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Klaw: Got a loaded imagination being fired by Klawchat.

Alan: With Fredi Gonzalez being fired we all know that there are no longer any Latino managers. BUT can you at least acknowledge the narrative that exists by simply saying: X Latino players and 0 Latino managers = discrimination. In order to properly determine this you must look to the number of qualified candidates and analyze the population pool, etc. (I agree that qualified Latino candidates exist but the number of Latino players is not the proper measurement.)
Klaw: But it is absolutely the right way to look at it, because white ex-players with no managerial experience are hired all the time, so every Latino ex-player is automatically qualified for the job of manager too.

Joe C.: Hi Keith. I have a friend who may or may not be drafted this year out of HS. He is in talks with a couple teams about bonus ideas, and I am just looking for your take on the situation. I know you’ve been outspoken about if drafted out of HS, a player is better served signing, as opposed to going to college, esp. pitchers. My friend is a position player and has a commitment to a good D1 school, and also in my opinion and in his family’s could be well-served maturity wise to go to school and live a college life while playing ball for a few years. Whereas if he signed we’d worry he’d be a bit lost as an individual on his own, not with thousands of other freshmen undergrads in a similar situation. If just curious of your thoughts and wonder if the “if drafted out of HS, the best baseball career path choice is to sign” isn’t a one-size-fits-all theory.
Klaw: Truly depends on how much he’s being offered, whether he’s going high enough in the draft that reaching the majors is somewhat realistic, and what the school and scholarship in question are. If teams are offering him $100K, and he’s got a commitment to a good academic school with at least a half scholarship, then signing may not make much sense for him. It’s hard for me to give specific advice without specifics. The theory you mention is just my general advice for the majority of good HS players but not for all.

Woodsy: Hi Keith! I’m curious why, in your Mock Draft 1.0, that you have the Red Sox taking Nolan Jones, when they could pick the seemingly more talented and higher-ceiling player in Delvin Perez. Thanks for your great work!
Klaw: Because the mock draft is based on what my sources indicate to me that teams will actually do. If the Red Sox believe Jones is the better prospect, they’ll take him over Perez. That seems to be the case.

Henry: When I was an undergrad philosophy major, the quality of class discussions was directly related to the professor’s willingness to call people on their bullshit. All that to say, thanks for using your public persona to insist people use *gasp* facts and logic.
Klaw: You’re welcome. Lot of strawmen and ad hominems thrown at me on Twitter this morning over Baylor and this Washington NFL team name poll.

Greg: What are the chances Kyle Lewis falls to Atlanta at 3? Do you think they’d take him if he did?
Klaw: 40-50% chance, think they’d take him if Groome is gone.

Dan: International prospect question. For a team like Atlanta that we know is going to blow past their signing pool, are they allowed to deal their pool money to other teams? It seems like another way to acquire assets since they’re going to blow past the pool anyway.
Klaw: The Dodgers did this last year.

Chris: Jay Bruce and Evan Longoria were Top 10 prospects coming up through the minors who had star-level seasons in their early 20’s and now look like they are done while only being in the early 30’s. What happened?
Klaw: I don’t have a great answer to that but both guys had a lot of injuries in their 20s. Maybe that’s the reason?

Lucas: Anything Chad Kuhl can do to change your opinion on him being a reliever? Outstanding stats so far
Klaw: The stats aren’t really the issue. I got this a lot with Tyler Thornburg and Brad Peacock, with lots of Brewers/Nats fans getting Mad Online when I said both still projected as relievers despite great minor league numbers as starters. Deliveries and stuff matter too.

Austin: Is there anything more disingenuous in baseball than the excuses GMs give to justify holding prospects down when we all know it’s the Super Two? If Jameson Taillon tossed a no-hitter today and K’d 17 in the process, I’m fairly confident Neal Huntington would say something like “we’re obviously pleased with the results, but we really want to see him work on inducing more weak contact.” It’s to a point where something has to happen in the next CBA, right?
Klaw: I don’t know how to legislate it better, though.

John: What is your take on Fredi Gonzalez firing?
Klaw: They should have done it in November and hired the right long-term guy then and there.

Andy: Looking ahead to next year, how should the Cubs handle their catching situation? Contreras, Montero, and even Schwarber?
Klaw: Schwarber can’t catch. i didn’t like him as a catcher before the knee injury. Now it seems like it’s completely off the table. I’m assuming they ease Contreras in later this year given how he’s started in AAA.

Shane (Erie, PA): Keith, have you ever gotten feedback (negative or positive) in person from a player after assessing their talent level, play, etc. in a column?
Klaw: Yes. Most of the time it’s very friendly. Occasionally I get a player who doesn’t understand that the evaluations are not personal and that this is my job. They’re getting evaluated by scouts all the time, but those reports aren’t public, so perhaps it’s awkward for them to hear an objective (if possibly incorrect) evaluation or projection of their abilities. But most players get it – look at Stroman trolling me for thinking he might be too short to start because he lacked fastball plane. I thought that was great.

Jim: Tyler Goeddel is heating up. Can he be another Rule 5 steal for the Phillies?
Klaw: Well if you get any value in the rule 5 draft it’s a steal, so yes. I don’t think he’s a star, but I think he’s a useful big leaguer.

Andy: Fun stat. There are 5 Mets pitchers who have a higher ISO than Texas D”H” Prince Fielder. The answer to what the Rangers do when Choo comes back is pretty clear. Heck, putting Profar at SS and moving Andrus to DH would also improve their hitting.
Klaw: Yep. I hope they’re not too blind to the salary to realize benching Fielder is the right move. That front office is pretty sharp.

Ryan in MKE: I know you’re a firm believer in taking “best player available” but does it make sense for teams to either seek or avoid riskier prospects with more upside based on what they already have in their system? Seems like Milwaukee could stand some more risk at 5 in pursuit of a superstar because of the current depth they posses. Thoughts?
Klaw: That’s fair. I’d also be willing to consider arguments like, “hey, we’re really terrible at developing high school pitchers, so maybe we shouldn’t take them until we fix that.”

Steeeeve: It doesn’t seem that the Astros are considering moving Correa to 3b and Bregman at SS. I know that Bregman may not be the best at 3b but would he be adequate? Could Bregman play LF?
Klaw: I’d rather see Correa at 3b, where I think he’ll be excellent, and Bregman at ss, where I think he’ll be no worse than Correa (who appears to be below-average there). That’s a better alignment than Correa at ss and Bregman at 3b, where I think both guys would be below-average because Bregman doesn’t have the arm for third.

Jim in Chicago: Have you heard anything linking the White Sox to Wisconsin prep SS Gavin Lux? Will he be around at #26?
Klaw: I mean, that’s what I said in my mock draft.

Rob: It looks like Jorge Mateo’s not so much switching to 2B as preparing to play 2B-SS at AA this year. Is this the right approach for his development? Do you think he moves to 2B eventually?
Klaw: I had a limited look at him last year but didn’t love his hands at short. That said, I don’t believe in moving a young player off a position like that unless you’re absolutely sure he can’t play it. I didn’t think the Yanks were at that point with Mateo.

Jim: Do you think there is any hypocrisy in beating the drum for Fredi’s firing (over the top imo) and then complaining about the lack of diversity in managers after he is fired?
Klaw: Nothing’s stopping Atlanta from simply hiring a better tactical manager who is also a person of color. So, Mr. Coppolella, allow me to introduce you to my friend Alex Cora…

Ray A.: Hi Keith. Had a chance to see Mickey Moniak play this week. Had 3 more hits. I think the only tool missing is power, but power was missing from Trout too, then he developed it in the minors. How high is Moniak’s ceiling? He was a treat too watch live.
Klaw: Were you there on Tuesday? I was, and he had three singles, a HBP, and a popup to left field. He needs a lot of work to develop power, IMO. He’s got a narrow stance, no stride, and a very flat swing plane. His hands are quick and he keeps the bat in the zone a long time, but you’re talking a number of significant mechanical changes and then hoping he has the hand and wrist strength to drive the ball. I like him a lot for what he is but don’t see him developing Trout’s power. Trout had more power than Moniak as a senior and Trout was younger too.

Larry: I know this is probably a shot in the dark, but have you heard any names connected to Atlanta at 40 and 44 overall?
Klaw: Yes, I’ve mentioned a bunch in my writeups so far and have also heard them on Matthias Dietz at Logan JC.

Larry: Are we to the point where you have any feel for guys with signability issues, or is it still too early?
Klaw: Getting there. Manning, Ian Anderson, possibly Wentz. Garrett won’t be cheap as a Vanderbilt commit. Some others, like Drake Fellows, Zeferjahn, Linginfelter all appear to be unlikely to sign. I hate saying unsignable because few players are although Noah Murdock and Tyler Baum appear to have zero interest in pro ball right now.

Binnin: Who is one player in this draft who you are higher on in the draft than others? A player you are lower on?
Klaw: Probably higher on Bo Bichette and lower on Buddy Reed. Reed’s a good athlete and might be a 6 defender in center but he can’t hit with his current swing.

Bob (N Wilmington): Two Stones or Ulysses?
Klaw: Two Stones. Better food, to say nothing of the beer selection.

Anonymous: Mitch Keller looks like he’s finally starting to show some of the potential that made him such an attractive prospect out of HS. Could you see him as a guy who could emerge in your top 100 sometime this year – either mid season or preseason next year?
Klaw: Yes, no question.

Kyler: Given you stance on vaccination are you against circumcision for minors? It’s a religious thing more than and not, and freely choose by the child.
Klaw: We had decided before my wife got pregnant that we would have circumsized the baby had it been a boy.

Steve: If Lewis is gone before pick 3, you believe that Braves would take Groome. Do you prefer Groome to Pint? Why? Others have said Braves would lean more toward Pint.
Klaw: I don’t know who “others” are or why they’d say that because I don’t think that’s true at all. Groome’s the better prospect and Atlanta prefers him.

Jason: Glasnow seems to be alternating between dominance and struggling with command either other start at Triple-A. Do you foresee him struggling to throw strikes constantly at the big league level this year?
Klaw: This sounds like box-score scouting. That said, his command has always lagged his stuff and I wouldn’t be surprised if he came up and was an effective five-inning starter who gets pulled frequently due to high pitch counts.

Emily: Thoughts on the Wash Post poll today?
Klaw: Extrapolated over the entire Native American population, it’s saying that roughly 540,000 Native Americans are offended by the team’s nickname, perhaps as many as 800K (the survey had N=504 and thus a wide error bar). That’s a lot of people. Others are trying to attack the survey’s methodology, but I don’t quite see that objection. How about just accepting that that is a lot of people to offend with a team name that seeks federal trademark protection and for an organization that wants a big public subsidy?

