Klawchat 9/19/19.

ESPN+ subscribers can see my annual list of players I was wrong about, which includes Shane Bieber and Jeff McNeil.

Keith Law: The wind will carry us. Klawchat.

Dana: I’m curious what you thought of Brett Gardner as a prospect. Probably didn’t think he’d be a consistent 15-25 homer guy?
Keith Law: I think (hope) he was on one of the earliest versions of the “guys I got wrong” column. He had no power in college and his swing wasn’t geared for it at all. He really remade himself into someone who had average power and could take particular advantage of Yankee Stadium’s RF fence. That plus CF level defense in LF made him kind of a star, if not necessarily widely known as one.

Marani: So, who wins AL MVP now?
Keith Law: Trout.

Moe Mentum: Have you seen any evolution in how Gold Gloves are awarded in recent years, or is it still pretty much a joke? Do you think these awards will ever improve their perception among the Smart Baseball generation?
Keith Law: I know the process is better than it used to be but I still do not take them seriously.

TP: You have mentioned Austin as a potential MLB expansion city. While there would be a lot of interest down here, there has also been a lot of backlash to using public land for the new, privately financed MLS stadium. Politically, Austin is similar to Portland, OR, and it is unlikely that there would be political support for a publicly funded stadium within the city limits. Austin has a long history of opposing such ideas (which is one reason the Express play in Round Rock). San Antonio might be more realistic if MLB wants a third team in Texas.
Keith Law: I would think any stadium location would be chosen to take advantage of both metro areas, which are only about 80 miles apart and could make a mammoth media market – especially with just one major league sports team (the Spurs) between them. Austin has somewhat better demographics, though.

BigDaddeh: Do different teams treat the AFL different or is it just a year by year thing? The Yankees seemed to really punt on this year’s attendees
Keith Law: Some teams always send org guys; some send real prospects. It’s a philosophical thing. I would always send guys who were either real prospects or 40-man bubble guys.

Moe Mentum: Fill in the blank for yourself (past or present) : I’m likely interested in any movie that has _______ acting in (or producing or directing) it.
Keith Law: I’ve seen about 20 Hitchcock movies and maybe 15 Cary Grant movies. I’ll also watch anything Billy Wilder did.

AJ: Who plays (or should play) the middle infield positions for the Reds in 2020? VanMeter just doesn’t look like a regular at this point, nor does Peraza.
Keith Law: I’d return Senzel to 2b and try to find a better CF option.

Nate: Keith, when trying to evaluate pitchers, the difference between fWAR and bWAR is confusing. Reynaldo Lopez, for instance, has been worth 2.3 fWAR (this year and last) while only being worth 0.6 bWAR. How would you best look at these two numbers in trying to evaluate whether he should be used as a back-end starter or potentially high leverage reliever moving forward?
Keith Law: Part of that difference is fWAR’s assumption that his LOB% is going to regress to league-average levels. Given how homer-prone he is, and the fact that he wasn’t appreciably worse from the stretch this year (he was actually better!), I’m not sure I buy into that. I always look at both versions, but I think the 2.3 for this year probably overstates his future value.

Jackie: Did you know that Matt Barnes is tied for third in most career wins for the Red Sox in this century by a homegrown pitcher — tied with the immortal Felix Doubront, behind Lester and Buchholz. Why have the Red Sox been so terrible for so long at developing starting pitching? Everyday players, they’re great — Betts, Boegarts, Devers, Benintendi, etc. But they can’t draft a pitcher to save their lives. Is it an incorrect organization philosophy, bad luck, bad minor league coaching?
Keith Law: It’s not the drafting … Trey Ball was a huge miss, but since him, they’ve taken Groome (consensus top 3ish guy in the class, still a prospect), Kopech in the comp round (still a great prospect, used to acquire Sale), and Houck (role unclear but absolutely a prospect). Look out for Thad Ward too – fifth rounder from 2018. They’ve traded some guys and had some developmental misses, but I think on the whole the bigger issue is a lack of numbers. They haven’t used that many high picks on pitchers, preferring to draft bats and trade for or sign arms.

