Klawchat 11/21/19.

For ESPN+ subscribers, I wrote about the baseball argument for trading Mookie Betts, even though the Red Sox can certainly afford to keep him. Over at Paste, I reviewed the great two-player game Watergate, which whoa boy is that hitting the market at the right time.

Keith Law: Don’t you wish you knew better by now? Klawchat.

Merkle: Groshans future position? You like him or Bohm better as a hitter? Thanks Keith!
Keith Law: Any reason to think he can’t play third base? Bohm’s pure bat is better, especially since he’s ~3 years older and probably major-league ready in 2020. Would like to see Groshans go around the league twice.

JRussell: Hi Keith, do the Mets have a realistic package to offer for Betts? Would Dom Smith, Diaz and one of their better prospects (Baty, Jiminez) be enough? Figure Brodie may as well go all in even if the Kelenic/Cano trade was a fiasco?
Keith Law: The Mets should go all in but that package doesn’t get you close.

Jim: I’m shocked, yes shocked, to discover an MLB team recognizing the concept of sunk costs with the Yankees cutting Ellsbury!
Keith Law: If anything they’re a year late. Also, seeing media slagging Ellsbury on his way out the door is gross.

Mangle: Lucas Erceg will be 25 on May 1st. He hasn’t progressed much in Brewers system, but has shown glimpses. Maybe a change of scenery will do the trick. Good or bad lottery ticket for Rule 5 Draft?
Keith Law: I’d pass. .306 OBP over two years in AA and probably has to play 1b.

TomBruno23: Is there a resource that you recommend using to tell the story of the real Thanksgiving to my 8/6/4 year olds?
Keith Law: Yeah, that’s a tough one. This might get you started.

TomBruno23: White Castle Impossible Slider Stuffing. Are you in or out?
Keith Law: That sounds unpleasant. Is it with the Impossible meat substitute? I do like that as a burger but I don’t think I want any food product connected to White Castle.

addoeh: For whomever is the Democratic nominee, what percentage of their campaign time would you want to see them devote to talking about issues (healthcare, taxes, etc) vs. reminding voters of the current administration’s corruption? 80/20? 90/10?
Keith Law: I’m not plugged into that at all … what are voters most concerned about? Clinton basically won in 1992 because the economy was slowing and he talked about it constantly. If it’s health care now, the candidates should talk health care.

Jeremy: I’m leery of the Braves investing so much money in the bullpen. Individually, I don’t think the contracts are terrible…Smith’s isn’t my favorite, but do you think this is a good approach to the offseason?
Keith Law: Just posted an ESPN+ column that included that … I thought Smith was the best LHR on the market and would give him three years. Martin’s deal was pretty expensive especially given his age.

addoeh: If found guilty, do you see the MLB handing down stiffer penalties for the Astros pitch-tipping than the Braves international signing violations or the Cardinals hacking?
Keith Law: I’d say in between, closer to the Cardinals’ hacking. If the investigation finds that Luhnow knew and/or approved of the use of technology to steal signs, he might end up in durance vile like Coppolella did.

Hinkie: Haven’t had a chance to ask your opinion on the Phillies hiring of Brian Barber as amateur scouting director. Good hire, or could they have done better? Yankees drafts haven’t been great lately.
Keith Law: Good hire. Yankees’ drafts have been pretty good – not sure why you say that – and their process is one of the best at integrating traditional scouting with analytics.

Aaron G: 4/$73MM for Grandal? That seems…off.
Keith Law: Also in today’s column. Feels about right to me.

Jeff: If Gerrit Cole signs with the Angels (or the Yankees believe that he will), which starter do you think the Yankees should attempt to sign as a free agent?
Keith Law: Strasburg, Wheeler, Ryu … just work right on down the list. They need a good starter, and while Cole is the best, it’s not as if he’s the only viable choice for them.

Joe: Any idea why Didi didn’t get a QO? Seems like the team did him a favor.
Keith Law: I’m not sure either … I think he’s one of the best free agents on the market.

