The dish

Subscribers to the Athletic can check out my ranking of the top 50 prospects in the minors right now as well as all of my trade deadline breakdowns.

Keith Law: I’m getting older too. Klawchat.

Kevin: Crossing my fingers that whenever they sign a new CBA, they allow trades of draft picks. Are you in favor of this as well?
Keith Law: I wrote a column for ESPN in either 2006 or 2007 arguing that it was in all parties’ best interests to allow trading of draft picks. My view hasn’t changed. Unfortunately neither side has a strong incentive to push for this in the CBA negotiations.

davealden53: I find referring to the extra-inning gimmicks as “phantom runners” to be confusing imprecise.  Those are real flesh-and-blood players on second base, unlike the imaginary runners of backyard wiffle-ball games.  What’s “phantom” is how the players reached second base.  I propose retiring “phantom runners” in favor of “phantom doubles”.  But whatever we call it, I hope it goes away.
Keith Law: Yeah, call it whatever you want, it’s gimmickry of the worst sort.

Frank: The biggest issue to me with the whole Rocker situation is he now has to sit out another year.  If the team that drafts a player doesnt want to sign him for medical reasons, then he should be free to go sign with whomever he wishes.  Seems incredibly unfair to the player to force him to delay his professional career by an entire year.
Keith Law: Hold on – that’s not accurate. He had the choice to submit his MRI to MLB, and thus to all teams before the draft. Had he done so, and any team drafting him then declined to make him an offer of at least 40% of slot, he would be a free agent. He declined to submit the MRI, and this is the consequence of that action. This mechanism of submitting MRIs predraft is not perfect but it better protects player and team than the old system. If a player chooses not to use that system, he must accept the consequences of that choice. The draft itself is a labor-exploiting farce, but this mechanism is one of the few aspects of it that does protect the player’s rights.
Keith Law: What if some other team saw Rocker’s MRI and disagreed with the Mets’ doctors? Then he would have gone somewhere fairly high and gotten paid accordingly – maybe not what the Mets offered, but more than the $0 he has now. And if all teams saw the MRI and said “oh hell no,” he’s no worse off than he is today anyway.

Sam: Were you surprised at how much of a discount Henry Davis signed for?  With no clear cut #1 did the Pirates put out a number to 3-4 guys and he was the one who said yes?
Keith Law: Not surprised, not in this draft class without a clear-cut #1.

Marlin Guy: Hi Keith! What’s your evaluation of Jazz Chisholm at this point? Thanks!
Keith Law: No change. I still think he’s got a real chance to be a star.

Tom: Luis Garcia of the Nats looked great in AAA and even hit 2 homers last night. I know you’ve never been particularly bullish, but is there a chance he has really turned a corner offensively at just 21.
Keith Law: Unless there’s been some real change in his swing that I don’t know about, no, not really. I’m not a huge believer in players who spend a good amount of time in the majors and then go back down and rake in triple-A, facing far worse pitching than they did in the majors. Imagine if a player was promoted to double A, struggled badly, then was returned to high- or even low-A and mashed. You’d look askance at that performance too.

Tom: this may be more of a nate silver question, but do you think theres data to suggest that the anti-vaxxers, most of whom are GOP, that are passing away from COVID, are going to hurt future election results for GOP?
Keith Law: I’m sorry, you stole that take from Nate, although I’m glad it’s getting some visibility.

JP: What did you think of Luis Gil’s MLB debut?
Keith Law: Great fastball, not enough of anything else.

Appa Yip Yip: What’s up with Kevin Smith (of the Blue Jays, not Silent Bob)?
Keith Law: Now that is a swing change guy. Different player than he was pre-COVID (or at Maryland, for that matter). He’s gone from a 3 (nothing) to a 5 (everyday player).

Tom: Other than a not so fast fastball, gotta like what we see from braxton garrett. Is there no. 2 upside here?
Keith Law: No, there’s not. He’s been pretty lucky so far, and the stuff just hasn’t come all the way back post-surgery. I would love to be wrong – he pitched one of the best games I’ve ever seen from a HS pitcher – but even with another mph on his fastball his arsenal is still light.

Fitzy: Is Austin Martin still a top 100 prospect in your view? I believe a lot of my fellow Jays fans were too hung up on his pre-season ranking and believe we got absolutely fleeced for Berrios.
Keith Law: He was on the top 50 linked at the top of this post.

JG: JR Richard passed away last night.  Thoughts…  If he hadn’t had that stroke was he on a HOF trajectory?
Keith Law: Died of COVID-19. Get your vaccine, folks. And yes, I think he was, if he held up – he was throwing exceptionally hard for his era and he might have had the sort of arm problems we saw often at the time.

Jonesy: Should the Jays be doing everything in their power to extend Semien and Ray right now?
Keith Law: No. It all comes down to cost.

Dan: Granted it’s a selected sample size but the Tigers look like a good(!) team since April ended. How much should be attributed to finally having a competent manager as well as positive contributions from Baddoo etc?
Keith Law: I wouldn’t undersell the switch to a competent manager. Also some of the rebuild is starting to hit the majors now.

Jeff: After the Cubs’ firesale, where you would now rank the Cubs’ farm system?
Keith Law: Eyeballing it, around the median. Huge improvement over preseason.

Justin: Would you rather have Henry Davis+Lonnie White, or Leiter+Some College Senior for the identical $7.9 mil of bonus pool?
Keith Law: Davis and White, although I think Davis + Chandler is the better 1-2 combo. Hitters over pitchers, for one thing, and Davis > Leiter anyway.

OJ1977: Seems like Austin Martin’s prospect standing has really dropped, at least in the eyes of Jays management…has his ceiling dropped given his lack of a defensive position and absence of power?
Keith Law: I wrote that. All of it.

Mike: can brett baty stick at 3B long-term? 30 hr potential??
Keith Law: I think he has a real chance to stay at 3b, maybe 50/50, up from maybe 10-20% odds back in HS.

Jake: Thanks for the chat, Keith! In your estimation has Jake Eder shown enough to be a back end top 100 guy? If so, was he close to your updated top 50?
Keith Law: Yes and yes. Legit. Might be better than Meyer, really.

Dark Knight: Riley Greene performing well at AA as a 20 yr old is impressive.  Does he have enough power to hit 20+ hrs in the majors?
Keith Law: I would put the o/u at 25. He’s real. I think I’m seeing him tonight.

Steve Cohen: What do I do now?  The system seems pretty top heavy with high A and AA players.  The failure to get any trades done is a consequence of the top heavy system – the list of desirable prospects is short.  Missing on Kumar I assume is a huge mistake (so much for the opposite of lolMets). What does this mean for the system and the future?
Keith Law: see above on Rocker. It is just wrong to peg this as a Mets error when nobody but the team and Rocker’s group know what was in the medicals. They also swapped a lot of talent in previous deals. I still think they’re well positioned to continue contending into the next several years.

Tom: Kyle Stowers is putting up pretty big numbers in AA (although in only 161 PA).  Any hope for him?
Keith Law: Fourth OF. Seen him a bunch.

Andrew: How would you grade the O’s rebuild to date. When is it fair to start building expectations for the major league club?
Keith Law: It’s fair, not great, hurt by the fact that the veterans were all traded (generally for not enough return) before the new regime came in; the awful luck with Kjerstad; and a continued lack of any production from the international side.

Ira: How can the Mets ever build up a farm system when they purposely draft under slot value for the entire draft for the purpose of signing a top pick, and then not sign that pick? Seems to me if many teams were afraid of Rocker’s physical status and he dropped, then the Mets should have maybe picked a different player.
Keith Law: Revisionist history. Don’t know any teams that were “afraid of Rocker’s physical status.” However, I would argue the Mets should have taken Will Taylor or another high-bonus HS kid in the 11th round and handed him the money they didn’t give Rocker.

Jay: Of the things Theo Epstein has discussed for improving the game (moving the mound, limits on shifts, pitch clocks, limiting # of pitchers on the roster) do you like any of them and which do you think can have the biggest positive impact?
Keith Law: Pitch clocks are a mixed bag – they do move the game along in an appreciable way, but may increase pitcher injuries. I like limiting the number of pitchers on the roster to try to discourage too many mid-inning pitching changes. But if you really want to speed the game up, you need shorter commercial breaks, and nobody wants to touch that.

Newt: If Dermis Garcia ever got a season with 600 PAs in the majors, would he be the inaugural member of the 30 HR, 350K Club?
Keith Law: He has 40 homer power and would probably strike out 50% of the time, enough that he’d never sniff 30 or even 20 homers.

Sean: Hi Keith, anything in Detmers start that gave you pause on his upside?  Curve looked great but fastball didn’t seem to get many misses, even holding the mid 90s velo.  Maybe just command jitters in his first start?
Keith Law: I don’t like judging any pitcher on his first major league start.

