My ESPN+ (Insider) writeup of top prospects at this year’s Future Stars Series, including Georgia prep RHP Daniel Espino and NorCal infielder Glenallen Hill, Jr., went up on Wednesday.
Keith Law: Swept away for a moment by chance. It’s Klawchat.
Nick: Is Blake Swihart still a change-of-scenary- type of guy or is he just a weird positional tweener with a bat that doesn’t profile unless he can add defensive value?
Keith Law: The bat will profile behind the plate, and I think if he gets regular playing time and stays healthy the bat would profile elsewhere too.
David: After LeMahieu isn’t re-signed, the plan is for Brendan Rodgers to play 2B, right? Have to think Story has solidified himself at short. But of course the elephant in the room is Arenado – do you think he stays long-term?
Keith Law: I think Story’s a better defender than Rodgers, so yes, I’d expect that, although I have never seen Rodgers as a guy who’d have to move. They should keep Arenado as long as they’re contending, and move him if they think their window is closing – you don’t want to end up in Baltimore’s situation with Machado where you accept half or less of what you might have gotten had you acted sooner.
Addoeh: Does Joe West look like a baked potato?
Keith Law: I would probably not eat a baked potato that looked like Joe West.
mark: Hi Klaw,
What should SD do with Franmil Reyes moving forward… keep him, trade him? Is he at least an average MLB OF?
Keith Law: I don’t think he has the offspeed recognition or discipline to be a league average OF. I will say that Zack Godley demonstrated that Franmil can murder a dick-high fastball though, so maybe teams shouldn’t throw him those.
Jibraun: The college football season has started, and Kyler Murray is actually playing. How are the A’s actually ok with this?
Keith Law: They agreed to it up front. Why they did that, i’m not sure.
KS: can you rank these players based on future potential — muzziotti, moniak, haseley?
Keith Law: Muzziotti is the only one of the three I’d rank right now.
Archie: Hearing the news about Ohtani needing TJ made me wonder if PRP injections ever worked long-term (or, really short-term). Can you think of anyone who has had the treatment and was productive for any meaningful period of time?
Keith Law: My understanding is that they work for some pitchers with partial tears, but not all, and they don’t work on full tears. Of course, you can come back too soon or put in too much effort after PRP and still further damage the ligament.
BE: With the emphasis on controllable talent increasing, are teams pouring more resources into nutrition, instruction, etc. to maximize those early years?
Keith Law: Some are. I’ve suggested sleep as an area teams could look at to try to gain an edge as well. People who don’t obtain sufficient sleep experience cognitive deficits even after just one night. Imagine trying to hit a 95+ mph fastball with your brain at less than its best.
Santos: How significant is Joe Jordan’s departure from the Phillies?
Keith Law: I think they lost a really great baseball mind. I was also a little surprised as I don’t think player development has been an issue there – I know Jordan resigned, and wasn’t pushed out – while their draft results clearly have been. I don’t think it’s going to affect them dramatically long term but if I were in a GM chair I’d hire Joe in a heartbeat.
Moe Mentum: Can you still envision Scott Kingery and JP Crawford as the Phillies’ middle infielders for the next decade? Or do we need to reset expectations based on 2018’s struggles for each?
Keith Law: Kingery yes. Crawford has to prove himself again to the coaching staff – he has more ability than most players on the team, but isn’t putting in the same kind of effort.
mark: A few weeks ago, someone asked you about Padres prospects who will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, players eligible this offseason will include Anderson Espinoza, Chris Paddack, Trey Wingenter, Austin Allen, Brett Kennedy and Pedro Avila, while in 2019 it will include Tatis, Logan Allen and Jorge Ona.
Who from that group would you leave unprotected? And who from the following group of Jankowski, Reyes, Renfroe, Manuel Margot, Franchy Cordero, Clayton Richard, Cory Spangenberg and Christian Villanueva would you rather trade or cut in order to protect the prospects?