TP: Agree with you on Austin’s potential as an MLB city. But if the MLS stadium fight is any indication, there will be no public subsidies for an MLB stadium, and it won’t be built on public land within the city limits. You could build something between Austin and San Antonio, but it would be out in the country and require significant infrastructure upgrades just to get there. Not impossible, but hard to see it happening in Austin given local politics and current challenges related to growth, traffic, and gentrification.
Keith Law: Fair points, and in reality, MLB isn’t expanding to any city that doesn’t hand them a big publicly-funded stadium. That said, Orlando is a terrible market, even if the free stadium is there. MLB would just end up propping it up with revenue-sharing, and I can’t imagine the owners of the high-payroll franchises would be OK with that.

xxx(yyy): just found out wife may be lactose intolerant – any standout recipes you make that would work here?

(assume that vegan cheese tastes about as bad as sounds like it does)
Keith Law: I use lactose-free milk everywhere. You can make homemade ricotta from LF whole milk and it’s better than regular store-bought.

greggu: Do you come across restaurants that add 15-20 percent to the bill who also claim that it is NOT a tip that goes to the wait staff? We have a few of those here in Hawaii that simply pocket the service charge and put the burden on diners to give up an additional 20-25 percent for the workers.

I always accepted the service charge and added whatever additional amount was necessary to make it to 20 percent. Now I see this at a few of my favorite restaurants. I don’t think it’s fair for me to cough up to 40 percent of the bill so I just stopped going to these places, although some peeps at Yelp insisted I should feel free to add zero tip with a clear conscience. What would you do at a restaurant with such a practice?
Keith Law: I’ve never heard of this in the United States.

Tim Robinson: Home/road splits for OPS and wRC+ don’t show much difference for the Astros the past few years. Their scheme was elaborate but did it actually matter?
Keith Law: That is hardly exculpatory.

Jason: I know you’re a big proponent of compensating collegiate athletes. My question is do you think the ‘likeness’ issue being resolved goes far enough, or do you think the university/NCAA should directly compensate the athletes? Also, do you compensate wrestling, crew, T&F, and other non-revenue generating sports, or just MBB and FB… and maybe a few WBB and BB who do generate a profit… Just curious as to your opinions. Thanks.
Keith Law: Let the market determine who gets paid and how much. Players whose sports don’t generate revenue probably wouldn’t be paid, but the objection I have and many others do as well – that coaches and administrators, nearly all of them white men, are profiting off the free labor of student-athletes who are a far more diverse group – isn’t an issue when the sport doesn’t bring in the cash.

Joe: What happens to players not selected in the rule 5 draft? Do they stay with their original teams? Do they become free agents?
Keith Law: They stay with their original teams, and are just not on the 40-man roster, so to be recalled to the majors they must first have their contracts purchased so they are added to the 40-man.

The Sloth: Any surprises among those left exposed to the Rule 5 Draft?
Keith Law: No, not really. The rule 5 draft is a huge waste of time.

Heater: Byron Buxton is now 25 yrs old. Has his prospect of becoming a star faded and he is what he is? Or will there be more?
Keith Law: He’s been very good when healthy – worth about 3 WAR in half a season last year. I’m not sure why so many fans want to give up on him given how good he’s been when he can take the field. The concern is that he’s on the IL too often, not about his ability.

Aaron C.: 2020 A’s rotation is high on potential, but light innings/dependability past Fiers, I guess. What’s the best way to address this?
Keith Law: They should fish in the lower end of the starter market … I see a few good innings-eater types out there this year. And of course they know to target guys who fit that ballpark.

JRussell: Hey Keith, I See the Mets left Shervyen Newton unprotected in the Rule 5 and he has been on at least one top 10 list for them? Any chance he is selected and was leaving him unprotected a mistake?
Keith Law: He struck out (32.8% of his PA) more often than he got on base (28.3%) in low-A last year.
Keith Law: I don’t even see the issue. If someone wants to burn a 25-man spot most of the year and a 40-man spot all year on a player who has roughly a 0.0% chance to hit, go for it. It’s not even clear if he’s much of a prospect at this point.