Vin: Hi Keith. Thanks for these chats. How do you evaluate the job Kapler has done with the Giants? Are there specific things he’s doing differently now than when he was in Philly?
Keith Law: Entire organizational approach to hitting has changed under him. I think he’s the manager of the year. That club has no business being this good.

Dallas: There is a Voltaggio brother’s cooking competition on Discovery+ that’s fantastic. Nicky Lopez is past 2.0 WAR on both BR and FG and could finish around 3.0 WAR. If this is who he is, is that a starting 2B going forward or still more of a very quality utility player (as a lot of that WAR is based on SS defense). Thanks.
Keith Law: I think he’s an everyday guy.

Vin: Could Luis Matos make a leap into the top 100 next season?
Keith Law: Yes. I think he was my Giants sleeper prospect this year or maybe last year before the shutdown.

Guest: I thought the Mets had to offer Rocker 40% of the slot to get the pick last year? Did that rule change?
Keith Law: No, the rule is the same, but only applies if the player complies with the MRI program.

Guest: What do you think the PA should be aiming for in the next CBA? Reduced service time requirement to FA? Arb eligible earlier?
Keith Law: I mean, yes, all of the above. distributing more money to players with less than 6 years service time should be a goal – those are the players whose salaries are artificially suppressed by the current system.

Luke: Anecdotally, 80-grade tools seem more commonly placed on players for arm strength, speed, raw power. Less common for hit and glove. The latter are more difficult to measure and thus harder to have confidence in. But given 20-80 is based on a distribution, would we expect the same number of 80s league-wide for each tool?
Keith Law: 20-80 is not based on a distribution. That story has been retconned on to the scale.

Justin: Is Adam Frazier a pretty good comparison for Tucupita Marcano?  Maybe Marcano needs to bulk up a little bit to make that possible?
Keith Law: I hate comps but I don’t hate that one.

Justin: Do you think Hoy Park can be a 1.5 WAR type SS and/or Super Util?
Keith Law: No. Way under that one.

Tony: This might require a tinfoil hat on my end, but is there a chance that the Orioles are keeping Rutschman in Double A for the whole year, so they have a ready-made excuse for keeping him down next year, too? Given where we are in the calendar, it feels unlikely they’d promote him for three weeks
Keith Law: TFH. I don’t believe this for a second. I do wonder if they’re keeping him in Bowie because it’s the nearby affiliate and they’ve always tried to keep Bowie competitive.

Shaun: How have you seen Torkelson progress this year,’? Expected? Over expectations?
Keith Law: Looked very good at the Futures Game. Should see him tonight too.

Steve: Is a Sox fan and liked Madrigal, though not devastated to see him gone. As a scout, what makes you so certain that power can’t develop like it did with Jose Altuve or other similar bodied players? Is he just an outlier and it’s unfair to compare? What are the metrics that show potential power with maturation?
Keith Law: He doesn’t look anything at all like Altuve. Really – just look at their builds and frames. They’re both short. I’m 5’6″, Altuve is 5’5″ if that, but I couldn’t possibly be as muscular as Altuve was, even if you put me on a weight training program (and I wasn’t 48, etc., etc.). You need strength, including real hand and forearm strength, to hit for power, or even just to hit with any authority.

Ryan: Who do you think has higher upside between Jordan Lawlar and Corbin Carroll? As a Dbacks fan, I can’t remember the last time I was this excited for the future.
Keith Law: Carroll.

Reb Wiseau: Are you surprised that Jud Fabian didn’t sign with the Red Sox?
Keith Law: No, but that’s not to his credit. Dude punched out 79 times this year and was just as bad at the end of the year as he was at the beginning. He was lucky to get an offer of first round money. Now he’ll be an older 21 in what might be a stronger draft class next year. He’d better be WAY better at the plate to get that kind of payout again.

Ben: Is this season out of nowhere for Willy Adames, or did the Brewers get a real star at SS?
Keith Law: Top 100 prospect several times, on my breakouts list for 2020, so definitely not out of nowhere, but maybe a year late.

Andy: Anyone who thinks of Tommy John as riskless should look up Brady Aiken, who went from #1 overall pick to being out of baseball by 24.
Keith Law: Well, he had something wrong in his elbow that made TJ itself a riskier proposition. (He’s also still in Cleveland’s system, just on the IL.) But some players don’t come back all the way from TJ. And, in an extreme outlier, a pitcher at George Mason died after TJ surgery – I don’t know if it was an infection or bleeding or something else – which I think should remind us all that Tommy John surgery is surgery, and not minor surgery at that. No surgery is riskless.

Noah: Hi Keith, as always, thank you for your chats.  As a fellow anxiety-sufferer and believer in science and feminist, the baseball stuff is just the icing on the cake for me.  But my question is: given what Sandy Alderson has overseen in terms of hiring personnel with red flags (i.e. multiple  sexual harassment hires), why isn’t there more of an outcry for him to resign?  It seems that not only the media, the Mets organization, but also fans are just sweeping this under the rug and forgetting about it.
Keith Law: I’ve had a few people around MLB ask the same question. If Sandy was responsible, then why isn’t he being held accountable, and if he wasn’t responsible, well, why not? I don’t have an answer to that. I wouldn’t be shocked if he stepped aside at the end of this year, especially now that a few of his top lieutenants have been promoted/extended.

Brendan: Hi Keith! Its highly unlikely that to ever happen but in the wake of the Rocker situation I’ve seen a couple sport writers and many fans call for the end of the draft (unfair labor practices/manipulation and all). If that were to happen, what could be done to prevent all the top prospects from signing with one team? Perhaps a hybrid system where teams still receive the equivalent of their bonus pools and they can sign as many “draft picks” as they want with that money with fines and penalties similar to the international pool rules for exceeding your allotted money? Thanks!
Keith Law: Why would all of the top prospects sign with one team so they can fight for the finite amount of playing time available?

Dungeon Master: any change on Triston Casas evaluation this year? Results seem solid but not spectacular. Is he the Red Sox 1B by next summer? I know tough for a 1B to hit top 50, but hoping the bat is good enough to play there for a first division team.
Keith Law: No change. Good prospect, waiting for more thump to show up.

Ian: Any changes to the view of Nick Yorke and/or Blaze Jordan after some of their recent successes?
Keith Law: Small samples, and Jordan did it in the Florida Man League, but it’s all very promising, especially seeing Jordan show some power in games (while playing below sea level down there). Also don’t sleep on Brandon Walter. Delaware lefty, 26th rounder, now up to 97 with a starter look.

Mike: Any restaurant recommendations near Rehoboth/Dewey?
Keith Law: The Station & Eggcelent in Lewes. Rise Up coffee in Rehoboth. I try not to eat down at Rehoboth because it’s basically Grotto’s and Thrasher’s on an infinite loop.

Bradley: What are your thoughts on how the Cubs did overall on prospects received in their trades?  Specifically Madrigal and Heuer for Kimbrel?
Keith Law: I wrote up all my Cubs deadline thoughts here.

Evan R.: Astros prospect Hunter Brown…the next Walker Buehler?
Keith Law: I mean, Brown has great shit, top 25 prospect in baseball kind of shit … but he’s only had anything approaching average control for about six weeks now.

Sean: The Graveman trade broke our hearts, but this Abraham Toro guy seems like an infielder that can switch hit with power and speed. What do you see in him?
Keith Law: The trade of a journeyman reliever in the midst of his first really good season broke your hearts? I like Toro, more like a  multi-position utility guy who can play close to every day, but much prefer him to Graveman.

Coffee Drinker: You like coffee. I like coffee. What beans do you typically get and from where?
Keith Law: All over. I buy beans whenever I travel. Right now I’m using some Royal Mile Breakfast Jawn (light roast) beans for espresso and a Colombian from GIV coffee in Canton, CT, for pour-over.

Dark Knight: Dodgers have been giving Gavin Lux opportunities for couple years… do you see him more as a Carter Kieboom/ Biggio?  or still someone who will be an above avg regular?
Keith Law: Chance to be a star. Way better than those other two. Not even in the same league in tools or ability.

Sean: Any intel as to why the Red Sox didn’t beat the Yankees offer for Rizzo?  It seems like it wasn’t a prospect quality issue and the SSS results are…frustrating
Keith Law: Disagree. Prospects the Cubs got were good.

Mike: Along the same line as the Luis Garcia question – do you feel the same about Jose Barrero? He seems to be walking much more than he did in the past.
Keith Law: Yes, but I feel a little better about his power potential because it was always there.

Jon: Have you been able to see or hear anything new about any Cardinals prospects like Gorman, Liberatore, or Thompson?
Keith Law: I saw Gorman and Liberatore in Denver and wrote them up.

