Keith Law: Try to click with whatcha got. Klawchat.

Devon: As a Braves fan, I was thinking recently about the weirdest trade I can remember and it always comes back to the Alex Wood for Hector Olivera fiasco. That trade was weird at the time and it’s aged poorly. Did it make any sense to you? What’s a trade you can think of that you read and said “Huh?”
Keith Law: That’s one of the weirdest, worst ones I can think of – Atlanta’s international guys loved Olivera as a free agent, and somehow that became the justification to trade for the guy even after he’d played a little in pro ball and people realized he wasn’t very good. And then they overestimated the odds of Wood getting hurt (which he did, but only after providing a lot of value). Of course, Coppolella was on the good end of the most lopsided deal I can remember in recent years – the Shelby Miller heist.

Gamecocks: You have mentioned in the past that you think Clarke Schmidt is a reliever. Have you heard or seen anything recently that changes your mind?
Keith Law: On the contrary, he made all of two appearances this year before getting hurt again. And it’s a high-risk delivery. I think he’s more likely to be a reliever than I did two years ago, not less.

Nate: Now that each player has a full season at the MLB level, how do you project Albies, Swanson, and Camargo? All average to slightly above? Major concerns?
Keith Law: Albies has the upside of a star, but he got so homer-happy after the hot start that he nuked his own value. He has to become more disciplined first, and then some power will arise as a natural result. Swanson average regular. Camargo somewhere around there too, maybe a shade below. He’s another guy who’s shown unexpected power thanks to the MLB ball, after showing none in the minors.

Dr. Bob: Though the Yanks won 100 games, did Aaron Boone’s lack of experience show in his bullpen usage this series? Or is that unfair?
Keith Law: I think it’s quite fair – and yes, he won 100 games, but he inherited a team that won 91, and the AL was more stratified this year so I don’t think his team faced as difficult a schedule.

Stats Novice: I saw on Twitter you mentioned Bogaerts being 2-25 against Severino is just randomness, and too small of a sample to be considered meaningful data. At what point, if ever, does data like that become meaningful? Is it still possible for a hitter to perform better/worse against a certain pitcher if the sample size is long enough?
Keith Law: By the time such a sample was meaningful, so much time would have elapsed that the players would have changed to the point that the early data have lost their utility.

Nate: Which of these 5 is in the Braves rotation at the end of next season (barring injury of course): Folty, Tehran, Gausman, Newk, Touki, Wright, Gohara, Fried, Wilson, other?
Keith Law: Folty, Gausman, Touki are the three I feel most confident in. Wilson could be back by year-end but I feel like they won’t rush him next spring. I still very much believe in Fried as a starter too.

de la: Hi, thanks as always. Which young starters would be best to build around: Borucki, BKeller, Peralta, DRodriguez or Suarez?
Keith Law: I don’t have any of those guys as long-term average starters. I’m sure one will be, because baseball, but as a portfolio of guys they’re all kind of in that back-end starter bucket. Borucki intrigues me the most.

Everyone: Obligatory Victor Mesa question: Is he (and his brother) worth the hype?
Keith Law: I have heard that they are less than the hype – great workout guys, maybe not such great players. I didn’t see their workout in Miami as it was closed to anyone but team personnel.

Ozzie Ozzie Albies Free: Reading post season updates to the Phillies farm and I don’t like what I see. Obviously they haven’t hit on any of their first round picks, could you explain why you think this is? Bad luck? Bad scouting? Bad philosophy? Thanks!
Keith Law: Their philosophy on first-round picks isn’t working out. They’ve done better with some later picks, and international continues to provide depth and length to the system. But they need a change of strategy for the first pick after three straight that appear not to have worked (not counting Bohm).

TF Fredrik: What is your best guess as to where pitching will go in ten years? I would assume that front offices have been running the numbers on every conceivable iteration of filling 9 innings that we could think of. With Rays leading the charge, has the dam broken? What would be best combination of filling innings, keeping pitchers happy, avoiding injuries, & getting highest level of performance?
Keith Law: I think using of pitchers for multiple innings with one to three days off between outings will become increasingly common as a way to balance effectiveness and health.

Bill: Phillies fans should probably be concerned about Sixto’s abrupt removal from the AFL roster right?
Keith Law: Guy hasn’t stayed healthy and apparently his conditioning isn’t so great right now. It’s a concern, yes. I haven’t heard that this is serious, though.

Tom: I was happy to see that the Mets were interviewing Chaim Bloom and considering Mike Chernoff. Guys from front offices that win while not spending money would seem to fit the Wilpon’s vision. Do you think either would be a good choice?
Keith Law: I do. Granted, I’m not sure Mets fans should resign themselves to life as a small-market team…

Eric: The Twins hiring David Ross would be __________.
Keith Law: Repeating a mistake.

PhillyJake: Did you register to vote?
Keith Law: Yes. I’ll be voting pro-science right down the line.

Adam: Does a Byron Buxton for Manuel Margot challenge trade make sense for the Twins and Padres, or does one team have to give up more than the other?
Keith Law: Bad deal for the Twins.

Ryan: braves sign harper?
Keith Law: Extremely unlikely.

Adam: Considering the sheer volume of players the Padres signed from the 2016 J2 class, how would you rate the results/progress from that group so far?
Keith Law: Excellent. Seems like every two months we hear about another guy popping from that class.

mike: what was the point of toronto sending Vlad Jr to Arizona?? He’s killing it as expected
Keith Law: Gotta work (snicker) on his (chortle) defense (GUFFAW).

Ben: Did I catch an Oasis quote in the opening line? What brought out such an old lyric (from my favorite band)?
Keith Law: I’ve been playing that song pretty much every day on the guitar.

Tim: Bone Spurs removed for Nick Senzel. Any reason to fret on this kind of surgery/injury for a position player? Thanks.
Keith Law: No, unless they find the spurs damaged the UCL (I don’t think they did).

Adam: If Manny Machado is the ceiling of Fernando Tatis Jr, is Trevor Story the realistic outcome?
Keith Law: I’d be floored if Tatis struck out with that frequency.

Nick: Who are some names I should I be excited to hear for the Mets GM search? Who are some names I should roll my eyes at that they’ll likely end up with?
Keith Law: The Mets need to hire someone who is comfortable with analytics. That can be someone of just about any age. It would not be, say, Ned Colletti. (Rinse and repeat for Baltimore.)

Jeff: Keith, thanks for your insight and wisdom. Regarding the Dodgers, if money is not a factor, would you consider signing Machado and trying to shuffle Seager or Turner to make room in the infield? What other priorities would you have in the offseason regardless of the playoff outcome?
Keith Law: I’ll answer with a question: What is Seager capable of doing after TJ? Is his arm affected at all, so that shortstop is no longer feasible? That may determine the correct strategy more than anything about Machado per se

A big dumb idiot: How popular would this chat be if your dad was a plumber from Poughkeepsie?
Keith Law: Good question. My dad was actually an electrical engineer from the Bronx, which I don’t know if it’s better or worse.

Adam: Are HS corner only bats undervalued in the draft?
Keith Law: Not in my opinion. Their floor is essentially zero and their failure rate is pretty high. I would not include HS 3B in that group, though – third base is a skill position, much more than the other three corner spots, and a HS player who can play third should be grouped with second basemen.

