Starting at 2 pm ET. My best-of-2020 board games posts are now up at Vulture, where I ranked the best by category; and Paste, where I ranked the top 15 overall. My top 100 songs of 2020 and top albums of the year will go up Monday and Tuesday.

Keith Law: It’s no place for the old. Klawchat.

KS: Assuming you’re able to attend games in 2021, what prospects are you most looking forward to seeing (both those you have previously seen and that you have not yet seen)?
Keith Law: I always skew towards players I haven’t seen, or whom I haven’t seen in a long time. But there are also guys like Mackenzie Gore, who should have debuted this past season but didn’t, or Jarren Duran, who’s made some substantial swing changes that I’d like to see in person (to see how they play against real pitching), in addition to, say, the major draft guys from 2020 I’d never seen (Max Meyer, Robert Hassell) and any international free agents who hadn’t debuted here yet.

Danielectomy: Which of the top free agents would likely best serve the Blue Jays?
Keith Law: Would any of them *not* serve the Blue Jays well? They would be better off with just about anyone from the top of my FA rankings who’s not a pure 1b/dh type.

Logan: Is the hype and the SSS of Bohm enough to label him a potential star opposite Harper?
Keith Law: Hype never made anyone a better player. I don’t think he can stay at 3b but I think the hit tool will be more than enough to make him a longtime above-average regular.

Frank: Honest opinion.  Did teams really lose money last season??  Or just not make as much as they projected??
Keith Law: I would believe that some teams actually did lose money in 2020, maybe all teams, but far less than they claim (or that gullible fink sportswriters claim on their behalf).
Keith Law: They did lose more than 1/2 a season of broadcast revenues and corporate sponsorship money, and a full season of attendance, concessions, and ancillary revenues (like parking). Their costs were also reduced, but not by as much. I’m not crying for the owners, who will still get the capital appreciation that made them buy sports teams in the first place, but it is plausible that most teams were cash negative in 2020.

Gerry: Hey KLaw!!!  The Phillies/Wheeler fiasco a couple weeks ago aside, what would the Phils realistically get from a Nola trade, instead of Wheeler?  I would think they’d get a huge haul for a top of young, top of rotation starter, on a great contract. Shouldn’t Dombrowski at least consider it?
Keith Law: No, he shouldn’t.
Keith Law: That might be the worst possible move for the team right now, given where they are.

Frank: With so many sports games being cancelled on all levels, professional thru HS, what is the expectation for scouting for the upcoming draft?  And will MLB require all players in minors and majors to get vaccine?
Keith Law: Sounds like we’ll have some sort of spring to scout, which is good since there was so little over the summer. I don’t think MLB can flat-out require that without the union’s consent – and the vaccine has to be available, not waiting for a petulant lame-duck administration to release it.

Buckner86: Why did Chris Paddock have such a rough 2020?  Is it fixable?
Keith Law: I’m going to go on a limb and say it was the 14 homers allowed in 59 innings that did it. And it was almost all on his four-seamer. He still doesn’t have an average breaking ball, and even lefties, who should have been more vulnerable with his plus-plus changeup, got to his fastball way too often.

Dan M.: Do you find that take out from fine dining establishments is justified?  I am debating getting Bardea for a birthday celebration this weekend.
Keith Law: Yes, we’ve gotten takeout from Bardea (which I think is the best restaurant in Wilmington right now) several times, and eaten once in their outdoor tent, although I’m not entirely sure that tent is “outdoor” enough. But the food is great and they do a fantastic job prepping and packaging it for takeout.

Drew: Can Tyler O’Neill get over his strikeout issues?
Keith Law: I am not a big believer in his bat. He’s always been such a dead-pull, ambush a fastball sort of hitter.

section 34: When does MLB free agency start?

Or, please remove “When” and answer the question without it, if you prefer.
Keith Law: The Mets have signed a few, including the first four-year deal of the winter. It’s been slow the last few winters even without a pandemic.

MK26: Hi Keith
Do you think It Can’t Happen Here because America is exceptional or that it just didn’t happen here this time because we are exceptionally lucky? We just learned that ~70 million citizens and a large chunk of elected officials are fine living in a dictatorship so long as their guy gets to do the dictating. Isn’t it just chance that our despot is a particularly epic level of imbecile and that his Elite Strike Force assigned to steal power ended up being a 3-person Ocean’s Eleven that ran through the casino floor shouting ‘we’re robbing the casino’ then knocked themselves unconscious in a smear of black hair dye as they smacked headfirst into the locked vault doors? I just worry what happens next time now that we know it’s actually not a very hard vault to break into.
Keith Law: I share that fear – that this particular wannabe tyrant showed more competent wannabe tyrants how it can be done.

Guest: White Sox fandom is all of a sudden down on Michael Kopech. Do you have reservations about him being a quality starter in 2021?
Keith Law: No. Who cares if the fans are down on a guy?

addoeh: Given how you’ve said you watch their games now. has your partner taught you the words to “Fly, Eagles Fly” yet?
Keith Law: Yes, and I’ve discovered you can pretty much sing them to the tune of “O Canada.”

Josh C: I think I remember you being a big fan of John Le Carre. Have you read any of the books by his son Nick Harkaway? I highly recommend both Angelmaker and Tigerman
Keith Law: I really enjoyed Le Carré’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, but found some of his later work, like The Tailor of Panama, disappointing. Have not read any of his son’s books.

ffballmaster: Do you think Gerrit Crochet has top of the rotation potential or ends up as a high end bullpen arm?  Impressive debut but not sure how you’d rank him among some of the other draftees like Meyer and Lacy.
Keith Law: Bullpen guy. Basically a one-pitch guy in college, with control issues and trouble staying healthy. That’s a lot to fix to make him a starter.

Lorne Volat: Do you have any recommendations for games (board, etc.) for a 5 1/2 yo?
Keith Law: Yes – if you look at the links at the top of this chat I included Dragomino, a new game for ages 5+ (really, for 4+) based on Kingdomino, in both year-end roundups.
Keith Law: I also think Ticket to Ride First Journey is great, as are Friends of a Feather, Outfoxed, and Hoot Owl Hoot.

Sadtigerfan: Who do you think will be the better overall player Riley Greene or Spencer Torkelson?
Keith Law: Torkelson will get there first, but unless he ends up playing third base, I might bet on Greene as the better long-term player. He has the higher ceiling, at least, although that’s not the same thing.

Terry: Is there a big-ticket move that you like best for the Mets? Trade for Lindor/Arenado? Sign Springer? Sign the Alt-Righty? Trade for someone else?
Keith Law: Any of those, really. But if you are one of the only owners willing to spend, the best values should be found in free agency rather than trade.

JR: The Mets signing Mcann feels very much like the old Mets regime. Overpaying for a fringe backup player to fill an open position rather then getting the top dog or waiting on the market (or even a GM) to see if you could get a better option. Hopefully a blip in the road and not a sign of things to come.
Keith Law: I largely agree with this. It also is a weird bet on very tiny samples, and that seems like the sort of thing teams did 20 or 30 years ago.