Portmantoter: Hi Keith. I’m listening to the audiobook of ‘Smart Baseball’ right now and really enjoying it. I wanted to ask if you had input into who would be the narrator — I was hoping to hear your voice when I turned it on. And couldn’t anybody tell the poor guy that it’s pronounced Laj-a-way? Thanks for the chat!
Keith Law: They asked me if I wanted to listen to the three candidates but I said no as I was in the middle of something – maybe writing my top 100.

BigDaddeh: I know it’s just a few months into the career, but seeing Witt Jr in the top 10 of prospect lists seems off. Are you still all in?
Keith Law: He’s not in my top 10.

Mark: What’s a realistic trade for Mookie Betts this offseason and should the BoSox consider it given their financial commitments on the books and what it would take to sign him long-term? Would 1 year of Betts be worth multiple top 100 prospects to the team getting him? Is 1 top 25 prospect enough?
Keith Law: If you’re a team on the cusp of a playoff spot, yes, it’s probably worth giving up two of your top prospects for the boost Betts would give you. I can see many teams that would love an immediate six-win gain (conservatively) in the standings.

Jerry: Astros are about to make it through a full season without issuing an intentional BB. Assuming this makes KLAW happy….
Keith Law: Extremely.

Arnold : Nice scene at Fenway the other night with Mike catching Granddaddy Yaz’s 1st pitch (a strike!), then homering and expertly playing a ball off the Green Monster like Carl used to do. Young Yaz’s 20 jacks is more pop than the Giants have seen in years. Is that repeatable or is it likely that pitchers will figure him out with a year’s worth of scouting?
Keith Law: I think this is entirely the juiced ball. He’s never been a prospect beyond maybe an emergency callup.

Mark: Has Tim Anderson and Moncada shown enough defensive skills to stay in their respective positions long-term? Do you believe changing positions can negatively impact a player’s offensive production?
Keith Law: Yes to both players, yes to the latter question but it will vary by player.

Harper – Bat speed: Is there any chatter in the scouting community about Bryce Harper’s bat speed and/or ? His exit velo numbers aren’t awful, but watching him in person it really looks like he’s cheating to pull and it leaves him really exposed to high and away fastballs. He’s had a ton of injuries at a young age, and I worry we’ll never see anything resembling his 2015 season again.
Keith Law: Nope, have neither heard nor seen any such thing.

Felix: I’ve heard rumblings in chats that Casey Mize wasn’t the same when he came back from injury. What was the issue and how much concern should there be?
Keith Law: Don’t think he came back healthy. Stuff was much less crisp. Hoping it’s nothing, but aware there’s a good chance it’s a serious injury.

JT: I’ve been curious about a component of BA: is it possible that the lower the level of competition it is, the more important it becomes?
Keith Law: In general, no. There are, however, absolutely reasons to be concerned when, say, a guy with a plus hit tool fails to hit for average AND isn’t making quality contact on top of that.

Epsthoyer: Enjoy your chats, Klaw. My dilemma…JHey is not opting out, so do I trade Schwarbs and resign Castellanos or allow myself to believe that 2nd half Kyle is a sign of better things to come and fix the lineup through free agency (hello Rendon)?
Keith Law: Don’t you have to make a run at Rendon? Every contender that can sign him should be trying to do so. Best FA bat on the market, bar none.

Ian: Should Justin Trudeau resign and/or end is campaign?
Keith Law: Yes.

Rich: Did you see Chris Paddock having the year he did? Can he front a playoff caliber team’s rotation or do you think he’s more a #2 type in a playoff rotation?
Keith Law: Yes, I’m all in on him, as I mentioned in today’s column.

Champdo: Can Isaac Paredes be an above average regular?
Keith Law: Can, yes. Will, ehhh … needs a position, for one thing, and there is no projection left there whatsoever.

Brian: What do you think the Padres should do at 2B next year? Do they give Urias the first crack at the job?
Keith Law: Yes.

