My top 100 prospects ranking is up for Insiders, as is my ranking of all 30 MLB farm systems.

Klaw: I understand a fury in your words … but not the words. Klawchat.

John: How does Jose Peraza hit 293/.316/.378 as a 21-year-old in AAA and drop from #24 in your rankings last year to off the list??
Klaw: So this seems like a good first question because I can start by clearing up a misconception or two. First, the 2015 list is not just (2014 ranking + 2015 performance). I start from scratch each year, and if that means correcting a mistake or two (or ten) from the previous year’s list, so be it. If I tried to use old lists as a basis for future ones, I’d just be perpetuating old errors. There’s value in being consistent, but too much so is just stubbornness. Second, nothing about this list is purely performance-based; the rankings are based in scouting, in physical tools and baseball skills, as much as they are in performance, probably more so. As for Peraza, a second baseman with no power and a .316 OBP is not someone who belongs on a top 100. The reports from the past year were worse than the year before, and now with two years gone from shortstop, the odds of him being able to return there seem quite slim.

Tommy Ballgame: Where does Brady Aiken start the year since he’s coming back from TJ? Mahoning Valley or Lake County?
Klaw: I’m assuming extended spring training.

Brian: Who were some of the Atlanta players that missed your top 100?
Klaw: Full reports on all 30 teams, including top tens, notes on other prospects (ranging from three to fifteen more per system), 2016 impact prospects, sleepers, and prospects who’ve slid, will all be up next week.

Ryan: What have you heard about Austin Riley and what does he have to do to be on the list next year? Was it just a sample size issue?
Klaw: Riley was not a first-round talent in June, with questions about his hit tool, especially his bat speed. He was just OK in the GCL, then had 30 great games in Danville. Why would he be a top 100 guy? It’s awfully quick – with no new favorable scouting information – to say he should have been a top 15 pick in the draft, which would be the implication of a top 100 ranking.

Josh Meyer: What do you make of Kohl Stewart’s lack of minor league strikeouts?
Klaw: Strong groundball guy, still learning to pitch and develop some of his offspeed stuff, especially the changeup. Don’t scout the stat line. His stuff is good and he’s only been doing the baseball thing full-time for three years now.

john: Surprised to not see Carson Fulmer on your list. Thoughts?
Klaw: Reliever. I don’t put anyone I expect to be a reliever (like Josh Hader) on the top 100.

Len: Where could Jason groome rank on this list next year? Comparable to Rodgers?
Klaw: Not comparable.

Paul: What do you attribute Sean Newcomb’s high walk rate to? Is it a simple mechanical tweak or something bigger?
Klaw: There’s nothing to tweak in his mechanics – his delivery is very easy, almost effortless, but I think the result is that he doesn’t truly repeat the arm swing pitch to pitch enough for real command (or control, in this case). You can’t really fix that. Changing a pitcher’s arm stroke is almost all downside.

Randy: Wow, definitely a bold ranking on Allard. Any concerns about his ability to handle the workload of an MLB starter with his frame?
Klaw: Obviously not or I wouldn’t have ranked him there. He’s not frail.

Nate: Can you elaborate on your Yusniel Diaz ranking and why he cracks the 100 without having played a single professional inning yet? What do you see for him in 2016, and what should his timeline to the majors be?
Klaw: Actually, he did play some professional innings in Cuba. If we’re ignoring guys who’ve never played in organized ball, then should Kolby Allard (all of six innings after signing) be off the list too?

Alan: You’re obviously high on Atlanta’s future with the team and overall prospect rankings. Do you have any concern about their lack of power bats? It seems to be the only thing this team is missing on paper for the future.
Klaw: No, because I think they will have enough pitching depth to trade for whatever they need. And Davidson’s still got more power than he’s shown to date – he’s pretty young and can flash that plus raw in BP.

Ed: Jon Gray (40 IP) meet service time to miss the list or he’s just fallen that far in a year?
Klaw: He’s gone backwards. Someone altered his delivery, so he’s lost a lot of power. His fastball is down, his slider went from a 70 to a 50, and he has zero deception. That’s why he got whacked around in the big leagues – hitters see the straight four-seamer and hit it. Back in college, he finished way more over his front side, got more tilt on the slider, was touching 99, and even had a better changeup. I don’t know what caused the alteration, but I saw it and so did every scout I asked about Gray for these reports.

Brendan: I noticed you have Kevin Newman at 23, and I haven’t seen him in a top 100 list anywhere else. I know you don’t look at any other lists when making your own, but just curious as to what stands out to you the most. Thanks!
Klaw: Well, you could ask those other folks why a true shortstop who’s a 65 runner, rarely strikes out, and has a strong history of hitting for average (at U of A and two summers on the Cape) isn’t a top 100 prospect. I think that’s a pretty valuable asset myself.

Bring DH to NL: Lack of position the main reason that Corneilus Randolph is not on the list?
Klaw: It’s a rather significant issue. It’s left field or bust for him.

Gene: Keith what gives with the trend in arm injuries with Oriole minor league pitcher related to the side of the rubber. Historicallym this was an issue with Arrieta when he was an Oriole and now it seems to be affecting Harvey and Bundy. I understand moving from one side to the other to produce a bit more deception, but if it is causing these guys to throw against their bodies, which produces injuries, why risk it? The Orioles also were opposed to Arrieta and Bundy throwing cutters, which led to control issues for Arrieta and injury for Bundy. Wouldn’t it be smarter to work on helping young pitcher further develop what they already do well instead of forcing them to throw only fastball/curveball/change up?
Klaw: You’re preaching to the choir here. The real problem is a one size fits all philosophy. Moving guys on the rubber because you think all RHP should be on the 3B side is a mistake in concept. Don’t move a guy who isn’t having trouble, and don’t try to make them all look the same.

Dave: Hector Olivera – where would he have slotted on this list (if at all) if you would have considered him? Thanks
Klaw: If we ignore that he’s older than dirt, he still wouldn’t have made it. I don’t think he’s a regular.

Ben in Boca: Hey Keith – I’m not usually a fan of “how could you” but wondering what your thought process is putting Steven Matz as low as you did (37). He’s already proven to be a viable (if injury-prone) major league talent, and probably an early candidate for NL ROY. As a Mets fan I was surprised to see a different Met (Dom Smith) ranked higher. What gives?
Klaw: As low as 37? Seems like a pretty good ranking to me, especially for a guy who has never thrown 150 innings in any regular season since signing in 2009. Great stuff, zero evidence of durability.

Josh Cookson: Your top 100 prospects include an organization’s best prospects, but is it fair to say the org rankings reflect the next tier (101-500 or so)? With the Brewers at 5 and the Astros at 17, I’m assuming you see much more impact and depth outside of the top tier guys in those two systems?
Klaw: The org rankings reflect everyone I’d call a prospect in each system. That ranges from 13 guys in the worst system (Angels) to probably 25 or so in the best systems.

Dan: Was Taillon’s omission simply that he hasn’t pitched in 2 years, or some deeper long-term health or performance issue?
Klaw: It’s that after two years off the mound, we don’t really know what his stuff will look like when he returns, or when he will be able to handle a regular workload. I like him quite a bit, but I have to be realistic that not many guys miss two years and come back to be durable starters.

JD Moss: No Carson Fulmer? And does MIchael Kopech have a chance to shoot up the lists this year with a solid showing?
Klaw: Kopech might have made the list if he hadn’t been suspended and had shown he could hold that stuff all year. He was off the charts in short stints in instructs. Definite candidate to be top 50 next offseason.

Danny FannyBannanny: No love for Cornelius Randolph?
Klaw: Can we drop the delusion that leaving a player off the top 100 is “no love?”

Doug Bersani: Do you survey other Top 100 prospects lists? And if so, was it crazy that MLB.com still has Hunter Renfroe in their Top 100?
Klaw: I’ve seen MLB’s because Jonathan Mayo and I talk a lot and we’ve been swapping stories about prospects for the last two weeks. I don’t think that’s crazy (nor would I sit here and tell you Jonathan’s crazy because he might see it and he is legitimately crazy and might come after me).

Woodman: How close is Clayton Blackburn to the majors? He’s got good control, averages nearly a K per inning. Was wondering why the Giants shelled out big dough for both Cueto and Samardzija when Blackburn looks nearly ready.
Klaw: He’s ready, but he’s not close to Cueto’s quality or Samardzija’s potential. Blackburn’s a really good fifth starter candidate, but it’s great command of very average stuff.

Jose R: Robert Stephenson is called the “The Lighthouse”? No he’s not. You made that nickname up.
Klaw: Of course I did. And my hat is off to anyone who gets the reference.

Chris A: Which Dodger prospect outside of the 7 in your top 100 has the most potential to join the top 100 next year?
Klaw: Austin Barnes had a legitimate argument to be on the list this winter.

