his views. But to drag the Royals into it from an official (i.e., team-sanctioned) POV….Huh???
Keith Law: I had the same thought last night. He is absolutely entitled to his personal views and to conduct himself in a manner consistent with them. This anti-porn thing is a bad joke, though; the individual and societal effects of pornography have been researched for decades, and no link has been found between pornography viewing or availability and things like sexual assault rates. (Porn may actually reduce such rates, although I think the relationship is weak.) You don’t like porn? Absolutely fine. But what the Royals are doing here and with their anti-abortion partners is bringing religion into a secular work place, and I would hope a Royals player would exercise his rights and fight back.
Jay: Would you give Andujar the starting job at third?
Keith Law: Yes, although I think they’ll give it to Drury now and aim to have Andujar up by midyear.
Jay: Kannapolis or Winston-Salem – where would you start Robert out?
Keith Law: I hope to see him this weekend, at which point I may have a different answer, but my gut right now is Kannapolis. Easy to move him up if he overwhelms the league; hard to demote a guy this high-profile.
TJ: Do you think that Moustakas is just netter off waiting until June once the comp pick goes? He doesn’t seem to have a lot to gain by signing a short term deal
Keith Law: Yes.
Andrew: Keith – Thanks for the time, always enjoy the chats. Quick question with a little broader scope – do have any thoughts or heard anything on the grapevine to explain the Yankees improvement in player development over the last ~5 years?
Keith Law: They’ve shifted their draft philosophy somewhat, especially with higher picks; they’ve changed how they develop pitchers, including working with weighted balls, which has led to a lot of guys gaining velocity; and they’ve been more focused on getting and retaining prospects in trades.
Rodney: Hi Keith, thanks for doing these chats! The biggest knock against Matt Thaiss seems to be the lack of power he’s shown. Do his 2 home runs in 22 spring training PA signal anything, or is typical spring training stats noise?
Keith Law: Everything in spring training stats is noise. It’s even worse in Arizona because the entire league tends to favor home run production.
Nick: Andrew Vaughn is off to a great start. How does his bat compare to the 1B-only bats in the 2018 class like Beer and Baker?
Keith Law: Beer isn’t 1B only. I don’t think Vaughn or Baker is a first rounder.
Dingus McGee: I hear a lot about spring training stats don’t mean much, if anything, but what do teams/scouts/those in the know look at during March games?
Keith Law: You can still look at players to see, from the seats or in Trackman data, if something tangible has changed. A new delivery, a reduced spin rate, a different launch angle, a new pitch, more velocity … those are real changes that can impact this season’s performance, but the tiny samples and inconsistent competition of spring training makes those stats useless.
JJ: Ohtani’s a virtual lock to be chosen the AL ROY, but who’s going to win it in the NL?
Keith Law: He’s a lock? What if he only makes 20 starts? Or gets hurt? You can’t just gift anyone the award right now. I looked at the top impact rookies for this year in a short piece today for Insiders.
Buckner 86: Does Jose Berrios take another step forward this year? Can he be a top 20 SP? Thanks
Keith Law: Step forward, yes. Top 20 SP, no.
Matt: Was Odorizzi really worth nothing? Put up 5 WAR from ’15-’16. Hard to believe some SP-thirsty team couldn’t do better than Palacios?
Keith Law: I believe i mentioned in a previous chat that his back issues are a major concern.
Jaime: Isn’t it hypocritical of the alphabet news networks to demonize firearms when people who sit on their board also sit on the board of defense contractors, who are responsible for far worse across the globe?
Keith Law: That is the tu quoque fallacy.
Devon: The fiancee bought me a cool boardgame for Valentine’s Day called Hive. I searched for it on your site and it looks like you haven’t reviewed it. Have you not played it before or did it not make your top 100?
Keith Law: Haven’t played it.
CD: In regards to the top unsigned FA, do you think they lack any offers, or they just lack offers they like like and find acceptable?
Keith Law: My understanding is that they’re getting few offers and the ones they’re getting are way below expectations. At some point, though, don’t you just say, I’ll take the best one-year deal anyone will offer, and go from there?
BE: With the cost benefit of young players being so high, wouldn’t it make sense to better prepare them with better nutrition and instruction before they reach the majors?
Keith Law: Yes, but because that product isn’t visible now, more teams spend that money on the major-league roster.