Aaron C.: Been to enough new spots to possibly update your pizza rankings in the near future? Can I interest you in creating a new food ranking list like “best desserts” or something?
Keith Law: I have a list of dish projects for the offseason and that’s on it, but first I have to complete the first round of edits on The Inside Game and do some of the regular year-end posts (cookbooks, music). The top 100 board games post went up this week.

DEAN M: There’s alot of helium on Alek Thomas in the prospect circles recently of him becoming a 5 too all-star. Buy in? Too early to tell?
Keith Law: If someone talks about him as a 5-tool All-Star you shouldn’t listen to anything else they say, because they are clearly bullshitting. And I like Thomas a lot, had him on my midseason top 50.

Jason: Any interesting names that were not protected in the Rule 5 draft? I know the extra year has eliminated much of the value in it, but last year pundits were at least talking about Richie Martin
Keith Law: And then Martin was worth -0.6 WAR with a .260 OBP. The rule 5 draft is really bad. MLB ruined it to exert further control over players, and because those players were minor leaguers, the MLBPA didn’t stop it.

Moe Mentum: Lance Berkman finished in the top 20 for league MVP voting 7 different times in his career, but didn’t even get enough Hall of Fame votes to stay on the ballot after his first year of eligibility. Surprised? Bad news for Adrian Gonzalez (8 times) and Matt Holliday (7 times)?
Keith Law: He’s not a HoFer in any sense, and I don’t think the other guys are too. Top 20 in the voting is hardly an achievement with 10 spots on the ballot.

Aaron C.: Been listening to the “Slow Burn” podcast and wondering where you stand on the most divisive question of our time: Biggie or Tupac?
Keith Law: Tupac.

Nate: Why do you think cherington said yes to the pirates but not others?
Keith Law: Good opportunity for a player development guy to enact his own system without the win-now pressure of a Boston.
Keith Law: That’s my guess. I haven’t asked him.

Rob: What are your thoughts on the Jose De Leon trade by the Reds and Rays? Can he fill the fifth rotation spot or is he more of a middle reliever at this point?
Keith Law: I like De Leon as a back-end starter but he seems like a dubious fit for Cincinnati’s home park.

Frank: I read your piece on Mookie. To me the real question for any team interested is do your really want to give up top pieces in your farm system for undoubtedly a great player but one who is going to make 25-30M from arbitration and have no guarantee you can keep him next year. So it’s one year, a lot of money and a couple of high level prospects to get him. When teams trade for players of that caliber at least 1 of those 3 criteria should be in the acquiring teams favor. None are here. Seems like way too much of a risk for me and in turn Boston shouldn’t trade him unless they get that kind of return. I don’t see how a deal gets done.
Keith Law: Sure, all deals like that are unlikely unless the selling team has decided they just can’t (won’t) pay the player, which is clearly not true here. I just wanted to point out that there is a valid baseball reason for the Sox to trade him, beyond just treating the luxury tax like a hard cap.

John: No question but thanks for recommending Homegrown by Alex Speier, I’ve been tearing through it!
Keith Law: Great! Alex is a longtime friend and a fantastic writer.

JR: Torkelson the clear shot pick for the Tigers?
Keith Law: No.

Alan: Next move for the White Sox is?
Keith Law: It should be a starting pitcher.

Kip: Are the Braves still active in the international market with sanctions finally gone in the ’21-’22 class? I don’t really read them being “in” on any player and they’ve had lots of turnover in their scouting department.
Keith Law: They have to be involved now, since those guys agree to terms 2-3 years out, but it might be quiet because they’re trying not to get in trouble.

Todd Boss: Are you ready for another Hall of Fame season? I write this mostly tongue-in-cheek, but there seems like a real chance to get some backlog cleared out with just one sure-fire new candidate on the ballot this year.
Keith Law: I have contemplated my ballot and there’s a good chance I won’t vote for ten players. I think there are ~8 clearly worthy guys, then maybe 4 bubble guys, players I wouldn’t say *don’t* belong in but about whom you could have a good argument.

