The dish

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Klaw: It’s a Klawchat party. Leave your body and soul at the door.

Jimmy: Any qualms about pitch counts, innings, short rest in WS? Or is it basically anything goes since it’s only one series
Klaw: I think it’s mostly anything goes. You’re going to pull a starter for fatigue/loss of effectiveness long before you get to the point where you think he’s likely to be injured. The short rest concern is that pitchers pitch worse on short rest, so you have to think a short-rest Kluber is better than whatever plan B would be for game 4. (That may be true because their plan B options are bad.)

Steve: Mike Montgomery has been an important piece of the Cubs BP, but sometimes struggles with command. Is that struggle going to limit him to the pen moving forward? Stuff looks so nasty at times that I can see the temptation to move him back to a starters role.
Klaw: Reliever only for me. Lack of FB command has always been a big issue as has any consistency with the breaking ball when he started.

Jimmy: Why did they cancel your podcast with Karabell yet they have fantasy football podcasts like all day every day?
Klaw: Football sells better than baseball.

Anonymous: Keith, what is your take on Kyle Schwarber these last two games? I can’t think of a comparable situation.
Klaw: Looks great. I think I said last year in chat he might have a 70 hit tool.

Jeremy: Would you play Schwarber in the field while there is no DH? Is the reward of winning the WS (and the first in over 100 years, at that) worth the injury risk to a young, very promising player? Thanks as always for the chat, one of the highlights of my workday (don’t tell my boss!)
Klaw: I would not. Less concerned about injury (that was a fluke) than about the defensive hit you’ll take having him or Carlos Santana out there.

Mitch: How does Bo Bichette compare to his brother as a hitter?
Klaw: Not even close. Bo’s a way better hitter, way better athlete, with better instincts. I thought Bo had first-round potential this past year, whereas I didn’t have Dante Jr on my top 100 in his draft year.

Cory: Thoughts on Yadier Alvarez of the dodgers organization? Could he and De Leon be a good starting point for a Dozier trade?
Klaw: Alvarez has huge upside because it’s plus-plus stuff with limited pitching experience, but the experience he has has been positive. I’m sure the Twins would listen on that, although De Leon is kind of more of what they already have in the system.

Mitch: Re: The International draft. Is MLB basically just sticking its head in the sand as to all the reasons it’s a crappy idea?
Klaw: It’s worlds better than the present system, where teams sign players over a year before their eligibility date and then hide them from other clubs. Even a three-round draft to get the million-dollar guys signed would probably clean up the worst of the offenses down there, and then lesser players could sign after the draft up to some predetermined number ($400-500K) that compensates them fairly without the shenanigans.

J: Off the track of the WS… do you think Toles can be an everyday OF for the Dodgers next year? And/or do you think he will?
Klaw: I do not. Never been a big believer in the bat.

Tom: Tomlin’s curve enough to neutralize Cubbies seeking fastballs?
Klaw: Tomlin’s curve isn’t very good. His change is his best pitch. But I think this is a bad matchup for him – the Cubs kill soft stuff.

ASB: What do you think about Trump saying: environmental activists need to get a life? That we should trust Wall Street to regulate itself? That a politician needs a public position to tell people what they want to hear but their private position is really what matters? That a single-payer healthcare system is a bad idea and will never happen? Just kidding, those are all things Hillary Clinton said that came to light from Wikileaks. Now, tell me why I shouldn’t vote for Jill Stein again?
Klaw: Well, Stein opposes nuclear power (safe and clean) and GM foods (safe and probably necessary to feed the planet), openly pandered to vaccine deniers and 9/11 truthers, and can’t explain how she’d actually make her ‘plan’ about canceling student debt work. (There’s merit in that idea, but she has shown absolutely no indication she understands how to do it, nor has she cited the role the borrowers play in making college more expensive.) Also, Stein can’t and won’t win; she’s not even going to get to the 5% for federal funding for the party in 2020, so it’s truly a wasted vote. FTR, Clinton’s support of fracking is a real frustration for me, but there’s a flip side to it – if you want to end fracking, then you are going to see big spikes in fuel prices, including gas, which tends to be highly regressive.

Scott: Klaw, just found your site (sorry….lame I know)! After my Sox collapse, can we just assume Price’s contract will be the worst (yes, even worse than A-Rod’s) contract in history?
Klaw: Klaw about 2 hours ago

Jim: What is your take on the Twins hiring Thad Levine?
Klaw: More of the same – another white male prep-school educated guy without experience in the baseball side or the analytics side of the business. I also was surprised that Falvey didn’t find someone with a different background from his own to try to complement his resume and fill in missing skills.

Biff: Stick to baseball. And board games. And food, I like food. And politics I like when u do politics. And anything else u feel that u can offer an informed opinion on. But only those topics! Otherwise I’ll threaten to stop reading, but I won’t really, cuz I like your stuff and I just want you only write for me and if I don’t like it, you’re gonna need to apologize.
Klaw: I’m sorry, I think.

Todd: Kris Bryant went in the 18th round out of high school. Cases like his fascinate me, because he was clearly a prospect at that point, but there seemed to be an industry understanding that he was going to college. Was this simply the message he sent to teams, or was there clear development he needed to be a legitimate prospect? Most importantly, do you think he would’ve turned into the player he is if he’d signed with Toronto and skipped college? Or was there something he got from college that he may not have by going directly to pro ball?
Klaw: He wanted about a million dollars. I would have given it to him – I ranked him as a first rounder that year – but that said, I think college was a good experience for him and he grew as a player and a person.

Tom: Thoughts on Smoltz as an analyst? IMO a nice change of pace from typical color guys.
Klaw: I think some of his insights are outstanding and he makes the game better. Still drawn to too many cliches.

Tom: On Gary Johnson, at one point I had hope for him but I agree with you that most of what I have seen from him is not good. But the two party system has produce one despicable and one not ideal candidate this year and I can see it continuing to get worse as this country gets more divided. I live in PA which Hillary is going to win anyway so would a vote for Johnson to help the Libertarians get to 5% and federal funding so that maybe in 4 years or 12 or 20 a viable third party contender may emerge be such a bad thing? The rest of the ballot I’m confident in voting for the correct candidates.
Klaw: There is certainly merit in saying you want to get a third party to the 5% mark. I’m just not at all sure it should be that party – and I say that as someone with a lot of libertarian leanings. My real hope is that the GOP loses badly enough in two weeks that it leads to a change in the party leadership. They’re still running on a platform with social views that are decades behind the populace.

TJ: hi Keith! Thanks for these chats! Regarding gleybar Torres, 280/340/440 is that too optimistic for his prime? Can he be better then that?
Klaw: Better. I see a superstar.

Albert: Hi Keith. There’s a lot of talk about pitchers not being as effective the 3rd or 4th time through the lineup.
Klaw: Fatigue is a huge factor in this effect. Also hitters will tell you that seeing a guy three times in one night is a lot different than seeing him three times over three starts.

Jacob: How did Kaprilians stuff suddenly get better? Wasn’t he injured all year? This is really sss for his improved stuff isn’t it?
Klaw: His stuff was like this in March and April, then his elbow barked but he never needed surgery – he just rested and rehabbed. Came back this month and the stuff was still there.

Kier: Seems like most people have Daniel Norris pegged as a #3. That accurate to you? Or could he be better than that?
Klaw: It’s #1 potential. Too good an athlete to just call him a mid-rotation or league-average type starter.

John: Why won’t Daniels trade Profar
Klaw: Probably doesn’t want to sell low on him.

Jean Luc: At this point, is Senzel the obvious hitter you’d want from this last draft?
Klaw: No, Rutherford is.

joshkvt: Agree with your response last week that an all-reliever staff logistically wouldn’t work. But would it make sense for a team to replace the 5th and/or 4th spot with a few long relievers who might be better in terms of quality? Obviously that would require a shift away from the 3-pitchers-an-inning nonsense on days when the regular SP throw, but that would not be a bad thing. 3SP, 1 LH specialist if needed, 6 RP capable of throwing 2-3 innings, and 1 back-end spot-starter type for when needed. Better quality and an extra bench spot so you don’t have to use a pitcher to run?
Klaw: Every team should carry one or two long relievers anyway. Maybe you use them to fake the fifth spot the 20-25 times it comes up each year, or bring guys up for spot starts.

Todd: Chance Adams in your top 100?
Klaw: No. I won’t work on that list at all till after Thanksgiving, but I can say now he won’t be on it.

Doc: You spoke highly of Travis Demeritte’s glove — thoughts on his bat?
Klaw: Same as it was, really: huge bat speed, plus raw power, too much swing and miss. Maybe he should talk to Javy Baez.

Tom: Just read that players voted Altuve #1 and Trout #6 in a Sporting News Player of the Year poll. I guess players judge other players by their teammates as well. Although Altuve’s team didn’t make the playoffs either.
Klaw: The players’ selections for the All-Star Games have been the worst picks every year. There’s no reason to believe they know better than we do; they’re busy being the best in the world at playing, not poring over Fangraphs.

Nic: Does Gavin Cecchini have the bat and glove to be an everyday SS? Would it behoove the Mets to try him at 2B?
Klaw: He can’t play short. His throwing issues are bad enough that I’m worried about him at second.

Travis: Any bats (aside from Kendall and Adell) who look like they could be top 10 picks in the draft next year?
Klaw: Royce Lewis too. That list should go up next week.

BD: How on earth did a guy like Sandy Leon all of a sudden hit like an allstar for a full season??
Klaw: He didn’t. He hit like an all-star for two months. Then in September he went back to being a cipher. And his season was only 283 PA.

Mike P.: Keith, do you ever listen to sports talk radio, if for no other reason than to hear the bizarre stuff callers want to talk about?
Klaw: Never. I only listen to XM in the car – music or BBC world service, pretty much.

Mike: Why build more nuclear power plants when we have this thing called the sun that sends all the solar power we ever need? Not to mention there’s this thing we have called wind? Nuclear power has a place but it’s outdated thinking. It’s pretty easy to throw solar panels on my roof – how many years (not to mention billions and billions of dollars) does it take to get a nuclear power plant built?
Klaw: Solar panels aren’t very efficient, mining the rare metals used in them is not that environmentally friendly, and they actually create a lot of local heat. They’re part of a solution, but the technology needs to improve before they become more of a solution.

Casey: What has caused the mass exodus of so much of Boston’s FO — Hazen, Sawdaye, Tippett, etc.? Is it wrong to see this as a step in the wrong direction?
Klaw: Better opportunities elsewhere, certainly – a successful FO will have guys picked off by other orgs.

Jill: Who is your least favorite coworker?
Klaw: Janice in Accounting.

Frank: SF never seems to have decent outfield prospects, but with Quinn, Reynolds, and Duggar, is it ok to be really excited? How would you rank those?
Klaw: Reynolds is a guy, potential above-average regular. Other two aren’t really more than up-and-down types.

J.P.: So, Manfred says he’s going to look into the Chief Wahoo logo after the WS. Will anything actually be accomplished?
Klaw: Sounds like he’s actually taking the issue seriously. I’m optimistic. The name is bad, but the logo is much worse. And if they kill the logo, perhaps there will be less opposition to rebranding the team?

addoeh: Everyone questions if these are our two best candidates and they aren’t. For reasons I’ll never understand, the Republicans went for the guy who shouts the loudest, but had a couple of good candidates in Graham and Kasich. The best Democrat was probably Kaine, who didn’t run. So we do have good candidates, but they either lost or didn’t run.
Klaw: Biden would have been a hell of a candidate; the sense around here is that he would have tried if he hadn’t just lost his son. But I don’t think this system is really set up to produce the best candidates. We’ll get an Obama or a Reagan sneaking through every now and then, but those will be exceptions.

