Starting at 1 pm ET. My latest board game review for Paste covers Matt Leacock’s Era: The Medieval Age, an update of his Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age that lets you build your own little fiefdom with 3D plastic buildings on a peg board.

Keith Law: Call them up, tell them about the new trends. Klawchat.

addoeh: MLB’s showcase event is going on. But instead of that, we have Brandon Taubman showing the world he is a complete ass, the Astros seeing nothing wrong with what he said, and Rob Drake itching to start a ‘cival’ war. I can’t blame Manfred is he’s shouting “what the f*ck” at no one in particular today.
Keith Law: Indeed. From a straight publicity perspective, the start of MLB’s showcase event – which features one of the best teams ever against a franchise from a city that hasn’t won a World Series since 1925 – has been a nightmare. And I won’t blame Manfred if he shouts that phrase at the Astros, who bungled the Taubman thing from the get-go. Put him on administrative leave, say you’re investigating, issue a blanket apology, and the issue withers.

Bill: Enjoyed your AFL writeup and was interested in more about Josh Lowe. Will he slow down given his size? What type of slash would you expect from him in his prime?
Keith Law: We all slow down eventually but I don’t think that’s a near-term concern for Lowe. I could see middling average, good OBP with power. Those guys were usually .250/.340/.500+ before the Happy Fun Ball.

Greg: Is Girardi a good hire for the Phils? Are am I just more relieved/thrilled they didn’t hire Dusty “Basecloggers are bad” Baker?
Keith Law: I think Girardi fits the profile of a guy who’ll be much better the second time around (technically third, but year one hardly counts). Baker would have been a fine choice for that club. The hazard they avoided was Showalter, who I think would have been a very poor fit for their current roster.

Kris: Raimfer Salinas project as an everyday player?
Keith Law: Too far away & inexperienced to put that specific a grade on him.

Rob in WI: Like you, I think it’s better if a new manager has had previous managing experience. But is the trend of someone starting in a Front Office and working into the dugout (The Counsell Method?) possibly an effective one if it streamlines the communication of the Front Office and the Clubhouse? (I have other concerns about David Ross, but I guess that’s aspect is a plus?). Thanks for the chats, Keith.
Keith Law: I think we have one successful example, Counsell, who still took a few years to develop into a competent tactical manager, and that’s nowhere near enough. And Ross wasn’t even a full-time front office person.

Greg: I sort of can’t believe it’s now an open question whether the Mets or Phillies manager position was the more attractive. I know he’s not a Wilpon and he helped land Harper, but do you see Middleton as overstepping in the managerial choices? The retread manager seems like a classic overcorrection. Maybe the Kapler hire didn’t work out, but I don’t think the overall philosophy was wrong. Just the personnel.
Keith Law: IMO, the Kapler hire worked out fine. He was fired because the pitching staff fell apart, and I don’t see how that’s his fault.

Moe Mentum: Francis Ford Coppola doesn’t like Marvel movies. Why is this a news story?
Keith Law: I really have no idea. I don’t even really care for Marvel movies, but this is definitely a “sssh … let people enjoy things” moment.

Ron: Kiriloff will be in the majors next July, next September or not at all?
Keith Law: Second half. Depends on his health and where the Twins are.

Regression to the mean: Good to see you, Gerrit, it’s been quite a while.
Keith Law: It’s hard to say from watching on TV but I thought he was overthrowing (overrotating his hips?) and it cost him command.

Ridley: I imagine you’re going to get a lot of questions like this, but that’s never stopped me before: Has there been a darker day for American democracy than yesterday?

The President’s attorney argued that the President not only can’t be prosecuted while in office; he can’t even be investigated.

Meanwhile, a gaggle of Republicans broke into a secure area brandishing cell phones, knowingly breaking the law, in an attempt to invalidate the impeachment process. This despite the fact that many of them were actually entitled to be in the hearings and that the doors were closed to non-committee members as per a rule created by John Boehner.

I’m hesitant to say we’ve reached the bottom, but I’m pretty sure we can see it from here.
Keith Law: The failure of the rest of the Republican party to condemn that little circus – led by perhaps their most embarrassing member – is the most disturbing part. Nothing matters as long as you cling to power.

Bmosc: Gut instinct on where Cole is 2020? If they strike out on him, are there any contingency plans for the Yanks that you think close the gap b/w them/Houston? Also, just announced Hicks is out 8-10 months b/c of TJ surgery. Gardner/Maybin back now or other attractcive options?
Keith Law: Still think Cole has at least as good a chance to end up with the Angels as the Yanks. Quite a few outfield options available to them if they fear Gardner’s age; would expect them to go outside for that.

Brian: Did Hinch panic a little in the 7th? The intentional walk to Soto made no sense given the situation.
Keith Law: I didn’t like the IBB but I understood him trying to get to a platoon advantage there while avoiding a high-OBP, high-damage hitter against whom they didn’t seem to have a great attack plan. He wasn’t the winning run, which to me makes it a tolerable move rather than a dangerously wrong one.

JP: better trade chip for the Mets: JD Davis or Dom Smith? Seems right now neither will have a spot in the field with Alonso taking 1B and Davis not a great glove anywhere.
Keith Law: Smith. Younger, better fielder, year seems less fluky to me.

Juwan: How much has Soto exceeded your expectations? I know that you liked him as a prospect but had him slightly below the elite tier of Tatis, Vlad jr and Acuna. Are you surprised at his ascension?
Keith Law: I am quite surprised. Way better plate discipline than he ever showed in A-ball.

T: Are you worried about the future of the sport? Between the continuing DV problems, and the more transparent-than-ever anti-labor attitudes prevailing (in terms of service time manipulation and valuing ownership profits over on-field product), and now this whole juiced/not-juiced ball…it seems like the entire sport is at a bit of a crossroads, no?
Keith Law: My worries are much more about the on-field product’s appeal and the potential that we’re pricing future fans out of the ballpark than serious but transient issues like DV (which has always been there, it just feels bigger now because these incidents make news & fans are vocal about them).

Gloria: Is there any hope for curing the misinformed Drake’s of the world? It’s one thing to not support impeachment, but a whole other to falsely believe that the GOP isn’t part of the process, it’s all being done secretly, etc. Or is there no hope b/c Fox News and GOP members themselves spew these lies?
Keith Law: From an MLB perspective, he probably needs to be given a very long time off, and required to refrain from posting on any social media.

CP: Any reason for hope of a championship in the next 20 years if you’re a Pirates fan?
Keith Law: Sure. Franchises have turned around in less than half of that time.

Timmins: What’s a realistic AAV we can expect for Cole? Will someone toss him an 8/240 type deal?
Keith Law: I think he’s getting that and maybe more. Maybe more like 6-7 years but a higher AAV. Would be shocked if he comes in under $30MM/year.

Mike: Keith, the Mets have Rosario at SS & 2 of their top prospects are SS also. Gimenez is hopefully a year or 2 away & Mauricio right behind him. Would it be prudent (insert Met joke here) to see if one of them can play OF, where there is a lack of prospects in the system? Of course it’s the Mets, so one might get moved for an overpaid reliever.
Keith Law: Gimenez just isn’t the same caliber of prospect as the other two; he’s there but not really relevant. Rosario’s second-half improvement is enough to leave him at short for the next year, at the least, and Mauricio is 2-3 years away, so you have plenty of time to let that resolve itself. If that makes Gimenez a trade piece, great. They’re already in for a few pennies on 2020.

Eric: Juan Soto should be the face of baseball for the next decade, but some dope pitcher is going to throw at him for having fun, then he’ll be ripped by “old-school” dopes and they’ll ruin our fun.
Keith Law: You know what’s weird? George Springer didn’t run that game 1 double out, and I didn’t hear broadcasters or read mainstream writers complaining about how he was ruining the sport. What’s the difference between him and Ronald Acuña or Manny Machado? No puedo identificarlo.

Rob : Any thoughts on the Padres managerial hire. At least he does have *some* managerial experience?
Keith Law: Great hire. Tingler has real managing experience and developmental experience, and that’s what the Padres need in the next two years. Green is like Kapler to me – the fans blamed him when the reality is the team wasn’t good enough to contend this year, and the manager wasn’t the reason they didn’t. Tingler seems like a great choice to shepherd the development of Tatis Jr., Urias, Gore, Patiño, etc. as the team starts to move more towards contention this year.

Tim: Is there any hope left for Corey Ray?
Keith Law: Not much, but nonzero chance.

Nate: What’s the ceiling for Eric pardinho?
Keith Law: Mid-rotation if everything works out. High floor, not high ceiling.

TP: How does eliminating 42 minor league teams help to grow the popularity of the game? I get some of the facility and travel arguments, but it seems an easier fix would be realignment and MLB teams paying for upgrades. Oh wait, maybe $ is the real issue here…
Keith Law: Nobody’s going to see most of those 42 franchises. I posted some of their attendance figures; they’re not attracting fans as it is.

Kyle: Klaw, The Mets drafted Jake Mangum last year in the 4th round. Can he be anything more than a 4th OF? The system is lacking in OF depth.
Keith Law: That’s his best case scenario for me.

Vander: Quick thoughts about Jose Israel Garcia? Has he become a guy?
Keith Law: Absolutely a GUY. Maybe their top healthy prospect right now.

hotshots1812: I know you generally prefer guys with past managing experience at some level but how do you feel about someone like Tim Bogar who has been a big league coach for ~10 years? Is an extended time as a big league coach roughly equivalent to managing a few years in the minors?
Keith Law: I don’t think I have enough data to answer that.

Jesse B : Assuming good health, is Adrian Morejon the Padres #3 behind Gore and Paddack in 2021?
Keith Law: If they try to make any kind of trade for an impact player this winter, I bet Morejon is in it.

T: Better baseball name right now than Jayce Tingler?
Keith Law: I saw Jax Biggers in the AFL.

AZ: Best 2019 movie you’ve seen so far?
Keith Law: I’ve only seen four, I think, but the good stuff is hitting theaters here now. Hoping to see Parasite Tuesday.

E: Prior to the W.S. the odds were around +195 for WAS and -220 for HOU. While Houston is the better overall team, who would bet on 2:1 odds in a 7 game series when the other team is a formidable opponent?
Keith Law: Those odds seem totally irrational to me. I’m listening to Leonard Mlodinow’s The Drunkard’s Walk right now, and he walks through this exact scenario; I think he’d agree 2:1 series odds would be bonkers.

TomBruno23: Is there a player of your youth that you thought was really good but when you look back on his sabermetrics now you think, “Well, maybe he wasn’t so good after all.”? For me it’s Vince Coleman.
Keith Law: Andre Dawson.