Archie: Who do you see handling 1B for the Astros until Gurriel comes back?
Keith Law: Probably AJ Reed. Don’t think it’s a big deal for them, not something that will require trading for help.
Joey: Only 14 SP’s pitched 200 innings last year, while 32 did it in 2013. The days of 200 innings are slowly going away as pitching becomes more “specialized”.
Keith Law: I completely agree.
JR: I know it’s just spring training, but the reports on Matt Harvey have been positive so far. While the glory days of ’13 and ’15 are not coming back, is there any hope he can slightly above league average (or a tad better) this year?
Keith Law: I think it’s about health more than anything else with him … I don’t think it’s mental, or makeup related. He was worked extremely hard at UNC, and the Mets had to use him more than I think they would have liked back in 2015. I believe this is the outcome of those two factors.
Dante: Put on your Matt Klentak hat for a moment. Do you make the dive into possible contention in 2018 and sign Arrieta/Cobb/Lynn, or use this season to see if the plethora of in-house options will pan out?
Keith Law: I’d sign Cobb, but wouldn’t give up the draft pick and bonus pool money attached to it for either of the other two.
Brady: Finished Hyperion last week and I can see your issue with the non-ending, but I think I was less critical of it knowing there was a direct sequel out there that probably continues on with the pilgrims’ story. You seem to have liked the first book as much as I did, and I can’t wait to start The Fall of Hyperion. Did you ever continue on with the series?
Keith Law: Not yet. Eventually. I have just 4 Hugo winners left, and two of them are probably dreadful, so now I’m branching out to read other stuff by authors I like.
B: Would you consider Mitch Keller a candidate to be called up after the super 2 deadline, or is he more of a September cup of coffee kind of guy?
Keith Law: I think September. Hasn’t pitched in AAA yet, needs work on the changeup.
and “Peggy”: I know your philosophy is take BPA, but IMO DET needs to take a position player 1.1. If that is an overdraft, couldn’t they then go over slot in round 2? Is that at all a valid strategy? Thanks!
Keith Law: I don’t like that – if the best player is clearly a pitcher, you take the pitcher. Taking someone you believe is definitively not the best player available is a good way to get fired three years later when the guy you passed on turns out to be … the best player who was available.
Jon: Could Kingery be a Zobrist Utility guy or is he pretty much just a 2B? Thanks.
Keith Law: Could be 2b/cf. Highly doubt he’s a shortstop even on a part-time basis.
Harold: We are going to see a 6 man rotation as well as a 4 man rotation with a bullpen game in the 5th slot. Which would you prefer if you were constructing a team?
Keith Law: Probably the latter, but I’m a fan of experimentation in general.
xxx(yyy): any recs for party games that are better than Cards Against Humanity and work in situations where people may be consuming adult beverages?
Keith Law: One Night Ultimate Werewolf and other games of that ilk (Werewords combines it with a word-guessing game; Crossfire switches up the role assignments but plays out very similarly) are perfect for that.
James: With how strong the rest of AL west, at what point should the Rangers just decide it’s time to rebuild?
Keith Law: What would rebuilding entail for them? I’m not sure how much they really have that they would be willing to trade; Hamels, probably, if he’s healthy, and Andrus if we assume he’s going to opt out, but that’s probably it. They have a decent young offensive core in the majors, including a few players who should still have some growth ahead of them. But I don’t see a teardown here, unless you’re arguing they should trade guys like Mazara or Gallo now to try to get even younger and acquire some pitching (which I wouldn’t recommend).
What’s in a name?: I’ve often seen ARod, Josh Hamilton, & Griffey Jr. mentioned as the three most-talented #1 picks ever. Do you agree, & who was the most-talented amateur pitcher you ever saw?
Keith Law: Those three were all before my tenure in baseball, so I’m just relying on others’ opinions; the same community tells me Brien Taylor was one of the most talented amateur pitchers ever. The best amateur pitchers I’ve personally seen are Stephen Strasburg, Gerrit Cole, and Brady Aiken.
Eric: Keith,
What kind of year can we expect from Andy Yerzy? Any worry of him being outshined by Daulton Varsho?
Keith Law: If Yerzy’s power surge was real, he’s a very valuable prospect because it looks like he’ll stay at catcher too. Not many true receivers with 20-HR potential out there. I don’t understand the second question … do players suffer for feeling “outshined?” I know Mark Arm isn’t a fan of that.
xxx(yyy): any faith in Rougie Odor turning things around and being closer to an average hitter in 2018-2019?