Rob: Interesting that many college arms are rising up in the mock drafts despite that market being thin. Doesn’t it make more sense to go after a high school arm, such as Ian Anderson, who has upside?
Klaw: Maybe it does, but there is the same flight to safety every year in the draft. We talk all spring about the great high-ceiling prep arms, and when it’s nut-cutting time, teams flock to the security of the college player.

It’s a game, dammit!: Klaw, I just don’t see the point of all the finger-wagging and clutching of pearls by some players and broadcasters at walk-off celebrations. Loved the Khris Davis jump shot, e.g. Considering that we’re all just trying to wring as much joy from this weary life as possible before the galaxies collide, why is a bit of fun and entertainment so decried?
Klaw: I’ve got no issue with Davis’ jump shot or Bautista’s bat flip. Celebrations are great. You start taunting other players, throwing punches, going in spikes-up – that’s another story. But celebrating the positives is to be encouraged.

Brian: Would you ever take a HS arm at 1-1?
Klaw: Yes. I would have taken Brady Aiken there, since at the time none of us knew he had an issue with his left elbow UCL.

Jeff: Klaw – have you ever met Bomani Jones in your time at ESPN? You are two of my favorite follows at ESPN, and I would pay to watch/listen to the two of you discuss current events/economics. It’d be like the anti-PTI.
Klaw: I have not but I enjoy much of his content and willingness to take principled stands.

Dan: Jake Fraley wasn’t included in your top 100 draft prospects, but does he have the tools to project as a MLB regular? Thanks.
Klaw: I think he’s more of an extra OF, but I’ll see him in Hoover next week and get a fresh look.

Alan: Every current Latino player is NOT qualified. Most don’t speak English, do not have a college education (I think 2 managers currently do not) or adequate high school education. All things are not equal here.
Klaw: Why is a college education required to be a major league manager? And plenty of current managers don’t speak Spanish, so I don’t see your language objection.

Greg: Trying to think of a comp for Nick Senzel. How does he compare to a draft prospect like Stephen Piscotty? Does Senzel have a chance to play 2B?
Klaw: The guy whose name keeps coming to my mind is Bill Mueller: Solid at third but unspectacular, best attribute was ability to hit. Senzel has more raw power than Mueller ever did, but has yet to show it in games. If you take Senzel 6th, as I have him in my latest mock, and get Bill Mueller (24 WAR, 11 year career), you actually did fairly well but I’m sure you wanted more. Senzel seems to offer the chance of more, though, if the power ever translates into games.

wickethewok: I’m surprised the Pirates are highest on Zack Burdi. Can see Huntington actually taking him in the first round in order to bolster the 2016 bullpen? As a fan, I’d be nervous about the second coming of Daniel Moskos.
Klaw: Fair concern but Burdi’s a lot better – 98-101 right now with a slider at something like 88-91. He could probably miss bats right away, although I don’t think the command is there yet.

BRB: Do you ever pull your punches because you know the guy on the receiving end is a real-life human being?
Klaw: I’m pretty careful about how I phrase criticisms of young players, especially high school kids. A friend told me about nine years ago that he thought I was too critical in my writeups of some teenagers and I worked to tone it down and focus at least as much on what the player can do than on what he can’t.

Zorak: So Eric Longerhagen is now switching teams over to fangraphs. Did you negotiate for anything in return? A promise to stop having Eno’s chat directly compete with yours? Really though, I’ve been impressed with his coverage as a compliment to yours, and wish him all the best.
Klaw: Eric did great work for me and I’m happy he’ll get a chance to do this stuff full-time. I’ve been very lucky over the years to have some great people working with me on the draft blog.

Anthony: What are your thoughts on Pomeranz to start the year? Looks like he’s throwing offspeed stuff much more frequently and added a cutter to his repertoire. Is this success sustainable?
Klaw: I think so. Not a sub-2 ERA guy, of course, but say 3-3.50 the rest of the way (factoring in the friendliness of Petco)? I’d accept that.

Michael: How do you generally respond to fallacies in person, not on Twitter? Someone yesterday equated my lack of skepticism over the NBA lottery being fixed (there’s no evidence) with me not supporting science and math because they are built on skepticism…
Klaw: Same way. Someone throws a fallacious argument at me, I point it out. The alternatives are to try to reason with it (terrible idea) or ignore it and walk away (I’ve done that too).

Or: What’s your read of Ryan Cordell’s start? Is the improvement real?
Klaw: He’s 24 in AA and had half a season there last year too. Tough to get much of a read on him given that.

Eric: Aaron Nola was widely projected to be a good mid-rotation guy, but he’s performed like an ace this season. Do you think his currently level of production is sustainable?
Klaw: Curveball is much improved since the start of 2015. Definitely think he’s a better pitcher now than anyone, myself included, believed he’d be.

Joe: Do you know what the Orioles see in Rickard? I see a below average hitter and fielder. I can’t understand why he plays everyday and bats leadoff.
Klaw: I don’t either. Maybe he plays the game the right way.

Dan: Parenting/Baseball advice needed. My 8 year old son is finishing up his baseball season. He is one of the better players on the team, if not the best – or at least he was. He started the season really strong and was having tons of fun. Now, he has been in a bad slump at the plate and it’s taken a lot of the fun out of it for him. Any tips/advice on how to help him out?
Klaw: I wish I did, but all I could suggest is giving him some time away from the game this summer.

Neudell: How often does a guy you have literally never heard of get drafted within the first few rounds? What is the highest one of these guys has been drafted since you’ve been covering the draft like this?
Klaw: Rangers did it in 2011 with Kevin Matthews at the very end of the first round. He was maybe a fifth-round talent, and walked almost a man an inning in his pro career around TJ surgery, eventually getting released last year after 132 pro innings. I had no notes on him at all when he was picked because none of the scouts I knew down there thought he was worth mentioning.

Mitch: Chris Tillman has notably increased his strikeout rate through 50+ IP this year (and also somewhat flukishly reduced his HR rate). Has he changed something to make the improvement sustainable?
Klaw: The lower HR rate is totally unsustainable and why I’m not buying into the breakout that much.

Jeff: Sup with all this “should the Angels trade Trout?” talk – it ain’t happening.
Klaw: It’s definitely not happening (although I think the idea has merit) and it’s probably time to move on.

DH: You have the Pirates considering Thaiss at 22. Do you think they view him as an option to stay at catcher? If not, does he have enough pop to play a corner?
Klaw: I don’t think he’s a catcher long term. I think he can hit, though.

Neudell: I read an article about a movement afoot to forbid universities from getting athletes to commit until the middle of their junior years. It seems like it will be good for both sides of the equation….kids won’t be trying to decide where to spend their college years when they are 13 or 14; and, schools won’t be racing to land kids who may regress in relation to their peers over the last 2 or 3 years of high school. What are your thoughts?
Klaw: I’m all for that. I’d also like to see the end of the rule that requires players to sit out a year after transferring.

James: Best pop up prospect this year’s draft?
Klaw: Justin Dunn. Jeff Belge. Maybe Taylor Trammell.

Philip: Done is unfair to Longoria, as he still is a strong defender and above average hitter
Klaw: Yes, sorry, in his case I think it’s more a question of how he went from being a 7-WAR player at 23 to half that at 29.

Brian: We all know Dan Vogelbach is a DH. And stats from the PCL aren’t to be trusted. But is Dan Vogelbach worth anything in a trade? Can he be a secondary piece in any kind of meaningful move?
Klaw: Yes, I think he can.

Anonymous: Reading about AJ Puk, how likely do you think his delivery issues will mean he’s a reliever? Scouting the stat line and just a couple of other people’s reports, he looks kind of like Andrew Miller.
Klaw: I’ve heard the Drew Pomeranz comp on him too, another big SEC lefty with some delivery issues. I don’t see Puk as a reliever, but I don’t think he’ll have average command or downhill plane with his current delivery.

Erik: Or how about telling this 540,000 people to grow up. If you don’t like the name, ignore them or root for them to lose. The nickname a football team has zero actual impact on anyone’s life unless they let it bother them
Klaw: Yet there has to be some point at which you’d join the 540,000, right? Would you accept a team with a nickname like the n-word? or a comparable slur against Jews or Asian-Americans or gays? My stance, whether you agree or not, is internally consistent: No slurs as team names.

Nick: What’s your favorite restaurant in Disney World?
Klaw: Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Elton: Aren’t you writing a book or something? Give us some intel please (and other ways to fund you … maybe design a board game?)
Klaw: I am writing a book, due out in April. I believe Harper Collins will announce it when we settle on a title.

Robert: What happens if more people are offended by the team being forced to change its name? I don’t agree with that thinking, but your response indicates the level of people offended by something should be a factor. Someone will argue that works both ways.
Klaw: The idea of “offense” at the removal of an ethnic slur is highly comical.

Ernie Camacho: How much should Bradley Zimmer’s 30% K rate in Akron worry me?
Klaw: It’s keeping him off my top 25 prospects update for next week.

Drew: Biggest concern with K. Lewis ? Like his upside for the Reds but feel that I like Senzel more with his all around game. How strong do you think Reds interest in Delvin Perez ? Thanks
Klaw: I think the Reds are out on Delvin. Lewis’ biggest issue is lack of at bats against good competition. He swings and misses a bit too much and is in a mid-major-at-best conference. I also wish he ran better but that might be a quibble.

Jeff R: Thank you for not sticking to baseball.
Klaw: I couldn’t if I tried.

Ryan: How many players do teams in the late first round truly consider? If they pick 25th, do they just make a list of 25 guys?
Klaw: You have to. Every year I hear of a team that has that happen – they list 25 guys for the 25th pick and 24 of them are taken in picks 1 through 24. In fact, I believe that happened to Cleveland last year, and the only name left was Aiken.

Bo: For someone who finds an awful lot of things to be offended by, and in some situations goes out of his way to be offended by things, you must understand that some people will absolutely take exception to bat flips such as Bautista’s, as they genuinely do consider it taunting. Might not be intended that way, but sometimes it comes across that way.
Klaw: Sure, I absolutely understand that. I personally don’t see it that way. Although your claim that I go out of my way to be offended is really fucking stupid.

Jason: Peter O’Brian anymore than a fourth outfielder?
Klaw: Don’t think so. Bad defender with a below-average hit tool. I don’t have to tell you about the power, though.

RobM: I know you’ve argued that a high school pitcher drafted should sign with a MLB team, but what happens if the pitcher drops due to a non-career-threatening injury, or because weather prevented them from getting properly scouted? Can the argument be made they should then head to college?
Klaw: Yes, that’s also reasonable. If Ian Anderson goes to Vanderbilt he might be 1-1 in three years.