Hernando: In three years what do you envision from the following: Jarred Kelenic, Amed Rosario, Andres Giminez, David Peterson?
Keith Law: Star, above-average regular to star, regular, mid-rotation starter. I hate the Mets, by the way.

Guest: If you were Brian Cashman, would you: a) sign Manny Machado and move Andujar to the outfield or b) sign Bryce Harper and live with Andujar’s bad defence at 3rd?
Keith Law: If they want to sign Machado, Andujar isn’t a factor. That’s a four- to six-win upgrade at third. You sign Manny and figure the rest out later.

Asking4aFriend: Which prospects are you excited to see in the AFL?
Keith Law: All of them is a little facile .. but it’s my favorite trip of the year. Nate Pearson is one. Luis Robert is another. Lucius Fox. Hudson Potts. Forrest Whitley, of course. Taylor Trammell. Nico Hoerner, Jahmai Jones as a 2b. Jazz Chisholm. Juan Pablo Martinez. And there’s this big guy from the Jays who can rake…

Mike: Is there any reason to believe Gary Sanchez will ever become a league-average defensive catcher? It seems that his defensive struggles are getting worse: I’ve never seen a major league catcher react so poorly in trying to receivable “catchable” pitches.
Keith Law: He’s looked bad, although I feel like he catches a lot of guys who throw really hard with a lot of spin on everything. We’ve seen a lot of catchers get better once in the majors, so I hate to rule it out, but I do feel a bit like he’s regressing from where he was as a rookie or even in double-A when he finally seemed to have taken the defensive side of his game seriously.

Dr. Bob: Is the key for deciding starter/reliever the number of pitches he can command? 1 or 2 pitches = reliever? 3 or more pitches = starter?
Keith Law: Very few ML starters have only 2 average or better pitches. If you don’t have a change or split, you’re going to have a real platoon issue. If you don’t have a breaking ball, you may have a lot of trouble with same-side hitters.

AES: Would you start Price, or move him into a fireman’s role? 10 starts is tiny, but there are other viable options. . .
Keith Law: I don’t think his postseason data tell us anything, but I do worry that he’s not fully healthy.

Ed: If you’re the Cubs, do you pick up Hamels’ option for next year?
Keith Law: Absolutely – or, before that, I offer him something like 2/$35 million instead.

All Mets Fans: Do you think the Wilpons are financially capable of giving out a contract to Machado or Harper?
Keith Law: Whether or not they’re capable, they ain’t willing.

JL: Hi Keith, thanks for the chats. Apologies if this is too personal or you’ve covered this before. But my wife and I have an 11 month old and due to how difficult the pregnancy was on her with some health issues, he will likely be our only child and we are ok with this. Is there any unique advice you can share about having only one child? We try to focus on all of the positives of it! Thanks!
Keith Law: All the stuff we learned or heard about raising an only child turned out to be not that useful. I don’t think we ever did anything different because she was our only one. It was easier for us that she never wanted a sibling, too.

Steve: What did you see as the biggest change in Michael King? What would his upside be given 2018 success?
Keith Law: Addressed a few weeks ago in this column. Stat line is very misleading.

Taylor: Alek Thomas seems like a potential plus hit, plus defense, average power center fielder. What do you think of his potential? Is he a future star? Thank you!
Keith Law: Potential future star, yes. Thought he had first-round ability in the draft but had the downside of playing in the cold against weak competition.

Dana: If the Yanks sign Machado, do you think Andujar has the ability to become an OK first baseman?
Keith Law: Probably, if they’re willing to move on from Bird at that spot. But see above – the presence of Andujar shouldn’t affect their choice on Machado.

Taylor: Lots of rumors in the second half of Severino tipping his pitches…again now after his most recent start. As a scout, how difficult is it to notice when someone is tipping their pitches and do you think this actually happens often or is just a convenient excuse?
Keith Law: Occasionally true, usually an excuse. Here I think it’s an excuse. His command has been noticeably off in the second half.

addoeh: I was reading this book called Smart Baseball (the author’s name eludes me right now) and there were sections about high-spin fastballs and average spin rate fastballs. But what about the effect of below average spin rate fastballs? Is the effect of spin rate linear based on the spin rate or is it more of a curve?
Keith Law: More of a curve. Way worse to have average spin. Better to be near the extremes of the range.

Nate: Do you see Weigel ever factoring into the Braves plans, or did the lost time due to injury result in him being passed by too many other arms?
Keith Law: Oh I think he sees the majors next year. He apparently hit 99 in instructs last month. Just not sure how much he’ll be able to pitch in 2019, but he’s a future rotation piece too.

Jax: Conforto had a great ending to the season. You think he’s primed to have a career year in 2019?
Keith Law: Yes, strictly because I think he’s healthy, and he would have had that season this year had he been so.

Mike: When will America realize that the only tangible form of voter fraud going on is voter suppression, which is primarily perpetrated by Republicans against people of color?
Keith Law: I would say 30% or more of American voters are completely fine with voter suppression. By the way, if you live in Georgia and haven’t called the State House and your state rep and senator to scream about Brian Kemp abusing his power to try to suppress votes for his opponent, you should be doing so today.

Jennyfer: Isn’t there a psychological component to knowing that you’ve had great success against a certain pitcher or have failed miserably against them? That’s not to say you can’t have success, but sometimes I feel like you ignore the mental aspect of the game because it’s not quantifiable across a broad spectrum.
Keith Law: If it exists it has been either too small to measure or too hard to detect in the tiny samples with which we have to work. The result in either case is that it shouldn’t affect our decision-making.
Keith Law: Also, I tend to think that players who are that vulnerable wash out before they reach the majors. The pressure on these guys to reach the top of the pyramid is already tremendous.

Archie: If you were hired to run the Giants, would you consider pursuing Goldy?
Keith Law: No. I don’t think they have the prospects for it, and that roster needs to be turned over, not propped up like Weekend at Posey’s.

Bryce Harper: Should the Nationals sign me for $300M over 8 with an opt-out for me or sign Corbin and a 2B or C instead?
Keith Law: Probably better to do the latter, as much as I believe in Harper returning to stardom. I also think Robles is a stud, and they’d extract more value from their money by playing him and Soto every day, then spending the way you suggested.

Billy: What do you think of the Dbacks potential firesale? To me, I think it’s absolutely necessary. What say you?
Keith Law: Same.

Jim Nantz: Any thoughts on candidates for the next Rangers job? I remember you were high on Cora for a few years and that’s obviously worked out well. Who’s the next guy on your list?
Keith Law: I saw Jayce Tingler’s name come up in some local media coverage and I think he’d be excellent.

addoeh: If Vlad Gurrero Jr’s dad were an undertaker from Uusikaupunki, would he still be a top-10 prospect?
Keith Law: He’d be #1 on my best prospects in pesäpallo rankings.

Rick C: I think you sell Camargo short. Sure, the ball is probably helping him, but he’s also gotten bigger and stronger, and improved his approach at the plate.
Keith Law: Bigger and stronger I buy. I don’t think his approach is actually that good.

Cooper: The Dbacks may have four first round picks and 5 of the top 50 in this upcoming draft. Is this a solid enough draft that Dbacks fans should get really excited about this potential haul?
Keith Law: It’s not a good draft but five of the top 50 is still good enough to make some noise.

Chris: Thinking of heading down to the AFL in a week or two for the first time. What are a couple things to do nearby?
Keith Law: Other than eating? I didn’t do a ton of touristy stuff while living there but the Zoo and Botanical Gardens are both great, the Science Museum is solid, and there’s a lot of good hiking in the metro area.