Maximus: Who is getting the job in Boston? I’m a Romero backer.
Keith Law: Every name I’ve heard is someone from outside the org. Jed Hoyer’s name comes up a lot. I don’t know if that’s real or just because he used to work there.

Robbie: Having been able to see prospects get their first taste of pro-ball (albeit a clear SSS), which teams would you say at this point had your top 3 ranked draft classes from this past year?
Keith Law: I would not change any answers based on such tiny samples.

Stephen: If you were Andrew Friedman, what would you do this offseason? Should the Dodgers just run it back, or actually try and chase the Yankees and Angles on Cole or go after Rendon?
Keith Law: Go for it. Team is built to win now. And accept that Kershaw isn’t what he was, which means signing Cole or Strasburg or Ryu, or trading for someone comparable.
Keith Law: I hear they want Rendon, who is a superstar, but they have a surfeit of infielders and I think they need more help in the rotation.

John: RE: Taubman… looks like the Astros might have karma against them this series.
Keith Law: I don’t believe that for a second. The Nats have just outplayed them.

Guest: If you’re Rendon, do you re-sign with the Nationals, knowing they have Turner, Soto, Robles, and the rotation, or do you maybe go somewhere else to either be the man or put a team over the hump? As a Nats fan I know what the easy answer is for me.
Keith Law: He’s taking the most money. I guarantee that, and why not? I would do the same.

Dean M: Hey Keith. I consider you as my top Scouting Dept and you helped me dominate for years. Just wanted to say thank you and keep up the great work!! Just one question… do you think Chris Sale’s best days are behind him? Or is this season just a one yr injury write off? Thanks again!!!
Keith Law: I don’t know – if he had just had elbow surgery, I’d be more comfortable saying he’ll bounce back in 2021, but now I really can’t guess.

Thomas: When it comes to positional prospects, the Tigers have nothing notable in their farm system (and nothing close to ML ready). The rebuild is probably behind schedule as a result. Should they be looking to trade someone like Faedo or Burrows for a hitting prospect or two? Or hang on for a couple years and see if the next two drafts help fill out the system.
Keith Law: Neither of those guys has enough value to get the hitting prospect you need.

Gloria: Fact or fiction? If the Pirates stayed the course and kept all of their guys (and got better coaches) they would have been contenders this year?
Keith Law: That’s two huge ifs together.

kglue: Speaking of Soto and plate discipline more generally, is there an asymmetric payoff coming into play? e.g. if you strikeout a lot but also hit a ton in the minors, you’ll get promoted with the thought, “they’ll get better at pitch recognition or plate discipline”, but that if you walk a ton and don’t show hit or power tools, you probably don’t get promoted. Kind of the old adage that no one walks their way off the island.
Keith Law: That was probably true 20 years ago, but far less so today.

Benji: Without much change in performance next year, what are your thoughts in general on George Springer as a FA next winter? Do you think his skill set will age well into his early-mid thirties or is any team likely going to regret committing to him long term?
Keith Law: Definitely the kind of player I’d project to hold value on both sides of the ball into his 30s.

Ted: What type of prospect is the pitcher from Korea who the Red Sox just signed?
Keith Law: I haven’t seen anything about them signing a Korean pitcher, sorry.

Snowy: What type of deal do you think Bumgarner would get on the open market? Local consensus seems to be ownership is opening the checkbook and re-signing him no matter what
Keith Law: If they want to do that, great, but they should let the market set his price. I wonder if demand will be tepid given how he looked this year.

Randy: What are your thoughts on K Bryant’s grievance? Of course Cubs manipulated time like every other team, but in 2015, both Mike Olt and Tommy LaStella got hurt and went on DL paving way for KB. Do you really think there is any way he is FA after 2020?
Keith Law: My assumption is he’ll get a financial settlement, not free agency. Yes, they manipulated service time, obviously. Can Boras prove this was the sole reason they didn’t promote him for Opening Day, enough to get a ruling that sets him free? That I doubt.

Pat D: If you go to Wikipedia’s page on the 2020 HOF balloting, for the Modern Baseball Committee, in addition to the 8 men not elected by that committee last time, they list 42 other players, umpires, managers and executives as possible candidates, most all of whom it seems you could at least have a discussion on whether they’re deserving. So it’ll be kinda sad when precious few ever get elected, right?
Keith Law: Those committees have really become an embarrassment to the Hall. I’ve had plenty to say about bad BBWAA selections, but whoa boy, we are way better than those guys.

Benji: If the Tigers were to seriously shop Matt Boyd this winter, do you think they’d be able to land a bat in the middle range of your top 100? Do you think they ought to shop him now regardless?
Keith Law: Yes and yes.

Ray: Isn’t it interesting how so many “patriotic” conservative pundits have never said a word about human rights abuses in China, until they saw an opportunity to yell at Lebron James for not saying enough about human rights abuses in China?
Keith Law: I posted a link to a piece from the Guardian this past Saturday that said exactly that.

Gloria: Can someone like Ray be fixed by another organization in the way you said the Astros fixed Cole or is it harder for hitters?
Keith Law: It’s never easy, but he’s had so many swing issues since entering pro ball, and yet has a good underlying sense of the strike zone, that I think there’s something there for the right development group. Would love to see what the Dodgers could do for him, to pick one example. Rays too.

TomBruno23: Finished The Mushroom Hunters yesterday, now all I want to do is try every mushroom out there. Checked out The Queen from my library today. Keep those book recs coming.
Keith Law: I have been on a similar quest for unusual mushrooms lately, but haven’t found any markets that sell them near me. If anyone has a rec for places in Philly or its environs, let me know. DiBruno’s let me down, unfortunately.

Jon G: How much scrutiny does a team that hires Gabe Kapler as a manager or front office executive deserve given how he handled allegations of abuse when with the Dodgers?
Keith Law: The public story on that does not match what I have been able to learn from talking to many people involved at the time (not including Kapler).

Todd: Florial, Garcia and Gil enough for Lindor?
Keith Law: No. The Yanks have done quite a job selling the public on Florial, but I don’t think the industry buys it.

addoeh: Regarding eliminating minor league teams, for the cities losing clubs in the east and mid-west, aren’t most of them fairly close, an hour drive or so, from another minor or even major league club? If the fans want to see professional baseball, they can.
Keith Law: And if an area has enough of a population to support another team, one will move there. Nobody in this system has any interest in keeping teams away from fans. Team owners at all levels want profits, which depend on fan bases. All of the markets I’ve heard might lose their teams are either very small or lack even remotely adequate facilities.

JR: Of the five managers hired so far (with three openings to go), all have been white guys. You think any minorities will get one of the final three positions? Any minority candidates you think that are deserving of a manager position?
Keith Law: I’m not optimistic.

Brad: What is Victor Robles ceiling? Is he a Jackie Bradley Jr.?
Keith Law: Totally different player.

Scott: Do you think Strasburg should opt out?
Keith Law: Yes, and I think he will.

Tom: Do you believe the ball has been de-juiced for the playoffs? Do you think it’s a sign of what’s ahead?
Keith Law: The baseball is clearly different. Not sure I believe it was deliberate, which is the popular accusation.

Joe: Joe Espada has twice been passed by guys who have zero experience (Boone and Ross). Is there something wrong with him as a potential hire?
Keith Law: I know nothing about Espada to answer that question, but passing over an experienced minority twice is a bad look for MLB.

Aaron Houston, Tx: What can we expect from Bobby Dalbec? Can he be a Devers type profile?
Keith Law: Totally different players.
Keith Law: Devers turns 23 today. Dalbec is already 24 and hasn’t reached the majors yet.

Salty: I vote independently and lean conservative. I don’t understand the love affair with the wealth tax proposed by the democratic candidates. It seems great in theory, but won’t the richest of the rich just use their high-priced accountants to avoid paying additional taxes like the plague? No one ever questions the candidates on that scenario? Am I completely wrong on the subject? It seems like there’s no chance the intended (hoped) revenue would ever come close to being realized.
Keith Law: Wealth is pretty hard to hide, harder than income is. I think the argument should be whether taxing the wealthiest Americans has any deleterious effects on our economy. I don’t think it does, but I don’t know the answer and I see very little discussion of it.

Pat D: Do you have an opinion about some films getting very little to no theatrical release and essentially premiering on streaming services? I’ve counted about 30 films between now and the end of the year that are set to be released that I’d like to see, so I’m not going to complain that I can stay home to watch a few of them.
Keith Law: I prefer it too since it’s 35 minutes for me to get to the Ritz art theaters in Philly.

Mike: Keith, where do you stand on the pace of play issue? It seems it takes so long between pitches now. 4 hour 9 inning games is ridiculous.
Keith Law: It’s not pace of play. It’s pace of game. There are too many commercials and too many breaks.

Rob k: NYC media is reporting there’s a potential BOMBSHELL candidate for the Mets job. Is it you?
Keith Law: It’s not, although with Tingler getting the San Diego job, there’s hope for us 5’6″ baseball dorks now.

Jason: Do you have a solution to the service-time manipulation for free agency? Regardless of where lines are drawn, teams will try to stay on the “good” side. Would age or time since signing be a better way to handle it?
Keith Law: I proposed one modest rule change back in March 2015.

Todd: How will teams get to Coors Field next season with the wall surrounding Colorado?
Keith Law: They’ll have to get really high.

Kris: Does the Girardi hire have any significance on the ability for the Phillies to get to playoffs, let alone win a title? Hard for any manager to succeed with a flawed, talet-poor roster and a franchise that’s unable to draft or develop talent. Not saying Girardi is a bad choice, but I think Kapler took the fall for a decade plus of organizational ineptitude (which doesn’t seem like it’s going to end anytime soon unless MacPhail is fired)
Keith Law: They need to go get another starter, and once again rebuild the bullpen. I do think Howard helps them in 2020, but he’s not the entire solution.

Jake: The category is: Guys who throw really hard but don’t get strikeouts because they work down in the zone and then they go to Houston. What’s the next name in this sequence: Morton, Cole…?
Keith Law: I would love to see Jon Gray in Houston.

RJ : What type of contract do you see Zach Wheeler commanding this offseason? I feel like teams might see him as a good player with great potential to take a step forward if he has an opportunity to play with better defense behind him. His advanced metrics seem to be great.
Keith Law: Buster swears Wheeler is getting 4+ years … good for him given how much time he missed with injuries. I do think he’s the third best starter on the market.

Chris: cast iron or carbon steel fry pan?
Keith Law: I own one of each.

Bruce: How well does managing in the minors translate to managing in the majors? With the handling of the players and in-game managment being so different I would think ML bench coach experience would be more valuable.
Keith Law: Is in-game management that different?

B Mand: I wanted to ask a follow-up to a question you answered last week about the Red Sox looking to see what the trade market is for Mookie. What kind of return would the Sox need to get in order to make this a worthwhile move?
Keith Law: At least two projected starters, either young MLBers or top prospects. Not just any ones, but good ones.