Jace: So you’re saying the Cubs should have gotten Melancon and kept Torres? I feel like we’ll regret this one in a few years.
Klaw: If they win three more games in the next week you won’t regret it at all.

Candy Maldonado: Thanks for the retweet the other day.
Klaw: You’re welcome!

JJ: Rich Hill seems to be the consensus “best starter available” for free agents. What kind of contract do you see him getting?
Klaw: He will be the top starting pitcher on my free agent rankings, which will appear whenever they’re eligible to sign with other teams. It’s a weak crop, and the starter crop is weaker than anything.

Lee: Although I’m always in favor of more transparency from our elected leaders, I’m not sure it’s fair to judge Clinton based on stolen private emails from her friends and staff members. I’d suggest there would be major issues with any politician if we had access to all their email and all their staffs email.
Klaw: I agree. The discussion of the ethics of these emails would be a good one, if anyone seemed interested in having it. If leaked documents point to evidence of a crime, or a conspiracy to commit or cover one up, then we should probably use them. If leaked documents just show us someone isn’t as nice a person as we’d like to think, should they still be fair game?

Drew: Is David Price’s post-season record anything other than a string of bad luck?
Klaw: That’s what I think it is.

Jimmy: ever eaten somebody food and pretended you liked it because you were a guest at their house or somewhere?
Klaw: Yes, that is the worst. This one time I was over a friend’s house to eat. The macaroni was soggy, the peas were mush, and the chicken tasted like wood.

Craig: I know you were critical of the Brewers for foisting Counsell on Stearns. After nearly two full years at the helm, Counsell doesn’t seem overwhelmed tactically and has done a good job with the young players. Is he a good manager?
Klaw: Has he done a good job with the young players? I don’t think I’d buy that.

Blueberry Johnson: Hi Keith, social anxiety / escitalopram user here… Just curious, how much did you experiment with your dosage? On 10 mg and while it’s helped, I’m not sure it’s quite the life changer that you’ve seemed to experience.
Klaw: I’ve been on 20 mg/day the whole time, although I think in practice I end up taking it 6 days a week rather than 7 because sometimes I forget. I have wondered if I’d be better off at 10, given the side effects, but I’m nervous about losing the benefits.

Harrisburg Hal: You spoke last week about playing board games with your daughter. My oldest daughter absolutely hates to lose games to the point where it’s not much fun playing with her. Last year we bought Forbidden Island (and later Pandemic) because they were cooperative. The last time we played, she got upset when her sister was the one who “achieved the victory” for the group. I’m kind of at a loss. She’s always asking to play games, but I have a tough time getting excited to go through this every time we play and frequently come up with an excuse not to play. She never was interested in sports, and I feel that competing in team sports might have helped with this trait. I’ve been coaching kids’ sports for more than 10 years now and I tell other parents all the time that the thing I enjoy most about team sports are the soft lessons that can be learned – commitment, sportsmanship, supporting teammates, etc.
Klaw: I’d keep playing with her and essentially getting her used to the idea that 1) she will lose sometimes and 2) it doesn’t matter. She shouldn’t be holding on to the loss like that when there is no consequence or nothing lasting from it. My daughter went through that when she was a bit younger, and we’ve coaxed her out of it, mostly just by playing so many games, but also pointing out that you should be satisfied with knowing you played well. I was a terrible loser as a kid, so trying to raise someone who can be happy just playing the game was always important to me.

JJ: The Red Sox still got the better end of the Eduardo Rodriguez – Andrew Miller trade, right?
Klaw: Yes. Did you see Rodriguez at the end of the year? I still think he’s going to be a star.

Moltar: With his current results, should Andrew Miller consider starting again? Or is a multi-inning, high leverage reliever more valuable than a less-than-ace starter?
Klaw: He can’t do it. Doesn’t have the command for it.

Sam: I think the genius of Michael Schur is that he creates shows with diverse actors/actresses and characters, but doesn’t pigeonhole them into stereotypes. He just lets them be funny people. I hope more are following this example going forward.
Klaw: I don’t think anyone out there does sitcoms like he and his team do them. They build ensembles like the classic sitcoms had, but as you said, they break with the custom of having each character in a narrow, well-defined niche. I feel like if anyone were to make Barney Miller today, it would be Fremulon.

Mike: Is it a sure thing Hellickson and Boras refuse the Phillies’ QO?
Klaw: No, but I’d take him for a year at $17 million. 3 WAR starter who was healthy all year is probably worth about that much, and a one-year commitment is basically riskless.

Garrett: Hot Takes aside… why are so many people already writing off the rest of Heyward’s contract? Yes he clearly has some mechanical flaws that might also be affecting his approach (never seen him swing at so many low and in breaking stuff)… But he’s also just turned 27 and should be able to get fixed. Lets not act like this is Dan Uggla losing his power and utility at the same time.
Klaw: I’m with you. I think it’s part mechanical, part mental, unless he’s hiding an injury we don’t know about. Definitely wouldn’t give up on him, and I don’t think they could dump the contract anyway.

Hinkie: Odubel Hererra for James Paxton … who says no ?
Klaw: Mariners say no to that.

Peter: Regarding the earlier Counsell question. He kept Domingo Santana on the bench so Kirk Nieuwenhuis could play. That’s not doing a good job with the young players.
Klaw: Jimmy Nelson went backwards. Arcia wasn’t good, although perhaps he shouldn’t have been up after a lackluster performance in AAA. I am not saying Counsell was bad with the young players, but the argument was that he was good with them and I don’t see the evidence.

Sam: Is Lincecum done? Can he even be a reliever at this point?
Klaw: I think he’s done.

Jerry Skurnik: Either Smoltz or Buck on Tuesday said teams couldn’t use relievers in regular season like Francona has in post season because of 162 game schedule. Isn’t this a red herring. Those who think Francona can & should be emulated in regular season are supporting his flexibilty not the specific actions he’s taken. Not having a specific pitcher for 7th, 8th & 9th inning but using most effective pitcher at the most important time rather would work in July as well as October
Klaw: Right. And it would look different in July. You’re not rolling Kenley Jansen out there for 46 pitches on July 18th, but you might use him to get 5 outs in a tie game on that date.

Rick: Keith, my daughter is 7 and I’m worried about her showing interest in guys too young. Have you worried about that? At what age would you tell child what sex is?
Klaw: We just told our daughter about a month ago because it was clear that she was at least hearing hints about it at school. The conversation ended with her sitting under the table going “ew, ew, ew.”

Marques: On the politics, there’s a lot of false equivalency in this chat. I’m black, one if the candidates owned an apartment complex and wouldn’t rent to black people. Unless the other candidate assassinated Dr. King, there’s pretty much no comparison.
Klaw: So many outlets have named Trump the worst major-party candidate in history that I feel like I can repeat that without further evidence. His loathsomeness is why Clinton is going to win.

Bill: Could the Tigers draw a couple of high-end position prospects from, say, the Yankees or Dodgers if they offered Verlander this offseason? (These teams could afford his rather weighty contract.)
Klaw: Probably. Dodgers seem more interested in contending now. I don’t know if the Yankees are going to turn around and flip prospects right away to add pitching.

Ron: Do you think the increase in hard throwing relievers, along with their potential change in usage, may actually be harmful to the game. While the strategy is completely logical (and great that managers are being more flexible), it seems like the game can be out of reach if you fall behind after 6 innings (certainly some recency bias in this question though)
Klaw: I think it also threatens to make games longer, which isn’t really good for the sport either.

Jimmy: Looking back on the Justin Upton trade with Braves-Dbacks. The return for Uptom doesn’t seem so bad does it? I forget what the Mariners package was but did they get screwed as bad as thought at the time?
Klaw: The Dbacks didn’t get market value. That was the concern at the time – Towers seemed to decide he wanted Upton gone, period, and took an offer that seemed very light.

Jace: When Rodriguez got traded to Boston for Miller, he had an ERA of almost 5.00 in AA ball. What made people think he’d be a stud and how two years later did the Yankees get so much more for Miller?
Klaw: Rodriguez was very young for AA and his stuff was plus – I had ranked him high and seen him three times before that, always talking about the big upside.

Jeff: The world series broadcast mentioned clevenger and the guys that got traded in the Arrieta trade and they mentioned how the Orioles got fleeced. Did you feel bad for those prospects or who was running th orioles at the time?
Klaw: The Orioles’ problems with Arrieta are their own fault, including Buck and then-coach Rick Adair.

Ryan: Most of us agree Trump bad, but what will happen to him and the political operatives (all these crazy people on TV, Guiliani and others) who helped him? Will they be exiled to Elba?!?
Klaw: Oh, some of them will find long-term employment as “commentators” at Fox News, don’t you think? Or perhaps Trump TV?

Marshall MN: If you worked for the Dodgers at this point would you be advocating a 3 man rotation Kershaw-Maeda-Urias with the other two “rotation” spots taken up by RPs who pitch a few innings each? It seems like a way to reduce 3rd time through the rotation problems, not completely overwork relievers and ensure your best pitchers still get more IP’s.
Klaw: I would consider that for one spot, but not two.

Grace: Hey keith! big fan, have the day off work and am finally able to ask question 🙂 What would be the return for goldschmidt? What would it cost the Astros to get him?
Klaw: I don’t know if AZ ownership would entertain this but it’s the best way to restart the franchise. I think you’d ask for a 4-5 player return, two elite prospects at the top, one or two lesser prospects, maybe then someone like an AJ Reed who’d be superfluous to Houston at that point and whose value has taken a hit in the last twelve months.

addoeh: Going to do a Periscope chat while spatchocking your turkey this year?
Klaw: Maybe, seemed like folks got a big kick out of that last year.

Steve: I don’t love taxes, but until the GOP stops rejecting science and reason (evolution, global warming, etc.), there will be only one option to vote for at the national level. I wish there were two legitimate options to choose from but there aren’t and I fear won’t be for awhile. And a third party is not a realistic option in a first past the post voting system like we use (Duverger’s Law).
Klaw: That’s how I feel about economic policies as a whole; I don’t agree with the left on many of those, but anti-science positions are a dealbreaker for me, and so is the bigotry entrenched in the GOP platform (e.g., support for ‘gay conversion therapy’).

Mike: People complain about September baseball being watered down because of expanded rosters. I’ve always wondered why baseball doesn’t just flip the schedule – expand the roster through the end of April and leave September at 25 man rosters. Prospects can get a longer look earlier in the year. Players can ease in better and reduce wear and tear earlier in the year when it’s colder. I assume the biggest issue is the minor league schedules. What are the other hindrances to this plan?
Klaw: I feel like I remember baseball doing that one year … 1995? Teams could carry an extra player for a week or two, and the world didn’t collapse. I’d be open to that.

David: Any advice for a lifelong Padres fan that can’t get on board with Preller and the ownership group after the medical info scandal? Even if Mike Dee (now once again chillin’ on the beach down at Club Med) was more culpable than Preller, I just can’t support an organization that would do something like this.
Klaw: I can understand that, and no one is going to fully trust Preller for a while now. He has to over-disclose info for the foreseeable future.