Mike: I’ve seen Riley Greene a bunch of times and see flashes of Eastern League top prospects Gregory Polanco and Dom Brown with him due to a slow bat, is he closer to a 5 level talent than a 6?
Keith Law: Uh … no, that’s not accurate at all.

John: Are you a believer in Samad Taylor? The power has kind of come out of nowhere.
Keith Law: He’s a real prospect. Possible regular.

Guest: Hi Keith– I was curious what, if anything, you’ve heard about George Valera this year. Walk rate seems pretty impressive for such a young guy at that level.
Keith Law: Very positive reports. Wanted to see him in the Futures Game too.

Josh: You seem fairly high on Randy Vasquez.  Where does he rank compared to endless amount of right handers the Yankees have like Medina, Gil, Way, Yoendrys Gomez, etc.
Keith Law: Less famous, more likely to be a starter than Medina, Gil, or Way, I think.

Dark Knight: Andre Jackson just pitched well in AA and promoted to AAA.  LA has Pepiot & Miller/Beeter that looks like they’ll be ready soon.  Will LA use the Gonsolin model for these guys?
Keith Law: I definitely would with Jackson, who is still ‘young’ in pitching experience (but not young for a prospect).

Mac: Are you surprised the White Sox moved on from Nick Madrigal so quickly?
Keith Law: No. They’re smart people. They saw his ceiling as well as his floor and made a calculated decision.

Chris: Trying not to read the stat lines on less heralded guys but do the Yanks have anything in Waldichuk, Wesneski, and Sears?  (Was gonna ask about Hauver, Otto, and Junk too but no longer care!)
Keith Law: I wrote up Wesneski, think he’s a reliever, but I know guys who have him in as a starter. Waldichuk is more on the starter/reliever bubble.

Alex In Austin: Is there any value in bringing up Witt Jr now to start getting challenged at the major league level or does it make more long term sense to wait to start the clock?
Keith Law: I’d love to see him up in September for that very reason. They might not do so for 40-man reasons but I think it’ll help his development to come up for a few weeks, even if he gets overpowered. He’ll make the adjustment.

Jason: Kelenic has been really bad in MLB and the list of other players who have begun their career this bad is very discouraging despite the great MiLB numbers. How much do you weigh historical trends when projecting his future?
Keith Law: Not at all, since we are in the highest K% era in the sport’s history.

Matt: Is the Jose Miranda breakout legit?
Keith Law: Been talking about him for years, and I think I said this in the last chat too. He can hit.

Ben: So a lot of Tiger’s fan understand the circumstances with Manning being up now, even though he is clearly not ready. But I saw a comparison between his statcast and Mike Pelfrey’s and made me sick. Even tho he isn’t ready, shouldn’t he be putting up better metrics than that as is? Has your overall outlook on his future changed?
Keith Law: He wasn’t 100% last year, with a sore shoulder, and then hasn’t been good at any level this year. My inference is that he never got ‘right.’ It seems awfully coincidental that he should get hurt for the first time, and then after that struggle like he hasn’t since he was still in extended spring training a year after the draft.

Dave Mayer: Hi Keith, Thoughts on Nick Lodolo?  Was he close on your mid season top 50?
Keith Law: Not close – top 100, not top 50. Big leaguer for sure, not a huge ceiling.

Jason: The Jays obviously soured on Austin Martin. Do you think the trade also speaks to them thinking highly of Groshans and how do you feel about Groshans future?
Keith Law: I don’t have great reports from this year on Groshans.

Arnold: In last week’s deadline deals, which team is most likely to regret the prospect they gave up for the two-month rental they received?
Keith Law: Wouldn’t shock anyone if Martin became a star after all. If you want a slightly more obscure name, Kevin Alcantara is a longshot, but also probably has the most upside of all the guys the Cubs got.

Roger: What do you think is the ETA on Volpe and does he have what it takes to stick at SS?
Keith Law: Could be up by end of 2022; my best guess is he’s good enough to stay at short, maybe even be a 55 defender there, but that the Yankees (or whoever) would try to get a 60 or better guy to replace him and move him to second. He’s not going to hurt you with his glove, though.

Barry: I’ve read The Inside Game and know your thoughts on drafting high school pitchers. Do you think the industry agrees with you and maybe the Phillies think they found a market inefficiency or (based on recent history) are they just bad at drafting?
Keith Law: I know some execs agree with me, but obviously not all do, and if nobody is taking HS pitchers in the first round at all, that would probably change the data, right? Suddenly if there are only 1 or 2 HS arms going in the first round each year, we might find their failure rate is similar to that of other player types.

Andy: Could the Mets have seen the MRI on Rocker, said nothing, signed him, rested him due to a full college season and then tried to trade him in the offseason? Would that have gone afoul of disclosure rules, even though he didn’t have an injury per se?
Keith Law: Other teams would have asked to see the MRI.

Ryan: Can Touki still be a #2 or better starter for the Braves?
Keith Law: He has that potential. I think he has ace stuff, really, but prior to those two starts when he came back this year (before the one against the Brewers), he’d never really shown the command to be a starter. It was always a bet on ridiculous stuff and +++ athleticism.

Dark Knight: Is Josh Winder for real?  Has a chance to be a #3?
Keith Law: Yes.

Ryan: What happened to Hiura? Does he just need a change of scenery?
Keith Law: The Brewers tried to turn him into a big launch-angle, swing-up for power guy, and it has ruined him as a hitter. He’s a zero at the plate right now. I don’t know anyone who could hit the way he’s swinging. It’s aggravating – this kid was going to make a ton of money just hitting for average with lots of doubles, and someone took that away from him to chase the latest fad. Swing optimization has worked wonders for some players, but it is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

Buck: Does Rowdy Tellez have at least platoon potential or not even that?
Keith Law: Not really. A platoon DH isn’t worth the roster spot.

ssinole: What are your thoughts on Andrew Vaughn? Learning a new position,  playing it pretty well and now he’s starting to mash RHP.
Keith Law: Big fan. Thought for bat alone he was better than Rutschmann, but Adley had the positional value.

Zac: Even if Jackson Jobe becomes the greatest pitcher of all time, doesn’t Al Avila still deserve criticism for taking a huge risk at 3? I’m sure if Jobe becomes a star, people will compliment Avila for the pick when he actually should be criticized.
Keith Law: Yes, that’s a process vs results issue. This was not a great process, given who else was on the board and the base rate of HS pitchers. It may still yield great results.

Dave: A lot of people seem to think that the A’s to Vegas is going to happen. Is that really a great market, especially considering Lake Mead is drying up and they already have two pro teams?
Keith Law: Worst market. Bad demographics, bad weather, and as you said, too much competition already.
Keith Law: The NBA has been quite savvy about moving into new markets, and they haven’t toyed with this idea yet. Says something.

Danny: I read on Baseball America that Austin Wells’s defense is looking rough? Have you heard similar sentiments and where would you move him if he’s not a catcher?
Keith Law: Said that before the draft. He can really hit but he’s not a catcher.

Paul: Reading your reviews, you mentioned Fabian has some big holes in his swing. Do you think  he jumps up to the top of the first round next year?
Keith Law: Extremely unlikely. Can’t say never, but he has to make some huge adjustments that he didn’t make this year, and he’ll be evaluated against a higher standard for his experience level.

Dark Knight: Seth Beer the future 1B for ARI as soon as next year?  Can he be the prototypical power bat at the corner?
Keith Law: I don’t buy it. Below average defensive 1B, for one thing.

Kretin: Chris Rodriguez seemed to do ok in his first MLB start. Do you think he will be durable enough to stick as a starter?
Keith Law: Great arm, tough delivery and history of back problems make me skeptical.

CVD: Surprised by the James Wood overslot?
Keith Law: Floored. Area scouts I know were very wary of him.

Justin: What’s the deal with Bryse Wilson?  Is he a guy who needs to move to relief to see if the stuff ticks up?
Keith Law: No, the velocity isn’t the issue, but the secondary stuff is. Eager to see if working with a new coaching staff/org can help him develop a better slider, in particular.

Mike: It’s still a small sample, but to clarify the two homers Luis Garcia hit last night were vs. the Phillies, not in AAA
Keith Law: I mean …

Ken: Have you written about Jose Miranda at all? Just read a Gleeman post noting he has the best OPS for a minor leaguer in the orgs history. Curious how this boosts his stock.
Keith Law: Several times. He’s been on my Twins rankings for a few years.

Jerome: Have you been watching Olympic baseball? Thoughts on kazmir thinking he can pitch in the MLB again
Keith Law: Not a single pitch.