Eric: Went to Disney World with my family last week. Saw a guy in a red MAGA hat. It was really unsettling.
Keith Law: Well, he gave a lot of his money to one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly companies in the world to own the libs.

Larry Legend: I understand it’s not as simplistic as this but the old school scouty team beating the cold calculating really smart team makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Keith Law: Well, the Nats aren’t really “old school scouty.” They talk analytics as much as most clubs do.

Brian Godish: I’m asking this knowing the answer is “money”, but why don’t MLB teams invest some money in making their minor league facilities/travel a little bit more adequate? Teams are investing in their draft picks to produce, it would seem a decent nights sleep should be helpful for said draft picks/international signing. It seems crazy how the minors work from a financial perspective.
Keith Law: They don’t own the teams. There’s no reason for them to invest in facilities they won’t own, and that could benefit another parent org when the affiliation agreement is up.

John: Should the Twins give Odorizzi a QO?
Keith Law: Yes.

Chris B: Do you think the Indians move Lindor this offseason? If they have no plans of resigning him then this would be the perfect time to maximize the return.
Keith Law: They absolutely should. I don’t get the sense they will.

Oscar: Any cookbook recommendations for a complete novice? I’m talking super simple.
Keith Law: Joy of Cooking was the first real cookbook I ever used, and I think it’s perfect for a newbie.

Chris: If writing about baseball and board games isn’t an option, but you could write full time about either music or food, which would you choose?
Keith Law: Food. I find writing about music harder than any other things I write about; it’s the most subjective topic I hit on, and translating things I hear into words without lapsing into discussions of Phrygian modes or counterpoints is quite difficult. (And who the hell wants to read that kind of writing?)

Ricky: I’ve seen a lot of Blue Jays fans patting themselves and the organization on the back for getting rid of Osuna but…if they wanted to do the “right” thing, shouldn’t they have just cut him rather than exchange his value or something else (even if it’s at a diminished cost)? I’m not sure how much “credit” they (or any team that trades someone accused of DV for something of value) should get.
Keith Law: I have no issue with them handling it as they did. I’m actually unsure if they could just release the player under the DV policy.

Pat: By taxing “wealth”, what do do you do? These people don’t have those $$ lying around in cash, it’s in some non-liquid asset, like stock or real estate, etc. Make the wealthy sell assets to pay the wealth tax? Does that affect the value of the assets? I’m not saying high income shouldn’t pay more taxes, but, the logistics of taxing “wealth” seem fuzzy to me.
Keith Law: You open a separate argument, which is that our capital gains tax is WAY too low. We tax regular income more heavily than we tax capital gains, but capital gains tend to accrue to higher income earners and to the wealthy, not to the majority of American households.

Geralt of Rivia: Gut feeling – even with the talk of trimming the payroll, luxury tax, etc., do the Red Sox come to terms with Betts? Trade him in the offseason? Ride out 2020 with the hopes of being in contention?
Keith Law: Depends on who’s GM and what ownership wants to do, but I don’t see a good path to contention for them in 2020 with their current pitching staff.

Stu: Is toxic maleness endemic to baseball, and other male sports, or can it be fixed?
Keith Law: Toxic masculinity is endemic to any patriarchal society. It’s not just sports; they are the visible tip of a very large iceberg.

Scott: Hi Keith. Looking forward to reading book #2. What are your thoughts on Barber to the Phillies?
Keith Law: Nice guy. Don’t know much about his own philosophy, but he comes from an org that integrates traditional scouting and analytical tools about as well as any team does.

Ben: Any Seattle eats recommendations? I am headed there for work and know nothing about the food scene.
Keith Law: I haven’t been since 2001 (and it kills me).

Pat D: I find the combination of Buck and Smoltz to be pretty unbearable to listen. Do you feel that way or am I just convinced that they both hate the Yankees and make no attempt to hide that?
Keith Law: I have watched all of their games without the sound. Smoltz’s attitude on modern players and especially on analytics does MLB no favors at all. Actually, I did hear a bit of game one, and I think he referred to Scherzer “going to the computer” in Max’s brain to figure out how to get some hitter out. I mean, John, that’s what analytics departments do. So it’s okay if a player uses his fallible memory, but not okay if we use the ACTUAL FUCKING DATA?

Craig: Why aren’t more major league teams simply buying affiliates when they come up for sale? The easy way to guarantee a good location/good facilities is to own the team yourself.
Keith Law: Then you have to run the teams.

Geralt of Rivia: Are fantasy and sci-fi genres that you are less interested in? (movies/tv/books) I think I just see you talk about them less, no judgment just curious.
Keith Law: Not true at all. I’ve read every Hugo winner but four (Cyteen, the two Mars books, and this year’s winner).

Allen: Wealth is actually much easier hide then income, primarily because there is much more ambiguity in terms of what someone’s actual wealth is. Several European countries have eliminated their wealth tax because the costs of collecting it weren’t worth the revenue gained. https://www.accountingtoday.com/articles/democrats-love-a-wealth-tax-b…
Keith Law: Bookmarking this to read later, thank you.

Chris: If invited, would you ever sit for an interview on Hot Ones? And how far up the Scoville Scale could you go?
Keith Law: I would, but not very far.

Vincent Adultman: Do you think Didi would accept a QO?
Keith Law: No. He’s a top ten FA this winter.

Gloria: I’m sure some of your readers/trolls are upset by the MAGA hat comment, but I hope they realize that for me and many others it’s like seeing a KKK hood, swastika, etc.
Keith Law: If you choose to wear that hat, you are doing so with the full understanding that many people will see it and find it offensive – and that, Mr. Luhnow, is “intent.”

Sean: I believe you really liked Zadie Smith’s White Teeth. Do you plan on checking out her new short story collection Grand Union?
Keith Law: Eventually yes. Read On Beauty and Swing Time, both fine, neither measured up to White Teeth.

Buscon Bob: How awful is the Cubs pitching development part of their farm system? Baltimore bad?
Keith Law: They haven’t drafted much pitching either – their strategy was always to draft bats and trade for or sign pitchers. Hard to kill their player development for failing to develop prospects they never had.

John: Did you read beyond the Three-Body Problem?
Keith Law: I didn’t; it was fine, but felt no need to move on from there. The whole unfolding-the-proton gambit was right up against the edge of the envelope for me … I was like, okay, I think I’m good here.

Dave: re Taubman – is it normal for front office types to be in the locker room during celebrations, etc.? Was this always the case?
Keith Law: Yes, it’s normal, and I have no objection to him or any other FO personnel being there.

Pat: Agree on capital gains, it should be higher taxed. Never understood why the tax rate is tied to how long you owned the asset.How about a sloped capital gains tax % based on amount gained, similar to income tax? Maybe the top tier is 50% for any gain over $5M or something?
Keith Law: Sure, at least that’s moving in the right direction – and while it will somewhat disincentivize capital investment, I don’t think that will stop anyone from trying to found the next Amazon or Facebook either. Set it at a rate where investors will still think they can get rich, even though they may give nearly half of it to the government in taxes.

Pat: Odds that Taubman was drunk in the clubhouse? That’s my hunch. Not that that’s an excuse, but it led him to say the quiet part of what surely was an internal talking point about this reporter continuously pointing out that Osuna is a scumbag out loud
Keith Law: If he was, well, in vino veritas.

Moe Mentum: Who was more musically innovative, David Bowie or David Byrne? How about most *influential*?
Keith Law: Don’t know their oeuvres enough to answer the first one but Bowie was certainly more influential.

Patrick: Who do you believe is the top prep righty in the 2020 class? Abel? Kelley?
Keith Law: Probably Kelley right now, with Abel 2. Definitely the top two guys.

Bruce: Thoughts on The Mets interviewing Eduardo Perez?
Keith Law: Very happy for him.
Keith Law: That’s all for this week. Thanks to all of you, especially the substantial portion of you named “Pat,” for reading and for all of your questions. Keep an eye out for my Paste list of the top board games of the 2010s, and for a formal announcement about my second book, The Inside Game, in the next few days. Enjoy your weekends!

For ESPN+ subscribers, I had a long piece covering all the players I saw in the Arizona Fall League plus some other notes from instructs and games I saw in September.

Over at Ars Technica, I ranked all 18 Ticket to Ride maps available on tabletop. I also reviewed the new strategy game Tapestry, from the designer of Scythe and Charterstone, over at Paste.

Keith Law: Say goodbye to conventional ways. It’s Klawchat.

Trevor: Cole to the Angels sounds like a broken record. Last I checked there’s another team in LA, that wins, with more payroll flexibility
Keith Law: That doesn’t change the fact that Cole is an ideal fit for the Angels. Perhaps the Angels are not an ideal fit for him, or would choose not to outbid other suitors, but he is exactly what they need (actually, they need two of him).

Mike: Hi Keith, what’s your take on the Sox trading Mookie?
Keith Law: They should explore the market for him.

addoeh: Other than the upcoming Italy and Japan maps, what other countries/locations would like to see released for Ticket To Ride? Canada, Australia/New Zealand, Russia, South America?
Keith Law: It’s funny, I’m reading Paul Theroux’s The Great Railway Bazaar and have been thinking about how much train travel itself has changed, and how the Ticket to Ride games (which I love) really have nothing to do with the experience of travelers. Seems like that could be a new avenue for expansions. Anyway, South America seems like the least covered region for the maps so far – perhaps an Old Patagonian Express map is in order.

Trevor: Better California legislation: NCAA Fair Pay Act or prep schooling starting no earlier than 8-8:30am?
Keith Law: Why not both? High schools should all start later, as teenagers’ circadian rhythms run later than those of younger children or adults.

Bruce: Will Dustin May be in the Dodgers rotation next season?
Keith Law: At some point, yes.

Lyle: Could Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez both be on the opening day 2021 roster?
Keith Law: Possible but unlikely. Kelenic is further along.

Bruce: Will Yordan Alvarez continue to be a middle of the order bat next year or do you see him regressing next year?
Keith Law: I think there’s some regression coming, but he’ll still be an above-average hitter.

Mike: Has what Royce Lewis done in the AFL given you more optimism that the swing adjustments are progressing and the talent is still intact? Kiley at Fangraphs said in his chat yesterday he’s still bullish.
Keith Law: What swing adjustments? He looked exactly the same – huge leg kick, big hitch – and did not hit at all during the regular season. Nothing is wrong with him physically, but I don’t think there’s a big leaguer who hits for average with a noisy approach like Lewis’s.

The Bilmo: Why not play the better defender, Dom Smith, at first, and see if Alonso can play left?
Keith Law: Alonso can’t play left.

