Klawchat 2/3/23.

First Klawchat of 2023! Starting at 1 pm. You can see my top 100 prospects ranking and my ranking of all 30 farm systems if you’re a subscriber to The Athletic.

Keith Law: Let’s do some living, after we die. Klawchat.

Zac: Have you ever seen a rebuild go as poorly as the Tigers have?
Keith Law: We’ve seen some teams in the wilderness for more than a decade, certainly. It’s not unprecedented, and despite the farm system’s ranking, I don’t think this is some scorched-earth situation like the Angels a few years ago. This system isn’t devoid of talent, it’s just shallow, and most of their higher-upside guys have lower probabilities than their peers in other systems. I like the direction player dev has taken in the last year, and maybe a new approach in the draft will help too.

Braydon: Which organization is least likely to win a World Series in the next 10 years?
Keith Law: Tough call. Colorado, probably, as much because of ownership as anything else. Monfort appears to be watching another sport … on another planet.

Guest: Think Jordan Walker with break camp with the Cardinals?
Danny: I was surprised to see Ryne Nelson leading the way for rookie eligible pitchers that impressed in limited time last year. Why does he rank higher than Wesneski, Dray Jameson, and Waldicuk?
Keith Law: I don’t. They have Burleson and O’Neill for right field, and I imagine they’ll want to sort through that before putting Walker in the big leagues.
Keith Law: Nelson’s the best athlete with the highest upside of the group. Waldichuk might be the best bet for 2023 value, though, as he’s got the strongest hold on a job and will make half his starts in a graveyard.

Matt: I remember during Torkelson’s rookie year (or before) you said you wished you went with what you saw vs what you were hearing and ranked him lower on your prospect list. What was it that you saw that made you second guess what you were hearing?
Keith Law: I didn’t love the bat speed or the athlete. Saw power and a good eye, certainly, and he produced so well, even into the low minors, that I just figured I was wrong. The pandemic draft was by far the worst for me to cover, and I already think I’ve revised more opinions from that year than any other, because I saw so few guys that spring (I saw Tork and Martin as underclassmen; that spring I saw Lacy, Mitchell, Hancock, Wilcox, and Veen, and that might be it before the world ended).

Aaron C.: What was your favorite restaurant meal eaten last year?
Keith Law: Tough call. Pizzeria Sei in LA, maybe. Le Cavalier here in Wilmington.

Doug: Would you rather have an elite draft pick (let’s say Top 3) this year, or would you rather have the Mariners’ collection of picks between 20 and 30 (I think 22, 29, 30)?
Keith Law: Depends a little on the year, but I think I’d rather have 1-1. If we’re talking about #3, then I’d rather have the three later picks for the bonus pool value.

Paul: How long will it take for the Atlanta farm system to get closer to the middle of the pack?
Keith Law: Could be five years or more, because I expect Anthopoulos to keep trading prospects to maintain the major-league roster.

BravesFan72: Of all of the extended Braves players, who in your opinion has the biggest chance of being a disappointment?
Keith Law: If we set aside pitching injury risk, Harris’s approach at the plate worries me.

Sean Casey (not the player): More of a comment… I really enjoy the newsletters and the reflections on your own life.  Baseball stuff is good too.
Keith Law: Thank you. I get such a good response when I write about personal stuff like I have been that I’m leaning more into that.

Mike: What would you do to solve the massive payroll disparity between the big and small market teams. It’s beyond rediculous at this point and is killing baseball in multiple cities.
Keith Law: Is it? Or are penurious owners refusing to spend their revenue sharing takings the real problem?

J: If you’re the O’s do you run Henderson out at 3rd and Mateo at SS while you develop Westburg and Ortiz further? Or Henderson at SS, Urias (?) at 3rd and Mateo all over?
Keith Law: I’m a little biased on this because I think Henderson’s glove at third will be a 70 or better, but I know that not everyone sees it exactly that way. But I’d move him there, and Mateo keeps the seat warm at short until they can give Ortiz a go.