Sara: I don’t see Hunter Renfroe here, but your thoughts on him?
Klaw: Don’t think he’ll hit for enough average/OBP to be more than a fringy regular. Big tools except the tool that counts the most.

KLAW hates my team: You mentioned a few months ago that you thought Eddy Julio Martinez would be in the running for the top pick in this years draft, but he didn’t make the top 100. Is this mainly due to lack of certainly being that you haven’t seen him play in a game?
Klaw: Nobody’s seen him play – and his brief time in the CNS wasn’t great (plus I think it was two years ago). My gut on his upside was not enough to just stuff the guy into the top 100. Yes, it’s my list, but it’s grounded in way more than what my eyes see.

Ed: Would love to hear you elaborate on what Victor Robles offensive profile might look like if he develops?
Klaw: Big debate on whether he’s going to have power or not. Could easily be in top 20 next year. It’s not so much power as very hard contact, and sometimes that ends up being big power anyway (like mah boy Goldschmidt, who doesn’t even have much loft in his swing). I think we’re looking at .300ish with a solid OBP, 12-15 homers, lots of steals, good defense in center.

Ian: Is the Alex Reyes rank “jump” (from 77 to 8) the highest jump you’ve ever penned in one season?
Klaw: I’ve had guys go from off list to top ten before. It’s part of the fun – and yet another reason why I don’t look at my own older lists when doing this.

Matt (PGH): Harold Ramirez was on your 2015 Mid-Season Top 50. Why did he drop off your 2016 Top 100 Prospects List?
Klaw: Again, he did not “drop off.” He can really hit, but he’s LF only without much power, defense, or clear OBP beyond the batting average. Good prospect, limited ceiling.

Quinn: Is it crazy to say that Victor Robles scouts a lot like Aaron Hicks did a few years ago?
Klaw: I don’t think they’re very similar beyond speed and position.

John Uskglass: Is there a reason, at least that it seems to me, why pitching prospects are almost always listed as just throwing a Fastball, Curve/slider, or change? I look at way too much brooks baseball and damn near every pitcher in the majors throws two different types of fastball as well as two off speed pitches. Is this something they develop after they get up, or is it something they’ve always had but seldom used in minors?
Klaw: A lot of player development folks emphasize throwing one fastball type to develop command, then allow the reintroduction of the other later on, or they add a two-seamer because the pitcher is struggling to avoid contact with the four-seamer.

Shane: Just a fun guess, but how many seasons in his career will Gallo lead MLB in HR?
Klaw: Three.

Mike: Let’s get this out of the way. Why do you hate my team so much and why didn’t you rate the prospect that I think is great because he’s on my team and I heard he hit two home runs in one game even though I’ve never seen him and don’t know how to scout?
Klaw: Yeah, i’m already getting plenty of that along with complaints that you have to actually pay dollars to read my work.

Hogie: How close was Erick Fedde to making the list? Would it help if I told you he has bad ass long hair now?
Klaw: Not close. And … no.

Hugo Z: I’m all for tossing out Touki’s Asheville game, but his ERA is still over 4 without it.
Klaw: ERA is a terrible way to evaluate a pitching prospect, especially one that young and raw.

Danny: What do you think the ceiling for Brady Aiken is? What current player do you think he could most be compared to if he reaches his potential?
Klaw: Before we knew anything about his elbow, I thought he had ace ceiling. I’ll stay with that for now, since all we really know is that he had TJ and is healthy and throwing.

Brian White: Brewers took a HUGE jump. Fair to stay David Stearns has done an excellent job thus far?
Klaw: To be totally fair, Doug Melvin was at the helm for most of the improvements to the system, and Stearns has added to what was already in place.

Colin: Any hottakes on the GOP race?
Klaw: Just my gut – and I’m way out of my league here – but I think the GOP’s powers that be will rally behind Kasich at some point and try to push him over Trump to be the eventual candidate, based on “electability.” (Is that just the “pitchability” of political writing? God, I feel dirty.)

Mike: Why did you not rank Jon Gray, Carson Fullmer or Jameson Taillon in the top 100?
Klaw: When asking a question like this, give me reasons why I should have ranked those players where you want them. The obvious, if flippant, answer is that I thought the 100 players I did rank are better prospects.

Jeremy: What do you mean when you say a player has “great hands”? Is that just the ability to get the ball in the glove?
Klaw: The ability to catch a ball cleanly and make the transfer. Some guys just have hard hands and can’t receive (at any position) well.

Dan: In your Top 100 Prospects list from last January, you had Buxton as the #2 prospect in baseball; he’s again at #2 in your list today. But in your Top 50 Prospects update last July, he’s nowhere to be found. Was this just a simple oversight or was there a reason (skills concern, prospect eligibility, injury, etc.) for his omission?
Klaw: He was in the majors.

TC: I see you’re pretty high on Amed Rosario. Assuming he takes another leap with his bat this year, is it possible he’s the Mets starting SS in 2017?
Klaw: Possible if rather optimistic. This is a big year for him – he’s still more potential than production, although the tools are impressive.

Rick: I know this is purely hypothetical, but injuries aside, where would Matz probably rank just on talent alone? I’m assuming his injury history knocked him down a bit.
Klaw: Thing is, if he didn’t have this injury history, he would probably be entering his third or fourth year in the big leagues.

Justin: Is there anything in particular that makes you think Wilson Contreras’s performance last season was predictive progress rather than an aberration?
Klaw: Tools are there. Great swing. Very athletic kid. Can even run a little. Throws well. Receiving is not great. But definitely performance supported by the scouting report.

Rob Manfred: Why do you hate all of our 30 teams? Jeez!
Klaw: yeah but I like you more than the other guy who was before you.

Eric: Let me get this straight – the Orioles have one of the worst farm systems and they’re considering giving up their first two picks in this draft so they can sign Gallardo and Fowler? Have they just given up on planning for the future?
Klaw: Signing Gallardo makes no sense. He’s just not that good any more, certainly not enough to give up a first-round pick and pay him. He doesn’t make them a playoff team. Both guys still probably don’t make them a playoff team.

Dave: There are 10 shortstops in the top 25, and a bunch of other top shortstops “graduated” from the list last year. Is that position just that valuable, is it going through a renaissance, or will a lot of these guys be moved off the position eventually (like we know Seager will)?
Klaw: The best players tend to start out as shortstops, and shortstops who can actually play the position and also project to hit have the highest ceilings because of how low replacement level is there. The same would be true of catchers, but there isn’t much catching talent in the mid- to high minors yet.

Matt: Just had an interesting office convo regarding this chat that we need you to settle – Should this chat be pronounced “Clawchat” or “Kay-Law chat”?
Klaw: My nickname has been “Klaw” (like “claw”) for about 25 years now. So it’s two syllables, Klawchat.

thedirkatron: The Rangers have 5 guys in your top 100 — including two in the top 12 — plus a deep group of intriguing guys after that, but are “only” 9th, behind teams like Milwaukee and Pittsburgh whose systems don’t appear as strong. Was there anything in particular that led you to slot Texas closer to 10 than 5?
Klaw: As I said earlier, the org rankings are not merely a reflection of who’s on the top 100, but the depth throughout each team’s system. Texas has thinned out after trades and promotions, while Milwaukee has restocked and Pittsburgh just stays loaded.

Alex: Has Gary Sanchez greatly improved his prospect status over the past year? Seems like he’s made some real strides in terms of maturity, defense, and even hitting.
Klaw: Yes. Seems like he finally grasped that he had to work on his defense and had to earn promotions, rather than having things handed to him because he was the golden boy who got the big bonus. It’s actually a really great thing to see, and to hear from Yankees’ personnel. I’m sure they’re relieved too, given what they paid him.

Jack: Any idea where Lazarito might rank on this list if he were a “prospect?” Maybe not high at all due to age/maybe you just haven’t seen him yourself?
Klaw: I don’t have any 16-year-olds on this list right now, and Lazarito is not the kind of elite prospect who would defy that rule of thumb.

MS: Thoughts on taking hallucinagtic drugs to treat anxiety and depression?
Klaw: Are you channeling Cary Grant?

Justin: Klaw – Awesome job as always on the Top 100. Maybe there’s hope with Dom Smith’s physique since he’s doing the offseason training regiment with other Mets? Although…he did do it last year from the sound of it.
Klaw: Klaw about an hour ago

BravePap: Ever thought about helping out MLBTR? They’re my favorite, but they could use someone like you.
Klaw: I sort of have this other job already…

Adam: Robert stephenson didnt make your list. Only a few catcher did though, would he be next catcher on the list or further down?
Klaw: Do you mean Tyler Stephenson? He is on the “ten who just missed” column, which I think goes up tomorrow.