Brian: Could you provide an assessment of the Toronto front office? Has Shapiro/Atkins really done anything above average in the past 4 years? Bo/Pearson appear to be great draft hits…Lots of what appear to be bad decisions. Thanks for the chat!
Keith Law: The ‘model’ didn’t want Bichette; the scouts had to fight to get him. The model wanted JB Woodman, whom the Jays took a few picks later and who is now completely out of baseball. Pearson was a great pick, for sure, and the early (brief) returns on Groshans are also strong. But overall I don’t think this front office has built up their farm system nearly as well as other teams have in the same time frame, and they haven’t maximized returns well enough in trades.

Greg P: Keith – what’s your opinion on the baseball being used for the playoffs?
Keith Law: The evidence says the baseball is different from the one used in the regular season. Ignore the vaporing coming from the Commissioner’s Office and go with the data.

Matt: Tim Kurkjian mentioned that he liked the Maddon hire because the Angels “went too far” into the analytics, and that Maddon can bring them back the other way. Do you agree with that assessment? Is that something that’s really even possible?
Keith Law: I did not hear Tim say that, and it doesn’t really sound like him, but I’ll respond to the general argument and say it’s balderdash. Scioscia was hostile to analytics; Ausmus simply didn’t implement them well at all. Maddon is more open to integrating analytics than either of those two guys, and that’s good. It won’t matter without more pitching, though.

Ken: With the Harold Baines induction in the HOF and Nick Markakis at 2355 hits at age 35, is there better than a non-zero chance that he is able to hang around long to collect his 3,000 hits. As a die hard O’s fan my wife would be ecstatic (I am a Yankee fan and once lovingly called my wife’s team a cute little franchise 🙂 ) but good god Markakis in the hall? I might never hear the end of it!!!!!!!!!!
Keith Law: I think if Markakis gets to 3000 hits, he’ll be the first non-PED-assumed player to reach that mark and not get in through the BBWAA vote.

Dan: Hi Keith – thanks for your insights! Was wondering if you thought 2020 would be a realistic expectation for the White Sox to challenge for a division title with what they currently have? I know free agent additions could change this outlook. I also know they have a lot of question marks, especially on players coming back from injuries, but I’m not sure the Twins’ run this year is sustainable.
Keith Law: Not as currently constituted, but they should be very aggressive this winter. I do think the Twins’ run is sustainable, but the White Sox can match them with improvements from internal options plus two pieces added this winter.

Bob: No question. Just wanted to say I had a chance to check out the Crack Shack on a recent work trip to SD and it exceeded my expectations. Thanks for the recommendation!
Keith Law: Can’t wait to head there for the winter meetings. I’ve grown to like those meetings less and less over the years, especially with the last two years such duds for actual baseball news, but San Diego is the best city for them.

Brian: Are you bothered at all by the coexistence of wild cards and an unbalanced schedule? Teams are competing for playoff spots while playing vastly different schedules. For example, the Mets played 102 games against teams over .500, while the Brewers played 88, the Cubs 84 and the Diamondbacks 75. I’ve never seen anyone talk about this, but it seems like a pretty fundamentally unfair structural problem. (And it’s not necessarily something that will vary from year to year; the Mets always play 4 to 6 games against the powerful Yankees, for example.)
Keith Law: Playing more teams in your division – which is probably the right schedule when division titles matter so much – will always lead to an unbalanced schedule, and there’s no real fix for that.

Dan: The Cubs have 4 “top 100” prospects. Change my mind.
Keith Law: They do not. And since I make the list, I think that settles it.

Sarah: I saw your write up from the AFL. Do you buy Julio Rodriguez as a potential super star?
Keith Law: Offensively, yes.

edward: hey keith: longtime reader (advocated for you to read anything by gaddis) and i am headed to wilmington tomorrow for an opening at the delaware art museum. i have the afternoon free – any suggestions as to how best to spend my time? thank you!
Keith Law: Uh … maybe go walk around Longwood Gardens?

Jon: Is Gabe Kapler the next manager to ride the AJ Hinch “2nd time around he’s a genius” train?
Keith Law: I think he’ll do very well at his next stop. I don’t think he was in any way the problem in Philadelphia, regardless of what the fans or some of the local media tell you. Their bullpen imploded early, and their rotation crumbled late. None of that is on him.

Jones: What are your thoughts around the managing skills of Dave Martinez. Obviously managerial skills are often soft and hard to quantify but in my mind he definitely deserves credit for keeping the team together, setting the right tone and atmosphere and enabling them to get the most out of their talent and win games. I don’t think he does a good job with the bullpen, but looking back on Trevor Rosenthal, Tony Sipp and the rest of that cast of characters, who could do a good job?
Keith Law: I think he’s been harmless, but this team is doing what they’re doing because they are ridiculously talented. It’s a very deep, strong lineup, and their top three starters rival any top three in the game.

Brandon: Do you eat concessions at the games you attend? If so, what would be your ideal menu throughout the game?
Keith Law: Almost never.

Sedona: Hey Keith! Do you project any player from the 2018 J2 class to become All-Stars?
Keith Law: I think Cartaya is on that path right now. Others have a chance but are still pretty low-probability, like Luciano or Orelvis.

Luke: Is Wingspan the best new board game of 2019? (This could also be asked “What new board game should I get the family for the holidays?”)
Keith Law: Yes, I don’t think I’m spoiling anything by saying so. It’s the only perfect score I’ve given a game since I started reviewing over at Paste.

Ron: Is this off season a good time for the Twins to trade Rosario? Would he bring any decent pitching? Your thoughts. Thanks as always for the chats!
Keith Law: A low-OBP corner outfielder who’s not a great defender and has two years remaining probably doesn’t bring back much pitching, especially if his power spike this year was more the baseball than anything new with him.

David: Any thoughts on Ron Washington vs. Jayce Tingler as the Padres’ new manager?
Keith Law: I’m more familiar with Tingler, and didn’t love what I saw from Washington the first time around in Texas, so I would lean towards the former … but recognize that Wash might be better the second time around.

BD: Besides Luis Garcia, do you have any notes on Sterling Sharp, Jacob Condra, Jakson Reetz, or Cole Freeman?
Keith Law: All my AFL notes were in that column. I didn’t see Sharp pitch at all.

Moe Mentum: What were Gabe Kapler’s primary weaknesses as Phillies manager, and who should they hire as a replacement to address these weaknesses?
Keith Law: His handling of the media was probably his downfall, which is dumb but that’s the world in which we live. They should hire the best available replacement, not someone who is the anti-Kapler.

Beni-getbettah?: The atmospheric pressure isn’t the only thing dropping in Boston, as the next bomb might be Mookie’s departure. The silver lining, if that forecast is true, may be a solid pair of young players remaining in Bogaerts and Devers. Outside of that duo, there appears to be a drought of controlled and productive young talent. I wonder what your barometer reads on Benintendi’s season? It wasn’t a disaster, but the lack of pop in a season of juiced balls raises concerns that this may be more than a blip on the radar.
Keith Law: I’m truly surprised his power has never come on, but at this point you’re probably asking for a swing overhaul to try to find it.

Chris: Thoughts on Dave Roberts’ handling of the bullpen in Game 5 of the NLDS?
Keith Law: I thought using Kershaw for Eaton was fine, leaving him in past an inning break to face one of the best RHB in the game was questionable, and not going to Kolarek for Soto was even more questionable. Roberts managed as if Kershaw were still the 2016 model, but we have a full season of pitch data that says he’s not. Using Joe Kelly in the 10th was a white flag.

Chris: Any buy-low free agents you like this offseason?
Keith Law: I’ll do that ranking right after the WS ends.

Michael: Is there a tangible reason why Cole is so much better now than two years ago?
Keith Law: Yes, with the trade to Houston he changed his approach and went with more four-seamers up.

Adam: If you’re into high-ceiling but risky prospects, are Brailyn Marquez and Brennan Davis — and not Nico Hoerner — the best Cubs’ prospects?
Keith Law: Hoerner does seem lower upside, and he didn’t perform well after an aggressive assignment to AA this year. If you think Marquez is a likely starter, he’s their best guy. If not, it’s probably Davis.

Jesse B : Can Christian Javier be a successful back end starter if he tightens up the command or is he a reliever?
Keith Law: More likely reliever for me.

JR: While I love seeing top talent perform in the postseason, I’m also a sucker for a great story. Seeing a guy like Anibal Sanchez throwing quality postseason innings or Zimmerman having some huge postseason moments and his Nats finally having postseason success after all his years with the team – fyeahbaseball
Keith Law: Agreed – the Nats are a series of great stories, from a fan base that hadn’t seen their team win a playoff series to a city that hasn’t hosted a WS game in 86 years to all the players on that roster who’d never seen an NLCS let alone a World Series.

Michael: What should the penalty be for the Angels if it is proven that team employees knew of Skaggs drug abuse and if a team employee is found to have been procuring the drugs for him?
Keith Law: That’s a legal question, no? Seems like one for the lawyers.

BD: With a salary cap (excuse me luxory tax), shouldnt MLBPA push for a salary floor as well?
Keith Law: Yes, probably. I don’t think it solves much at the macro level but it would funnel more money to players.

Jerry: I’m an Astros fan. I’m in awe of what Cole is doing. That being said, a SP only plays in 20% of the games. Is it really worth it to blow up the salary structure (whether you agree with it or not) to pay Cole what he is going to demand and potentially lose future FAs like Correa, Springer, Brantley whose every day production would be, presumably, harder to replace?
Keith Law: A SP only plays in 20% of their team’s games, but has undue influence on those 30-odd games, so one great SP is as valuable as a great position player. I’d be more concerned with the question of how durable any great starter is versus any great position player.

Pat: Billy Squier? Nice!
Keith Law: I do it for fun.

Jason : Everyone in Philly is blasting the Phillies right now about how bad their farm system is and they “only” have 3 top 100 prospects. What is you opinion of the Phillies system?
Keith Law: They’ve flubbed a lot of first-round picks, especially top-ten picks, and it’s hurting them. I also think several very good prospects – their Luis Garcia and Daniel Brito among them – have failed to develop so far, and that’s got to lead Klentak et al to examine their development processes.

Matt: Is Juan Soto now the most valuable (hypothetical) trade asset in baseball?
Keith Law: Is he more valuable than Acuna, who is signed to a team-friendly deal? I don’t think so.

Jack: Have you heard about any issues with Kelenic’s makeup? I have heard from someone that has played with him at multiple levels that at least part of the reason why New York moved on from him was that he has character issues.
Keith Law: That is some serious ass-covering bullshit right there.

Larry Legend: With every pitcher seemingly throwing 95+ what separator are teams deeming most important? Secondaries, command, arm action or effort level?
Keith Law: All of those are factors. The first two are variables around effectiveness; the latter two speak more to potential durability or role.