Dave: Have a mail-order coffee roaster recommendation? For bonus points – favorite variety?
Klaw: Too many to name, but I’ll mention Intelligentsia (any time they have Gesha, also loved the Aqua Preta Ltd as an espresso and the current Zambian offering), Four Barrel (Rwanda Musabiymana), or anything from Cartel or Heart.

Drew: One time a few years ago you torched me pretty good in one of your chats. What I did, since I’m a goddamned grown up, is went on with my life because whatever, a guy on the internet said something that stung.
Klaw: Literal LOL at this. Thanks for that – and for still being here despite whatever I did.

Jeff: I’ve heard that before his injury, Cal Quantrill was a potential 1-1 guy in this years draft. Assuming he comes back fine, how high is his ceiling and what makes him exceptional?
Klaw: We think so, but really, who knows if he would have been 1-1? He didn’t pitch so he couldn’t disprove the assertion. Alec Hanson was 1-1 good last spring, and now he’s out of the first round.

Philip: Any thoughts on Jacob Nix from scouts? He’s done well statistically, but obviously can’t just scout statline and he isn’t getting extended beyond 75 pitches
Klaw: Have heard very good things – FB and CB both still there, CH improving.

Erik: Why do you care about a player’s off-field behavior? When I buy tickets I want to see the possible product on the field. As long as they are available on game day, I couldn’t care less what a player may have been accused of. That goes for all fields. If you are among the very best at what you do, we should all want that person doing that job.
Klaw: I care about it if it affects his ability to do that job, may affect his teammates’ ability to do that job, may land him in jail, or may result in harm to another person. I don’t care if he’s just a jerk or a brony or whatever.

JB: I know the chances of Bundy ever returning to starting are slim, but what are the chances he can end up a high leverage reliever?
Klaw: I don’t know what the odds are he becomes something better than what he is now. He looks like a shell of his pre-injury self.

steve: I know you said at the begining of the season Folty might profile as a reliever. Seems impressive the past 3 games. Think he can stick in the rotation. I know you were high on him before.
Klaw: Tiny sample but promising. Same for Jonathan Gray, although there I’m buying a little earlier because this is really what he looked like before the Rockies’ PD folks tinkered with his delivery. (They need to stop doing that.)

Collin: The thing I’m most intrigued about in this draft are the character concerns regarding Delvin Perez. Are they as easily explainable as “he’s so much better than the competition in Puerto Rico he doesn’t have to work as hard as he should,” or is it, “if we give this kid some money he will cash his checks and phone it in?”
Klaw: It’s more that he doesn’t always seem to work hard or take responsibilities seriously, and he’s acted out on the field in ways that aren’t appropriate for a high school senior (like taunting opponents or jawing at an opposing coach). I also think it can all improve with age and getting him with the right coach or teammates. It’s not like he’s a budding sociopath.

AH: Klaw you’re a smart guy and far and away my favorite baseball writer. But How do you manage to attract the Twitter cesspool? Better yet, how does it not drive you insane?
Klaw: Klaw 21 minutes ago

Karla: Not an a question just sharing an essay you might find interesting.
Klaw: Thank you – this looks very interesting.

John: Kevin Newman has struck out 7 times in 143 PA and has a .418 OBP this year. Is it time for him to get called up to AA?
Klaw: I think that’s fair. I’d like to see him hit for some more doubles power, though.

Jay: Have you seen much of Tyler Beede this year? Do you see him potentially being called up later this year? What do you view as his ceiling?
Klaw: I haven’t seen any pro stuff in about a month because it’s all draft all the time right now. I’ll resume seeing pro guys after June 11th. I don’t have Beede as more than an average starter because of the poor fastball command.

addoeh: The theory of trading someone like Trout is worth discussing, like the Gretzky trade or Walker trade. But the practice of actually trading him now isn’t worth discussing. Is that fair?
Klaw: A good summary of the situation. Did the Gretzky trade work out for Edmonton? I can’t recall. The Walker deal worked out for Dallas, I’d say.

Ben: Is there any chance that JB Woodman sneaks into the top 3 Rounds? He’s been on a tear against SEC pitching this year (.340/.434/.640 in conference games), although he did miss Florida and Vandy.
Klaw: And struck out in literally half his at bats on the Cape. He’s not a top three rounds guy.

Brian: Keith, can you explain to me the investigation MLB seems to be making on the Red Sox pooling of international money. I understand the basics, but most of what I read says it’s a fairly common practice and not even against the rules. So why do they even investigate it?
Klaw: Oh it’s against the rules all right. It’s also a common practice but something here triggered an investigation. You can’t circumvent the bonus pool limits by spreading the money across multiple players who then redistribute it after the fact. If that’s what happened, the team will be penalized. The players will not be disciplined, however.

Chris (Chicago): Did you hear any of the new Wolf Parade EP? If so, any thoughts? It’s great that they’re back after their hiatus.
Klaw: Yep, got a track from that on my playlist for the end of this month.

JD: Are you planning to try Pandemic Legacy? Hard to see how you’d fit it in your schedule, but we’re a couple sessions in and it’s phenomenal.
Klaw: I have no interest in a game that requires that many sessions to play. We change up what we play often and I always have more games to review.

Scott: Were you ever a basketball fan growing up?
Klaw: It was my least favorite sport to watch. I preferred soccer to hoops.

Andrew: Thanks for being so outspoken about your anxiety Keith. I actually suffer from bipolar disorder. When your “manic” you can pretty much do anything. My motivation to do things wasn’t always there but it was for the time when the manic episode went away and now I’m back to square one where I lack motivation. Any advice on what I can do to help motivate myself again? The only thing I can think of is possibly getting a girlfriend who I’d want to be my best self for.
Klaw: I’m not a therapist but I think a therapist would say that you have to be able to do this for yourself rather than relying on another person to be your motivation. Exercise and perhaps medication (which you may already be on) seem like two safe bets.

Elton: “Ticket To Slide: My Year of Playing Board Games with Baseball’s Top Prospects in America’s Top Restaurants”. You won’t get a more compelling book title than that.
Klaw: Step 3: Profit.

Chris (Chicago): I have a 6yo daughter that is severely allergic to peanuts. She loves baseball, but we can’t take her to games because our local team has no designated, nut-free section. Her allergy isn’t that uncommon, but baseball doesn’t seem very accommodating yet. How much longer until they get up to speed? My kid feels different enough when she has to sit at the “peanut-free” table at school or can’t eat cake at parties. It just really sucks.
Klaw: I feel like I’ve heard of other teams doing this. Also, have you looked into the microdose treatments for peanut allergies? If my daughter had developed that allergy we were going to pursue the treatment, because of just what you describe. You must be afraid for her all the time.

Scott: As a huge fan of your writing, I look forward to seeing a new article, post and chat both here and other outlets. But I was curious as to your thoughts on the value of your time in writing the revisionist draft history pieces. Is this something you are assigned or something you see as worth examining because it has value to how teams make decisions presently?
Klaw: I find them incredibly fun to revisit. Readers like them and folks within MLB mention enjoying them too. Plus I love some of the old draft stories like the area guy who pounded the table for Chris Archer in Cleveland. (Also, “Cleveland Archer” was the Westchester County DA in the Nero Wolfe stories. I just wanted to mention that.)

Dan: JP Crawford has been walking a ton this year; he’s at 18% BB rate so far. Do you know if this is a concerted effort to walk more this season? Is that a long-term part of his hit tool?
Klaw: He has always had outstanding plate discipline. I’ve been talking that up since he was first in pro ball.

RobM: Don’t let the forces of evil and stupid on Twitter cause you to leave. Most people who follow you are silent but love the content. Remember the good.
Klaw: Thank you. I couldn’t leave. I guess I could tweet less, but I worry I’d miss the good stuff.

Jon: At what point do the Mets give Dom Smith a chance now that his power seems to be coming around? Or is 1B still Duda’s for the foreseeable future?
Klaw: I think next year we see Smith at some point.

Dave: Thanks for the chats. Maybe it’s just my imagination, but you seem to really enjoy the give and take. Anyway, I don’t expect Jackie Bradly Jr.’s to maintain this pace all year. But what do you expect is the new normal for JBJ’s offence and what is he doing different. Thanks
Klaw: I do absolutely enjoy the give and take until someone gets personal (why would I go out of my way to take offense? I just say what I think, nothing more). As for JBJ, it seems like he’s much more aggressive earlier in the count. He’s not the player I thought he’d be – I thought he’d be good, but not this shape of production, more patient with higher contact rather than this less patient more powerful version.

Chris: Seen a couple “Kershaw might be the best pitcher ever” stories of late. Who is the best pitcher of the “modern era” in your opinion?
Klaw: Pedro. But Kershaw’s creepin’.

Vinnie: Would a guy with below average velocity, but excellent movement and command ever get drafted inside the top 10 rounds? i.e., would amateur Greg Maddux be a 30th round pick because of his lack of velo?
Klaw: Maddux threw low 90s as an amateur. But Thomas Eshelman is what you’re talking about and he was a second rounder last year I believe.

Andrew: Would you ever consider working for an MLB team ever again?
Klaw: The career advice I give to people who ask – don’t rule anything out, because you don’t want to close doors on any opportunities you might not expect – applies to me to. I don’t plan on it, but I wouldn’t tell you “no.”

Chris (Chicago): Are Oreos still your kryptonite? I just ate half a sleeve and now feel so much shame.
Klaw: Yeah. Just can’t have them in the house.

Klaw: That’s all for this week – thank you all for reading and for all of your questions. I’ll be at the SEC tournament next week so the chat day may change. If you’re attending Wednesday or Thursday, I’d love to meet you in person. Enjoy your weekends.

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Klaw: This is a low-flying panic attack. Klawchat.

Nick: As a Phillies fan, a lot was made of Nick Williams “improved” plate discipline but since joining the Phillies’ org he’s walked in 3.4% of his PAs. I tried to tell people he had a random spike in May 2015 but they wouldn’t listen… It also got me thinking about Domonic Brown and those two months in 2013. How do you approach these sometimes lengthy statistical spikes in evaluating a player?
Klaw: Now at 18 walks since June 1st of last year in over 400 PA. He can hit and has power, but there’s scant evidence he has any semblance of plate discipline. In his case, I felt somewhat comfortable dismissing or at least downplaying the walk spike because he had three months of playing time after that May bump where his walk rate returned to previously established levels. It’s harder to distinguish when the spike comes in August, or after the All-Star Break, and then it becomes in my mind a question for the scouts: Did the player actually change? Were his mechanics different, or his approach within at bats?