Tony: Does it appear that Tapia’s stance is here to stay? If it ‘normalizes’, what kind of power might be in there?
Klaw: I wouldn’t touch him until and unless he has problems hitting.

Adam: How close was Duane Underwood to making the top 100? Thanks for all your hard work!
Klaw: Not close at all.

Rodney: Would Maitan have made the list if eligible, and if so, in what range?
Klaw: He might be elite, unlike Lazarito, but no, absolutely not.

BD in DC: No Reynaldo Lopez because you think he is a reliever?
Klaw: Yes. I see very little chance he can stay a starter with that delivery and iffy command.

Bob: The angst over where a person’s favorite team is ranked is so silly. In theory, every team could have a good system and the gap between #1 and #30 isn’t that great. What people need to pay more attention to are the comments about the system and how it got to this point. Yeah, I know, there’s no place for reason on the internet.
Klaw: This is why I don’t put numerical grades on players – some people would focus on those and ignore the words that actually tell the story of the player.

Justin: In re: to the top farm systems, The Mets and KC fell the most from 15′ to 16′. Is this a product of making the WS? All the more amazing and scary how good the Cubs are/will be.
Klaw: It’s a product of promoting and trading talent to get to the World Series. The Royals promoted a slew of prospects the last few years, then traded three prospects for Cueto and one for Manaea. They also had their top prospect, Raul Mondesi, Jr., suffer through a miserable year of injury and non-performance (at a level where he was really young). The Mets promoted Thor and Conforto, traded two top ten arms for Clippard and Cespedes, and didn’t have a first-round pick. I’m not saying these were bad decisions, just that those are reasons why the systems slid in my rankings.

Always someone: You didn’t include a prospect I like in your top 100. Does that mean you think he’s merely worthless as a baseball player, or that he deserves to be drawn and quartered?
Klaw: I prefer to see such players broken on the wheel.

Rich, Baton Rouge: Keith, thank you for all you do for those with anxiety issues. My Question: Do you see PIT OF Ramirez, SS Tucker or 3B Hayes making a big leap in the rankings next year?
Klaw: Love Hayes. Not sure he’ll get a ton of affection from the industry because he’s not going to hit for much power, but a possible 70 defender at third who can hit and rarely strikes out … that’s a pretty good player, no?

Ed: Nice to Albert Almora back on the list. Would you say he’s progressed well since last year, or is it fair to say with all of the promotions in 2015 that the top 100 this year isn’t rated quite as high as last years?
Klaw: I think both are fair. Promotions really hit the minors hard, so this year’s list is skewed more towards players who are further away or a touch flawed. But he did make some modest progress at the plate, and he could always field.

Michael: Do you Arismendy Alcantara turning things around this year?
Klaw: I think he has the ability, but I honestly don’t know what the true reasons were behind his 2015 struggles.

Willy Adames: why do you think Mr Robertson is better than me? Defense?
Klaw: Better hitter/OBP guy and much more likely to stay in the middle infield. Now that’s a good question – nice and specific so I know what you want me to answer!

Eddy: Is there anyone you realized you were much higher on than others?
Klaw: I knew I was higher on Newman, because I had him 2nd in the draft class but he went 19th overall. Like I said above, his profile (hit, run, true SS) seems quite valuable to me.

Jaime: Saw a story that Matt Davidson changed his offseasoon workout to focus more on the mental side of the game. If he gets his head right, does he have the physical tools to bounce back?
Klaw: I’ve kind of written him off at this point, but we see former prospects revamp themselves all the time and resurface, often with club number two or three. JD Martinez comes to mind. He has been better with Detroit than he ever promised to be with Houston.

Anonymous: What do you see the Rockies rotation looking like in 2 or 3 years?
Klaw: Hesitating to put Butler in there because he has had so many health problems, but he’d be there on merit, along with Freeland, Hoffman, and some mix of Gray, Bettis, Senzatela, etc. Hard for them to fill a rotation without another big trade since they don’t believe FA starters will ever sign there. (Although I heard the schools are good.)

JP: does Dylan Bundy falling off mean you think he’s destined for the bullpen at this point?
Klaw: It means I have no confidence whatsoever in the health of his shoulder.

Patrick: Keith, several years ago the Royals were your top team. After lots of promotions and trades they’ve seemed to nearly exhaust their minors. They won a championship, but anything (not including FA signing) that you feel will haunt them??
Klaw: That flag will exorcise any ghosts who try to haunt them.

James: Good afternoon! Let’s say that an org recommends a pitcher change his delivery, mound position, etc. And let’s say the pitcher doth protest. Can a pitcher do himself damage within the org by resisting, even if he’s concerned about the impact of that change on his future health/ability/prospects?
Klaw: He’d be right to do so and I wish more pitchers would push back. I think this happened to Appel in Houston and he complied with their wishes, speeding up his delivery, ditching the two-seamer, going to the slide-step even though he can get long in the back so now his arm doesn’t catch up … and voila, results that don’t match the stuff.

DO: Your rankings and commentary show that you weren’t a big fan of the Kimbrell trade for the sox. Considering that A) they dealt from a position of prospect redundancy and B) had a system so strong that they could easily withstand the prospect loss, I’m make the case that the deal is not nearly as bad as some evaluators suggest. In a vacuum I would not want to trade two top 50 prospects for a 60 inning pitcher, but the state of the Sox system can almost justify it. Thoughts?
Klaw: I’m fine with trading prospects, but you have to get appropriate value in return, and they did not.

FinFinnFinnn: Can you highlight why Bobby Bradley is a better prospect than Cody Bellinger?
Klaw: Much more confidence in the hit tool. Bellinger did get to play in a great hitter’s league in a good hitting environment last year, and he did and will strike out a lot. Both good prospects though.

Lucas: Reese McGuire drew any consideration? Does his defense alone will get him in the majors?
Klaw: Don’t think he’ll hit enough to be an everyday guy but he is a no-doubt big leaguer for me.

Dan: Non-baseball question. You’re against keeping with the status quo on something ridiculous for the argument of “it’s always been that way.” How do you feel about February? Why do we still have a month that is multiple days shorter than the other months?
Klaw: If you want to make an argument like this, it’s time to switch to the damn metric system already.

Bill (NY): Is it insane to think Dansby’s best case scenario kinda sounds like Jeter?
Klaw: No, and if you got that from my capsule, it wasn’t entirely accidental.

Jason: Hi Keith. Have you seen Tigers OF Michael Gerber? Regardless, do you think he can be a big league regular?
Klaw: Yep, in fall league. Nice player. Maybe a good player. Probably falls a bit short of regular status.

Jay: KLaw, Where would Roman Quinn had fallen had he not been injured? Do you think he has upside still or to much of an injury risk?
Klaw: Call me when he has a full, healthy season. Forgive me if I’m not waiting by the phone.

Ron: Hi Keith- Any info on Wander Javier that the Twins signed?
Klaw: Is he one of the seven Wanders?

Nick: Does Wuilmer Becerra have the type of potential to be on this list a year from now?
Klaw: Absolutely.

Steve: Hey Keith, thanks for the top 100. It’s one of maybe seven reasons why I keep my Insider subscription. I have a general question about how much you factor in when you see a player into your rankings. If you see a guy on an off day do you think that one time image of him could cloud your overall perspective? Same goes if you see a guy and he’s 4/4 with a bunch of frozen ropes. How do you couch what you see on one occasion with what a player does over the course of a season?
Klaw: That’s the nature of scouting. You have to always remember what you saw is one snapshot among many. Since I don’t sit on a player for three or four days, I talk to scouts and execs all year long to get more information.

Michael: Wouldn’t the chance that Severino succeeds (however large or small that may be) give you more reason to consider pitchers you think are relievers? Even if there is a 75% chance a pitcher is a reliever, does the other 25% (with upside) make them top 100 material?
Klaw: There will always be exceptions. If I divide the universe of pitching prospects into guys I think will be starters and guys I think will be relievers, some of the former will end up relievers, and some of the latter will end up starters. But as long as those exceptions are relatively few, I will work with the same basic heuristics on putting pitchers into those buckets.

Dave: Arcia, Phillips, and Lopez are the top full season prospects for the Brewers. Is their next wave all at the Low A level or lower? Ray Montgomery did an amazing job for them on their 2015 draft.
Klaw: Yes he did. They have a bunch of other good full-season prospects, though, some of whom are on the top 100.

Brad: If you lose your first round draft pick, you also lose that amount of money to spend?
Klaw: Yeah, so it stings twice under the new system.

JP: move Ray or De La Rosa to the bullpen in May to make room for Shipley?
Klaw: Ray is a starter for me. Rubby is a two-pitch reliever.

Ryan: Isan Diaz get any consideration for the top 100? And does high level performances from Northeast high school prospects jump out more to you considering their limited ability to practice and play the game?
Klaw: I love what he did last summer but no, not really a top 100 guy yet.