Bruce: Are you still high on Dom Smith? Will the Mets deal him this winter to a team where he can play 1B?
Keith Law: Yes, and I think so.

Jeff: Any truth to the notion that the long layoff the Nats have right now will have them out of rhythm?
Keith Law: Nope.

Jack: How have teams not pushed back against a 5 game Division Series? Baseball is too random over a 5 game stretch and really good teams get eliminated at this level of the playoffs.
Keith Law: Players are not asking for more games. Also, plenty of randomness in 7-game series too.

James: What were your impressions of the Robot Umpire in the AFL? Did you see Jacob Heyward get tossed after that questionable call?
Keith Law: I was gone before that, but I thought it worked fine, and saw just one pitch called by the automated strike zone that I thought looked wrong (which isn’t saying it was wrong, just that I thought it was).

JL: Pardon my ignorance, but can you explain generally how age impacts a player’s performance, particularly at the plate? Reduced bat speed? Quicker fatigue? Lower ability to recover from fatigue? I’m curious why players start to decline at the plate due to age. Thanks!
Keith Law: I think reduced bat speed is the #1 issue.

Joe: I’m a suffering Reds fan. I see no path to contending for them anytime soon, but I’m sick of losing and feel like their best play is to see what they can get for Castillo, Gray, and even Suarez. They’ll never unload Votto though, so a total Houston-style fire sale is impossible. Never mind, I’m just gonna go bang my head against the wall for a bit.
Keith Law: They shouldn’t have traded three of their top six prospects (Trammell, Downs, Josiah Gray) for short-term help, but they did, and I’m not really sure how they move forward from this netherworld in which they’ve placed themselves.

Justi: Do you see Dylan Carlson having a chance to be on the Opening Day roster next season, especially if Ozuna walks?
Keith Law: Not likely.

Anthony: Jazz Chisholm: Did he right the ship in the second half?
Keith Law: Sure sounds like it.

Jerry: Barring injury, Whitley is the number ? starter in the opening day rotation, working out of the BP, or refining his stuff/delivery at AAA?
Keith Law: In AAA. Just didn’t pitch all that much this year, didn’t look right until the AFL.

Christopher: Is Jordan Humphreys on the Mets any good? As in what is you projection? Pounding the strike zone is nice. Future starter? Releiver? Thanks
Keith Law: Yes, he’s good, wrote him up in the AFL post.

Robert: Did you have a chance to see Micker Adolfo in Arizona? Do you think he can still unlock his massive tools if he stays healthy?
Keith Law: Yep, can still hit, with power, going to swing and miss but will walk some and hit enough HR to profile as a regular.

Bill: What do you think about the Astros starting Greinke and Verlander over the next two days? It almost forces Houston to win both games, otherwise you’re looking at Cole on three days’ rest and the rookie or a bullpen brigade in a winner-take-all game 7.
Keith Law: Maybe I’m misunderstanding, but why wouldn’t Cole pitch on full rest in game 7?

Kevin: who would you want for the next 10 years? Devers or Torres?
Keith Law: Love both. Probably Torres for position/defense.

Colin: The Padres are screwed with Myers & Hosmer, is the best course of action to run a platoon with them and see what you can salvage? i get the feeling Hosmer would ruin the clubhouse if he were to be platooned.
Keith Law: I think Myers is a release candidate at this point. I doubt it happens, but he’s not even worth the roster spot.

Tom: Trying to lose 15 pounds by year end. Do you recommend any specific low-calorie meals/snacks that’ll tide a normal sized person over for several hours?
Keith Law: Not a nutritionist, but I know from my own perspective, as someone who doesn’t need to lose weight but doesn’t want to gain and also has some minor blood-sugar issues, I do much better when I eat more fiber from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts/seeds. I also eat yogurt with homemade granola almost every day for lunch.

jk: Keith, who is best positioned to trade for Lindor this offseason and what kind of package would you expect Cleveland to obtain?
Keith Law: Supposedly they’re not going to shop him. I don’t buy that, but that’s the rumor.

Jerry: The Astros don’t seem to be missing any of the bushel full of prospects they gave up for either Verlander or Cole. Why do I get the feeling the Greinke trade may come back to bite them at some point?
Keith Law: They gave up the least for Cole and I think the most for Greinke, but in no deal did they give up more than they should have, IMO.

Ben: Any rooting interest in the World Series? I like when cities that haven’t won in a while get to celebrate.
Keith Law: Same. I don’t care that much either way, but new WS winners are definitely fun.

JR: On twitter (I know, I know) seeing lots of “how does Bryce Harper feel right now?” Honestly, I bet he feels great having $330MM guaranteed and is probably happy and rooting for his former teammates.
Keith Law: Yep. And the Phillies love him, so what’s the problem?

pakkap: pollack, gonsolin, and keibert for mookie make sense? rids LA of an extraneous contract, deltas what they’re going to have to pay mookie to extend him, and gives boston a bottom staff SP/potential closer and a starting catcher. figure betts + cole and LA is set for the offseason.
Keith Law: it makes sense for the Dodgers. It’s a terrible deal for the Sox.

Drew: In his latest column, Boz posits that the Nats are so good because they were willing to buck sabermetric orthodoxy and found market inefficiencies by fielding older players like Sanchez, Cabrera, Zimmerman, Kendrick, and Dozier and focusing on hitting to all parts of the field instead of being so homer reliant. Do you think he’s on to something?
Keith Law: No, since those players were really just a small part of their success, if they were part of it at all. And Kendrick’s season was more of a stone fluke than anything else – he’s 36 and just posted the lowest K% and best average of his career.

Tyler: Does Daulton Varsho have a chance to stick at Catcher?
Keith Law: Probably not.

Dr. Bob: Did you see that Nancy Pelosi took the picture that Trump tweeted of her standing and pointing at him (which he thought would embarrass her) and make it her Twitter cover photo? Serious trolling there.
Keith Law: Yep. Looks like she’s lecturing him in the photo.

Sedona: is KeByran Hayes the future 3B for PIT? Will he develop enough power to start?
Keith Law: Yes, yes.

Bruce: Are you buying Tyler Glasnow long term?
Keith Law: Yes, perhaps not “best pitcher per IP in the majors” good, but good.

Stu: Is there any reason to believe that Buck Showalter can be successful?
Keith Law: With the right personnel, sure. I don’t think Philly is it, though.

Bob: Padres go out and sign Strasburg, and deal for Bryant or Starling Marte, do they make a wild card run?
Keith Law: If they did those things, yes.

Henry: Would Farhan Zaidi not taken the S.F. job if he didn’t have full control? Still surprised he didn’t sell before trade deadline.
Keith Law: Maybe he didn’t like the offers he got?

Ryan: Dillon Tate still a prospect of any kind?
Keith Law: Not really.

Jack: After a disastrous playoffs and nearly 2 decade series winless streak, this offseason is a very important one for AA and the Braves. What should their top priorities be this winter and do you see any of their current prospects playing a large role on the 2020 team? Thanks!
Keith Law: Why is this offseason so important? Because they lost a five-game series they were a few outs away from winning at one point? I don’t agree at all. I think Pache plays quite a bit in the majors in 2020 and at least one of their remaining top arms – Wright more likely than Anderson – does the same.

Eor: Are there any Blue Jays pitching prospects that excite you other than Manaok and Pearson?
Keith Law: Anthony Kay. Patrick Murphy, if healthy.

Michael: Nutritionists generally say that sugar is poison for our bodies, especially in excess. I have a sweet tooth like you. Have you cut back on your sugar consumption (guessing with the granola it’s a no) or do you have any replacements you like?
Keith Law: I don’t think any nutritionists say anything like that. My granola has some sugar but less than just about any commercial brand.

Chris: What are some things that you have recently cooked/baked for the first time that you would do again/never do again? Anything come to mind that you have been meaning to try but just haven’t gotten around to it yet?
Keith Law: Made a genoise layer cake for my girlfriend’s birthday, first time I’d tried that in at least 15 years, and I’m amped to do another one but with a different recipe to try to get a little more body to the cake.
Keith Law: I blame the Great British Baking Show, by the way.

Pat: Fan wanting to watch some actual MLB players here: Is it wrong to want the O’s to sign some competent MLB pitchers to make the 2020 season more watchable? They don’t need to have a $60M payroll, rebuild or not. They still want fans to pay to watch a big league product.
Keith Law: Not wrong at all – and I think having some competent innings guys can help you develop the young pitchers who matter because you’re not overtaxing the rest of the staff.

Trey Harris: Did you see me play at all in the AFL and do you believe that I can hit enough to be serviceable in the majors eventually (even as a bench bat)
Keith Law: There’s a chance, but offspeed recognition remains an open question.

Tracy: Keith, I am looking into reading some science fiction classics, particularly Dune and some of Asimovs earlier works such as Foundation. Have you read any of these? Recommendations?
Keith Law: The first Dune book is great; don’t bother with sequels. Loved the Foundation series, particularly the original trilogy. Other classics I recommend: Stranger in a Strange Land, The Dispossessed, the Left Hand of Darkness, Hyperion, Flow My Tears the Policeman Said or Time Out of Joint.

addoeh: Isn’t every Thomas Boswell article about how someone is going against sabermetric orthodoxy? It’s like he’s constantly mad at math.
Keith Law: Yep, it’s been a crusade of sorts.
Keith Law: It’s a shame as Boswell was once among the most progressive sportswriters in the country.

Sage: Is it still true a bad manager can lose a team many games but a good manager can only win a few games over a season?
Keith Law: Yes, I’d say so.

Steve: Coming in to the 2016 draft was it perceived as weak? Where was Moniak on your rankings and who did you have at the top?
Keith Law: Very weak and it’s been weaker in hindsight. I had Moniak somewhere in the 5-8 range and Corey Ray at the top. Senzel and Puk have been the two best players from the class. The guy I was WAY too high on was Blake Rutherford, whose power with metal bats has been totally absent in pro ball.

Courtney: Jeter Downs potential star? How do dodgers sort out Lux Downs and Seager?
Keith Law: At least a potential above-average regular. I think you let it sort itself out, see how Seager looks his second year back from surgery, and if he has to move you put Lux at short.

Brent: Are you a fan of the Great British Baking Show? I really like how the show displays good competition where everyone wants everyone to do their best. Less about the contestants and more about the competition.
Keith Law: I am now, and I completely agree.

Michael: Nutritionists do say that unfortunately (link removed)
Keith Law: Come on – you have to be more discerning with your sources than that. Some random television station from a developing country isn’t a reliable source on a subject like this.

Bill: Did you ever read A Confederacy of Dunces? I found to be a wildly entertaining book, and am stunned it took a decade after his death to get published.
Keith Law: Yep, a top 20 all-time novel for me.