Kevin: I see on your top 100 you have wentz ahead of pint. I have seen both twice this year and agree with you but from what I’ve seen it seems like the industry likes pint more. Do you believe you’re in minority on having wentz above pint? And if so what do you think causes teams to see it this way is it just a pure arm strength bet?
Klaw: I don’t think there’s a strong consensus on this one but it might be 60/40 in favor of Pint, because he throws 100 and you’re not getting fired for taking the guy who throws 100 because if he flops you can always say “but he threw 100!”

Nick: Who are your top sleepers for the draft this year?
Klaw: I don’t know that I have sleepers, but I ranked the top 100 guys with Eric’s help and you might see players higher than you expected on our list. Someone like Ryan Rolison, for example, who I think is an ideal second-pick overpay for a team with lots of money – a polished HS arm with some projection, not a top-10 or top-15 talent by any means but comfortably in the next tier for about half the price of a Pint or Groome.

Paul: I’m a Braves fan. I want Corey Ray. A friend of mine read your Lankford comp and thus is unexcited by him. I presented to him the top 25 position players, by fWAR, from ’95-’98: Bonds, Griffey, Piazza, Bagwell, Biggio, McGwire, Edgar, Knoblauch, Thome, Big Hurt, Vaughn, Lankford, Larkin, Belle, Pudge, ARod, Sosa, Palmeiro, Bernie, Walker, Chipper, Valentin, Lofton, Edmonds, Manny. Seems to me that someone whose 4yr peack performance was right smack dab in the middle of a bunch of HOF’ers, and with a chance to be that for more than 4 years, is something to drool over, and certainly worthy of the 3rd (or 1st) overall pick.
Klaw: I have him ranked 1 right now, and you’ve reasonably well explained my logic. If he’s an above-average regular for five years, that’s a successful outcome. His floor seems pretty high – I’d argue he and Senzel have the highest realistic floors (think pessimistic forecast, but not so pessimistic that you’re thinking he gets hurt or forgets how to play) in the class. Ray has solid upside, maybe fringe star potential, and you’re almost certainly getting an everyday player. Senzel doesn’t seem to have star potential – I think he could be peak Bill Mueller, who was a pretty damn good player but probably never a star – while I think the industry as a whole is most certain of his hit tool out of all bats in the class.

Bryan: Any recent buzz about who the Braves are connected to at 3?
Klaw: All of this stuff is in my top 100 from yesterday – I took all the decent or reliable dope I had and put it in the comments. I’ll do a full mock of the first round next Wednesday. My guess right now is Puk, Senzel, Ray, Groome, Perez for the top five. The Phillies seem to be on Puk, Lewis, Ray, perhaps Senzel, and maybe Moniak but I think that’s more “we really like him, just not at 1.”

Yolo-potato: Out of Moniak, Pint or Groome who is most likely to slip to the Padres at 8? Who do you think is the best out of those 3?
Klaw: Pint most likely. Ranking yesterday has the answer to your second question. I also think they’d jump at Perez if he’s there, or Matt Manning.

Jake: Is Machado now the best player in baseball?
Klaw: No. That player is a National and was just suspended for one game.

Patrick: Do you see josh Ockimey making it to prospect status or just a guy putting up good numbers in Low-A for Red Sox?
Klaw: He’s a prospect. Two Red Sox guys told me in March he was primed for a breakout season, and I saw he’d changed his body quite a bit (in a good way).

Matt: Thoughts on Rio2016 after the Harvard Health report? MLB moved the PR game, but this is a massive difference.
Klaw: They should move the Olympics. No question. Rio was already a disaster before Zika; this should just be the issue that pushes it past the inflection point.

Ryan: I know the swing and miss is the biggest reason you’re more down on Kyle Lewis than most. From what you’ve seen of his swing, is it fixable? Are there things a pro team could do to help him make more contact?
Klaw: It’s not a swing issue.

Steve: In 19 games at AA, Alex Bregman is at .314/.422/.671, with 7 HRs. Could he be in Houston soon? Where would they play him?
Klaw: I think he could play in the big leagues right now. I have no idea where they’d put him; his arm is going to be light for third base, but where else is there room?

Kevin: What is your opinion on Thomas Pnychon? I found Gravity’s Rainbow a slog to get through, but Mason & Dixon was a joy. Irrelevant, funny and fantastical.
Klaw: I loved Inherent Vice, loathed Gravity’s Rainbow, and just did not understand Lot 49.

Lyle: Dalton Kelly – 38th round pick out of UCSB for Seattle has a line of 355/442/464 in the MWL. (The MWL!) Anything of interest here? Or is he Just A Guy who’s had a hot month?
Klaw: You have got to look at the ages on these guys. He’s a 21-nearly-22-year-old college product in low A.

Jeff: Do you think a pitchers stats at the plate should be weighed when voting for Cy Young?
Klaw: No, of course not.

Jeff: Obviously Tyler Wilson isn’t this good and his BABIP and ERA will go up soon. What do you think his future is?
Klaw: Fifth starter. Below league-average. Doesn’t hurt that a third of his innings this year have come against the Twins.

Brian: Hello Keith, thanks for answering our questions. If you are Brian Cashman, which option would you choose to deal with Severino at this time. It is still early and it may or may not be a SSS but.. do you send him down to work on mechanics. ? Or do you leave him up here and try long relief or just keep the status quo and hope for the best ?
Klaw: Do they have a rotation replacement for him? If long relief were an option, I’d rather see that than send him down to dominate AAA hitters again. He’s already done that. Put him somewhere where he’ll be challenged and, if you trust your big league coaching staff, he can work with those coaches on whatever’s ailing him. I don’t have an easy answer; I can see his stuff is flat and up a lot, but is that mechanical? His delivery is the same (I’ve never liked it) as last year, right?

Raymond Gotha II: Klaw, my first time making it over to the new format!! Has your outlook on the Softball O’s changed?
Klaw: I think they’re a .500 team, which is about what they’ve been after the winning streak ended. The pitching is just too light. Gausman’s been better, although he should still miss a lot more bats with his stuff. Tillman’s not going to give up a homer every 40 innings all year.

Ben: What was your impression of Brandon Waddell coming out of Virginia? And have his first 40 IP this year made him worth watching going forward?
Klaw: Just a guy. Throws strikes, fringy stuff.

Jon: Glasnow and Taillon have been getting all the attention, but Chad Kuhl and Steven Brault have been putting up excellent numbers for Indianapolis this season. Do the Pirates have anything coming with those guys as well?
Klaw: Kuhl’s a prospect as a two-pitch reliever. Brault maybe less. Glasnow and Taillon get the attention because they profile as starters, and I’d bet one or both are up by this time next month.

AA Battery: Still SSS this year, but adding last year is it time to think that Puig won’t be able to really figure it out? Just can’t seem to stop swinging and missing…
Klaw: Can’t seem to hit a good fastball any more. Is it conditioning? Approach? Hard to believe he’s no longer the player he was in his first two seasons but you can absolutely pitch to him now.

Al: Do you think Oakland could go with a HS player like Moniak, Manning, Rutherford at #6?
Klaw: I have only heard them with college bats.

Bruce: You dont really talk about craft beer as much as food. Are you just not much of a beer drinker?
Klaw: I love beer. It doesn’t love me back.

Brian: Curious if you read jim bowden’s article up today about mlb execs and proposals for the new CBA. specifically related to the draft eligible players some GMs think players should have to “opt-in” so teams don’t lose picks when they decide to go back to school instead of signing. the other was to assign a set $ to each pick in the draft as opposed to a sliding pool. Pretty obvious both those proposals clearly benefit one side while screwing over the other. What are your thoughts?
Klaw: You lost me in your first seven words.

Kyle S: Can an MLB team legitimately tank? The players are playing hard because they want future jobs, the coaches and manager are in the same boat. Top picks aren’t guaranteed to be a future success so isn’t it at best a very risky proposal?
Klaw: I agree. It’s not “tanking” in the sense that the Sixers have been tanking since before I moved here. It’s actually the correct strategy for a non-contender given the current CBA in baseball.

darius: What is your view on Jameson Taillon, and has it changed with his strong AAA start? Strong 2? Potential 1 as a starter?
Klaw: A two. Never saw the command or changeup for an ace. Has size, velocity, potential out pitch in the slider. Kid’s a worker too. Really pulling for him this year after the disappointment of 2015.

Bret: What are your thoughts on the election going on in the States?
Klaw: I haven’t heard about this.

Eric: Keith, what do you know about Brent Honeywell besides having a sweet name it seems he also has a sweet screwball. He is dominating in advanced A Ball right now, do you know of any other top 100 prospects over the last few years that featured a screwball as his top secondary pitch? How would you rate his potential possible #2 starter?
Klaw: The Rays have deemphasized his screwball, so he’s more than just a novelty guy (he was that in college, though, so you’re not off base). I don’t think he rates quite that high; all the scouts I asked about him in the offseason had him as somewhere around a 4th starter.

Chris: The Mets seem to move their young hitters slowly through minors. Conforto spent some extra time in Brooklyn, Smith did a full year in High-A, and Rosario currently sticking around Port St. Lucie. Is this reflective of an organizational approach? Do you think it’s productive to let young guys get to the point of killing competition before being promoted?
Klaw: Conforto was a total cock-up. They’re just lucky he’s as good as he is because they mishandled him from day one. Smith is still very young for AA, and while Rosario should be in Binghamton now, he won’t be old for that level either. I don’t have a problem with how either of those guys have been handled.

K Welzein: I know the results are SSS, but is there anything you have seen in Almedys Diaz mechanically or in his approach at the plate that suggests he can be a regular to slightly above-average regular offensively for the Cardinals?
Klaw: Actually I’d just argue that anyone who can put the ball in play this often and play a competent middle infield is a regular. Even at a league-average BABIP, which would be much more in line with his time in the minors, he’d be that.

Matias: How is it possible that Bradley Jr went from being “trash”, talked about a potential trade for a mediocre Mariners reliever, to this exciting player that is putting great numbers, with some pop? Between the last months of last season and this start, we cant say its small sample size, right?
Klaw: Well, he was never trash, right? People buried him based on what was still a small sample but didn’t look like one. The part that’s surprising to me is that he’s hitting for average AND power. I thought he could do one or the other. I still kind of think with his low contact rate, he’s going to see the average drop, and he kind of has to sell out a little bit to get to this power. I’d rather see him cut down on the swing a little to improve his contact rate, but that’s kind of a stupid criticism when the guy is hitting .322 and slugging .610.