RSF: What’s the thinking behind no relievers on the list? Too hard to project greatest out of someone that isn’t considered a potential starter? I would think a high end reliever provides enough value to justify inclusion.
Klaw: A high end reliever might provide that value, but identifying which guys might be those 3-4 relievers who can give you a couple of 2+ WAR seasons is a fool’s errand. The attrition rates are just too high.

Nate: Would any angels place in your hypothetical top 200 list?
Klaw: I love Jahmai Jones – he’s somewhere in the next 50.

Chris: Where are Brett Jackson and Matt Szczur? I thought you said the Cubs have a good system!
Klaw: I fear we’re going to do this all over again with Brett’s brother Drew, in the Mariners’ system.

JD: Would you say when you are in the 80s and 90s its hard to rank 91 over 90 with a lot of certainty (just as an example). Would it be easier to do it in pods of guys in the higher rankings, like these 3 guys are 100,99,98 in any particular order.
Klaw: No question. Towards the end, I’m just more focused on “does this guy belong” than “is this guy really better than the guy right behind him and really worse than the guy right above him” because that way lies madness.

Logan: In your top 100 you talk about Dom Smith being overweight, but he is listed at 185 pounds?
Klaw: Pro tip: Listed weights and heights may not be accurate.

aaron: Keith- How much of Gleyber Torres’ rating is tied to being a shortstop? As he probably won’t play there with the Cubs already with Russell, how would being at 2nd or 3rd affect his high slot?
Klaw: If he’s truly a shortstop, then that’s how I’ll rate him. Club context does not apply. Otherwise I might downgrade every Rockies’ starter because of what pitching in Denver does, but I treat their guys like I’d treat any other team’s starters.

Mike B: Can Rafael Devers stick at third base?
Klaw: I say so. He’s a good defender there now.

Chris: What is the difference between raw power and in game power and why do the two sometimes fail to correlate as closely as you would think?
Klaw: You have to hit before you can hit for power. And some guys can’t do both at the same time.

Zed: Do you think the Yankees are better served giving Gary Sanchez time at Triple-A to start the year, or backing up McCann and introducing him to the major league preparation of pitchers and catchers?
Klaw: Still needs to work on enough with receiving, framing, game-calling, etc. that he should play every day in AAA.

Forsyth: You seem a bit down on Moncada. I expected him to be a top 10 guy. Do you think there may have been a bit too much weight on the first couple months, when he was getting reacclimated to competitive baseball? Once he got settled in, he seemed to resemble the hype, meaning 20+ HR pop, excellent speed (SB-wise). Granted from my vantage point the best I can do is scout the box scores, but does he have a chance to bounce back into the top 10 if his 2nd half wasn’t a mirage?
Klaw: If you read the capsule, you can see my concerns, many of which revolve around his defense.

Nick: What type of power output are you hoping for from Dominic Smith now that he is out of poor hitter’s parks?
Klaw: I think he has 15-20 HR in him now, but it will also require a bit of a change in approach where he’s not going the other way quite so often. (I think all 5 of his FSL homers were to the opposite field.) I saw him pull a homer at Salt River, and saw him do it at least once as an amateur, so it’s in there, but he’s eschewed pulling the ball because he’s played in two parks that were bad for LH pull power.

Peter: Sounds like you expect Alex Bregman to be ready to hit in the majors pretty soon. How would you arrange Houston’s infield after his promotion? The most obvious opening would be third, but your writeup described Bregman as more of a 2B-type.
Klaw: He doesn’t have the arm for third. I wonder if he’ll end up trade bait because they are so well set at short at 2b. He’s not far off at all – if Schwarber and Conforto can go from college to the majors in 12-13 months, Bregman certainly can.

Brian: When you scouted Sano, did you ever think the OF was a possibility?
Klaw: I think I brought up his defensive, uh, inadequacies when I saw him in Beloit a few years back. That same game, he hit a fucking laser over the batter’s eye, so I get too worked up about the glove.

KJ: Do you see Alex Blandino as a starter or a utility guy ultimately?
Klaw: Starter, but at 2b, not shortstop.

Eric: Dilson Herrera barely missed the AB cutoff to be rookie eligible so he’s obviously not on the list. Not asking for a specific number, but what bucket would you put him in on the top 100 (if he’d still be there at all). Thanks again, you’re why I’m an insider.
Klaw: Back 20 or so. Always liked him. Got squeezed out last year when the minors were kind of stuffed. My vocabulary appears to be getting worse as this chat goes on.

Matt: He’s obviously not a prospect, but I’d be curious to get your take on what sort of impact Yulieski Gurriel could still have in MLB. He was a potential superstar once upon a time, but now he’s unlikely to see the field until after his 32nd birthday.
Klaw: Last time I saw him (last summer?) he looked awful. Out of shape, everything slow, unrecognizable. Then I hear he looked incredible in the Caribbean World Series. So I have no idea.

Zorak: I saw you got n to it on twitter with a Mets fan about Fulmer and the Cespedes deal. First off, sorry in advance for how obnoxious my fellow Mets fans will be for the next 10 months, and second, more in abstract, does the fact that Cespedes re-signed with the Mets change the value of the deal? or is that static? Does acquiring a player and extending him make it worth paying a higher price to get him?
Klaw: The extension is separate. The Mets paid full market value for Cespedes’ services in 2016 and potentially beyond. So they gave up Fulmer for two months of Cespedes. If you’re happy with that, because they reached the WS, great. I don’t think it was great value, but it’s not as lopsided as Meisner for Clippard was.

Emily: How do you go about making the list? Do you have names on flashcards and lay them all out? How do you insure that you don’t miss anybody?
Klaw: I keep a spreadsheet with top tens, then separate notes files for each of the 30 teams where I list anyone I can think of plus anyone else the team sources i talk to bring up.

Will: Why was Jacob deGrom never on anyone’s radar?
Klaw: I’ve told the story before, but he made my Mets top 10 one year and I had Mets fans calling me an idiot or whatnot because of that. (I think they wanted Hansel Robles over him, maybe?) Then the next year he was just kind of OK, not bad certainly, but scouts were on the fence about him starting or relieving. I remember watching his major-league debut and thinking “what the holy hell is that?” because no one, not even Mets people, described THAT to me.

Zach: What has happened to Colin Moran to make him fall out of the top 100?
Klaw: Not great defensive 3b who has not hit for power. Tough profile.

Ridley Kemp: Do you think Jacob Nottingham will be able to remain behind the plate and, if not, do you think he’ll hit enough to keep a job at another position?
Klaw: I do, at least, I’d leave him there for a couple more years to see how he develops. Guy’s a bulldog and certainly athletic enough to handle it.

UGW: Mike Shawaryn a 1st round pick for you? Whats his MLB ceiling?
Klaw: Not a first rounder, although I’m going to try to see him in the spring (try, because their schedule is a joke). Tough arm action for a starter.

Ryan: What do you make of Bubba Starling at this point?
Klaw: Probably an extra OF ceiling.

Brian: What do you consider your weaknesses in scouting (e.g. overestimating or underestimating a certain skill set)?
Klaw: I definitely struggle with catcher defense and command or finesse pitchers.

Steve: How do you see Ian Happ progressing? I’ve read concerns about his bat missing a lot last season. Any concern there? Is he destined for the OF or can he handle 2B duties at the MLB level?
Klaw: Second base for me. Bat missing meaning a lot of swing and miss? He’s definitely a high walk/high strikeout guy but I don’t think he’s a guy who struggles with contact so much as a guy who likes to work the count a lot and isn’t afraid of striking out.

Scott: You are really low on Jose De Leon. Can you elaborate as to why this is? He is among the highest risers on most lists. Thanks for all the great work!
Klaw: He’s on the top 100. That’s low? He’s got a fairly limited ceiling compared to the guys above him, but has great makeup and intelligence that should carry him through some needed adjustments. It’s a pretty true fastball and he’ll have to work around that.

Jackie: So, are Seager and Buxton the frontrunners for the KLAW ROY Awards?
Klaw: Exactly. Hard to argue against either guy given skill sets and opportunities.

Larry: If AJ Reed’s floor is “.260 hitter with a slew of walks and 25-30 homers,” that strikes me as potentially deserving a higher ranking than one right around #50, no? Is that his floor? What’s his ceiling?
Klaw: For a mediocre defensive 1b, that’s about right. If he could play another position or even played first like Dom Smith, then he’d be higher.

Garth M.: Was junior Fernandez close to making the cut?
Klaw: Yes. He’s on the just missed list. I think. I may have written too much and now I don’t remember what I filed last week.

kent: So not to make this a Dom Smith chat, but if he has the power tool, why did he go the other way? I mean isn’t the tool more important than results or catering to stats?
Klaw: Prospects tend to be judged and promoted on stats, not tools. Hitting a bunch of flyouts to the right field warning track does not get you called up to double-A.