Keith Law: Wingenter and Kennedy are on the 40-man already, so they are protected unless the Padres outright them; I might consider Kennedy but Wingenter is a keeper. Jankowski, Richard, Spangenberg, and Villanueva are all fungible extra guys, the type they’ll be able to replace from within rather quickly.
Chris: How far off is Yordan Alvarez from being in your top 50? Is his lower ranking due to the fact that he is a 1B?
Keith Law: He’s a bad 1b with an older body.
Quinn: Other than Bo and Vlad, which (if any) Jays prospects should we expect to see in your top 100 this offseason?
Keith Law: Pearson. That’s probably it, which is one reason of several why I laughed at the Jays’ front office claims that they have a top 5 system. After maybe, maybe six names, it drops off fast.
Tadd: Are we all the way back in on Giolito?
Keith Law: I’m mostly back in. Command still a grade below where it ought to be, but stuff looks better, throwing more strikes, mechanics seem at least more consistent if not perfect.
jaren: christian mccaffery a top 5 rb this year in ppr?
Keith Law: This is America – speak English.
Anthony: So where do the Angels go with Ohtani now?
Keith Law: I would plan to give him 2019 off after TJ, rather than rushing back hi bat and risking any sort of re-injury or setback in the rehab.
Evan: What would be your plan with Tyler Mahle? Can he still be a middle of rotation arm?
Keith Law: I think I’d called him a fourth starter/league average guy, and I would stick to that. Some prospects click right away, some take more time.
Joshua: My dad makes some sly comments that can be offensive sometimes (not often) but doesn’t realize it. When I try to correct him he says that he didn’t know that people take offense to it and that people are more soft nowadays. What’s the best way to correct him but not be disrespectful
Keith Law: Well, you could point out that calling other people “soft” is itself insulting – you don’t tell someone they’re ugly and then yell at them for getting upset over it. And once you’ve said something’s offensive, when he does it again, he’s lost that excuse. But for me, the answer has always been simple: If you’re going to make racist, sexist,
homophobic, or other bigoted comments around me – let alone in front of my daughter – I will choose to spend my time with other people.
Craig: If Sarah Sanders wrote the op-ed, could she find work with the Toronto Blue Jays?
“It has nothing to do with business. It has nothing to do with anything other than we think the best thing for him developmentally is to play in Arizona.”
Clearly, i s you pointed out on Twitter, this is laughably false.
Keith Law: I mean, I understand they can’t tell the truth (or Vlad would file and win a grievance), but don’t lie. That’s just such a blatant falsehood. I’ve scouted the AFL myself the last 12 Octobers. It’s a substantially lower caliber of play than September MLB games provide. The comments were a direct insult to the intelligence of every Jays fan.
Rod: Is it safe to assume that Touki is in the rotation next year? What are the odds for Triston McKenzie?
Keith Law: I think Touki’s a starter for most of next year. McKenzie is a starter if he shows he can stay healthy next year in AAA.
Beau: Do you think the Padres rebuild will actually work out?
Keith Law: Absolutely.
Mighty Ox: What is your advice to a high school junior (just turned 16) who aspires to pitch at an Ivy League School or their close equivalent? FB is 85 mph, SAT 1400 (first try), school weighted avg ~100. Good kid. Thanks
Keith Law: I’m not sure what more to tell you – if he’s got the grades, then he should just keep working on his craft on the mound, and maybe look for one or two things to help distinguish his application like quality volunteer work.
Scott: Do the Pirates have any hope of rebuilding their lineup from within or are they going to have to make some major moves? Also, thoughts on Ulysses by James Joyce and any 2018 board games have a chance of Cracking your Top 100?
Keith Law: They’ll have to add at least one piece from outside this winter. I reviewed Ulysses here on the dish in two posts a few years ago. I expect at least 5-6 games from this year to make my top 100 if not more.
Fred: It seems like the Braves are trying to give Philly the division but the Phillies don’t want it. Why is the whole division in a slump?