Ants: Given his start, is Tyler O’Neill now the #1 Mariners prospect? Would he crack in to the top 100 if re-evaulated today?
Klaw: I’ll accept the case for him as their top guy, given who else is/was ahead of him. His power is legit; it was the one thing I saw from him on the positive side in Fall League. But we’re still firmly in SSS territory and I’d like to see him maintain this better plate discipline for a full year, especially since he is right field only and has to hit to be an impact guy. (That sounds too negative. He’s definitely a prospect.)

Joey Butts: You’re an MLB GM. You’re interested in a potential draft pick that had previously been accused (but not convicted) of a serious domestic violence crime. What would the player have to say or do wherein you would feel okay in drafting him?
Klaw: Nothing. I’m out. Men who do that, or who sexually assault women, are not fixable.

Guesto: Any noteworthy prospects out of the state of Louisiana on your radar? LSU, Tulane, UNO are pretty good programs this season.
Klaw: Not for this draft. Good programs, yes, but not draft prospects.

Anonymous: Do you think Byron Buxton will pain out?
Klaw: I think he’ll pan out. He may cause Twins fans some pain until he does.

Kevin: Are Delvin Perez’s makeup concerns about maturity or are they of the Matt Bush variety?
Klaw: Maturity. Bush’s makeup turned out to be so much worse than I’d ever heard before he was drafted.

Marshall: Klaw great work by you and Longenhagen getting the top 100 together. You have (I think you have at least) characterized the draft a little weak at the top as compared to other years. What if any, are the strengths of this draft as compared to years past?
Klaw: Klaw about an hour ago

Paille: Can’t remember you ever wavering on J Bradley Jr as a starting major league center fielder
Klaw: Thank you, I don’t think I did. Weird thing is that I think UZR has his defense below average so far this year (very SSS). I thought he was a 7 defender out there, easy like Sunday morning.

addoeh: Are the number of years the biggest holdup for a Arrieta deal with the Cubs? I figure Cubs looking at 4-5 years with Arrieta 6-7 years.
Klaw: Seems like Arrieta wants free agent money/length which would be 6-8 years and there is no shot IMO the cubs do that.

wrburgess: Do you still see Amir Garrett and Daniel Mengden as bullpen guys? Is the SSS still too small to change the perspective?
Klaw: Did I? I thought I gave both guys a chance to start. Mengden is more command than stuff; Garrett more stuff than command or feel.

Mark: Dylan Cozens showing impressive power and decent walks rates but still striking out a little too much. Is he doing enough to warrant discussion as the Phillies RF of the future?
Klaw: No. And he’s basically doing it all at Reading, which is a good HR park.

Garrett: Having seemingly learn from the Peraza mistake, it looks like the Braves are letting Albies and Swanson each play SS until they are forced to make a decision. In there anything besides positional scarcity and future financials that makes it truly matter where either ends up?
Klaw: Not really. I think both could handle it.

Kay: Gsellman & Ynoa – useful pieces, despite very low K #s? Or just no place to make use of them on a crowded staff – they don’t strike me as ideal relievers.
Klaw: Useful pieces. Maybe as trade bait. Gsellman’s picked up a little velo now and it’s easier to buy him as a starter in the low 90s.

Matt: How often do players actually give a “hometown discount” to a team that happened to draft them- in reference to some criticism Arrieta seems to be taking over his refusal to offer such discounting?
Klaw: Very rare, and honestly, fuck off with demanding someone else take less money from a billionaire owner just to make some guy a happy fan.

BD: Brian Goodwin is at .330/.393/.500 at AAA. 25 yrs old. Back to being a prospect to you?
Klaw: No, not at that age and after three full years of failure, including a failed stint in AAA in 2014 and a demotion last year. I’d need more than 119 AB to buy back in.

Ben: Is it wrong to assume that Oakland favors college players? They’ve drafted HS players high in the past.
Klaw: I’m not assuming anything. That’s not how I do this. I talk to lots of sources to find out which teams are on which players.

Aaron: Kyle Zimmer. I know there is a lot of swing and miss there. But isn’t he better than anything else Cleveland is running out there?
Klaw: That would be Brad and he’s not ready for major league pitching.

Anonymous: Does Moncada make his debut in the majors this year and have a chance to compete for a full time job next year or should I add a year to both those?
Klaw: Add at least a year.

Fritz: How do you feel about A Moon Shaped Pool? Best since In Rainbows? Dismissed for lack of hyphens in the title?
Klaw: No idea. It’s not on Spotify and I don’t subscribe to those other services.

Kevin: Casey Gillaspie hitting .312 /.458/.570 in AA… hot start or something real?
Klaw: This might be something real. He’s doing everything that scouts who liked him in college (I did not, full disclosure) expected him to do, and he’s controlling the strike zone extremely well. Definitely bears watching.

Adam: How low would Groome have to get drafted to wind up at Vanderbilt?
Klaw: Not happening. Ignore the local media – some of those writers have been talking out of their asses this spring. I’ve never seen anything like it.

Justin R: Do you have any interest in murder mysteries/potboilers or not your genre?
Klaw: Yep, love Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, etc. Got two Lord Wimsey mysteries on my Kindle app now.

Anonymous: As a Phillies fan, I’m all aboard the Corey Ray Train. Do think they could get him for under slot and use the extra money in the later rounds?
Klaw: No one is getting full slot at 1-1. It’s a question for the Phillies of who’ll save them the most money relative to their valuation of the player – would you rather have Ray at $6 million or Senzel at $7 million or Puk at $5 million? (I made those numbers up, BTW.)

Steve: Zika is going to be in many places in the US this summer. Should they cancel the MLB season?
Klaw: I’ve spoken to a few experts about this one. Yes, Zika is coming. But we have much better mosquito-fighting programs here, and – here’s where I learned something – we have air conditioning, which drastically curtails the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses.

Aaron: How long do you leave Buxton at AAA? Is this a skill issue or confidence issue?
Klaw: I think it was a confidence issue. Don’t rush him back up. The major-league team isn’t going anywhere. But I wish they’d kept Kepler up to get those at bats.

John: Any chance Dylan Carlson sneaks into supp round?
Klaw: Yes but I think that’s a reach for a power-before-bat 1b-only guy. I had him at 100 on the list.

Scrapper: This stuff about Trea Turner needing to work on stuff is just “blah, blah, blah” shorthand for service time considerations, right? Why am I feeling differently about this than Kris Bryant’s 9 days last year?
Klaw: Yes. And because two months of Turner is a lot bigger deal than nine days of Bryant. If the Mets edge the Nats by a game for the division title, Nats fans will have reason to look at this decision with rage.

Anthony: Keith, rhp Luca Dalatri threw last night in the NJ championship game. He picking up any steam for the draft? A lot of scouts there.
Klaw: No, he’s a college guy.

J Shep: Do you think Nyquist wins the Preakness? If not, got a sleeper?
Klaw: I am not concerned with the Preakness, and the Preakness will not be concerned with me.

Brian: To offer us some context on this draft class, would the guys in the discussion for the top couple picks have been in the top 5 or top 10 in previous drafts?
Klaw: Yes. But I don’t think the guys in the mix for 1-1 would have been in the mix for that spot in any draft since 2006’s.

Guesto: What’s Trevor May’s outlook going forward? Pitching only out of the bullpen for the Twins, but he’s 26 and was valued at roughly 2 WAR in 2015 (when he made 16 starts). He’s a good bullpen arm, but feels like wasted talent by not starting.
Klaw: I think he’s a reliever. Has never shown the command to start.

Nick: Does Zack Collins to the Indians make sense? I know you don’t draft on need, but based on the few write-ups I have read he seems like someone who could move to a position like 1B rather quickly, and could help out a team like Cleveland that needs bats.
Klaw: It makes sense, they like him, but I don’t think he gets to them.

Jack: Does AJ Puk have a chance to be a number 1 in your opinion?
Klaw: No. However, I’m going to Gainesville Friday and Saturday and will see at least part of Puk’s start on Saturday before my flight back.

Josh: You were one of the first well-known baseball writers to get on the Schoop train. Still a believer, and is he a potential multi GG winner at 2B?
Klaw: Still a believer. Not sure about Gold Gloves though. He’s got to hit enough to win one of those.

Matthias: Do you have a go-to technique for duck breasts? I can get a result that is decent, and certainly better than chicken breasts, but not as good as the price would warrant. Related: made my first duck stock with carcass/bones from butchering a whole duck and holy crap! I did not realize that stock could be solid at room temperature.
Klaw: Best stock you’ll ever make. I sear duck breasts. I want to try to sous vide them some time, because getting them perfect in the center while searing them enough to get the skin crispy is a pain in the ass.

James: Keith, do you believe it should fall on the NFHS and NCAA to take better precautions to protect young pitchers from irreparable harm? I realize that kids are still going to blow out their arms, but isn’t it time for better regulations to at least limit the occurrences?
Klaw: Yes, it is. States are moving in this direction and I’d like to see the NCAA follow suit.

Kevin: Christian Stewart has had big power so far in Lakeland for the Tigers high A. Will he hit enough to be an everyday regular at a corner spot or is he more 4th OF type?
Klaw: I think he’s an everyday player. Power over hit, but enough hit to get there.

Josh: Do any of the international signings have a chance to be within the top 100 after signing in July?
Klaw: Unlikely. Maitan, maybe, but scouts I’ve talked to who’ve seen him say he’s the best prospect in VZ/DR this year but don’t speak of him the way they spoke of Sano in his signing year.

Dan-NJ: There is plenty awritten about the velocity of Benintendi moving through the ranks. He’s obviously overmatching A. Same w/ Rodgers – COL, but you don’t hear the same. Is it all about age/experience (SEC v. HS)? IMO, I would move both at the same speed if their results warranted.
Klaw: Well, one plays for Boston, and the other plays for … um … wait, I know this one …

Sean: KLAW – Ketel Marte has sure been a pleasant surprise for us Mariner fans that are used to all prospects going bust. He looks decent with the stick and able to play SS decently to my untrained eyes – what say you, Klaw?
Klaw: Breakout pick for me this year. I was too light on him as a prospect – he can really play short.

Sean: KLAW – SSS of course, but Zunino is hitting again! Is there still a player there?
Klaw: I think so. Rushed to the majors, got really worn down by catching. Good for the M’s for hanging on to him rather than giving up.

Bobby Evans: Should I be excited about my upcoming farm arm in rhp Sam Coonrod?
Klaw: Good reliever.