SAge: How’s the food in Beloit?
Klaw: The Culver’s is excellent. I recommend a butterburger and a concrete.

Ben: Are you not doing Periscope chats anymore from now on? We really liked them, you know.
Klaw: I got horribly sick in mid-January, and have been working around the clock since then on these rankings.

Ciscoskid: Would doing a completely separate ranking for high probability relievers have any value?
Klaw: I will do a ranking by position piece next week and will include a handful of relief prospects.

Bob: Your writing specialty (at least the money-making part) is about prospects which means you have to approach your job just like a scout for a major league club. Does it feel at all weird that your work doesn’t go into anyone’s draft analysis but is disseminated to us yahoos instead?
Klaw: Actually most of you yahoos are wonderful to talk to and deal with, online and in person. The handful of trolls I get can’t undermine that at all. I view what I do for readers as a privilege, and I’m honored that you choose to pay to read my work and to give your time to read it and come interact with me. So thank you all for your loyal readership. It does help me power through these team reports (just ten left to write!) as I’m trying not to fall asleep at the kitchen table. I’ll be back for another chat next week!

Klaw: Double up or quit, double stake or split, it’s Klawchat.

JP: would Lazarito crack your top 100, if eligible?
Klaw: Absolutely not. Wouldn’t even be a consideration.

Adam: If the Braves sign Lazarito does that mean they are out on Maitan? If they wait until July can they sign both?
Klaw: He would have to agree to wait until July 2nd to sign. That’s not legal, but then again, nothing that happens in the international free agent market seems to be legal any more. There are African dictatorships that laugh at how corrupt baseball’s IFA system is.

Dave: How high would Conforto probably be on the top 100 if he didnt meet playing time conditions like Matz?
Klaw: Probably top 20. Very high floor, some All-Star potential, but not the super high ceiling of top 10 guys. I’ve always believed he’d hit and I think the limited pro sample we’ve seen so far supports that.

Bob: Greetings, Keith. Can we talk Ichiro for the HOF? Career WAR of 58.4 which is not a typical slam dunk number. He trails non-HOFers Reggie Smith and Dwight Evans, and is tied with Sammie Sosa. Assuming he doesn’t add to that figure appreciably, under what criteria do we put him in the HOF (as everyone assumes will happen)? He didn’t start in American baseball until he was 27? His Japanese stats should count too? What are your thoughts on this?
Klaw: I have no objection to giving some weight to his performance in Japan. I also don’t object to considering Ichiro’s impact on the game, here and globally. He was very much a star in the subjective sense of the word – the Fame part of the Hall of Fame. I think he’ll sail in on the first ballot because his support will be so broad, and if I have the vote I’ll give one to him.

Josh: How quickly do you think that Groome could love through the minors?
Klaw: Freudian slip? Not quickly at all. Big arm, not advanced or polished.

Dean Gulberry: As always, appreciate the chat! What is your opinion of Josh Hader? Did you get to see him pitch when you were in the AFL?
Klaw: Great arm, two above-average or better pitches, reliever’s arm action and delivery, but a really uncomfortable at bat, especially for lefties. I don’t know how any LHB ever sees the ball out of his hand.

Rob: I’m sure you’re getting a lot of questions about Dickerson-McGee. What can you tell us about Kevin Padlo? A few observers seem to think he’s the hidden gem in the trade.
Klaw: Yeah, I’m not buying it. Actually would probably rate Marquez, who has two above-average pitches but some reliever risk, over Padlo, who doesn’t have a great body and may not stick at 3b.

Joe: Will Corey Seager stick at SS? If he does, will he ever be good, or adequate, defensively?
Klaw: He’ll spned the majority of his MLB career at 3b. Might be adequate for a year at SS, but even so I think the plays he can’t get to will start to become a problem.

JP: rank these OF: Judge, Conforto, Mazara, Brinson, Benintendi
Klaw: You’ll get the answer to that next week when my top 100 comes out.

JP: more likely to be a useful starter: Bundy or Kolek
Klaw: Kolek. Bundy might be through as a potential starter.

Craig: Which team has done more in the past 12 months to improve its farm system: Philadelphia or Milwaukee?
Klaw: Milwaukee.

Mr. Robot: RIP Bloc Party. Didn’t think things could have gotten worse than “Four” but “Hymns” is just a snooze. Thanks for the memories, go in peace.
Klaw: Yep. Their album and St. Lucia’s were both huge disappointments. Megadeth’s was too – it’s like Mustaine is trying to recapture the Hangar 18 sound and just can’t find it.

Dance!: You were talking up Jake Lamb quite a bit last year but then he dealt with some injury stuff after a ridiculous April. What do you expect from him this year?
Klaw: Above-average offense, more OBP and doubles than HR, and at least solid-average defense at 3b.

Francisco, Atlanta: Hi Keith! Thanks for the chat. How good is Nick Senzel ?
Klaw: No clear position, and hasn’t shown much power in games. He might go in the first round because of the paucity of college bats, but I know plenty of scouts who think he’s a 2nd round talent or less.

Claudio: Coppolella recently stated that, while the general BPA rule will apply in next draft, they would love to get a college hitter. Do you buy it? (I don’t) and if it’s true, what’s your view of Buddy Reed?
Klaw: I don’t buy it, because there may not be a good enough college bat where they pick, and I don’t think Reed can hit. It’s a bad swing on both sides of the plate.

Ozzie: What is the ceiling for Eddy Martinez? Do you expect the Cubs to start him in South Bend?
Klaw: I only saw a workout – he really doesn’t have a lot of game experience – but he has All-Star tools. South Bend is probably right, just let him move quickly if he turns out to be really advanced at the plate. We just don’t know much yet.

Trent: Instead of costing a team a first round pick, would it make more sense to cost a team overall bonus pool money instead for a qualifying offer player? It seems like teams might be more willing to sign a guy that would help their team if it cost them, say $600k, to sign a QO guy and get to keep their pick. I get that that may bring down certain amateur players signings but it could also help others get more.
Klaw: I just want to see free agency disconnected from the draft. No system that MLB has tried has ever done anything but put an artificial drag on salaries – it’s a tax, and rational actors respond to taxes by reducing their demand or the price they’re willing to pay, Bernie – and the idea that you can use the draft to compensate low-revenue teams for lost free agencies has failed repeatedly in practice.

Jonathan Orr: Best Cardinals starter out of Gonzales, Lyons, and Cooney
Klaw: Gonzales. Other two are probably 6th starter/swingman types.

Tom: How much merit do you give the influx of “tanking is killing the game!” discussions?
Klaw: Zero. It’s not killing the game because this isn’t basketball, and it is absolutely the result of the incentives MLB and the union set up in the last CBA. I mean, would Phillies fans rather see a bad, expensive 72-win team, or a bad, young, cheap 65-win team? I’m betting the latter. Give the fans Nola and Thompson and Velazquez and Crawford and put the future on TV every night instead of signing a bunch of garbage veterans to one-year, $10 million deals just to pretend you’re competing.

Jason: I am guessing your top 100 comes out next week?
Klaw: Indeed, as I have announced here on the dish several times already. The top 100 and the org rankings come out next Thursday and Wednesday, respectively. The team reports (top 10 + notes) will come out the following week, because I lost a week to a respiratory infection.

Mike: Would Kevin Maitan crack your top 100? If not, has any 16 year old cracked it?
Klaw: No, and none since Sano. Only three ever did and Sano is the only one to turn into anything.

Jose: Any red flags concerning Blake Ruhterford? ie. age, competitive spirit?
Klaw: Age (nearly 19) and the fact that he’s a corner guy already so you’re betting entirely on the bat and power.

Craig: I know you’re very high on Dom Smith but I saw you mention in a previous chat that you’re concerned about his lack of pulling ability so far – how big of a concern do you think that is?
Klaw: Not a lack of ability, but a reluctance to do so, as he’s spent two years in parks that discourage it. He has big pull power – he hit a homer at Salt River to right-center in October that might have landed on the 202 – but knowing that pulling balls in Savannah or St. Lucie would result in a lot of F9s, he chose to just go the other way all day. That’s very sensible, but now that he’s going to AA it’s time to let ‘er rip.

Kerry: Dalbec is rated pretty high for his power. But he pitched well too. Could he do both in MLB?
Klaw: No and I have real doubts about his hit tool. Might be a 35 present grade.

Jimmy: Thanks for taking our questions and your thoughtful answer. Always look fwd to Klawchat. Have you ever been to SXSW? Did you enjoy it? I’ve been several times over the last 11 years but not since 2013. I’ve heard it has changed a lot in the last few years but I am still excited to go.
Klaw: Would love to but the timing isn’t great for my day job. Maybe when someone hires me to be the omnibus music/books/boardgame critic I’ll go.