Keith Law: I’m quite bearish.
Zac: Who has the higher ceiling between Alex Faedo and Brady Singer
Keith Law: Faedo. I have a hard time seeing Singer as a 180 inning starter
Chris: What’s the best future alignment for Oakland’s infield? 2B Barreto, SS Mateo, UTIL Neuse work for you?
Keith Law: Neuse everyday 3b? I know they have Chapman, but I wouldn’t just stick Neuse in a part-time role when he might be capable of more.
Kenny: It seems like some teams may be kind of slightly be starting to put an emphasis on their hitters making more contact, even at the expense of a little power. Do you think the game has gotten a little too homer/strikeout heavy and that a team may be able to gain an advantage by putting the ball in play more than their opponents?
Keith Law: The payoff from adding power has exceeded the cost of reduced contact. Improved defensive positioning might be the main reason or at least a reason for the latter part of that. I don’t like the homer/strikeout heavy environment, but it is probably a rational strategy for most teams.
Ron: German ceiling?
Keith Law: Die Höchstgrenze.
Keith Law: (Seriously, I don’t know who you’re asking about.)
B: Would you consider Max Fried somewhat of a breakout guy this year? He was over his head in the majors, but I like his stuff.
Keith Law: I didn’t think he was over his head at all. He’s on the list today.
Levi: Tyler Glasnow with another erratic outing yesterday. I know it is just Spring training, but is there still any hope for him to be a reliable starter?
Keith Law: If you believe in the axiom about taller pitchers needing more time to get their coordination together for consistent deliveries, then yes, there is still hope. But the odds are declining.
Jackson: Fernando Tatis is looking good in all aspects of the game this spring. Is the best course of action to have he and Luis Urias play in AAA all year together and come up next year?
Keith Law: That’s the worst course of action because it moves someone off shortstop right now.
Paul: Can Joey Gallo become a .250+ hitter? Seems like everyone assumes that he’s a Mendoza-line guy, but he’s only 24, has gotten better each year, and doesn’t have a L/R split. I just keep thinking he’ll be a monster.
Keith Law: I wouldn’t rule that out at all. Gallo has made a ton of progress already at reducing his swings and misses in the zone and at laying off stuff out of the zone. When he was first drafted, the swing worked, but he’d swing too often and mistime a lot … but he’d get away with it because he’d hit a mistake into the next county. He’s actually cut down substantially since then.
Dan M. : You’ve said that Strahm should be in SD’s opening day rotation but do you think he will be?
Keith Law: It doesn’t seem like it right now, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he got 15-18 starts this year. It’s not like he’s behind the Nats’ front four.
Jack: I’m a nerd so I looked back at MLB drafts from 20-30 years ago and it’s shocking how many 1st rounders never made it. What do you think has happened in scouting to lead to more draft success in the last 5-10 years.
Keith Law: We’ve gone from ignoring a lot of stats to at least some teams paying attention to publicly available stats to using proprietary data and internal R&D efforts to evaluate players. Bobby Witt was the 3rd pick in the 1985 draft despite walking 78 guys in 96 innings his junior year at Oklahoma. That would never happen today. (He was in the majors less than a year later and walked 143 guys in 157.2 innings his rookie year. What the hell did they expect?)
Dougie Fresh: What do you expect from Rhys Hopkins?
Keith Law: I expect him to have a great season, probably All-Star caliber, that feels like a disappointment after the two months he had to end 2017. I would bet on under 40 homers rather than over. Still think he’ll be a 4-5 WAR guy, just not MVP worthy.
BD in DC: Are Lamonte Wade, and Brandon Lowe MLB regulars?
Keith Law: Neither.
Joey Joe Joe: Were you surprised by Brian Goodwin putting up a > .800 OPS last season?
Keith Law: Nothing should really be a surprise in 278 PA.
Zachary: Twins starting shortstop in 2021 is Jorge Polanco? Nick Gordon? Royce Lewis? Wander Javier? Yunior Severino? Or someone else?
Keith Law: I believe if you asked them, they’d say Lewis. I still have real doubts about him staying on the dirt; he has a LONG way to go, based on what I saw (and area scouts also saw) last spring.