Brian: Is Ronny Henriquez going to be a big riser in the prospect rankings this winter? Numbers are impressive for a 19 year old in A Ball.
Keith Law: Age relative to league is a much less important indicator for pitchers – and his numbers are a mixed bag. Not saying he’s bad, just that your premise needs work.

Ben: What kind of MLB player does Austin Martin project to be? More Swanson or Bregman?
Keith Law: He’s not like either of those guys but I think he has star upside.

Ben: Who puts up better MLB OPS’s: Vaughn or Torkelson?
Keith Law: I don’t like or use OPS. It’s a math error. Vaughn is the better pure hitter. Torkelson will hit for more power.

G: I understand this Vazquez situation was out of the Pirates organizational control, but the entire team is in disarray, fights in the clubhouse, and their development of pitchers has been terrible under the current administration (Morton, Cole, Glasnow all improved dramatically after leaving.) Should everyone from the President down be fired at this point?
Keith Law: Lindsey Adler pointed out on Twitter yesterday that ownership was totally absent when the Vazquez news broke, and to me that’s a real symptom of the bigger problem there. Yeah, Hurdle’s probably toast, but he was put in an impossible situation.

Brian: What are you looking for next season to buy Jhoan Duran as a starter?
Keith Law: He’s been missing more bats with his fastball which I’d say is a very good sign.

Scott Upham: Like the Eugenio Suarez trade debacle, will Red Sox fans eventually regret the huge package Dombrowski sent to the White Sox for Sale (Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe and Victor Diaz)?
Keith Law: It helped the Sox win a World Series. That’s what you want, right?

Mike: I think Brandon Woodruff is a prime guy to become a #2 next year, what are your thoughts on him, health permitting?
Keith Law: Yes, he got an honorable mention on my breakouts column in March, and kind of made me look bad for not talking him up more until he got hurt!

Matt: Why isn’t my [player from my favorite team] on your list of players you were wrong about. I know you get dumb questions like this about specific players, but what sorts of things make you think a player is different than what you expected as opposed to over-performing and due to regress?
Keith Law: Two things: Some sustained level of performance at a new level – so, you know, half a season ain’t it, chief – and some tangible explanation for why the player is different. That could be a chance in mechanics or stuff, or something I missed when evaluating him.

Dallas: Dumb question: is it more likely someone trying to throw high strikes misses down (thus middle of the plate) or someone trying to keep the ball down misses up (middle of the plate)?
Keith Law: I don’t know the answer to that. My gut says neither, but that’s pure guessing.

Yan: How do you assess Corbin Martin assuming he fully comes back from TJ? Still a #2-3 type arm?
Keith Law: Yes.

Adam: When evaluating AJ Preller’s tenure as GM of the Padres, are the Myers and Hosmer contracts fireable offenses?
Keith Law: No, and besides, you don’t know if the Hosmer deal was Preller – it is unlike every other deal he’s done – or ownership.

section 34: Can you say nice things about the Orioles?
Keith Law: Their minor league pitching looks improved.

Carl: Miguel Yajure – What kind of upside does he have? How would you rank him against Gil, Roansy Contreras, and Luis Medina?
Keith Law: More chance to start than Gil. Medina is still kind of a wild card – seemed like he figured out some consistency late this season, always had the athleticism and enough of a repeatable delivery to get to this, but you have to see him do it for more than a third of a year.

Jack: Who should the A’s start in the Wildcard game? Fiers? Manaea? Hendriks (lol)?
Keith Law: Isn’t Fiers hurt?

Scott Upham: Is Tanner Houck a legit SP? Where does he slot in the Sox rotation eventually? Looks like a back end starter/middle reliever to me.
Keith Law: I think more likely reliever but am not at 100%.

Jimmy Kimmel: When looking at Pacific Coast League offensive statistics, are wRC+ and wOBA the only stats worth note?
Keith Law: No. I actually never look at wRC+ or wOBA for minor leaguers. It can be wildly misleading.

Reader: Parker Mushinski had a nice little season in Fayetteville albeit older for the level. Does he have MLB potential?
Keith Law: Saw him last week. He does not.