Zach: Keith, thanks as always for being a fan of dead trees. I know you are a big Strange and Norrell fan – are there any other “fantasy” authors or titles that you’d recommend for adults in a similar vein?
Klaw: Lev Grossman’s Magicians series – I’ve read the first two, with number three on my shelf – and which is also now a Syfy series.

Anonymous: I know a lot can happen between now and June, but Coppy has said a college bat is the likely target for Atlanta at #3. Kyle Lewis an option, you think? Too high for him?
Klaw: Way too high. The only college bat I might consider up there is Corey Ray, and even he has a big question mark in the 60 Ks last year. (Never when I’m in the park, though. I swear he’s gone 12-for-10 over the games I’ve seen.)

Mike: How much time in the minors will Lazarito likely need, assuming he’s legit?
Klaw: That guy has gotten way more press than his workouts have merited. He may get his $20-30 million but I haven’t found a scout that put in a report that would get him close to that money.

Robert: I do not recall hearing much hype for Willson Contreras when he was listed as a third baseman. How much has moving to catcher full time impacted his jump in just about everybody’s prospect ratings? Or has his bat just been that much better than initially thought?
Klaw: Well he also finally started to hit last year. Tools were always there but years of poor performance made them seem irrelevant – eventually, you have to hit.

Steve: How about just if you lose a FA, you get a pick at the end of the first round. No disincentive for teams to sign players, just compensation for those who lose. Could be real simple – biggest 5 total contracts get picks at end of first round, next biggest 5 get picks at end of second round, next biggest 5 get picks at end of third round.
Klaw: I like this, as long as it’s not tied to a QO, because you get low-payroll teams with a disincentive to even offer the QO (out of fear the player takes it) and thus will see fewer compensatory picks going to the teams that in theory need them most.

Steve: I might have missed it, but what did you think of the Cespedes deal. If he opts out, it’s $27M for a year of Cespedes plus a first round pick.
Klaw: Not on it. He’s not a $27 million player and he’s not a centerfielder. By the way, that’s “if he opts out AND the Mets offer AND he signs elsewhere.”

Rob: On baseball reference, Mark Grace has negative dWAR for his career despite winning 4 gold gloves. He likely would have won more if not playing simultaneously with Will Clark. I’m open minded but can you make a case for dWAR being wrong?
Klaw: I can make a case for dWAR being wrong, especially on first basemen, but Gold Gloves are evidence of nothing except how bad major-league coaches can be at evaluating defense.

Steve: I think I read the worst thing ever this week. Did you see the “neomasculinity” group that is holding meetings to legalize rape? What is wrong with people??
Klaw: Yes, and they cancelled the meetups, but only after getting a ridiculous amount of press attention that probably drove lots of traffic and men’s rights idiots to their site. Their message is abhorrent, but not illegal here, and it’s such a fringe group that giving them publicity probably did them more good than harm. That said, I wish they’d held the meetups so opponents could go and confront them.

Michael: Do you buy every book you read or go to the library?
Klaw: It’s a mix. I get a lot of books as gifts, or gift cards to bookstores; I go to used bookstores a lot; I buy some ebooks when I see something good is on sale; and I go to the library, which is right down the street, especially for something I know I’ll never read again.

Hank: What is your opinion on the Klentak, Macphail regime in philly? Can they bring me a world series?
Klaw: So far, very good. Should learn more over the next ten months as they make more changes to the front office and overall direction.

HugoZ: If a team like Atlanta were willing to pay a bigger bonus to Lazarito than another team that wanted him
Klaw: Problem is the deal is unenforceable. If he has something go wrong – an injury, an off-field incident – Atlanta can just walk away and he could be left with nothing, or just a lot less. That’s my main issue with the current system, that neither side has any protection at all from the other party just walking away.

Steve: Who is the best pitching prospect left in the Mets system? Chris Flexen? Wow, hope they don’t need another starter anytime soon.
Klaw: Not counting Matz? I have Gsellman next up, but he’s 8th overall in the system. No other pitchers in their top 10.

Jeremy: I see some MILB leagues referred to as being pitcher or hitter-friendly. What makes them that way?
Klaw: Ballparks and altitude are the two main factors.

Matt: Do you think some portion of lefty hitters struggling against LHP comes from a self-fulfilling prophecy? Hitters are told early on how much different it is facing a lefty and they must change their approach to succeed. So, hitters alter their typical approach to face this challenge and it doesn’t work for them. It doesn’t seem that righty hitters do this when they face RHP.
Klaw: I think the number one reason is the lack of AB. RHB get way more reps vs RHP than LHB will ever get against LHP.

Steve: I’ve heard serious questions about Cechinni’s defense at SS. Can he stick there, and if not is he still a useful prospect?
Klaw: Hands and range are fine. Has a 6 arm, but had legit accuracy issues last year (out of the blue). I’d still bet on him staying there … but hey, hanging out with the team shrink wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

Rob: It’s odd that the “tanking is killing the game” conversation is so big now when arguably the best and most interesting teams in the AL (Astros) and NL (Cubs) spent the first half of this decade “tanking.” The evidence seems to indicate that tanking is good for the game when your team sucks.
Klaw: Yep. I really have no objection to it. There’s no MLB team like the 76ers right now. The Astros did get there, briefly, but remember, when Luhnow took over, the top levels of the farm system were bleak – all the talent from those Bobby Heck drafts was still about two years away at the time.

Steve: Sandy mentioned yesterday that they’ll try d’Arnaud and Plawecki at other positions during the spring – good idea? Any chance they’ll stick?
Klaw: Yeah, good idea on d’Arnaud given his problems staying healthy – I think he’s had two concussions already, plus a host of other injuries. For his own health I’d like to see him somewhere else, but I don’t see the spot for him with Conforto in LF and Duda at 1b.

Michael: Is it simply a matter of Tyrell Jenkins cutting down the walks and missing more bats for him to finally get the call to Atlanta??
Klaw: I mean, that’s not a simple matter.

Matt: I know the rankings will help answer this question, but is A.J. Reed’s potential hit/power enough to make him a superstar despite his lack of speed or defensive skill?
Klaw: How about star rather than superstar?

Tim: Early to project (and doubt he makes your top 100) but is Tyler Stephenson a sure-fire Catcher on the defensive side? He seems to be mentioned mostly as a bat-first catcher.
Klaw: Plus-plus arm, good athlete, not at all sold on the receiving or on the body staying back there. Looks a lot like Wieters, and Wieters is an anomaly and a bad framer.

Colin: Word is the Rangers are trying Josh Morgan at catcher. Thoughts on this?
Klaw: Yes, I’m surprised that got out but it is true and I love the idea. Could be a Russell Martin type back there.

Addoeh: So you’ve recently been to the Dominican and Puerto Rico. When is the scouting trip to Cuba?
Klaw: Ask my bosses. I’m in. I want to go get drunk where Hemingway used to get drunk.

Marshall: Any predictions on Sano in RF – I assume somewhere between horrendous and bad. Not a lot (any?) of guys his size patrolling OFs at the major league level.
Klaw: He could be a -5 runs guy if he puts some work into it. Great arm, actually a good athlete for someone his size. But I’ve never gotten the sense he wanted to work on defense. He just likes to hit.

JF: Given that this is likely Strasburg’s last year in DC, how would you assess his career so far? What does he need to do to become an elite pitcher—probably somewhere else in 2017?
Klaw: He’s never really pitched as aggressively as his stuff would indicate. He should be going after guys like “here it is, fuck you, try and hit it.” He nibbles, he pitches away from contact, he gets tentative when there are men on. That’s a perfectly fine approach for guys with lesser stuff. I want him to pitch like peak Verlander, who looked like he might tear your head off and was happy to just blow guys away with power, whether it was velocity or just some hellacious breaking ball.

Michael: Any reaction to the Iowa caucus?
Klaw: It’s a really dumb way to pick a candidate.

Matt: I saw pre-draft write-ups on Benintendi comparing him to guys like Jon Jay and Mark Kotsay. Are those still apt comparisons, or did he improve his stock so much last year (particularly with the bat) that he’s risen to a different level of prospect?
Klaw: Don’t think those were apt on draft day. Maybe before the college season? Kid’s got power and neither of those comps did.

Greg: Are you enjoying Savage’s Adore more than Silence Yourself? I tried several times to get into Silence Yourself, but something wasn’t clicking for me (although their live show is outstanding).
Klaw: It’s very different, still good but a real change of pace and tone. Maybe less consistent track to track, but Silence Yourself could feel a little repetitive and Adore nevre does.

Steve: Nimmo with a torn tendon in his foot. It’s starting to look like he’s never going to put it together. Is his ceiling 4th OF now?
Klaw: Yeah, I thought that was his ceiling coming out of 2015. Used to have higher hopes for him but he hasn’t developed like I expected.