Ryan: How do you interpret Atlanta’s offseason so far? I would’ve put 3B/cOF/SP/C all ahead of RP as needs.
Keith Law: Signing RP first doesn’t mean the front office thought it was the biggest need.

Mike: How long will the MLB lockout of 2022 go on for?
Keith Law: With as much revenue as there is, I wonder if the owners would shoot themselves in the foot like that for an extended period … the goose still lays golden eggs, and I’m sorry if they’re not all 24 karats.

Mark: can you give a a few thoughts about the Giants GM and manager hirings? I know you like Kapler, any thoughts on Harris?
Keith Law: Heard nothing but good things on Harris from Cubs folks, but I don’t know him personally. Kapler I think is a great hire, especially since they’re likely to run some young rosters the next few years.

Sean: Great article on the Red Sox decision with Betts. Would Gonsolin / Gray / Cartaya be enough for you to pull the trigger?
Keith Law: That’s a good offer by value but if you don’t think Gonsolin is a sure starter it probably doesn’t meet the criteria I laid out.
Keith Law: I think he’s a likely starter, not a certain one. Gray is a certain starter.

Jennifer: Toughest part of being divorced?
Keith Law: Not even close – days without my daughter. I doubt I will ever get used to that. Fortunately she’s old enough that we text pretty regularly even if it’s just for me to joke around with her and her to say “ok boomer” to me.

Rob: How does Spiritual Instinct stack up to Kodama in your opinion?
Keith Law: I have to listen to SI more but i think I liked Kodama a little better?

TFT: Is Chatham a good enough hitter to become the Red Sox regular 2nd baseman?
Keith Law: I don’t think so.

Sean: do you think trent grisham can find 500 ABs for the brewers next year or will he be stuck in the OF4 role?
Keith Law: He’s good enough to be a regular somewhere, although Milwaukee may want more certainty, and he’d be a really valuable trade piece because he’s ready to play right now.

Eric: how enjoyable is it seeing every single hack gop talking point get destroyed in real time by every single witness?
Keith Law: It’s so perfectly timed that someone needs to send the script back for rewrite.

Sean: with jhoan duran added to the 40 man so you think he gets a crack in the majors in 2020?
Keith Law: Yes, in some role.

Todd Boss: I know you hate Rule-5 but the Washington Natsmosphere is kind of surprised we didn’t see a couple more names get protected yesterday; do you have opinion on Sterling Sharp in particular, or lesser candidates like Taylor Gushue, Mario Sanchez and Steven Fuentes?
Keith Law: I could see someone taking Sharp, not the others.

Congress: HEY LET’S ELIMINATE HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS OF MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL JOBS WHILE ALSO ALLOWING MINOR LEAGUERS TO BE PAID RIDICULOUSLY LOW WAGES!
Keith Law: Hundreds to thousands of minor league jobs? I mean, I know facility with math isn’t a requirement for elected office, but jeez.

Matt: KLaw, when you were with Toronto, was there any truh to the rumors of the Jays positioning men in the outfield bleachers and signaling signs to the home team’s hitters? Do you think any other teams today go as far as Houston does to steal signs?
Keith Law: That rumor was after I left.

Paul (NJ): Trying to cook a deep fried turkey for the first time for Thanksgiving. Have you done it and are you a fan? Any recommendations for someone trying it for the first time?
Keith Law: Keep a large, functioning fire extinguisher nearby. Or roast it.

Larry: Have you ever heard of a band called Wintersun? If so, what do you think?
Keith Law: Songs are a bit long for my taste but I do like that style of metal.

KillMonger: Hi Keith, we’ve had three of the year’s best films come out from Asian filmmakers. Knowing you liked “Parasite”, did you see “The Farewell”? If not, I’d highly recommend that along with “Ms. Purple”.
Keith Law: Not yet but it’s on the list.

addoeh: Hosting Thanksgiving this year? Doing the “traditional” chat while spatchcocking the turkey?
Keith Law: I’ll do the Periscope while hacking up the bird, yes. My girlfriend is hosting and we’ll split the cooking.