Keith Law: Maybe both of those teams were playing a bit over their heads? Both blew away any preseason predictions or projections I saw through the start of August.
Nate: Since making his plate adjustment on June 6, Gregory Polanco is slashing 287/362/563/925 (before yesterday’s games) in 300 PA. Only 11 guys have a 925 OPS this year. Is that the type of player he is going to be?
Keith Law: It’s the type of player I believe he should be, given his tools.
Gary : You seem to be lower on Peter Alonso than most. What would you have to see to change your opinion on him? (I guess this is also a general player development question )
Keith Law: I don’t know what “most” think but I know he’s a 40 defender at first.
Jake: Does Daniel Lynch’s uptick in velo this season change his ceiling?
Keith Law: If it sticks, yes, although I was pretty high on him anyway because he has four pitches with a + slider and good control. Plus he’s an animal on the mound.
Victoria: Is Kevin Kramer and Kevin Newman the middle infield combo for the Pirates next year?
Keith Law: We all hope so.
John: Following the Buxton and several other situations. I have seen several proposals for FA starting at age X or X years after being drafted? Do you see any problems of abuse with those ideas?
Keith Law: Any system will be abused, but I like age-related free agency. You can’t do X years after being drafted because such a system would screw college guys – and as much as I counsel players to sign out of HS if the offer is good, plenty of great big leaguers weren’t good enough out of HS to get that money and needed college.
jaren: is luis urias a top talent at his position the next 5 years?
Keith Law: I would bet no.
Jeff: Amed Rosario is on fire – he finally finding his groove? Still crazy young
Keith Law: Still very young, making a lot of contact, wish he walked a little more but he’s not hacking away, and now he’s getting some better results on balls in play. I haven’t changed my projection that he’ll end up a star.
Josh Nelson: What are your thoughts about MLBPA hiring Bruce Meyer to be the Chief Negotiator (what a title)?
Keith Law: They’ve made a few major hires recently that signal to me that they intend to enter the next negotiations with a firmer negotiating stance. They did not sufficiently exercise their power two years ago. They need to regain some lost ground.
Drew: Are you familiar with the British punk band IDLES? Their new album, Joy as an Act of Resistance, is so damn good.
Keith Law: I feel like I’ve heard one of their songs, but I’ve put it on in the background now to check it out.
Marshall MN: Klaw, when you go to a new well reviewed coffee shop in a different city do you have a go to drink that you try as a point of comparison against other coffee houses? I know you are a light roast guy, is that your point of comparison?
Keith Law: My favorite coffee drink is a traditional macchiatto – a double shot of espresso topped with a little foamed milk. A pour-over would be a better gauge of a shop’s beans, but it’s also going to depend then on which specific beans you get; generally third-wave shops have their own specific blends for espresso that are more consistent, or, in the case of a place like Cartel in Phoenix, they find a single origin bean that they think will profile well as an espresso.
jaren: clevinger has looked like he’s moving into the top 15 or so starting pitchers as far as talent. would you agree? did you ever expect this from this kid? he’s been downright nasty in the second half
Keith Law: I would not agree.
romorr: Would you say the Oriole minor league pitchers, as a whole, had a promising year?
Keith Law: There’s been a lot of progress from their A-ball guys, which is where their most important pitching prospects were.
Marshall MN: What are your thoughts on the Twins handling of Buxton at the end of this year?
Keith Law: Completely disagree with it, and I think he should file a grievance – I think more players should fight these manipulations, because teams do it with impunity right now.
Rum Guy: Big fan of your music playlists, thx. I have a question about your equipment-when you’re listening to these music files, other than thru earbuds —- do you have floor speakers in your home & can u reveal what you own for home use?
Keith Law: I don’t own any music equipment like that.
Keith Law: OK, that’s about enough of that IDLES record. If I wanted to get yelled at I have other places I can go.
Jim: What kind of upside do you see for Jordan Groshans?