Dave Stewart: The key to winning baseball is to bat your worst hitter leadoff so he gets more plate appearances than anyone, but only if he’s fast.
Klaw: The mere idea that Segura is a top-of-the-order bat with sub-.290 OBPs says everything we need to know about how Dave Stewart views baseball. He last worked in a front office in 2001, and his criteria on players seem to have remained there.

Ed: If you’re the Cubs do you continue to develop Dylan Cease as a starter? Any concerns with his delivery?
Klaw: Yes, absolutely a starter, and no on the delivery. Not even sure what you’re referring to with that.

Hank: I know the top 100 is coming next week, but do you think Orlando Arcia is major league ready? I like the trade for the Brewers, but I’m worried about them bringing up Arcia too early.
Klaw: Glove is ready. Instincts are already there. Bat probably not quite, but he wouldn’t be terrible if he went right to the majors. I think he’ll make a lot of contact and play plus defense and help the team.

Chris: In regards to the Mets & Cespedes. Isn’t it better to overpay him for 1 year then being stuck with 2-3 dead years on the back end of a 5-6 year contract?
Klaw: Isn’t it better to just not pay him at all? There wasn’t a better use for the money they gave him, Cabrera (who can’t play short at all), and de Aza?

ballsandgutters: You think Jesse Biddle is worth a spot on the Pirates 40 man roster?
Klaw: I don’t. They’ll probably outright him in March, but they’ll have to re-add him in October to prevent him leaving as a minor league free agent, and then in March 2017 he has to stay on the 40-man because a second outright would give him the right to elect free agency immediately. And I don’t see him worth a 40-man spot for all of 2017.

Claudio: Swanson and Albies will both stay at SS this year, do you see Swanson in AA and Albies in High-A to start the year? Suppose they both make it to ATL, am I wrong if I think the best dp setup would be Swanson at 2b and Albies at SS?
Klaw: I would do what you suggest – send Swanson right to AA because he played and raked in the SEC. I also think Swanson is the more likely long-term shortstop than Albies.

Scott: Do you see any chance that Marcus Semien can stick at SS? I feel like his bat would make him valuable even with slightly below average D
Klaw: I do not. Also not a very good hitter – he had a big April and then went back to his old self, .306 OBP the rest of the way with a lot of strikeouts (22-23%).

Dan: Does Casey Kelly have anything left that would make him a contributor to the Braves over the next few seasons?
Klaw: Yes, but I think they need to make a real change to his repertoire due to the lack of deception in his delivery and movement on his fastball. Maybe the answer is a cutter, or a two-seamer, but he hasn’t missed bats like his stuff should, and when that happens consistently, you have to make some kind of change.

Anonymous: Hey KLaw, thank you for doing these chats! What do you think of a Benintendi and Vazquez for Teheran swap?
Klaw: I think that makes no sense for Boston.

Mike: O’s just traded for Despaigne from SD. Does he have any potential? Or just a guy? (if that)
Klaw: Just a guy. I heard San Diego got Cosme, which is one of the best restaurants in NYC, so that’s a clear win.

Anonymous: Another key difference between “tanking” in MLB vs other sports is that it’s a much harder transition to professional baseball than for other sports. Take a top guy in NFL/NBA you have a much clearer idea of what you’re getting, correct?
Klaw: I think that’s true, but I can’t claim to know the other drafts that well – it seems like they have their share of high-profile flops at the top of the draft too.

Alex: How small do you think the win now window is in Arizona before they start getting old and regretting trading away all the young talent?
Klaw: The regret will end up in the laps of the next regime.

Frank: Hey Keith. How would you handle Anthony Alford this year. Start him in AA and move him up to AAA with success halfway through. Maybe a cup of tea in September. I worry about the Jays OF with Bautista (old and gets injured a decent amount), Saunders (Injury prone), and Dalton Pompey (unproven). Pillar seems to be the only guy I don’t worry about.
Klaw: You can’t let major-league needs dictate the development plan for a player. You move Alford up when he’s shown he has nothing left to learn at his current level. He should start in AA, but that’s a big leap for him, and he still has just under 600 total PA in pro ball. Rushing him makes less sense than rushing most prospects.

Lee: Seems like a Bradley Jr. for Sano trade seems like great match-up for both teams. Which team do you think would balk at that?
Klaw: No way the Twins do that. Not only is that a big loss of value for them, but with Buxton and Kepler, why do they need a CF?

Will: A week later, and I’m still worked up over last week’s Top Chef episode. Should the producers have realized the issues of the episode and judging and made this week a double elimination? Seems so stupid to see someone go home for making “dainty” food instead of bad food when no one knew what the hell a beefsteak was.
Klaw: I don’t get that worked up over it, but it was one of their worst episodes for that very reason. No one seemed to understand the challenge, and the challenge itself was kind of antithetical to the whole concept of the show.

Steve: Just wondering – if the Wilpon’s are indeed willing to spend $140M on payroll going forward, does this make you any more bullish on the Mets window?
Klaw: It helps, but I don’t think I’m bearish on the team. They’re probably still the favorites in the division and we saw that they’re well built for October.

Brian Morris: Max Kepler, Bradley Zimmer, Jesse Winker: are we looking at 3 OF prospects that have similar tools/outlooks? Which bat plays better long term?
Klaw: Not similar at all – Winker is a corner OF only, while the other two are above-average runners who can play CF.

Jeff R: How’s your health tool looking? I hope you’re feeling better and stronger. Thanks again for all your work.
Klaw: Still kind of tired – I slept almost two more hours this morning after getting my daughter on the bus – but the evil Levoquin did its job and has not yet blown out my tendons.

JR: Was happy to see you call out Manning in your “stick to baseball” column this week. I had heard this before, but he certainly tends to get a free pass. Also getting a free pass is Kobe Bryant. He’s making his retirement tour and you never hear anything about the CO rape.
Klaw: We pick and choose when to remember sexual assault cases. Peyton can’t legally answer questions about it, so it’s unfair to ask him directly, but completely fair to bring it up in all this bullshit talk about his “legacy.”

Alex: The biggest problem with tanking is the strategy really only works if you can get the first or second pick in the draft and all the extra money in the bonus pool that comes from those slots. With 7-8 teams tanking the strategy really doesn’t help teams picking in the 5-7 range. Remember the Astros had a lot of top picks to make the strategy work.
Klaw: Right. If the Phillies can trade for one of those competitive balance picks, it puts them in a way better spot. In fact, let’s just make all draft picks tradeable in the next CBA, like I’ve been arguing they should do for the last decade.

Chris: Do you think Lopez makes it to the Nats this year out of the pen, or does he still need to work on that command in the minors?
Klaw: Could appear this year, don’t think command will be an issue if he’s in the pen.

Chris: It seems like Josh Naylor is stuck at 1B, but do you think his bat plays enough there to still be in your top 100 prospects?
Klaw: He’s not on it and wasn’t close. Didn’t have him as a first-round talent going into the draft.

Jojo: The wife and I took our first plunge into gaming with Carcassone and Seven Wonders Duel (your rankings helped!) and we loved them. Wondering if you have any specific recommendations for a 2 player game considering our enjoyment of those two.
Klaw: I always recommend Jaipur for a purely two-player game. Here’s my review.

Nick: When do you see Taillon and Glasnow being ready for Pittsburgh?
Klaw: Glasnow by June. Taillon depends entirely on health and I don’t know enough to tell you on that one.

Mike: I would not agree you get a much clearer idea of what you are getting. Rather, you can get a player who has a much larger impact. Basketball, one player can make a much larger difference. Same with a QB in NFL…
Klaw: Strasburg was probably the clearest case of a 1-1 guy who was close to major-league ready in the last ten years, and he’s been good if not quite what was expected, certainly not enough to turn the franchise around by himself. I’m dating myself, but I remember the Magic getting Shaq and adding about 25 wins in one year, missing the playoffs in his rookie season by maybe a game. There’s no baseball equivalent to that.

Scott: Will Beede or Crick make an appearance at the big league level this year? Seems to me one of those guys could help out the bullpen since SF was looking for bullpen help? Bad idea?
Klaw: Bad idea. Crick walked a man an inning last year and I’m not sure what his outlook is. Beede is now throwing 88-89 mph sinkers, and while I’m not exactly clear on the plan there, that’s not a reliever’s pitch.

Bill: Darin gorski MLB potential?
Klaw: Sixth starter or up-and-down guy. If that.

Nick: I know it’s (really) early but have you seen any of the 2017 Draft prospects? Mark Vientos, JJ Schwarz, etc.?
Klaw: Schwarz yes, loved what I’ve seen so far, could be a top five pick (in the abstract – I don’t know the class that well yet). Haven’t seen Vientos.