Adam: Is true outcome data most important for determining a pitching prospects future success?
Klaw: It’s more telling than straight ERA or the like. A pitcher has to be able to miss bats, limit walks, and limit homers to be successful in the majors (I’ve always said at least two of the three is a requirement). If he doesn’t do that in the minors, then you need a real argument that he’ll be able to do so in the majors.

Bob: Hi, Keith. Much of a hitter being “hot” or “cold” can probably be attributed to SSS. However, in a short series like the WS, do you pay attention to that or (barring injury) just go with the players who were the best for the entire year?
Klaw: I would not, because even in (or especially in) small samples there’s no predictive value.

Ricardo: I remember a fan got kicked out of reds stadium last year for yelling obscenities onto field last year at players with children in the stands. Eno Sarris said it was fine because kids will hear curse words in their life. Whats your stance?
Klaw: It’s a private facility and the authorities have the right to kick anyone out; you don’t have the right to go to the stadium and swear at the players. Which raises the question of why Cleveland let that asshole fan in headdress and redface into the park last night? I want some Native American activist to put on blackface and dress up like Sambo and try to get into Progressive Field. I have a feeling he wouldn’t get past security.

Bret: Do you see a change in sight to the 30-something Ivy-league white guy GM trend?
Klaw: I don’t, not until MLB makes structural changes and forces teams to interview more candidates outside of that narrow box.

Henry: Would you be in favor of moving the all-star game after the season to 1) better evaluate player seasonal performance and 2) to give players a proper break midway through the season? Obviously, they’d have to clean up the dumb home-field W.S. advantage thing.
Klaw: No, nobody would watch or care about the ASG in November.

Ethan: Making hamburgers tonight; any suggestions for what do put in the beef?
Klaw: Salt and pepper. That’s it.

Bob: Do you think a daily Multivitamin is worthwhile?
Klaw: All available evidence says it’s not.

Marshall MN: Klaw what stock do you put in the performance of these various winter leagues? How would you rank them as far as quality of play?
Klaw: I don’t pay attention to them at all. Wildly inconsistent levels of competition.

Roland of Gilead: Thoughts on the Dark Tower series?
Klaw: I had to google this to see what it was.

Gerry: Hypothetically…what could the Rockies get for Arenado if they cant get him signed LT?
Klaw: Similar to what I said for Arizona – this is how you kickstart a rebuild. Maybe even more so, because the Rockies have to develop their own pitching, since the odds of free agents choosing them (and of the Rockies outbidding anyone) are so low.

Dave: I know Trump and his sexual assault remarks way crossed the line. But how much do people in your industry talk about sex and woman ?
Klaw: I have never heard that kind of talk anywhere. I’ve heard comments on the appearances of women, but that’s it.

Mike: What will happen to competitive balance lottery draft picks in the new CBA?
Klaw: I don’t know for sure, but I can say with 100% confidence that the Rays will get screwed by it.

Adam: Mallex Smith — a GUY or just a guy?
Klaw: Just a guy with speed.

James: Interesting thing to me on Miller – He has been included in trades in which the teams that traded him have received Miggy, Rodriguez, Frazier and Sheffield.
Klaw: I wonder who has the highest total WAR of players for whom he’s been traded (or included in trades for).

Ben: Thoughts on Cespedes’ plans to opt out?
Klaw: He’d be crazy not to opt out.

Todd: When is Eloy ready to be the man in Chicago and what happens to their OF when he is?
Klaw: I think you see him in September 2018 or early in 2019. Who knows what their OF looks like by then? People who try to forecast that stuff out several years are always too optimistic about the players on the depth chart.

Joe: Do that many people really watch or care about the ASG now? Seems kind of like an antiquated concept now that I can see any player any time on MLB.TV.
Klaw: Still does OK on national TV, good showcase night for the sport. HR Derby does well too. I’d be very much in favor of the Futures Game moving to the evening for a higher audience.

Kevin: As a parent of very young children it scares me a little that there are so many industries like baseball, that become much easier to break into with an Ivy or similar background (Big Law, Finance, Consulting, Journalism. This creates the high stress environment over college admissions. What to do?
Klaw: Depends on what your children want to do for their careers, but I still think studying something you love in college and doing well is the best path to a better job or to a better graduate school – and if your chosen career path requires or rewards a graduate degree, then that is the school that matters the most.

Rick: What was thoughts on Zobrist in minors? just a guy?
Klaw: Yes, just a guy, even after the trade to Tampa Bay, until he totally reworked his swing late in 2008/before 2009.

Jeff: Daughter too young for coffee? Whats right age? soda?
Klaw: Mine is 10, no interest in coffee anything, will drink soda but isn’t a fan. We haven’t explicitly banned caffeine but have just not encouraged her to drink anything with it. (She’s home sick today after throwing up at 5 am.)

Ross: Anything you see in Jen-Ho Tseng for him not to be a starter in the majors at any point in his career?
Klaw: Flat fastball, nothing really plus in his arsenal.

MM: I love how you sometimes present Reagan as a politician you respect…as if you wouldn’t have been calling him a bigot/Hitler/etc on Twitter if Twitter had been around in the 80’s.
Klaw: I think your mistake is taking the person I am in 2016 and transplanting that to 1985 without considering 1) my views have evolved over the years and 2) so have those of society as a whole. You need to adjust your social positions somewhat for the era in which they took place. Would I really have realized at the time how bad Reagan’s policies on AIDS were? And how much slack should we give him given societal attitudes on homosexuality and the medical community’s relative lateness in taking the disease seriously?

Oren: Do you think Eric Thames’ KBO dominance would translate to decent MLB performance?
Klaw: No. He wasn’t good here even in the high minors.

Jake: Trout for Benintendi, Devers, Moncada, and Swihart……who says no?
Klaw: The Angels aren’t trading Trout. Moreno doesn’t want to, ergo, they say no to every offer.

Jeremy: Should Os give Wieters a QO or let him go?
Klaw: No QO. Let him go. Can’t hold Sisco back any more.

Rick: Has the anthem stuff gotten out of control for you like it has me? Gone too far now imo especially now that a black girl tried sing at the sixers game while wearing a “We matter” shirt
Klaw: The anthem stuff is out of control in the sense that there’s no good reason to play the national anthem at a sporting event. This isn’t a fucking pep rally for America.

Hugo Z: How about the ASG a few days before the start of the season?
Klaw: I think the players would oppose that, saying they may not be totally ready by that point. Maybe not. I kind of like that idea as the new Opening Night.

Jeff: Do you think there is an optimal fastball percentage? Are pitchers relying too much on it?
Klaw: I don’t think there is. It’ll vary by pitcher, depending on his velocity, movement, command, spin rate, arm angle, release point, and secondary offerings.

Bob: James Shields announced that he is not opting out.
Klaw: I’m shocked, shocked to hear this. However, I am opting out of the remainder of this chat to test the market. Thank you all for your questions. I may be chatting on a different day next week so watch Twitter and Facebook for an announcement. Have a safe and happy Halloween!

My latest boardgame review for Paste covers the pretty but boring Islebound.

You can also preorder my upcoming book, Smart Baseball, on amazon. Also, please sign up for my more-or-less weekly email newsletter.

Klaw: I like your poetry, but I hate your poems. Klawchat.

Mike: Did Greg Bird have a shot to stick at catcher prior to his earlier injuries, or was he always destined for DH/1B?
Klaw: No shot. I think the Yanks moved him to 1B right away, and he’s never even gotten to average there.

Joe C.: How far away are we from teams having only pitchers who pitch 2-3 innings each?
Klaw: I think the twice through the order starter is a real thing that’s likely to become much more common in the next year or two. That will mean a lot of starters who go 4 innings and are taken out even if they’ve pitched well, which further fucks with the win stat and will cause a lot of “but he was dealing!” comments that ignore the penalties of going through the order several times and of pitching while fatigued.

Tom: Why do you always lose site of the big picture by focusing 99% of your energy on the presidential election? How exactly are the Democrats going to retake the House and hold the Senate with a terrible president like Clinton? I’m assuming Dems have 50+ seats this time. Obama won in 2008 with House and Senate but lost House in 2010 and Senate in 2014. If I want the Republicans out then why wouldn’t I hope Trump wins and turns out to be a disaster, thus losing the House in 2018 and leads to an easy Elizabeth Warren victory in 2020?
Klaw: Because I think the consequences of a Trump presidency – including, but not limited to, who he’d put on the Supreme Court and in charge of agencies that are supposed to set environmental policy – are worse than you realize. Plus I’d hate for President Warren to try to move into the White House in January, 2021, only to discover that Trump has taken out second and third mortgages on it.

addoeh: I’m going to a Saturday Night Live themed Halloween party. My character will be Gene the Anal Retentive Chef. What would your character/costume choice be?
Klaw: Phil Hartman’s Sinatra from The Sinatra Group. UNCLE FESTER!

A Bad Yogi: I’m slow on the uptake sometimes. I read your Joe Black/Matt Moore tweet yesterday and didn’t get it. I was trying to figure out if Death Incarnate is better than a guy and worse than A GUY or better than A GUY. About an hour later, in the middle of yoga, I started laughing because I finally got it.
Klaw: Sometimes I rhyme slow.

Jon: You’ve just been appointed as the blue Jays GM today, congrats!!! Now what do you do this offseason?
Klaw: Impossible. I’ve never worked for Cleveland.

David: Have you seen anything in Heyward’s swing that has made him completely impotent this year and do you think it is fixable in the offseason?
Klaw: The swing is as problematic as it was in 2013 and thereabouts. But now he seems to be mentally lost. He’s cutting through average fastballs in the zone, which he didn’t do even in his down years with Atlanta before the trade and mild resurgence in 2015. I’d like to see him start his hands lower and a little back, but that’s not going to solve it if he no longer sees the ball well or thinks he can pitch up an offspeed pitch.

Casey: What are your thoughts on Carson Kelly…is he the catcher of the future for the Cardinals or is destined to be a career back-up?
Klaw: I think he’s their catcher of the future. I’m higher on him than most scouts I’ve asked; I see a tremendous athlete with ++ makeup, a plus arm, good contact skills, and sneaky power. He may be just fair in his early 20s and turn into Lucroy after several years in the majors, since Kelly wasn’t a catcher until his age 19 season.

Matt: Coppy might have been born at night, but it wasn’t last night. Why do people think Folty for McCann is reasonable? Folty’s value should be fairly high, I’d think…..
Klaw: Ridiculous. NY media/fan wishing there.

Junipero Serra: I’m a depressed Padre fan. When can I start having hope for a contending team?
Klaw: System is absolutely loaded. It’ll just take 3-4 years to get there.

Erich: Did you notice anything that could explain Harper’s lack of power this year? Do you expect more seasons that look like 2015 or 2016 for him in the future?
Klaw: Guy’s shoulder was clearly killing him. He’ll be fine once that’s healed up.

Elton: Francona’s bullpen usage this postseason should be required study for every postseason manager, right? Even if you don’t have an Andrew Miller I believe you need to be more aggressive with your best relievers than most managers are in the postseason.
Klaw: Yes, the approach of getting fresh, high-strikeout arms in there earlier, seizing platoon advantages in leveraged situations even in the 5th inning, is the optimal one given the talent distribution in pitching right now.