Alex: Why don’t big money teams go over the draft bonus pool like some do in the J2 signing? Losing a first round the next year and the 100% tax isn’t that tough when you have money to blow. Plus teams know more about draft prospects than the international prospects.
Klaw: I’ve asked this and been asked this and don’t have a great answer. I wonder if any team would call an audible, so to speak, before day two if an elite talent were just sitting there unpicked after day one, and decide to take him even if it meant punting on the following draft.

Matt: On Bregman, I don’t know anything about his defensive abilities, but the numbers say that Correa has not been a great defensive SS in the Majors. Any chance they could move Correa to 3B and have Bregman play SS?
Klaw: I’m defaulting to my old assessment of Correa’s future, which was that he’d be better off at third base. He did work his tail off to stay at short, but he might be elite at third. Worked out OK for Machado, at least.

Jeremy: Played 7 Wonders for the first time and was thoroughly confused by the instructions. Being a person who games a lot, do you have a go-to method for figuring out confusing rules?
Klaw: That game might have the most complicated written instructions for a game that’s actually quite simple and plays in under an hour. Usually we play once, screw up, and then go to Boardgamegeek to look at the Rules threads on the game.

KJ: Do you have a problem with Bryce Harper using naughty words?
Klaw: No. But I have a problem with him seeking out an ump postgame and saying what he said to that ump in full view of a camera.

Benny: Have you or Eric personally seen everyone on the top 100, or do you rely on the evaluations of your peers in the scouting community to rank the guys near the bottom of the list?
Klaw: Definitely haven’t seen everyone – impossible to see some of the pop-up guys lower down the list – but between last summer and this spring I think the only top 25 guy neither of us will see is Quantrill, who hasn’t pitched at all after TJ. Ian Anderson is the top guy I won’t see personally, I think, because he’s made just one official appearance around weather and his bout of pneumonia.

Marshall: At what point in your mind does SSS stop being a sample and simply becoming true reality …more than 150 at bats?
Klaw: Oh yeah. Double that and we can talk.

Sterling: Is Archie Bradley a AAAA pitcher, or do you still have faith? He can’t seem to get big league hitters to whiff.
Klaw: Put him in the 7th inning and tell him to air it out, fastball/curveball.

Raymond Gotha II: Did you ever see this type of potential out of Machado? I’m from B-More and I myself only saw something more like 300/350/475 with like 25 hr or so. I guess I was less dubious that the line drive and doubles power was gonna turn into 40hr power
Klaw: Loved him as an amateur – I ranked him 2nd in the class after Harper, over Taillon. Called him A-Rod Lite.

Ben: Reaction to Edwin Diaz’s conversion to RP?
Klaw: Expected. Think he could be very good there.

Travis: Is it still likely that Xander turns in to a 20 HR guy?
Klaw: I believe he will.

Bill: Have you heard any recent news on Kevin Maitan and the Braves? Are they still likely to sign him? Thanks.
Klaw: This has been locked in for a year already.

Jake: Where would Seth Beer have ranked?
Klaw: Impossible to say. If he were eligible, he’d be a nearly 20-year-old HS player and we’d all be downgrading him for that.

Alex: Re Louisiana prospects: Jake Rogers and Stephan Alemais at Tulane seems to be getting a fair share of love draft wise. You don’t see them as draft prospects?
Klaw: No, not in the top three rounds certainly.

Kevin: What college has the best baseball facilities that you have visited?
Klaw: LSU’s are ridiculous. They’re better than some MLB spring training facilities.

Hogie: Drew Ward at .301/.388/.549 . Still only 21. Back to being a prospect for you? If no- whats he gotta do?
Klaw: No. Repeating the level. Still needs to go to 1b.

Kay: Did I see you post something about Dylan Bundy throwing ~300 pitches as an amateur? How does that happen? I get that not every kid is gonna be a pro – but there are definitely going to be a few who never make it because of stupidity like this.
Klaw: Over the course of a 3-4 day tournament, yes. His dad would often brag about how Dylan had built up for this workload. Now the kid has calcification in his shoulder and can’t miss a bat. Orioles need to try to pass him through optional waivers so he can go to AAA.

Brad: Any chance Atlanta could get two of Will Benson, Lowe and Keiboom at 40 and 44?
Klaw: I think that’s very unlikely.

Michael: When a player like Kevin Pillar gets drafted so late and is never labeled a top prospect, do you consider that a scouting failure or just the randomness of the job?
Klaw: Just the randomness of the job. He’s got a .305 career OBP in the majors; he has to be an elite defensive CF to be anything at all.

Mike: Anything new on Cal Quantrill?
Klaw: Yes, in the top 100 post. You should read that. I spent a lot of time on it.

Tom: Already this season, Archer has reference “Of Mice and Men” and “Encyclopedia Brown.” If they feature “Animal Farm” and “The Great Brain” before season’s end, I might spontaneously combust.
Klaw: I gave up on the show with the Vice season.

Mike: Your description of Dylan Carlson sounds a lot like your feelings on Rowdy Tellez, who came out of the same high school. Do you see them as comparable players?
Klaw: No. Tellez was awful. DH only with power and no bat speed.

Tom: Level of 1 to PANIC how should I feel about Matz having forearm issues and missing his next start?
Klaw: It’s never good when a guy who’s had trouble staying healthy has another arm issue.

Jay: Did you hear that smelling farts can cure cancer?
Klaw: One study showed that reading Klawchat every week can make you last 30% longer in bed. Science is never wrong!

Ants: Have you read Ann Leckie’s Imperial Radch trilogy? Thoughts?
Klaw: I thought Ancillary Justice was OK and haven’t read the rest.

Michael: The guys on the radio are saying Xander has to hit 20 home runs to be really good. What should I do with my radio?
Klaw: I don’t even own a radio.

Dave: You were high on Alec Hansen last November and have moved him down in your rankings after a lousy spring. How hard is it to know what you are going from him?
Klaw: You don’t until someone gets to check him out physically and see if there’s an injury behind the awful performance.

MTM: Gonsalves is slaying people in high A. Projections for him?
Klaw: Unchanged. Back-end starter. FB-CH, below avg breaking ball.

Greg: Does Ian Anderson fall in the draft because of his lack of pitching this spring? I wonder how much his short season will affect his stock, since his health woes weren’t related to his mechanics at all
Klaw: I have heard he could still go very high, because he was so good last summer, but yeah, it’s hard to go to your owner and say you want to give a kid $3 million based on ten innings of scouting.

Ridley Kemp: Have you ever been so repulsed by a book you just couldn’t finish it? That was Henry and June for me.
Klaw: Running With Scissors. Not so much that it was graphic, but that it was pandering. I finished Naked Lunch and Tropic of Cancer but didn’t like either of them.

forever it: Alex Verdugo killing it in AA as a 19-year-old. Has his ceiling risen for you since the start of the year?
Klaw: Nope. Because … wait for it … SSS.

Klaw: And that’s all for this week. Thanks as always for the questions. I’ll have the 2006 redraft column up on Monday, my first “mock” first-round projection on Wednesday, and another chat next Thursday. Hope to see a few of you in Gainesville this weekend.

Klaw: An afterlife for a silverfish? No, just Klawchat.

Shane: Will Amed Rosario be a top 50 prospect by end of the season?
Klaw: I think he already was one. We do need to see him promoted rather than beating up a league he already faced last season.

Bob: A couple of colleagues on your network who will remain unnamed (PTI) were speculating yesterday about how many games the Cubs might win. 116? 118? Hey, they’re good and already have 20 wins in the bank but c’mon.
Klaw: Yeah, that’s not your source for baseball analysis. Were they also projecting the Phillies to win 90+?

Josh: How much stock do you put in the July 2 international player rankings? I imagine there is even more variance there with how individual teams value specific players than in the Rule 4 draft
Klaw: Very little, but I’m not criticizing the guys who put those rankings together – you’re talking about mostly 15-year-olds, sometimes kids who haven’t been seen in months because they’ve been locked up already with various not-that-legal deals. It’s an impossible ask.

Aaron S: Heard anything on Harrison Bader? Seems to be doing well at AA after a double promotion and first year after being drafted. Was also one of the 10 youngest AA players at the beginning of the year
Klaw: Problem is he’s not a CF. I think he can hit some, but he’s going to have to rake (and what he’s done so far is very flukish) to be a regular in a corner.

Zach B: How much do you get to scout international prospects given how much time you dedicate to the amateur draft and minor league systems?
Klaw: I see them when they sign. There’s very little value in seeing July 2nd guys now when it’s probably two years before they’re even on the pro prospect radar.

Jack: Any rumors on who the phillies might target with their second round pick?
Klaw: No, nor do I expect to hear anything on picks in the 40s and 50s.

Adam: What is Ben Gamel’s ceiling?
Klaw: Probably everyday player.

Teddy Roosevelt: If I said Phillies took Puk, Reds took Lewis and Braves took Ray, your reaction would be: “absolutely!”, “meh”, or “but, but Groome….”?
Klaw: Lewis at 2 is a reach for me. But if you said Puk-Senzel-Ray, I’d say “OK” and assume the Rockies would take Groome. Lewis has the upside, but he swings and misses too often against bad competition for me to see him as a #2 pick. I’m lighter on him and Senzel than the industry.

Me (Not You): Are we nearing a reappraisal of Lindor now that he’s continuing to hit so well? I knew you were never all that low on his bat, mind you, but this level of offense could allow him to sneak into MVP consideration some years, and that seems surprising.
Klaw: I had him as a top ten prospect in baseball, so I think he’s within the range of what I expected from him. Now, if he hits 20 HR this year, that would be surprising, and yes he’d be a solid MVP candidate if he becomes that kind of guy.

Kareem: Tyler Danish seems to be making some strides repeating AA, is he still solely projectable as a RP?
Klaw: I can’t see him as a starter with that delivery or going through a lineup 3x with his stuff. I could see him as a really effective long guy like Adam Warren last year, making some spot starts, but mostly going through lineups once and getting groundballs.

Keith: Is Severino having issues based on your scouting report ?
Klaw: If you’re saying did my evaluation predict what’s happening now, I think that’s too facile. His stuff looks very straight and mostly up in the zone right now, though, and that is at least partly related to the delivery.

James: With Rutherford already being 19 and Moniak being 17 (for another week), how much would teams value that when drafting?
Klaw: I think most teams have Moniak over Rutherford right now, because Moniak is the better overall athlete AND because he’s over a year younger.

Dylan: Thoughts on the new Radiohead song?
Klaw: It’s certainly interesting.

Joe: Thoughts on Will Craig? 1st round?
Klaw: No. Second round. Grooved swing, feasts a lot on bad pitching, no position.