Keith Law: I could see an above-average regular if he finds more power – which I think would require a swing alteration as right now it’s a little flat. Good athlete with a great arm. I would probably bet that he’s a regular, but there’s more upside.
Justin: This year Ke’Bryan Hayes suddenly looks like a guy who can hit for a high average, play great defense, run, and hit for some power (all while being at least a little young for AA). What has to happen for him to become a top 25 (or better) type prospect? Add a little more power?
Keith Law: He was already 42 on my most recent list.
Carl: Can Baltimore salvage Chance Sisco or will he need a new manager & coaching staff?
Keith Law: I think he needs a new manager there or a change of scenery if Showalter returns.
jwp: Roughned Odor looks like he has a different approach at the plate. Do you think it sticks long term?
Keith Law: I think it does – i’ll be certain if he maintains it into next season. But I don’t think there are many examples of guys who see their BB% jump like this in their 20s and then lose it all.
EL: Could Chris Shaw benefit from more AAA time, or is he what he is at this point?
Keith Law: He’s a 4A guy for me.
JR: All these Kavanaugh hearings are doing is reinforcing what an awful person he is and how we shouldn’t want him on SCOTUS and yet he will be nominated anyways. Am I missing anything?
Keith Law: He’ll be confirmed anyways, yes, because nothing matters except packing the courts to overturn abortion rights, affirmative action laws, and maybe gay marriage.
Lois Sanborn: Hi Keith, thanks for all of your work! It always makes me happy to hear your thoughts on baseball and non-baseball topics alike. How would you project Alex Kirilloff’s game power going forward? I just looked up his spray chart from this season and noticed that he hit 11 of his 20 HRs to left or left-center, which was surprising to me.
Keith Law: I think he’s a plus hit plus power guy in a corner. Great prospect only limited by positional value.
Jimmy: Best Astros prospect that sees playing time in 2019?
Keith Law: I see no reason Whitley isn’t up next year.
Richard Van Norris: Have you watched Tim Anderson’s defense lately? Since mid May or so he has been exceptional. Is he the long term White Sox shortstop?
Keith Law: Was there a question about his defense or that he was their long-term shortstop? I really never gave that a second thought.
Jerry: Didn’t Josh James take off after getting treatment for sleep apnea? Do you see him as a legit MLB prospect? If so, as a SP or RP?
Keith Law: I believe that explanation is bullshit. More likely RP.
Nick L: True or False: This will be the best year of Javy Baez’s career.
Keith Law: False.
Jeff: Has Jose Peraza surprised you at all? Have the Reds found their shortstop for the next 5+ years?
Keith Law: No, I think they can and will do better. He’s probably not reaching 2 WAR this year.
JR: All yesterday had was: 1. Red Sox win game after being down 7-1, with a HR from a long time vet who played in minors all year hoping for a chance to get back. 2. Ohtani going 4-for-4 with 2 HRs after it was announced he needs TJ surgery. 3. Trevor Story hit 3 HRs, including one where’s falling down and one 505 feet. 4. Javy Baez making another amazing play on the basepaths. All in the midst of teams playing for playoff positions. All the people that say the game isn’t as good today as it used to be can please GTFO.
Keith Law: And yet the current headlines on MLB.com are: 1. Five craziest, most magical games of 2018. 2. Here’s what 2019 ‘super teams’ could look like. 3. Bregman channels Harden … not the beard. 4. On the bubble: How MLBers chew gum. Are you kidding me? All that crazy shit happens and the league itself is talking about chewing gum? I can’t even say ‘please like my sport’ if the league won’t back me up by promoting all this great stuff happening on the field.
Marshall MN: What level of competition do you consider Arizona Fall League…sort of Double A-ish?
Keith Law: Inconsistent, but in general below that unless you get a Whitley type on the mound.
Nick L: Roberta’s in Brooklyn was legit!
Keith Law: I wouldn’t steer you wrong.