Mike Q: Do you think, at this point, Trump is even trying to win the election? In the last two debates he seemed to be signaling to extreme right conspiracy theorists as much as looking like a viable President. As a left-leaning person who thinks we need honest debate on serious issues to remain a healthy political system, the last two months has been terrifying, whatever you think of the candidates.
Klaw: I agree that he’s pivoted to “I’m going to lose, so let’s burn it all down” talk, but your second point is the bigger one for me. I have voted Republican, Democrat, and independent in my life, for local and national offices, but this time around I feel like I had zero choice. I wouldn’t even vote Republican for a minor office, because the party supported Trump, and continues to do so, rather than presenting us with one of the very credible choices they had in their primary process. (I saw Lindsey Graham’s comments about how Trump’s claims that the election is ‘rigged’ are wrong and harmful, and shed a tear for his stillborn campaign.) I’d rather see a real race between two qualified candidates where the one I’m voting for doesn’t win than this travesty.

John: Where are you on A.J. Cole? He seems a candidate for a multi-inning RP with some upside to me more than an SP at this point. Thanks.
Klaw: I could see success there or in the rotation for him. Perhaps the relief role makes sense because they have too many starters?

Elton: Regarding the intentional walk in NLCS game 1 which brought up Chapman’s spot in the order: do you feel like that was a worthwhile risk to force him out of the game?
Klaw: No. I would never push the winning run from second to third base like that.

Bruce: What do you expect from Willson Contreras as a hitter in the future? He looks like he has the tools to be a strong defensive catcher with more experience. Do you see him as a future plus defender at catcher?
Klaw: His framing history isn’t very good, but I don’t think he has bad hands, and he’s got everything else you could ask for – athleticism, quick twitch actions, arm strength, power, an idea at the plate.

Bruce: Jean Segura had a remarkable turn around at the plate this year, his power numbers in particular. Was this season at the plate an anomaly or do you expect him to continue to be strong at the plate?
Klaw: BABIP is clearly not sustainable but I’d buy him as an average regular the next few years given the swing tweaks and the full year of strong performance even outside of the BABIP.

Nate: Keith, if I am Rick Hahn, am I way off base for asking for Benintendi, Devers, Swihart, and Eduardo Rodriguez for Sale?
Klaw: Not off base at all. Just don’t expect them to say ‘yes.’

Adam: Of the Padres J2 players you’ve witnessed, who has been the most impressive. Who has the highest ceiling?
Klaw: I haven’t seen any yet and won’t until at least the spring. Most of them have little to no real game experience yet.

Adam: In Hunter Renfroe’s big league call up, his defense seemed… Fine? What is his value for sped and defense and will it be enough to keep him in a lineup if he doesn’t make a lot of contact?
Klaw: Less concerned about contact than probable sub-.300 OBPs.

Lee D, LA: KLaw — Debating with Dodger fans about pitching Jensen in the 9th in Game Three, after Dodgers expanded lead to 6 – 0. While last night’s blow out made it moot, your thoughts?
Klaw: Would have pulled him. He’s been worked hard this month; if your remaining relievers can’t get three outs without giving up six runs, you’ve got bigger problems.

Adam: Fernando Tatis Jr seems to be getting solid reviews since being traded to the Padres. Is he a sleeper prospect for the 2017 season?
Klaw: Yes. Potential star. I was told he’d be a first-rounder if he were in this upcoming draft, for one opinion.

Todd: If Yanks had the choice of either Torres or Jimenez in the Chapman deal, did they make the correct one?
Klaw: I’ll put it this way: Neither was an incorrect choice. I like Torres a little more because he can play up the middle.

Todd: So far you’ve been correct on Luis Severino and Steven Matz. Severino hasnt shown he ca effectively start and Matz is never healthy. What do you feel is Severinos eventual role?
Klaw: If Betances takes over the 9th inning for the Yankees, I’d put Severino in Betances’ old role. I never, ever disliked Severino’s stuff. It was all about the delivery for me.

David: So what is the point of replay if they still get the call wrong?
Klaw: The point is they get more calls right this way. They will never get all calls right. That’s like saying “we’re going to end world hunger!” Yeah, let me know when that happens. In the meantime, I’ll see about getting one family fed.

Elton: I trust Joe Maddon a lot but I am perplexed that Heyward is starting so much against lefties. Do you think his strong defense makes starting him worthwhile? I guess the lineup alternatives (Coghlan, Ross, Montero, Almora, Soler) don’t make it a no-brainer to sit Heyward but a platoon with Soler sounds very reasonable to me.
Klaw: I had this thought last night – it would have been a good night to use Soler, IMO.

Ted: Who has the higher ceiling of Julio Urias or Anderson Espinoza? thanks for doing these chats
Klaw: Urias. But it’s close.

Jeff: Mike Matuella is throwing again. Is he someone to watch heading into 2017, or a total wildcard at this point?
Klaw: Both, right? Great stuff when healthy. Never healthy.

Dale: I think you are one of the few starting the year that thought Frankin Barreto could make it as a major league short stop. Do you still think that?
Klaw: The AFL is a tough look at young players because they’re often tired by that point. Bearing that in mind, he looked bad on defense.

Tom: I agreed with everything in your article on Tebow especially the parts about the Mets/MLB counting cash. It is an embarrassment and he clearly did not belong on the field. But do you see a little of the point of the other side that it may have gone a little past Tebow’s baseball skills and was somewhat personal? At first read to me it did seem a little harsh on Tebow the person. Which I am not even saying you shouldn’t have done but I can at least see some people’s arguments of that being over the top. Especially the “washed-up Quarterback” line. Not the lunatics trying to bring Religion into it of course. That was just insane.
Klaw: None of it was personal. That’s exactly what he is: a failed NFL quarterback, never any good there, who’s now trying to fail in another sport. I’ve said this before: if Jake Locker called up the Angels (who still have his rights, I believe) tomorrow and asked to come try to make a club in March, they would say yes in a heartbeat because Locker could actually play baseball. He was a first-round talent in HS, and would have been one in college if he’d played just that one spring before the draft. (He played one summer and was great despite two years away from the game.) Tebow never had any of that. This is a joke, for him, for the Mets, and for the league.

Al: On Dillon Tate, one of the NY papers published an article saying he was a good guy, but with a somewhat limited future since he was “too stubborn.” Have you heard anything like that and what does that even mean? Thanks.
Klaw: Oh they can fuck right off with that dog-whistling garbage. And for the record, Tate looked good in Arizona – the velocity was back, the slider was back, and while the fastball remains too straight I think the Yankees did well.

Jack: I think you envisioned Sean Manaea topping out as #3?starter. Now the season have you heard any scouting updates that might up your ceiling.
Klaw: Nope, that’s what I think he is.

Brian (DC): How is Bob Dylan winning the Nobel Prize in Literature any different from a poet winning the award? That has happened many times before and his output is prodigious.
Klaw: I am not a big fan of poets winning the award either. Also, do poets have the kind of mediocre output that we see from even great rock lyricists like Dylan? I mean, “Lay Lady Lay” is one of my favorite Dylan songs, but as lyrics go, it’s practically Dr. Seuss.

Barry: My guess is that next years St Lucie rotation will include Marcos Molina, Thomas Szapucki and Justin Dunn. How would you rank them in terms of upside? Gotta beone of the most exciting possible rotations in the lower minors, right?
Klaw: Dunn, Szapucki, (gap), Molina. Szapucki’s the most advanced, but Dunn has bigger upside.

David: UPDATE – I asked my HR manager what would happen if I ever called a female employee a “nasty woman.” He said without hesitation, “I’d fire you.”
Klaw: Of course he would.

James: Keith, huge fan! Is it just me or do you not post about food very much anymore? Don’t think you posted once about where you ate while back in AZ… No food blog either from your trip? Was really hoping you would hit up Bianco’s new place Tratto! Also what are your thoughts on the trovulla guy I’ve heard rumored as a managerial candidate for AZ because of Hazen?
Klaw: I reviewed Tratto in May.

Peter: Are you a Christian?
Klaw: Ma’am I aaaaaam tonight.

Bill: The solution you bring for baseball’s FO diversity problem does in fact seem to be the long view that is needed (hiring more diversity candidates for lower level jobs who can move their way into prominent positions). However, I don’t really see how it can be fixed at the current momemt even if baseball wants to. At the end of the day there arent enough diversity candidates in the pipeline or in top spots and it’s not like teams are egregiously hiring incompetent losers instead of good ones. If guys like Hazen are indeed the right hires, and there arent many diversity candidates in the wings, is there anything baseball can do other than take the appropriate long view?
Klaw: The Falvey hiring really broke the dam in terms of people talking to me about the issue, because while Derek is very sharp and highly regarded by Cleveland folks, his resume was quite scant for a jump all the way to the President of Baseball Ops position, and I could point to many candidates of color with stronger resumes than he had. The sense that others in the industry have that Korn Ferry pushed him on the Twins – again, to be clear, I have heard nothing bad about Derek here, and feel bad that he’s even at the center of this mini-controversy – drove folks to say to me, in essence, that the deck is stacked against minority candidates. Cleveland’s pro scouting director, Paul Gillispie, is African-American. Why have we seen all of these Cleveland guys’ names in candidate mixes, but not his?

Drew: Rumors that a trade involving Z. Cozart would have landed Luis Gohara ? Seems like a good trade for the Reds. What can you tell us about Gohara ?
Klaw: Would have done that in a heartbeat – I wrote Gohara up in Saturday’s post – but the sense I got in July was that it was discussed but never close to completion.

Bob: Jose Peraza playing a lot of SS for Reds at end of year. You’ve mentioned only way you see him as average regular is a move to SS. What reports do you have regarding his defense ? Also, do you see him being able to maintain his OBP around .340? Thanks
Klaw: Was an average to slightly above-average defender prior to the two-year layoff. I think that’s an optimistic OBP forecast because he has no power and his speed isn’t as helpful in adding hits since he’s a RHB. If I were coming up with a plan of attack against him, I’d pound him with velocity inside and let him ground out to third base. But he could get stronger, and if he’s more like a 60 defender at short the bar is very low for him to become an average regular.

JP: Do you think there’s any chance Andrew Miller could return to starting?
Klaw: I think zero. He never could command that slider enough to start.

Marshall MN: KLaw I know you are just counting down the minutes to your first Tebow question, but this isn’t one. In regard to Gonsalves, do you think that his height presents the opportunity any more projectability in regard to fastball velocity? As a Twins fan I just keep hoping one of our young pitchers ends up becoming a #1 level pitcher, but it sounds like he won’t be one.
Klaw: Height helps but isn’t the sole determining factor of projectability, which is a nebulous, subjective concept anyway. You need the right physical frame too, and he doesn’t really have it. He’s slender like a Conner Greene, but Greene is already up to 98 and I think he’s the same age.

Chris: How do you evaluate guys with big first half/second half splits? I’m specifically thinking of Ian Desmond and how his second half will affect his free agency.
Klaw: Depends. I’d rather look at a whole year than half-year splits, but in Desmond’s case, he was heading down offensively in 2014, awful in 2015, and then pretty bad in the second half of 2016. It’s enough to at least make me wonder if the first half of 2016 is the outlier.

Gerry: IF the Rockies can’t get Arenado signed this offseason, any chance he can be dealt, much like Donaldson was 2 years ago?
Klaw: I think that’d be the best way to rebuild the team, but I understand it would be a dagger to the fans’ hearts too.