Dallas: What level will the top HS picks from 2019 start at this year? I assume the top picks (Witt, Greene, Abrams, Baty, Cavaco, Carroll, etc) were part of the 60-man pools so I’m curious if that allows them to possibly start at 2A (maybe even the Majors for Witt). Thanks.
Keith Law: There is no chance Witt starts in the majors. He hasn’t played above short-season ball. I doubt any player you listed starts above high-A.

John: Happy Holidays, I hope you and yours are safe and healthy this season.  When are you estimating you’ll get a COVID vaccine, I’m hoping I get the full treatment by mid-summer but recognize that thankfully many more people need it before me?
Keith Law: I will get it as soon as I’m allowed, but I’m not in any category that would put me in the first or second tiers – not an essential worker, not old enough, no known comorbidities, not working in any settings where I’d be justified in skipping the line.

Claudio: Ciao KLaw! I get I might be biased (Braves fan) but I don’t get how Andruw is so far away from the threshold. 10 years average of 34 HRs and 103 rbi, 10 straight gold gloves while playing one of the best (if not the best) CF in history. Are his last few years enough to discourage writers to vote him in? I don’t get it.
Keith Law: RBIs don’t matter, Gold Gloves are stupid (although he is, IMO, the best defensive OF of all time), but his career was basically over at age 31 because of knee problems. I think he’s very borderline, but have voted for him because his impact on baseball in Curaçao and Aruba has been enormous. Without him, we may not have Xander Bogaerts, or Andrelton Simmons, or Ozzie Albies.

Brian: Am I going mad?  I thought you had a Twitter link to a rule 5 article on the Athletic…which was not there when I sighted in…
Keith Law: I didn’t write up anything on the rule 5 other than a ‘brief’ where I mentioned that the two best guys taken were probably Akil Baddoo and Jose Soriano, both of whom are recovering from elbow surgery.

Jason S (Brewcrew): How broken is the league? I just honestly dont understand Rob Manfred anymore. I am an accountant. To me– he’s running the league from the standpoint of a PE exec, not someone who loves baseball. I hate Roger Gooddell, but at least we know he loves the game.
Keith Law: Well, he’s not extracting money from teams like private equity folks do, at least not yet. I don’t get a lot of what Manfred does and says, though.

Beeds: vladdy looking fit! This the year he gets in the Acuna Tatis stratosphere?
Keith Law: I still think he’s going to be an offensive star, but these news stories are just early “best shape of his life!” folderol.

Kevin: What length of contract/$$ would you be comfortable giving Springer if you were Jared Porter??
Keith Law: I would give him the largest contract of anyone this winter – which is why I ranked him #1 – probably six years and something in the $30MM/year range, although the market may not support it this year.

Beeds: Fit Vladdy! Assuming he now stats to reach his Offensive potential how “good” of a defender at 3B does he need to be to be plus plus value?
Keith Law: Same question twice, sort of, but I don’t see any way he plays third base.

Patty O’Furniture: Is there any chance the Reds would be interested in moving Eugenio Suarez to a team that falls short on a trade for Kris Bryant (Braves, Nats, etc.)
Keith Law: They should, and then put Nick Senzel back on the dirt where he belongs.

That Guy in Detroit: Tuberville is a place where fantasies become conspiracies
Keith Law: His election is proof that you could run Mickey Mouse on the right party ticket in a strongly red/blue state and he’d still win.

Chuck S.: Feelings on “separating the art from the artist?” Because this new Ryan Adams album is damn good.
Keith Law: That’s a great question to which I don’t have a great answer. My personal policy has been to avoid spending money on art from artists whose behavior are so odious – I won’t pay a dime to watch anything with or by Mel Gibson, for example. Is Adams over that line? I feel like he probably is. But it’s also hard for me to forget that I loved some of his music before we knew who he really was.

Kip: Happy holidays.  When your daughter was younger how did you maintain your reading habit?  We have an infant with another on the way and it’s incredibly difficult.  I’ve tried reading a set number of pages per night but it feels like work.
Keith Law: The year she was born was my personal reading low, as in the fewest books I’ve read in any year since I started tracking how many books I read a year. By year two, I was traveling a good bit more, though, and I read a lot while I’m on the road.

Shane: Josiah Grey a #1?
Keith Law: I don’t believe so.

Kevin: So obvioudly the NL needs the DH to continue but it looks like Manfred might use it as a “bargaining chip” in the next CBA so it won’t be there in 2021.  With that in mind what should the Mets do for 2021 with Dom and Alonso.  Just hold onto both and wait for 2022?  Personally I would love for them to see what Alonso would get in a trade but I doubt they will do that.
Keith Law: I’d hold on to both – I can’t see them dealing Alonso, given his popularity and value.

Jim: Keith- big local Trenton Thunder fan here. What is the viability of the MLB draft league?
Keith Law: I don’t know what their economic model will be now – I assume from the minor league teams’ perspective, their costs are going to be pretty similar, since they weren’t paying the players’ salaries as minor league affiliates, and now the draft league players won’t be paid because they’re amateurs. How much will revenues decline with the new model? These teams certainly lose out on the annual boost when, say, Aaron Judge comes through for a couple of rehab games, and that’s probably a decent part of their annual revenues. If their average attendance in ‘regular’ games goes down as well, are they no longer profitable?
Keith Law: I don’t know. Nobody really knows, but I have my doubts that all of these dis-affiliated teams will survive.

Guest: Keith, why does it take the Cleveland organization 1-2 years to change the racist name of their baseball club to the “Cleveland Spiders?”  It should be done yesterday.
Keith Law: Yep. They have probably 90 days or so until anyone is reporting to spring training. They could get it done if this actually mattered to them.

Matt: Should Andrew Vaughn be slated to start the season in Chicago?  Pretty big hole at DH on the south side
Keith Law: No, since there’s no real reason to think he’s ready for the majors.
Keith Law: Prospects aren’t ready when you want them to be; they’re ready on their own timetables. Rushing them doesn’t change that, and there’s always some small chance that it ends up slowing their development.

Tommy: Played settlers for the first time over thanksgiving and loved it. im sure you’ve played a ton but where does it rank all time for you?
Keith Law: I just happen to have a ranking of my top 100 games right here for you.

CR: If you’re the Mets, do you prefer Bauer or Springer? I’m all in on Springer but admittedly biased because I think he’s a great guy and his work with kids who stutter hits close to home. But from a baseball standpoint, I think the Mets resources would be better spent on Springer plus two second tier starters. And a trade for Lindor of course. Thanks for the chat!
Keith Law: Position player over pitcher.

Andy: I would think Cano would be a debatable  HOF case based on #’s. I suspect that the positive tests doom him. First thoughts, if he’s done would you be voting for him?
Keith Law: He’s probably over the bar for me. I haven’t barred anyone from my ballot over positive tests, but when I had more names than slots, I prioritized guys without over guys with (e.g., Manny Ramirez was off my ballot until I had room). Also, Cano has a slightly higher career WAR than Chase Utley, but I’d put Utley higher.
Keith Law: And both Lou Whitaker and Bobby Grich had more WAR than Cano and still can’t get a damn sniff.