Nick L: Who’s your favorite stand up comedian?
Keith Law: I really like the ones who don’t sexually harass or assault other people. But that’s just me.
Ray: to follow up on Joshua’s comment – I was recently in a room with my sister and father during a conversation they were having about a third person. My father asks, “is he black?” and my sister responds, “he is, but he doesn’t act black”. My head about exploded and I just left the room. I should have spoken up.
Keith Law: It’s hard to react correctly in the moment, at least in my experience. I told this story before, but years ago, I was at the Big 12 tournament in Oklahoma (of course), when a Texas fan asked me how the Aggies looked in football … but he put an ‘f’ before the word. I asked him to repeat himself twice, hoping he’d get it, before his wife grabbed his arm and told him to stop. I should have come back at him harder, but in the moment, I was so floored – it had truly been years since I’d heard that word or its other forms spoken at all – that I didn’t call him out directly. That was six years ago, I think, and I’m still disappointed.
Darren: In regards to David suggesting Rodgers plays 2B in Colorado, what do you think of Garrett Hampson?
Keith Law: I don’t think he’s better than Rodgers or Story.
Lance: Nolan Gorman: Superstar? Above Average Regular? Just A Guy?
Keith Law: I’ll go with above-average regular with wide error bars around that prediction. It’s 80 raw.
Jim: German Marquez, Kyle Freeland, Jon Gray, which one has the highest ceiling at this point?
Keith Law: Gray still has the most upside, Freeland is the best present pitcher.
Steve: Gausman has pitched a lot better for the Braves. Another example of the O’s failing to develop a prospect? Function of switching NL? Both? Too early to tell?
Keith Law: That one is squarely on the coaching staff.
Pat D: So the venerable River Ave. Blues has decided to shut down their comment section. I have mixed feelings. I made a lot of really good friends there, to the point where we’ve gone to several games together, but the comments had been getting steadily worse over the last few years, they couldn’t spend time moderating them properly, and apparently now someone was threatening the owners in some way. Totally justified for them to shut it down considering those circumstances, right?
Keith Law: Agreed, totally justified. I may do the same with the comments here at some point, unfortunately.
MikeM: Whats wrong with Luis Severino?
Keith Law: I don’t know if something is physically wrong but he’s visibly not the same and hitters are squaring him up way more often, like they did in 2016.
Dallas: Will Bobby Witt Jr.’s age effect his draft status or will pedigree trump/neutralize it?
Keith Law: His age will work against him, absolutely.
Darryl: Do you have an updated list for good Nashville eateries? Wife and I going for first time in 2 weeks and I want to hit a couple gems. Thanks in advance!
Keith Law: Nothing new since my last visit, I think.
Keith Law: or last post, I should say.
Tony: Do you think Rougned Odor has actually learned some plate discipline? I was completely blown away when I saw he had a .343 OBP
Keith Law: Career high in BB. 10 HBP might be misleading you a little, but yes, I think he has.
Biff: 1. Winker 2. Votto 3. Suarez 4. Gennett 5. Senzel – that lineup will score some runs eh?
Keith Law: I think so – should put a lot of guys on base, at least.
AGirlHasNoName: At what point can I just give up on society and just accept that chaos reigns, and we are all taking a ride on the good ship FUBAR? Is not caring who wrote the NYT op-ed, not being surprised at its content, mean I am already there? I have outrage fatigue maybe.
Keith Law: Yeah I couldn’t get worked up over the op ed … it was so self-congratulatory, and for what? If that’s what the guy is, then invoke the damn 25th already.
joe: If I liked Lush Life – R. Price, what else do you recommend?
Keith Law: His book Clockers is also pretty good.
Jax: Do you think Kershaw opts out after the season?
Keith Law: Yes, for sure.
Nate: You’ve been beating the drum on trading Inciarte for some time. What would be a reasonable return for a streaky Gold Glover?