Steven: Do you feel vindicated at all by Alex Cora’s success? I remember you being a bit annoyed that he hadn’t been given a chance to manage before this.
Keith Law: More relieved to see him get the chance, because I knew he’d do well and respect him tremendously, and because I think it may further open the door for people of color to get legitimate interviews and chances to manage.

Kevin: Give us a conspiracy theory you give the best chance of being true. Use as loose of a definition for conspiracy theory as you need.
Keith Law: MLB knew the ball was juiced.

Steve: Does Loaisiga have a shot to be full time rotation guy next season? Showed flashes in few appearances.
Keith Law: If healthy, which he has almost never been for a full season.

Brian: Have you watched Kyler Murray at all on a football field? Even if you aren’t a fan of the sport his athleticism on the field is jaw dropping. He runs like he has a turbo button.
Keith Law: I’ve seen highlights of him running. I also think he looks kind of small even among college players.

Steve: Blake Snell is the only pitcher in history with 20+ wins, an ERA -2.00 and ave 11+ Ks in a season. Not Johnson, Grove, Koufax etc How can he not win the Cy Young?
Keith Law: Strikeouts are at an all-time high in the game right now. That’s really a bad comparison.

Jack: I know you said last year that the Braves should trade Ender (rightfully, in my opinion) and caught a lot of slack for it. Should the Braves explore that option this summer and what kind of return could they expect?
Keith Law: Yes, I still think so, but the return might be half what it would have been last winter. With Acuna there and Pache’s glove already major-league ready, trading Inciarte still makes sense. He’s a starter for a lot of teams and underpaid, so you might get two decent prospects for him.

Mike: Keith, I like the “pro-science-down-the-line” voting philosophy. Do you know if there is a site that tracks candidates based on their views on science-related issues, or are there a few “litmus test” issues you use to evaluate candidates?
Keith Law: 314action.org is a good resource. Climate change and evolution (teaching it in schools, without fantasies alongside them) are my two main tests – you’ll usually find a quick split with those two alone.

Chris: Some people have floated the narrative that Scott Boras is pissed at the Cubs for manipulating Kris Bryant’s service time by not promoting him until May in 2015 and as a result he would not only dissuade Bryant from signing a long-term contract before he hits free agency, but steer him away from the Cubs once he does. How stupid is that claim? Money talks, no?
Keith Law: It’s more likely that Bryant is still pissed than Boras is. Boras might advise his client not to take a deal, but if the client says “take it,” then they will.

Jake: Any interest in the Giants job? You could love the a very progressive city and run a team with a massive payroll, but has been slapped in the face recently due to their reliance on overpaid, older players. Seems like it could be a solid fix-it-up project.
Keith Law: I’m not on any team’s longlist, but that is a very appealing job for a qualified candidate, for the reasons you said, a longstanding analytics presence, some very good longtime scouts, and an unbelievable local food and coffee scene within walking distance of the ballpark.

Dusty: Any thoughts you have on Wander Javier coming into the 2019 season? Can he shoot his way back into the top 100?
Keith Law: He wasn’t in my top 100 before so that’s a no.

James: If pitcher vs hitter data is not useful on a 1 to 1 basis (1 hitter vs 1 specific pitcher), do you think we’ll get to the point where a pitcher can be grouped into a bucket (power pitcher, command pitcher) and a hitter’s splits against that TYPE of pitcher will be useful? For example, hitter X struggles against hard thrower with a slider, but is better against a hard thrower with a curveball? Is there value to extract from that? Presumably teams are already doing it?
Keith Law: We already do that. That’s what platoon split data are.

Diego: Any thoughts on why LaCava and Cherington would decline to interview for Mets GM job?
Keith Law: Cherington declined, as did Levine. I don’t know if Lacava declined or wasn’t asked. I think the industry impression of that job is negative – that you’re being asked to win while your hands are tied by a low payroll and meddlesome ownership.

Joules: Why would Machado insist on SS suddenly? Top 2 3B in baseball, pretty rough at SS. Is this possibly coming from his agent?
Keith Law: Maybe, but also, I wonder if this is just to open up his market further.

PD: Do you know the typical thresholds for when the P Value becomes significant for batter versus pitcher match ups? It’s dependent upon the current results wouldn’t a .050 BA over 50 or 100 PA for example be enough to say that a certain batter does not bat as well against a pitcher has he would on average?
Keith Law: It’s never. The best answer is never. I’m amazed by how often people want to come up with some number where the data are meaningful. If a batter faced the same pitcher every day for a year, maybe we could talk.

Dr. Bob: When my boys played in Little League, I noticed boys who were better than the others not be better a couple of years later. Some develop earlier than others. That must make scouting high school players tough. Some may have already peaked.
Keith Law: It’s why I ignore any list that pretends to rank high school prospects for any draft beyond the current cycle. Remember how Drew Ward was supposed to be the best player in his class? He ended up a bad pick in the third round. He was 16 as a high school freshman and huge for his age. When the other players caught up physically it turned out that had been his only advantage.

jimmyb: I know you have nothing to do with the selection of ads on the Baseball Tonight podcast, but do you find it odd (or perhaps, concerning) that ESPN is running ads for Juul, given the issues associated with specifically targeting minors?
Keith Law: I don’t actually know what that is.

Fred: Do Execs ever ask you your opinions on prospects in other orgs?
Keith Law: Of course. Now, whether they take those opinions seriously is another question…

JR: You think we get a WS rematch? I think we do.
Keith Law: Yeah, that’s my prediction. Dodgers in 6, Astros in 6. I think I’d rather see Boston get there from the AL for a different mix of players (especially getting Mookie Betts on TV all those games), and of course Milwaukee making it for the second time in franchise history (first in 35 years) would be an amazing story, but I don’t think that happens.

Chris: On a Prospects Live podcast, you were singled out as someone who was down on Andres Gimenez hitting ability because you hadn’t seen him in a while. Has he improved or is he still not an impact bat?
Keith Law: Sounds like a mistake. I just saw him this summer.

andy: If the Rockies make an earnest attempt to extend Arenado and he says no and chooses to enter the year without an extension in place, what would you do were you in Bridich’s shoes? Would you trade him or ‘go for it’ with him on an expiring deal, knowing you might end up losing him for just a comp pick?
Keith Law: No, I’d trade him. You’re talking about a team that barely made the playoffs this year – the odds of them doing so again aren’t so high that I’d value retaining him knowing we might only get that draft pick.

Steve: I realize “fairness” isn’t exactly the best word, so I’ll try this instead. Do you think the MLB postseason offers the best possible outcomes? So many games played for a potential one and done or blip over a 5 game series seems, well, unfair, especially given that the performance is used as a sign of success. Do you think there’s a may to make the postseason more meritocratic?
Keith Law: I don’t, nor do I think that’s the point. We can argue over who’s the best team after the regular season. The postseason is just a tournament for a trophy. It’ll never determine who’s best – it determines who gets the trophy. I think most fans are good with this split, as am I.

Michael K : Hi Keith. I’m a huge fan of the Giants. I haven’t heard any real rumors of who they are talking to regarding their open GM/Head of Baseball ops. Have you?
Keith Law: Not many. One name I did hear was Jason McLeod of the Cubs, who’d be excellent and has the background from working there and in Boston, in scouting and player development for two orgs with strong analytics departments. I haven’t checked to see if there’s anything to it, but he’s the right prototype for the Giants, who have been and should commit to remaining a strong scouting organization.