Marc: Not so much a question, but looking back at your older annual players you missed on pieces a lot of those guys actually didn’t turn out to be very good. Most of them were 1-2 good year(s) and done guys. Maybe you need to do a players I thought I missed on, but actually I was kind of right about column.
Keith Law: I’ve noticed a few of those but talking about it feels crass. No takebacks, right?

Jordan: What do the Astros do with Kyle Tucker next season? He has absolutely nothing left to prove in Triple-A, but the outfield is still crowded with Springer, Reddick and Brantley. Do they try and move on from Gurriel and stick Tucker at 1B?
Keith Law: I think he’s trade bait.

Dallas: Cavan Biggio hit for the cycle yet he wasn’t listed in your “I’m wrong” column? I’m confused.
Keith Law: That was funny.
Keith Law: I did point out to some crank on Twitter that other recent cycles came from Brandon Barnes (0.8 career WAR) and Jake Bauers (-0.6).

Reggie: Does Emerson Hancock have a Mize level ceiling if he puts together another big year?
Keith Law: I don’t quite think so.

Colin: Not really a question but just want to say that I’m happy Kolten Wong finally broke out after getting away from Matheny and want to give you credit for always being high on him even as Matheny dicked him around.
Keith Law: To be fair, I was low on him at first, then realized he was better than I thought, and got on Matheny for dicking around with him.

Dan: Yordan Alvarez tore up the MLB like the fucking dance floor this year, to the tune of a .318/.419/.671 line in 339 PAs with a 50 HR full season pace. I know you weren’t high on him as a prospect but has this year changed your expectations for his longterm potential, provided he can play at DH?
Keith Law: I never said anything remotely negative about his bat. It’s all about his lack of a position and the poor long-term outlook for a player with his body and poor athleticism. He can certainly hit and has power, although the 50 HR pace isn’t quite so special as it was a few years ago.

Jax: Adrian Houser’s starts have been somewhat uneven this year. He still project as a starter for you? He was tremendous out of the bullpen. Maybe he’s better suited there?
Keith Law: Still has starter stuff/build.

Pat D: Considering all of the stonewalling by this White House (evidently continuing as we speak), how am I supposed to think that this won’t be the norm going forward, regardless of what party occupies the WH and Congress?
Keith Law: I share your concern that this – not just the stonewalling, but the persistent lying and gaslighting – is the new normal.

Reader: The Astros sent Cody Deason to the AFL, did you get to see him in the Carolina league? Anything there?
Keith Law: Saw him too, and no, not really.

Curious George : I read an article about growth plate testing done on Ohtani as an amateur to project his growth expectancy at maturity. Is this common practice by organized baseball as part of the amateur scouting process?
Keith Law: I have never heard of this before and it kind of weirds me out, to be honest. I don’t want DNA testing either.

David: Keith, who do you think the Red Sox will target as their GM? And is there any chance Raquel Ferreira stays in charge?
Keith Law: Someone from outside the org with some name value. I have not heard anything to make me think Ferreira will or should stay in charge.

Craig: Orlando Arcia has been a replacement-level shortstop for the last two years and has been discussed as a possible non-tender candidate for this off-season. His talent and potential are obvious, but so is his lack of production. Should the Brewers keep him around in the hopes that he will realize that potential (like Carlos Gomez did) or stop throwing good playing time after bad?
Keith Law: If they’re trying to contend in 2020, they should at least explore other options. He’ll be 25 next year, young enough to still improve, but their ability to wait on that – and risk another cipher year at the plate – depends on their overall plan for the year.

David: Do you drink dairy milk?
Keith Law: Yes. Lactose-free, of course.

Ricof: Buying or selling Griffin Canning moving foward?
Keith Law: Buying if healthy but higher than average injury risk.

Mike: Can the pirates just cut vasquez right now?
Keith Law: No, they can not.

ScottyD in Downingtown: Who ends up being a more successful starter on their career – Puk or Luzardo?
Keith Law: I lean Puk.