Carter: If Grissom can’t stick at SS defensively in a regular capacity, would he fit as a left fielder for Atlanta, or would he end up a trade piece?
Keith Law: Not sure the bat plays as a left fielder.

Jibraun: I recently read Alan C. Logan’s The Greatest Hoax on Earth, which thoroughly debunks most of Frank Abagnale Jr.’s claims in Catch Me If You Can. (Other journalists have also debunked Abagnale’s claims as well.) Basically, Abagnale made up 90% of the stuff he claimed he did. This changed my opinion of Abagnale’s book. I was wondering how it would affect your opinion of the book as I recall it being one of your favorite non-fiction books.
Keith Law: I haven’t read that book but I’ve read other debunkings and now it’s pretty clear Abagnale’s a phony. It’s a shame, as I did enjoy his book a ton. The movie sucked anyway.

Andrew: Thanks for doing these! The Nationals have struggled to have a good farm system and to produce any meaningful talent outside of Soto in years. Is that due to bad scouting, bad developmental coaching, bad investment (in resources) or bad luck?
Keith Law: Biggest reason was that they traded and graduated a lot of guys to build the WS winner, and then didn’t backfill well due to weaker drafts and very little from IFAs after Soto. I think they’re on the right track again, and now they’re not trading prospects, but stockpiling them.

Jose: Beyond the cheapness of ownership, do you think there is a root cause of the A’s inability to draft/sign and develop quality talent at the minor league level? Is it scouting? Development? Any cures?
Keith Law: I think if you go over their drafts, you see a lot of misses on high picks. Since Matt Chapman in 2014, these are their first-round/supplemental picks: Richie Martin, Daulton Jeffries, AJ Puk, Kevin Merrell, Austin Beck, the quarterback, Logan Davidson, Tyler Soderstrom, Max Muncy, Daniel Susac. One of those guys is a top 100 prospect and none are anything more than replacement-level big leaguers. They’re also usually late in the international free-agent cycles and end up with guys like Puason, Lazarito, and Pineda, all seven-figure guys who are non-prospects.

Dr. Bob: Hey Keith. When you say that STL’s system is atypically top-heavy, what does that say about their organizational depth?
Keith Law: Meaning their depth is lacking compared to their depth in previous years.

Steven: If you were the Orioles, would you look to trade Jorge Mateo to a team that missed on the FA shortstops and replace him with Joey Ortiz?
Keith Law: If there’s a market, sure, but I don’t think teams are banging down the door for a guy with a .267 OBP last year.

Jibraun: Do you believe Liberatore has the command/control to go to a heavier changeup/curveball mix? He didn’t seem to show much control, much less command, in his limited time in the majors last year.
Keith Law: I think the control problem was a function of trying to go away from contact, not pure wildness. So, yes, he does, but the Cardinals need to try a two-seamer or a cutter or something instead.

addoeh: So you’ve become an Eagles fan through your wife.  Are you also a Sixers or Flyers fan now?
Keith Law: No, she’s not anywhere near as much of a fan of those teams or sports. We’re busy now though with the Eagles and the Six Nations (Cymru am byth!).

Nolan: Hey Keith! Longtime follower of your work (you were the reason I finally sprung for the Athletic). I have a question I’ve been meaning to ask for a while: Did you (fairly?) recently come into following the NFL? I seem to remember you not following the league at all, and being vocal about it. Am I confusing you for someone else??
Keith Law: See above. I grew up watching football, lost interest in my 20s, only got back into it when my wife and I started dating four years ago.

Babo: Do you scout and write all your prospect ranks yourself, or is there a team that assists you? Any insight on that process?
Keith Law: I write everything myself. I see as many players as I can, talk to scouts/execs, watch video, etc. The words are all mine, though – it’s the equivalent of writing a full book every winter.

Hank the Tank: If Max Fried goes on to have Cy Young caliber seasons in 2023 and 2024, what kind of contract would you expect him to land in free agency?
Keith Law: $30 million a year or more, probably 6/$200MM or so. Maybe more.