Deke: Have you heard of CBD gummies? They’re apparently gaining in popularity as a knockoff anxiety helper. Any opinion?
Keith Law: Heard of, there’s a little evidence that they work (it’s extremely hard to research anything related to marijuana because we live in Gilead), but I haven’t tried them.

Matt: A bit of a random question here, but do older pitchers tend to decline gradually or fall off cliffs without warning? The impetus for the question is Justin Verlander, who’s pitching as well as he ever has, but is nearly 36. I can’t help but continually worry that the next start is going to be the one where the wheels come off. Is this rational?
Keith Law: It’s rational, but also a bit irrational in that you should appreciate what he is right now in the present. We all go into that great good night eventually.

Ron: Keith- The talk going around that the Twins are looking at Ross and DeRosa just has to be that, right? I mean come on. Some younger guy with some experience and an analytical approach and rapport with the young players is needed. I hope Falvey and Levine are thinking the latter and not the former. Geeesh!
Keith Law: Again, still don’t understand the fixation with guys who’ve never managed. You have at least 120 guys managing in full-season minor leagues every year. Not one of them is qualified to even interview ahead of two guys who talk real good but have never so much as run a coat check stand?

Chuck: What is the Orioles problem with developing pitchers?
Keith Law: They have a poor track record of keeping them healthy. Getting at the root cause of that would require knowledge and access I do not have, but if I were GM there it would be my first priority, because they have good arms on the way again.

Matthew: You mentioned that Garrett Hampson might not have enough power to be an MLB regular. Do you see Myles Straw in the same light?
Keith Law: I do.

andy: How close is Brendan Rodgers to being ready? Do you think he could take DJ Lemahieu’s job starting next year?
Keith Law: I do.

Skippy : Cardinals just announced bringing Wainwright back for 2019 and Mo’s statement seems to indicate it will be pretty heavy incentive laden. Seems like a solid move? When he came back and said he actually felt healthy his k/9 and BB/9 were great. Cardinals probably didn’t *need* to bring him back but a small risk type scenario?
Keith Law: Yeah, I’m good with that. Low money, I presume, good for the clubhouse, good for the fans, nice tip of the cap to a player who’s been with the org since his debut.

Harvey: Voter fraud goes both ways. The motor voter laws in CA led to thousands of illegals being registered to vote when they picked up their drivers licenses. Both parties try to cheat their way to victory.
Keith Law: That’s not true. Also, can you get the FOH with that bothsidesism? Right now, the Republican candidate for Governor in Georgia is personally obstructing over 50,000 new voter registrations to improve his odds of winning. That is the problem TODAY. Do not give me your fetid bullshit about something that might have happened a year ago somewhere else. We solve today’s problem today. You see another problem? Good. Put it on the fucking list.

David: Hi Keith, thanks for the chats! Is Muncy’s bat worth moving Bellinger (and his strong defense) off of first to play center? Max seems adequate over there, but just curious your thoughts on the trade-offs.
Keith Law: No. I’m betting the under on Muncy repeating this next year.

DraftNut: Would draft pick trading help prevent tanking or encourage it?
Keith Law: I think it’ll help prevent it.

Lyle: The biggest voter suppression of all is closed primaries. If the parties want to have closed primaries, they should pay for them themselves. Otherwise, taxpaying voters should be allowed to vote.
Keith Law: I agree with that.

Mikey: Any chance Jake Locker could come back and play or has it been too long?
Keith Law: He has expressed zero interest in returning to baseball.

Brett: What are your thoughts on Corbin Burnes’s future with the Brewers? Does he end up as a starter next year? Can he be a No. 2 guy in their rotation? Thanks, Keith!
Keith Law: Yes to both questions.

Jd: I saw on deadspin that nobody looked good (including the heckler) in the Osuna incident. It feels fair game to rip a guy for beating his wife but are their limits other than the obvious about using bad language at the ballpark?
Keith Law: I don’t see why that’s not fair game and agree on the language used (you can easily be surrounded by kids there).

Re: Trading Ender: I understand the reasoning, but it seems hard to make the case if they don’t have a valid replacement. Say they don’t resign Markakis or anyone in FA. Then in the summer Pache is ready. I would much rather have an OF of Acuña, Pache, Ender than Acuña, Pache, Preston Tucker/Duvall. It only makes sense to me if they for sure have a For sure everyday LF/RF
Keith Law: I feel good about Anthopoulos finding a short-term replacement for Markakis.

Boa T.: I take it you don’t respect those that believe in God when you refer to it as “fantasies”
Keith Law: I referred to creationism and intelligent design as fantasies, because they are. We know that evolution happened and continues to happen, because we see it, and we are surrounded by evidence supporting it. You can “take it” however you want, but you’re just being an idiot here.

Pei: What are your thoughts on the analyses that suggest framing is worth as much as 20 runs above/below average in a single season, and therefore much more valuable of a skill than blocking/throwing? (obviously still nebulous about game calling)
Keith Law: Seems entirely valid, although I dislike that this is seen as a skill, and not stealing strikes from incompetent or merely incapable umpires.

Brett: Melania Trump recently said that she is the “most bullied person in the world.” [cleans spit-out coffee of desk]. Thoughts on who would be number 2?
Keith Law: How many people referred to her predecessor as FLOTUS as a man, or a simian, or some other animal on a regular basis?

Grover: juul is an e-cigarette I belive
Keith Law: Thank you. I wouldn’t read an ad for that, at least.

Grover: Thoughts on the Dodgers front office legal troubles?
Keith Law: I don’t know anything more than you guys do from the SI report and now the Daily Beast report on them failing to report a sexual assault allegation to MLB, but … not great, Bob.

Grover: If a team owner asked to meet with you to discuss a front office position, and asked to meet at an Olive Garden, do you immediately remove your name from consideration?
Keith Law: That’s a huge red flag for me.

John: Do you think it would help with getting rid of mascots and offensive names if writers would stop using them and instead defer to the city? Seems like outta sight outta mind might help those that can’t grasp institutional racism…
Keith Law: Maybe. Then again, I haven’t referred to the team in Cleveland by name in over a decade, and it hasn’t made a bit of difference.

Brady: You’ve given credit to a few of the ‘no-experience’ managers noting they had a strong support system from the front office and analytics team. Do you think some of these front offices want a manager that they can control, ie) have a say in making lineups, who plays where, how to use the bullpen, etc.? I’m not saying that’s right, but is it easier to accomplish that with someone who’s not had control over all the on-field decision making before?
Keith Law: Why not both? Why not hire someone with the experience to make better battlefield decisions and who’s also happy to work with R&D before and between games?

Jackie: You want voter suppression? 3 million Puerto Ricans get zero senators, 35 million Californians get two senators, and 1.5 million Dakotans get four senators. That’s how you get Kavanaughed.
Keith Law: And 700,000 residents of Washington DC, almost half of them African-American, get zero voting representation in Congress. And I think we know why.

Pat D: My sister just gave birth to her fourth child, second son. He has an older brother who is not quite 2. When should I start getting them to play baseball?
Keith Law: You haven’t started yet?