Tyler: Game recommendation for a 5 1/2 year old:  Sleeping Queens.  There’s some math learning as well as a little strategy so it’s not too painful for the adults.  It also has gentle elements of messing with each other so it’s been a great chance to learn about sportsmanship.
Keith Law: I will check that one out, thank you.

Victoria: Have you ever read Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene?
Keith Law: Yes – I’ve read every Greene novel still in print. My favorites are still Our Man in Havana, The Power and the Glory, and The Quiet American.

Robbie: It’s Ronald Acuña Jr.s 23rd birthday today. Do you think he’ll ever fix the hole in his swing so that he can maximize his potential and actually be top of the league caliber
Keith Law: If he has a hole in his swing, what would he be like if he “fixed” it? Mike Trout?

Sedona: I’ve seen articles on how Aaron Ashby really impressed during alt site.  Is he a legit prospect?  Future rotation piece?
Keith Law: Legit prospect and possible rotation piece, yes.

Justin: How long do you think it takes for the Lindor trade market to get moving? I’ve seen opinions that he won’t get Cleveland as much as Boston got for Betts, and Betts is the better player probably? But Boston did attach Price’s contract to that deal and at most, Cleveland adding someone like Carrasco to the deal wouldn’t be the albatross  (not the right word, but best I could come up with) that Price’s deal was, right?
Keith Law: Betts is the better player, and I wonder if there was more belief Betts would consider an extension than Lindor, who has been adamant about getting to free agency (as is his collectively bargained right, I might add). But there isn’t that much difference between the two. As for when it gets going, I don’t know. Something has to happen to set a market, but what prompts that first something?

CR: Last comment from me, but I messaged in the last chat about my family suffering from covid after my wife, who is a nurse, brought it home from the hospital. We’re all recovered now, but it was a hellish three weeks. Absolutely not a joke. I hope everyone gets the vaccine and trusts the science, but if history is an indication…
Keith Law: Glad to hear you’re recovering. There are still way too many people who should know better acting like this thing doesn’t kill, even with a new report this week that the death rate for Americans 25-44 was much higher this year so far due to the pandemic.

Kevin: There seems to be a narrative going around that Bauer has overcame poor genetics to succeed via hard work. He’s like 6’1” and not exactly rail thin though, he doesn’t look like lincecum or anything. Am I missing something?
Keith Law: I have heard that narrative and don’t really understand it. He’s like 5″ taller than Stroman or Sonny Gray, both of whom had to overcome a lot more bias in the industry against short right-handers.

Sedona: Domingo German looks nasty in winter league… are the Deivi’s and Schmidt’s overtake him if all are healthy?
Keith Law: I don’t really ever need to see German in the majors again. I also never bought him as a starter.

Canadian person: Would signing Realmuto, and then trading from their catching depth to address other areas be a good plan a for the Jays?
Keith Law: Yes, absolutely. I know a lot of fans would be bummed to see Kirk go, and there’s a chance he ends up some kind of outlier star, but there’s a lot of risk there given his build.

Chris: thoughts on the new season of “Big Mouth?”
Keith Law: Haven’t watched yet.

Nate: Thoughts on Jo Adell and what he just did in 2020, I know super small sample size, but swing and miss has always been part of his game. What does he need to adjust to in your opinion?
Keith Law: He needed more time in AAA, and I’d put him and similar prospects in the group more likely to be hurt by all the lost at bats.

Jon Sloan: Hi from SD Keith, can’t wait to have you out next year, eat some fried bird and talk baseball
Keith Law: I was just thinking about the Crack Shack (where Jon is exec chef) the other day when I was talking to my daughter & my partner about fried chicken sandwiches … and then again because someone brought up the 2019 Winter Meetings. I don’t miss the meetings per se but damn a trip to San Diego would be nice right now (gestures at 2″ of ice and snow outside).

Noah: Do you have a favorite chicken recipe?  I’ve got two chickens I’m breaking down for the weekend (BBQ legs tonight) and need a good one for the breasts tomorrow.  Thanks, Keith!
Keith Law: Sticking with a theme … I don’t like cooking plain chicken breasts on their own, because they dry out too easily. Either I roast them on the whole bird, or I slice them thinly into cutlets and bread & fry them (season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika; dredge in egg; then coat in panko and fry two minutes per side in olive oil).
Keith Law: That’s for your regular store-bought broiler/fryer. If you have access to really high quality chicken, though, that’s another story.

mike: I’m a big comp guy for some reason, so feel free to shoot this one down.  Does Austin Martin have the chance to become a Mookie Betts type player?  Developing power on top of a stellar hit tool…
Keith Law: I don’t do comps, really. I think Martin could be a superstar, given his athleticism, contact skills, and chance to be a plus fielder at a skill position. I don’t think he’s much like Betts.

Marc: you see Kumar Rocker as the best pitcher in the draft?
Keith Law: I do not. Most famous, yes, but not best.

Tom C: So Keith based on some of your recent tweets, do you think the Eagles take the cap hit and trade Wentz or… wait what the hell chat am I in here
Keith Law: God I hope they do. Wentz didn’t even take a snap last Sunday, yet he was sacked four times and picked off twice.

Snowy: DeSclafani looks like another good under the radar signing from Farhan. Do you think they still have work to do filling out rotation behind Gausman-Cueto-Tony Disco?
Keith Law: I’m not sure he’s ever going to be a starter for them.

xxx(yyy): any documentary recs from the last few months?
Keith Law: Transhood was great. Haven’t seen any buzz about that one.  The Donut King was above-average too even though I had some small criticisms.

xxx(yyy): is cautious excitement the right reaction to the Rangers naming Chris Young as the GM?
Keith Law: I don’t know anything about him or what his philosophy might be, so I don’t have an opinion either way. I would prefer to interview him if we’re both sitting down first, though.

Andy: Re COVID-19: Eduardo Rodriguez had heart issues. Mo Bamba (NBA player) is still recovering from his infection in June. A college basketball player collapsed on the court. These are professional athletes in their prime who are suffering non death related complications. There’s more than just dying to getting sick. Wear your masks and social distance.
Keith Law: We are pretty lucky nobody in MLB got terribly sick – and by “in MLB” I’m including non-player personnel, some of which surely did get COVID-19 during any of the outbreaks (Marlins, Cards, Dodgers). Just because we didn’t hear about it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

xxx(yyy): do you listen to Jazz? any favorite albums?
Keith Law: Not much, just some of the most well-known stuff – Coltrane, Miles Davis. I loved Moses Boyd’s album this year Dark Matter and enjoyed the work he did with Tori Handsley.

Noah: My butcher in Brooklyn – The Meat Hook, they’re the best – has high quality, pasture-raised chicken from small farms in upstate NY.  But appreciate the suggestion!
Keith Law: Those birds are going to taste completely different in the best possible way. Also you probably get a higher dark meat/light meat ratio. Enjoy!

Key Flaw: With the pandemic and minor league (and amateur mostly) shut down, is there a chance that this will positively affect young arms because they aren’t overused? I’m thinking fewer high school seniors and college pitchers throwing 180 Pitches might be better than missing out on a year of development?
Keith Law: Yes, I’ve speculated that and also that some pitchers who were heading towards arm trouble might be spared that by a forced year off from competitive pitching. Not just trying to find a silver lining, but I think giving a wearing-down shoulder like 18 months between pitches thrown in anger might be a good thing?

