Uncategorized — Page 7

→ July 1, 2025
→ By keith

Lloyd McNeil’s Last Ride.

Will Leitch’s Lloyd McNeil’s Last Ride is the heart-warming story of a police officer and divorced dad of an 11-year-old son who discovers he has terminal brain cancer and decides to die on the job so his son can get more cash in death benefits. It’s definitely the most enjoyable book you’ll read about dying of glioblastoma this year.

(Disclaimer: Will’s a friend – someone I’ve actually spent time with on multiple occasions – so there’s just no way I was going to be objective about this book. If I had disliked it, I just wouldn’t mention it at all, so bear in mind that this is one time you can actually accuse me of bias and be correct.)

Lloyd is a cop in Atlanta, the son of a decorated, hard-nosed, military-minded cop who was a sort of legend in the force himself until he died of a heart attack, possibly hastened by the case of a serial killer that he couldn’t solve. He learns at the very start of the book that his headaches are caused by an aggressive type of brain tumor called a glioblastoma that will kill him in a matter of months, and do so in ugly fashion as he starts to experience memory loss, extreme mood swings, and pain in his head he describes as “lightning bolts.” He doesn’t tell anyone at all about the diagnosis – not his son Bishop, his partner Anderson, his boss, his ex-wife, nobody but his doctor. He realizes that his life insurance policy isn’t going to do much for his son, paying for about a year of college if they’re lucky, and realizes that there are large payouts coming to any officer who dies in the line of duty, so he decides to find a way to do just that, only to learn that he’s a pretty good cop and not that good at the dying part.

Lloyd’s letters to his son, which he calls his ten edicts, are interspersed throughout the narrative and lend some gravity to the proceedings, which otherwise are quite jovial for a story about a guy with a time bomb in his brain and a gun at his hip. (To say nothing of his car, which is a weapon in its own right when Lloyd’s behind the wheel.) Those poignant interludes are an accurate reminder of every parent’s nightmare – that you won’t be there when your kid grows up to experience all of the big moments, to tell him how to change a tire or ask someone on a date, to answer the phone (or a text) when something’s wrong and they need their mom or their dad. The real genius of the book is that those moments aren’t sappy or maudlin, which they could so easily be. They read as honest and clear, probably clearer than any of us could really be if we sat down and thought too hard about what writing that kind of letters really meant, and as a result they hit some big emotional notes without dragging down what is otherwise a fast-paced novel with some great action sequences once Lloyd decides he has a literal death wish.

I would still rank Will’s first novel, How Lucky, as my favorite of the three, because I think its protagonist, Daniel, is such an incredible, compelling character, and I love the way the tension builds in that story. That’s not a knock on Lloyd McNeil’s Last Ride, as they’re different books with clearly different goals. There are even nods in this book to Will’s second book, The Time Has Come, that I won’t spoil, and a few other Easter eggs scattered here and there. I’d say Lloyd McNeil’s Last Ride is his most earnest book, but I feel like that word has morphed into a backhanded insult, like a pat on the head for a writer who’s mailed in the emotional stuff in most of their previous works. It’s very thoughtful, getting the details right in the important ways, and even in more trivial ways, like details of what an Atlanta cop’s daily routine might be like, that most readers wouldn’t even notice. (I only realized it after reading the acknowledgements.) It’s a novel with a big heart that earns your response through its honesty, with a strong main character and some levity to get you past the fact that the main character is staring death in the face from page one.

Next up: I actually finished Rita Bullwinkel’s gimmicky, Pulitzer-finalist novel Headshot last week and am reading Masashi Matsuie’s The Summer House.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: american literature, american novels, contemporary novels, dark comedy, highly recommended

→ June 28, 2025
→ By keith

Stick to baseball, 6/28/25.

For subscribers to the Athletic this week, I had a scouting notebook on Jesus Made, Luis Peña, Trey Yesavage, and some Orioles and Brewers low-A prospects, and a post on the 2025 draft prospects who might be the first to reach the majors.

Over at Paste, I reviewed Conservas, a solitaire push-your-luck game that brings environmental sustainability into its victory conditions.

I also sent out another edition of my free email newsletter on Monday.

And now, the links…

Longreads first: The fast-fashion craze is a huge drain on the planet’s resources, although this Scientific American feature also examines some entrepreneurs fighting to make clothing more sustainable.

In the New Yorker, Rivka Galchen examines the enormous cost we’re about to face from rising vaccine denialism (or “skepticism”).

The New York Times tells the stories of people caught up in measles outbreaks from Texas to North Dakota, all preventable, all the result of scam artists and lunatics spreading lies about vaccines.

Kate Shemirani was a nurse in Britain who lost her license for spreading false information about COVID-19. Her anti-medicine insanity ran so deep that her 23-year-old daughter just died of a treatable cancer because her mother opposed her getting chemotherapy. Shemirani’s two sons blame their mother and are urging social media sites to crack down on misinformation.

Gregg Gonsalves writes in The Nation about the cowardice of Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), a physician who voted to confirm RFK, Jr., knowing full well what the noted anti-vaccine crank would do as head of the HHS.

A presentation for this week’s meeting of CDC vaccine “advisers” cited a study on thimerosal in vaccines and autism that does not exist. (There is no link between thimerosal and autism.)

Vanity Fair profiles Iowa state Rep. J.D. Scholten (D), who is running to unseat Sen. Joni “We all die some day!” Ernst (R) while also pitching for the independent Sioux Falls Explorers.

Haaretz spoke to IDF soldiers who say they were ordered to shoot at unarmed Palestinians trying to get food and other aid.

The University of Florida’s law school gave an award to a paper written white-nationalist student in which he argued that Constitutional rights only apply to white Americans.

Harvard hired a researcher to examine the school’s historical ties to slavery … but when he found too many, they fired him.

Everything is bad – it’s just as terrible as you imagined and probably worse – but a three-judge panel struck down a Louisiana law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments. Your religion is yours; don’t force it on me or my kids or anyone but your own.

Your energy bill may be going up because of the AI bubble as energy companies rush to build more infrastructure to support these greedy tech companies.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R, of course) refused $450 million in federal funds that would have provided food to school-aged children over the summer. Just like Jesus intended.

Roll20-owned site DriveThruRPG, a major store to download new and classic role-playing games, removed a game called Rebel Scum from its catalog because the anti-fascist game is “too political.”

I really hesitate to share anything made by AI, but this satirical newscast is one of the funniest things I’ve seen in months.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: board game news, environment, gaza, harvard, iowa, links, longreads, louisiana, stick to baseball, texas, vaccines

→ June 24, 2025
→ By keith

A History of the African-American People (Proposed) by Strom Thurmond.

A History of the African-American People (Proposed) by Strom Thurmond lives up to the absurdity of its name, although I’m not sure if it reaches whatever the goals of its authors, Percival Everett and his colleague James Kincaid, may have had in writing it. It’s an epistolary satire, written entirely in the form of letters and emails between those two, a foppish dandy named Barton Wilkes who works in Sen. Thurmond’s office, an editor at Simon & Schuster and his assistant, and others, as the plot to write the book of the title becomes increasingly convoluted and the behavior of several people involved becomes unhinged.

The aide to Sen. Thurmond, Barton Wilkes, is positively nuts, as I think is clear from the first few pages. He proposes the book to Simon & Schuster, arguing that Sen. Thurmond is uniquely qualified to opine on the subject of Black people in the United States since Civil War, in part because he was alive for pretty much all of that period. Somehow, he gets an editor, Martin Snell, interested in this preposterous proposal, possibly through some acquaintance with Snell’s assistant Juniper, and the project progresses far enough that Everett and Kincaid come in as ghost-writers. The plan is that Wilkes will send them the Senator’s notes and they’ll turn it all into a book somehow. Of course, the Senator’s actual involvement in or awareness of the project becomes an open question, Wilkes and Snell both appear to be perverts, Everett and Kincaid can’t stop sniping at each other, there’s a possibly mobbed-up rival editor at S&S, and somehow Juniper’s sister ends up part of the story, too.

The obvious target of the satire is Thurmond, who was Senator for about 120 years and spent most of that time pushing white nationalist ideas, particularly anything related to segregation. He split off from the Democrats after World War II, running for President in 1948 as a “States Rights Democratic” candidate and carrying four states. (Since then, only one third-party candidate has earned any electoral votes, another racist windbag, George Wallace, in 1968.) The Thurmond in this book is well aware that he’s about to die and wants to both set the record “straight” on his legacy and possibly grease his path into some sort of afterlife. Everett and Kincaid don’t want any part of whitewashing (pun intended) the Senator’s grim history, and it’s not like they’re getting much money from the project either, although it seems to offer some professional benefits to Kincaid within the story. (I wondered if he was even a real person, but he is, and his specialty is on the sexualization of children in Victorian literature and culture.) Thurmond’s an easy target and the two take him down rather efficiently, although they could obviously have spent even more time lampooning him as a sort of Foghorn Leghorn in Nazi garb and discussing the legacy of his legislative initiatives.

What I didn’t understand was all of the frippery around that part. Snell and Wilkes both seem to be sexual predators of a sort, and Juniper spends most of the novel trying not to become the victim of either of them. Juniper then finds himself farmed out to Vendetti, the editor who definitely does not have mob ties, a switch which ends up putting two people in the hospital. It’s not homophobic, and I’m not sure either Snell or Wilkes is ever identified as gay, but the authors seem to play these two men both trying to sleep with another young man for some kind of humor I didn’t exactly get.

In the end, this book also didn’t land for me, just like American Desert, although that had the benefit of a more coherent narrative and more of Everett’s brilliant prose. This book is comical, and has plenty of laughs, but mostly it’s just so unrealistic that you’ll wonder what we’re doing here.

Next up: I just finished my friend Will Leitch’s newest novel, Lloyd McNeil’s Last Ride, and started the last of this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Fiction finalists, Rita Bullwinkel’s Headshot.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: african-american literature, american literature, american novels, epistolary novels, percival everett

→ June 21, 2025
→ By keith

Stick to baseball, 6/21/25.

For subscribers to the Athletic, I posted my annual ten-year redraft column, looking back at the 2015 class, along with the companion piece on the first-rounders who didn’t pan out. I also held a Klawchat on Thursday.

I have a free email newsletter and more people should sign up for it.

And now, the links…

Longreads first: GroundUp has the first part of a series on the Mozambican children that President Trump has left to die by decimating USAID. No one who claims to be pro-life, or Christian, or even remotely human can support this atrocity. It is a genocide in slow motion.

That Brevard County sheriff who threatened to kill protesters just a day or so because the Minnesota assassinations has a long history of racial profiling and corruption.