DEF: Board game question for you: Our family loves to play games, but we’re having a hard time coming up with a game that the entire family can play: my 10 year-old is handling fairly complex games pretty easily, but my 7 year old is developmentally delayed – he’s tired of snakes and ladders and candyland and the like. Got any recommendations for something with a little bit of depth that is also pretty simple/straightforward?
Keith Law: More randomness tends to mean more skill levels can play. I don’t know where your 7-year-old might fall on the skill scale, but games I call low complexity or ‘gateway’ games might be perfect – Ticket to Ride is one that’s easy to learn, has some light strategy, but can still entertain adults and older kids.

Nelson: Do you drink flavored seltzer? And if so, are you worried about the report that came out on Lacroix and some of the ingredients it contains?
Keith Law: I don’t. I drink plain sparkling water. The report and lawsuit are basically just chemophobia in a nice suit, though.
Keith Law: That’s all for this week. I’m heading to Arizona next week and will be at games Monday through Friday, so I don’t know when the next chat will be, but I do expect to have at least two updates while I’m there for ESPN+ subscribers. Thank you all as always for reading and for all of your questions!

Keith Law: I’m at the wrong end of the looking glass. It’s Klawchat.

Patrick: Keith, anything specific you watch for when playoff time comes around?
Keith Law: Nope, I just watch the games for themselves.

Andy: Will the current trend of bullpening, especially in the playoffs, kill the lower to mid tier starting pitching market? Sure, he’ll be useful during the season, but if I’m not starting a Chase Anderson or Mike Fiers in the playoffs, is that worth 6 or 7 million a year?
Keith Law: Yeah, they’re still worth quite a bit more than that for the value they can provide over 160+ innings. If bullpenning affects that market it’ll be through arbitration, which is still substantially driven by the dumbest stats.

Dr. Bob: At the end of the Periscope chat yesterday, a chatter suggested Led Zeppelin’s “Over the Hills and Far Away.” Have you learned that one? As difficult as it sounds, it is remarkably simple. If you don’t know it, there are a couple of really good YouTube videos showing it.
Keith Law: I mentioned that song in my latest newsletter as my standard warmup – the opening to that is a great way to loosen up your fret hand & fingers before playing.

Moe Mentum: Who’s the odd man out in the Phillies infield next season if they land Machado?
Keith Law: I would think Franco.

Mike: “Openers” may be a clever was of describing this new approach, but it does little to enhance the fan experience. (It does, however, add another half-hour or so of air time for advertisers)
Keith Law: I would agree with that. What’s good for the team isn’t necessarily good for the product’s aesthetics.

Dan: Jomar Reyes had a good finish to 2018. Still a rising prospect for O’s?
Keith Law: No, that ship has probably sailed.

Nick: What is your opinion of Milwaukee going with a bullpen game in Game 1 of the NLDS? I know they’re trying to mitigate a weakness (starting pitching), but aren’t they running the risk of unnecessarily blowing out their bullpen? Why not throw a starter and just keep them on a short leash if they wind up in trouble?
Keith Law: Tend to agree with that, although their bullpen is so damn strong maybe it’s less of a concern?

Rob: Tony Santillan had a nice season for the Reds in the minor leagues this year. Do you believe that he is a top 100 prospect? Do you think that he could be more then a back of the rotation type of starter? Thank you for the chats.
Keith Law: Too much reliever risk to be a top 100 guy.

squeeze bunt: Is hitting suppressed in playoff baseball? Do teams put together more detailed plans to attack hitters with all their resources focused on one lineup?
Keith Law: Pitching tends to be better in October – you don’t see fifth starters or 8th relievers.

Trevor: Is there any precedence of the MLBPA winning a grievance that allowed a player from the Rule 4 Draft to become a FA like Stewart / Boras filed for?
Keith Law: Yes, Barrett Loux.

Gene: Keith, where do the Orioles go next? I was more a Showalter supported than a Duquette supporter, but now they are both gone and there doesn’t appear to be much left to rebuild around.
Keith Law: I’m very curious to see where they go; I thought Showalter had to go, but Duquette had to do that job with one hand tied behind his back, and there was a credible argument that he should stick around to get to fully execute his vision with a manager of his choice who wouldn’t work at cross purposes to his own. I can certainly think of a few names of GM candidates who’d be great fits.

squeeze bunt: Saw an interesting question on Twitter the other day, and thought you might have a good answer. Has there been a book that changed your opinion on something? I think it was implied that this was relating to political things, but answer however you please.
Keith Law: Tons. That’s one of the great pleasures of reading – it opens your mind.

Shaun: Is the AL group of playoff teams as good top to bottom as any recently? The Red Sox won 108 games and could arguably be an underdog in a series against any of the other 3 teams.
Keith Law: It does seem exceptionally strong, at the expense of any decent playoff races this year.

Darren: There have been big arguments among people I know regarding the 1 inning starters. I see the logical and understand why teams like Oakland and TB would attempt this strategy. Some are saying it’s a terrible ideas ruining baseball and point to last night as proof. My point is Oakland used the wrong guy. Hendriks isn’t even a very good reliever and was hot in the month of September when he’s not facing the lineup one would see in the playoffs. I would have seen Petit and Trivino getting trough 4 to 5 innings and then letting any one not named Rodney take over. Would love to hear some of your thoughts on the practice and Oaklands execution last night. Thanks for everything Keith.
Keith Law: I would agree with this – Hendriks was a weird choice, one I haven’t seen explained, but that doesn’t invalidate the strategy.

Ridley Kemp: Am I wrong for feeling like we’re on the verge of the total breakdown of our democratic system? I remember Watergate and this is so much more open and obviously corrupt that I feel like the checks and balances have utterly failed.
Keith Law: It certainly feels that way, with the party in power willing to overlook absolutely anything – sexual assault, perjury, propaganda, foreign interference, environmental destruction – to get what they want (tax cuts and banning abortion).

Fuzzy Dunlop: What’s your guilty pleasure food? Like restaurant or even just a processed food item that you genuinely enjoy but doesn’t fall in line with your generally awesome tastes.
Keith Law: I have no idea what you’re talking about. (munches on Oreos)

J5: Pick one that will be a an all star : Kelenic, Gorman or Liberatore?
Keith Law: Kelenic. BTW I forget to mention Vientos when reviewing the Mets’ farm system last week – another guy drafted by the current scouting department who looks very good so far.

Alex: Does Ryan Mountcastle have enough of an arm to stay at 3B? Does Grenier have enough of a bat to be a regular SS? Thanks
Keith Law: Probably not, probably yes, in that order.

Ian: Thoughts on the Let the Kids Play ad?
Keith Law: Much better than the previous campaign, Don’t Let the Kids Play.

Alex: Does Brady Anderson’s continued presence hinder the Os from getting a good GM candidate to consider taking the job?
Keith Law: One of the questions any candidate should ask in the interview is whether Anderson will report to the new GM or to ownership. The only acceptable answer is the former. The latter is a dealbreaker.

Daniel: Freddy Galvis is a divisive figure in San Diego. The pro crowd is calling for him to be resigned, while the anti crowd says save the 40 man spot on a farm hand that needs to be added and let Guerra play short for a few until Tatis is ready. What say you?
Keith Law: I’d let him walk. Nice player, not worth the 40-man spot for a team that is going to need all of those spots.

Kenny: Do you believe the Ramirez and Swetnick stories?
Keith Law: Yes. Women very rarely lie about sexual assaults. These women told those stories knowing they’d likely end up facing tremendous public criticism and likely death threats. Believing that they lied despite those consequences requires a deeply misogynistic worldview.