Johnny Mo: Outside of his frame, are there big concerns that Tink Hence won’t hold up well with extended outings/a longer season, or is the trepidation moreso that he just hasn’t done it before?
Keith Law: He hasn’t done it and the limited workload in 2021 was due to shoulder soreness. No major injuries, though.

Jason: Hey keith. brewers fan here. What are we doing from your view? Going to arb with burnes over 700k? Starting rookies at multiple positions? has ownership just given up and gone cheap?
Keith Law: Starting rookies is fine. Fighting your best starter over $700K is bizarre.

Troy: Robert Gasser anything more than backend starter on bad team?
Keith Law: Probably not, but I like him.

Brian: What’s the release schedule for the upcoming articles? With so many recent prospects graduating, I hope for a list of top X under 25 type addition this year.
Keith Law: Team reports & top 20s run one division per day starting on Monday, Feb 6th. Anything beyond that will wait till some other time – I head out for my first draft scouting trip on the 17th.

Buck: Turang anywhere near Top 125? Enough bat to be a good regular on high end?
Keith Law: Maybe top 150. Not much ceiling but could be a regular.

Tim O’Donovan: What’s the ceiling and floor of Jett Williams?
Keith Law: Could be a star if he stays at SS and hits with some power. Floor is he never sees the majors.

Tony: Is there something about Painter’s pitching style/delivery that gives him more injury risk than the two pitchers ahead of him? Based on the capsule, it sounded like the risk of injury was the only thing keeping him out of the Top 6, but to me, it seems like the two pitchers ahead of him, who are the same age and one of whom has actually had injury issues already, would share that same risk.
Keith Law: I think you’re misinterpreting what I wrote.

Aaron C.: Have you ever shared or written your origin story on how got so into board games?
Keith Law: No, that’s a good idea, although I worry the story’s not that interesting in the end. Maybe the next newsletter.

addoeh: Anything you can share about Pedro Pineda from the A’s?  Pos and Schur want to know.
Keith Law: I think he’s an NP.
Keith Law: non-prospect, that is.

Brian: What are your thoughts on Spencer Strider?  The industry is enamored with the elite strikeout rate and seems to put him in the class with the other elite SP. I see a big innings jump, max effort delivery and over reliance on two pitches and worry for his ability to repeat 2022.
Keith Law: I don’t think he’s max effort, and the innings jump doesn’t concern me in and of itself. The fastball is elite, and I think he’s one of the few exceptions in that he can be a two-pitch starter.

Patrick Gordon: Hi Keith – I was reading about Drew Rom – He seems like a pretty high end prospect – what do you think of him?
Keith Law: He’s a low-end prospect, but on Baltimore’s top 20.
Keith Law: Full writeup on Tuesday in the Orioles’ org report.

Alex in Austin: Heliot Ramos has been really disappointing.  Are there weaknesses that can be addressed through coaching or is he close to a write-off?
Keith Law: Not close to a write-off at all – way too quick for that given his age and tools – but the year was somewhat inexplicable.

Nick P: I know the Mets are still middle of the pack, but it’s hard to not love what the organization is doing.
Keith Law: It’s the right strategy, no? You’re trying to win now. You keep a few high-ceiling prospects, or players who can help the big league very soon, and everyone else is available. Hell, everyone is available if the right player becomes available. If the Angels suddenly said they’d take offers on Trout, you offer anyone.

Jeff: What do you make of Kumar Rocker at this point?
Keith Law: Big injury/reliever risk. Shows starter stuff and size.

Mike: Hey Keith – i’m very concerned about Elijah Green. If guys like Kelenic/Adell/Brinson all flame out once they get to the bigs (and they have better hit tools to begin with – granted maybe they still bounceback) what chance does elijah green have?
Keith Law: Kelenic is a little different from the others – he hit all the way up to AAA, and he was never as raw a hitter as Adell/Brinson. Adell is the big cautionary tale here. The Angels pushed him way too quickly and it may have effectively ended his career.