This piece is from 2022, but I found it while looking into the band Tulip, whose latest single popped up on a Spotify playlist. Turns out their origin story is fascinating – the two leads were married to other people and members of a conservative evangelical church, then fell in love and were excommunicated. They left the church and formed a symphonic metal band.

North Dakota voters voted to create an ethics commission that could hold officials accountable for violations. Some of the state’s Republican leaders are trying to emasculate it. I wonder why.

Meanwhile, Texas wasted $2 billion in taxpayer money building part of a border wall, which is about as useful as part of a wall tends to be, at least at keeping something out.

ICE is trying to deport a Texas woman who is married to a U.S. citizen, arresting her when she returned to the mainland U.S. from her honeymoon in the Virgin Islands. Ward Sakeik is considered ‘stateless,’ as she was born a refugee and arrived in the U.S. on a refugee visa when she was 8. The federal government wants to deport her to Israel, even though she has never been there or in Palestine. This is not someone who arrived here illegally, or overstayed a visa, or committed a crime.

A flag that’s popular among Christian nationalists flew over the Small Business Administration building this past week, in case you’re still confused about what’s really happening.

Two Michigan parents let their baby girl die of jaundice because they believed God would heal her. They’re going to prison, in part because they’ve said they’d do the same thing all over again. They belong to a Pentecostal church that preaches faith healing, but the church apparently doesn’t proscribe seeing doctors.

Delaware’s Senate, which is currently controlled by a Democratic supermajority, is really getting down to the key issues confronting us today, as they passed a resolution that they should look and see if public schools are at a disadvantage in athletics.

Harvard Magazine explains the university’s conflict with the Administration and what’s at stake in the fight. One of my classmates, Joanna Weiss, is the magazine’s new editor.

This column from the Seattle Times (syndicated from the Washington Post) claims that there’s a simple fitness test that’s highly correlated to your future life expectancy. I can do it but definitely wobble a little on the jump back up. I think that’s still a 9.
Rex Huppke writes that we need to take healthy policy-making away from RFK Jr., as his plans are going to kill people. My Representative, Lisa Blunt Rochester (D), issued a statement decrying his decision to fire all of the smart people on the ACIP vaccine-advisory committee and replace them with a group of Minions.

Congressional Republicans are about to kill the Grad PLUS loan program for graduate studies, further trying to wipe out the U.S.’s substantial advantage in higher education and eventually driving shortages in important fields like engineering.

JK Rowling called the Scottish newspaper The National “anti-woman,” so the editor of the paper, Laura Webster, responded.

Astronomers at CalTech and Harvard may have found the answer to where all the missing matter in the universe is. Turns out it was just behind the couch.

Stonemaier Games announced the summer release of their newest title, Vantage, an open-world, cooperative, exploration game where players have all crash-landed on a planet and can communicate with each other but can’t see anyone else’s locations or views.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: astronomy, board game news, delaware, florida, harvard, immigration, links, longreads, north dakota, physics, police, religion, stick to baseball, texas, the swamp, usaid

→ June 19, 2025
→ By keith

Klawchat 6/19/25.

Starting at 2 pm ET. My redraft of the 2015 MLB draft class and companion piece on the first-rounders who didn’t pan out are both up for subscribers to The Athletic.

Keith Law: Make a whole new religion. Klawchat.

Danny: Had really high hopes for Chance Adams and James Kapreilian. Kap the most talented Yankees pitching prospect in the last 15 years?
Keith Law: Good question. Probably the highest I ranked any Yankees pitching prospect in that span unless I’m forgetting someone way back. (I never bought the Adams hype. Reliever all the way.)

Chris: Hi Keith, I’m not sure there’s any point to the question “Should the Red Sox have traded Devers?” But it can be frustrating for fans to be told “the industry models have this contract as underwater” and “it saves them money in the long run” as justification for jettisoning the guy in his prime who made fans love the team in the first place, who sells the most jerseys, and who is the team’s best player. Do some of these front offices not understand what makes fans watch their team, and what sells tickets?
Keith Law: Yeah the industry models line … I’m not even sure where that came from, who’s feeding that nonsense to writers, but it’s kind of meaningless without a shit ton of context they don’t provide. Underwater for one team could be above for another. Any projections of financial return have wide error bars around expected player performance and the expected value of production, which in turn depends on the expected playoff status of the team. But to your main point, any FO that cites a contract being underwater as the reason fans should like a trade is completely missing the point. Fans want to win. Fans don’t care about that belt that MLB used to give whoever did best in arbitration.

Fred: Any concern in the number of pitches thrown in that recent college no hitter?
Keith Law: A longtime scout texted me after it ended to ask what the heck the Razorbacks were doing. Wood missed six weeks this spring with shoulder inflammation; that’s not the kid to push a little harder (119 pitches is high, but not a number I’d automatically call out as excessive) in a high-stress game. He’s a first-rounder if someone clears the medical. Does the added effort of those last 10-20 pitches add to his risk of injury in the short term – or maybe make his predraft MRI worse?

Teddy: How often do you look back at past drafts and say, “Wow, I guess that team really did/didn’t know what they were doing?” How many years after a draft takes place before a fan base gets to be judgmental about their team’s performance?
Keith Law: So, Teddy-Heather-Jackie-JJ … you submitted at least four questions under different names. Don’t do that. It’s weird.
Keith Law: To answer your question, I’d say after five years, you have a pretty good idea of what picks worked or didn’t, but it takes more like 8-10 to write the whole story of a draft. By that point the HS picks are in their peak-production years, so we should be able to form a coherent opinion on who did well.

Yakety Sox: Thanks for doing this, Keith. Where are you on Logan Henderson, these days? Did his brief stint earlier this year change anything about your opinion of him? Still a back end starter or something more now?
Keith Law: Still a back-end starter – I don’t see the breaking ball he’d need to be more – but he’s one right now.

Danny: Off the top of your head, is Carlos Lagrange the Yankees best pitching prospect/2nd best prospect? Any idea what injuries Ben Hess and Bryce Cunningham are dealing with?
Keith Law: No, I would still have him behind those two unless one of them has a serious injury.

Jim: So, how long until Congress and the Felon-in-Chief rescind today as a Federal Holiday?
Keith Law: I’m surprised they haven’t done so already.

JoRo: Thank you Keith for all your top notch analysis! What has happened to Keibert Ruiz & Francisco Alvarez? Have you listened to the latest Psychedelic Porn Crumpets album?
Keith Law: Listened to the PPC album – it’s good but not that memorable, if that makes sense. I would never object to someone putting it on, but couldn’t tell you a favorite song or anything. I still think Alvarez is going to hit and hit for some real power – he’s only 23 and I firmly believe in the axiom that catchers take longer to develop. Ruiz may just not be that good; he certainly isn’t an average catcher and the power he’s flashed at times in the majors (~2023) or minors just isn’t there enough.

Nick: Between Zazueta and Liñan, which Dodger pitcher has the brighter star in your book, and does either have the chance to be a mid-rotation starter or better?
Keith Law: Zazueta projects as a starter; Liñan is more likely a reliever than a starter. Not sure if I’d go mid-rotation on Zazueta yet.

droopydave: You put out a notice against RFK a few months ago. But are you on-board with removing the artifical dies in our food? Sounds like a good thing.
Keith Law: That’s the problem with it – it sounds like a good thing, but isn’t it just chemophobia in a cheap suit? “Artificial” doesn’t mean bad or harmful, but RFK Jr and his army of wellness grifters and science deniers say it is, using the appeal to nature. (Although they also attack seed oils, which are perfectly safe and often healthful, and those are natural.) If there is actual evidence a food additive is harmful, then ban it. In the absence of actual, firm evidence, then let consumers decide. If you want to eat “all natural,” that’s your prerogative. I mean, Amanita bisporigera are all natural too. I’m gonna pass on that one.

Kip: Thanks for doing these. Has Didier Fuentes moved into Atlanta’s top five? Do you have the same projection (mid-rotation starter in a few more years) as you did earlier this year?
Keith Law: I haven’t looked much at all into reordering any team’s internal rankings but I do still see Fuentes as a potential mid-rotation starter. It’s three real pitches and the splitter looks like it’s going to keep getting LHB out for him.

Finnegan: If the Nats were allowed to trade the #1, what one player would be a fair trade for both teams?
Keith Law: It should be an All-Star caliber player, right? You get to take whoever you think is the best player in the draft and pay him less than $11 million to control his rights for six-plus years of service, in all of which he’ll probably be further underpaid. If that guy is going to generate 25 WAR before free agency, which is on the low side, what’s that worth? a 2000% return?

Justin: In your Mets list, you mentioned “it’s bizarre that he doesn’t miss more bats with this arsenal.” That appears to have continued this year. Any further understanding here? I’m wondering if there’s something weird about his repertoire that gears more toward weak contact than toward whiffs. 58 gb%! Overall would you say that he’s made strides this year to the tune of being a top 100ish prospect?
Keith Law: um … who’s that about?

Campbell: So, Kristian Campbell is a terrible fielder at second base — not his fault, since he wasn’t a second baseman in the minors. It took one day at the Major League level before Roman Anthony had to (rather publicly) get tutored by Alex Cora on how to field ground balls in the outfield. Do the Red Sox have a problem with the minor league fielding instruction? Or do they just not care about fielding in general?
Keith Law: well, I’d say calling up a player to play a position he doesn’t know how to play is questionable personnel management, at least. But I also know that across much of baseball, minor league development is more focused on hitting than fielding.

Justin: Josue De Paula doesnt look like he should be fast, but he has 19 stolen bases. I certainly don’t expect him to have a 40 SB pace in the majors someday or anything, but is there enough speed and savvy there for, idk, 20 per season?
Keith Law: I don’t think so. It’s below-average speed. Minor league stolen base totals can be kind of skewed by pitchers who can’t/don’t hold runners, catchers who can’t throw, etc.

Justin: I can’t help but be more impressed by Samuel Basallo’s season than Roman Anthony’s. A .336 ISO from a 20 yr old in AAA just *feels* wild and special. Do you think he gets the call soon? Itd probably be naive to think he’ll thrive in the majors, but do you think he can at least survive there yet to the tune of, idk, a 95 wrc+ once space is created?
Keith Law: I like that you’re being realistic here … there’s such an assumption that every elite hitting prospect is going to bang right away, even though most of them don’t. Cam Smith’s rookie season is even more impressive if you compare him to higher-drafted or higher-ranked guys this year who are struggling with the same competition he’s hitting. And yes, I think a 90-95 wRC+ from Basallo is a reasonable expectation, especially since he understands the strike zone and has legit power.

Danny: Any dope on the Yankees’ pick at 39? Impossible to predict who they’ll take (or will be available) but any sustained interest in prep shortstop class?
Keith Law: No dope there, sorry. Just a wild guess, but Cooper Flemming sure seems like their flavor.