Zach: What will it take for there to be actual, impactful changes to the minor league system a la the Astros providing housing for all their minor leaguers? I know it’s a battle between billionaires wanting to cheap out as much as possible vs protecting their investments, is there anyway we can help move the needle?
Keith Law: Public pressure. Britt Ghiroli’s article today should help. MLB did an end run around labor laws to get minor leaguers declared “seasonal employees.” The only thing that will change their minds is public pressure to do so.
Keith Law: That’s all for this week – thank you all so much for reading. I’ll have a scouting notebook up in the next few days for subscribers.

Starting at 3 pm ET. My team-by-team draft recaps are now up for subscribers to The Athletic:
• AL East
• AL Central
• AL West
• NL East
• NL Central
• NL West

Keith Law: D4 damage with the ill behavior. Klawchat.

Debbie: What kind of offensive ceiling does Francisco Alvarez possess? Did his Future Game BP change your raw power grade on him?
Keith Law: I think it’s 70 power, but no, I didn’t change anything off the Futures Game look. I’d just seen him two weeks earlier in regular games anyway.

Carl: Can Cole Winn be a mid-rotation starter? Despite the home run during the Futures Game, he looked impressive.
Keith Law: He did look impressive and that’s what I think he is.

mike sixel: Buxton: traded in the next 12 months, or signed to stay in MN? How about Berrios?
Keith Law: I’d guess they sign Buxton and trade Berrios. Buxton might give them some discount given how often he’s been hurt. I can’t see them going 5 years on Berrios, but he could get that in free agency.

Joel: Hi, Keith. Thanks for the fantastic draft coverage throughout the past three months. If you were given the authority to make unilateral changes to improve the draft, what changes would you make?
Keith Law: Make picks tradeable, first and foremost. I’d also consider a lottery for the top picks in the draft, or something to deter any thought of teams tanking (although I doubt anyone is explicitly tanking for draft position).

JJ: Are Jarren Duran’s home/road splits a concern?  The new ballpark in Worcester seems to be a hitter’s park.
Keith Law: It is a hitter’s park – it’s on a hill, right? – but his power is real.

Robert: 20 pitchers! It’s concerning that despite going pitching heavy the last few years they still felt the need to do this.
Keith Law: It’s a gimmick, I think. But I like what they did up top.

David: Any idea what’s wrong with Blake Snell? He’s denied injury but has looked utterly lost on the mound this year.
Keith Law: I’m assuming it’s an injury of some sort.

Nacho: Thoughts on Brennan Davis? Futures game aside, he’s seems to be making adjustments and is crushing AA at a young age. Could he be a top 25 prospect by year-end?
Keith Law: He’s top 50 now, at least. I’m a fan.

Jon G: The Cubs used their first two picks on day 3 on preps that publicly said no within a day. Is this necessarily a sign of bad process within the draft room?
Keith Law: No, those picks are usually throwaways, or just senior signs to fill rosters.
Keith Law: You take those HS kids on the off chance that they come to their senses change their minds before heading to college.

Nils: What exactly makes a pitcher “home run prone”?  Hear that as a knock on some prospects, but is that a trait that is fixable?
Keith Law: Usually it’s a fastball thing – their fastballs lack life or movement, and if they get too much of the heart of the zone, hitters hit them. Far.

Himself: When a team like the pirates are able to draft 4 elite guys like they did, are they concerned that they’ll be available at each pick or fairly certain because of the relative cost and bonus pool management for other clubs?
Keith Law: Those teams have negotiated with those players’ advisers to come to verbal agreements – if your player is there, we will take him and pay him $X – and the advisers will then try to deter other teams from taking those players.
Keith Law: There are no guarantees, but that’s the tacit agreement that holds up the system.

Shaughn B: Hey Keith, read the recaps – thanks for those! Were there any team drafts you thought were more in line with the approach you would’ve taken? Any that went way against the grain of an approach you agree with?
Keith Law: The Phillies went heavy on high school pitching, which you know I don’t favor, especially not in the first round. I think the Reds had my favorite draft and the one that most mirrored my philosophy.

Nate: It’s been a very disappointing season to be a Twins fan, but one of the pleasant surprises has been seeing Jose Miranda’s improvement. How much has his outlook changed from a year ago? Can he be an everyday third baseman?
Keith Law: I loved him in his draft year and the Twins, to their credit, have always been steadfast in their (outward) belief that he’d hit. He could be a regular, yes.

John: Aside from the feature ASG events themselves, how was your experience in Denver this week?
Keith Law: Great! Good city for this event. Loved that I could walk everywhere. Had amazing coffee at Little Owl and grade 80 sushi at Sushi Den. The light rail is great too. Not sure where the city put all the oxygen, though.

Eric: With the performance of Tork, Greene & Dingler, not to mention the emergence of Baddoo, is it fair to say Detroit’s rebuild all of a sudden looks much more promising than one might have thought before the season?
Keith Law: Yes, I think so. Manning’s regression hurts a little.

John: The Red Sox seem to think their history with training hitters means they can fix the holes in Fabian’s swing.  Any reason to believe that?
Keith Law: Didn’t work with Dalbec. It’s not a “hole” per se but a complete and utter inability to make an adjustment. He couldn’t hit sliders when the season started, and he couldn’t hit them when the season ended.

Sandy Alderson: Is Rocker’s ETA 2022?
Keith Law: Maybe end of 2022, but I’d rather take it a little slower with him than I would with Leiter.

John: What’s the youngest player that you’ve ever scouted?
Keith Law: I saw Bryce Harper at 15. I was in the DR once, primarily to see Cuban free agent Eddy Julio Martinez, and saw some 14-year-olds. Stir Candelario, who is now in the Rays’ system, was one of them.

Bill S.: Keith – great work on the draft!  Your work is very much appreciated.  Regarding Henry Davis – he impressed me when I listened to him on your podcast this spring.  He seems very confident and cerebral, yet humble.  Seemed to have strong leadership qualities.  When evaluating a prospect for the draft, how much stock do teams put in those characteristics?  Thank you.
Keith Law: Some teams weigh that stuff extremely heavily, some don’t care at all. I would consider this kind of makeup – he made it very clear he’s a student of the game and determined to improve even in small areas. I wouldn’t be as concerned with leadership skills; not every player has to be a leader and I think in general teams that do weigh that characteristic end up putting too much weight on it because it is impossible to objectively measure.

Reb Wiseau: Will Marcelo Mayer need appreciably more money over slot to sign with the Sox?
Keith Law: I can’t imagine why.

Pat: Did the Cubs just get Bryce Ball Player, or Bryce Broken Prospect?
Keith Law: He’s flawed, but has real power. The lost year really kills players like him.

Cole: As an Angels fan, I was pretty upset with Bachman over Rocker at 9 when it first happened, but the more I look into Bachman, the more intrigued I am. What are your thoughts on that specific decision?
Keith Law: Rocker is the better prospect, but by a small margin.
Keith Law: He’s also never missed a start, as far as I know, and Bachman did.

Sean: Thoughts on detmers at the futures game?  When will he be ready for the major league rotation?
Keith Law: He was in my Futures Game writeup. I would absolutely call him up this year.

Hanyo: I know it’s early for the 2022 draft, but since Conor Prielipp is most likely out for the entire 2022 season, how would you expect teams to look at him draft wise barring any setbacks? 1st round? Or is it more likely he comes back for the 2023 season to prove himself and that he’s healthy?
Keith Law: Teams really have no looks at him in college – 4 starts last year, 3 abbreviated ones this year, and then he blew out. The timing was terrible for him … but if ever there was a prospect who should consider the Draft League, it’s him. He’d be 13-14 months off surgery then. He could go to the Cape too, as long as he’s healthy.

Schmo: Do you see the draft being longer than 20 rounds in the future? I don’t see a reason for it, considering the cut short season leagues
Keith Law: Nope. It might end up shorter.

Kevin: how high as a newly drafted prospect debuted on your top 100 prospects? Has one every been a top 10 prospect?
Keith Law: Yes, almost certain that’s happened with Harper & Strasburg. I’m looking Harper up now…
Keith Law: Harper was #2 going into 2011, after Trout. That’s the record.

JP: The Braves have had many pitching prospects throughout their rebuild and recent success, with Muller maybe the last of the group from the rebuild years. Is Fried, Anderson and some of Soroka about right for what should have been expected from that group? It feels 1-2 players too low.
Keith Law: I hoped they’d get more out of that group – Toussaint, Wright, Wilson, Newcomb – but the clock hasn’t run out on them all, either. Maybe one or more of those guys find success elsewhere.

Schmo: What are your thoughts on a strategy about drafting guys after the 10th round? Think teams should go for a mix of unsignable, fringe signable, and signable guys, go for mostly fringe signable guys since it won’t lose any bonus money to not sign them, or go for mostly signable guys?
Keith Law: In the 11th and 12th rounds you should just take the best guys still on the board and offer them all your extra pool money, if you have any. Or, if they change their minds at the last second, you hold their rights.
Keith Law: After that just take the best guys you can for the limit and for whom you have playing time.