Guest: When you play board games, how important – if at all – is that you win?
Keith Law: Now, not at all, as long as I feel like the game gave everyone a chance to win.

xxx(yyy): what is your process for “finding” articles for things like the newsletter or stick to baseball? twitter discovery? RSS readers? other content aggregators?
Keith Law: Yep, all of those. My partner sends me a lot of great articles she finds, and since we work in totally different spheres she sees things I don’t.

Mike: Any chance the Rockies actually play any young players this year?  What is the point of being a draft-and-develop type organization if you won’t play players when they are ready?
Keith Law: I understand the frustration, but also would cut them a little slack in that they’ve had the odd misfortune of having prospects develop and then be blocked by established big leaguers (e.g., Macmahon, who did play some last year, was a third baseman before they moved him).

Frank: End of the year movie wrap-up, starting to see some “best of…” lists come out.  Have not see much push for it, but best film I saw this year is ANTEBELLUM.  Really thought it was directed well and Monae had a blistering performance.  I think it was dismissed due to it is basically an elaborate Twilight Zone episode.  Also saw as criticism that it suffers from GET OUT fatigue?!?!  (How many smart, african american horror movies have their been??)
Keith Law: You are literally the first person I’ve seen say a good thing about that movie. I know the spoiler, and oh my god, it sounds dumb.

Rob: What’s your preferred method to make at home pizza? Do you have any thoughts on the Ooni pizza ovens? Thank you!
Keith Law: I own an Ooni oven and it’s fantastic. Just hard to use when it’s 30 degrees (it works fine, I just don’t want to run in and out in this temperature).

BL: Speaking of the Rockies, if you’re in charge there, what are you doing?
Keith Law: As much as Rockies fans are frustrated right now, that’s the hardest GM job in baseball, in my opinion. Any exec there will have more of a challenge, even if all else were equal, than anyone else. I think that, even 28+ seasons in, no one has hit on a good formula for building a pitching staff that can last over multiple seasons. Until you crack that, you are constantly improvising, and doing so with less money than at least a few of your most important competitors. That doesn’t justify the money they’ve spent on relievers lately, though. That strategy hasn’t worked at all.

Chris: America’s Test Kitchen method for pizza is to put a pizza stone on the lower rack of your oven, crank the temperature to 500 degrees, and let it heat for an hour before cooking. It turns out perfectly crisp every time.
Keith Law: It depends on your dough, more than anything. I make pizzas that way (ATK didn’t exactly invent that) using a dough that’s higher hydration than the dough I use for the Ooni, which gets up to 800 degrees and thus cooks the pizza far faster, meaning less time for evaporation. My indoor pizzas cook in six minutes, but in the Ooni it’s about 90 seconds. Two different doughs, and different approaches to toppings too.

Sam: Does Spring Training start on time?  Are we going to have a 162 game schedule this year?
Keith Law: Reports this week seemed to indicate no to both. 130 games? With a 100 game minor league season? I’d be ecstatic.

hogan: Isn’t ‘sportsmanship’ listed as something to be considered when voting for hall of famers? How do you square that when voting for guys who got cheating with PEDs?

Also, thoughts on the Negro Leagues being included statistically with MLB?
Keith Law: Sure. Define ‘sportsmanship.’ To say nothing of the probability that more players used PEDs than just the ones who tested positive. It’s an unsolvable quagmire that I choose not to use as a binary variable in voting. For what it’s worth, I think Cano has no chance – enough voters will hold two tests against him that he’ll languish well below the 75% mark, maybe even fall off entirely. But if he’s one of the ten best guys on the ballot, I will at least consider voting for him.

JL: Re: Andruw Jones and his career being basically over at 31. He started at 19/20. It seems he’d have been better served starting his career around age 23 and fading out at 33/34 than having it start and peak when it did. His peak was fantastic and over one 10 year period I believe, only Bonds had a higher WAR.
Keith Law: Yes, his peak was fantastic, but he didn’t have the longevity of most Hall of Famers. Not all, but most.

Jason: The CBAs for the NFL, NBA, and NHL require that roughly 50% of the revenue goes to the players.  Obviously the MLBPA has always opposed a salary cap (in whatever form), and I know that you—quite rightly—don’t like the idea of artificially capping what players earn.  With that said, what percentage of revenues in 2019 would you estimate the players received?  I’m curious as to whether a similar arrangement would actually benefit the players now
Keith Law: That’s a great question to which I do not know the answer. I do think any attempt to cap players’ earnings will end up enriching the owners. You can bank on that. It might, however, redistribute the money paid to players in a way that benefits more players than it harms.
Keith Law: (I feel like there’s a socialism joke to make there but I’m too tired.)

Jim: Keith, thanks as ever for doing these chats! What do you think about the PCL withdrawing from MiLB?  Inevitable leaving a sinking ship, ensuring they’re not drawn into any lawsuit, or …?  Also, regarding the vaccine, while I have mixed feelings on making it mandatory, the MLBPA has no say in the matter since minor leaguers are infamously not part of the union and left by MLB players to twist in the wind.
Keith Law: I don’t know about the legal liability but the move was largely a paper one. MiLB is ceasing to exist as an independent entity. The MLBPA would have a say in the matter on vaccines for major leaguers.

Sedona: Corbin Burnes an ACE?
Keith Law: I’d be more comfortable calling him a very good #2.

John: are most non-elite starters fairly inconsistent year-to-year like RP or is there more consistency in 3,4,5 starters as a whole than I’m imagining?  i’m not sure that is quantifiable or not but was always curious
Keith Law: That’s probably going to depend on your definition of a #3 or #4 starter. I would guess most GMs and managers would value more consistency in those spots even if they’re giving up some ceiling.

Dave C: Keith thanks for all the chats and columns in 2020.  Was something I always enjoyed reading and learning from!
Kip: Thanks, Keith.  I’ve long enjoyed your work and your perspective.  Stay safe.
TomBruno23: No snarky questions from me, simply want to say Happy Holidays (Christmas for you, Hannukah for me, anything to anyone else out there) and thank you for all of the content you provide during the year.
Dr. Bob: No question today. Just thanks for the chats. Merry Christmas to all.
Keith Law: You’re quite welcome. I appreciate all of your support and readership over the years, not least during this one.
Keith Law: That’s all for this week, and I think that’ll be the last Klawchat until 2021. (I’ll try to sneak in a video chat of some sort next week, though.) Thank you all for reading and for all of your questions. Please stay safe during the holiday break, even if it means declining to see some friends or family members, and wear your masks any time you’re around folks outside of your household or pod. Have a happy holiday of your choosing.

I have two new posts for subscribers to the Athletic, one on the impact of this week’s announcements of minor league realignment and contraction, and the other on six non-tendered players who are worth another look. I also posted my ranking of the top 100 board games, updated for 2020, here on Wednesday.

Keith Law: Don’t waste your words I don’t need anything from you. Klawchat.

Ross: Biggest surprises among non-tendered players?
Keith Law: David Dahl for sure. I’m going to write a short post on 3-4 of those guys who would have otherwise made my top 40 free agents had they been non-tendered in early November.