Justin: The Pirates hired a consulting firm to come up with the Ben Cherington hire 5+ years ago. At the time, that gave me some confidence that the ship would be steered in the right direction. Here we are in year 6 of a rebuild, and the Pirates seem to have year-3-of-a-rebuild level talent. Obviously some of this is Bob Nutting’s fault, but what happened here? Shouldn’t an average GM be able to lose on purpose for 5 years and then come out on the other end with more talent than he knows what to do with?
Keith Law: Ownership needs to take a large portion of the responsibility there. They’ve also done some things really well, especially in pitching development. Their hitting development hasn’t been as successful, and I think that’s overshadowing a lot of things. Is Termarr Johnson, owner of one of the most widely praised hit tools in the last five drafts at least, failing to develop on scouting, on player development, or just on him? Henry Davis, who hit absolutely everywhere through AAA – is that a function of asking him to play RF in his debut, irregular playing time since, or were we just wrong about his bat? And so on. It’s complicated. I can say “they haven’t churned out enough hitters” but when you dig a little deeper I don’t see a consistent trend to point to

JoeRo: Keith- will see the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp this weekend. Anyone I should keep an eye out for?
Keith Law: Joe Mack. Not a ton else. I’m not a big Deyvison de los Santos believer.

Aaron C.: How do you watch baseball when you’re at home? Let’s say a top prospect is called up and you want to check him out. On in the background while you cook dinner? Check out his at bats the next morning on the app over coffee?
Keith Law: I’ll watch live on mlb.tv or, if he’s in the minors, sometimes wait a day or two till it’s in Synergy and I can just watch all of his pitches/swings in a row.

Aaron C.: I’ve sent your top 50 pizza list to lots of folks who love them some pizza and it got me wondering: what’s the single most disappointing pizza you’ve ever eaten? The one that you were SO looking forward to, but for whatever reason, it broke your cold, dark Klaw heart.
Keith Law: See? two questions from the same user and the same name and I still answered both. Santarpio’s – hyped for years, it’s maybe average. Also they’re cash only and doing that in 2025 is sus.
Keith Law: Also Taconelli’s in Philly. Revered by locals. It’s fine.

James: Can you expand on choosing Bregman over Tucker? Bregman seems close to washed and Tucker seems like a top 5 MVP guy for years to come
Keith Law: Bregman’s at ~3 WAR this year. Close to washed?

Chris: With Emmet Sheehan returning from TJ last night, what is his ceiling?
Keith Law: I’ve always thought reliever over starter but you have to give him a shot to start with that stuff.

Justin: Let’s say a team has a lot of interesting pitching and has at least a little bit of evidence of developing it well. Let’s say they are terrible at developing hitting. Would they be better off drafting a pitcher that they’ve shown an ability to develop, and then maybe trade away any eventual pitching excess, or taking the hitter who is hopefully good enough to transcend their bad hitting development? This is a philosophical general question, but also a Pirates question.
Keith Law: Yes. It’s the law of comparative advantage. You just have to believe that the trade market will exist when you need it to – that market is not as fluid as, say, real-world commodities markets are.

Kip: I’m not confident Hurston Waldrep will even be able to succeed as a late-inning reliever. Is there any hope for him?
Keith Law: They haven’t tried him in relief yet. I’d like to see if that helps at all before throwing in the towel. The splitter is still an out pitch.

Guest: Since you’ve often said that nobody reads the intro (!), have you endeavoured to put easter eggs or inside jokes in there?!?
Keith Law: I do in articles sometimes. A few people catch them but most people fly right past them.

Jim: Hey Keith, is it me, or did Davey Martinez’ “it’s not the coaches” presser sound like someone waiting for the axe to fall. And, should it fall? Thanks!
Keith Law: I don’t know if he’s the real reason they’re so bad right now, but that speech was ill-advised. “Fuck them players” is not the way to keep your job.

Larry: Odds Gavin Fien gets to the Dbacks pick at 18? I really like him and he seems like their type of player.
Keith Law: I think 50% chance or better.

Corey: Are the Rockies bad at drafting, developing, or both? Some of their picks seemed right at the time, but it seems like most of them failed to turn into anything substantial
Keith Law: They have been bad at developing for some time now, but I know they have made some significant changes since Bill Schmidt took over as GM, and I see signs of hope. Also, please send Charlie Condon to AA already. He’s got a .491 OBP in A+. Several of his draft mates are in the majors!

Aaron C.: In a recent chat, someone asked if Druw Jones might be considered a bust and IIRC you said (paraphrased) he was trending that way. Who’s the player(s) who approached the absolute brink of “bust” for you, but still salvaged even a half-way decent MLB career?
Keith Law: Devin Mesoraco. Two-plus years in, he was a non-prospect.

Ryan: With the Dbacks having a pretty large hole in CF, and Caldwell being at least a couple years away, do you think they’d entertain the idea of moving Lawlar to center?
Keith Law: I have never heard anyone suggest that. I know they see Lawlar as a shortstop, although with Perdomo there I’m not sure how they’ll reconcile the two.

Campbell: Has there been a prospect you specifically wanted to watch play in person, and didn’t have to leave the state of Delaware to do it?
Keith Law: We have a high-A team right here in Wilmington, so that happens all the time. If you mean draft guys, Kevin McGonigle played at the Wilmington stadium in his draft year, although that only saved me a 40-minute drive.

Jackie Daytona: Which cubs prospect would you be looking to flip for pitching if you were Jed?
Keith Law: Caissie.

Ollie: What can you tell me about two Dbacks prospects in the AZL guys who have had great starts- Enyervert Perez and JD Dix?
Keith Law: Dix is the better of the two. Had a scout tell me he thought Dix might be their best draft pick from last year, which is really saying something. Perez has legit power, not sure about the hit tool or ultimate position.

A Salty Scientist: Scouting the statline, but Chase Burns looks really exciting with the K and BB numbers. Like even more exciting statlines than Bubba and Painter. What does he need to still work on? Are the BB numbers control over command at this point?
Keith Law: Fastball is still very true, and he needs to throw his changeup a lot more.

TJ: In hindsight, would the Cubs have been better off keeping Smith and Paredes? Tucker has been awesome, but those two are having solid years and Smith looks like a future star.
Keith Law: A good bit of Paredes’s success this year is the home park – he’s got a decent home/road split. and I think Tucker’s actually been a little unlucky based on the batted-ball data. I’d accept an argument that giving up six years of Smith for one of Tucker is going to turn out to be a bad move.

Chris: Best baseball player ever?
Keith Law: Barry Bonds.

JJ: Did you know Mr. Peanut’s first name was Keith?
Keith Law: I didn’t because it’s not. Weird.

James: What’s keeping Anthony Volpe from making the leap to above average regular? Could the same be said about Chourio?
Keith Law: The power he flashed in AA – and what I projected from that – hasn’t come to fruition yet. Still some time for that.

davealden53: Is there a rules-based solution to the increased pitchers injuries or is this just what the future of baseball will be?
Keith Law: We need to discourage pitchers from throwing max-effort on most or all pitches. Reducing the size of pitching staffs might address that, so that pitchers have to pace themselves more as they know they’ll likely stay in the game longer … but will they do so? Will more guys get hurt in the short term from working through fatigue because we’ve never developed them to throw 100-110 pitches as a starter or 30-40 pitches as a multi-inning reliever?

Taylor: My fridge went out and my food went bad. I’m in Chandler AZ. What should I have for lunch?
Keith Law: is Chou’s still there? That’s the easy pick.

Jay: So, are we about to join the war?
Keith Law: you mean start a war?

Brian: Hi Keith, I know you saw Reading not that long ago. You didn’t write anything about Keaton Anthony, and while I know he’s never really been much of a prospect, he’s just hit at every level—Including 4 doubles & a .917 OPS in his first 7 games at AAA. Is it just a college kid who won’t be able to handle major league pitching?
Keith Law: Yeah, I don’t see more than an emergency call-up.

Paul: if you were picking for the Nats at the top of this draft, what direction would you go in?
Keith Law: Probably Doyle. You could talk me into Holliday.

Ben: Your thoughts on the Cards’ Rainiel Rodriguez? Are we looking at a future top 50 prospect?
Keith Law: answered that in a previous chat … maybe is the best I can do for you.

Kevin: If you are the Red Sox, would you potentially trade Arias for a bat like Brent Rooker, given there may not be a spot for Arias in the MLB infield anytime soon
Keith Law: No. I think Arias is too good for that.

Alek: Is there a world in which Daylen Lile is a solid every day guy? What else does he need to do? He passes the eye test so far in the majors and raked in the high minors at just 22.
Keith Law: The best chance of that happening is if he’s a +5 RAA or better CF. Otherwise I don’t think he has the juice to be an everyday guy. I saw him a lot in Wilmington, and while he’s a little better hitter now than he was here, the power isn’t there.

TJ: The Angels lineup has two players hitting above .270 and 6/9 (not nice) players with OBP’s less than .300, including two below .200. Is it that hard to field replacement level players?
Keith Law: It’s not, but you have to draft better than they have – and I’d extend that to say you have to let your amateur scouts do their jobs in full and take players who might need more time to reach the majors.

Rich: Klaw you rule. You seeing any specific themes or reasons behind the Yanks dip in player Dev (position players especially) last couple of years? Seems a lot of guys (Lombard aside) have just stalled. Is it approach? Profile of who they take? Player dev lacking? All of the above?
Keith Law: How so? I mean that sincerely – who’s not developing who should have? They’ve got a nice stable of arms coming, spread now between A+ and AA, and a couple of really solid bats. I didn’t like the Spencer Jones or Trey Sweeney picks, so I’m not surprised neither of them has panned out, but in Jones’s case I understand the logic (it’s 80 power and a plus athlete). I just didn’t think he could hit. And they’ve done an excellent job getting the most out of some lower-round picks of pitchers, polishing them into guys who are good enough to trade or use as up/down starters.

Troy: The Miz seems unlikely to make it as a starter. Closers are nice, but I always felt Hader was more valuable as a 2-3 inning fireman whatever stretch of the game was needed. Is there a reason teams don’t try elite relief guys in such a role. I feel Miz would fit well in that role.
Keith Law: I agree, but a guy who gives you 150 innings as a low-volume starter is probably still going to be more valuable than a 75-inning reliever.

Alek: Saw kiley had kade anderson1/1 to wash….have you heard any connection there?
Keith Law: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6417805/2025/06/12/mlb-mock-draft-202…

David: Is the long-term plan to leave Mayer at third if/when Bregman opts out? Is Story going to stay at short or will he be the guy that moves? What are they doing with Campbell and Rafaela? Make it make sense please!
Keith Law: Mayer should be at short. He also should be in AAA … last I looked he was whiffing on breaking stuff more than half the time. They called him up before he made any adjustment to that firm front side.