Joel: Keith, there’s been a lot of reporting about what a hard worker Henry Davis is, with a true drive to get better and maximize his talent. Honestly, I’ve always been somewhat skeptical about these accounts because they tend to feed into the traditional sports narrative of hard-working white guys vs. people of color relying on their natural ability. When you were working for the Blue Jays did you try to assess intangibles like attitude and, if so, how did you do it?
Keith Law: It’s more than that – players of color are far too often assumed to not work hard. The right way to interpret those data would be to gather all of it from your scouts, and then check to see if they have any implicit biases and adjust those makeup grades accordingly, That is, if Johnny Scout always has Black players’ makeup grades 5 points below those of white players, you adjust so they’re on the same scale. (And then maybe show Johnny the data and explain what’s going on.)

Sam: Where does Mayer fit into Boston’s rankings, for you? New #1?
Keith Law: I’m going to write a piece for next week on which teams just drafted their new #1 prospects. It’s fewer than usual, I think, in part because you had teams drafting high who already have elite prospects in their systems (Detroit, Baltimore).

TorkelsonMVP2028: If you were the Tigers GM, who would you have taken at 3? I feel like the selection of Jobe is textbook base rate neglect. The opportunity cost just isn’t there. Mayer or Kahlil Watson were my preferences.
Keith Law: Yep, Mayer would have been my pick.

Warbiscuit: I know you’re not a fan of comparing your lists compared to others, but MLB.com and BA and a few others had Ryan Bliss ranked around the 60’s-70’s range while you had him ranked 38 in your list and mocked him as the 28 pick. Do you think he will stick at SS(where others don’t think he will) or do you really believe in the bat? I know you liked he proved himself in the SEC.
Keith Law: I think he stays at shortstop, enough of a chance that it justified the higher ranking. The mocks were based on teams showing interest, though, not my personal opinion.

Preston: My 9-year-old just finished first year of kid pitch and got to play some catcher. But I’m burying the lede. He’s lefthanded! Are you coming across any LH catchers? And what’s the rationale against it from a strategic standpoint? There are so many RH hitters it would disrupt throwing out baserunners, though nobody steals anymore …
Keith Law: If your kid is LH and throws hard at all, he’s going to end up on the mound.

Nathan: There are some players that have been openly against vaccines (Simmons comes to mind).  Do you think less of them as a result?
Keith Law: I think less of them as people, not as players.

Mac: its fairly obvious money is the biggest factor in the MLB draft. What has to be changed to make talent the biggest factor?
Keith Law: Hard slotting would do that. It would also completely fuck the players over, especially the best ones.

Zach: Which twins arm of winder, balazovic or Duran do you have the most faith in?
Keith Law: Balazovic, Winder, Duran, in that order.

Bob: Has Vlad exceeded your expectations at this point or simply lived up to what you expected?
Keith Law: This is what he was supposed to be. Just took him an extra year or so.

Buster Bluth: Do you consider yourself high, low or about even with other scouts on Jarren Duran?  And does it seem odd to you to make the call when Kikè was finally starting to hit a little bit to go with the excellent defense?
Keith Law: Kiké is who he is. What he did in the last two weeks doesn’t change that at all.

Brett: Best chance of becoming a GUY between Tyler Freeman, Gunnar Henderson and Anthony Volpe?
Keith Law: Volpe, Gunnar, Freeman, in that order.

Sam Tiger: What do you think the upside is of Dillion Dingler?
Keith Law: All-Star catcher.

Guest: Your Yankees review was better than I expected (given that Sweeney was something like 89th on your top 100 and I don’t think Selvidge or Beck were in your top 100). Do you get the sense that Selvidge (and maybe Fitts) gets any overslot deal? Do they have a chance of signing either of the post 10th round high school Seans? (Hermann and Hard)
Keith Law: Selvidge and Fitts were better prospects in October than now, and I think they have to take less than they probably expected. I wonder if they can sign Hard because he’s a local kid and played on their scout teams. They were one of the only teams scouting him the day I saw him.

Arnold: Will Bednar’s draft stock rose through the College World Series as he pitched the Mississippi State Bulldogs to the national title, but with only two proven good pitches–fastball and slider–does he have enough for the major league level or can he develop his change-up that he did not have to use much in college?
Keith Law: I don’t really believe his stock rose then – he wasn’t as good as he was in his last outing every time out.
Keith Law: I wrote about his strengths and weaknesses in the Giants team report (linked up top).

Eh Team: Did Arizona really pick Lawlar without a deal in place?
Keith Law: Maybe. I mean, if he wants to walk away from $5.7MM+ and go to college, go for it. I don’t think any player has ever turned down a bonus that large.

Owen Sharts Stanalyticsplant: Is there any hope for an AFL season this year?
Keith Law: I haven’t heard anything yet. I am afraid they’ll cancel it to save the $4.73 they spend on the league each year.

The Jolly Roger: Adam Frazier for Nick Madrigal. Who says no?
Keith Law: Man, that is really interesting. I would guess the White Sox would say no … but it seems good for both sides, especially with Chicago in great position to win this year.

Bob: Gunnar Hogland might be a great pick for the Jays at 19, but what is the track record of pitchers who have had TJ in college?
Keith Law: I don’t believe it’s any different from pitchers who’ve had it in the minors.

Neez Duts: Why is the futures game just 7 innings? That maybe gives you one at bat for the prospects who start out on the bench. I hope they go back to 9 inning games in the future (totally intended)
Keith Law: Because of fears they wouldn’t have enough pitching for 9 innings. I hate the 7-inning format and hate that it’s on TV against a full slate of 15 MLB games.
Keith Law: Just do it another night. Do it Monday afternoon. Do it literally any other time the field is available.

Stevo: Hi Keith, thanks for the chat. How surprised were you that Rocker landed in the Mets’ lap?
Keith Law: I wasn’t, I mentioned that possibility at least a month ago. Everyone knew it was in play, at least.

Alex: Do you think the Orioles’ farm system has improved overall since the start of the season with the positive developments of Rodriguez, Henderson, Rutschman, Hall (barring health) etc.? What is their biggest need?
Keith Law: Yes, so far, so good, other than Kjerstad (totally beyond their control). Solid start for Joey Ortiz too. They still need more pitching, but who doesn’t?

buccoguin: Do teams have “agreements” or at least detailed conversations about demands with certain players.  IE did the Pirates have a good idea what Chandler and White would require to get them out of their football commitments?
Keith Law: Oh absolutely.

Tom: We should be expecting a very different Kelenic this time around, right?
Keith Law: Yes, I predict he has at least one hit in his first 35 at bats.

Guest: Damon Oppenheimer said that Brendon Beck is a guy who could move quickly and doesn’t have much to work on- just get innings. Do you agree and does that timeline sound like 1st half of next year for a debut?
Keith Law: I agree. Low ceiling, high floor.

John: You had Jarren Duran at #93 on your prospects list in the offseason. Approximately how far would he have moved up the list if you updated the ranking now?
Keith Law: I’m updating it next week. I’ll have to decide if I include players in the majors who haven’t exceeded rookie limits, though.

BD: Nats draft you said was low ceiling?   Why?
Keith Law: I said that because it was low ceiling (after House, who is all ceiling, no floor).

buccoguin: Thoughts on Mitch Keller at this point in the season?  Was he overhyped or just a rough start to his career?
Keith Law: He has needed a pitch for lefties for four years now, and we’ve seen no change (pun intended). He seems like a good candidate for a splitter, which would help solve the problem.

Brett: The Royals have been heavily criticized for taking prep arms with their early picks this draft. Dayton Moore stated they did this because they didn’t want college guys with “4th or 5th starter ceilings.” Besides seeming like an unnecessary shot at his 2018 class of college arms, do you see this as being a valid defense? Were the college arms available to KC at 7 “4th or 5th starter ceiling” types? I certainly hadn’t seen that ceiling placed on Rocker.
Keith Law: Even if that’s true, it omits the part about college starter prospects often having higher floors.
Keith Law: Rocker ain’t a 4th/5th starter, either. Nor is Bachman.

El Guapo: Jo Adele’s k% is below 24% and his OPS is north of .900 for the last month at AAA. It’s a small sample but the trend lines across all of his AAA works supports this directional improvement. This is basically what he was doing at AA in 2019 when everyone had him as a top 10-15 prospects at worst. He’s still only 22 and by most statistical standards doing well in AAA. Is this a case where we can’t unsee 2020? Or is there still a star player on there?
Keith Law: There ight still be a star there, but Salt Lake is a great place to hit, and I’m sure AAA pitching looks a good bit easier to hit than what he saw in the majors. He has to come back up to the majors at some point and show the progress is real.