Keith Law: Less than it would have been a year ago when I suggested it and was insulted eight ways to Sunday.
Tony: I know that Jose Quintana wasn’t exactly an ace with the White Sox, but is there anything you have seen with the Cubs that explains why he has been less effective? Most of the numbers seem similar, although his walks are up a little bit.
Keith Law: Fastball command has looked way off.
Lance: Is Jack Flaherty’s early success in St. Louis sustainable long term barring injury?
Keith Law: Yes. Always liked him over several of their other pitchers like Weaver or Hudson.
Marvin Miller: 4 year Free Agency, elimination of arbitration….the next CBA….take it to bank….
Keith Law: Would love to see it but owners will fight tooth and nail on that.
JT: The Rowdy Tellez circumstance is hard to hear about. Do you ever bury stories you know that would be exculpatory about poor performance? Does learning about his mother affect your rating of Tellez? (or earn him another look?)
Keith Law: It’s a very sad story, but he was never a good prospect, and I can’t let sentiment change my assessment of his tools or swing or other deficiencies.
Ridley Kemp: Keith, I mostly just wanted to thank you for pointing me towards “Why We Sleep”. It was more of an eye-opener for me than it probably should have been. I’m making a point of getting 8 hours of sleep a night and the difference in how I feel in the morning is enormous.
Also, if you’re ever in Austin again, you should check out a restaurant called Loro. It’s a joint venture by Tyson Cole (Uchi) and Aaron Franklin (you probably know his claim to fame), and unlike most supergroups, this one does not disappoint.
Keith Law: The real issue here is that I need a good reason to get back to Austin. All these Texas arms and they’re never from there.
Adam D.: Do you view the Giants system as one that could find itself in the top-10 or 15 in the next 18 months? Ramos, Canario, Bart and Luciano seem like the makings of a potentially impact set of players.
Keith Law: Extremely unlikely. I would guess I’m lower than you are on Bart or Ramos, too.
Steven : Are you a Bon Iver fan? If so have you listened to the Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner collaborative album?
Keith Law: I’m not, and I didn’t like their new project, even with the baseball name: Big Red Machine.
Mighty Ox: Hi Keith! Does Andujar stay at 3rd base or is he destined for DH?
Keith Law: Third base.
addoeh: Aren’t we in a Constitutional crisis already with un-elected officials actively allowing or taking away which bills our failed leader signs? And the senior official (or officials) are worried about the 25th Amendment?
Keith Law: Yes … and one party does not care as long as they get what they want.
Draftnik: No question, just FYI Michael Lorenzen and Aaron Nola both had PRPs and avoided surgery (so far).
Keith Law: Thank you. I think there are many examples – but they all had relatively minor tears, not full tears.
Dr. Bob: Are all of the players on the field in the AFL prospects signed by MLB teams? Or do they have to sometimes fill out a roster with some college or extra players so that they can have full games?
Keith Law: Always MLB teams, although frankly I wouldn’t be mad if they allowed, say, an NPB or KBO player or two to pop in, maybe someone approaching free agency or whom the parent team wants to post.
cplo: I saw Luis Ortiz got the call up in Baltimore. Has he shown enough over his minor league career to prove he can stick as a starter?
Keith Law: Stuff yes, durability an open question.
Xavier: Is there a valid argument for someone other than Degrom winning Cy Young?
Keith Law: Yes, Nola and Scherzer are right there with him.
John: Has Lewis Thorpe put himself back on the top 100 radar this year with the better performance and being 2 years removed from TJ?
Keith Law: Not yet, not unless the stuff ticks up.
Bill: Should Machado go back to 3B or should he stay at SS?
Keith Law: Third base, where he’s plus. His little time at short hasn’t been promising.
mike sixel: It would be sad if comments went away, we (I) like the interaction……is it really that bad?
Keith Law: I have had to keep moderation on for two years now because of a very small number of abusive people (two, maybe three). One is pretty much a single comment away from me going to the police.