Jake: Thanks for doing the “Players I was wrong about” articles. I find them fascinating because you not only admit you were wrong, but examine why you missed on a guy, what he’s changed or what you might have missed. The Castillo bit was the most interesting because you discussed how being wrong about him has had an impact on how you rate Paddack. I get to the end of this and realize I don’t really have a question, but I did want to let you know I appreciate what you’re doing and sharing the process with us.
Keith Law: It’s why I do them. Glad you enjoy those columns.

Mark: I like your music write-ups and use them to find new artists, songs, etc. Have you watched any of the Ken Burns Country Music episodes? Outside of my fondness for Johnny Cash, I wouldn’t call myself a country fan, but Ken Burns has done a fantastic job IMO.
Keith Law: Really not a fan of country music.

Bradf: You wrote earlier in the year that Austin Beck didn’t look good and he backed it up with a subpar year. Are you optimistic that he still possesses the tools to improve and eventually make it as a solid contributor in the majors? Thanks Keith.
Keith Law: I would say I’m pessimistic.

Andy: As I Lay Dying has a new album coming out. Everyone should entirely avoid this right? I mean dude served his time, but is still a giant POS.
Keith Law: Never liked their music anyway, but yeah, I could not fucking believe he was out of jail and recording again.

addoeh: From your article today on players you’ve missed on, it looks like Luis Castillo’s success has made you re-evaluate pitchers with a similar profile like Paddock. Have any other players had an impact on how you evaluate similar players going forward?
Keith Law: Absolutely. Every miss is a learning opportunity.

Adam: Does Soroka have better velo now than when you were not as high on him? (the delivery was your main contention i believe)
Keith Law: No, don’t think that’s changed.

Drew: Will the Cardinals sending Dylan Carlson home to “add muscle” instead of playing in the AFL benefit him?
Keith Law: I would have loved to have seen him play more, but he must also be exhausted from the long season. He’s played a lot, and very well, against tough competition.

JR: Enjoyed the guys you were wrong about column. Of the players you mentioned, who do you see as most likely to sustain their current production, and who do you see regressing?
Keith Law: I led with Bieber because I think he’s the most ‘real’ of the group. McNeil has already shown some regression, so while I don’t predict a big flop I think we may have seen his peak.

Jerry skurnik: While we in NYC focus on Edwin Diaz’ disastrous record, “proven closers” around MLB have been pretty terrible all season. Do you have any thoughts on why? Juiced ball?
Keith Law: The changed baseball has absolutely affected some pitchers more than others – for example, I think it’s played havoc with Diaz’s slider.

addoeh: Will Joey Bagodonuts or Tommy Hackenstein make your new book?
Keith Law: Joey Bagodonuts is in the new book. I can confirm this.

A big dumb idiot: What are the mechanics of a guy like Jordan Groshans being a decenly regarded mid first rounder to a consensus top 100 guy despite missing the whole season? It it similar to amateur scouting where a few looks displayed new and real skills?
Keith Law: For me, it was hearing a few pro scouts who caught him early say they bought his approach and power.

JJ: Speaking of Trout and the MVP, it seems like every years there’s an argument of Trout’s individual greatness vs. the non-competitiveness of the Angels. This seems, in large part, to be fueled by the BBWAA’s (intentional?) vagueness in defining the MVP. If you were asked to boil the award description down to one sentence, what would you say?
Keith Law: Which player did the most on the field to increase his team’s win total in that season? He’s the MVP.

Mike: Is the reason Felipe Vasquez wasn’t traded before the trade deadline due to the recent news? Did teams know?
Keith Law: Nobody knew. That’s kind of gross.

Steve: “It helped the Sox win a World Series. That’s what you want, right?” Unless you’re one of the vast majority of MLB owners and GMs who seem to value cost control and “glide slopes” above all else.
Keith Law: Yeah, winning the efficiency trophy isn’t really the ideal goal. I’m a prospect guy, and I still say trade prospects if it gives you a chance to win.

WhiteSoxAndy: Has the juiced ball reduced the value of outfield defense? Since the ball is flying out of the park anyway, is it better to just have power bats out there and not be concerned with average at best defense?
Keith Law: No, that doesn’t quite make sense … some balls that would have fallen in just behind the infield become playable for outfielders, and balls are coming at all fielders faster than ever.