Marshall MN: KLaw what is your personal opinion on the cause of the “3rd time through the roster” phenomenon? Is it pitcher fatigue (my personal belief), batters getting a better “feel” for the pitcher, something else?
Klaw: I think it’s both. Fatigue matters, for sure. Hitters at least believe that the more pitches they see from a guy, the better they can pick the ball up. I don’t see how you can mitigate either factor, though, so I haven’t worried about the cause so much as the remedy.

James: Election Question – for those in Utah, do you believe it is a wasted vote if the vote is for McMullin? He has a good chance to win the state.
Klaw: I don’t think so. One, I think it actually might send the message you want it to send. Two, as a map geek, I love seeing the third color appear on the electoral map.

Sean: What are your thoughts on the international draft? I get that the current signing situation is terrible, but will this fix anything or just exacerbate the problem?
Klaw: A draft will fix the problems in the current situation. The current situation was created by MLB, though, so I suppose the conspiracy theorist would say MLB made up this godawful system so that four years later they could say, “See! What a shitshow! Let’s put in a draft instead.” And it worked!

Tom: Every April you get questions from readers overreacting to hot starts/SSS (Chris Shelton is for real, yo!!). However, I think it’s worse in the postseason (at least it has been so far this year). CLE goes up 3-0 (Toronto’s toast!). Tor wins game 4 – look at the pitching matchups – CLE could be in series trouble!! Cubs win game one 8-3 – Cubs gonna steamroll!! Cubs get shut out next two games (against great pitchers) Cubs bats are dead – they are in trouble!! Cubs win game 4, score ten runs – bats are back!! Dodgers in trouble!! Pretty funny to see all the hot takes and overreactions.
Klaw: It’s why I don’t like to write about postseason series as they’re going on. No one wants to hear the underreaction take.

Adam D.: If you are Bobby Evans and Brian Sabean, do you let Mac Williamson play himself out of the left field job and focus on adding bullpen pieces this winter. Or should finding a left fielder be a priority for the Giants?
Klaw: I think they need a little better. I like Williamson but don’t think he’ll hit enough to be an average everyday LF. Very good role player.

Jeremy T.: So I mentioned Greg Maddux on Twitter yesterday when referencing Merritt’s performance and I wasn’t trying to jump the gun with comparison to a HOFer. To follow-up, though 1) What is Merritt’s upside in the MLB and 2) Was it just me or did the CLE bullpen attack TOR’s hitters differently after Merritt exited? Appeared to use fastballs much more than they did in previous games.
Klaw: No worries, I didn’t think you were doing that, and I’m sorry if I dumped a bunch of stuff into your feed. It was more a comment on how Maddux is remembered for the end of his career (when he really would be 82-85) than for the bulk of his career (when he’d sit 88-90 and touch 94). I think Merritt is a 6th starter type, and I thought using him once through the order and then going batter by batter was smart. I did not notice that change, if any, in how Cleveland’s relievers pitched, though.

James: Is it possible legally for MiLB players to form their own union? If so why haven’t they? It would seem to benefit them greatly over the representation or lack thereof they receive from the current players union.
Klaw: I think it’s possible but difficult given how many players there are and how many of those are essentially replaceable. You get guys on short-season and even a few A-ball rosters who’ll play a year and a half and get released for someone just like them right out of college.

Patrick: Keith, you have mentioned in past Klawchats–love ’em all!–that most front offices have access to more data than the common fan. Are they all using the same software, or do most have their own proprietary systems?
Klaw: MLB Statcast is available to all teams in an enormous stream of data. They then build their own software to handle it.

Jack: Do you mind sticking to baseball talk? The politics etc. turns off a lot of people.
Klaw: The door is on your left. This is my site and I’ll talk about whatever the hell I want to.

jeff: Why is this website named meadowparty? What’s the significance?
Klaw: Don’t blame me. I voted for Bill and Opus.

Paul: I think the Red Sox have done a disservice to Swihart (and his trade value) by trying to convert him to outfield. If you’re the GM, how are you sorting out Leone, Vasquez and Swihart going into next season?
Klaw: I do too and I think Swihart is their best option for the long term behind the plate. Leon was a fluke, and Vasquez doesn’t have Swihart’s offensive upside. Let Blake catch every day, even if he has to learn some on the job, because he really should develop into a star.

Biff: 2017 brewers have a ___% chance to make the playoffs. Yeah they are young, but sooooo much talent is starting to pan out.
Klaw: I mean, have you looked at the division? 1%?

Bruce: Do you own a smoker at home?
Klaw: No. I smoke meats on my Weber kettle grill using fire bricks to create two zones. It’s a little extra work but then I don’t need two devices.

Patrick: Do you think James Kaprielian will make your preseason top 100?
Klaw: He was on the top 100 this past February, and his stuff is better today than it was coming out of last season.

David: Can Luis Cessa, Bryan Mitchell and Chad Green be reliable and good starters?
Klaw: Cessa I wouldn’t rule out but I’m no on the other two.

Mike: With the success that we’ve seen from relievers both during the season and especially this postseason, could an all reliever pitching staff ever work for an entire season, or am I an idiot for even thinking that this could potentially be feasible?
Klaw: I just don’t think teams have enough roster spots to pull this off.

Brian: Do you know anything about Joe Jimenez from the Mudhens. I haven’t heard anything about him but the Sports stations around Metro Detroit are raving? Simple homerism or is there something substantial there? Thanks KLAW!
Klaw: Throws hard with poor command.

Zach: Encouraged by you blurb on Nick Gordon, is there anything you can expand on regarding what looked good to you? Any chance we’ll see him in MN in 2018?
Klaw: That’s probably the absolute earliest, but I’d bet 2019. He’s a good player who just really knows the game – his instincts everywhere are readily apparent. I don’t think he will ever be flashy like Dee, but he’s a better all-around player for me.

Mike: Is Lindor the best shortstop in the American League the next 15 years?
Klaw: That’s not outrageous, but Correa and Bogaerts are stars too and I don’t think I’d pick just one of them to beat the others. Plus Gleyber will show up in the next 15 years and did you really say 15 years?

Matt: Any Intel on Chris Getz’ accomplishments with KC or potential? Hoping this isn’t typical White Sox former player bs move.
Klaw: I know nothing about him, which isn’t to say he’s done nothing, just that no one has mentioned him or his work to me.

Michael Fozard: Keith, what would you put the % of Edwin re-signing in Toronto? If low, are you on board with the Red Sox being his most likely destination?
Klaw: I can’t imagine they choose to re-sign him or Bautista given their ages and likely costs on a market that is light on bats (and arms, and everything else). No idea where he might head – that’s not something I ever look into.

Jeannine: At the peak of Hamels’ season (August), you mentioned his low ERA but high WHIP could be sustainable to the extent pitching with runners on base is a skill (as opposed to luck). Why would pitching with runners on be a skill but hitting with runners be luck?
Klaw: Because with runners on, a pitcher changes his delivery.

Greg: Any early returns on Maitan in instructs?
Klaw: I heard he looked great. Then again, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a guy looking terrible in instructs. It’s glorified practice.

MetsFan: How soon will Dom Smith and Amed Rosario make their ML debut?
Klaw: I bet both appear at some point in 2017, but neither becomes a full-time player until 2018.

Brian (DC): What issue do you think the president has the most impact on (e.g. foreign policy, economy)? It seems like we talk about the issues, and rightly so, but never about the power of the president to impact these issues.
Klaw: Foreign policy for sure. SCOTUS picks, not a policy or issue per se but maybe the most impactful thing a President can do. And also the choices of department heads. If you agree with me, that climate change is a major economic and existential issue for our country (and planet), then having a President who first of all accepts the reality of climate change and views it as a policy priority is critical. I think Graham was the only GOP candidate who thought this way, although IIRC Kasich accepts climate change but doesn’t view it as a policy priority. (I hope that’s right. Kasich would have been a fascinating candidate had he won the nomination.)

Larry: Seeing the Baez breakout reminded me, as a Braves fan, of Cubs writers reporting that a Baez for Shelby Miller deal was close this offseason. Should I be happy that deal didn’t happen and the Braves got the Arizona package instead?
Klaw: The deal was never close. I don’t think it ever existed at all.

Doug: Hey Keith, I know you play lots of board games with your daughter. I can’t wait to play board games when my little girl (6 months old) is older. My question to you is, how often do you let your daughter win?
Klaw: She’s ten now, and we never let her win, but we don’t play cutthroat. I try to play near her level, and then sometimes she wins, and sometimes she loses, and once in a while one of us (my wife or I) wins in a rout. She needs to learn how to lose, and how to take a loss and learn from it to play better the next time. We’ve seen her do that more in the last year than she ever had before. Some is cognitive development, of course, but I think all the games we play help her understand, too, that sometimes you’ll make a mistake and you just get over it.

Seth: If Cubs didn’t have Russell, is Baez capable of being an everyday ss?
Klaw: Yes. I always thought he could play the position. I questioned the contact rate.

JJ: Will you be moving to Massachusetts to support your ex-colleague Curt Schilling in his 2018 Senate run?
Klaw: Oh, I support his decision to run.

Adam: Does Newcomb, Acuna and Anderson get a conversation started for Sale?
Klaw: No. I think they could get much more. And would be better off just keeping him.

Frank: The Cubs have so much young talent on the roster which works now when they are cheap. In a few years these guys are all going to get paid and it would seem even the Cubs will not be able to afford all of them. How would you rank the order of your comfort level of paying them long term? Thanks
Klaw: They won’t? I think the Cubs could afford them all but may just choose not to. They’ll also have some internal replacements coming – Eloy and Happ are both strong prospects and will force their way into the lineup at some point.

JR: Don’t the Mets have a reputation for having a pretty smart front office? There’s no way they would’ve signed Tebow unless the Wilpons told them to for marketing/$$ purposes right?
Klaw: One rumor is that Jeff Wilpon loved Tebow and wanted him in the organization. And they are getting paid in that whole jersey deal where MLB exempted them from the regular merchandise revenue-sharing rules.

Par: If the GOP would have nominated a “standard” nominee (say Mitt Romney) would you have been more likely to vote that way?
Klaw: I would have had a real decision to make. I voted for Romney in 1996 (Senate) and Governor (2002) but not in 2012, when he seemed to walk back a lot of his policy positions from when he was in Massachusetts.

Jonah: Eric Longenhagen was saying on Fangraphs Audio that Riley Pint was flashing extremely impressive, advanced stuff (hitting 100+) when he saw him a few weeks ago — so much so that he says he now has him at the top of this past draft’s prospect list. (Eric didn’t actually say that. – KL) How often do you see a guy show something in the first few months after the draft that really shifts your perspective on him?
Klaw: Pint hit 100 for me in April too, so I don’t think his stuff has changed at all. It is rare but not impossible for what you described to happen; sometimes guys get healthy post-draft and look better (Quantrill), sometimes they get into pro ball and make some small change that clicks. I try to stay aware of these things without getting too wrapped up in short term blips in performance.

JJ: Six weeks of Benintendi was enough to make me fall in love. Can he be good enough defensively in CF to make JBJ trade bait? I feel like I just watched Bradley’s peak season.
Klaw: He’s a stud and you’re not off base with any of this.

Chris: Did you happen to hear all of the new Opeth cd? If so, what did you think?
Klaw: I did. I liked it, like I liked their last album, but I also found that after a full listen not much of it stayed with me, which was also true of their last album.