Mike: Who makes the bigs first – Tanner Bibbee or Gavin Williams?
Keith Law: There’s no answer. It could just as easily be either.

Patrick Gordon: Keith – Coffee  or Tea?
Keith Law: Yes. I drink both, every day.

Romorr: Did you get a chance to see Beavers in A/A+? Curious if the Orioles changed anything with him or not from his college days.
Keith Law: Yes. They had not, yet, although I expect them to do so.

Patrick Gordon: Will Matt Gorski be an all star?
Keith Law: No, probably not, but he has that upside if you look really hard. It’s maybe 1 or 2% probability.

Kevin from DC: Do you think board games can be educational and fun at the same time?
Keith Law: Yes. I think most good ones teach something under the surface, even if it’s just a matter of thinking analytically, but lots teach probability, and some teach real subject matter (Genotype, Cellulose).

Rod: If Strider and Harris were somehow still in the minors where would you rank ATL’s system?  My guess is they’d be around 18-20 given the lack of position player talent.
Keith Law: To give a fair answer, I’d have to add back every team’s prospects that just graduated.

Jason: How much of a draft prospect is Duce Robinson, the outfielder from Arizona who is also a major football recruit?
Keith Law: Right now, I think his future is in football. Could change this spring when his season starts but it sounds like he’s way more talented there.

Guest: Do you think Florial has any real chance to stick as even the 4th OF (out of options) bc of his secondary skills or is the inability to hit breaking stuff fatal?
Keith Law: I could see them trying to carry him. The tools are outstanding, but I just don’t see him hitting enough to get any real playing time.

comish4lif: Any thoughts on Oriole’s President John Angelos getting snarky with fellow Athletic writer Dan Connolly and offering the open the Orioles books and then ghosting him? And probably anyone else who’s asked.
Keith Law: Terrible look for Angelos. He made an innocuous question into a controversy he never had to have. Now it won’t die.

Pat: What prospect was your all time biggest “miss”?
Keith Law: On the negative side, Paul Goldschmidt. I leaned too much on the opinions of others there. Or Chris Sale, but I actually think my process there was solid and he was more of a unicorn, whereas Goldschmidt was a clearer miss. On the positive side, I’ll go to my grave wondering how Justin Smoak failed to hit.

Freddie: Who do you think has the better career, cam Collier or Tamarr Johnson?
Keith Law: So I love both of them but they’re so different. Termarr is more likely and Collier has more ceiling.

Steve: So- any takeaways from the White Sox and Project Birmingham? Any chance this becomes a league-wide trend where teams elevate more prospects than typical in September for some sink/swim evaluation?
Keith Law: I love the idea, but we have to ignore the AA stats for most of those guys. Not every team could do it though – the White Sox had the right number and alignment of players to pull it off.

Philip Lee: True or False: Albert Pujols was much more effective in 2022 than he’d been on voer a decade – but if his teams had platooned him and used him judiciously, the way the Cards did in ’22, he would’ve been at least as effective as he was last year.
Keith Law: False.

Twinkiefan: is Emmanuel Rodriguez someone to get excited about in Minnesota? I’ve read high praise, but haven’t seen him in person. Thanks!
Keith Law: He’s on the top 100 with a full writeup. I would be excited, if I were capable of feeling emotions.

Chris: I am going to AZ ST for the first time after quite a few FL ones.  How excited should I be for the close proximity of parks?
Keith Law: You will never go back to Florida. I mean, nobody should go to Florida unless they have to, but Arizona spring training will convert you.

Dr: Why do you wear a mask when you walk into a restaurant but take it off as soon as you sit down? Does actively eating make you immune to COVID?
Keith Law: I don’t do this unless I’m going to be waiting a long while before sitting. It seems performative.