Josh Nelson: Who doesn’t make the playoffs: Nationals, Cubs, or Brewers?
Keith Law: I think the safe guess is the Nats make it and the other two are in a dogfight that goes to game 162 (or 163!).
Keith Law: Yikes, Domingo German is on administrative leave for a possible domestic violence policy violation.

Kevin: Is Matthew liberatore a part of Tampa’s rotation in mid 2020?
Keith Law: Too soon.

Scott: I was happy to see Jeter Downs get honorable mention in your Prospect of the Year column.
Do you think his bat profiles well enough to carry him regardless of a possible position switch to CF?
Keith Law: Yes, it does, but why not 2b?

Jacob deGrom: Did anyone think I would becomne the best of the Mets starters? I was never ranked a shigh as Harvey, Wheeler, Matz or Noah
Keith Law: I think I can say this safely now. I know one person who believed in deGrom before anyone else in the industry: Paul Depodesta.

Brian: How come the Tigers seemingly always have solid pitching prospests but can never draft a postional player. Avila seems to be doing the same thing Dombrowski did. Hill was the last ” guy”
Keith Law: I think they still overdraft ‘name’ guys and focus more on traditional tools than most other clubs. They’ll nearly always be in a position where they think a player slipped to them, but in fact the rest of the industry has decided based on additional information that the player isn’t as good as previously thought.
Keith Law: Hill is a bit of an exception, though … his defense was there, he just hasn’t hit consistently or developed enough of an eye at the plate to get to it.

Steve: If Miguel Yajure makes it in MLB, I hope his nickname ends up “Force Yajure”.
Keith Law: That is excellent.

Ian: Cycles aside, Cavan Biggio’s combination of baserunning, defensive versatility, and power/patience at the plate seems at least interesting. What are the red flags? Where do you see him regressing?
Keith Law: He’s not good at any position, and what power? I checked yesterday and he ranked around 180th in HR this year – with 4 of his 14 coming off the Orioles, the worst pitching staff in baseball (en route to 300 HR allowed this year). The sudden optimism seems to be mostly because he’s had an outlier September.

Portmantotebag: Is Victor Reyes (.298/.329.421 with speed) growing into a regular, even if a second-division regular, instead of a 4th OF, or is it all still SSS?
Keith Law: Chance for a regular. Definite fourth OF.

Mikhail Bulgakov: I would love a return to the old baseball, but what incentive does Manfred have to make sure that happens?
Keith Law: The union could go a long way to making it happen. Pitchers aren’t happy.

JR: you’ve been doing these chats for about 15 years now, right? (Thank you BTW). How have the questions changed over the years, if at all? Do you think you get better questions now or the same? Do you get accused of bias as often? just as many dumbasses?
Keith Law: Over 13 years. First one was July 2006. Question quality improved when I had to move them here from ESPN.com. Still plenty of trolls and dumbasses, but I think the regulars among you help drown them out.

Arnold: If Yaz’s 20 HRs are entirely the product of the juiced ball, what does that say about the rest of the Giants’ team, where only one player, Pillar, has more HRs (21) in 200+ more ABs?
Keith Law: It says exactly what you think it says, and I’m sorry.

Josh: There seems to be some between the lines discussion about Will Smith’s catching. Talk about Ryu not as good with him, etc. Just noise or a little signal there? Not sure how much you have watched him since he’s been in the bigs
Keith Law: That sounds like bullshit to me. Nothing but raves for Smith’s catching all the way back to Louisville where he caught McKay.

Andy: Keith–your thoughts on DD being fire for doing what was seemingly his exact effin’ mandate?
Keith Law: That’s not really accurate.

Tim: You’ve written that Trevor Bauer’s 2018 season now looks like an outlier. Going into this year, were you thinking it was probably a fluke year?
Keith Law: I will be honest: I don’t think I gave it enough thought either way.

Scott: If the season ended today, who is Keith Law’s NL MVP?
Keith Law: Bellinger.