Joe D.: Any idea how far over slot the Dodgers will have to go to sign Heubeck?  I assume Bruns will sign under-slot to balance things out within their draft pool?
Keith Law: I think they’ll go under in most of the rounds from 4 to 10 to cover any shortfall.

Guest: Do you see Pratto and Witt being promoted to Triple A this year?
Keith Law: Witt yes. Pratto maybe.
Keith Law: Witt will be up in September. I don’t have inside info; I’m just speculating based on how they feel about him. And I’m in favor of the move.

Noah: What do you think about a Duran Duran cover band called Jarren Duran?  “His name Jarren and he bats with his left hand.” (to the tune of “Rio”)
Keith Law: Needs work.

buccoguin: Just curious what makes some questions attractive and others not?  What is your question to answer ratio?  Cheers
Keith Law: I am lucky if I answer 20% of what I get. I do try to answer questions I haven’t answered in articles already, though.

TomBruno23: My son is in a 6U league and is showing pretty strong exit velocity and launch angle. One more game on the slate if you want to hit up the Ballwin Athletic Association Field #7 later this afternoon.
Keith Law: I heard his makeup is terrible.

James: I’ve seen most people speculating Rocker’s ETA as 2022. Can you elaborate on how himself and his situation differs from Crochet who was able to be a bullpen piece for the Sox down the stretch of his draft year
Keith Law: Because Rocker is a starter and Crochet is a reliever.

Finny: What’s up with Jesus Luzardo? He has been a hot mess, even after his demotion. Is it mechanical? Lost confidence? Or is he just not as good as we thought?
Keith Law: He’s good when healthy, but is infrequently healthy. Maybe he’s just not 100% right now, but not hurt enough for the IL?

Robbie: Not much of a question – but have to see this all star week as a monumental success for the future of the MLB. While Manfred and other’s try and hold back the game, the younger generation of the game puts baseball in the best place that it has been in in a long time. Ohtani’s all star jersey is up for auction for over 100K!
Keith Law: Yes. And I think the draft event was a big success.

TJ: Klaw, working under the presumption that both Jobe and Mayer have similar odds of success, why would a team pick a player who contributes once every five days over one who contributes every day?
Keith Law: A starting pitcher has several times more impact on his days than a position player does on any one of his days.

frank: SSS aside, Based on the reports about volpe, do you think he would have gone higher in the draft?
Keith Law: No. He didn’t show these tools in HS – especially not the speed – and that class of HS position player has historically been disdained by scouts/directors. Now this year it’s different. I wonder if him going off and Nick Yorke holding his own is causing the pendulum to swing too far the other way. We can be sheep sometimes.

Johann Sebastian Vogelbach: This is from a bit out of left field but am I crazy for thinking “innings” limits are a bit silly when what should really be tracked are total pitches? Am I thinking far too much into it or is it likely teams are aware that pitches more precisely capture workload instead of innings
Keith Law: Teams use pitch counts. And more.

Ryan: MLB.com said that Lawlar was the highest ranked player on the Dbacks board. Have you heard if this is true?
Keith Law: Yes, I’m 99% sure that’s right.

Taylor: Is Jordan Lawlar the Dbacks highest upside position player since Justin Upton? Also, Kevin Goldstein said that Lawlar night be a tough sign and there’s concerns he may go to Vanderbilt. Have you heard these signability concerns with him?
Keith Law: I wrote about those concerns before the draft – that if he didn’t go 6th, he might go to school.

Mike: You still wear husky sized jeans ?
Keith Law: Someone clearly has no idea what I look like.

Nate: What position do you like bubba Chandler at? Should the pirates let him pitch and hit for at least a couple of years?
Keith Law: Pitcher. Don’t fuck around with two-way stuff. Just let these kids learn one thing.

Jay: Has Biden being President caused noticeable traffic issues for you in Wilmington with frequent visits?
Keith Law: We do get JoeJams near here sometimes.
Keith Law: It’s only on certain weekends, though, and you just avoid 141 & Barley Mill road. You see the electronic signs that say “NO DRONES” and you know Joe’s home.
Keith Law: I’ve got to run, but thank you all for the questions and for the kind words on my writeups this week. Stay safe!

My sort-of-final mock draft will go up Friday morning at The Athletic.

Keith Law: And I feel like a beetle on its back. Klawchat.

barbeach: So happy for another Klawchat! So tired of watching Brett Gardner and Rougned Odor strike out…is promoting Hoy Jun Park from Scranton a legit option for 2B/SS/OF?
Keith Law: I don’t think so. Would be nice to see him get a shot but this is way out of line with anything he’s done before.

Howie: Hi Keith, thank you for these chats. If you were running the Yankees, would you consider a moderate sell off? Gio, Britton, Green? A larger sell off including Judge? The self imposed limitations to the luxury tax were seemingly imposed by Hal, but this team would be in a better place with different SP acquisitions this offseason. Yeah – captain obvious, pointing out the obvious…Thanks again!
Keith Law: I can’t imagine ownership allowing a sell-off, but they’re also not far enough out of the race to justify that right now. If they have a Cubs-level meltdown in the next two weeks, perhaps.

Annan: Spencer Strider have a chance to be a GUY?
Keith Law: Outside chance, but keep in mind he had no business in low A to start the year. Double A is a much better test of his secondary stuff.

Greg: Any rumors on which high schoolers could price themselves to college?
Keith Law: I mean, yes, and no. Most of that stuff is bullshit for posturing purposes. Lorenzo Carrier took his name out of the draft. I heard Thatcher Hurd might. But anyone else is just jockeying for more money – and there is a TON of money to be spent in the supplemental and second rounds.

Mike: Any rumors on what the Red Sox might be thinking at 4? Seems like if Leiter isn’t there it’s pretty wide open as to what they’ll do.
Keith Law: If Leiter isn’t there I’m pretty sure they’d take Davis. Rocker is also a possibility. That’s probably it – definitely not wide open.

G: I was disappointed to see Roansy Contreras recent forearm tightness will prevent him from pitching in the Futures Game. Potential injury issues notwithstanding, did his early season velocity bump and improved results elevate him above other pitchers like Priester in the Pirates organization, and was he looking like a  top-100 contender in a mid-season update?
Keith Law: I usually do a top 50 midseason, not 100, but Contreras would be in the latter group not the former.

Jason: I saw your tweet recently about Luis Urias production since moving off SS. Do you think he can be a GUY at 3B for the brewers in the short and longer term?
Keith Law: Yes. I thought 2B would be better for his defensive skill set, but either way, getting him off shortstop should help him. He could always put the bat on the ball.

Danny: I think you’ve praised Anthony Volpe in recent chats and on twitter (even giving a mea culpa). He was your 18th ranked Yankee prospect coming into the season. Where do you think he roughly ranks on their list now? Top 3 or 4 behind Peraza?
Keith Law: Ahead of Peraza. He might be 2 after Dominguez. Deivi’s a mess. Schmidt is hurt. Who am I forgetting?

Danny: Deivi Garcia has been pretty awful in just 33+ innings in AAA as a 22 year old. Is this cause for concern? Are you less convinced he can start after the first half of this year?
Keith Law: Yeah someone fucked up his delivery. He’s a low slot slider-slinger now. Complete disaster. If I were the GM there I’d be on the warpath over this – he was one of their top 3 prospects and right now he has no value.
Keith Law: All the deception, the depth on the CB, all gone. I don’t get it.

Tom: Good to have klawchat back! Zach Thompson for the Marlins has looked great, both in the minors and in his 5 or so appearances in the bigs. Can he be a middle of the rotation guy?
Keith Law: More back of the rotation IMO.

Jason: Who do you like better long-term, Patino or Baz?
Keith Law: I really like both guys. I had Patiño higher in the offseason top 100 but that’s not a slight on Baz.

Sean S: How are you able to incorporate spin efficiency, exit velocity, and other newer tools when evaluating players in person?  Do you use 3rd party sources for this?
Keith Law: I don’t – no one does. Those are two separate evaluation processes. You can’t pretend to evaluate “spin efficiency” in person. Let the machines handle that stuff; go scout the player, not the metrics.

Ryan: the warning signs for bauer were flashing for some time. Please tell me we didn’t just look the other way because he gives a good sound bite and has a YouTube channel
Keith Law: The warning signs that Bauer wasn’t a good guy were there – he’s a bully, he didn’t play well with others, etc. I do not agree with any argument that his public behavior was some indicator of a propensity for violence against women. Saying that just gives a false sense of security that we can spot the abuser – plenty of men show a different face to the world than the one they wear at home. The BTK killer presented himself as a family man who was active in his church. It’s just not a straight-line relationship.
Keith Law: If Bauer is guilty of even a fraction of the accusations, I hope we never see or hear from him again, and all the people who enabled him are called to account for doing so – from the people in his camp to the writers who kept boosting him as ‘quirky’ or ‘eccentric.’ But I can’t take that last step to saying anyone on the outside should have known he was (allegedly) physically abusing women.