Sedona: Do you still see Brenden McKay having #2 upside potential? Or will his low velocity FB push him down a nothch?
Keith Law: Yes, and he doesn’t have a low velocity FB.

Todd: Other than Garcia, Yankees have any upside starter prospects?
Keith Law: Schmidt maybe. Yoendrys Gomez and Roansy Contreras could be too.

Matt: Since the Mets (stupidly) went all in for 2019 with the Cano/Diaz deal and later the Stroman deal, shouldn’t they just double down on 2020 and make a strong offer for Betts? Sure, it will deplete their system even further but they’re pretty effed beyond the short term anyway and maybe they raise a flag before the dark days come back.
Keith Law: Sure. I do think at this point the best option is to just empty the cupboard, as much as I hate that they got to this point in the first place.

Walton: What’s your opinion of Josh Lowe as a prospect? Do you think that he’s made key adjustments recently that have improved his approach or is his recent success too SSS to take into consideration?
Keith Law: Read the AFL post to which I linked at the top of this page. I think he’s the first guy I discussed.

Benji: Klaw, what’s the name of the coffee press or thingy you use again? I’m trying to wean off kurigs
Keith Law: A Hario V25 pour-over cone. Uses paper filters.

Matt: The concept of the Phillies flubbing on their first round picks has come up a bunch in chats this year, and while I won’t deny that none of them look like the type of star you hope to get from a top 10 pick, all of the players (with the exception of Randolph) were taken at least close to where you had them ranked. Is this just a development issue? Or do you consider being unable to develop players, even when drafting properly, part of screwing up the draft?
Keith Law: Moniak wasn’t taken close to where I ranked him either. I do think Bohm is good and will justify being taken 3rd overall. But they have definitely failed to develop some key guys from the draft and international.

PD: Blake Rutherford was a very old HS prospect, right? Will this apply to Witt as well, where he was a lot older and looked much better due to his physical differences?
Keith Law: Rutherford turned 19 a month before the draft; Witt did so a week after his draft. I think it’s always a variable to consider, but not definitive. JT Realmuto was 19 a few months before the draft. I’m very curious to see how Brett Baty, who was about 19.5 at the draft, develops – and how fast the Mets move him.

Barry: I eat yogurt with fruit almost everyday for breakfast. If you’re having yogurt for lunch what do you eat for breakfast? Thanks!
Keith Law: At home, usually a cereal that has at least 3 g of fiber per bowl.

HeHateMeTeam: Are the Cubs one of the teams most affected negatively by the juiced ball? Seems like they already had power and none of those guys took it to the next level. Also didn’t have any pop up power hitters.
Keith Law: Their power has backed up when most teams saw their power increase. Poor timing, to say the least.

Bruce: What are your thoughts on AJ Puk and Jesus Luzardo? Will both be top end starters?
Keith Law: Puk looks like a #2, Luzardo has that upside but still has yet to have a healthy season in pro ball.

RE: Sci-fi books: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Keith Law: Book is good, not one of my favorite PKDs.

addoeh: Super Colon Blow?
Keith Law: I’m convinced!

Nick: Is it just me or does the term “analytics” mean next to nothing now? I see it used a lot in the local media (I’m in Philly) as almost a pejorative term, and the people using it don’t seem to have any clue what they’re actually mad about.
Keith Law: I think that’s absolutely right. If you hear someone using it as a derogatory term, they don’t know what it means. The best concise explanation I could give is that it means using all available information to make better decisions on and off the field. Who in their right mind doesn’t want their favorite team to do that?
Keith Law: That’s all for this week. Thanks as always for reading and for all of your questions. I’ll be making a formal announcement of my next book in the next week or so, and will also have some fun board gaming pieces for Paste and Ars Technica later this month too. Enjoy your weekends!

Keith Law: What the hell am I trying to say? It’s Klawchat.

BigDaddeh: Should the Mets fire Mickey?
Keith Law: They already did. That’s probably the right move, but he’s also not the reason they missed the playoffs.

Kevin: Tampa Bay Ray new stadium debacle seems to hinge on what city can build them a new stadium first and the team will eventually locate there permanently? Cant see two cities spending that much coin for 40-something games.
Keith Law: I feel like there’s no viable solution in that metro area. Why would any city there waste public funds when there’s a 20 year history of fan indifference? What economic development could they even pretend will come from such an investment?

Dave: What happened to Felix Hernandez? Just too much wear and tear on the arm?
Keith Law: The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long.

addoeh: How easy is it to make Kurkjian laugh?
Keith Law: He’s a jovial guy. He’s also as nice and kindhearted as he appears to be.

Wil: Years ago, Bill Simmons wrote an article on Grantland about changing the draft to a revolving pick in the attempt to discourage tanking in the NBA. It guaranteed every team a top 6 pick every 5 years. I think the idea had even more merit now for MLB as it might also improve the recent slow free agency periods. What is you take? (Article: https://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-nbas-possible-solution-for-tank… )
Keith Law: I would favor some change to the top of the draft that discourages teams from accepting 110-loss seasons. There are numerous solutions, like a lottery for the top ten picks, or a form of restricted free agency for the top amateurs followed by a regular draft. Decoupling losing from the right to spend more on amateurs would help matters.

Bob: Do you think if the Mariners opened up 2B for Shed Long that he could grow into a solid regular at that spot or is he better fit as a utility guy?
Keith Law: He’s a 40 defender there. I don’t see it.

Phil: True or False: Joey Votto’s seven OBP titles have already punched his ticket to the Hall of Fame.
Keith Law: False. No evidence enough voters care about that.

JJ: What’s your guess for Game 3 in Tampa? My prediction, based on twenty years of experience with the franchise: 6,000 fans in attendance, 4,200 of whom are actually wearing Red Sox gear. When does MLB finally pull the plug on this market?
Keith Law: See above. I bet they get 15-20,000 fans. That’s not close to enough.

Brian: Obviously Tommy Edman is not a .304/.350/.500 player going forward, but can he be a useful starter for a playoff team? Or is he more likely a utility guy?
Keith Law: I think utility guy.

Jackie: If JD Martinez opts out of his contract, can he get more than the 3 years/$63 million the Red Sox would pay him if he stayed? His market two winters ago was non-existent, and it’s clear that he’s incapable of playing the field at this point.
Keith Law: Fair question. I keep reading it’s a fait accompli that he opts out, but his market would seem to be limited, no? And he’d be hitting a much more competitive FA market overall, plus the possibility that names like Betts or Lindor will be on the trade market.

Stephen: Now that the New York Metropolitans have moved on from Mickey Callaway, I would think the follow three will be included for new mgr: Joe Maddon, Joe Girardi or Carlos Beltran? Also should the Mets look into Mookie Betts?
Keith Law: Beltrán? He has zero qualifications. He’s never coached anywhere, let alone managed.

Sam: If you are the Giants do you give Will Smith a QO? I imagine if they do it would substantially hurt him in free agency and there is a decent chance he would accept it.
Keith Law: The counterargument is that he’s not easily tradeable at that salary, and the Giants would be better served spending that money on just about any other roster spot.

Moe Mentum: Name a musician or band from your teen years (1980s?) that you didn’t fully appreciate at the time until after they were no longer making new music. Talking Heads for me, no question.
Keith Law: The Smiths, although with Moz turning into a white nationalist I find them a bit harder to listen to these days.

Matt: What’s your take on Mitch Keller? He’s always been considered a top prospect, but really struggled this year once he reached the majors.
Keith Law: He is a top prospect, the first stint in the majors doesn’t actually tell us that much, but I very much believe he has to develop another third pitch because this is at least three years of him “working on” a changeup that isn’t getting better.

BigDaddeh: Is 9 straight defeats in elimination games SSS?
Keith Law: Yes.
Keith Law: 9 straight defeats over how many seasons?

Sedona: Any hope for Raimel Tapia or Tyler O’Neil to be starters within a couple years? OR are they quad guys?
Keith Law: I have more hope for Tapia as he’s a more well-rounded player who can contribute on defense.

Dean Mavrides: Are you buying in on Frankie Montas’ breakout this year or is it due to PED’s & and luck?
Keith Law: I’m not really buying him as a starter.

Rich J: It’s October, so obviously your readers have one question in mind: who are the standouts so far in the AzFL?
Keith Law: No idea. I haven’t been yet.

Tim Robinson: Is this the downside to impeachment – Trump doubling down and committing more crimes even more out in the open?
Keith Law: I mean, I think that’s probably a positive, no? Hope that he does enough to move public opinion further against him?

Santos: Do you watch the statcast broadcast? It’s awesome and I no longer twitch when I listen to baseball announcers
Keith Law: I didn’t last night because I was multitasking and had the game on with the sound off.

Michael: What ramifications do you expect from the California law allowing College Athelets to be paid for use of their name, image and likeness? Will is force a showdown with the NCAA?
Keith Law: I think it’s only positive, but I don’t know how the NCAA will respond (other than assuming they’ll do something anti-player and then give themselves hefty pay raises).

bartleby: wouldn’t the Mets benefit by hiring a manager with actual managerial experience (unlike Mickey), instead of going after a newbie?
Keith Law: Yes. That’s nearly always the best strategy.

Idaho Nuke: It sure looks like it’s Maddon’s job to turn down for LAA. Do you think Girardi manages again?
Keith Law: I know Maddon’s interviewing in San Diego, too. I expect both guys to be in dugouts on Opening Day.

Kik: Do you think Anthony Kay can be a top rotation type starter?
Keith Law: I don’t, but I think he can be a quality id-rotation starter.

HH: Are we headed for an era of tanking/rebuilding/contending/repeat waves for all but the 3-4 richest teams? Seems like that would be rational for almost everyone.
Keith Law: Yes, barring some changes to the system, that seems like the strategy most teams will take, especially since the owners like saving money.

Tim Robinson: The Mets traded away their future for .8 fWAR. If they didn’t make the Kelenic trade, would they have made the playoffs?
Keith Law: That trade was stupid the day they made it, but I don’t think it cost them a playoff berth.

Dr. Bob: Are the Cubs really going to consider the never-managed-or-coached-anywhere, former player David Ross? The recent track record of those guys hasn’t been so good.
Keith Law: Seems like it but I have no inside info on that. When I talk to front office people I don’t ask about rumors that fifty other people are chasing. They get enough of that elsewhere.

Joe: Kershaw’s looping, parabolic lefty curveball–why do lefties seem to be able to throw these while righties do not? I’m not sure if this is camera angle, or small samples, or what, but I’ve been curious why this sort of pitch seems hand-dependent.
Keith Law: It’s not hand-dependent; I think that’s just an availability bias. You remember more of those from lefties.