Ridley: On Twitter, Geraldo Rivera asked “At what point should a guy’s past no longer be counted against him?” Is it just me, or was that more of an admission of guilt than a question?

(p.s. The issue was as much with Kavanaugh lying about his past as with the contents of said past.)
Keith Law: Yikes. Also, the lying is the problem here. He lied under oath to Congress. That should be a disqualifying condition for any judicial candidate.

Alex: Whenever my brother-in-law starts getting on my nerves, I will invariably tell him, “At their peaks, Nomar was better than Jeter, and you know it.” It drives him nuts when I say this, but is it accurate?
Keith Law: Depends on how you say it. “Nomah was bettah than Jeetah” would be more powerful than the way you wrote it.

Todd: Can Jonathan Loaisiga be a real back end of the pen option?
Keith Law: Yes.

Kyle: Pete Alonso would be the most negatively affected player if the Happy Fun Ball goes away next year, right?
Keith Law: He’d still be an above-average regular, but guys like him and Suarez wouldn’t be 50 HR hitters.

Heather: As a Red Sox fan, in the last few years I’ve enjoyed watching Devers, Xander, and Mookie get better from year to year. Andrew Benintendi, however, doesn’t seem to be getting any better. It’s like he came into the league as a slightly above average player, and has never changed. Does he have another level, or is this it?
Keith Law: If anything he’s gone backwards this year. It’s surprising as he’s had a solid year vs LHP, which seemed like his big weakness, but it turns out he’s just not hit for anything close to the power projected for him (including myself in that, I would have thought the Happy Fun Ball would mean 30 HR).
Keith Law: I want to believe there’s another level but have no specific reason to argue that.

Bruce: Corey Seager came back this year after a couple of major injuries. What are your thoughts on his season and do you expect him to put up better numbers offensively next year after having an offseason where he does not have rehab? Do you expect Seager to move off SS for Lux in the near future?
Keith Law: The Dodgers seem disinclined to move Seager, and 3b is occupied at the moment. Not sure where else he would go.

Lee: Why is everyone talking like the Red Sox won’t re-sign Betts? Seems to me that with the Price and Sale contracts, they are pretty well committed to going over the luxury tax for the foreseeable future. Why would they all of a sudden pull back when one of the best players of his generation is up for free agency?
Keith Law: People are assuming that the Dombrowski firing indicates, at least on some level, an unwillingness to continue to blow past the LT threshold.

Nick: What is Zac Gallen going forward? Seems like a nice get by the ‘Backs.
Keith Law: Nice get for them indeed. Starter, not a high ceiling one.

Tony: Do you avoid use of the word “clutch” altogether? I get the samples are too small to have statistical significance, but is it colloquially fair to just say a walk-off HR is a clutch hit?
Keith Law: There are clutch hits, but not clutch hitters.

Chris: It turns out that I did indeed have that third pull of intelligentsia Black Cat the other day. So thanks for the confirmation in your video chat. Much appreciated.
Keith Law: Always a good choice. If my stomach could tolerate it I’d drink coffee all day.

Dan: Kind of a vague question, but when you’re cooking – how crazy are you about cleanliness? I see some of the Alton Brown stuff and, sorry, but I just don’t have the wherewithal to have separate poultry-only cutting boards or wear gloves whenever I touch a piece of meat.
Keith Law: I am not at that level either. I do have cutting boards I only use for raw meats, and a wooden cutting board I use for everything else. I stopped wearing gloves to handle raw meat in most cases because it seemed wasteful.

Luis: Not really a question but just a thank you for all the content (especially on board games). We just started out collection of board games and have established board game Thursdays as date night with my wife. Enjoying it very much and all thanks to your recommendations. Thanks!
Keith Law: Great to hear! Much more to come this fall on that front.

Mr. Bonnie Smalls: Hey Klaw, any reports on how Moniak looks in AFL? Do you still see him as a 4th OF/AAAA guy?
Keith Law: Saw him three weeks ago. Still the same.

Chris: Mariano has been my favorite player since 1995, sad I had to cancel him after the gag-inducing sight/sound of him walking into Roosevelt Room w Cheeto to Enter Sandman.
Keith Law: I mean, you can still love what he did on the field, right?