Nick: Have you ever listened to Run the Jewels? If not, there’s a chance you’d like them. They have a more old school and refined sound than mainstream rap.
Klaw: Listened to both albums, didn’t like them.

Paul: KLaw – curious how many of the restaurants on Eater’s latest National 38 list you’ve tried? I know I’ve seen you write several of them up. I’ve only been to 4, all in the Southeast (Husk, Fig, Pooles, Gunshow just last weekend), but have some of the others circled for upcoming travel. Gunshow was truly awesome by the way… you should definitely check it out when in Atlanta. Would recommend going with a party of 4 or even 6 if possible, though. We were able to try every dish on the menu by going with 6. Cheers!
Klaw: Been to eight of them, yet neither of the Philly entries – Zahav is a tough reservation, and Vedge is going to have to be a solo outing since I don’t know many folks who would willingly go to a vegan restaurant. Poole’s is great. Didn’t like Oleana at all. I heard from a DC friend that people actually pay others to stand in line to get a table at Rose’s Luxury – like, this is a side job where people advertise on Craigslist that they will stand in line for you for a fee. I can’t imagine the food living up to that kind of hype.

Blueberry Johnson: Keith, would you say you have an 80 time management? You do a lot of stuff and it’s kind of amazing. Any big insights on time management you can share?
Klaw: I don’t think I would say that. I don’t watch a lot of TV, and I don’t burn a lot of time doing ‘nothing.’ I’m always busy with something, whether it’s work, reading, family time, stuff around the house. I get a lot of satisfaction from completing mundane stuff, which helps motivate me. The other day I changed some fuses in one of our cars – a very routine bit of maintenance, but I was still psyched to do it (and not pay someone else $50 or so for a five minute job).

Bama Pezz: I don’t believe for a second that Chris Correa acted alone. He probably had an IT guy helping him as well as mentioning it and sharing information to multiple people in the org. Isn’t the likelihood of him taking the fall for this for all parties to move on with minimal damage much more likely?
Klaw: I have zero inside info on this topic, but my gut response was identical to yours.

Alex in Austin: Do you see any chance these Time Warner and Fox Sports contracts with teams blow up? I can’t imagine the ratings justify these prices and as marketing dollars move away from cable to more digital media, where is the revenue going to come from?
Klaw: It does seem inevitable that the traditional cable model, pushing big subscriber fees on the customer as part of tying arrangements (which could be ruled an antitrust violation at some point, no?), is going to see an accelerating decline. We just dropped DirecTV after 14 years to take a much cheaper, smaller package as part of a Verizon FiOS bundle. Lost maybe 2-3 channels we liked, but saved a ton of money in the process.

Jon: During the Cespedes press conference, Sandy indicated the Mets will now start looking at getting the young pitchers signed to extensions. Syndergaard would be the obvious place to start for that, no?
Klaw: Of their young arms he’s the one I’d try hardest to sign, and Matz would be the least because of his injury history.

Woodman: Christian Arroyo had a good year in San Jose and fall league last year. What’s his potential and possible arrival time frame in SF?
Klaw: Not a shortstop but plus hit tool. Probably a solid two years away.

John: I’m driving across the country next week. Any recommendations for an audio book? For that format, I prefer an entertaining plot even more than usual. That’s mainly so I stay awake/alert, but also because I find I don’t retain details as much when I listen rather than read.
Klaw: Best audiobook I’ve listened to in the last two years was Bill Nye reading his own Undeniable, where he tears apart creationist claims against evolution (here’s my review). He has so much energy and infuses a lot of humor into the work that it kept me alert through a couple of long, dull drives.

bobby: Important stuff first: Best Super Bowl snack to serve? Also, morality of the move aside, now that the Yanks have the Big 3 in the bullpen, how would you use Betances? 2 innings a pop in 60 games or so? Or a strict 7, 8, 9 of the big 3 for, say, 80 games?
Klaw: If you have any thought to keeping guys healthy, days off is key. So two innings a pop for 50-60 games is better than 75 innings in 70-75 games. We don’t know much about pitcher health but I think we know, or at least have strong evidence to indicate, that rest is a big help.

Janey: How many college bats or arms come out of nowhere? In other words, are most guys who were not thought as first rounders when in high school?
Klaw: Benintendi was a rare event: A draft-eligible sophomore who was hurt his freshman year and I think skipped the summer, so he emerged very late. It’s more common for a guy like Anthony Rendon, who was little-known in high school, to show up his freshman year and suddenly look like a first-rounder, after which we get three springs and two summers of scouting looks and data to evaluate.

Chris: What happened to DJ Peterson, and do you think he’s destined to be a AAAA player?
Klaw: Hasn’t been the same since the injury to his face, but was always a bit limited anyway – 1b only, not geared to hit for both average and power.

Greg: Better comparison than Shaq (also dating myself)- Spurs lost Robinson for a year, finished last, got Duncan, and then won the title.
Klaw: Ah yes, reminds me of that year when we were on a trip to Italy and visiting my cousins in Genova during the NBA finals. I asked my younger cousin if he knew who won, and he said yes, the “Sant’Antonio Spurs.”

Taybor: Any reason you and your wife stopped at one kid? She seems to bring you so much joy that I’d think you’d want a 2nd.
Klaw: Several reasons, but two big ones: My wife was nauseous for five solid months while pregnant, and my daughter has been adamant since she was four that she does not want a sibling at all.

Mickey: Hansel Robles was quietly absolutely dominant down the stretch (2.63 era, .804 whip, 11.2 k/9, 4.64 k/bb over his last 41 innings) – should he be the mets setup man this yr? Future closer? Or are his inconsistencies too much?
Klaw: Definitely setup material. You don’t buy or trade for relievers – you make them.

Ted: Best piece of advice for an upcoming college graduate about to enter the “real world?”
Klaw: I could probably give a whole speech on this, but the hardest thing for me was learning to be professional, to act like an adult as a 21-year-old in an office in the workforce, surrounded by super smart people who would look down on my immaturity. Working harder and being more conscious of how I appeared – I’m definitely an introvert, and often shy, but back then it could manifest itself in behavior or commentary that others would find immature – even just for that first year would have made a huge difference to my career had I chosen to stay in that line of work.

Bill: But mets need matz, he’s a lhp, all others rhp ,no?
Klaw: This does not strike me as a counterargument. Who cares if you have five righties? And if Matz can’t stay healthy – he’s never thrown 150 innings in a calendar year – then why would his lefthandedness make him a better candidate for a long-term contract?

Dave: If there was no reserve clause in MLB and no player union, would players make more money than they do now? It seems to me that an open market for player services would give the players more money. So, players like Kris Bryant would make a lot more, and older players would make a lot less.
Klaw: If you had more true free agency, with players getting there at 3 or 4 years of service, then yes, the scenario you outline seems likely.

Dave: Do you think taxing the rich at over 70% would help or hurt the economy? Some of those more “socialist” European countries seemingly have little chance for climbing the economic ladder, and there is very little job creation.
Klaw: I say hurt. Didn’t we have punitive tax rates for the highest income earners (not the “rich” – that’s wealth, not income) in the 1950s, until JFK pushed through a tax cut?

Hank: Will you watch the Super Bowl?
Klaw: Eh. Maybe. It’s not a priority.

Dave: Does a soft throwing sidearm pitcher like David Berg have any place it today’s MLB? Or do you think he would just get lit up.
Klaw: Don’t see him as a big leaguer.

Mike: Is McCullers in the same group of possible aces as Berrios & Reyes?
Klaw: Reyes is a possible ace. I don’t think Berrios or McCullers is.

Nick: Re the bird with the clipped wing, would you expect it to take an additional year for him to find his swing like a guy going down with a wrist or thumb injury and not getting back to his normal power numbers until a full year after he gets back?
Klaw: Impossible to say because we don’t know how his swing will look post-surgery. Will he be restricted? Will he be reluctant to let it go, the way Heyward was for a few years after his shoulder injury? It’s not good news, certainly.

Hank: Bigger impact for the Rangers this season: Nomar Mazara, Joey Gallo or Lewis Brinson?
Klaw: Gallo will get the most opportunities with the big club, but Mazara is the best bet to produce if he gets the chance.

Brian Morris: My son is just starting to get into reading…any suggestions for good children’s books?
Klaw: We loved the Paddington series. They’re good for a wide range of ages – you might need to read them to him because some of the vocab is a little advanced, but the stories are good for ages 4 to 100.

Klaw: That’s all for this week’s chat, as i need to do some more top 100 writing and I have a phone call scheduled for 3 pm. Thanks for all of the questions. Assuming the current schedule holds, I will try to do two chats next week, one the day the org rankings come out, another the day the top 100 comes out. I’ll continue to post updates here on the dish.