Matt: Honestly, I think if what Fred Wilpon reportedly wants, which is a GM that’s anti-analytics and also has no authority to overrule the owners, I’m out. Probably not forever, but they won’t be getting my money for a long time. Analytics or no, what the team desperately needs in a Prez of Baseball Ops, because Jeff has failed, and the organization reeks of disfunction.
Keith Law: I saw an article this week that listed way too many names, some of whom were good ones, some of whom were not (and really, can we not hire a GM who’s failed in multiple stops already, and give someone else a chance), but that said at the end that the Mets haven’t contacted anyone and no one really knows what they’re thinking. I believe Joel Sherman wrote it but I’m not 100%. But that last part is the lede: We’re all just guessing until they start calling to ask for permission.
Zac: What does Jacoby Jones have to hit to be a glove first everyday CF?
Keith Law: Dude is 26 with a .255 OBP in about 600 MLB PA. Time to let that one go.
Lucky Lindy: Speaking of players turning it around post-trade — shouldn’t people in Texas be fired with how Cole Hamels has improved since going to the Cubs?
Keith Law: I would at least have some questions for the pitching coach(es) about what might have gone wrong, and why the Cubs figured something out that quickly when we didn’t.
tomm: obviously predicting what kind of player a prospect will become is very difficult, especially when it comes to projecting hit/in game power tool. when it comes to pure speed, however, it would seem easier because its just timed and far less up to opinion. that being said, how did bader not get an 80 speed in the minors? Tied for second in the mlb statcast speed. did he get much faster?
Keith Law: He’s not an 80 runner now, but he also was nowhere close to this fast when he signed – I even talked to someone in STL recently who confirmed this.
John: The best part of the op-ed was the self own by an editor at the Federalist who claimed the founding fathers would be rolling over in their graves about the use of anonymity
Keith Law: That whole thread is worth checking out – one expert on the subject kept setting him straight, and the dude kept digging … and digging … and digging … like, my man, take the L already, you lost.
John: If I’m LA, I’m happy if Kershaw opts out. I may just be inclined to shake his hand, thank him, and not give him another 6 years and $180 million.
Keith Law: Easy to say, but he’s an iconic player for the Dodgers, and they’d have a lot of fans to appease if he leaves – plus he takes several wins of value with him that they can’t easily replace.
GP: Since you said it was too early to judge the Archer trade, Archer had a great outing and Glasnow had a disastrous one and it appears Meadows injured his hand. I just wanted to say that
Keith Law: Yeah maybe a month is too soon, i dunno
Grande Esteban: Why didn’t the Angels just tell Ohtani once he signed that he needed Tommy John surgery and he would start the season in the minors until he was healthy enough to come up, and if he didn’t do that, they’d just send him to the minors anyway to start the year? That would have gotten the surgery done right away, and also would have gotten them an extra year of service time.
Keith Law: He didn’t need the surgery right away, and you can’t just tell an employee to go have surgery.
Ben: Wander Franco an overall top 10 prospect to you?
Keith Law: He was #17 on my last update, and graduations alone may push him up a few spots.
Jake: Nick Pratto…is he the first half guy, the second half guy, or the last month guy?
Keith Law: He’s the overall season guy. I don’t like to get too worked up over 2nd half minor league splits, because over the course of a season, the best players in a league will get promoted, and be replaced by, in theory, inferior players from lower levels.
Jeff: Not calling you out or anything – Just having fun – but remember when your ESPN chats used to be JobaMania? Good times. You’ve been doing these chats a long time and I appreciate it.
Keith Law: Twelve years of Klawchats, in fact. My first one was July 2006, I think, maybe a month after I joined. May we all live another 12 years to argue over Joba’s large adult son.
Keith Law: That’s all for this week – thank you all, as always, for your questions and for reading. I believe my next Insider column is my minor league player of the year piece, although I doubt there’s much suspense in the winner. Have a safe and fun weekend, everyone.