Trea: J.D. Davis have a future in Houston? If he got a chance to play elsewhere, how good of a bat could he be?
Keith Law: Fringe regular for someone. Maybe ideally a platoon guy.
What’s in a name?: Yes, it’s spring training, but Billy McKinney has 4 HR. Considering his late-season power surge in 2017, if this is truly another half-grade or so in the power department, does he go back to being a fairly good prospect?
Keith Law: It’s spring training. I don’t even look at those stats.
Dan: I know we should ignore Spring Training stats, but in his last start Vince Velasquez was throwing almost exclusively 4-seamers in what seemed like an effort to concentrate on locating the pitch. If he has success doing so the rest of the spring, is that the kind of thing he can build on in the season?
Keith Law: That’s different from spring training stats and definitely something i’d pay attention to … although in VV’s case, I have always been more concerned about the fringy breaking ball than fastball command. Yes, it’s something he can build on, and it makes him better, but it doesn’t address his main pitching flaw, or the fact that he has yet to stay healthy for a full season.
Nick: Going to PHX next weekend to watch some baseball. Staying in the Encanto village area. Any good restaurant recs?
Keith Law: Search this site for all my recs, but you’re right by Pizzeria Bianco, Matt’s Big Breakfast, Forno 301, Giant Coffee, Tacos Chiwas, and, when it opens, Roland’s Market.
What’s in a name?: I think Ron meant Domingo German.
Keith Law: Solid reliever IMO. Outside chance to start, well below 50%.
Mick: Is there a non traditional baseball country out there ready to bust out w/ at least a few prospects in the next few years?
Keith Law: I’d bet on Brazil churning a few more kids out now that Pardinho has gotten paid and Gohara is in the majors. I know Uganda has become a youth baseball success story lately, and I’ve heard they may even produce some good JC or small college prospects in the short term. I will forever wonder why the Philippines hasn’t produced players; I know they had a long fallow period where the sport withered there, but it has a history in that country going back to when we took it from Spain in 1898.
Brett: I’ve heard rumors that your lawyers offered Stormy Daniels 3-months of free Insider and a Cinnamon Roll Recipe in exchange for silence of your 2012 affair. Those rumors true?
Keith Law: I never signed anything and I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Matt: Why do professional athletes get injured so much? Isn’t staying in shape the general idea? It seems odd we hear about guys pulling a hamstring running to first base.
Keith Law: You can’t be serious. How often in your life do you have to run like athletes run, going from a dead stop to full speed as quickly as possible, or throw like they throw?
Keith Law: (if you throw like I throoooow, then you’re hurt like every day…)
Prospect Expansion Pack: Who would you prefer – Jesus Luzardo or Luis Medina? Debate with a friend about ceiling and age.
Keith Law: Luzardo would have been close to the top 100 had I continued ranking guys, and would have been over Medina.
addoeh: Can Ian Happ be passable in a corner outfield spot?
Keith Law: I’d bet on more than passable. Maybe a soft average.
Stomper: Most Oakland fans seem pretty convinced Chapman and Olson are going to be all-star caliber players going forward. I’d like them to be….but maybe pump the brakes on half-season debuts a bit, right?
Keith Law: I doubt either is an All-Star caliber player. Solid regulars, maybe, more so Chapman (70 glove, 80 arm) than Olson (not those things).
Dan M. : Assuming Bobby Bradley doesn’t struggle in Triple-A, would it be wiser for Cleveland to bring him up? Or do you think Alonso is competent enough?
Keith Law: I wouldn’t project Bradley to outproduce Alonso this year.
Brad: Hey Keith. What do you think is the ceiling for Dane Dunning? Solid #3 if everything goes right or a above average 4?
Keith Law: The difference between a solid 3 and an above average 4 is probably just in the nomenclature. I do think you have the right idea, though; he’s not an ace, not someone who’ll likely be a top 50 starter in baseball, but should be a very solid league-average guy for a while.
Seth Romero: Apparently all I did was a few curfew violations. In college it was the weed picture and a teammate fight. I’m not actually a *bad* guy am I? What else have you heard?
Keith Law: There’s more that isn’t public. Remember he was suspended by U of H, reinstated, and lasted just a few weeks before slugging a teammate, after which he was kicked off the team permanently.
Manny: Which potential 1st rounder in June do you see as having the highest floor and which do you see getting to the majors the quickest?