Alex: Is there a “next” country to arrive on the radar to produce professional baseball players, like Curacao and to a lesser extent Brazil did in the past decade or two?
Keith Law: It’s the Bahamas right now. After that, I’m not sure. I have hoped one of the European countries would break through – the Netherlands, or maybe Czechia – although the sport is growing in some far-flung places, like Uganda.

Matt: Would you have any issues with Andrew Painter breaking camp with the Phillies, as crazy as that may have sounded 1 yr ago? If so, wouldn’t they be pretty strict with his innings?
Keith Law: I’m not a big fan of that idea.

Russ: Po Boy – Catfish, Oyster, or Shrimp…………and where.
Keith Law: Shrimp for me. They’re just better in New Orleans, almost anywhere I’ve had them. We do have a good spot here at the Trolley Square Oyster House if you live in Delaware.

Mike: Bucs take crews at 1; nats take dollander at 2 sound right as of today?
Keith Law: I’d bet on no. Langford’s in there. Nats could take Clark for the ceiling. It’s a very strong, loaded top of the draft. I wouldn’t bet on any single outcome.

Wojak: Is there a reason you mostly answer softball questions like “where do you like to eat” and “are the tigers bad”?
Keith Law: Try reading some of the longer answers, if you can.

Todd Boss: Do you like the odds of the Nats outfield being Green, Hassell, and Wood by 2025?  Maybe throw in some Vaquero and De La Rosa into the mix?
Keith Law: That’s the best case scenario.

Isaac: The Guardians system is insanely deep, but do you see any if their bats as actual stars? They all seem pretty similar, without any of them wowing.
Keith Law: Valera has the most upside, and Rocchio might be a star, too.

Todd Boss: Foodie question: did you watch Chef’s Table: Pizza on Netflix?  First episode on Arizona’s pizza aficionado Chris Bianco?  Have you tried his “other” restaurant in addition to the flagship (which I know you’ve written up before)
Keith Law: I haven’t watched it yet, and yes, I’ve tried Tratto twice – it’s excellent.

Isaac: Any insight into Jaison Chourio? Looking at the stat sheet, numbers look promising. Or is that just due to the name that we all think he could be a breakout player in that system?
Keith Law: It’s almost all projection at this point, but he’s interesting.

Wojak: You didn’t answer Mike’s question; what would you do to solve payroll disparity? Have a salary floor? Require 100% of rev sharing go to roster? etc
Keith Law: I thought that was fairly obvious – you have to prevent owners from pocketing revenue sharing, and require them to spend it on players, whether the MLB roster or amateurs.

Guest: If you were the Yankees would you look to start Peraza at SS and move Volpe to 2nd long term? Or would you be looking to move Peraza in a deal for pitching or a LF?
Keith Law: I’m not moving Volpe off short unless I have to.

Wild bill pecos: Hudson Haskin- is he a GUY if his power takes another step forward this year?
Keith Law: No.

Chris: Dalton Rushing was a big riser from your draft rankings. Safe to say his pro debut was way better than expected?
Keith Law: Yes and pro scouts were blown away by the feel to hit.

Justin: youve probably answered this 48 times but what was your favorite restaurant in your time in Pittsburgh
Keith Law: It’s long closed, sadly.

Mark: During the regular season do you make it to more major league parks or minor league parks? Which are your favorite cities in both?
Keith Law: Only minor league parks unless there’s a debut I want/need to see. I haven’t been to a major league game since before the pandemic, because it’s just so much more productive for me to see multiple players at a time in the minors.

Patrick Gordon: Keith. I will buy you dinner if you ever visit Madison Wisconsin!
Catcher if you can: Why did you rank Cartaya over Alvarez? They’re the same age, but Cartaya hasn’t passed A ball and Alvarez has already seen major league action, not to mention the success in the minors.
Keith Law: Thank you, but with no minor-league or college team there, it’s not likely.
Keith Law: Cartaya’s a better defender with at least as much upside with the bat.

GaryT: Which minor leaguer has the highest upside if everything possible goes right?Im assuming its a tooled up player with a possible hit tool concern. Maybe Elijah Green, James Wood? De la cruz?
Keith Law: Elly. But he has more failure risk than anyone else in the top ten.