Davey: Can Dinelson Lamet last at the top or middle of an MLB rotation with a 4.0 BB/9? People knock him for it but he’s posted a 1.25 WHIP and 11.7 k/9 in 2017 and 2019. Heck his xFIP this year was 3.44.
Keith Law: He doesn’t have the third pitch he’ll need to start.

Ciscoskid: Is the middle/lower class of baseball in the greatest risk with the upcoming labor negotiations? Between platooning/load management, it seems Stars are the only people destined to be everyday players. Makes me think MLB needs a pretty big 21st century overhaul and expecting that from MLB owners seems a bit much. Thoughts?
Keith Law: Yes, I think that’s a real concern, and a good argument for the MLBPA to push for a much higher minimum salary.

Adam: Are the Padres and Red Sox each motivated enough to take on the “risk” of a Myers for Price swap?
Keith Law: Why on earth would Boston do that?

Rog: You interviewed for a job with the Astros, no? What do you think about this mess? Did you get any sense ownership was OK with skirting and/or breaking the rules?
Keith Law: I can’t believe they forgot to ask me in the interview if I’d be willing and able to help them cheat.

Adam: The Padres are reportedly surrounding Jayce Tingler with two Showalter guys, Bobby Dickerson and Wayne Kirby. I’m assuming these moves were made to appease Manny Machado, but what are your thoughts on their coaching/development prowess?
Keith Law: Why would that appease Manny Machado? He wasn’t a Buck fan.

Ollie: How much will the Dbacks regret trading away Chisholm?
Keith Law: It’s not how much, but how likely. If he’s any good, he’ll be great. They think there’s too much of a risk that he’s not any good, that the strikeouts and the slightly out-of-control playing style overwhelm his ridiculous talent.

Adam: How do you feel about the new Padres jerseys?
Keith Law: I really don’t care. I’m sure Fashiongraphs will have an opinion for you.

Joey: Can Alek Thomas or Corbin Carroll develop plus power? Which one is the better bet to stick in center? Thank you!
Keith Law: I like Carroll’s future power more than Thomas’s. Right now I have both staying in CF.

John Coppollela: In light of the pending penalties for HOU’s transgressions, was my lifetime ban a bit too Draconian?
Keith Law: We don’t know the pending penalties for Houston, but I think MLB made an example of Coppolella, and that the penalty didn’t fit the crime (or recognize how many teams did similar stuff because the lawless July 2nd market all but requires it).

Eric: Devin Nunes is clearly not a smart person. How the hell does he keep getting elected?
Keith Law: Matt Gaetz sees you and raises you -$50.

Dylan: Out of all the white sox outfield prospects not named Luis Robert or Steele Walker, who (Luis Basabe, Micker Adolfo, Blake Rutherford, Luis Gonzalez) has the Most realistic chance at making the majors and contributing
Keith Law: Adolfo is going to hit his way to the majors. I’d probably pick him.

Kyle: I have the Disney plus bundle that includes ESPN +. Does that allow me to read your insider stuff?
Keith Law: Yes, you can read my stuff while watching The Rescuers.

Paul: A’s DFAd Jharel Cotton. Are you out on him at this point?
Keith Law: Not at all – just waiting to see him return from TJ.

John Zirinsky: Keith if I recall correctly you were never a big Greg Bird fan, so I would imagine you think the Yanks did the right thing?
Keith Law: My issue was that he was a DH only. I think the reason they cut him was that he was so seldom healthy.

Tom: Does Austin Hays have a shot at being a decent everyday CF?
Keith Law: I don’t think he has any shot at CF.