James: I don’t follow college baseball at all, but love when non P4 schools do well. Any real prospects on Coastal Carolina or Murray State? Looks like a lot of older players
Keith Law: Caden Bodine, Coastal’s catcher, could go in the late first. No one on Murray State. And I’m with you – 100% rooting for the Chanticleers here.

Nick R: Would love to know what you’re hearing about Ms at 3?
Keith Law: Same as above – I published a mock draft just a week ago. It’s all in there.

Rich: Speed at which teams getting guys to majors after draft surprising you last couple of years?
Keith Law: No. There’s a strong financial incentive to do so, and the best college competition is good preparation for AA.

Rich: With all pitchers seeming to be ticking time bombs, are the Pirates just been foolish is wasting Chandler’s arm/pitches in minors at this point?
Keith Law: At this point I would probably just call him up, although I know they’re still working on the breaking stuff.

James: Should the Pirates have pitched Skenes vs. Skubal because it gives them a better chance to win and something fun to do in a miserable season?
Keith Law: I’m surprised MLB didn’t lean on the two teams to get their act together.

Zac: If you were the Tigers, would you move Clark and Mcgonigle to AA? Clark has struggled a bit lately, but I feel like they’re ready.
Keith Law: I would have moved them up Sunday night.

J: Hi. Wouldn’t normally ask a question like this, but i was recently informed that Andrew Heaney, Dennis Santana, and IKF for Jordan Lawlar was a reasonable trade and not an offer of 3 journeymen gotten for free having good years that Mike Hazen would laugh at. Please clarify.
Keith Law: Had I had a drink in front of me, I would have spit it out.

Jay: Are we about to go to war? Without congressional approval?
Keith Law: I can’t imagine Republicans would go for such a blatant abuse of executive power, Jay. What are you even thinking?

J: Feel like most teams Harry Ford would be up around now, but he’s in a weird spot. Feels like a trade likely, but what do you think most likely course of action with him?
Keith Law: Would be up to play where, though?

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: Been to Long Island recently? Looking for some new food recommendations.
Keith Law: Last time I was there was to see Sean Newcomb pitch at Stony Brook. It’s been a while.

Jason: Odds the brewers could have 3-4 top 20 prospects going into next year with Made, Pena, Pratt, Quero? Also, do you see Pena moving a bit faster than Made, though with less upside?
Keith Law: Odds of 3-4 in the top 20 are probably zero.

Izzy: Is Iron Maiden the best heavy metal band ever?
Keith Law: Yes. What’s the question, though?

Izzy: How has Mookie looked at SS this year? I’ve seen some metrics that say he’s been top 5, but then asked Eric L at FG and he said Mookie’s arm was weak and gave him a 45 grade. Where are you?
Keith Law: I haven’t seen anywhere near enough of him to offer a subjective opinion. I don’t watch as much MLB stuff because I’m typically watching minors or amateurs in the spring.

Anxiety on LI: This time next year best chance at top prospect overall: Made, Pena, Griffin, other
Keith Law: Other.

Jason: Has your projection Eduardo Quintero changed? How much of his power this year been a product of where he’s playing?
Keith Law: Rancho has always been a great place to hit, but he’s actually hitting much better on the road, in neutral parks. K% is a little higher than you’d like but it’s a great season. Does it change my projection … I don’t think so?

Evan F.: Any winners from the MLB Combine this week?
Keith Law: It’s only about the interviews, really. I’m not there – I’ll talk to scouts after it’s over.
Keith Law: I have never seen the point of going, since most of the good prospects don’t play in the games there.

Brian: Any thoughts on why the Phillies have been so bad at developing both hitters and relievers? Kerkering and Conor Brogdon are really it since Hector Neris debuted in 2014 & Rhys Hoskins is probably the only above average bat they’ve developed since the core of the 2008 team.
Keith Law: I have long believed that you develop relievers by bringing in a lot of starters and letting them sort themselves out. I don’t feel like they’ve done a ton of that – and they’ve also traded a lot of prospects away, too.

StanleyHudson: Are Painters recent struggles at AAA concerning? Do you see him as a legit future #1? Best current/past MLBer comparison? Thanks Klaw, love your chats!
Keith Law: They’ve got him using the slider heavily, and it’s probably his worst pitch. The numbers are worse as a result, so that doesn’t bother me, but I don’t get forcing the slider on him when the CB is plus and the FB plays.

James: I get that Skenes is a generational talent and it would be a PR nightmare to trade him. But given that he’s one pitch away from TJ, isn’t the smarter play to trade him if you can get a current MLB starter, a potential future MLB starter and three likely field players given how bad their offense is? Horton, Wiggins, Alcantara, Caissie and Rojas? Wouldn’t that make them a much better club both now and in the future?
Keith Law: Could you ever really get full value for what he brings to the franchise? Not just on-field value, but as the centerpiece, someone fans will pay to see.

Darren: I know you hate Delauter (a joke of course) but, given the hole in RF in Cleveland, he should be up pretty damn soon you’d like to think?!
Keith Law: Yes – if he’d been healthy he would probably have been up in April.

John: Isn’t it in teams’ best interest to leave players in the minor leagues for as long as possible? Why put Roman Anthony (or Bryce Harper or Juan Soto) on a fast track through the minors, and then lose him to free agency just as they hit their presumed physical prime? Instead, the players get rushed through the minors (where many are not learning the defensive half of the game at all), and their prime physical years are played for the guy’s second team, not the team that drafted him.
Keith Law: The point of developing prospects is to get their value on the field in the majors. If you hold a guy down for service-time reasons, then you’re not reaping any benefits from his bat/arm when he’s ready. You’re betting on a highly uncertain return six or seven years in the future over a more certain return now.

Jib: Is Joshua Baez doing what you thought he might be able to do? Or is this a testament to the Cardinals shift to actually growing their player development program? Or both?
Keith Law: I’m cautiously optimistic on that one, and very much crediting it to the new PD folks.

Bobo: Will Andrew Bailey tell Kyle Harrison to throw his slider more?
Keith Law: The true slider? I hope so. Not the slurvy one. Or help him try to alter its shape.

James: Have you tried Tribute Pizza in San Diego? Bianco level
Keith Law: No but it’s on my list.

Mike: Who is the most talented player of the past 10 years that won’t make the hall of fame? First thought is Byron Buxton but wanted your take.
Keith Law: He is the Eric Davis of our era.

zoor: Kevin McGonigle on #1 prospect watch ?
Keith Law: Yes.
Keith Law: That’s a guy more likely to be #1 in January than any of the other three in the question above where I said “Other.”

Justin: sorry, the question about the Met with stuff that lagged the K’s was about Nolan McLean.
Keith Law: ahhh … yeah, that trick can work if he cuts the walk rate. Great athlete with limited pitching experience so I see more growth than usual for his age.

Guest: The Mets have 4 players for two positions, 2B & 3B. Mauricio, Baty, Vientos, and Acuna. Who do they trade, start, or demote?
Keith Law: Mauricio for sure. More likely Vientos than Baty.

Darren: Alfonsin Rosario is having a good year. Is the swing and miss showing enough improvement to get excited about him? Is he ready for the AA test yet?
Keith Law: It’s not, just talked to a guy who saw him and isn’t buying that it’s real improvement.

Bobo: do you think the Giants should commit to Devers at 1B and start giving Eldridge reps in RF?
Keith Law: No, Eldridge has had enough issues at 1B that I wouldn’t try a harder position with him.

Dylan: How far away was Slade Caldwell from making your updated top 50?
Keith Law: About four inches.

Woodsy: Did you happen to read Joon Lee’s piece about the Red Sox’ front office dysfunction and highly questionable AI hiring practices?
Keith Law: Oh, I did. Corporate culture really matters, especially given how much baseball asks of scouts and coaches and how little they’re paid.

Sean: Looks like Fuentes is getting called up to start this weekend against Miami.
Keith Law: Of course he is. I’m surprised they didn’t pluck someone from the complex league.

Woodsy: What’s on your Mount Rushmore for cocktails?
Keith Law: Good one to end on. The Last Word. Manhattan. True daiquiri. Dark & Stormy. Honorable mention to Naked & Famous. And if it’s made with a good vermouth I still love a Negroni and many of its variations.
Keith Law: Thanks for all of the questions, and a happy Juneteenth to all of you. Next Big Board update is scheduled for July 1st or 2nd, and then it’ll be mock drafts from there on out. Stay safe!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: klawchat

→ June 14, 2025
→ By keith

Stick to baseball, 6/14/25.

For subscribers to the Athletic this week, I published my second mock draft of 2025 and held a Q&A that afternoon. I also posted a minor-league scouting notebook on Travis Sykora, Carson Benge, and a few others from that Nats-Mets high-A game. I did see Trey Yesavage’s double-A debut this week but am holding off until I get to at least one more game somewhere so I have enough for a column (Aidan Miller didn’t play in that game so it was really light on prospects).

I appeared on Kauffman Corner with Soren Petro and Rany Jazayerli to talk about the Jac Caglianone callup, the Royals’ 2024 draft, and briefly about this year’s draft class as well.

You can subscribe to my free email newsletter for more content from me, which I’ve sent out three times in a month, not quite at my goal of returning to weekly issues but getting closer!

And now, the links…

The New York Times published a video feature on a Palestinian girl who escaped an Israeli air strike, finding her in a Gazan hospital and telling her story.

Also in the Times, this longread on AI chatbots leading users down conspiracy-theory rabbit holes and convincing them of some truly insane things is a horrifying look at where we’re heading. (More links on AI below.)

Dr. Angela Rasmussen writes about the Bethesda Declaration, an attempt by scientists to rally support for the NIH against the illegal impoundment of funds by its new head, Jay Bhattacharya. There’s a link to sign the petition at the end of her essay.

Trump announced plans to open an Office of Remigration, using a term associated with ethnic cleansing throughout history. Mainstream media outlets have said little to nothing about the choice of names.

Trump also cancelled an agreement between the federal government, Washington, Oregon, and local indigenous tribes to protect the Columbia River Basin and restore salmon populations, claiming that it advanced the “green agenda” and other nonsense. The press release sounds like “environment + Biden = bad.”

This was the week for lazy columns saying that Bluesky is “failing” or something similar despite the platform passing 35 million users and publishers saying repeatedly they’re seeing better engagement there than on Twitter. This blog post on Tedium does a solid job of reacting to those columns without overreacting, making what I think is the key argument: it’s about community, and what Bluesky has in its favor right now is a sense of community that’s been absent from other social media sites for some time.