Will: Hey Keith, love your work. I noticed Ezequiel Tovar fell from #25 on your midseason ranking to #69 on the top 100. What was the reason for such a big drop?
Keith Law: That’s the wrong way to look at these lists – they’re not sequential. I don’t look at my own midseason list before creating this one.

Marc: Thanks for the recommendations on games!  I asked about some follow up Q’s about Ticket to Ride sequels, but chose to go with your #2 choice overall (Carcassonne), and my son (age 7) begs to play every weekend morning.  Thanks for your lists!
Keith Law: Wonderful! I love hearing a recommendation worked out. Having analog games to play with kids, family members, friends feels so valuable in a digital age.

Mike: What’s your favorite board game to play online? I use catan universe a lot, but it’s been buggy lately
Keith Law: I play a lot on BGA and my favorite varies. Great Western Trail is a good one.

Jason: What are your thoughts on Luis Campusano? Will he be a legaue-average hitter?
Keith Law: I’m still in. He’s no longer eligible for prospect lists though.

Bob: Do you watch pork with your kids? You seem like someone who would.
Keith Law: We prefer eating pork to watching it. Mostly it just sits there.

Kip: Did you work with Alex Anthopoulos in Toronto?
Keith Law: Yes, for two years. Amazing mind and a great person.

addoeh: Any possibility of a new pizza ranking?
Keith Law: Yes, that’s on my long list of projects for the dish this year.

Groot: Sex is binary, right?
Keith Law: Never has been, never will. Don’t you science deniers ever get tired of repeating yourselves?

James: Will you be seeing Grand Canyon Jacob Wilson at all? Maybe when out here for spring training?
Keith Law: Saw him last spring and hope to see him again. I thought he could be a back-end first rounder, definitely top two rounds, based on last year.

Scott: Curious what other movie reviews are on tap — what you’ve seen but not yet written up and what you’re eager to see but haven’t. #StickToBaseball
Keith Law: I think I have five I could write up, including Triangle of Sadness and Causeway.

Ryan: Hi Keith, it’s hard not to get excited about Arizona’s young core – but is it enough to truly compete with LA and SD without Kendrick opening the pocketbook to spend a bit more than he’s ever really shown he’s willing to?
Keith Law: They’ll have to spend at some point to supplement the core.

Rocco: Any reason why people seem to be more outspoken and outraged over Bauer alleged crimes vs worse crimes of other athletes?
Keith Law: Is that true? I guess it could be because he was also more outspoken about proclaiming his innocence and suing his accusers (and the Athletic). Or maybe he’s just higher profile than others?

Bo: What’s your favorite pizza topping?
Keith Law: Mushrooms.

James: Are you still learning/practicing guitar or did you kind of give it up? Are you still learning/practicing Welch language?
Keith Law: I’ve played guitar since I was 8, and play most days if I can grab a few minutes. I finished the Welsh Duolingo course, so I am sort of ‘done’ learning it for now.

Chris P: Matt McLain fell off pretty badly after not really succeeding in AA, but do you still see him having a major league career if he moved to 2B?
Keith Law: A career, maybe, but he’s not the prospect I thought he was before the ’21 draft.

Scott: I know people often accuse you of being biased about certain teams — an accusation you always push back at. But do you think you could be biased by certain people who talk to you about certain scouts or industry insiders who you especially like and are interesting but don’t always provide good information?
Keith Law: I’m aware of the potential for sources to be biased and recalibrate accordingly. I also talk to a very wide range of people every year for the top 100 etc.

Chris P: Can Jordan Balazovic turn it around to become a starter long term?
Keith Law: Yes. I don’t think he was healthy at all last year.

You Probably Love Your Mother-In-Law: Favorite I Think You Should Leave sketches? Focus group, bones are their money, and safari hat trial come to mind.
Keith Law: Karl Havoc, the Diner friend, Dan Flashes, Brooks Brothers, Parking lot.