Marty: What’s up with teams not hiring minorities for managers and GM positions? White privilege alive and well. Writers like you sit on your hands and never question it
Keith Law: Oh fuck right off. I point that out all the time. I even spoke to a high-ranking exec last week who hired a white candidate for one such job to ask which candidates of color he’d interviewed. Someone asked me for suggestions for a director-level position they had open this fall, and I made sure to include candidates of color on that list too. And I am *far* from the only person in the media who has pointed out this issue, or the underlying issue that people of color and women do not get the same initial opportunities or the chances for advancement prior to director-level, manager, or GM positions to create a candidate pool beyond the same old white men. If you think no one is talking about it, you have your fingers in your ears.

Zach D: A well-known national baseball writer said that Albert Belle was “one dimensional player” and that’s why he’s not in the HOF…sigh
Keith Law: I think we know what “dimension” that would be.

Gary: MLB owners shielding media with police force is_____.
Keith Law: Were public funds used for that? I have no idea how that works but if Crane didn’t pay for that out of his own pocket I’d be furious.

Ron: A question for you that most likely never will happen. I own a MLB team and we need a stadium. I have so much money, the land to build on and love the city so much that I will build the stadium myself without tax dollars and work out parking and other logistics with the city. I reserve the right to name said stadium after some baseball icon or whatever and tell them to shove the corporate naming rights because I don’t want their money. Would MLB agree? Would it matter if they did or not?
Keith Law: They would. You just kind of don’t exist.

Ridley: FWIW, any non-discretionary amount, say an automatic 18% for parties of six or more, added to a check in a restaurant is considered a “service charge” and not a tip, and the restaurant has the right to do whatever they want with it. This has been the case since January, 2014 in the U.S. and the restaurant is under no obligation to disclose where the money goes. I’ve been in the restaurant industry for 35 years now and this is one of the shadiest aspects of a very shady business.
Keith Law: I didn’t know that those automatic service charges weren’t guaranteed to go to servers. I’ll ask from now on.

Nathan: No question, just wanted to acknowledge your awesome Coldplay reference in your latest article
Keith Law: Tried to keep it subtle, and stick with one of their actual good songs.

Josh : If the White Sox go after Rendon , would moving Moncada to RF make sense?
Keith Law: Or centerfield? Granted Robert’s there too but why couldn’t Moncada play it?

Alex: Is the guy from Vanderbilt who some think is a top 3 pick (name escapes me now), does he have enough arm to remain at SS or 3B? Thanks
Keith Law: Austin Martin, who is definitely a real person and not a knockoff sports car, played ridiculously good 3b when I saw him in May.

Chris: Hey Keith, Do you think Beltran can fix Edwin Diaz?
Keith Law: I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Diaz that a de-juiced baseball can’t fix.

Zac: Im surprised the Tigers decided to protect Derek Hill. I know you have always been high on him so has he done enough last year to belive he can be at least a bench piece?
Keith Law: He can definitely play CF in the majors. I don’t think he’s that far away from being a good bench piece but he isn’t there right now.

Black Cat: Not a question, but just wanted to let you know I’m about 40% through The Master and Margarita. It probably wouldn’t have crossed my radar had I not read your Top 100 list. Thanks for the suggestion! I’m enjoying it so far.
Keith Law: Glad you’ve liked it! It’s such a masterwork of imagination and layered meanings.

Brian: Keith, I just finished Exit West based upon your recommendation and absolutely loved it. Any similar books you recommend?
Keith Law: A Tale for the Time Being, Lincoln in the Bardo, Kafka on the Shore.

Georgie: How do some national writers still not understand trade value whatsoever? Saw an article today suggesting Bryant for Fried, Waters, Wilson, and Contreras.
Keith Law: Yikes.

Kyle: If the server says, “No, the restaurant keeps the 18%”, what will you do? Not tip? Tip and tell the owner you’re never coming back?
Keith Law: Tip, absolutely. It’s not the server’s fault. Sure, I’d call out the owner for misleading customers, but the most important thing is to ensure the servers are paid.

Phil: True or False: Irrespective of his playoff miscues, Clayton Kershaw is the finest starting pitcher of his generation.
Keith Law: True. He had some great playoff outings too, but no one wants to remember them.