NYPD Chief of Department John Chell pleaded guilty in 2013 to departmental charges of misconduct, but that undersells it – he committed tax fraud by using a false identity to hide money he took in from a side hustle. It’s at least the 11^th investigation into his actions since he joined the force. He’s the highest-ranking uniformed official in the NYPD. Why is he still employed?

South Carolina State Rep. RJ May (R), who has previously ranted against drag queens in schools and made false claims about gender reassignment surgery for toddlers, was arrested and charged with distribution of child sex-abuse material. The charges were significant enough that he was denied bond. He founded the state’s Freedom Caucus.

A Texas man has been charged in a case where he poisoned his pregnant girlfriend with abortion pills. The charges aren’t related to her, though; he’s only been charged with murder for the death of the fetus. The girlfriend’s life and body don’t matter. Texas has a religious-based “fetal personhood” law, under which Justin Banta, who works for the U.S. Department of Justice, has been charged.

Wikipedia toyed with putting AI-generated summaries atop some of its articles, but pulled them down after a strong negative response from editors on the site. I don’t even care why they did it – we don’t need AI-generated stuff everywhere and too few people are talking about its environmental cost.

Along those lines, here’s an AI-generated video that shows just how dangerously deceptive these videos have become, and how we’re likely to see them used for phishing and other scams now.

When this year’s high school graduates in Oklahoma started pre-K, the state ranked 17^th in the nation ine education. Now they’re ranked in the bottom three.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: abortion, artificial intelligence, environment, gaza, links, oklahoma, social media, south carolina, stick to baseball, texas

→ June 12, 2025
→ By keith

American Desert.

I guess it was inevitable that I’d eventually find a Percival Everett novel I didn’t love. I wouldn’t say I hated or even disliked American Desert, but it is my least favorite of the nine Everett novels I’ve read so far, primarily because what happens between the shocking opening and the superb conclusion is so disjointed.

Ted Street is a professor at USC who is married with two kids, often unfaithful, and about to be denied tenure. On his way to walk into the ocean to kill himself, his car is hit by a UPS driver, and he is decapitated. In the middle of his funeral, three days later, he sits up in his coffin – his head reattached by a clumsy mortician – and starts talking. Chaos ensues, Ted becomes a media sensation, and he finds himself stalked by religious nuts and government operatives. He also begins to see his own life with much greater clarity, and discovers that by touching someone he can see into their memories, which becomes one of the main ways he navigates his way out of trouble … which is how he spends most of the novel, as he’s hounded by all of those groups and just wants to get back to his family.

The premise of American Desert isn’t entirely new, but it’s still a strong start: If someone appears to truly come back from the dead three days later, there’s going to be a huge public reaction to it, from fascination to terror, from religious fervor to scientific inquiry, and media there to try to make a buck off it. It opens up questions about mind-body dualism, life after death, the meaning (or lack thereof) of life, and more. You’d get people claiming he was the Second Coming, and probably people trying to kill him, and every scientist and crackpot in the world would want a look.

Everett hits all of those points, more or less, with varying degrees of success. The main problem with American Desert is that his focus on sending up his targets in religion, science, and the government subsumes and ultimately overwhelms Ted, who becomes more of a pawn within the story than he should be. His character is inherently interesting, but the story doesn’t get very deep into his character, particularly the question of what, if anything, this second chance at life means for him. He recognizes that his first life was a series of screw-ups, and now he has not just a fresh (okay, perhaps a poor choice of words for an animated corpse) start, but he also sees the world, including his own life, very differently.

This a mild spoiler, although the book is twenty years old so I’m not too concerned, but one of the most fundamental issues with the construction of American Desert is that Ted is barely with his family in the book – in fact, his wife and kids end up going to Catalina Island for a weekend after he’s been kidnapped, leading to a whole separate and very uninteresting subplot around the three of them and Ted’s sister-in-law. The dynamic of a man returned from the very, unequivocally dead to his family, with a literal new lease on life, where he is fully aware of the harm he’s perpetrated and ways in which he’s failed his wife, kids, and himself would be fascinating. In the process of satirizing various institutions, however, Everett largely skips this part entirely. It made for a book that moved quickly, with lots of plot, but without the depth that characterizes all of the other eight of his novels I’ve read so far.

Next up: Dr. Susan David’s Emotional Agility.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: african-american literature, american novels, percival everett

→ June 9, 2025
→ By keith

Masters of Renaissance.

Masters of Renaissance might be the game that finally kills Gizmos for me, as it scratches the same itch but is more balanced overall, without a dominant strategy (which is a common but not unanimous complaint about Gizmos) to cut the value of repeat plays. It’s the card-game version of a heavier worker placement game called Lorenzo il Magnifico, which was designed by three of the top Italian designers in the field who are responsible in part for games like Egizia and Tzolk’in, among others. Masters has an extremely satisfying resource management aspect along with simple victory conditions that capture some of the vibe of the original while putting it in a much more accessible package. (Right now it’s only available used in the U.S., such as here from Noble Knight, but it’s available new in Europe, with publisher Cranio selling it for €32.)

In Masters of Renaissance, players will gather four resources to buy development cards from the 3×4 card market. Each player has three columns for those cards, which come in levels 1, 2, and 3; you can only build a level 2 card on a level 1 card, and a level 3 on a level 2. Each development card has a color, a cost in resources, and an action that will be available for the rest of the game.

On your turn, you can choose to take resources from the resource market, which is also a 3×4 grid; to acquire a card; or to activate the visible cards in your play area. The market is one of the best parts of the game: it has 12 marbles sitting in a little plastic tray, with one marble always left out (so sad). To take resources, you pick a row or a column, take the resources matching those marbles’ colors, and then use the 13^th marble to push the row/column so that one marble falls out, changing the market for the next player. There are marbles for the four resources, one red marble that lets you advance on the faith track, and white marbles that have no value (unless you get a card that says otherwise).

You only have six spots to store resources you take from the market, however, and if you end up with any resources you can’t store, every opponent moves up one spot on their faith tracks for every resource you have to discard. Your storage has three rows that can hold 1, 2, or 3 resources of one type, and you can’t store the same resource type in two rows. It’s a very tight constraint that I find makes decision-making easier because some moves are just so obviously bad that you can eliminate them from consideration. The storage limit doesn’t apply to resources you get from activating cards, though. Buying a card is just a matter of paying the appropriate resources and placing the card in one of your three columns; if you buy a level 2 or 3 card, it covers up the card below it except for its victory point value.

Activation is the most powerful action, and if you’re savvy about the cards you acquire, you can build a potent little engine even though you’ll never have more than three development cards active at any one time. Most cards let you convert one or more resources into other resources and/or faith points, and there are no cards that leave you worse off – at the very least you’ll swap one resource for another of a different type. Every player’s board has a default action of trading any two resources for one, useful if you can’t get the resource you really need for a future action.

Players also start the game with two Leader cards they may be able to play once they meet the cards’ conditions, which include having certain development cards in your play area, having at least X of a specific resource, or reaching a certain level on the faith track. These leaders are worth additional victory points and most of them give you a new power, like an additional conversion action, a discount on future card purchases, or the ability to take another specific resource when you take a white marble (a double-edged sword given the storage limits).

The game ends when a player builds their seventh development card or reaches the end of the faith track. You then tally up your points from all played development cards, even if covered; any points from leaders; and the highest point total you’ve passed on the faith track. There are also some small bonus tokens on the faith track that you can flip to their scoring side through the call to the Vatican, which isn’t that complicated but which I won’t explain here for the sake of brevity.

I can’t avoid comparing Masters of Renaissance to Gizmos because the cores of the games are just so similar: gather resources in four types, use them to buy cards, use the cards’ powers to convert and/or gain more resources, score the cards for points. Masters of Renaissance can allow a player to run away with things, but it’s a matter of choosing the right cards and getting lucky with what cards are available in the market when you have the resources to buy them. Creating synergies across your cards and leaders is the key to winning, but that’s true for all players, and I haven’t found specific cards that are overpowered, not even the leaders. It doesn’t have the cute marble dispenser that Gizmos has, and it could use better art that made the icons and point values easier to see at a glance. Otherwise it hits every high note, and plays like its own game rather than the poor cousin of another game, which is true of a lot of card- or dice-game adaptations of heavier titles.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: boardgames, highly recommended

→ June 7, 2025
→ By keith

Stick to baseball, 6/7/25.

For subscribers to the Athletic, I wrote about three prospects who’ve really seen their stock rise this year and three who’ve seen theirs fall as a follow-up to last week’s top 50 ranking. I also wrote a news story (which I think is free to read) on Wake Forest baseball coach Tom Walter using a homophobic slur during a game, and his weak apology after he got caught on camera. And I held a Klawchat here on Thursday.

Over at Paste, I reviewed Zenith, an outstanding new two-player game where you fight your opponent for control of five planets, playing cards from your hand to three different areas to try to pull planets your way. You win by getting the same planet to your end of the table three times, or four different planets to your side, or five planets in any combination at all.

I sent out another issue of my free email newsletter on Friday, my third in four weeks, which for me constitutes some sort of hot streak.

I appeared on Marty Caswell’s Youtube channel to talk about the Padres’ farm system, potential trades if they stay in the race, and what to do with Xander Bogaerts; and on 92.3 the Fan in Cleveland to talk about Travis Bazzana and Cleveland’s struggling offense.

And now, the links:

Longreads first: This undated story on the main suspect in the Tylenol poisonings and how he slipped through multiple murder investigations is the best thing I read all week. At least part of the basis of a new Netflix documentary series, this story is at least two years old, as James Lewis, the suspect in that case and at least one other murder, died in July 2023.

Federal and Texas state law enforcement officers arrested 47 people at a house party, claiming they were members of a gang called Tren de Aragua. Months later, they’ve found and offered no evidence of any gang connections, according to a Texas Tribune investigation.

The AP reports on how Trump’s slashing of public health budgets is destroying our national infrastructure of preventative health services, which will cost us billions more in lost lives and years while further eroding trust in those same authorities.

Oklahoma Republicans passed a law allowing parents to opt their children out of any class subjects they believe to be “harmful.” Rational-minded parents there are now using the law to withdraw their kids from classes pushing election conspiracy theories and Christian theology. If you live in Oklahoma, the form you can use is here.

WIRED has the story of a study on the keto diet and arterial plaque that keto proponents claim validates their position – but one of the study’s authors left the project and has called for its retraction, due to conflicts of interest and shoddy work. There’s an underlying theme here on how peer review can break down and how bad actors are increasingly trying to exploit the academic-research system.