Jake: What are your thoughts on the strength of this years draft compared to recent yrs? What do you think KC is looking at at #4?
Keith Law: No team is looking at specific players yet.

BD: What does it say for the game when a team like the Red Sox might trade Betts for money relief?
Keith Law: It says the luxury tax is doing exactly what the owners hoped it would do. There’s a baseball argument for trading Betts, but it’s secondary to this financial consideration.

Adam: Do you believe Forest Whitley can still be a consistent starter for the Astros after this year’s disappointment?
Keith Law: Yes.

Sho: Given what he’s been, has Stephen Strasburgh overperformed or underperformed as an overall #1 pick?
Keith Law: He’s performed. Neither over nor under.

John: If Yellich had played all 162 could he have beaten Bellinger for MVP in your vote or was Belli pretty far ahead at the point Yellich got hurt?
Keith Law: He had a chance had he played the whole year.

Kevin W: Do you frequent the athletic or the ringer?
Keith Law: I subscribe to the Athletic and read articles there rather often.

Rob: Seems rotten for the angels to fire ausmus after that season, doesn’t seem there was anything he could have done to change that. Do you think he is a scapegoat or maybe the FO or arte didn’t like something behind the scenes?
Keith Law: Probably a scapegoat, but did he show any growth from his time in Detroit? I don’t think he did.
Keith Law: Handsome guy, though.

Eric: I wish I knew when I went to college that Grifting was a potential job opportunity. It seems so fun to just make up things when the facts are in front of you and make boatloads of money from it.
Keith Law: Indeed. More schools should offer it as a major.

Jesse B: Does Victor Robles make enough hard contact to be a .300 hitter at some point?
Keith Law: I would bet no, but it’s not out of the question.

Kevin: When I hear that people say the game is now 3rd in popularity why should I care? It won’t go away and the amount of other fans doesn’t change my love for baseball.
Keith Law: Yeah that’s “please like my sport” nonsense. Baseball remains popular. It could do more to get fans in the seats, and to recruit/retain younger fans, but it’s not dying.

Mad Max’s Brown Eye: What do you see as a fair market contract for Rendon, and what teams besides the Nationals are likely to pursue him aggressively?
Keith Law: I’m assuming Boras will be thinking 8/$250MM as a floor, probably asking for more to start. He’ll play at 30 next year, though, so I’m not expecting the length of deals we saw for Machado/Harper last winter. BTW, Rendon was so injury-plagued in his early 20s, but his lowest PA in any of the last four seasons was 597. Give him credit for newfound durability.

John: Seems to me as if the area around Nationals Stadium is an exception to the idea that stadiums don’t fuel economic growth in the area. Any thoughts? Not trying to provoke an argument, and the general rule may still hold; I just find it interesting.
Keith Law: Did the stadium spur that, or other local initiatives to develop a dead area?

Pramit: Do you believe that with heavy bullpen usage and openers that teams may not be developing starters to have enough secondary to turnover a line up 3 times?
Keith Law: If there’s a developmental gap it’s in the minors where pitchers are often restricted to pitch counts of 80 or lower so they don’t learn to turn over lineups.

Eric: Who is your pick to win the WS?
Keith Law: Houston over Tampa, NYY over Minnesota, Houston over NYY. LAD over Washington, St. Louis over Atlanta, LAD over St. Louis. Houston over LAD.

Ben: Why don’t teams simply throw balls to minor leaguers coming to the big leagues until they prove they’re disciplined? It seems like discipline is the main thing most young hitters lack, and we see young hitters come up, start hot, then never find that level of success again when teams stop throwing right at them. There are exceptions for minor leaguers with known discipline, obviously, but it seems like there is a lot of the old school “challenge them” mindset to throw strikes and just see if they can hit it when the opposite may be more successful.
Keith Law: I disagree with the premise that most young hitters lack discipline.

Tim Robinson: Doesn’t Beltran make as much sense as BVW did?
Keith Law: You make a valid point.

JP: Does news of the SI firings today impact your impending free agency on 12/31/19?
Keith Law: Uh, that’s kind of gross. A few dozen people lost their jobs today. This isn’t and shouldn’t be about me.

Eric: Do you see the Mets as a playoff team next year? Is Pete Alonso for real?
Keith Law: He’s for real, although I doubt he hits 53 homers with the 2018 baseball. I don’t think they’re a playoff team as currently constituted, but BVW will certainly make moves this winter. Mind you I didn’t say good moves. Just moves.

Jon V: Cleveland is facing the inevitable with Lindor but have now publicly stated that they won’t shop
Keith Law: I don’t believe that. It makes no sense not to take offers on him.

Eric: I know it’s still months away, but the derek jeter hall of fame voting is going to break the internets, right?
Keith Law: I don’t think so – he’s going to sail in, probably unanimously now that that seal is broken.

Tom: Should I be encouraged by Pavin Smith’s season?
Keith Law: I’m not sure what is encouraging about it.

Brian: With winter meetings in san diego this year, will you visit any breweries or have a book signing?
Keith Law: Probably neither, sorry. I can’t leave the meetings for that length of time, and I’m not staying extra this year.

Eric: NL Cy Young winner?
Keith Law: I did that column last week.

Mad Max’s Brown Eye: What are the requirements for minor league stadia to be acceptable for, say, AA vs. AAA? Wouldn’t it make a ton of sense for the Nationals to use Richmond as a AAA base, and for some more western team to take Fresno? I understand that you’d need to put another team in the AA Eastern League, but some of the affiliations make no sense.
Keith Law: Some is historical, some is driven by market sizes, but yeah, one East team getting stuck with a AAA affiliate in the mountains of Titan is not really very sensible.

Hank: How much do you weigh performance in the AFL vs full season minor leagues (ie Royce Lewis)?
Keith Law: Zero. AFL performance is not predictive: Sample sizes are tiny and competition is highly variable.

John: A different sort of question on Mookie Betts. If we take him at his word about testing the market, then a team is trading only for his 2020 services. That’s still valuable, but it differs from the usual scenario when the trade partner thinks it has a chance at an extension. If that’s the case, then the trade partner has to be a team that’s really close to winning it all now. There really aren’t all that many teams that (a) are in contention, (b) have somewhere to put him, and (c) have major prospects to give. Is it fair to say that it might be harder to trade him than people expect?
Keith Law: That’s a very reasonable argument. I guess I’d counter by saying that teams would make room for a player of Betts’ caliber, even trading the player he might replace, to get one year of possibly 8 WAR.

Joe: Knowing where the Tigers farm system is now, and ownership’s unwillingness to spend in FA, when do you think is a realistic timeline to think the team could contend again? Close to never with this ownership philosophy?
Keith Law: I wouldn’t say that but I think they’re more in the 4-5 years away category than closer.

Robert: I heard the Rangers might look to move one of their left handed hitting outfielders. Is Nomar Mazara a good buy low candidate? He’s had a lot of at bats, but is still fairly young.
Keith Law: I wonder if he gets better with a new org, just from a change of scenery/new approach. But maybe this is just what he is.

Jeff: Do you think the Wilpons/BVW combo will make it tough for the Mets to hire a highly sought-after manager? Why would a Maddon or Girardi volunteer to work in that circus?
Keith Law: Money. If they’re willing to pay they’ll get whoever they want.

BE: Avila is talking about not rushing prospects. Is there any reason not to see Mize and Manning in 2020 other than service time manipulation?
Keith Law: Mize ended the year on the shelf and I want to see him fully healthy before I think about a timetable for his debut.

Andy: Can Trammell play CF? In everything you’ve written, he only has the arm for LF, but would his glove play in CF? San Diego has a lot in the corners, but not much in center.
Keith Law: I don’t know anyone who thinks he can play CF.

Patrick: Keith, thx for not just sticking to baseball.
Have to pick options for our next book club–heavy into mystery and romance, but want to branch them out. Anything you might recommend? (I have perused your last Top 100 for tips already!)
Keith Law: For non-fiction, perhaps Amity and Prosperity, this year’s Pulitzer winner. For fiction, how about Elizabeth McCracken’s Bowlaway or Lisa Halliday’s Asymmetry?

Andy: The Braves opted to save Soroka for Game 3 due to his home/road splits (4.14 ERA & 1.303 WHIP vs 1.55 ERA & 0.963 WHIP). With a sample size that small, that’s pretty short-sighted, right? Plus, a road playoff atmosphere will be different from any he has ever pitched in.
Keith Law: I don’t think “he can only pitch on the road” is a thing, either.

Ron: Why do you suspect so many sports pundits (mostly white) are so upset about college athletes being able to…..have money? I will never understand why anyone would care about another person’s bank account.
Keith Law: I’m sure race is part of it – at the very least, you would think such white pundits would have a harder time relating to athletes of color, or putting themselves in the athletes’ shoes – but a lot of it is just defending the status quo.

Jim: Love the chats. Re something from last chat… I don’t keep up on all op-ed contributors at the major papers. What became of Bret Stephens? At WSJ he seemed to be reasonable “never-Trumper”. Something change?
Keith Law: Not sure, but now he’s doing videos for PragerU, the alt-right indoctrination video series on YouTube. The Times should absolutely fire him for that. It is incompatible with a job at a respected news outlet.

Buscon Bob: Between Avisail Garcia, Eric Sogard and Travis d’Arnaud, whom should the Rays consider 1st to attempt to sign an extension before FA?
Keith Law: None of the three for me.

Dave: Regarding the Callaway comment above about experience, does that mean major league pitching coach would be below AAA manager in terms of where you’d look to hire?
Keith Law: Yes.

LB: You’re Theo and Jed.
Keith Law: Woof, I have a hard enough time just being one person.

dave-o: Prez Pumpkinhead just requested China to go after Biden- isn’t that exactly what he’s being impeached for? WTF?
Keith Law: Forget it, he’s rolling.

JP: thoughts on the Joker movie?
Keith Law: No interest.

Dave: Is Kyle Lewis a long term solution in Seattle? Or was it just SSS at work?
Keith Law: SSS. Look at his minor league line from this year.

Ron: Betts for Verdugo, Ruiz, and Josiah Gray. Who says no
Keith Law: The Dodgers.

Jon V: Some interesting comments from Tito on Jake Bauers’ exit interview. Was his attitude a factor in TBs decision to move on from him?
Keith Law: I didn’t hear that specifically, but he did voice his displeasure with Tampa’s attempts to change his launch angle to get him more power. (That lack of power is why I never ranked him that highly; 1b only, not good there, has plate discipline and bat-to-ball skills but never projected for power.) Maybe that was a factor?

pj: Do you think pitchers with really good sliders were affected the most by the new ball? and is there any hope that with a new new ball some of these pitchers will revert back to their pre 2019 form? askin for some friends (diaz, thor)
Keith Law: I have heard this hypothesis several times from baseball people. It is plausible, at least. I’d like to see some evidence to support it.