Ian: As a young male, I really don’t feel afraid that I am going to get falsely accused of sexually assaulting someone. Is this argument really more of a case where old men are afraid that something from their past is going to get brought up?
Keith Law: I think the “all men should fear this” is basically dog-whistling to men who hate women.

Aaron C.: One of the sillier “accomplishments” tweeted over and over again by fans and beat writers was the A’s 2018 payroll relative to the Yankees. Why is cheap ownership proudly trumpeted towards the heavens?
Keith Law: Because fans and the media continue to side with billionaire owners over players. Yes, it’s wonderful that the A’s front office did more with less. The fact that the team plays in the 8th largest media market in the country is somehow swept under the rug.

George: Thoughts on Pedro’s assertion that Severino was pitching hurt in the 2nd half?
Keith Law: Entirely possible.

james: Has your opinion changed at all on Joey Bart since the draft?
Keith Law: No, because there is no reason it should have.

mike sixel: Byron Buxton was pretty much dead last in wrc+ and any other hitting statistic you want. He can’t be that bad again….but how long do we have to wait?
Keith Law: Didn’t play much and wasn’t necessarily healthy when he did play.

Aaron C.: Big fan of your occasional cooking posts/photos. Curious about your greatest cooking failures, though. Seem to remember you once posting about an attempt to make something like a polenta waffle. Anything more disastrous than that?
Keith Law: I’ve had my share of mistakes. Pizza doughs that tore when I stretched them. Custards that curdled. I burned a simple kale/bacon dish a few years ago when working with a new-ish stove. The polenta on the waffle iron might have worked but I needed to grease the hell out of it first and didn’t.

Aaron C.: I know it’s not your favorite thing to write up, but can we still expect a “Top 50 free agents” piece from you after the World Series? Off-the-top-of-your-head guess at #3 on that list?
Keith Law: I will do a FA ranking, and if Kershaw opts out, it’s him, otherwise probably Corbin.

Zihuatanejo: What board games (if any) would you recommend for a couple where one is an experienced gamer who likes more complex games, while the other is a relative newbie who doesn’t like lots of rules?
Keith Law: Jaipur and Targi are great two-player games that hit the midpoint for a couple like yours.

Tony: If you were Theo, what moves would you make to improve the Cubs chances next year(outside of saying goodbye to Addison Russell)?
Keith Law: I’d definitely move on from Russell as soon as that’s possible. They have to figure out what their regular outfield is going to be, and balance defense (Almora, Heyward) against boosting an offense that wildly underperformed this year – and you can’t pin that all on Bryant getting hurt. The obvious answer is go sign Harper or Machado and figure the rest out, but there’s going to be competition for those two and the Cubs need a plan B. They also had a disastrous dip into free agency last winter (Chatwood, Morrow, Darvish), which may color their view of the process. The one thing I would definitely advocate if I were in the front office is finding a way to retain Hamels.

Jen: How much credit does Coppy deserve compared to AA for the Braves success this season
Keith Law: Anthopoulos has given Coppolella quite a bit of credit for the foundation he laid, and I think that’s very fair. The system was and still is loaded.

David: Hi Keith, Buehler’s been very impressive to date. As a Cards fan, does Flaherty have the same type of pure “stuff” and upside in your mind? If not, what makes Buehler stand out?
Keith Law: Buehler has way better shit. Flaherty has incredible command, and obviously has a better history of health.

Stan: And guesses as to the final round candidates for Mets GM? And if they were to go with a younger more progressive higher, who realistically could that be?
Keith Law: From what I could tell, they’ve barely contacted anybody. Why they’ve waited this long is anyone’s guess.

Sean: Do you think it’s safe to say managers sticking around for as long as Scioscia is going the way of the dodo bird?
Keith Law: Yes, and also, I can’t imagine anyone wanting to do that job for that long.

Guest: I wondered what your thoughts were about the Jays firing Gibbons. Seemed to me that players liked him and responded to him and that the change was arbitrary at best. Why the switcheroo?
Keith Law: I know he’s indicated this was his choice, and I have no knowledge to contradict that – but he also wasn’t Shapiro/Atkins’ hire, and that rarely ends well.

Guest: What should the Braves do with their RF & 3B for next year? Sigh a FA or use a combination of Camargo (who was a 3 WAR player this year in less than a full season) and Riley?
Keith Law: Camargo probably starts the year at 3b, with Riley in AAA, since he missed a lot of time there due to injury. Short-term RF option would make sense, but they have outfielders coming in the system. I don’t like the idea of moving Camargo or Riley to RF and wasting their defensive value.

Taylor: If you were running the Yankees this offseason, what do you do with Andujar, Voit, and Bird? All seem like 1B/DH guys.
Keith Law: Andujar is the one you keep of the three for sure; I also don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that he’ll move off 3b, as bad as he was this year. Voit and Bird are pure DHs for me.

Fun Police: Do you have any baseball-related memories as a child where you actually enjoyed the game, or were you always a stat-obsessed nerd that takes no enjoyment from what he does?
Keith Law: Sorry, I rolled my eyes back so hard at this that I detached a retina.

Xam: Kike Hernandez had an interesting second half, and really turned it up in August/September — more walks than strikeouts, ISO over .200, OPS, wRC+ around 165. Given his defensive versatility and the fact that he overcame his problem with righties this year as well, are we looking at a budding star?
Keith Law: Really solid player, and everyone seems to love him in the clubhouse, but I am not drawing that kind of conclusion off a two-month sample.

andy: Looks like Gray won’t start Game 1 for the Rockies. He might not start at all. Something’s clearly not working there. Do you think he needs a change of scenery? Do you see anything specifically wrong with him?
Keith Law: Pitching in Coors is hard, man. You can be totally fine and still struggle there because your fastball doesn’t move quite as much, or contact is just a little harder than it would be elsewhere. All the more credit to Kyle Freeland for the year he had. If the Rockies want to shop Gray, they shouldn’t sell him for less than 90 cents on that dollar, because there’s a good chance he becomes an above-average starter somewhere else, and there’s still some chance he does it in Denver.

Josh: Chances Cedric Mullins sticks as an average to above average everyday player?
Keith Law: I think average is his ceiling.

Bob: Other than Settlers, what non-traditional (so excluding Monopoly, Risk) board games are good to introduce new people to gaming?
Keith Law: Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, Dominion but that is better if you have one player who knows it to help introduce the concept. Azul is a little heavier, but it was my #1 game of 2017 and is such a visually appealing game I think it’s a good gateway title anyway.

Xam: Are you buying Max Fried as a starter in 2019 and beyond? The combo of groundballs and strikeouts is pretty sexy.
Keith Law: I am. Always believed in his stuff and athleticism. Not sure Atlanta has a rotation spot for him.

Josh: Any thoughts on Isaac Paredes? He looked to have great seasons at A and AA at a young age
Keith Law: Can really hit. Not sure there’s long-term upside but the bat is real.

Ryan: Klaw, what do you think is more sought after GM job, Mets or O’s?
Keith Law: Mets’ job will be unless the Angeloses are clear about letting the new GM have the appropriate amount of autonomy.

Dr. Bob: One of my favorite Dodgers teams was 1977. Four players (Garvey, Smith, Cey, and Baker) each hit at least 30 HRs, which set a record. How quaint. The entire team hit 191 which was the team record at the time. This year’s team hit a team-record 235. It’s a different game.
Keith Law: Extremely. And that’s both positive and negative.