“Israeli gunfire” targeted Gazan civilians outside an aid distribution center, according to the Red Cross. The Guardian had a later update that raised the death toll to over 30. Israel first denied anything happened, then denied firing at civilians, then later admitted to firing “warning shots.”

The Trump Administration has ended an NIH program that was working towards a vaccine against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS – a program that also had potential in many other areas, including possible therapies for autoimmune disorders.

NBC News interviewed several families who are leaving the U.S. because of the increasingly anti-transgender climate. I’ve assumed we’ll see, or even already are seeing, migration out of red states for LGBTQ+ families because of hate laws passed there, but adding this to the brain drain from the Administration’s war on academia is going to further erode our economic position for decades to come.

Indeed, even in red states where voters have passed progressive ballot initiatives on subjects like abortion and cannabis, Republican lawmakers are trying to subvert the will of the voters, usually in the name of religion.

MIT banned one of its scheduled student speakers from graduation because she gave a pro-Palestinian speech the day before.

The GENIUS Act looks like it will prioritize crypto holders over depositors if a bank becomes insolvent.

The New York Times reports on WelcomeFest, a gathering of so-called “centrist” Democrats who are mad that we’re all yelling at them online. The story notes on politicians taking shots at Indivisible, an important voter mobilization group with hard-left ideas like “don’t cut aid to the poor.” These people are only centrist if you ignore how much the Overton window has lurched to the right in the last decade.

Talking Heads enlisted director Mike Mills (the C’mon C’mon guy, not the REM bassist) to film a music video for “Psycho Killer,” starring Saoirse Ronan. It’s excellent, and Ronan is both hilarious and unsettlingly weird in it.

The Spanish publisher Salt & Pepper Games has a new crowdfunding campaign up for Battle of the Divas, a two-player game that casts the players as Maria Callas and Renata Tibaldi, fighting to be the greatest singer of their era.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: board game news, gaza, links, longreads, nutrition, oklahoma, science, stick to baseball, the swamp, true crime, vaccines

→ June 5, 2025
→ By keith

Klawchat 6/5/25.

My latest piece at the Athletic looks at six prospects who’ve seen their stock rise or fall in the small sample of the 2025 season to date.

Keith Law: No phone in the phone booth. Klawchat.

Mike: With the reduced size of the minors, what do teams do when they have a situation like the Dodgers outfield in A+, where they have three guys who could all move up and Quintero behind them who also could? In this case it seems like their AA OF isn’t that amazing and maybe it’s okay to push them aside, but in general what happens when there’s a traffic jam at a particular position?
Keith Law: In their case, it’s easy – move Sirota up. He’s looked like the player he was in 2023 again; I learned recently that he lost a lot of weight before the 2024 spring began and the loss of strength led him to overcompensate at the plate, which wrecked his spring. He’s 22 and belongs in AA by now. In general, though, you move guys around – 1b, DH, wherever someone will fit – and maybe you have to work in some days off here and there.

Boston: You are all over Franklin Arias. His hard hit and exit velocities aren’t very good, and there is little physical projection, as he’s small and stocky and not a fast runner. I get that not whiffing is great, but isn’t this a dink and dunk hitter that’s not explosive?
Keith Law: I’ve been puzzling over this question since you sent it two+ hours ago, and my only conclusion is that you are thinking of someone else. His batted-ball data is good (he’s hit 110 mph), he has some physical projection, and as you can see in this video he is not small or stocky. You’re right that he’s not a runner, but that’s it. Otherwise you are describing another player.

Aaron C.: Considering all the traveling you do, have you ever had a really good meal (even grading on a curve) in an American airport?
Keith Law: Yes – big fan of airports that have local restaurants come establish outposts there. Tortas Frontera in ORD. Matt’s Big Breakfast in PHX (probably the best airport for local food). Bud & Marilyn’s here in PHL, although I wish their menu were a little broader. Silver Diner at BWI.

James: Thoughts on Cade Horton so far?
Keith Law: Too soon.

Chris: If you had to bet on Zyhir Hope or Josue De Paula becoming an MLB All-Star, who are you picking?
Keith Law: Hope. More defensive value there. Not a CF but RF should work, maybe even above-average there. De Paula has more offensive potential but it might be 1B.

Alex: What is wrong with Atlanta’s offense? The offense is underperforming for the second year in a row but is mostly locked into long-term extensions, and the farm is thin. I’m concerned that the team has fallen behind in its analytics, and its players are getting overmatched by savvier organizations. What can they do, short of cleaning house?
Keith Law: Well one thing would be to improve their drafting – I don’t think they’ve drafted well at all of late, and they’ve gone so heavily for HS arms that it’s depleted the system.

Eddie V.: You’ve mentioned before you lost interest in Pearl Jam after the Vitalogy record. What was it in the change between Vs. to Vitalogy that soured you on the band?
Keith Law: That’s a hard question to answer because it’s a subjective thing. I thought they became less of a grunge band after Vs., and the Neil Young influence became much more pronounced. But the bottom line is Vitalogy had fewer memorable hooks, and the album after that had almost none for me.

James: Although it would be a PR nightmare, wouldn’t it make sense for the Pirates to sell high on Skenes now? If they could get Rushing, De Paula, Freeland and Ferris or Anthony, Mayer, Fitts or some similar combo, wouldn’t that be a better long term plan?
Dana: Should the Pirates trade Skenes now for 4-5 pieces that could reasonably become the core of their next playoff team?
Keith Law: I really wonder if they could get enough to make up for both the PR disaster they’d have and for the fact that Skenes is almost irreplaceable in their rotation. Nutting should have let the front office spend this winter to boost the offense, and he didn’t. Trading Skenes is going to turn them into the 2024 White Sox.

Chris: Has Ian Happ become the player you expected?
Keith Law: Over the course of his career, yes, although I thought he’d end up at 3b.

Aaron C.: I don’t want you to name names because that’s all that anyone will focus on, but in all the years you’ve been doing this, has there ever been the son of an MLB player drafted in, say, the top 5 rounds who might otherwise not even be a top 10 round guy is not for his last name?
Keith Law: Oh yes. Tony Gwynn Jr. comes to mind. Kenny Williams’ son might be the most egregious case.

Tom Walter: Are you as surprised as I am that I still have a job?
Keith Law: Surprised, no. Dismayed, yes. That’s a firing offense – you can not lead a team if that word is in your vocabulary because of what the use of that word says about your feelings. How could any queer player or staffer ever feel comfortable in that clubhouse?
Keith Law: I promise you there will be no consequences here. My conversations with the NCAA have strongly implied that they want this to go away.

Dave: Lots of speculation that MLB is down to Apple TV and NBC for Sunday Night Baseball rights starting next year. It seems like even if Apple is offering more money, that hiding the marquee game of the week on Apple rather than making it very accessible on NBC would be a marketing disaster for MLB. So of course I fully expect the owners to take the short term cash over the long term health of the game.
Keith Law: I completely agree that they will take the most money, period.

ck: If Skenes is available for trade, would you not give your top 5 prospects to get him?
Keith Law: Depends on who those five are. You have to factor in the chance that Skenes gets hurt and misses some significant time in the next four years – not that I ever want this, but that is simply the nature of pitching today (which is a byproduct of our industry attitude that they are disposable assets).

Caleb: Was Jordan Walker rushed to the big leagues too soon? Or is there another reason to explain his struggles the past couple years?
Keith Law: He’s needed swing help and hasn’t gotten it. I’m hopeful that as they add to their major and minor league staffs that it won’t be too late to help him. They’ve seen some upticks on the pitching side already.

Matt: Am I crazy for thinking Judge is the best hitter in history? Dude is on pace for 13.7 WAR. The only player to do that was Babe Ruth and he was playing against farmers and plumbers.
Keith Law: No, that’s not crazy. He’s in Bonds territory.

Will: Do you have a feel for how the House settlement (assuming it’s approved or schools just use state laws to provide the benefits) will affect which draftees will choose to enroll/return to school over signing? Will more scholarship dollars plus NIL and revenue sharing make enrolling a more attractive option than it currently is?
Keith Law: I truly don’t have a feel for this, sorry.

Ryan: I know you’ve said that in the past the best way for young players is through the draft, because even if they flunk out in the minors MLB (?) will pay for them to get their degree after, and get developed by big league coaches is way better than being told to throw 120 pitches one night and then 40 more less than 48 hours later… but with the changing landscape of NIL and possibility -depending on which side you ask owners/players – about a worldwide draft … is it possible college is becoming a better option?
Keith Law: College has always been a better option for certain players. It’s not the better option for, say, the kid throwing 95 now who has a $2 million offer from pro ball, because the odds of him still throwing 95 and being healthy in 3 years aren’t that high. It’s the better option for the projectable kid throwing 90 now, or someone like Hagen Smith, who had TJ and missed his senior year of HS, then saw his velocity increase every year at Arkansas.

Ryan: One thing I never get about the draft is why can a JUCO freshman be drafted and not an NCAA freshman? Why hasn’t someone sued the NCAA for that yet (or is that an MLB rule)?
Keith Law: A longstanding agreement between MLB and the NCAA, enshrined in the MLB rules. It’s anti-player and I would hope it would lose a challenge in a labor court (well, not right now).

Matt K: Thanks for doing this, Keith – always love your takes and information. Question about Brock Wilken. My feel is that he is mostly back, or at least back to what he is going to be. That is a good sign for him, so happy about that. He does not seem to be at the level I personally had anticipated, though. Tons of walks, good power. The Ks are still higher, it seems. Is he a guy the Crew could rely on to play 3B/1B for a few seasons at this level? I had some early hope he showed some Jeff Bagwell signs, but have given up on that – am I wrong?
Keith Law: I’m afraid this is probably who he is – this was within the range of possible outcomes even when he was drafted, a guy who just didn’t have the pitch recognition or swing decisions to get to the power. I was willing to let last year slide after he got hit in the face and came back so quickly but I think we’re seeing evidence that this is it.

Justin: The statline seems to indicate that Josue de Paula is starting to turn his raw into some game power (HR at a higher rate, higher ISO, etc). Do you think he’s taken real steps (in physical or baseball or mental development) and is now one of the great hitters in the minors, or is this still just small sample theatre?
Keith Law: I worry he’s still more passive than patient, but the power is real – it’s always been there, and he’s getting to it more in games.

Guest: Keith. Thank you for all of your excellent content. I really look forward to your Music Updates every month. Are you a fan of the late Scott Miller and his bands Game Theory and The Loud Family?
Keith Law: I am not, sorry.

Justin: Do you have any personal heuristic on how you project 2 way prospects who suddenly start focusing on one thing? It had to have helped Skenes turn into SKENES at LSU, right? Does the switch to only pitching impact your thoughts on Nolan McLean?
Keith Law: No heuristic but I do agree that those players can improve more in a shorter period of time because being a two-way player is so much more work.
Keith Law: And McLean went from the bullpen to the rotation after giving up hitting, like Shaun Marcum and Spencer Schwellenbach.