Patrick: Keith, if a front office puts a player in the AFL, do they try to discourage them from also playing in the WBC? Too limited an off season for them?
Klaw: I haven’t heard of this but it’s a good question.

Joe: I read 1984 (George Orwell) a little while back… Personally I felt it was a great book. Have you ever read it? If so, your thoughts?
Klaw: Yes, great book, grows more horrifying as I get older and see technology changing to catch up to the book (even as the world as a whole is becoming more free).

Nate: Other than Collins, do the White Sox have a top 100 guy?
Klaw: Hansen’s a candidate. Of course if they trade Sale or Quintana they’ll get a few more.

Doug: Have you heard anything about the reasons for Mike Dee’a termination? I hear in the local media that sources are saying he did something very bad but no one will go on record.
Klaw: I heard prior to his firing that ownership held him responsible for some of the medical information sharing scandal. Also, I’m mad that I didn’t think to tweet, “Mike Dee! With your bad self no longer running things!”

alex: If the O’s traded Britton, given the control, and the Chapman/Miller/Kimbrel trades– what would be a fair return?
Klaw: Kimbrel and Miller each returned two legit top 100 prospects plus Stuff. I’d start there.

Joe: Did you have any reports on Baltimore prospects from Arizona?
Klaw: They didn’t send much. Tanner Scott was 96-99 with a flat 89-91 mph slider and 40 control, 30 command. Marin looked awful. Stewart is still too heavy, reminds me of Brett Wallace with less hit tool.

alex: Are Os draftees Sedlock, Dietz and Akin all starters– or do you think Dietz and Akin are bullpen guys?
Klaw: Sedlock’s a starter. Dietz and Akin more TBD for me.

Michael: Safe to say Swanson is #1 in your top 100 come January with him still having rookie eligibility for next year?? I know SSS, but he certainly handled himself well like you said and looks like a stud going forward
Klaw: No, that is not safe to say.

Amelon: Hi KLaw, my wife and I are going up to NYC for the weekend in early December (from Philly). I’d like to take her to a really nice restaurant as it is also her birthday. Do you have any recent NYC recommendations? I checked your archive but didn’t find much that was timely and not pizza (not her fav).
Klaw: Narcissa is probably my favorite in NYC right now. The Untitled at the Whitney is also pretty great.

Ben: Jordon Adell – potential guy, GUY, or superstar?
Klaw: Tools guy. Potential star.

Chris: Do you think Berrios will ever be a #1 stud? Or just be a middle of the road starter?
Klaw: Never thought he’d be an ace. Mid-rotation guy, sure.

Jim: Tebow may not be a future big leaguer, but isn’t it more important that he saved a man’s life?
Klaw: I know you’re (probably) joking, but two people cited that story to me as if it were true and I had to explain 1) that’s not what happened and 2) “faith healing” is woo.

Elton: Which drought-stricken team are you pulling for if it ends up being Cubs vs Indians?
Klaw: I couldn’t root against either but would love the matchup where someone’s drought ends.

Ryan: Every October we get caught in the ‘narrative’ that ‘Team X’ is “changing the game” with their roster/decisions. Have any of these champions over the last decade actually forced real, tangible change?
Klaw: Royals did, I think, causing more teams to look for high-contact hitters in the draft and in trades.

David: Klaw, what do you foresee in the next five years for Kepler and Benintendi? Thanks
Klaw: Kepler above-average regular. Benintendi star.

David: You busting out #AndYouKnowIt did not go unnoticed.
Klaw: Thought I was subtle but I really was blatant.

JR: I’ve never understood the “stick to baseball” argument you get? Do the individuals that tell you this only stick to one topic in the various people they interact with in person and social media? It makes no sense to me. Please keep sticking to whatever the fuck you feel like discussing.
Klaw: Thank you. I will. And I don’t get it either. Especially here – this is my site. The only baseball content here is in these chats; all my other baseball content belongs on ESPN.com. Here be nonsense.

Elton: If you’re like me you’ve watched a lot of Pixar and Studio Ghibli movies with your kid. Do you have a preference?
Klaw: Pixar just does better stories. But Ghibli’s stuff has a sweetness to it that we love.

Jimbo: Does Bofa have a chance to make your next top 100?
Klaw: He’ll be right after DN.

Jason (Milwaukee): Is Brett Phillips going to hit enough to be in the majors every day? Low BA this year in AA
Klaw: I think he’s a low BA guy with acceptable OBP, some power, outstanding defense and baserunning value.

Brandon: The electoral college takes away the “meaning” of every vote matters. I live in a southern state that will always vote republican, so how does my vote matter when Trump will get the full state votes no matter what?
Klaw: Then why vote? No state has ever been decided by one vote. I vote because I want to, and because I want the totals for my candidate to be as high as possible, because those numbers matter too – such as which candidates choose to run again, or which races the state and national parties might target in two, four, or six years.

John: Keith, do you have any concerns over the strikeout rate for Aaron Judge? We’ve seen him take some adjustment periods to each new level he’s reached, but the big leagues are a different animal. Will these pitchers eat him alive or do you seem him becoming a capable hitter with monster power?
Klaw: Yes, I’ve voiced those concerns many times. But I have also seen him make a lot of adjustments from low-A up to triple-A and believe he will continue to do so.

Matt in Portland: You mentioned to me on twitter that the data showing the Cubs shift fewer than other teams was flawed. Why is that? Minor positioning movements that don’t count as a “shift”?
Klaw: Correct. People who use that data, claiming the Cubs don’t shift, are either looking at the wrong data (binary “shift or no shift”) or are misinterpreting it.

Dave: I live in a state that FiveThirtyEight.com says has over a 95% chance of going to Trump. Do I have your permission to vote third-party and help one of them hit the 5% mark?
Klaw: You don’t need my permission, but your question about the 5% mark is relevant too because that triggers some federal funding, right?

Craig: Jacon Nottingham had a rough season in AA this year. From what you have seen in AZ, is he due for a bounce back year?
Klaw: Going only on AFL, no. He looked awful.

Corey: Going back for a second to smoking meats in your Weber, you create two zones on either side and leave the middle open for cooking on indirect heat or is it configured in some other way ? Do you have the meat directly over heat at any point ?
Klaw: No, wood on one side, meat over a drip pan on the other, holes aligned so air comes in the bottom on to the wood and exits above the meat.

Stanley: Last chat you alluded to hating your career track after college; any advice for someone who feels the same, trying to find something they love to do and monetize it?
Klaw: Well, not to be too obvious, but figure out what you love to do first, and then see if there is a way to monetize it. That part isn’t so easy. Lots of fun things are hard to do for a career.

Gregory: Connor Joe playing in the AFL; what’d you see?
Klaw: Can hit a little, not enough for a guy with no clear position.

Franklin: My daughter is two years old, and I am thinking about getting get vaccinated for a number of things. I am pro-vaccine and was vaccinated as a child, but my wife is anti-vaccine, so we are at odds on this issue. In this split debate, we have come to let our daughter decide whether she wants them or not. We have each given her our opinion; however, I am concerned that the needles will scare her into choosing no, much to my dismay. Do you have any suggestion as to how to handle this?
Klaw: Really? She’s two. She can’t decide. You’re the responsible adult here, and you need to get her vaccinated. This was a dealbreaker for me – my wife is pro-vaccine also, but perhaps not as, um, fervent as I am, and I think it’s fair to say that we would have gotten a divorce if she had refused to vaccinate our daughter at any point. You’re screwing with your daughter’s health here.

Nate: Does Shohei Otani get posted and what position would he play in the MLB?
Klaw: He’s a pitcher, period.

DTH: Oh Ghibli questions, excellent. What are your top 3? Mononoke has always been my favorite and I understand I’m in the minority, but I’m a sucker for a good fantasy epic and San is so so cool
Klaw: Totoro is a big sentimental favorite for us. Spirited Away is probably the best film start to finish though.

Steve: For the “why vote if my state is solidly Republican” guy, President isn’t the only thing on the ballot. You’re voting for congressmen, state legislators, mayors, county commissioners, referenda, state constitution amendments, etc. Many if not most of these things will have a greater impact on your day-to-day life than voting for US President. It drives me crazy how some people see the presidential race as the be-all and end-all of electoral politics.
Klaw: It’s possible that those other races are kind of determined too. I doubt much is up for grabs here in the People’s Republic of Delaware.

Tom 2: If you stuck to baseball how would I know about all the great restaurants that I’ve sampled over the years based on your recs? (Also, why do people take it upon themselves to speak for me?)
Klaw: Books, music, movies, boardgames. I’ll be damned if I stick to anything.

Donald Trump: I’m not sure I’m prepared to accept the results of this chat. I shall let you know when it’s over.
Klaw: Oh it’s over all right. You’ll have to accept it. I’ll be back next week.

Klaw: In a world of steel-eyed death, there’s Klawchat.

Jonathan: Do you put Reyes in the rotation to start 2017?
Klaw: I assume this means Alex; I don’t, for two reasons. One is that I don’t think I would count on him for 180+ innings in 2017, given his low workloads the last two years. The other is that I don’t think his command is there yet, or his curveball, for him to be more than an inconsistent, sometimes great, sometimes awful starter right now. Long relief would be great to start the year with the goal of moving him to the rotation by June or so.

Jeremy: What do you make of Taijuan Walker’s 2016? Do you have any confidence that will be a top 40 starter next year?
Klaw: I think the probability of him working out as a starter has dropped to below 50% at this point.

Seth: What are the benefits, if any, to a GM not stating their intent to buy or sell in an offseason?
Klaw: None that I know of. Some signaling has value; this does not.

Mets Daddy: Better career: Robert Gsellman or Seth Lugo?
Klaw: I’d bet on Gsellman at this point. Lugo’s high spin rate hasn’t translated into production yet.

Jon: Oh, thank goodness. I was worried I would have to go a whole week without knowing the answer…given his performance in the AFL so far, has your opinion of Tebow changed? 🙂
Klaw: Saw him last night. He doesn’t belong here. It’s a bad joke.

TK: May Even Year Magic rot in hell, never to be seen again.
Klaw: I was getting tired of the woo arguments for the Giants and for Bumgarner. He’s a great pitcher; let’s stop conferring preternatural abilities on him.

Jack: What are that odds that Yadier Alvarez gets called up at some point next season? 7 Ronin came in the mail yesterday. I am looking forward to breaking it out.
Klaw: Great arm, but he made 9 starts in full-season ball this year. I don’t see any chance of that. 7 Ronin is great – hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Colin: How can the USA, and the republican party recover from the toxicity of Donald Trump
Klaw: My hope all year has been that he would lose badly enough that the GOP would lose at least one chamber of commerce, and the resulting upheaval inside the party would force out some of his enablers (like Reince) and restore the more classical conservatives to power. Until the Republicans catch up to 2016 on some basic social issues, we’re not going to have two viable choices for major offices in most of the country. You can’t keep fighting marriage equality, pushing ‘gay conversion therapy,’ or passing these so-called ‘bathroom bills’ (that really forbid local authorities from providing LGBT with protection from discrimination), in a nation that is increasingly more tolerant on social matters but where conservative positions on economic or foreign policies remain popular.

Sam: What is Michael Kopech’s ceiling?
Klaw: I’ll see him Saturday and will have an updated answer then. I can tell you though that he has some plus-plus hair. He’s going for the Syndergaard look.