Eric: Do you see Steve Cohen/Sandy Alderson putting the right pieces (front office, scouting & of course players) in place to be a perrenial contender?
Keith Law: Yes, but I don’t think my opinion there means anything at all. It’s based mostly on trust in Sandy’s intelligence and track record, although even he has had his mistakes.

Guest: Is it concerning that the Mets haven’t been able to find anyone for the front office hires? Or is it a combination of timing and they’re just being overly particular?
Keith Law: I do not believe for a second they’ve been unable to find anyone. Reports that everyone is turning them down are probably just bullshit.

Steven Matz: Wow,how am I making 5.2 million dollars?!
Keith Law: Good for him. Few players have worked harder to come back from injuries that could have ended a career than Matz has.

Scott of Lincolnshire: Is the idea of Kyle Schwarber greater than the results of Kyle Schwarber?  $8 mil doesn’t seem like a ton of money for .800 OPS
Keith Law: That OPS masks trouble vs LHP and doesn’t consider lack of positional or defensive value.

Guest: Do the White Sox survive La Russa?
Keith Law: Yes. They might even succeed under him. But they have ceded the chance to be better under a more capable and progressive manager.

MLB: Now that we have crushed minor league baseball, what else can we do to have fans be less interested in our game from all over the country?!
Keith Law: More commercial breaks, probably.

Ryan: If owners refuse to open their books, why do all of them crying poor all the time get taken seriously. When will we decide that these are clearly arguments being made in bad faith? If Bill DeWitt Jr. believes that “the industry isn’t very profitable” then why has he owned a team for 25 years?!
Keith Law: Any reporter who accepts these lies wholesale – like the fink Bill Madden, who got laughed off the internet last week when he printed that the Phillies lost nearly $2 billion, just like the nonsense story he printed about Mike Elias and the pension fund a few weeks earlier, yet more proof Madden’s Spink Award should be revoked – no longer deserves your attention or clicks.

Alex: If you were a GM with a limited budget (cough, Orioles, cough) with glaring holes in pitching and SS (and 3B)– who would you be talking to right now (while keeping in mind the restraints listed above)?
Keith Law: I mean, they had Iglesias, a good value at shortstop whose defense would help any pitchers they’re trying to develop, and traded him for very little.

Ed: Not a question, but looking at your Top 100 list, I can’t recommend Castles of Tuscany more.  Looking forward to your eventual review!
Keith Law: I haven’t gotten that one yet but thank you. I have mixed feelings on Feld games … he gets way too enamored of complicated scoring rules sometimes, like in Merlin.

Matt: Do you buy organic food? If so, which categories (i.e., produce, meat, etc.)?
Keith Law: Yes. Dairy and eggs first, because I think there are tangible differences (organic eggs, in my experience, have harder shells and more defined yolks, although if you have a local farm with fresh eggs you can get the same whether or not they’re organic) and I want to support antibiotic-free husbandry. I don’t think there’s a difference to the consumer between organic and conventional produce, but you may choose that for ethical reasons.

Ben (MN): I may be in the minority among other lifelong baseball fans (in my early 30s), but I would support 7 inning double-headers even in a post-pandemic league. In fact, I would support 7 innings for all games. I will always watch the Twins, and I used to watch any game that was on tv. But i now find that other MLB games, including the playoffs, are so long that I find them unwatchable if I don’t have a rooting interest. Do you think MLB would ever be willing to shorten the games?
Keith Law: Dear God I hope not. This isn’t high school baseball.

Hadley: Let’s stipulate for the sake of argument that MLB is unable to spend any more total $ on MiLB than what it’s going to spend next year.  Given that budget, are the overall changes to MiLB going to be a net positive?  Is it fair to think of as a tradeoff of better QOL for minor leaguers vs. fewer total number of jobs for players and others in MiLB?
Keith Law: Let’s see that money actually go to the remaining minor leaguers before considering that possibility. MLB has hinted at it, but it’s just that until they do something about it I am reserving judgment.

BE: I know prospect for prospect trades are rare but what did you think of Bowden’s Addell for Manning proposal? Angel’s fans hated it but as a Tiger’s fan losing Manning’s upside is scary.
Keith Law: LOLOLOLOLOL

JJ: Julian McWilliams, the Boston Globe beat writer who covers the Red Sox, voted Alex Verdugo for 5th place on his MVP ballot and Xander Bogaerts for 10th place (the only votes either man received).  Isn’t it a bad look for the BBWAA that they allow McWilliams, an employee of the John Henry owned Boston Globe, to vote for anything involving the John Henry owned Red Sox?  Maybe McWilliams saw something that every other writer (and Red Sox fan) missed in 2020, but it certainly seems like a conflict of interest.
Keith Law: MLB.com writers are now BBWAA members too, so there’s a lot of potential for those conflicts. I do think employees of team-owned publications should recuse themselves from voting. It’s the appearance of conflict that matters. Just voting for players on the team you cover isn’t unethical or uncommon – hell, Tom Gage (another Spink winner) stuffed Tigers on his ballots all the time, and nobody but me seemed to give a shit.
Keith Law: (Also, end the Spink Award. The BBWAA is going to change the award’s name, but it’s the pinnacle of self-congratulation. Just get rid of it.)

MK26: Thank you for being blunt about media both-sidesism in your Stick to Baseball posts. I think the media (outside right-wing batshit outlets) did a pretty good job calling lies lies post-election. But you rightfully point to NYT as one of the worse culprits of prioritizing balance over truth. I half-expect their World Series coverage to run an article “Rays Claim First World Series Title Without Citing Evidence, Opponents Disagree”.
Keith Law: The Times is home to some of the best journalism in the country … and some of the most regrettable stuff too, from headlines to news articles to the opinion pages. I’m glad Bennet and Weiss, both integral parts of the problem there, are gone, but Bret Stephens’ continued employment there is a bigger symptom. Climate change denial is not an opinion. It is a delusion.

Todd Boss: Do we really think that these new wood bat leagues that the short-A/rookie league teams are turning into will be successful?  You could easily argue there’s already way too many such leagues now (there’s dozens and dozens of wood bat leagues all over the country).
Keith Law: These will have MLB’s imprimatur and may push some of the less-known wood bat summer leagues into oblivion.

JohnC: Love the chats. Have you read Andrew Yang’s War on Normal People book. Good read and he makes a very compelling case for UBI. Thoughts on UBI?
Keith Law: I haven’t read it and don’t plan to. I’ve read some economic research on UBI and think it has parts worth using, but implementing it in the US is a pipe dream and I’d rather work towards goals we might achieve in our lifetime, like expanding child care and preschool options that allow more parents to work, and increasing the minimum wage.
Keith Law: Getting right-wing voters to agree to “pay people to do nothing” is a non-starter. Paying people more to work, regardless of where that money comes from, is viable, and also just generally good for people.

Arnold: I recently finished reading The Inside Game–fantastic BTW–and have a question regarding the poor odds of drafting high school pitchers early in the draft.  For the few high-drafted high school pitchers (Bum, Kershaw, etc.) who succeed in the majors, are there any commonalities that might be predictors, such as more mature bodies, less wear and tear on the arms, or the types of pitches they throw?  I assume someone has tried to study the exceptions to the rule.  I ask as the much older brother of a pretty good, but still young high school pitcher.
Keith Law: I don’t know of any common factors other than that those guys stayed healthy.