Evan: How should I feel about Leody Tavares? The game results don’t match the tools and the great reports re his batting practice showings. Is it time to scale back my expectations, or can he be a first division starter?
Keith Law: Still young and physically underdeveloped. I believe he’s a first division starter with upside.

Matt: If a relief pitcher gives up one or more runs but holds a lead, his WPA for the game can be negative. But if a 9th inning pitcher gives up one or more runs without blowing the game, his WPA is automatically positive. Do closers have inflated WPA?
Keith Law: I don’t really care for WPA, since it’s entirely situation-dependent. But to be honest I’m not sure I follow your second statement there about the ninth inning guy.

Norman Golan: whatever happened to Delvin Perez? The Cardinals got him after he tested positive for PEDs, and I recall the reaction was (1) bad on the Cardinals for rewarding PED use and (2) hewas a great talent for the cards to get so late in the 1st round. But since then its been crickets
Keith Law: He’s been kind of terrible in pro ball.

Cameron C: Vladdy Jr or Wander Franco, who are you most excited to see grow into Major League guy and who could be the better player. Wander put up better stats than Vlad did at the same age in the Appy league.
Keith Law: Vlad’s a lot closer, but I don’t think it’s absurd to think Wander might end up better.

Mike: Are you astonished that so many Republicans (and especially evangelicals) say Kavanaugh should be confirmed even if it’s determined that he did commit sexual assault? I mean, where is our basic human decency?
Keith Law: I’m not astonished any more. I’m disgusted, sure, but not astonished.

Mike D: Has there ever been a study on how much “experience” helps, or “youth” hurts a team in the playoffs? You always hear announcers talk about it, but not sure if its fact or just more “chemistry and “it factor” talk?
Keith Law: It’s bullshit. I feel like there was a study years ago about the ages of playoff rosters but I have no memory of who did it. You can also see how young most of the recent WS winning rosters were.

Zac: Tigers are expected to move forward with Grayson Greiner. What is his ceiling? below average starter?
Keith Law: Backup.

Anthony: You’ve been critical of hiring MLB managers with no prior experience. I’m curious what the process looks like for evaluating a minor-league manager. No one cares about wins and losses and player development is probably a reflection of the org as a whole, so how would you evaluate their success? Just interviewing players?
Keith Law: Your player development director & other staffers spend the year visiting affiliates, and reviewing game reports. They’ll talk to the managers, coaches, and players in the system. They should know which managers were able to execute the FO’s plans for each player, and understand organizational philosophies, and which managers did well working with players of differing backgrounds.

Mike: In a few chats, you have mentioned Alex Scherff as a guy to watch in the Red Sox system. What’s his ceiling if he can stick as a starter?
Keith Law: Sounds like #2 starter.

Anthony: What’s your take on Ramon Laureano? Buying him as a regular?
Keith Law: Loved him in the AFL two years ago but he’s not going to post a .388 BABIP going forward. Good tools that might make him a fringe regular, much more likely he’s a very good fourth OF.

Jake: Keith, obviously ranking prospects has some subjectivity to it, however on mlbpipeline’s most recent top 100 KC had one representative. Singer at 60. I find it strange that you could have him at that slot and Lee, Lynch and Kowar nowhere in the top 100. Your thoughts?
Keith Law: Lee is clearly a top 100 guy for me; Singer isn’t, but I’ve never been a big believer in him given the delivery and lack of a pitch for LHB. I think Lynch is better at this point. Kowar did not throw well this summer, so leaving him off is understandable and I doubt he’d make mine.

Grant: Thought Scooter Gennett would have made your column about “people you were wrong about” What’s your outlook for the rest of his career?
Keith Law: He’s never been much of anything vs LHP, which was my critique of him going back to the minors. I think he’s had one adequate year, which seems flukish. If this power is real – and he never showed it at all till he got to Cincinnati, but now has 50 HR in two seasons – he’s essentially the strong half of a superb platoon.

Scott: If you were the Phillies’ GM, and assuming that money is not a factor, what moves would you make to roster and/or coaching staff? Which players and/or coaches would you want to stay and let germinate?
Keith Law: People were killing Kapler here at the end of the season, booing him every trip to the mound, which is just so dumb. It was a bad defensive club and nothing he did was going to mitigate that. I’d like to see them move to upgrade their defense, while obviously using some of that war chest they’ve got to acquire some top flight talent in free agency. Pollock would be an interesting target. I already said I’m a big Corbin guy. He’d fit for just about any contender.

The Shrike: Over/under on the amount Carter Stewart will get if he’s declared a free agent and is not subject to any bonus pool restrictions?
Keith Law: If this wrist thing really isn’t a big deal for teams, I think he’ll get $6 million-plus.

Bill: Thanks for the chats Keith. They are easily in my top 7 shirking work activities. Do you think Dansby Swanson can still grow into an average to above average contributor at the plate?
Keith Law: I do, but he’s always going to strike out more than the typical player of his profile. That was the knock on his game in college, too.

Ed: Do you see pitching eventually adjusting to the obsession with launch angle, resulting in a higher concentration on pitchers with whatever attribute counteracts more loft in swings (be it a good high fastball, late lateral movement, or whatever)? And therefore creating a market again for more level swings / higher contact guys? I look at the Cubs this year, and it really struck me how they can destroy teams with their offense on one day and go completely inert the next (including 163 and the WC game) and I start thinking about what I wouldn’t give for someone who can just shorten his swing, put the bat on the ball, and work the count a bit.
Keith Law: I think it already has – that’s why you see teams trying to get guys who either live at the knees or can throw high-spin four-seamers at the top of the zone.

Mike: How far is Hiura away from taking the Brewers 2b job? Would you package him for a top of the rotation starter if you were in the Brewers situation?
Keith Law: If they feel like his defense is ready (and the elbow injury, whatever it was, is no longer a concern), then pretty much any time. I know scouts love his bat, but I feel like lingering concerns over the elbow would suppress his trade value.

Jimbo: Have you seen Luis Patino? How do you account for his ascendance into various Top 100s?
Keith Law: I have not. I don’t comment on other top 100s.

Cole: How soon do you think we could see Jo Adell up with the Angels? I’ve seen some people say they wouldn’t be surprised if he was up by the All Star Break next year, and I was wondering if you felt the same.
Keith Law: I think that’s very optimistic.

James: Hey Keith, I know you have opened up about Anxiety in the past. At what point, did you, or do you know it is a problem to go get help for it.
Keith Law: I had a brutal panic attack at age 39 while driving on Staten Island (insert joke about SI traffic here), and that really forced me to get help.

JR: Rockies tried piggbacking starters in ’12 or ’13 and were mocked for it (probably because it failed), while “openers” and “bullpen” games have, for the most part, have not been mocked (probably because it was successful). Perhaps the Rockies were on too something and just didn’t have the right arms or quite the right approach to make it work?
Keith Law: They had a decent idea but executed it poorly.

Rum Guy: Enjoying the Periscope sessions, This Boomer needs a new acoustic or maybe electro acoustic for playing here at home and so KLaw, what guitar models do u have?
Keith Law: Very simple – a Mitchell acoustic, a Stratocaster electric.

Mac: In this age of awful catchers can Zack Collins be league average?
Keith Law: My bet is no.