@OutfieldGrass24: Hey Keith, big thanks for your time as always. Who are a couple of lower level D-backs that are future big leaguers for you. I’m fully prepared for you to respond with “none,” but my blind, very stupid, optimism wins every time.
Klaw: Jasrado Chisholm is the big name from the lower levels; he might have the highest upside of any realistic prospect in the system.

Evan: Klaw, haven’t seen much written about Giants rhp prospect Sam Coonrod. Has had fantastic 2-full season so far. He a dude?
Klaw: Reliever only. Good relief prospect but that’s it.

Jay: With the Jays pulling in insane attendance and TV numbers the last 2 years, can they justify being outbid for Edwin?
Klaw: Yes, because of his age and likely projections for his performance going forward. He may be a poor investment even if he’s still a good player.

Kevin G.: Hi Keith. Big fan of your work. You have been consistently down on Marco Estrada. Have you changed your opinion of him at all, or do you still think his BABIP suppression and relatively low homer rate (for an extreme fly ball guy) is kind of fluky? Interested to hear your analysis. Thanks!
Klaw: Still think it’s very fluky. He’s around a .225 BABIP with the Jays the last two years, something like 70-80 points below league-average and still 30+ points below his own career BABIP.

Steve: Dexter Fowler likely leaves in FA. Hopefully Schwarber is healthy and can play some LF. Would you have Heyward play CF for Cubs and Soler in RF or would you look to move Soler (value has to be pretty low)? Or just hang on to everyone and figure injuries will sort out playing time?
Klaw: Play Soler. Getting him regular PT next year should be a priority; he’s shown flashes of the ability when healthy, especially at the end of this season, although I’ve been disappointed in his reads on defense. Heyward in CF would make sense, but I’m not sure about Schwarber in LF off the knee injury. (Previous to that I thought he’d be capable out there.)

Jeremy: Thoughts on Dylan winning the nobel prize for literature? I’m a fan of Dylan’s and his lyrics can be amazing and thoughtful, but it seems like a warping of the award, and I highly doubt there weren’t qualified authors to pick from.
Klaw: This is my thought as well. I think he is the greatest lyricist in music history, but I don’t think that compares to the output of great novelists or short story writers. Ngugi wa’Thiongo was considered a favorite to win, and both of his novels that I’ve read are spectacular works of fiction.

Stephen: Where does cubs rhp Trevor Clifton factor into the future rotation equation?
Klaw: Mid-rotation starter.

Chad: How does Preller get trust and credibility back? Is firing Dee, and hiring someone to specifically oversee medical records, enough? Also, who would be your pick for the new Padres CEO?
Klaw: That CEO job is a business job, not a President of Baseball Ops job. Preller has to be scrupulously honest in all dealings, even to the point of going overboard in revealing information. That’s the only way to rebuild trust. Also, people have asked about him getting fired post-suspension; that would be incredibly stupid for the Padres, given how late we are in the baseball calendar now. If you were going to fire him, do it rather than suspending him.

Jer: Predictions on any changes to the CBA after the World Series?
Klaw: I think the international FA system (July 2) is a top priority. The draft is high up on the list for teams, who feel like they’re spending more money in the draft on secondary talents. The MLB minimum salary is likely to go up substantially. I think players want to continue to limit required media access before/after games. September roster rules will probably come up. I personally hope the loss of a draft pick to sign a free agent ends this time around.

Mike: Is there anything anyone can do to move the pace of game in the playoffs? Love it, it’s great theater, but throw the ball already?
Klaw: Well, how long did the top of the 9th take in the Giants-Cubs game 4? Every pitching change is about three minutes of dead time, if not four. That would be my main target; it sucked a lot of drama out of an incredible finish.

Hugo Z: How much credence do you give to studies that indicate line-up protection is a myth?
Klaw: It is definitely a myth, at least as it is understood to mean that a hitter becomes more productive with a better hitter behind him. I’ve said here before I think it’s a myth in MLB, but in an environment like college or HS, where you might see a gap between a team’s best hitter and the guy behind him larger than anything we’ll see in MLB, it may very well exist.

Matt: Can we turn 2016 off, and then turn it back on again? Maybe that will fix it.
Klaw: We should roll back the BIOS to the last clean install.

Keith Too: been a serious issue, but over the last few months of the season it seems that Staumont might have finally bought in that the rose goes in front. IWhat are your thoughts?
Klaw: Saw him Tuesday. Same guy as before – good delivery, great pure stuff, 40 command tops. Let him start as long as you can, because the pure upside is enormous, maybe even #1, but it’s hard to see how he ever gets there when there is no physical or mechanical obstacle to him commanding the fastball.

Jack C.: How does one get into the sports representation business (i.e. agent/advisor)? What can an advisor do with high school and NCAA athletes that an agent can’t do? There seems to be such a grey area when it comes to answers (no surprising due to many NCAA rules and regulations).
Klaw: They’re all lawyers, I think, so that’s the first step. An advisor is an agent who isn’t formally getting paid; once the player signs his first contract, he pays a commission to the advisor, who then becomes an agent. So it’s all semantics and vocabulary there.

Frankie: Did the Mets make the right choice when the traded Dickie to the Jays? Syndergaard or Sanchez?
Klaw: They made the right choice; I had Sanchez rated higher at the time, and perhaps Sanchez would have developed faster in the Mets’ system, but given what we know the Mets did well to take Thor, who I thought was going to win the NL Cy this year for most of the season.

Tim: My wife is pregnant and we are considering the Dr. Sears alternative vaccine schedule. Not sure if you are familiar with it, but the child gets all vaccines, just on a slightly delayed schedule. Our primary reason for doing this is so we can isolate each vaccine in case of some kind of allergic reaction. Are you familiar with Dr. Sears alternate schedule and if so, how do you feel about it?
Klaw: I am familiar with it. It’s total bullshit and he’s a quack. If your child (congratulations, by the way) has an egg allergy, then one vaccine won’t be any better than four. Otherwise there is no reason to use this pseudoscientific ‘alternative’ schedule.

Tim: Cody Reed, Amir Garrett or Robert Stephenson for 5th spot in Reds rotation? Any of them bullpen bound in your opinion?
Klaw: All have starter potential and bullpen floor. Reed seems the most likely to start to me. Stephenson has the highest upside.

Nick: What is Gleyber Torres’ power ceiling? 20-25 Hr’s a year at his peak or is that too high?
Klaw: I’d buy that.

Chris: Two-part question: Is Chase Utley a Hall of Famer? Will Chase Utley get into the Hall of Fame?
Klaw: He is, and I think he will after several years on the ballot. Would have helped if he’d won one of the MVPs he deserved rather than, say, his DP partner winning.

J: Given that 5 (Woodfork, Bell, Montgomery, Minniti, Rizzo) of Arizona’s public targets are or were in their FO at one point, is it fair to say they feel regret about going so far outside of the org last time? Do you think being internal candidates right now helps Bell/Minniti?
Klaw: From what I’ve heard, that list of public is not accurate. I don’t believe Bell is getting an interview, for example, although he’s really highly regarded around MLB.

Erik: Could Clint Frazier hypothetically play CF?
Klaw: No shot.

Eddy: Juan Soto — what type of ceiling does he have? What type of numbers can he post at his peak?
Klaw: He’s 17; I wouldn’t even pretend to project numbers on that. I think he has at least above-average regular upside, a corner guy with power and it appears some OBP potential too.

Jordan: How important is the AFL for a prospect like Dustin Peterson
Klaw: It’s not important; it’s useful, or valuable, but not important in any way.

Air: Thoughts on the new Fox TV show “Pitch” ?
Klaw: Have not watched.

ck: My wife is really into board games, but me, not so much. Part of the problem is that I get very bored waiting for my turn to come back around (as my wife won’t see this, I might mention that her lack of speed in moving is part of the problem). Do you ever have this issue, and if so, how do you get around it?
Klaw: Yes. Gotta pick games that don’t have that feature. Co-op games like Pandemic might be more your speed.

Adam: If I am planning on spatchcocking my turkey for Thanksgiving, should I brine it also, or does the fast cooking time of a spatchcocked turkey make brining redundant?
Klaw: I didn’t brine last year, I just “dry-brined,” which means salting it a little ahead of time to dry out the skin and allow some salt to work its way into the meat via osmosis. Check Serious Eats for more on that.

Joel: Tyler O’Neill, what’s the ceiling there in your opinion?
Klaw: Average regular in RF.

Jaime: Does the surplus of Dodger left-handed hitting prospects (Bellinger, Verdugo, Calhoun, Rios) combined w their big league left-handedness, be a concern?
Klaw: No. I don’t think you can ever have too much of a valuable asset type.

Cory: Why should my Twins take Hunter Greene #1 in the draft, over Wright/Faedo or a position player
Klaw: I’m not sure they should do that, as good as Greene is. There’s certainly risk there, HS pitcher risk as well as questions about how good the breaking ball is going to be down the road.

MikeM: Did you get to see James Kaprielian pitch last night? His velocity was reportedly back to where it was before his injury. After the lost year of development do you think he can still be a mid rotation starter?
Klaw: Yep. I think he can be more than a mid-rotation starter. He looked ridiculous last night.

Greg: Are there any Atlanta prospects going under the radar that you are higher on than most?
Klaw: Is Ronald Acuna still under the radar? I think he might be too well-known for that, but I think he’s a star.

Kevin: Which TV show would you have loved to have a cameo on?
Klaw: I kept telling Schur I was ready for a Parks & Rec cameo as “Corpse #2” but he told me it wasn’t that kind of show.

Tom: At some point doesn’t Bochy have to give one of those FIVE relievers a shot at two batters?
Klaw: Will Smith in particular. Or my son Derek, who shouldn’t have started the inning if there was even a chance in Bochy’s mind that Lopez would face Rizzo.

Dusty: Thinking of going to see the AFL for the first time this year. I know you have several posts on where to eat in the area and we will make good use of those. I was wondering if you had any good advice on actually going to the games.
Klaw: Nothing to advise really – they’re not well attended at all, so just show up and enjoy.

Ryan: Is it more of an insult to yours and all the scouts at the AFL’s intelligence that Tebow is on the field with baseball players that have a *real* future?
Klaw: I think it’s the biggest insult to the player who didn’t get that roster spot, or whoever’s losing playing time to this stunt.

Paul: Hey Keith, Just to say that the Giants- Cubs was GREAT! I enjoyed it very much even as a Giants fan. No managers mistakes, just players playing at their best, close plays all the time. You just can’t beat it
Klaw: I agree and I think the criticism of Bochy for pulling Moore was totally off base. His one mistake was letting Romo face a LHB (after some reshuffling), which is a real tactical error. But otherwise it ain’t his fault none of his relievers could hit a spot.

JJ: Lost year for Blake Swihart. Is he still a catcher in 2017, or do the Red Sox move forward with their conversion to the outfield? If it’s the latter, then he must be trade bait, right? I don’t see him overtaking any of the Benintendi-Bradley-Betts trio.
Klaw: He needs to catch. He’s more than capable.

Brett: Doesn’t it feel like Atlanta is afraid to hire from the outside? This Snitker hire just feels weird when there’s a guy like Black out there wanting the job.
Klaw: I was disappointed with the lack of imagination in the candidate pool. These were pretty standard names.

Max: Thoughts on Tanner Houck? How high could he realistically go next June?
Klaw: Potential top five pick … but I think he’s likely a reliever in the long run and doubt I’ll rank him that high.