Matt: It’s starting to get cold which means I love hot stews/soups. Any favorites and what’s the key to making a good stew?
Keith Law: The stock. Use real stock, make your own, and it’s hard to screw it up.

Craig: a person on the chat accused you of being insufficiently woke on MLB minority hiring
Keith Law: I’m sure I could do and say more, but to say that I and other writers like me haven’t done or said anything is nonsense.

Chris: Most underrated Thanksgiving food and most overrated?
Keith Law: Most underrated is a good-quality scratch pumpkin pie. Most overrated is that gloppy mess of green bean casserole.

Buscon Bob: Baltimore hired a female FO member yesterday, so is her rank higher than Kim Ng’s with LA?
Keith Law: I don’t think her rank is higher but I’ve met Eve and this is a great hire. She’s one of three women to leave Houston’s baseball ops department in the last four months, I think.

Chris: Rick Hahn just said that Grandal is “elite at at a premium position.” Agree?
Keith Law: Obviously yes.

Andy: Do you make money on this website? The ads aren’t obtrusive, thanks for that.
Keith Law: I make a little bit, although if you consider the hours I put into writing, it’s a labor of love.

Chris: Thoughts on Carlos Beltran as Mets manager?
Keith Law: Zero experience managing or coaching at any level. I do not favor those hires at all.

Buscon Bob: Have you seen Jo jo Rabbit yet?
Keith Law: No; the reviews by people I trust have been tepid to outright negative. If it gets some nominations I’ll double back to see it but I have other films i want to see (Pain & Glory, Knives Out, The Irishman).

addoeh: “Matt Gaetz sees you and raises you -$50.”

Steve King says “All in!”
Keith Law: King is a whole different breed than the others. Nunes and Gaetz are dunces. King is terrifying.

Snowy: Giants fans overwhelmingly hate Kapler already. Based on what Farhan has done so far, I think we have to give him the benefit of the doubt. Do you think Kapler is a good fit in SF?
Keith Law: Giants fans who hate Kapler are probably basing it off incorrect or incomplete information. That’s a shame.

Aaron: The Angels just added Jamai Jones to the 40 man to protect him from the rule 5 draft. Just looking at the stat line it looks like he’s been disappointing in his development the last couple of years. What have you seen or heard from a scouting perspective? Will he hit enough to start in the majors? How’s his defense developed since moving big to 2B?
Keith Law: He’s been disappointing at the plate when I’ve seen him. Swing is good, swing decisions haven’t been.

Guest: McCammond/Barkley issue – uncalled for by Barkley. But why do people not delete their twitter accounts when they become “famous”. Countless jokes/slurs by McCammond against the Asian and LGBT community. She doesn’t think people won’t find this?
Keith Law: Irrelevant to the issue at hand. What Barkley said should have been enough to get him fired. Any discussion of her is a de facto argument over whether she ‘deserved’ the insult.

Brett: Have you ever tried venison? If so, did you like it?
Keith Law: Yes, I think just once, and now I don’t eat any red meat other than pork.

Craig: Rumor is that Milwaukee wouldn’t guarantee Yaz a 4th year. I am thinking that is an AL vs NL thing — CWS was willing to go there because they could use him at DH to cut down on his wear and tear and to use his bat into his mid 30s; without that kind of option, MIL couldn’t justify the 4th year. Is this thinking valid?
Keith Law: I have no idea if that’s true but it is logical.

Jack: I saw your comments on twitter yesterday about Gladwell and his chapter on Sandusky and Nassar. Just wanted to see if you could provide more details on your thoughts I am curious to hear your full opinion
Keith Law: What I said covered it – he’s a Penn State truther and now has run roughshod over Nassar victims in some weird, misguided attempt to discredit some of their statements. I won’t read his stuff or listen to anything he’s on.
Keith Law: Gotta run to pick up my daughter for a doctor’s appointment. Thank you all for reading & for all of your questions. No Klawchat next week but as mentioned above I’ll do a Periscope while I spatchcock the turkey, either on Tuesday or Wednesday, so stay tuned for that. Enjoy your weekends!