Sage: KB + Happ for Betts ?
Keith Law: I don’t see how that helps Boston.

HH: Re more young MLB fans: Are Saturday night games really THAT much more profitable than Saturday day games? Saturday day games are the only time I’d consider taking my kid, and there are almost never games then.
Keith Law: I thought the lack of Saturday day games was a function of the Fox TV contract.

Jeff: Did the Mets deplete their farm system beyond the point of being able to make a trade offer for Betts?
Keith Law: Definitely not. Smith + Mauricio + Szapucki for a year of Betts is at least a fair proposal, even if the Red Sox might want more.

addoeh: Some of the arguments against the California college athletes bill have come pretty close to advocating for actual socialism.
Keith Law: From people who would probably tell you they’d sooner turn to satanism, too.

Todd: Think Betances gets a QO or hits free agency?
Keith Law: Guessing FA but I’m not sure.

Buscon Bob: Why is Trevor Bauer getting his own TV show?
Keith Law: Radio, right? Still, I don’t know. There are many other players more deserving of the podium.

Troy: Better next 5 year run: Flaherty or Buehler?
Keith Law: Love both. Would lean Buehler on pure stuff.

Ted: if you’re Alex A. you gotta be sliding into the DMs of yet-to-be-named-Red Sox-GM’s every day this winter right? Or would adding Mookie make the Braves too much fun for the universe to allow
Keith Law: They do seem like an ideal fit. They can give Boston young starters, and they have that spot open in RF.

Troy: Do you think Dakota Hudson has shown enough to be a mainstay in the Cardinals rotation?
Keith Law: No.

Regret: I know the Kelenic trade gets most of the “sh**iest move” press, but the Downs/Gray deal for the Reds has to be just as bad, no? Unjustifiable the second it was done–and horrific in retrospect.
Keith Law: Agreed, and then compounded by trading Trammell at his lowest value point for a fourth starter.

Jason: I asked about Xavier Edwards in Periscope yesterday, and you correctly pointed out he played more at 2B than SS. Now that Luis Urias has been freed, could he or Edwards play CF to get both of them into the lineup?
Keith Law: Edwards seems more suited to CF, although they’re at least two years apart developmentally.

Scott: Is Corbin Burnes still a starter for you long term? IIRC Woodruff followed a similar development pattern on his way up.
Keith Law: If healthy, absolutely.

Stu (UK): We chatted last week about my upcoming visit to the USA where I’ll be attending a World Series game- interesting insight into Minneapolis! Thank you! Where would I NOT want to go? Has to be Tampa, no? -Cheers, Stu
Keith Law: Tampa would be the worst of the 8 cities left, since the team itself actually plays in St. Petersburg, the stadium isn’t near anything worthwhile, and getting around that area is not easy.

Eric: When you listen to audiobooks, do you actively listen, or passively listen while doing other things? If the later, how well do you feel you retain the book vs. reading?
Keith Law: I listen while driving, cleaning, or cooking. While driving it’s passive listening, but the other tasks let me focus more on the book. Current audiobook is Josh Levin’s The Queen, which is very very good.

Fellow Little Man: We have a AAA quality park here in AA Hartford, just a hop, skip and a jump from DC. I nobody here has any say over these decisions but if I keep putting it out into the world maybe it’ll happen.
Keith Law: Incredible park. One of my favorites.

Chris: A bit of a delayed reaction here but my nieces and nephews won’t let anyone else make pancakes bc of my whipped egg whites. Glad to know the technique is Klaw-approved!
Keith Law: Huge difference. Do that and cook them in a thin layer of bacon fat for the best scratch pancakes ever.

Tom C: But you will leave the meetings to go to Juniper & Ivy right
Keith Law: I have to eat, Tom.

Tom: Re Pavin Smith: I was referring to his improved Avg and OBP, while still maintaining low strikeout rate, against AA pitching. I thought it was encouraging
Keith Law: No power. He’s a mediocre 1b without power.

Buscon Bob: Is 2020 the year that Tim Tebow decides that he should quit sports?
Keith Law: Maybe Callaway was sacked for opposing a Tebow callup.

JG: If you’re the Twins and could only keep one: do you extend Rosario or Buxton?
Keith Law: Extend Buxton, trade Rosario.

Andy: The President is using Nickleback memes.
Keith Law: Fitting.

Zach: Eh Prager is garbage brain washing, but it’s more hard conservative than alt-right
Keith Law: They’ve really veered into alt-right crapola lately.

John: Any recommendations via your daughter for YA fiction or fiction that’s adult-level reading but thematically appropriate for teens?
Keith Law: I’ll ask her what she recommends when she’s home from school. I know she read & liked my friend Kelly Swails’ This May Go on Your Permanent Record. She loved the Marissa Meyer Lunar Chronicles series too.

Richie O: Are you still upset at the Jays for firing you?
Keith Law: Well, they didn’t fire me, I quit to join ESPN … most fired people don’t start a new job the day after their last one at the old company. Facts still matter around here, Dick.

addoeh: Hey Keith, you live in Delaware. Could investigate the Bidens as well?
Keith Law: I have some very good dope about Ashley Biden’s sixth birthday party. Just waiting for the New York Times to call.

JL: Re: Soroka and the road… I don’t know if there’s truth to it, but David O’Brien and Eric O’Flaherty have mentioned on a podcast that some Braves pitchers believe the mound is too short in ATL. Could be Soroka is not as comfortable on his home mound. Just the messenger. Do you have thoughts on that as a possibility?
Keith Law: I don’t buy it. If the mound is low, and it’s bothering THEIR OWN pitchers, you don’t think the Atlanta brass would address it?

Matt: Speaking of Bill Simmons, didn’t you guys use to try to have a longest chat record? I think he won w/ like 6 hours but I could be wrong.
Keith Law: I used to do long chats but he always had the record as far as I know.

MIke: At what point does tanking become a diminishing return? I mean the Blue Jays can’t be thrilled about losing 95 games for the priveledge of drafting 6th (and its accompanying draft pool).
Keith Law: Agreed, and that fan base seems like one of the angriest at the current leadership.

Mike: Acuna/Pache/Betts OF? Yikes.
Keith Law: Right? Will they give up any doubles all year?

Robert: Did you see the Phil Rogers take where he asserted that the Cubs collapse in the last two seasons was a result of taking Russell off shortstop for Baez in the second half last year? Quality analysis—playing the better player instead of the domestic abuser leads to losses.
Keith Law: I saw it, but it wasn’t backed with evidence. That claim requires support.

Andrew: Bryan Reynolds…is he a legit MLB hitter?
Keith Law: MLB regular, yes. .400 BABIP guy, no.

JA: Any interest in returning to a front office role in the future?
Keith Law: Not really.
Keith Law: I never say never, but that fits my current life less than it ever has.

A-A-Ron: Is your name pronounced “Claw” or “Kay-law”?
Keith Law: Rhymes with “claw.” It’s been my nickname since high school.

Rob: Nice call on Jose Garcia prior to season. Can he be an above average regular at shortstop for the Reds?
Keith Law: Sure sounds like it. I should share credit with Eric Longenhagen, who was on him just as early as I was.

Sedona: BA seems to be buying in on Bryan Mata? What are your thoughts?
Keith Law: I have delivery questions. Great arm though.

John: Do you have any “never miss” podcasts that aren’t really well known? I do a ton of driving and would like to put a new one in the rotation. Thanks.
Keith Law: I listen to The Hidden Brain, Grierson & Leitch, and BBC’s The Inquiry, which are all weekly. I subscribe to some others that come and go, like Hugh Acheson Stirs the Pot, and have done some single-season ones too.

Mad Max’s Brown Eye: Why do any Democrats think the impeachment process is a bad idea, or that they should whip through it as quickly as possible? At the very worst, you’re getting all of the evidence (that you look for, at least) out into public record and forcing the GOP to defend Cheeto Benito’s actions before voters. People talk about his popularity, but Nixon was WAY more popular pre-hearings than Trump ever was, and look how public opinion turned against him.
Keith Law: This is my thought exactly. I’m neither a historian nor a political pundit, but my common sense meter goes bananas at the thought of a deliberate, thorough impeachment hearing.

Joe: Should the Phils dump Klentak/McPhail, Or Kapler? Or clean house with all of them? Should the injuries spare Kapler?
Keith Law: Keep them all. Who do you blame for the whole bullpen getting hurt?

Tom C: I was reading how attendance hit a 7 year low this year, with one theory being fans don’t like the happy fun ball results. But looking at the standings, there seems to be a lot of lousy to middling teams, and that would seem to me to drop it more because what’s the incentive to go watch teams like that?
Keith Law: Agreed – who is buying a season ticket package, even a partial one, to go see a team that isn’t trying to win and doesn’t bring up its prospects because service time.

Nick: Do you think Marcus Wilson is good enough to be an everyday starter in Boston?
Keith Law: I do not. .319 OBP in AA with a huge K% doesn’t bode well.

Bob: Forest Whitley seems to be pitching well again in the AFL. What does he need to do to give the Hou FO confidence that he can contribute in the rotation next year?
Keith Law: Just pitch well, really. I think they were ready to give him 10-15 starts this year until he struggled, and I don’t know if that was the Happy Fun Ball, or some physical issue, or something else.

Andrew: Random Question–I feel like its rare to find Left handed Catchers…is there a baseball reason for that, like its harder to throw the ball to a certain base- etc.
Keith Law: A left-handed thrower with that kind of arm strength probably ends up on the mound as a kid.

Ryan V.: I came across this longform story about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. I, for one, am *super* proud to live in a nation where the administration cares not a whit about the murder of a U.S. resident by a foreign government… https://www.insider.com/the-murder-of-jamal-khashoggi-2019-10
Keith Law: Thanks, I’ll check this out. And yeah, we used to stand for some things.

Bill: In terms of music, do you have any guilty pleasures (songs or bands) that you wouldn’t be overly eager to disclose to others?
Keith Law: You see my monthly and annual playlists – I don’t hide anything on there. If I like a pop song, it goes on the lists. Someone will always make a derisive comment but my tastes are what they are.

James: Do you think the Fair pay to Play act could potentially influence tough sign HS draft prospects in CA? Could they use it as leverage to get more $$$ from MLB teams?
Keith Law: I hope so, but college baseball players don’t have the personal revenue potential of football/basketball players.

Mark Emmert: How dare college athletes try to make money off their name and likeness, that should only be for the schools to do!
Keith Law: And for you personally, of course.
Keith Law: That’s all for this week – back to book writin’, although I’m near the finish line, at least. I appreciate all of your questions and will be back writing for ESPN+ next week after I visit the AFL. Enjoy your weekends!