JR: Whoever ends up winning the world series will be breaking a championship drought of 20+ years (Toronto in 1993 the most recent champion). #fuckyeahbaseball
Klaw: Yep, this is exactly the type of postseason outcome I root for. Let’s give some long-suffering fan base a championship. Cubs-Cleveland would be incredible no matter who wins.

Steve: Taking my 8 year old to games 1-2 of NLCS. He has some social anxiety in big crowds. He is fine during the game, but gets nervous while leaving. I know it will be nuts at Wrigley. With the exception of leaving early, would you advise just hanging back and let the crowd filter out? We will be staying downtown and taking the train/cab/uber.
Klaw: I’d hang back till after. The mad rush postgame for the subway would be intimidating. Worse because so many people will be drunk.

Chris: I know that Matt Moore is post-TJ and at 120 pitches, but he had retired 9 straight and struck out two of three in 8th. Lose and go home. Why not keep him in with the worst bullpen in the playoffs?
Klaw: Well, that’s a bit of recency bias. There’s really no evidence that a pitcher who’s done what he did is therefore more likely to continue to pitch above his abilities. There is evidence, however, that pitchers pitch worse the fourth time through a lineup (he was at 28 batters, so would have faced Bryant-Rizzo-Zobrist for the fourth time), and that they pitch worse when fatigued, of which 120 pitches is a weak proxy.

darren stains: Hey Keith. Do you have any opinions regarding the Harvard Extension School? I’m 33 trying to finish my bachelors. I’m going the online route and HES is a little cheaper than many of the “reputable” online programs. I’ve seen mixed reviews about HES. Waste of money? Quality education? No idea?
Klaw: I have very limited experience with it, but my understanding is that it’s more like high-quality adult education than like the classes you’d take as an undergraduate. I don’t know anything about its accreditation for your purposes, though.

J.O.: Is there a chance Heyward has been hurt all season and that is causing his hitting problems/mechanics issues?
Klaw: Sure. I think it’s ultimately mechanical, though.

JAred: Why is Espinosa still starting when they have Turner?
Klaw: I have no idea. Then again, I was pilloried for suggesting Turner should have been up to start the year, at least when Espinosa had that one good month.

Brett: Keith, I’m a Braves fan mad about their late hot streak. If one of their late wins turned into a loss, they’d be picking second next year instead of fifth. Am I insane?
Klaw: Not at all. Costs them a higher pick and probably $2.5-3 million in pool money under the current system.

Brian: Aren’t the people shaming Trump’s alleged sexual harassment victims for not coming out earlier more or less enabling him? The reason they didn’t was because they were afraid of negative consequences and not being believed.
Klaw: Yes. And they’re engaging in what they have previously accused HRC of doing to the women who accused Bill of harassment or assault. (Which is also not OK.)

ck: Do you foresee baseball modifying the rules regarding reviews to avoid these stupid reversals when a sliding runner leaves a bag by a half-inch for a millisecond, or will it devolve to “these pampered players need to learn how to slide like the old-timers did” with no change made?
Klaw: I haven’t heard anything from within the industry about it, which wasn’t true of the transfer rule debacle, so I doubt there’s a change – but I wrote the other day why I hope there will be a change because the status quo is a step backwards and may lead to more injuries on slides.

Nick: Could Blake Rutherford stay in CF?
Klaw: No shot.

John: To the guy thinking about the Sears quackery, the first time your kid drops a pacifier on the ground, picks it up, and pops it back into their mouth they will be exposed to more pathogens than any appointment on the typical vaccination schedule.
Klaw: Exactly. I believe I’ve told the story before of my daughter, as a baby, licking the play gym floor. That’s more pathogens than she got in all vaccines combined. The same is true of one tablespoon of soil – there’s something like a million organisms in it of hundreds of species. So people who listen to Sears are falling for junk science.

Hugo Z: For a mid-payroll team, do you like the Mets model of supplementing young starters with one or two relatively inexpensive veterans, and saving your big money spending for position players?
Klaw: Yes, very much. Of course, i don’t think they should be a mid-payroll team…

Jared: I am a HS baseball coach and like you look out for my pitchers. Last year, we were up 1-0 in the 5th inning in the Regional Final when I pulled him because he had thrown 85 pitches. We ended up losing 2-1 and I heard it from parents and others that I wasn’t looking out for the team. This kid probably will play Division 3, but has an outside shot at a D2 scholarship. What are your thoughts on what I should have told these parents?
Klaw: That your goal is developing these kids as players and people, and that your job is to be the adult in the room and take the long view even if it’s to the detriment of the team in one particular game.

Andy: Bounce back for Kolten Wong in ’17?
Klaw: I’ll put it this way: I never thought he’d be more than an average regular, but I think he’s much better than what we saw this year.

Andy: Do you have any additional insight into the Epinoza/Pomeranz re-trade. Was it actually a, we’ll give the prospect back if you give us the pitcher? If it was, why didn’t the Red Sox take them up on it?
Klaw: I think that was it, and the Red Sox must have decided a fragile Pomeranz was still worth more to them this year and next than the long-term value of Espinoza.

Geregg: What is Anderson Espinoza’s floor?
Klaw: Floor would be a high-value reliever, one of these 2 WAR, 12 K per 9 type of guys.

Preston: Do you have a recommendation for a quick (5-15 minutes) board/card game, preferably fairly easy to learn? Ideally for 5 or 6 people, though I could work with fewer.
Klaw: The card games Love Letter, Coup, and 3 Wishes all fit what you’re looking for and play 3-4, but not more. Ticket to Ride takes almost no time to learn, plays up to 5, but takes more time than that to play. Carcassonne plays up to 5 or 6, takes a little more time to learn because of the scoring of farms, but has no setup time and can play in a half hour or so once you know the rules.

Ryan V.: Really enjoyed your review of The Lobster. Even more, I enjoyed the quiz that identifies which of three animals you could be in that world. My day was brightened immeasurably when I learned that I should be a water bear…
Klaw: I’m still thinking about the movie a lot, which is a good sign. I didn’t buy some of the plot contrivances in the second half, but the dystopian details were both clever and I thought perfectly satirized some of our modern obsessions with relationships and ‘matching.’

Tim: Any other names moving up your list for ’17 that could unseat Kendall or Greene? Seems like those guys are almost sure bets to go top 2 or 3.
Klaw: Those are the clear top 2 for me. Wright is right up there. Adell has the tool set to make a big run up the board, but he’s not going to face great competition in the spring and I think some teams will consider him too risky for a pick that high.

Troy: Is Luke Weaver a reliable starter in the bigs someday?
Klaw: I don’t think he has the breaking ball for that.

Logan: Between Muller and Wentz, who has the high ceiling, and who is the safest?
Klaw: Wentz on both for me.

Jay: I found it ridiculous that the Rangers and their fans equated Odor punching Bautista to the Bat Flip homer as their signature moment. The irony was too sweet that he blew the final play.
Klaw: I don’t love celebrating a punch in that manner anyway. Go watch MMA if that’s your style.

Jeff: Are there any Rule 5 guys that could end up with regular roles in 2017? How early do teams start planning for this?
Klaw: The rosters won’t be set until around November 20th, and the safest answer to your first question is “no,” because I think we’ve had maybe zero or one in each of the last five years of drafts.

Darth Vader Ginsburg: Have a best mac and cheese recipe?
Klaw: I do, right here on the dish.

Stephen: Has the apparent mechanical change (his stance looks different since his recall from the minors) from Puig rebuilt his value in your estimation? Or are you still noticing that he is not turning on inside fastballs?
Klaw: It was never a mechanical issue.

Scott: What are you thoughts on Eloy Jimenez? 19 y/o. but seems he advanced well this year. Seen him live?
Klaw: Couple of times. Superstar.

Anonymous: What did you do after you graduated Harvard? What advice would you give to a senior that is not really sure what to do immediately after?
Klaw: Worked in consulting, got an MBA, worked at some startups, never liked any of it.

Erskine: Have you heard of the new deckbuilding/dungeon-crawling game Clank! that released today? Interested in your thoughts on this new style of game.
Klaw: No, but I’ll check it out.

Brian Woytek: Should I go see Opeth on Saturday or watch the NLCS?
Klaw: Go see Opeth. You can always record the game and watch it later. I had to watch the 9th inning of Cubs-Giants afterwards because I was at a game here.

Anthony: Would you try to move Gallo and Profar for a SP? What value to each of them have given the struggles of both?
Klaw: Profar struggled? He missed two years and came back to be a useful bench piece. Your standards are too high.

Tim (KC): Hey Keith… do you have any book recs for baseball analytics?
Klaw: Yes. I’m writing one.

Tim: I always reflect your science-based approach to issues. Do you have any thoughts or reading recommendation on chiropractic care, particularly pediatric chiro or “subluxation”?
Klaw: Any chiropractic claims beyond dealing with musculoskeletal injuries or pain are pseudoscience.

Bryan: What is going on with DJ Stewart? Seems to do better vs higher competition
Klaw: Bench guy, maybe. Bad body, poor approach, no position.

Josephina: Thoughts on cutting out sugar from your diet when it makes everything taste so good?
Klaw: I’ve never cut it out completely so I wouldn’t know what to advise, especially if you have a medical reason to avoid it. Maybe just try to use more of the other things that satisfy us, like acid or umami?

Alex: Ty Black.. Anything more than a 5th starter option for the Giants?
Klaw: I think he’s a reliever, but I’d accept fifth starter as an answer too.

Deniro: Thought the concern with vaccines were chemicals and heavy metals in vaccines?
Klaw: The concern with vaccines is that a lot of people don’t understand basic science and refuse to accept overwhelming evidence that vaccines are safe.

Tim (KC): Is it a mistake that teams are not letting some of their top end prospects play this postseason? (Thinking Urias, Moncada, Swihart, Giolito)
Klaw: I don’t think it’s a mistake – Moncada isn’t ready to contribute, for example. Urias would be the exception, as he can help at least in a long relief role.

Randy: I know you are high on Junior Fernandez. Looks like he had a nice year. Ceiling?
Klaw: High-end starter.

Josephina: How rare is Rich Hill? Majors to independent ball to starting the biggest game of the year for the Dodgers?
Klaw: Incredibly so and I think it’s fantastic. Probably helped that he had pitched in the majors before, but still, most guys in his situation would be done.

Buddy: I think the whole situation with Buck waiting for a save situation is a perfect example of how in sports managers would rather lose conventionally than win unconventionally, which is of course twisted. The most underrated aspect of the analytics movement is that more people are starting to realize the flaw in that thinking, which may lead to actual change on the field; given the number of people criticizing the conventional failure by Buck, it seems more likely another manager will feel confident making the right move in the future, even if it fails
Klaw: Yes, it’s the “no one ever got fired for buying from IBM” mentality. If you buy from the new vendor, and it doesn’t work out, you will be second-guessed to death by people saying “why didn’t you just buy from IBM?” If Buck used Britton, extended the game, and then lost when someone else blew the save situation, he would have been criticized for using his closer “too soon,” by writers and fans who can’t see that using Britton allowed the save situation to happen. Of course, failing to use Britton at all created a new set of questions, so I don’t think Buck escaped it entirely, but he definitely hewed too closely to a conservative idea of reliever usage.

Klaw: That’s all for this week – thank you as always for your questions and for reading.