Keith Law: I’m just getting started seeing players but with what I’ve heard so far I think Rolison might be the high-floor college starter everyone loves, and either Swaggerty or Conine the high-floor college bat.
B: Were you a fan of Chris Taylor when he was in the Mariners system? I remember there being a lot of questions about him staying on the dirt, but he looks great in CF.
Keith Law: He was fine at shortstop, but had no real power at all, just a high-contact guy who looked like he could play a few positions. Thought he was a big leaguer but not a regular.
Brett: Do you think Buxton continues his progression in 2018 and has a better year than 2017?
Keith Law: Maybe a small improvement, but even a repeat of 2017 would be great, given where he seemed to be last April or in mid-2016.
Tom: Do the effects of a juiced ball work for the pitcher as well in terms of increased velocity?
Keith Law: If the issue is the COR, then that would only matter on contact, not just from the act of throwing the ball.
Steve: I’m a Boomer with “big ears” & Always listen to KLaw music playlists. Even the AAA format terrestrial radio in NYC, WFUV, doesn’t play these artists/ tracks. How do I too listen to this roster of artists?
Keith Law: If you’re asking where I find these artists, I don’t have an answer to that. I look in lots of places.
PJ: Blake Snell not eligible for today’s article, but can we expect him on your Breakout list? You still see a future #2?
Keith Law: Breakouts list is next week.
Jim: You tweeted wrong link to the chat I believe
Keith Law: Yeah, whatever. If you haven’t figured out where the chats are after two years on this site, I can’t help you, man.
Kay: Trying to make more use of my sous vide setup – I know you mentioned duck breasts. Any other favorites?
Keith Law: Chicken thighs. Pork chops. I hear it’s great for steak, and I would assume brisket and short rib too, although I don’t eat those things. I have tried it for sausages, but when I went to brown them they overcooked.
Matty: Any chance D Bundy hit’s his previous ace ceiling, or has he simply been worked too hard to get his stuff back?
Keith Law: Worked too hard, still has damage in the shoulder, and Buck is determined to squeeze every last drop of blood from him (and Hunter Harvey, 53 pitches in 2 innings the other day, WTF).
Jake: Should SF start the season with a Blanco/Jackson platoon, or should they put Duggar’s superior glove in CF and see on the fly how he will be able to handle MLB pitching?
Keith Law: I’d play Duggar. If he’s healthy, it’s probably time – he’s either ready now or he’s probably never going to be a regular.
mickey: hey, keith – always enjoy your work. just curious: do your employers mandate that you have to have a social media presence?
Keith Law: I don’t think they do. I was on Facebook and Twitter long before this became a conversation, though.
Nathan: Hey Keith, love your work. Why couldn’t the Pirates get Bueller signed out of high school? Demands to high? I remember him being pretty highly rated and it seems like he would’ve been someone they would have gone after.
Keith Law: They made a good run at him, but there are two things to bear in mind. One is that he was very slight back then, and everyone was concerned about his durability. The other is that he didn’t throw this hard until after TJ. Even as a sophomore on the Cape, he was 92-95. He wasn’t throwing that hard in HS. And if you can find anyone who projected him back at age 18 to be bumping 100 at age 23, I’d love to hear from him.
PJ: Are you bullish on Jorge Alfaro? I know he made your top 100, but just curious if you think there’s still the big bat potential that people saw a few years ago.
Keith Law: Huge power. If he ever gets to a .300 OBP, it’ll be a victory. But 20+ homers with that arm and even average receiving would make him a regular. I know the new staff in Philly has been happy with his progress receiving this spring.
Ted: Which of top ChiSox pitching prospects will be in 2020 rotation? Any likely to be #1 or #2 on that staff? Or is that more likely someone already up like Giolito or Lopez.
Keith Law: Kopech is the mostly likely #1 in that system.
Ed: Could Nolan Gorman end up the best player in this draft? I am hoping he falls to Padres at 7 but doubt he’ll make it there
Keith Law: He could, yes. List of guys who could be that is probably still 8-10 deep, though. I’ll see him next week, but Liberatore is on spring break and I won’t see him till later this month.
Joe: What were your impressions of Pentecost before the draft and do you think he can still catch?
Keith Law: Didn’t see power, questioned his durability (he didn’t catch every day in college), had some swing questions too. I’ve all but given up on him.