Anonymous: Isn’t it time to move Benintendi up?
Klaw: It’s been a month, and I don’t object to a team saying a guy should get around the league a little longer before a promotion. He’s not going to spend all year in high-A.

John: Any new information on how Delvin Perez is doing? Are the Reds in on him at #2?
Klaw: I mentioned him in my post this morning. I heard the Reds were in heavy at Caguas this week to watch him.

Kevin: Is Zack Collins gonna go in the top 15, considering his Schwarber-like profile?
Klaw: He’s not like Schwarber, but I’ve heard two teams specifically on him in the top ten, Oakland and possibly the White Sox.

Joetown, CO: I realize the old stat of Total Average isn’t perfect, but isn’t it much better than OPS? Why shouldn’t it be the most common standard of a batter’s production?
Klaw: It’s garbage. Just throwing a bunch of numbers together with no regard to whether they even belong in the equation, let alone whether they’re weighted appropriately.

Konrad: Who can you see the Brewers taking with their first round pick this year?
Klaw: Best player available. That could be Ray, Delvin, maybe Lewis or Senzel. Don’t see Groome getting there. Don’t think they’d take Pint. I wonder if they’d consider Manning, as Ray Montgomery isn’t afraid to take a high-ceiling prep arm.

Dad: Any scenario (besides strategic $ allocation/signability) in which a team should ever go against BPA in the draft?
Klaw: No, you named the only one. And even then, in hindsight, did the Royals do well to reach for Dozier at 8 so they could get Manaea at 34? Dozier is repeating AA now, and may not be anything, while Manaea was a useful trade piece but not quite as good as expected. And at the time that seemed like a really smart strategy on their part.

John: Hey Keith! Thanks for everything that you do for us readers. I was curious if you had considered doing your own podcast like Joe Posnanski does. I really enjoyed it when you had yours through ESPN. Thanks!
Klaw: I have no spare time right now for anything new.

jimmy: Are you concerned about Shelby Miller or Zack Greinke’s starts?
Klaw: Miller I’m concerned about – he doesn’t look right. I wonder if he’s hurt, or at least physically off. Greinke I think will be fine.

Shelby: Is Oakland only targeting college hitters at 6?
Klaw: I think that’s their preference, likely Senzel or Collins, although they had a bunch of guys there to see Manning (who’s local to them, so it’s easier to just drive up to watch him) on Monday when I was there.

Joshua: Keith, what numbers would you see Trea Turner putting up if he were brought up tomorrow? Obviously one answer is “better than Espinosa”, but how much better? Thanks.
Klaw: I think he could post a .340 OBP, steal a bunch of bases, and play above average defense at short right now. That’s worlds better than the zero they’re getting.

Formerly the Smasher: Could the Jays be a landing spot for Ryan Braun?
Klaw: Doubt it. They don’t appear to be a team that’s looking to take on any money, much less a bad contract.

Eric: When scouting amateur pitchers, what is the first thing you look for? Throwing strikes? Stuff?
Klaw: Stuff is the first thing you see, but if the delivery’s bad, I’m a lot less interested.

Dan B: Met you on Market St in Philly this past weekend. Thanks again for the time. Do you think Tommy Joseph can be an average major league first baseman?
Klaw: Yep, good to meet you too – you caught me right as I was stepping into High Street for lunch. I do not think that on Joseph, and he’s got no history of staying healthy, unfortunately.

Joshua: Keith, I saw that you were recently in Sacramento and went to Magpies and enjoyed it. What did you get there, I’ve been meaning to go since they recently moved to that location. Thanks.
Klaw: Pork belly starter, duck confit salad, ice cream sandwich. Hard to beat that.

Kyle: Is this the weakest crop of college pitchers… Ever? Sheffield and Hudson seem to be the consensus 2 and 3 behind Puk, what with Krook/Hansen/Jefferies falling apart or getting hurt. A 6’0″ TJS guy as the best or second-best NCAA pitcher is hard to believe.
Klaw: Don’t agree on Sheffield as 2 or 3. He’s a reliever all the way. I’ve got Sedlock at Illinois over him, and Connor Jones too despite inferior stuff because he can sink it and has starter size. Dane Dunning might be better. Robert Tyler’s got comparable stuff and has a better frame. But yes, the college starter crop is all kinds of terrible. Keep an eye on Corbin Burnes at St. Mary’s – i think he’ll go sooner than we expect because someone will say they’d prefer the safety of the college pitcher to the risk of the high school guy.

Almost Dad: My wife is due in two months. Mother’s day is Sunday. Good move or bad move to recognize her this weekend? I can see +’s and -‘s of each.
Klaw: Good move. Or, bad move to fail to do so, one you will hear about for the next fifty years. Also congratulations.

Mike: Thoughts on Drake Fellows? Top 3 rounds?
Klaw: No, don’t see that.

Jason: This is probably a dumb question, but what do teams do with 16 year olds kids they draft? Do they throw them into Rookie ball? Or do they keep them in extended spring training?
Klaw: Instructs in September, extended spring the following April/May, then rookie ball (GCL or AZL). Rinse, repeat.

Adam: Rumor is Braves want draft picks even if they take on bad contracts…..if they were to take on Braun to get Lucroy and that end of 1st pick what do you think they would have to give up? Newcomb?
Klaw: This isn’t a rumor, nor did I find it newsworthy – almost every team drafting up top wants more picks so they can spread the money around. The Brewers do not have an end of 1st pick they can trade.

Adam: How does Groome compare to Beckett out of High School?
Klaw: Beckett is before my time.

Andrew: With Garret Richards now having some sort of injury, should the Angels sign Tim Lincecum?
Klaw: He’s not going to start, and unless Timmy Jim comes out throwing 92-94 tomorrow I doubt he’s going to get many major-league offers.

Joetown, CO: It’s far less garbage than the illogical OPS and most meaningless batting average. It’s biggest flaw is not weighting a single more than a walk, but otherwise, it tells you how many bases a batter is good for per plate appearance. That’s better than garbage and much better than most stats most commonly used now.
Klaw: No, it’s actually worse than OPS, and that’s saying something. It treats a stolen base the same as a single. It penalizes a hitter for each GIDP, so the same hitter will have a lower TA just because he’s got a slow runner who gets on base a lot hitting in front of him. It’s a brain-dead stat, one that sounds good but makes no logical sense.

Ciscoskid: So Magpie, how was it? I would have sent you to 4 other places had I known. Were you here for the Boras Classic?
Klaw: It was absolutely superb. I doubt I could have had a better meal. I was there Monday to see Matt Manning pitch.

Honest Abe: Is Dave Stewart gonna look at Blair’s numbers at the end of the year, then glance at Shelby’s and then throw his laptop against the wall?
Klaw: I don’t think Stew is the looking-at-numbers sort.

Aa: Where do you think high school teammates, Luca Dalatri and Brandon Martorano, will be picked in the draft?
Klaw: Way below the range I cover.

Richie: I’m not wuite sure what to make of Wuilmer Becerra. On the one hand he’s hitting .400 and his k and bb rates are showing good signs…..on the other hand he’s a supposed power bat who has just 1 hr in his last 73 gms. Should we be concerned, excited, a little of both?
Klaw: Those last 73 games came largely in two homer-suppressing ballparks. He’s also still 21.

Rob: Jose Quintana, probably the most underrated pitcher in the mlb. Gets better and better. Adam Eaton is another White Sox player that flies under the radar.
Klaw: This is Klawchat. This is not RobChat. Try again, this time with a question in there somewhere.

Eric Johnson: Can King Felix survive at 90?
Klaw: Come on, he’s not that old.

Jack: Are the phillies locked in on Puk? Or do they not know yet?
Klaw: They do not know. Nor should they, given the date – it’s may 5th, in case you didn’t know – and the draft class this year.

AD: Ronald Guzman—is his start for real or just SSS? Have you gotten any scouting reports on him?
Klaw: It’s 22 games. Also it’s May 5th.

JR: Feels like there has been a lot of talk about “tanking” this year, I’ve seen a few columns from Buster and others being critical of the strategy. What are your thoughts? I would prefer my team tank and have the opportunity at a high ceiling in a few years, as opposed to signing vets and doom your team to being stuck in middle (not good enough to make postseason, not bad enough to get high draft pick).
Klaw: I don’t think of it as “tanking” like in the NBA, but the current rules around MLB’s draft and international spending provide tremendous incentive for teams to do what the Astros did and now Atlanta, the Brewers, and the Phillies are doing. There is no point in spending money just to get from 68 wins to 72.

Mark: Have you heard any reports about Giolito this Spring? Tiny sample size, but he’s struggled a bit in AA, and I was wondering if he was focusing on the changeup, and/or if he’d had any dip in velocity.
Klaw: I heard Maddux tinkered with his delivery, which, if true, would be the dumbest fucking thing I have ever heard of a pitching coach doing with a prospect, because Giolito’s delivery did not need tinkering.

DanO: Any insight on what the Mets are looking for since they have 2 picks in Round 1? They don’t appear to lean heavily in any one direction from year to year. Nimmo/Cecchini/Smith vs. Conforto.
Klaw: Nimmo was a previous scouting director so don’t lump him in with the others. I think they prefer the safety of bats with the first pick, but are otherwise just best player available. This year that’s probably a bat anyway.

Marshall: Klaw, this question relates to Buxton, because in what I think has almost become a lost year for the franchise that he should be starting in CF every day. Do you believe that a young hitters “confidence” is ever destroyed to the point that they lose the ability to hit. Or (as I believe) is that the player simply never was going to develop the hitting skill set necessary to succeed at the major league level?
Klaw: Klaw about an hour ago

Ryan: How does Mike Soroka’s ceiling compare to the other arms in Atlanta’s sysetem?
Klaw: Lower. Like his arm slot. #rimshot

David/Indiana: Are you a fan of Faulkner? If so, what is your favorite?
Klaw: Yes. Absalom, Absalom is one of my top 20 novels ever.

Alex: Would you vote David Ortiz into the HOF? Will he make it? Edgar Martinez seems to have no chance, but Ortiz is a much bigger part of baseball history.
Klaw: No, I don’t think he’s a Hall of Famer even before we talk about the failed test.

Patrick?: Think Zunino will make an impact in the MLB? He is crushing AAA right now. Or is he just a AAAA player?
Klaw: I do think so.

Joe: The Dbacks announcers often use Nick Ahmed, Branon Drury, and Randall Delgado (?) as proof that the Upton trade wasn’t bad. I’m still not happy with the return we got and how the FO did everything they could to run down his value, but how would you say it has ended up over the 3+ seasons since that trade was made?
Klaw: It was a total disaster. They took fifty cents on the dollar for Upton and probably ended up losing a nickel along the way. Players like Ahmed aren’t that hard to find.