Cora Breslow: The Red Sox are 6-17 in one-run games. Is that something that evens out over a full season, or is it indicative of fundamental problems with the team?
Keith Law: It’s mostly randomness. Joe Sheehan has harped on that a ton.

JJ: So, why is Roman Anthony still in Worcester?
Keith Law: I do think there are some swing decision things he could work on before bringing him up. It’s not like Mayer, who still has a real mechanical issue with his front leg to fix, has blown the doors off.

Ben (MN): With Pablo Lopez out, it looks like Zebby Matthews will get a chance to stick in the majors. What would you expect from him if he keeps the rotation spot the rest of the year?
Keith Law: I’m bad at those questions – predicting any rookie/young player’s performance in a short window feels like rolling the many, many dice I have in this house and then figuring out which four to keep. I like Zebby, I think he’s better than a 5 ERA guy, I don’t know why he’s been materially worse with men on base.

Alek: Brady house has shown incremental improvement but still too much chase. I could see a paul dejong-ish offensive career from him. What are your thoughts on him at this juncture?
Keith Law: Right now, he’s not going to hit big league pitching enough for that. I need to see exponential improvement rather than incremental.

Alek: Has seaver king figured it out a little after that tough start to the season?
Keith Law: A lot. I think his swing is back to 2024.

Alek: Any updated 1/1 news? All other things equal, i think Doyle fits the nats window better, though being a SP hes much riskier than Holliday.
Keith Law: I’ll do a mock either next week or the week after, have to check the schedule. Personally I am still wide open. If Doyle hadn’t been overused last weekend, I probably would flip him back up to #1 on my own list over Holliday. Now I’m torn.

Nick: Could the Red Sox fine Devers for refusing to play an assigned position?
Keith Law: Come on.

Frank: Michael Lombardi started the season as a two way player mostly as a reliever but was turned into a starter and has now moved quickly up the draft lists. Where do you see his future in the MLB? Thanks.
Keith Law: He’s legit, #51 on my Big Board (full scouting report there).

Jhonny: If you could pick one current team for a season of The Clubhouse to be filmed, who would it be?
Keith Law: I’ve never seen that show.

jimmy johnson: too many holes in montes swing to not make your top 50?
Keith Law: more or less, yeah. Lot of in-zone miss, and I don’t think he’s really that disciplined. That’s on top of questions about defense & the body.
Keith Law: He’s an old man for 20, just looking at his build and how he moves.

JR: Have you heard any whispers or industry talk on the Mets success with pitchers lately? They seem to have an uncanny ability to turn 4s and 5s into 2s and 3s, and keep them mostly healthy. Severino and Manaea last year. This year it’s Canning and converting Holmes to a starter, which is going well so far. Blackburn might be on the list too. Is this just random luck, or have they figured something out?
Keith Law: It’s happening in the majors, but less so in the minors, where I feel like everyone has to throw six different pitches and it’s holding some guys back.
Keith Law: Maybe they’ve got different voices on the two sides? I’m not very plugged in to the major-league staff.

Jackie: I watch the Red Sox every night, and every night for the last five years, it’s the same mistakes: dumb baserunning, bad fielding, no clue on situational hitting. Is that on Alex Cora and the Major League staff, the lack of development/teaching in the minors for guys like Rafaela and Campbell, or am I just an old woman lamenting a bygone era?
Keith Law: I can’t speak to the observations, but they have had a lot of guys reach the majors who weren’t fully formed as players – Rafaela especially, I think I’ve raved about the CF defense forever while also pointing out the guy is an inveterate hacker and hasn’t adjusted.

George: Hey Keith! I’m interested in your view of how the Nats dev/draft reputation has changed over the course of their rebuild. Their ‘23/‘24 drafts are showing much better signs than their drafts early in their rebuild, and they’ve seemed to have more recent dev success stories (Parker, Herz, Irvin etc). I know their reputation on pitching development and drafting has generally been pretty bad, but do you think that’s changing? Or is it just a broken clock situation?
Keith Law: Any reputation they had is out of date; they’ve turned over most of their decision-makers in scouting and PD the last two years. I think their 2024 draft looks outstanding already; King’s back to himself and in AA now, Dickerson gets raves, and I think Kent, Lomavita, and Cranz are all going to be big leaguers. Bazzell is the one disappointment to me – thought he’d hit, and maybe have trouble on defense.

Andy: I understand it’s short season defensive data, but Betts is looking above average as a SS. Can we marvel at this a bit, an elite RF becomes a middle infielder at age 30.
Keith Law: I don’t buy it. His metrics were so poor before this year.

Brenden: My son and I are visiting Minneapolis for a Twins game. Can food recs for the area?
Keith Law: Here’s my 2023 roundup from there. Also Lola Pizzeria is outstanding.

Andy: Exit velocities are clearly being tracked much more at minors and amateur levels. Are launch angles as well? The Dodgers have had success changing launch angles, but that’s at the major league level. Are there teams doing that for lower level players too?
Keith Law: Yes, it’s all measured by the same equipment.

MarkH: Thanks for doing the chat. What to make of Noelvi Marte? If healthy, an occasional All-Star?
Keith Law: I could see that.

Heather: Still picking Atlanta over Boston this fall?
Keith Law: ? of course not

Jivas: I noticed Thomas White did not make your updated top-50 prospects. What improvements do you need to see him make for him to rise up your rankings? Thank you!
Keith Law: How about strikes? Strikes are good. Let’s try throwing strikes and see what happens.

Miller: Any love for The Rehearsal?
Keith Law: Never watched.

Miller: Esmerlyn Valdez a guy?
Keith Law: Not really. Corner only bat who’s taking advantage of a great hitter’s park.

Chuck: Keith, you mentioned the Arizona Complex League. Basic question, but how does it work? Do prospects play against other teams, or just Complex guys from their own MLB franchise? 9 inning games or nah?
Keith Law: It’s a league, every team that trains in AZ has an affiliate there and they play a proper schedule against other clubs. You can find schedules and stats on milb.com.

Finnegan: Kristian Campbell has been terrible for a month and a half. What should the Red Sox do with him? Back to the minors, or let him figure it out in the Majors (it’s not like he’s going to hurt their playoff chances). But I look at their coaching staff, and I really don’t see them helping anyone get better, so perhaps Campbell would be better off far away from Pete Fatse, who seems to deny the very existence of the slider.
Keith Law: I don’t love demoting guys unless you think it’s hurting them psychologically to stay up and struggle, and I can’t answer that last part for any player, really.

Drake Baldwin: Is he good enough now to justify trading Sean Murphy or would you need to see more to justify such a move? Does he have more upside offensively?
Keith Law: I would explore trading Murphy because Baldwin looks like he can handle the job, Murphy is already kind of injury-prone at 30, and they have a lot of other needs.

Andy: Will the stupid ban on Venezuelans make a difference to any MLB teams?
Keith Law: Probably.

Santaspirt: Re: Your newsletter about food. I have a very limited palate, and don’t venture outside my comfort zone. You love food and your taste is pretty vast. We pitch this TV show idea where we travel around to different cities, you pick the restaurant and order for me, and I have to eat whatever you order. All of it. You get to talk about the food you ordered, the flavors, why you picked it, etc. and I get to talk about the absolute hell I’m going through. I’m sure you know more producers than I do.
Keith Law: Hey, I’m sold. As long as I don’t have to clean up after you.

Aaron C.: Hey, Keith. I may or may not be a Sacramento A’s fan under this paper bag. Any new scouting intel on Colby Thomas and Henry Bolte or is the former still making mostly soft contact and the latter still “a great athlete, but…”?
Keith Law: I’ll give Bolte credit – he’s hitting much better in pro ball than I ever expected. He’s also still punching out too much, even as a sort-of AA repeater, but he’s done more than enough to change to show he wasn’t as bad a pick as it first seemed (and it seemed awful, he couldn’t really hit in HS for a second-rounder).

Adam D.: I’m curious how often you chat with your peers like Eric Longenhagen, Kiley McDaniel, etc. about prospects during the season. Is there an open dialogue about what you’re seeing or hearing as a way to verify things, or do you guys tend to keep that info to yourselves?
Keith Law: I talk to lots of those guys, mostly in person, but I don’t hold info back. We’re probably all going to hear the same stuff at some point, and even if I don’t, say, text Eric to tell him something (which he and I have definitely done with info), it’s going to appear on the site anyway.
Keith Law: There are a very small number of us who do prospect writing full time. I prefer to see us all as members of the same small circle than as competitors or enemies. I don’t think I take audience away from them or them from me … seems like most of you want to read more than one prospect writer and that’s great.

Matt K: Brewer question, Keith. Could Dinges be a “guy”? Between his bat looking so good, his good-enough athleticism behind the dish, and the Brewer system being so good at developing/tweaking catcher defense, I have a lot of optimism for him. Am I way off? Thanks!
Keith Law: I’m buying. Got a *great* report on him from a scout who saw him in low A, so just bear in mind he was old for the level, but he’s a guy.

Turd Fergison: Keith, I know this is pedantic, but the search capability at your employer is HORRIBLE. When I look up a player – say Chase Burns – it returns more results from other sports than it does baseball. And nowhere in the results would you find any of your articles on Reds Prospects, or Top 100. Am I using search the wrong way, or is it really as bad as I’m making it out to be? I know you don’t control this – is there any place or person I can give feedback?
Keith Law: I actually agree. I have other ways to find my own archived columns because I can’t find them through our search function.

Joshua: Do you have any more intel on who the Nats may draft at 1.1, or who they may have truly narrowed their board down to? Any “surprise” names that may be there due to the uncertainty at the top of the draft this year? Thanks.
Keith Law: I don’t think we’re going to know who they’re taking until the afternoon or evening of the draft. It’s still wide open. I’ve heard at least 5 names still in the mix.

Braydon: If the Nationals pick someone other than Holliday is he a real possibility for the Cardinals at 5 or is that still highly unlikely?
Keith Law: The scenario where that happens is that the first four picks, in some order, are the three college LHP (Doyle, Anderson, Arnold), and either Aiva Arquette or Ike Irish. Then Holliday’s there at 5. Seemed outlandish a month ago; with Anderson almost a lock to go top 4 right now, I think it’s possible.

JBC: Is Druw Jones officially a bust?
Keith Law: Uncomfortably close to yes.