Jon: Paul Depodesta, the fat guy in Moneyball?
Keith Law: No, that was Peter Brand.

Mike: When the Tigers traded Suarez was he considered a “prospect”?
Keith Law: Yes. I don’t think they evaluated him correctly internally.

Todd: Been on anti anxiety meds for 3 years. Starting to get off them now. Any advice?
Keith Law: Do it slowly. Some new research showing that people tapering too quickly have very negative experiences.

Chris: It blows my mind how many so-professed “cooks” that I know acknowledge never using a thermometer like a Thermapen when cooking (particularly grilling meat or fish). Am I making too much of this?
Keith Law: Every serious home cook should have a thermometer and a scale. The thermometer I use most cost about $9. You can get a good digital scale under $20. They’re essential.

Frank: Thoughts on Bochy getting his 2000th win last night? Is there any doubt he is bound for Cooperstown?
Keith Law: He’s definitely getting into the Hall.

Mr. Bonnie Smalls: Love your chats Klaw, If you had to pick between tatis and Lindor for the rest of there careers who is your choice? Personally i’d take Lindor especially w the consideration of home ball park.
Keith Law: Love both. Tatis has more overall upside.

Jeff: There have been talks of the Diamondbacks relocating to Las Vegas or Henderson, Nevada. Do you think MLB will ever put a franchise in the Las Vegas area?
Keith Law: No. I answered this somewhere recently – maybe on Periscope? – but Vegas’ demographics are awful and they will now have two major league franchises there already.

Greg: Is Klentak’s most fireable offense not just failing to sign Keuchel, but showing almost no interest in doing so? Given the dearth of starting pitching, I still don’t understand how they weren’t seriously looking at him in June.
Keith Law: At the time, it seemed like their bigger need was the bullpen, not the rotation. Should they have signed Kimbrel? You should be glad they didn’t. So no, I don’t think Klentak has committed any fireable offenses.

JT: As a Canadian, I can’t say I’m not miffed at Trudeau’s unfortunate brown face, but his principal opponent is a guy who refuses to apologize for being anti LGBTQ today. Trudeau embraced Syrian refugees; his old opponent promised to stop accepting them.

The left eats itself; the right carries on, gaslighting and awful.
Keith Law: That’s a separate issue; there’s no way Canada should vote Conservative given how much that party has embraced the white nationalist and anti-LGBTQ movements.

Dan: Iced coffee? Cold brew? Or iced americano?
Keith Law: None.

Luis: My 7-year-old daughter loves Catan Jr. Im just worried that she is getting too good at the game (hahaha). Is there another boardgame you would recommend to play with a 7 & 5 year olds? My 5 wont commit to Catan Jr. for the whole game but she will at least play 50-60% of the game before she needs to turn her attention to another thing.
Keith Law: Ticket to Ride is great for those ages.

Andres: How in the world does Mike Minor have a higher WAR than Verlander? Minor has allowed more hits, runs, higher ERA, higher WHIP, less SO, more walks, less innings pitched … How is it possible? Defense alone cannot be it, can it??
Keith Law: I posted a link to a great Twitter thread on this from James Smyth.

Robes-4: Who is the next six gm? Keith law?
Keith Law: Hah, thank you, but that’s not happening.

JT: Vote splitting on the left in Canada (3 parties) leads to 37% majorities for the right.

Similar effect to the Stein/Sanders holdouts in ’16.
Keith Law: Yeah. Please don’t do that. The last thing we need is Trump Lite up there.

Bill: Not to be grim, but what musician’s death would impact you in the way that Ric Ocasek’s or Eddie Money’s has for many?
Keith Law: Prince’s did. Cobain in his era, especially since I was 20 and music was more integral to my life at the time. I still love music, of course, but it’s less central now.
Keith Law: OK, that’s all for this week – back to book writing and a haircut appointment today. I plan to send out another issue of my email newsletter tomorrow, and this edition will talk about my new book, due out in April of 2020. Thank you all as always for reading and for your questions!