Question: Can people be racist against white males?
Keith Law: No. Saying they can is a fundamental misunderstanding of what racism is.

Hoke Moseley: Pittsburgh talk radio has seized on the “Bob Nutting is cheap” narrative to explain why they are looking to “save money” with their 1st overall selection. I’ve been banging my head against a wall trying to explain to family the rules of the MLB draft as a result. Do you think changes to the slotting/allotment system in the draft will be discussed in the upcoming CBA? It seems like another bar for casual fans to clear in order to understand the game that could be remedied in the future.
Keith Law: I think the draft will be tweaked in the next CBA because the two sides can’t help but tweak it. I’m not sure that’ll make it any better, though. They really should just allow teams to trade draft picks already.

Tom: Casey Mize pitching to the tune of a 4.74 FIP per Bref..he’s not there as a top of the rotation guy. What’s he need to do to get there?
Keith Law: It’s all in the home runs. And that’s mostly his four-seamer. I do wonder if the changes to the baseball are hurting him, but I’m also surprised he’s not throwing more splitters and fewer four-seamers.

Jordan: How cool is it that Jake Burger is doing what he’s doing after missing the past three years of professional baseball?
Keith Law: It’s great. One to root for.

Tom: Joe Ryan of the rays. Great bb:k numbers in AAA. Think he gets the call post allstar break and what is his most likely outcome as a big leaguer?
Keith Law: I worry he’ll be homer-prone, but yes, he should be in line for a callup some time in the next month. For his most likely outcome etc. I’ll refer you back to my Rays prospect rankings: https://klaw.me/3d0vAe3

Peter: Recently saw that Jered Eickoff and Mason Williams opted for free agency rather than accept a minor league assignment from the Mets – then resigned a minor league deal with them like the next day and are back in the minors. What are the machinations going on there. Obviously, I’m assuming money?
Keith Law: Could also have included opt-out clauses or other language. Call me up by 8/1 or I get to be a free agent; I get to leave if another team offers me a major-league spot.

Shane: Klaw, what is your take on Jo Adell still being in Salt Lake (unintended rhyme)? On the one hand, he is still striking out at a 30% clip and only walking 7% of the time. But on the other, he has to better than any of the Angels healthy outfielders, right?
Keith Law: The first hand is a lot bigger than the second one, especially if you want to develop him.

incandenza: You’ve said the Red Sox are focused on college guys, but does that mean they’d take Leiter/Davis/Rocker over *any* of the HS shortstops (including Mayer) if the latter are available at the fourth pick? Is Jobe in the picture for them at all?
Keith Law: Yes, I think they’d take those college guys first. Jobe isn’t, and he shouldn’t be. HS pitchers in the first round are way too risky; at pick 4, the opportunity cost is through the roof.

Tim: Is there any chance Henry Davis goes lower than 4 to the Red Sox?
Keith Law: Yes. If they pass, I’m actually not sure where he goes.

addoeh: You’ve talked about on your podcast recently that your daughters played softball this year.  Was there any pressure from the league or coaches for you to help coach once they find out what you do for a living?  How was the experience overall?
Keith Law: Nobody knew of my day job and that was fine by me! I tried to stay out of the way … I think the only things I suggested were some really basic points like ensuring their hands were together on the bat. Otherwise, I’ll let the coaches do their thing for now. They’re both so young that the goal here is to have fun, not to turn either one into Jennie Finch.

Arnold: Hey Keith, has the low-power, high-average contact hitter become so undervalued that some team could Moneyball the game with a squad of such players and be successful?
Keith Law: I feel like the Pirates tried this and it didn’t work. Low power often means insufficiently hard contact. You can’t win with a team of Madrigals.

Larry: Do you have any plans to do any book signings in the Phoenix area soon?
Keith Law: I have nothing scheduled, but I’m always open to doing them if stores reach out. I really enjoy them. Speaking of which, come see me at the Tattered Cover across from the ballpark on Monday at noon MT!

Ryan: What do you make of Person’s season so far? Still young for the level, but his offense has been dreadful. Have you heard anything about how he’s looked?
Keith Law: He’s kind of generic.
Keith Law: I assume you meant Robert Puason? He’s a perfect example of a player adversely affected by the termination of short-season leagues. That’s where he belongs.

Carlos: I’ve read that AJ Vukovich has looked really good so far. Do you think he has a shot to make the top 100 next year?
Keith Law: Yes, a shot.

Akiva: Is Mark Vientos for real? His June was god-like.
Keith Law: I’ve always bought the swing. He has to do this for more than a month.

Dylan: I’ve read some glowing reports on Elijah Green. Have you ever seen him? Do you agree that he’s the top player in the 2022 draft?
Keith Law: I haven’t yet, and no, I don’t agree. Anointing someone the top player a year or more out rarely works out. Brady Singer was one. Kumar Rocker was one. Brice Turang was one. Harper & Strasburg turned out to be those guys. Rendon and Buxton were at least good enough. But often it’s just that we haven’t started to bear down on those players enough to separate them into more than rough tiers.

Moe Mentum: IIRC your favorite college course was “Comedy and the Novel.” Have you read any more recent novels in the decades (sorry) since you were a student that would have been worthy of that class?
Keith Law: Tons. Lucky Jim. A Confederacy of Dunces. The Sell-out. Maybe Money. Inherent Vice. I’m not sure if Jasper Fforde’s books are literary enough, but several of his would work for their comedy and mix of high- and lowbrow humor. I’m also a bit surprised the course included Joseph Andrews but not Tristram Shandy, the latter of which is funnier if a little harder to read.

Joe: Keith, which of Peraza or Volpe (or neither) is the Yankees shortstop of the future?
Keith Law: I’d really like to see how he’s changed, but the reports I’ve gotten on Volpe from other scouts point to him.
Keith Law: I wrote this last week, but again, I was way off on that one.

Josh: Keith, better long-term prospect, Gunnar Henderson or Anthony Volpe?  For a fantasy league that drafts minor leaguers.
Keith Law: Like ’em both but I’d take Volpe right now.

Jerry: On Sunday, when Aroldis Chapman melted down, Mets broadcaster Gary Cohen said team losses when a closer loses his stuff are demoralizing. I think that might be true. Isn’t one way to avoid that if teams to stop having just one closer and actually try “bullpen by committee”?
Keith Law: Aren’t all losses demoralizing? What about getting your clocks cleaned 12-1 and your left fielder comes in to pitch? What about losing 11 games in a row and you wonder if you’ll ever win again? I just don’t buy it. Losing sucks. But eventually every team wins one.

xxx(yyy): as a Rangers fan, which way should I hope the team goes? pitching or hitting (generally)?
Keith Law: Best Player Available. Pick 2 you go for broke.

xxx(yyy): what cookbook have you cooked the most from in 2021?
Keith Law: Been a mix of them but I’ve used Parvana quite a bit. Can’t wait to crack The Flavor Equation next.

Fitz: As a Jays fan, should I be concerned about Nate Pearson’s long-term outlook? Is there reason to believe he will magically start staying healthy?
Keith Law: I’d be worried about his health, yes.

Snowy: Ty Madden to the Giants at 14 has a lot of buzz online, are you hearing similar things?
Keith Law: I have not, actually. That’s a bad pick. I’d be disappointed if I were a Giants fan, given who they’d be passing up

Indians fan: Is Bobby Bradley the future at 1st for the Indians?  Rest of season?
Keith Law: I don’t think so. He’s been awful since those first few games.

Mike: How you feel about drafting high school players in the 1st round?  It seems to take 4-5 years to get to the majors.
Keith Law: Position players, sure. Plenty of them turn into stars and their attrition rate isn’t any worse than that of college guys. Pitchers, though, I wouldn’t ever do it in the top 15.

Guest: Looking for any Phillies draft info.  You previously mentioned Jonathan Vastine as a kid they were connected to (maybe in the second round).  Anything changed with that?  And is there any chance Tyler Black or Trey Sweeney make it to the Phillies at 2-49?
Keith Law: No chance. Both those kids go in the late first, I think. Sweeney could even go in the teens, even though he didn’t face any good pitching all year and isn’t a shortstop.

Orioles: What is your opinion on the drafting strategy of not paying top 1st round money ?  (Seems like a team would rather have Martin than Kjerstad and better 2nd round). Explain the strategy
Keith Law: The strategy makes sense on paper, but you have to get the right guys with later over-slot picks.

Mike: Keith, I know you don’t draft for need, but due to lack of arms in upper minors, don’t the Mets have to take a college arm unless Jobe or one of the shortstops fall?
Keith Law: The Mets do not have to do that, no. Also, Jobe is not the answer.
Keith Law: Jackson Jobe might be a stud. He’s also a high school pitcher who throws hard. The odds of that class of player succeeding are lower than the odds of any other class of player.