Sam G: When do you believe the Reds will call up Chase Burns? I don’t think he is learning anything in the minors and needs to learn at the big league level. Thoughts?
Keith Law: Absolute nonsense. You’re definitely just scouting the stat line here. His four-seamer is very straight and he needs to throw his changeup a lot more. I wouldn’t even consider AAA for him until we see some real adjustments.

romorr: I’m more amused by Elias’ not taking pitchers highly. 2023 draft arms are looking good at least. But with 19, 30, and 31, is this the year he takes one in the first round? Has to be, right? Or do I just have to take it that 3 college left-handed hitters are incoming?
Keith Law: After their 2024 draft, which looks really bad right now – Honeycutt was a foreseeable disaster, but even Griff O’Ferrall, probably the most advanced hitter of the group, isn’t hitting – I would hope they’d at least open up their approach and consider other sorts of players.
Keith Law: Will they take a pitcher? I’m not betting my 401k on it.

Guest: What are your thoughts on the recent moves of sending Colson Montgomery and Elijah Green to the complex to work on their swing mechanics? Should more teams be doing this? Seems like every org has guys who would benefit more from a month or so of supervised development instead of trying to stay afloat at an affiliate?
Keith Law: Right move for Montgomery even if it hasn’t helped. Green’s issue isn’t his swing, but that he can’t hit a lick. It is 20 everything – pitch recognition, swing decisions. I want him to go play in Australia or the Netherlands or somewhere else where he can go be anonymous and try to rebuild his confidence at the plate.

Jonathan: Matthew Liberatore has been really good to start the year. I know it’s a small sample but I’m curious if you’ve heard anything about a change he has made like a new pitch or different pitch selection that would make you think this could be real?
Keith Law: The part I do understand is that he’s finally become the plus command guy he looked like he’d be in HS. The part I don’t understand is how his four-seam fastball seems to be basically the same pitch, but now it’s much more effective than ever. I had resigned myself to him being a reliever or swingman because the fastball just wouldn’t play.

Brian in NoVA: Obviously, Harris has his own timeline but is this the time for Detroit to trade some of their mid to low level prospects to help them this year given the depth of the farm system?
Keith Law: Yes. Keep Clark and McGonigle. Anyone else is available in the right deal.

JR: In your recent newsletter, you noted that you’ll eat at Panera on occasion. Usually out of necessity as it’s the best available option. What’s your go to order? I think their salads are fine, it’s what I get. Do you ever go to Chipotle over Panera, or is that on the banned list?
Keith Law: Panera is for salads. Sometimes I just need to eat vegetables. I have no objection to Chipotle but their food has never really agreed with me (especially when we talk about swing decisions).

Matt: Any info on Jaxon Wiggins of the Cubs? Seems to be taking a step forward, though walks are still a little high and may be a bullpen arm. Wondering if there might be another step towards a starter projection. Thanks!
Keith Law: He has a good enough delivery to start, but it’s below-average command and he barely has a third pitch.

JR: How did the Rockies get soooo bad? I finally watched them last weekend. McMahon is pretty smooth at 3rd. There CF is good on defense, but they’re like a AAAA team. How do you get bad and have no young, exciting players to watch?
Keith Law: They lagged behind other front offices in so many ways that they’re still catching up … the result is a lot of good players didn’t develop as they might have, pitching and hitting.

J: I’m almost scared to ask, but what the heck is up with Brayden Taylor?
Keith Law: Wrote about him in the piece I linked up top.

Jonathan: Was Brendan Donovan ever a top prospect or someone with much hype? I don’t remember ever hearing much about him coming up but all he’s done since is get on base and play good defense all over the field.
Keith Law: Never. I’m not even sure I laid eyes on him in the minors.

Michael: I know it’s only 2 starts. Very small sample size and whatnot. But any thoughts on Mick Abel? He certainly passes the eye test (to my non-scout eyes at least).
Keith Law: Hasn’t looked anything like that in AAA, unfortunately. Stuff is above-average. I can’t believe that two big league starts outweigh 34 minor-league ones.

J: Leaving aside how badly the Angels screwed the pooch on him last year, any feelings about Nelson Rada/steps forward?
Keith Law: I think he’s going to survive this and end up a good player, maybe an everyday guy.

Chris P: I know you’ve said you’re not a huge fan of Gage Jump’s mechanics, so would it make sense for the A’s to fast track him as much as possible before he blows out?
Keith Law: Already blew out once, so yes.

Kevin: Thoughts on the password? Good potential trade chip for the Red Sox since they have no where to play him, or a guy you wouldn’t sell high on?
Keith Law: He’s on the top 50, linked above.

Chris: Kristian Campbell was awful in May, but seems to have possibly had bad BABIP luck. He’s also showing how much harder MLB is than AAA. Would you just leave him in the big leagues to figure it out all year or send him down?
Keith Law: I answered some of this above, but you make a good point: Hitting MLB pitching is really, really hard. We have to stop expecting prospects who raked in AA/AAA to just keep rolling in the majors. Lots of great prospects struggled in their debuts, and I think that’s happening even more now because MLB pitching is better than ever.

Chuck: Good call out a while back on Elbow’s “Audio Vertigo” album. They’re touring the U.S. this fall. Great live band if you get a chance.
Keith Law: I’ll check that out. Their new EP sounds great so far.

JJ: So, what’s your prediction on Shoeless Joe? Does he ever go into the HOF? Considering everyone who ever met him died off 50+ years ago, who would be there for the photo op in Cooperstown?
Keith Law: I think people who watched the dumb movie will put him in. He broke the cardinal rule. And he’s dead. What on earth is the point of putting him in now?

Will: Re: the airport dining question. SLC has great, local options. And they’re required to charge the same price at the airport as they do at their regular restaurants. Not sure how likely it is you’d ever get there for scouting, but the new airport is great.
Keith Law: I actually haven’t been to SLC for baseball. Went there once for a job interview in the 1990s, and been to southern Utah for work, but that’s it.

Eric: Keith, given the somewhat recent uptick in 2 player only board game releases, any plans to do a top 10 ranking for those types of games?
Keith Law: I’ve done a few such rankings over the years, including one this March on the best Duel games (spinoffs of larger games).

MikeM: Carlos Lagrange recently got promoted to AA. He has really cut his walk rate so far this year. Have you heard anything about the changes he has made? Has he meaningfully improved his outlook?
Keith Law: He hasn’t changed so much as stayed healthy.
Keith Law: He’s pretty good, I’d take him over ERC, behind Cunningham and Hess though.

Geoff: Any thoughts on Ryan Ritter in ABQ? I never had much hope for him but maybe he’s made some adjustments that could be sustainable? I get he’s playing on the surface of the moon and it’s small sample size but us Rockies fans need something to be excited about….
Keith Law: I don’t buy it.

Andy: There’s no way Jacob Wilson can continue right? I mean a TTO of 15% of PA is neat and all, but a guy like Arraez and Wilson is only valuable if they hit .320. Going down to .275 means he’s unplayable.
Keith Law: His batted-ball data doesn’t support the performance – and the eye test doesn’t either. To say nothing of whether teams start playing him or pitching him differently since there’s so little power there.

Lara: Will Masataka Yoshida ever appear in another MLB for the Red Sox? Should he?
Keith Law: I think he will, and should he, sure, he should play somewhere, even if it was a bad signing. (Where are all the Red Sox fans who said I was wrong for writing that they should have signed Willson Contreras instead?)

Teddy: Are you Team Trump or Team Musk? It reminds me of the tagline for Alien vs. Predator — “Whoever wins, we lose.”
Keith Law: let them fight dot gif

MikeE: Thoughts on the Mets Brooklyn bats? who’s your favorite: Ewing, Benge, Reimer or Baez?
Keith Law: I’m out on Baez. I only saw Benge and Baro the last time I caught brooklyn, but I’ll see them again this week vs Wilmington so stand by for news!

Justin: Do you think there will be an openly gay MLB player in the next 5 years? Or are clubhouses just still too toxic / conservative?
Keith Law: I actually think MLB is the best place for a player to come out. It’s the least insular environment, by far. And the support available to such a player would be highest in the big leagues. The question is whether any closeted players keep playing through HS, college, and the minors where they’re in smaller towns and playing for smaller minds like Tom Walter.

JoeRo: Speaking of two player games, have you heard anything about Dracula vs Van Helsing?
Keith Law: It’s awesome. I reviewed it in November.

Tracy: If a player who’s owed a boatload of money over multiple years is physically unable to perform due to a chronic condition, what actions can an organization make to terminate his contract? Obviously they can’t force him to retire. Are they on the hook for the remainder of what he’s owed?
Keith Law: That’s when insurance typically comes into play.

UGW: Travis Sykora is absolutely crushing the minors. Still a mid rotation guy for you? K rate is insane
Keith Law: He was in low A last year, then had hip surgery, returning to rip through the complex and low A. It’s been all of two starts so far at an appopriate level.

Jason: I hope it’s Field of Dreams that’s dumb not Eight men out!
Keith Law: Well that one too. 8MO completely revises history.

James: With Skenes isn’t there such a high risk he’s a TJ candidate that it makes sense to move him?
Keith Law: I agree, but in that case, you should trade every pitcher the moment they get good, right?
Keith Law: Someone has to pitch.

Alex: On Kristian Campbell — he’s sort of learning second base on the fly, except when Cora plays him in the outfield for no apparent reason. Does bouncing around the field like that hurt a young player’s mental development? In other words, are they putting too much of Campbell’s plate?
Keith Law: Depends on the player, but I do think asking a guy to learn a new position, or adapt to a position he hasn’t played much, in the majors is a lot to ask of most guys.

JR: Mets fans were up in arms about the Kelenic trade, but there was almost no outrage over PCA for Diaz/Williams.

With benefit of hindsight, the Kelenic trade worked out and PCA is the one that everyone should’ve been upset about lol
Keith Law: He was traded for Baez, not Diaz. I went back to what I wrote and the only real opinion I offered on the trade was saying PCA was high floor (yes) but low ceiling (nope). I didn’t say if I thought it was too much or too little.

Ken: would you agree that any politician (on either side of the aisle) if they opening admit to voting a bill that they havent read should be immediately removed from office
Keith Law: Yes. You have one job.

Brett: In a previous chat, I believe you mentioned you were bullish on Charlee Soto and Santiago Suarez long term. Still feel that way?
Keith Law: They’re both hurt – is that why you’re asking?

Geoff: You mentioned earlier the Rockies are playing catch up. Anything they’re doing that could lead us to believe they may eventually catch up? Every time Monfort opens his mouth it seems he and the FO still believe in all of their processes and people that led us here in the first place.
Keith Law: They’ve made a lot of changes on the development side. It’s just going to take some time to see it produce big-league results.
Keith Law: That’s all for this week. Thanks as always for all of your questions and for reading. I’ll be back somewhere next week with a chat or Q&A once I figure out what I’m writing …

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