James: Will you be watching the super bowl this year since Eagles in it? Making a menu for it?
Keith Law: Yes but my wife is cooking her green chili (for the Eagles, of course).

JDFSBD: What is your all time favorite 2 player boardgame?
Keith Law: Jaipur.

James: do you think Delaware is where you will be long term? Thought of moving to a new city?
Keith Law: I will be here for the long term.

Chris P: I love how fans get so mad at you if you don’t have a certain guy ranked #1 overall, or if you left a guy out of the top 100. Like these rankings are not super fluid and the players you did rank ahead are pretty much the same after a certain point.
Keith Law: Also, these rankings don’t do anything. They don’t affect games. They don’t make players better or worse. They’re information and opinion.

Chris: How close did the new international signings come to your top 100 list? Specifically celestine? How do you personally go about ranking/rating players that young?
Keith Law: I don’t consider any of the guys who just signed on these rankings. There’s way too little information on them. Most of those kids haven’t been scouted for over a year, some for more like two to three years.

James: I remember you went to Jarod Parker’s debut at chase field in AZ… wish he stayed healthy
Keith Law: I did, and yes.

Mike: You ranked a lot of catchers in your top prospects list. Are we in the midst of a catching Renaissance? If so, what do you attribute that to?
Keith Law: They’re also just more valuable if they stay back there and hit. Catchers, shortstops, centerfielders.

Evan: I’m sorry but wtf kind of question is “do you watch pork with your kids?”!?
Keith Law: It’s a typo from someone trying to be an asshole but failing miserably.

James: thoughts on MLB reinstating that scout who was banned permanently?
Keith Law: If you mean the former Atlanta GM John Coppolella, I thought the lifetime ban was absurd. We shouldn’t be punishing those infractions more severely than domestic abuse or sexual assault.

Jed: DL Hall is getting more and more high end reliever predictions. Do you have hopes of him bringing a middle or even possibly frontline rotation piece?
Keith Law: He wouldn’t be in my top 100 if he had no chance to start. Too good an athlete to give up on him starting.

Adam D.: Any opinions as to why the Giants seem to be consistently missing on their first round picks? They keep finding decent value in later rounds, which is nice for depth, but the lack of top tier talent from the one round where you really need to find it is more than a little concerning.
Keith Law: Their particular approach the last few years, before 2022, does seem like it offered more risk than reward – Bishop, Bailey, Bednar, Bart. Maybe they shouldn’t draft players whose surnames start with B?

Justin: Do you see MLB taking any kind of stand against Florida based on the actions and policies of Ron DeFascist?
Keith Law: No.

Appa Yip Yip: Speaking of mushrooms and sex not being binary wait until these people learn about how fucked up mushrooms are
Keith Law: Yep. Or what it means to be intersex.

Scott: Have all Delaware residents met Joe Biden at some point?
Keith Law: I haven’t but it’s amazing how many people have.

Jesse B: is Josh Lowe a starter for his defense but always strikeouts too much and hits for low avg with some power and speed? Platoon player?
Keith Law: Might be a platoon player after all, which would be a big disappointment.

Scott: So you’ll answer oddball questions about gender and mushrooms, but not about the New York Times buying The Athletic …?
Keith Law: I get hundreds of questions in these. I answer a small fraction of them. Have a beer and relax.

Aaron: As an ATL fan I was bummed to lose Dana Brown but very happy for him getting this opportunity. His background, going back to Montreal, reads like the perfect background for a GM role yet this is his 2nd or 3rd attempt at a top job. No question but when people say minorities have to be sterling and near perfect to get the same opportunities an Ivy Leaguer….this is what they mean.
Keith Law: Agreed. I’m also very happy for Dana, and impressed that Jim Crane ended up with a GM and manager from diverse backgrounds.
Keith Law: That’s all for this week – back to writing up team reports. Thank you for your questions and for reading all the content this week. More content to come!