Brian: What do you think the Rangers see in Chi Chi Gonzalez? He has never had an out pitch, and yet he was the pitcher they seemed determined to hold on to last year when they were trading away Eickoff, Thompson, Asher, etc.
Klaw: His cutter was an out pitch. Not sure why it hasn’t been so in the upper levels.

tony: Are you going to be on any more game broadcasts this year?
Klaw: Currently scheduled for three more, next one is June 8th.

Jack: Would selecting AJ Puk number 1 at a discounted price be a bad selection?
Klaw: No, not at all. I think taking Lewis there would probably be one, given the contact issues, but you could make a good argument in his favor too. If I could be satisfied that Delvin’s immaturity was not a real impediment to him becoming a star, I’d take him. Best tools in the draft, doesn’t turn 18 till October, stays at shortstop.

Zach: HI Keith, have you caught any of Gray’s first couple starts for CO? Just wondering if there have been any signs if progress there recently.
Klaw: Looked terrible in what I saw – fastball is true and hitters have no trouble seeing it.

Josh K: Still high on Gausman upside?
Klaw: Yes, if healthy, and if the Orioles just leave him the hell alone. Looks like he’s now on the middle of the rubber, not perfect but better than where Buck and company shoved him last year.

James: What’s your take on Sale not saying in so many words that he’s pitching to contact, but rather, finding more “economical” ways to retire batters in order to pitch deeper into games? Seems like a risky tack for a guy who’s good for 11 K/9 all season long.
Klaw: Don’t know what to make of it, although I think the White Sox could certainly ask him not to do that because they might feel they’re better off with him averaging six innings and being more effective when he’s pitching.

Darkwing: Is there any artist (writer, filmmaker, musician, etc) whose work you like, but you don’t like them personally? (ex. I like some of Polanski’s films, but don’t like the guy for obvious reasons)
Klaw: Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris is wonderful but he’s a terrible human being. I even like some Bing Crosby movies but he even copped to being a horrible, abusive father and husband in his first marriage.

Joshy: What do you think about Ronald Acuna? Do you think he could develop some power and become a near 5-tool player?
Klaw: Wouldn’t go that far but I love the bat and the approach for someone so young.

Luke: We already play Ticket to Ride and Carcassone. What’s the next game I should introduce to my 7-year old?
Klaw: Splendor. My daughter loves it.

Louis: How would you grade out Benintendi? 70 hit/60 power/60 run/55 arm/55 fielding?
Klaw: I love Benintendi, but everyone is getting way too excited about a college prospect raking in high-A. He might be a superstar – it wouldn’t really surprise me at all – but I think we need to see him in AA. The SEC to high-A is kind of a lateral move for a 21-year-old.

Harry: How many mock drafts are you doing, and when is the first one?
Klaw: Four. First one May 18th. Usually then it’s two weeks till the second one, one about 4-5 days before the draft, then one the morning of the draft.

J-Doug: To your readers who think TA is better than OPS, this has been studied to death by sabermetricians and OPS, while not great, beats true average every time (predicting the number of runs scored in an inning about 30% better). If you really want an offense stat that doesn’t mess with the denominator, try wOBA.
Klaw: Yep, wOBA, while not quite intuitive, answers the question of hitter value (in a rate stat) far better.

Jim: Think Dakota Hudson will go to the Red Sox at number 12?
Klaw: I think he goes in the 10-17 range. Wouldn’t get any more specific yet.

TestaDuda: I’ve heard early reports that next year’s draft class is better than this one. Do you agree and if so is it 2011 better? 2005 better? Just looking for a comp or context.
Klaw: The very top of next year’s draft is better. I don’t know about the depth, but there are more guys who could emerge as strong 1-1 candidates next year than there are for this year.

Scott of Lincolnshire: Gleyber Torres, yes it’s early, but is it still early? He’s super young for the level, but the results aren’t good.
Klaw: He’s super young for the level. So is Devers. Torres is four months older than Blake Rutherford and three years younger than Dansby Swanson.

Jeff: Speaking of Woody Allen – did you read his Hollywood Reporter interview that was just recently published? Spoiler alert: He’s still weird.
Klaw: Beyond creepy, although it certainly seemed to fit my own suspicions that he’s some kind of narcissist and/or sociopath.

Harold V: I like how you didn’t include the Cubs on your list of teams that have tanked.
Klaw: When did they tank?

Jay: Matt Cain still seems to have velocity and movement with his pitches – but not command. Given his track record, wouldn’t you expect him to regain the command over time?
Klaw: Velocity is down and if there’s indeed more effort required just to get that velocity then that’s going to kill command. I’m out.

fill: how has aj minter looked and whats his potential
Klaw: I have no new reports on him (or a lot of guys yet – it’s early and I’m draft-focused) but I saw him pre-TJ and saw a middle reliever at best. Short guy, bad delivery, was 90-92 after the first inning.

Mitch: What round will Cooper Johnson be drafted in? Great defensive tool but the bat is a ?
Klaw: Second round. Maybe sandwich because there’s no catchers in the class. I think you nailed the summary on him.

mcf1417: Who are some of those 1-1 types for 2017? Inquiring Braves fans need to know.
Klaw: Jeren Kendall and Kyle Wright at Vandy. Alex Faedo at Florida. Alex Lange at LSU. Tanner Houck at Missouri. And that’s without even touching the HS crop, like the socal pitcher Hunter Greene who’s already 94-96.

Drew: Thank you for singing the praises of Empire Falls. I just finished it and loved it. Which of his should I read next?
Klaw: Straight Man is the funniest. Nobody’s Fool is probably the next-best novel.

rico: what’s the point of a mock draft 4 days before and then the morning of? what changes in 4 days regarding ability?
Klaw: A mock draft is not about ability. It’s a projection of who’s taking which player. This confusion comes from idiots posting “mock drafts” months ahead that are nothing more than lists of names with zero information on who teams would actually consider taking.

Youth_Movement: What are your thoughts these days about Dom Smith? You think he’ll be able to “prevent his shirt buttons from popping out”?
Klaw: He’s been raking and showing more power. Still heavy, still playing good defense at first.

Greg: Seems like a lot of the industry has become more optimistic on Kyle Lewis as the spring goes on. I know you were down on him, and I’m not suggesting you should change your mind because others have, but I’m curious if you’re at least somewhat more optimistic on him?
Klaw: No, I think he is the same player he’s always been. Maybe folks see the paucity of good college bats and figure after Ray and perhaps Senzel (more certain, lower ceiling) Lewis is next on the list so you’d better learn to like him. They’re not entirely wrong if that’s the case.

Rian: corey ray is what type of player in 5 years
Klaw: I’ve had a bunch of people compare him to Ray Lankford. I think that’s a reasonable optimistic scenario.

James: Is it foolish to think Berrios could be a No. 1 someday? Or are the tools just not there?
Klaw: The stuff is not there. Fastball is flat. Offspeed stuff is certainly good, but not good enough to make him top 15 in the majors.

Greg: You’re high on the Atlanta system, obviously. When do you see them back in competition for a playoff spot?
Klaw: Probably three years out from that. Depends on whether Liberty gives them some money to spend once they’re in the new stadium.

JR: Draft prospects, minor leaguers, major leaguers – how are you able to keep up with all these players?
Klaw: For the next few weeks I won’t do much work on anything but the draft. I can catch up on pro stuff after that, and by then my friends who are pro scouts will have worked through a lot of their assigned coverage anyway.

JD: SSS aside, anything (team, player, trend) that’s surprised you so far in the MLB season?
Klaw: The White Sox look like they might be sufficiently different that I would tell their fans yes, they’re legitimate contenders, probably better than everyone forecasted.

Paul/DC: Have you ever read any of Tim O’Brien books? Going After Cacciato and The Things They Carry are two of my favorite books
Klaw: Read the latter. It was good, not top 100 for me.

Brad: Do you ever wonder if this chat is one person just using different names?
Klaw: Actually this chat is twelve different AI scripts all posting as “Klaw.”

Oren: Is it feasible to hold hope for Dylan Bundy succeeding at this point? Being out of options is such an additional challenge.
Klaw: He’s not healthy. He has calcification in his shoulder, and now his stuff is down across the board. He’s gotten just four swings and misses on his fastball all season. I’m sorry to see it, but I can’t find reasons for optimism right now.

Matt: I’ve loved almost every book and board game recommendation from you, but Absalom Absalom just did not do it for me. It was such a slog, boring and kinda difficult to read. It seems very different than most of the other books on your list. Why the high praise?
Klaw: It is indeed difficult to read, but I find the prose scintillating and the story arc – the fall of the South from the end of the Civil War through the 1920s, told through the decline of one family – absolutely perfect.

James: What bothers me about you Tyreek Hill stance is what happens to his victim and child? They deserve financial means – a significant piece of his NFL salary. I’d rather he continue to seek therapy and pay for the care of an innocent child with a 500K salary than be barred from the league and have his victim and child receive nothing.
Klaw: Because therapy doesn’t do jack. Men who choke women are not fixable; choking itself is a huge predictor of future attempts to kill. Your argument could easily be used to argue against any abuser going to jail, because instead he could be working and paying child support. And free to kill someone, too.

Rob: Is there any hope for Jorge Soler? He shows patience and looks the part but watching him swing at curve balls is really, really ugly.
Klaw: Yes, but he’ll need to play every day somewhere.

Josh: Do you think Urias or DeLeon will/should be called up this year? And in what role(s)?
Klaw: I think both will, probably both in the rotation at least temporarily while the Dodgers wait for the veteran starters to return from the DL. I think DeLeon might be better suited to long relief to break him in.

Julia: Dusty Baker. Just…why. That’ s my only question. WHY. (you can insert any phrase involving unbelievable decisions that somehow haven’t hurt the team much yet)
Klaw: Because veterans and leadership and it’s not even like he says stuff that makes sense any more.

Kyle: Thoughts on the connection between the showcase circuit and arm injuries? About halfway through The Arm and curious of your thoughts
Klaw: Agree completely with Jeff’s premise there. He’s right about every target in there, from the scouts who flood these events (I go to a couple too, because the kids are there) to Perfect Game’s model aiming at younger and younger kids. We truly do need these kids to pitch less, and to stop trying to show off for us by throwing harder, which means putting the radar guns away until they’re 17 or 18.

Klaw: That’s all for this week’s chat – thank you as always for your questions. I’ll be back next Thursday, by which point Eric and I will have posted top 100 ranking for the draft too.