Andrew: How will the new wood bat league set up by MLB affect the Cape Cod League?
Keith Law: Probably not at all. The new league is supposed to include mostly players eligible for that year’s draft. The Cape’s strength has always been underclassmen for the following two drafts.

Todd: How far away for the Yankees are the likes of Medina and Gil?
Keith Law: Two years. Both more likely relievers than starters.

Jason S: Hi Keith, what are your thoughts on the Knebel deal? Here is my thinking– with Jimmy Nelson I understood cutting him loose because he was just not right.  With Corey, he is just 1 year removed from TJ and we all know it takes 12-24 mos to come back. Is this a harbinger of cheapness to come for the brewers? Or were they right to cut bait?
Keith Law: He had one good year, in 2017. I have no problem with the Brewers cutting bait on him.

Alec: A couple weeks ago you mentioned Abrams could stick to SS, as opposed to 2B or CF.   Where would FTJ go in that scenario?
Keith Law: Tatis Jr. is a shortstop long-term. They don’t have to both be on the same team.

Salty M’s Fan: What would it take for the Ms to get the Rays to consider moving Snell? Would Gilbert plus be enough or would it have to start with Kelenic / Jrod?
Keith Law: There’s no way I do a deal with the Mariners that doesn’t include one of those two outfielders.

Zihuatenejo: I thoroughly enjoyed your board game rankings.  What would you rank as the top 10 (or 5, or whatever, it’s your chat) most *influential* board games of all time?
Keith Law: Monopoly, Scrabble (ugh), Catan … do we count go and chess? They are board games, just unbranded.

Sean: How are you primarily scouting this season? Like, how are you deciding which prospects are rising/falling in the ranks?
Keith Law: The default option will be to leave a player’s ranking and evaluation alone in the absence of good, new information. Teams did hold instructional league, and most allowed scouts in, so I will gather information from those scouts and incorporate it. But I expect fewer changes than in any previous year, and I will probably keep the org reports much shorter rather than just re-writing the same thing for player after player.

Peter: Which teams are doing the best job of prospect development during COVID? What methods seem to have worked? Is this even something anyone has visibility on?
Keith Law: We won’t know anything on that until we have games again.

Murph: With a potential return to normalcy by summer, is there any chance that the minor league baseball schedule is shifted back a month to May-October so that there can be more games with fans in the stands? Seems like this may be possible with no longer having a 40-man September MLB roster.
Keith Law: This was the rumor a few weeks ago – a staggered spring training where minor leaguers arrive when the MLB roster leaves.

Paul: My wife and I did Thanksgiving alone this year – and it was a great opportunity for me to try my hand at cooking a turkey. I went the spatchcock route and it came out great.
Keith Law: Best and easiest way to cook a turkey. Works great for whole chickens too.

Paul: However, all the drippings in either burnt over evaporated. Do you have this issue?
Keith Law: Pour 1 cup of water into the sheet pan before you put it in the oven.

CR: Thanks for the chat, Keith. No question but just wanted to say my wife, two kids, and I are all sick with COVID at the moment and baseball discussion of any kind is good medicine right now. My wife is a nurse who got covid after working a month straight with no days off at 12-16 hours a day. Despite our best efforts, she passed it to our 9 year old then to our 11 year old then to me. We’re hanging in there but it sucks. Everyone stay home. Everyone wear masks.
Keith Law: Get well soon. And please give our gratitude to your wife. The idiocy of the multitude put her at needless risk.

Paul: As someone who lives on Staten Island the one good thing we had was the SI Yankee Stadium. Thanks MLB!
Keith Law: They never drew that well, though, did they? It was easier to get there from Jersey than from the city. I did like going there.

commish: I name you MLB commish for a year. What on-field changes (if any) would you try to push through? Does the current suffocation of strikeouts and home runs poison the game for you, or do you instead prefer to focus on how talented the players are? Obviously stronger, faster, etc.
Keith Law: Raise the bottom of the strike zone. Limit warmup pitches for any reliever coming in for a non-injury reason. Cap pitchers on each roster at 12.

That Guy in Detroit: Keith, thanks for the chat.  Does the republican party ever put the brakes on this, or is this just who they are now?
Keith Law: I reviewed the documentary The Donut King on the site this morning, and one thing that stood out to us as we watched was the compassion in the policies of President Gerald Ford (a Republican) toward refugees from Cambodia (a war we helped create, of course), which led to a large, multi-year and multi-Administration effort to help them settle and assimilate into the United States. I can not imagine the Republican Party of 2020 doing such a thing. They’ve had chances, with Syrian refugees, and have done nothing but obstruct any efforts to help them.

Dean: Keith, have you heard anything to the rumor that MLB is ultimately is working towards two levels of full season minor league ball: a Junior Circuit (A/A+) and Senior Circuit (AA/AAA) over the next 10-20 years?
Keith Law: No.

books: Murakami fan? Favorite Murakami?
Keith Law: Yes. I loved Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Kafka on the Shore. I haven’t loved anything else by him out of at least a half-dozen other books.

Bighenz: I like springer but don’t think he’s long for Cf if at all.  As a Mets fan I think I’d prefer signing Bauer and Odorozzi and go all in on pitching and a solid lineup while sacrificing the Cf d (again). Especially if they can sign a decent enough C.   Bad plan?
Keith Law: I’d always prefer the elite position player over the elite pitcher in free agency or when the deal is long-term. And if Springer moves to RF, he’ll probably be plus there.

Kevin: How worried should we be about the Campusano weed charges?
Keith Law: I’m cynical enough to think that a pro athlete gets different treatment than a typical citizen of color would, and MLB will find a way to get him back on the field. Also, decriminalize marijuana everywhere already. The Puritans have been gone for 300 years already. (Well, most of them.)

Joe: Would you please explain the concept of “partner leagues” and how this changes my city’s Pioneer League team and fan experience?
Keith Law: Means basically nothing. They’re an independent league.

Guest: Miguel Yajure got a very small taste in the bigs this season (7 IPs). Do you think he’s an option in the last third of 2021 for the Yankees?
Keith Law: Yes.

JD: Are you finally ready to acknowledge that Joe Biden is the president-elect?
Keith Law: Don’t rush me.

addoeh: Owners cry foul because enough media members and fans like it.  Most fans know how much the best player on their favorite team makes.  But fewer fans know how much their principle owner is worth.  The net worth of the best player is in most cases not even 1/10th of the owners net worth.  Many fans have difficulty seeing the difference between a few million and a few billion.
Keith Law: And we see in every election that there are plenty of ordinary Americans below the top tax bracket who are happy to support the interests of millionaires and billionaires.

Sean: Subscribed to the athletic during the recent sale, is there some evergreen content you’ve produced there you’d plug for me to check out?
Keith Law: The most relevant piece right now is probably my ranking of the top 40 free agents, which I’ll update today or tomorrow with a companion piece on some non-tendered guys of note. Thank you for subscribing.