Mitch: I didn’t see Kingery on your MLB impact list. Do you think he won’t get a shot this year or something else?
Keith Law: They still have Cesar Hernandez.
Jason: Is Corey Ray gonna make it in the majors? Why has his stock sunk so much after one bad year?
Keith Law: Poor performance that may have been related to the lack of any kind of stride or trigger last year. He’s definitely gone backwards since he was drafted. Also had the meniscus tear that cost him his first offseason and some of spring training but I don’t know if that was really a factor.
Lawrence: I am all for equality in all walks of life. Is it sexist (as some students at Portland State would assert) to comment that men are genetically inclined to be taller and larger framed than women?
Keith Law: I don’t get the Portland State reference, but if you’re talking averages, then that’s just a fact. If this is about, say, whether a woman could play pro baseball, there are certainly women tall enough and strong enough to do so, if they were allowed to play it from a young enougha ge.
addoeh: How many people won’t read the editor’s note in your most recent article?
Keith Law: No one reads those notes. I didn’t even see it until you mentioned it. I had to cut that article short because we had no power in the house for three days and I was worried we’d lose it again yesterday (we didn’t, although we got 8″ of snow).
Larry: What kind of feedback have you received on Brice Turang? Is he swinging the bat better than he did in the fall?
Keith Law: I haven’t heard that.
Brian: Does Arrieta to the Padres make sense? He’s gotta be dropping his asking price. 4/$80mil?
Keith Law: Hosmer to the Padres didn’t make sense. Signing a 32-year-old starter makes even less.
UK Nick: The Reds are kidding themselves with this Senzel at short business, right? I get that they can’t add another zero bat like Peraza if they play Hamilton in CF, but this is likely to do more ha harm than good to their best asset, right?
Keith Law: I don’t really get it; Suarez is a shortstop by trade. Move him there.
Dave: You still a Joe Rizzo guy, or no?
Keith Law: Was I ever?
JP: Are you posting standings/awards predictions before the season?
Keith Law: I do this every year.
Stan: Do you see Turang or de Sedas being the better pro SS?
Keith Law: I think de Sedas. Should see both this month.
JP: Have you ever filled out a March Madness bracket?
Keith Law: When I was with the Jays I did, but I wouldn’t say I knew anything or put any thought into it. Going to a college that isn’t big in athletics (I missed our hockey championship by two years) really affects your interest level in such things, I think.
Tim: I’m sure I’ve read that you don’t play fantasy baseball is that a dislike of it or is it a free time issue?
Keith Law: I do not play it. Some is dislike, some is incompatibility with the job, and some is that I won’t spend free time on anything that is too close to ‘work’ for me. I have lots of great hobbies that have nothing to do with baseball. I intend to keep it that way, for my own sanity.
Bob: If you eat yogurt and granola for lunch, what do you eat for breakfast?
Keith Law: Cereal, usually. It’s one of the only packaged foods I eat.
Billy Bob: Is Judge gonna get screwed by FA? Unless my math is wrong, the Yankees control him til he’s 32. Let’s say he averages 40 HR’s til then. That means he’ll have 300ish HR’s. What team is gonna want to offer him a huge deal knowing he’s 6’7″ and likely to decline rather quickly once he’s past his prime?
Keith Law: Possibly, but I wouldn’t be shocked if the Yanks locked him up to a long-term deal that kept him there through his age-34 season or so. I think he’ll be a FA after his age-31 season, which is problematic but would likely still be early enough to get him something in the 3-4 year range … at least, before this year’s market crash.
Nats fan 2018: Do you think Victor Robles sees valuable playing time in the Nats OF this season? What do they do with Taylor then?
Keith Law: Robles is going to be better than Taylor, and maybe he already is. Plus you’re assuming Eaton is healthy – he hasn’t been in a game yet, I think.
Tom C: Would Arrieta to LAA make any sense? Um, maybe not 4 years though?
Keith Law: It would make some sense, although I would say the Angels signing any starter – Cobb comes to mind – would make sense.
Keith Law: That’s all for this week … thank you all, as always, for showing up, for reading, for submitting questions, and for buying Smart Baseball, which comes out in paperback on Tuesday (March 13th). I do not know when the next chat will be, but I will be at Twitter HQ on Tuesday to do a live Q&A around the paperback’s release. Thanks again and happy baseball!