JP: would you start Devers at 3B regardless of whether starter is RH or LH? Nunez has similar defensive deficiencies without any of the pop/patience.
Keith Law: I would, yes. Devers’ eye is pretty good for his age.

JT: How has Shapiro done in Toronto? I’ll confess that I’m a little underwhelmed if that’s a word.
Keith Law: I think that’s fair, and it’s why he doth protest too much over my comment that they don’t have a top 5 farm system (note: still accurate). I’ve heard some stories from within the regime that don’t give me great confidence in their model going forward. I’ve also heard that there’s friction between him and Rogers which, if true, would be rather astounding since Rogers’ decision to hire him cost them Anthopoulos.

Ron: Do you think Mauer retires? It looks like it. Will really miss him. But he hasn’t been the same since the concussion. Some in Twins Land still don’t realize what they had. At least in his catching days one of the best around. Should have had 2 MVPs. Borderline HOF?
Keith Law: Sounds like he’s retiring, don’t think he gets into the Hall as his case is solid but not a slam dunk and relies heavily on advanced stats.

Kace: Isn’t it odd that someone would come here to troll you? That’s a lot of effort beyond being pissed off at an article and finding your Twitter.
Keith Law: Same couple of trolls every week, too. I have no idea what their end game is.

Jake: Are you a Doctor Who viewer? If so, thoughts on a woman getting a crack at the role? Looking forward to Sunday.
Keith Law: Actually never seen it, which is such a shame because I couldn’t fill my diaper over a fictional non-human character taking on a female form.

Chris: Are you still buying Franklin Barreto? It’s obvious he’s got some interesting tools in the tool kit, but the lack of contact really scares me. His bat-to-ball skills have definitely gone backwards since he was a younger prospect.
Keith Law: No, I’m out on that one.

Chris: Seems you were right about Newcomb and the Simmons trade. What are your thoughts on it now that it’s played out a little.
Keith Law: I think Simmons is the best defender in baseball, among the best we have ever seen, and Atlanta didn’t get nearly enough in that deal.

Chris: It all worked out, but I thought Boone’s handling of the 5th was bizarre. First, he sent Sevy back out even though he clearly emptied the tank vs Semien, and then, he went to the one guy in the pen who seems least equipped to enter with a jam. Thoughts?
Keith Law: I can’t be too hard on Boone for sending Severino out with a 0 still in the hits column. It would have been the right move to pull him, but between that and the low pitch count, it would have been extremely unusual.

Sean: Do you care about parity in the playoffs or do you just want the best teams to make it each year even if they are the same 8 teams year after year?
Keith Law: Best teams = best baseball. Baseball has parity in the NL right now, just not in the AL at the moment.

Joe: Is Jon Schoop a nontender candidate? Probably looking at over 10MM+ for his last year of arbitration and he had a brutal year.
Keith Law: Brutal year, much better a year ago, maybe not a fit for Milwaukee because of Hiura but not without trade value.

Zac: If I told you Casey Mize was the only Tigers pitching prospect that panned out, would you be shocked?
Keith Law: I wouldn’t be shocked, but I think Burrows has a pretty high floor too.

JR: Is Adam Sasser a potential draft pick? Assuming he is (or even if he’s not, assume he is for this question), if you worked in a front office how would you view him given he was kicked off his college team for using a racial slur. Would you completely remove him from your board or be willing to consider him?
Keith Law: He was draft-eligible in June but not selected. I would probably avoid him because he’d have to come play with many people of color, but I wouldn’t consider him untouchable like the child molester from Oregon State, or a player who’d committed sexual or physical assault on a woman.

Xam: Austin Barnes: what happened, and what should we expect going forward? Last year he looked like a top-3 catcher, and now….
Keith Law: He was never a top 3 catcher, though. Small samples.

Josh: Jazz Chisholm had a pretty strong year. What kind of ceiling do you project for him?
Keith Law: Very excited to see him in two weeks. Above-average regular to star upside.

Ben: Can you explain why “high spin” matters? Like, why not look for Ps who can throw high velocity pitches at the top of the zone?
Keith Law: High spin rate = less/inferior quality contact. High velocity doesn’t do that.

JR: Have you ever asked yourself a question using a pseudonym in a chat because there was a particular question they you wanted to answer?
Keith Law: I haven’t, but that would be kind of funny, if a little dishonest.

JG: Giardi, Bannister, David Ross, Alomor Jr., or Ausmus for Twins manager?
Keith Law: Ross has never managed, so I can’t support that. Ausmus never grew at all as a manager in Detroit, so would you really hire him unless you felt absolutely certain that in just one year off the job he’s changed his managing philosophy? Girardi was pretty solid in NY and I think he’d be a good hire for a lot of situations.

Corey: 5 minutes in one of these chats will provide the core of the KLAW worldview. If you’re offended by that POV but still choose to come to his personal site to troll him + generally be a f’ing asshole, you might want to examine your own life choices + ask yourself why you’re such a miserable person. Anyway… should Swihart be starting at C given that Leon + Vasquez can’t hit or stick with the PH strategy for later in the game ?
Keith Law: Agreed, and thank you. I’m a big Swihart fan and perhaps not totally objective on that one, but I think he’s the best option.

Tom: Thoughts on Mike Bordick as the O’s manager?
Keith Law: Nice guy … with no experience.

Jennyfer: If you were running a front office, I know you wouldn’t sign an abuser. I agree with that. How would you handle someone like Murphy or Turner who have said awful things, but haven’t broken the law?
Keith Law: Turner’s apology was an example of how to handle those situations well, with grace and understanding, so that you can go back into a diverse clubhouse and continue to have good relationships with teammates and coaches. Murphy, to my knowledge, has done none of that, and also does a great impression of Stonehenge in the field.

Eric: Dont hold back because he passed away: how do you feel about John McCain?
Keith Law: The thing that always comes to my mind around McCain is that he used professional sports – including MLB – in a circus hearing on PEDs that served no purpose but to promote himself. There was absolutely no reason for Congress to hold hearings on the topic or threaten to regulate this area in private, professional sports leagues. MLB is still dealing with the fallout from that. That isn’t the total of the man’s career, of course, but I will forever associate him with those hearings.

Jake: Would you ever want to interview Trump, if only to find out why he is the way he is?
Keith Law: I think that would be an incredibly frustrating experience.

Rowdy T: do you basically ignore September results for call ups (or everyone for that matter) due to the expanded rosters and teams playing out the string..
Keith Law: Yes.

Joe Don : I gathered last week that the Banister firing had a sour taste for you. Nonetheless, what qualifications do you think the Rangers need to consider in their new guy?
Keith Law: There’s something about that we don’t know – there were stories in Dallas area papers that he wasn’t communicating well with players, and I don’t know any more than you do about that, but if it’s true it’s certainly a problem that requires action from up top. That’s a developmental situation and a long-term rebuild, so I’d want someone with some real player development experience and willingness to work with young players.
Keith Law: Nobody asked for playoff predictions here, but at least one person did on Twitter and I feel like I have to give them somewhere, so here goes: Brewers in 4, Dodgers in 4, Cleveland in 4, Boston in 5. Bear in mind I rarely do much better than 50% on playoff picks, but there you have it.
Keith Law: And that’s all for this week – thank you all so much for your questions, including the haters, who appear to think I fell off the back of a turnip truck. I’ll be back next week for a chat prior to my AFL trip the week after. Enjoy this last full weekend of baseball!