John: With the CBA expiring in 363 days, should we expect a work stoppage?
Keith Law: I think it will be very contentious.

Crash: If you had a choice to live in any country in the world outside of the US where would you go? Canada, Australia and New Zealand seem like popular choices.
Keith Law: Italy. I have family there, and they have the best attitude on work/life balance (work just enough to have the best possible life, and nap every day).

Chamaco: There has been a proliferation of websites that rank prospects in recent years.  While I understand you tend not to use other sites’ coverage when making your evaluations, if someone wanted to read more about prospects in addition to what is available at The Athletic, where would you direct them? Thanks for all your great work!
Keith Law: Quantity does not equal quality. I do think Eric at Fangraphs, the guys at MLB.com, and Kiley at ESPN all do great work on the pro side. Baseball America remains a must on the draft side.

Eric: Fill in the team you predict:                                   George Springer:                                                  JT Realmuto:                                                       Trevor Bauer                                                        DJ:
Keith Law: Don’t know, don’t really feel like making random guesses. I’ll evaluate them when they sign.

Roger: Will the MLB/NFL/NBA/Select NCAA Conferences (SEC, Big Ten) get the vaccine first similar to how they get daily testing?
Keith Law: It doesn’t sound like it. The tests came from many different vendors and the federal government completely abdicated any responsibility on a national testing regime. The new Administration is not going to whiff on the vaccine.

Adam: Cavan Biggio or Jake Cronenworth?
Keith Law: Cronenworth.

JP: Hey KL, what’s the best way for a piss ant like myself, evaluate prospect bat speed? I obviously do not have the eye for it. Are there certain metrics you can evaluate? Thanks in advance!
Keith Law: Not that I know of. I evaluate by watching.

TomBruno23: Ryan Tepera getting an mvp vote from spink award winner The Commish Rick Hummel when he meant to click on Trea Turner is a sign that it is time stop caring about this nonsense. At least for me it is.
Keith Law: Remember the year three voters gave Edinson Volquez ROY votes when he wasn’t eligible (by a lot)? They lost their right to vote going forward. Funny how the same doesn’t apply when a Spink winner makes a similar mistake.

scott: I thought your comment in your newsletter about Space Age Love Song being the best Flock of Seagulls song was spot on. Do you think it’s fair to say that they don’t get enough credit for it because of the perception that they are a “one hit wonder” (I Ran)?
Keith Law: I think that’s exactly it. Pretty sure “I Ran” did better on the charts at the time.

Rob: What is your favorite metal album from this year?
Keith Law: Probably Pallbearer’s Forgotten Days.

Todd: Still have faith in Clarke Schmidt, Devi Garcia and the young Yankees arms?
Keith Law: Yes. Don’t bail on Schmidt after the rough debut.

Louis: What would be a good board game for a seven year old that is not too difficult to pick up? He is starting to learn how to strategize with simpler card games. Bonus points for games with a math component.
Keith Law: Splendor.

JP: name 3 things you miss about Cambridge, MA
Keith Law: I haven’t lived in Cambridge since 1994 and it’s so different now. I do miss being able to walk to so many places from my dorm. Pinocchio’s, Bartley’s (back when I ate beef), Newbury Comics, In Your Ear, etc.

TD: Thoughts on MiLB shakeup? App league?
Keith Law: The Appy League was just not a good circuit. Bad facilities, poor attendance, close to nothing else. I also never liked the idea of sending players who just came from the D.R. or Venezuela or elsewhere in Latin America to that part of the country, where nothing would be familiar and the only people of color in the stadium would be on the field.

Dallas: Thoughts on lockdowns to prevent COVID spread? Anti-lockdown point to economic impact. Pro-lockdown point to longer term ramifications of the continued pandemic. Do the benefits outweigh the harm?
Keith Law: They clearly do. We’ve never truly locked down here, though, and the moment states lifted restrictions (often way too soon) enough people resumed their normal lives that cases surged.

Bryan: Very specific request for a gift idea, if you care to field it: 4-person board/card-games, easy to travel with, not too complicated; they played The Mind and enjoyed it (also like word games).

[not sure if you ever played Hanabi, but it fits these criteria and is an easy one to pick up and quite fun, though maybe out of print?]
Keith Law: I can’t stand Hanabi. No idea why that won the Spiel. Silver & Gold would work.

Santaspirt: I know it was a relatively minor move but not much was said about the Phillies non-tendering Cesar Hernandez. While he wasn’t a world beater, he was a capable player. Good defense at 2b and could hover around or sometimes above average at the plate. That has value but they just let him go and the Indians grabbed him, and in the shortened season, was 24th in WAR for position players. Not sure if I have a question here. Am I making too much of this move?
Keith Law: Kingery’s presence made that move more logical. Also I know several teams’ internal metrics indicated that Hernandez isn’t the plus defender public metrics say he is (or was).

clabbers: I’m curious why you don’t like Scrabble. The tournament scene is dominated by math people and problem solvers, and the game involves a lot of nuanced thinking. You’re entitled to like whatever you like, but I think at its highest levels it has a lot of appeal to smart people like yourself.
Keith Law: To play Scrabble well, you have to memorize word lists. That’s work. It’s no longer a game if I have to spend time preparing to play.

Tony: With Schwarber getting nontendered last night, I feel like that really highlights how silly it is for a fringe contender to play these service time games. As a Phillies fan, I can’t help but wonder if Bohm had been with team from Opening Day, if that would have been enough for them to make the expanded playoffs last season
Keith Law: I agree that playing service time games, especially around free agency, makes a pretty large assumption that you know 1) what a player will be in six years 2) where your team will be in the standings in six years and 3) what the economic environment will be like in six years. Maybe you don’t need to consider the odds of a pandemic, but maybe having that player for 2-3 more weeks gets you an extra win in April, or speeds his development a bit more so that he’s better in October?

Mike Trout: How do I tell family members (who have always been pro-vaccine) that the COVID vaccines are safe even though they came out fast and Big Pharma is scary?
Keith Law: I’d listen to the experts. Dr. Peter Hotez (whose book Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel’s Autism is a great read) has been very vocal already about his faith in the approvcal process.

Jason: If they don’t move Abrams or Tatis, at what point should the Padres move Abrams off SS (assuming they want to keep Tatis there)?  When he gets to AAA?  After spending some time in AAA?  On-the-job in the majors?  I remember you thought Atlanta moved Peraza off SS too early (though he didn’t end up hitting enough for it matter, anyway)
Keith Law: Not until it’s necessary. Moving a player too soon just reduces your possible options. What if Tatis gets hurt or has to move for some other reason? What if a team has a player you think you have to get, but they want Abrams as a SS? Fans thinking that you have to move a player now to fit the roster 2-3-4 years down the road are being way too optimistic.

Zach: Clearly by your blogs you’re a big Top Chef fan, can’t wait for the new season. What are some of your other favorite food/cooking tv shows?
Keith Law: Haven’t watched Top Chef in years. We did just finish this year’s season of GBBO, which I enjoyed quite a bit, although the elimination in the semifinals was rather disappointing.

Guest: Anthony Siegler has been really knicked up in his first couple pro seasons but what are the reports about his defense when he’s actually played? Is the most realistic outcome (if he stays healthy) average-ish offense and strong defense?
Keith Law: Supposed to be an above-average defender and good with pitchers, but who can say for sure when he’s barely played?

Alex: Now that you updated your top board games list, it’s time to update your list of top novels!  Just kidding…I know it’s a bunch of work to do, but I’ve also benefited a lot from your reviews and they’ve guided my reading choices the past few years.  Thanks for writing all those reviews!
Keith Law: I’ve wanted to do that for a year now but other projects always come first.

Thad bosley: Now that you are free from ESPN, any guest appearances coming up on MLB Now?  The last time when your first book came out was tremendous.
Keith Law: Funny you ask. Tomorrow, via Zoom, if we’re not pre-empted.

Tyler: Klaw – even when society return to normal, do you plan on adjusting your future social behaviors re: shaking someone’s hand, posing for pictures, etc? I’d imagine you get approached often enough that you should consider stuff like that.
Keith Law: I’ve been thinking about whether I’ll continue to wear a mask in crowds … I think I will, because if it also reduces my odds of getting the flu or transmitting it, that’s a good move for me and for those around me. (Granted, I get the flu shot every year, so the last time I got the actual flu I was over it in 36 hours.)

Justin: Last year you noted some conflict about voting for the HOF and that whether or not you vote in the future was up in the air. Where do your thoughts lie currently?
Keith Law: It was an internal conflict, and I don’t think I’ve resolved it so much as accepted that there isn’t a good solution unless I wish to stop voting, which I don’t. I am voting this year, and my ballot will not be full.

Michael: The US really isn’t the greatest country in the world. I get that might not be popular to say like “Defund the police” but from Covid deaths, to the attacks on democracy, lack of health care, lack of free education, life span, etc. shouldn’t we acknowledge a lot is f’d up about this country?
Keith Law: That’s the difference between patriotism and jingoism. I’m afraid the distinction has been blurred in recent years.

Neal: Should SS needy teams be targeting Andrelton Simmons? How do you like his value going forward the next 3-5 years?
Keith Law: I think he’ll be better in 2021 with the time off to heal. He wasn’t healthy at all in 2020.

Lou G: Please tell me this far-right obsession will keep Schilling out of the Hall of Fame.
Keith Law: I predict he gets in this year. Look at the Hall electorate. I bet there are many voters who quietly agree with his views.

JR: Could corporate America somewhat force anti-vaxxers to get the covid vaccine? Imagine if airlines, restaurants, sports stadiums, theaters, cruise ships, amusement parks, etc. all instituted policies that said you can’t come visit us/use our services if you don’t have the vaccine? Is that possible?
Keith Law: Didn’t Qantas say they’ll do so? I sure hope others do the same.

Justin: I’m a huge fan of your board game lists. How much time goes into revising them each year? Seems like it must be a lot. Thanks for all you’ve invested in it.
Keith Law: I think about them all year long, really. Any time I play something new, I think about where it might fit on the list, and I talk to my daughter and now my partner about it too. My daughter’s played a slew of games with me over the last decade and she has her own quite strong opinions on games. Sometimes she surprises me – she likes Bora Bora, a somewhat heavy point-salad game from Feld, more than I do, even though I’d say in general she likes slightly lighter games.

Paul: Just saw the Mets are talking to James McCann about a 4 year deal. Assuming money is no object for the Mets – do you like McCann for 4 years?
Keith Law: No. I do not buy the overnight change in his bat, which didn’t even last for all of 2019.

Steve: Arozarena’s upside?
Keith Law: I’m not going to anoint him a superstar just yet. I think he’s a high-variance guy whose upside is an above-average regular who hits for power with a modest to low OBP.

Tim: Do we know who qualified for Super Two status yet? Noticed the Reds non-tendered Kyle Farmer then signed him – thought he wasn’t even arb-eligible yet.
Keith Law: You can non-tender a player who isn’t arb eligible, which gets him off your 40-man, and then sign him to a minor league deal.

Heather: If we’re looking to ban Curt Schilling from the HOF because of his political views, then let’s not be half-assed about it.  Let’s grab some pitchforks, and head out to Steve Carlton’s cabin, because he’s a right winger that must be destroyed, too.  And let’s dig up Ty Cobb, and burn his bones, too, because he did things I didn’t like.
Keith Law: To be clear, nobody is trying to “ban” Schilling, and the objections to him are not based on “political views.” Mariano Rivera is an open Trump supporter with some political and religious views I find irrational, and even odious, yet I voted for him, and would vote for him again if asked.

JP: we’ve reached the level of Capitalism where a $900B ‘relief’ package can be passed without a single dollar being sent directly to taxpayers. but socialism is the problem.
Keith Law: When someone on the right says “socialism,” any reporter – or voter – in the room should demand that the person define socialism in a sentence. Socialism has a pretty clear definition, and it certainly is not how the right is using the term right now.

Jay: With regard to what you said about Scrabble, I’ve thought about chess in similar way. It’s a hard game, and the best players are very smart – but it seems like it requires a bunch of memorizing moves and responses at a certain level
Keith Law: The Queen’s Gambit did a solid job of showing that part of competitive chess. If you like that, great! Go for it. I don’t find that enjoyable at all. I have other hobbies and would rather devote time to them than to memorizing word lists or famous chess matches.

Matt: Re Climate Change. Even if it was a myth, we still need to address the fact we have a finite supply of oil and that we will run out in less than 100 years.
Keith Law: And what exactly is the downside to reducing air and water pollution? It might lower some oil companies’ stock prices … and?

Neal: Not saying we need all major free agents signed in 24-48 hours like the NBA and the NFL, but how can MLB create a more exciting signing period? Is this just the byproduct of not being in a salary cap league?
Keith Law: That’s one factor. There isn’t a good solution here that doesn’t involve screwing the players, though. An artificial deadline wouldn’t help matters. A salary cap just enriches owners at the players’ expense. Sure, I wish more players would sign already, if only so I have more to write about now before I work on prospect rankings. But I’m not interested in any answer that takes money away from the players who are the actual product.

Josh: Hi Keith, I know you have touted Metamucil in the past for really helping your stomach issues… i am thinking of trying it out, but curious how much you take. The recommended dosage per day seems like a lot.
Keith Law: I take the recommended dose. That’s what a gastroenterologist suggested to me in 1999 and I’ve done it ever since. It’s been a life-changer.

Jim: Its a lot easier to support a lockdown when you are able to do your job from home
Keith Law: You assume that nobody close to me has a job outside the home. I support a lockdown because it is justified by evidence, not because of my feelings.

Tom: Is MLB going to decide on the universal DH soon? I’d be kinda pissed if I’m a bat only FA and find out after I sign that my market could have been twice as big.
Keith Law: I don’t know, but this should be something both sides can agree on quickly – the union benefits financially, GMs mostly will prefer it, and the product on the field would be better in the end.
Keith Law: That’s all for this week – thank you all for reading and for your questions. Look for that non-tender writeup in the next 24 hours or so. A reminder as you all do your holiday shopping that my books The Inside Game and Smart Baseball are both out now and available at independent bookstores or via bookshop.org. Stay safe everyone and please wear your masks.