John: Is it true that most MLB teams only expect 1-2 players from the Draft  to be a consistent contributor(s) in the MLB?
Keith Law: If you get two regulars, that’s a good draft.

Hinkie: What are your thoughts on the MLB Draft League?  What player(s) helped themselves the most by playing in that league this spring/summer?
Keith Law: It didn’t work. I don’t know of anyone who really helped himself there. The big pop-up name of the summer was Rohan Handa, the Yalie (sneers) in the NECBL.

Aaron C.: Is “Stick to Baseball” and the Saturday links post a victim of your current schedule? Will they be back after the draft? I fucking loved them if you can’t tell.
Keith Law: Yes, but with the draft & some (good) personal stuff, I’ve been way too busy.

Kyle: Klaw, how low could Rocker fall in this draft? Any chance he falls to the Mets at 10?
Keith Law: Yes, there’s a chance. I think 10/11 is his absolute floor.

Ben (MN): Any non-baseball vacation spots you are looking to hit now that it is more feasible to do so?
Keith Law: We’ve been talking about going to Wales to visit my wife’s cousins there for a year, but I think that’ll have to wait until 2022. (I’m not going there in the winter unless absolutely necessary. Dw i ddim yn hoffi’r gaeaf yng nghymru. Mae’n rhy oer a rhy gymylog.) And eventually we’d like to take that honeymoon to South America …

SG in SD: Thanks for the chat Keith! When will your next mock be up?
Keith Law: Tomorrow, as it says up top.

nate: How do you think NIL would effect high school players? Do you worry that two sport guys might go to college just for football because there’s more money there?
Keith Law: Those are the guys most affected (helped) by this – the two-sport guys who could make real money off their likenesses in football or basketball. Maybe one baseball player a year is like that, but will he make enough via NIL to pass up $5MM now (compared to the NIL income plus whatever bonus he expects in 2-3 years)?

droopydave: Have you ever been hunting?  Would you consider it?
Keith Law: No. No.

Steve: Hi Keith, thanks for the chat. Do you think the NYM go top heavy again like that past few years ( Allan and Ginn ) or revert back to normal with Alderson/Scott ?
Keith Law: Same guys running the draft and you can’t argue with their results. Look at how much of the current team came through their amateur work. I bet they do the same – go big on someone in the 2nd/3rd rounds and then save money elsewhere. But at 10 the only name I’ve heard that would be a discount would be Colson Montgomery, and I think they’ll have better guys available.

Bob: After a brutal 1st month, Pedro Leon has been pretty good. Is he one of the most intriguing players at the Futures Game? Do you think he’ll hit enough to get to his tools in games?
Keith Law: Yes, and yes. Really looking forward to seeing him.

Chris: Which of the tier of 8 (rocker, leiter, jobe, house, mayer, Lawler, Watson, Davis) are most likely to slip? What’s the latest you could see one of them falling to?
Keith Law: Rocker I mentioned. Jobe could go 3, or he could slip out of the top ten.

Drew: I know he’s young and I’m not too worried, but I’m not too familiar with him so I wanted to get your opinion on the Cards’ Johan Oviedo.  Makeup seems good, and that slider could  be fun but the lack of control is tough to watch, even if it’s expected for a kid that young.
Keith Law: He’s 23 and he’s never been good anywhere. He’s just big. I’m not a big believer.

Darren: Hi Keith,
   Would be interested to hear your thoughts on children playing baseball that have some anxiety. Our son got hit a few times early this season and now is afraid of getting hit. He steps back when he swings and if he stands in there, he steps out of the box at anything close to being inside. Have you had issues with anxiety going back to full stadiums? We still have not been to a game yet. Hope all is well
Keith Law: That’s a question for a medical professional, but I’m going to guess they’ll at least argue for some exposure therapy.

Bryan: With Jarren Duran not making the Olympic roster, do you believe a call-up to Boston is imminent?
Keith Law: Yes.

mRNA BTN162b2: Have you heard/seen any more about Noelvi Marte? Worth the trip to Modesto?
Keith Law: Nothing new, just that he is what we expected so far, and I’m bummed he’s not in the Futures Game.

Joe: Keith, I am in full agreement with you about the overuse of college pitchers with major league careers ahead of them. But is there a discussion to be had about what a college coach owes the other players on his team? For some, major league baseball is not an option, and winning the College World Series may be the highlight of their sports life. What obligation does the coach have to those players to do everything he can to win those games?
Keith Law: Any such obligation should not come at the expense of one particular player.

Ben: If you were advising Mayer what number would you be looking to get from the Pirates? It doesn’t seem like it makes any sense for him to ask for less than the 2nd bonus slot, given Pittsburgh’s ownership situation and how much the Rangers and Tigers seem to like him.
Keith Law: He shouldn’t take less than slot at 3. I don’t really know how strong Texas’ interest is.

Adam: Had been a few straight down years but Jhailyn Ortiz, who you’ve ranked well previously, seems to be coming into his own. Can he be a future regular still?
Keith Law: He’s repeating high A, and is 22, so I don’t want to get too excited yet, but it’s nice to see a stat line more in line with what I expected. I hope he gets a month in Reading to finish the year.

Justin: Obviously “taking a slightly less talented player in order to spend more on picks later” is an accepted strategy.   At what point do you think it doesn’t make sense anymore?  Like, if the Pirates took, I dunno, Frelick #1 for $4 million to be able to spend an extra $4 mil later as opposed to taking Mayer for $7 mil and being able to spend $1 mil later, should Pirates fans be annoyed/upset?
Keith Law: Yes, there’s no way they’re getting enough talent to justify the opportunity cost of taking Frelick at 1 over anyone else.

TDC: Why do the Nationals only ever seem to target pitchers with their early round picks? This trend has left Mike Rizzo with possibly the weakest position player group of any farm system.
Keith Law: They have some arms, though. Cavalli appears to be a stud.  If Rutledge is healthy, he’s a potential high-end reliever. I agree that mixing in a bat every now and then would be a good idea, but they obviously have a clear philosophy.

Sweeney: If and when the Pirates save some $ on the first overall, who would you see as a few guys they could target overslot in the second round? I’ve had my eyes set on Joe Mack assuming one of the SS goes #1, but is there any way they can push him down enough?
Keith Law: Mack’s almost certainly gone. Look more to the HS arms, the  Painter, Mozzicato, Coppola, Morales, Bruns group.

Rob: There’s no salvaging the Arenado trade but I’m curious if Eli Montero is at least salvaging some of his former promise? All I can see is the numbers but those at least appear positive.
Keith Law: I thought he was a prospect in low A, but then he hurt his hamate and jumped to AA and struggled. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him turn into a regular.

Justin: People who think that acquiring Adam Frazier should require a huge prospect package are off base, right?  Do you think they view him as anything more than just “solid .280/.350/400 type leadoff guy with decent defense”?  Obviously that’s worth *something* in a deal, but I feel like he’s become overrated by fans/media because of some babip luck.
Keith Law: Yeah, this is a fluky year, no way you give up a top prospect for him now.

Christian (Raleigh, NC): Hi Keith — Thank you for recent write-up on some of the Braves prospects you have seen (Michael Harris, Freddy Tarnok, etc.). Do you think Harris has an approach at the plate that will allow him to tighten up some of the swing-and-miss issues he has shown with non-fastballs? As a Braves fan I am hoping he can actually develop some kind of plan at the plate unlike other Braves prospects (for example – Waters) who really never have. Thanks.
Keith Law: The swing is fine, but the recognition isn’t. Saw the same problems with Jesse Franklin, but more so. I wonder if AA pitching will eat Franklin up.

Alex: I know Jobe is a HS pitcher and there is a lot of inherit risk- with taking one high first- but I have heard he has two plus pitches (plus plus?) and the makings of third.   He also does not seem to have been ridden into the ground (IIRC, he got more attention at SS) like other HS pitchers Dylan Bundy.    What am I missing?
Keith Law: He’s a HS pitcher. That is his ‘class’ and the base rate for that class is lower in odds of seeing the majors and odds of success.

Justin: Who would be your “dark horse” for the #1 overall pick?   Anyone outside of the consensus top 7ish guys?  I have a weird feeling about Frelick or Cowser.
Keith Law: Kahlil Watson.

Kip: Thanks for all the great draft coverage.  If you saw it,  what were your thoughts on the Ken Burns Hemingway doc?
Keith Law: Haven’t seen it. Never a big fan of his writing.

Darny: What kind of $ increase did Will Bednar earn himself closing out the CWS? 15-25 range now?
Keith Law: I don’t know, maybe $5000.

Mac: What is Harry Ford’s best position?
Keith Law: Batters box? He might be a right fielder.

Mac: Is Colson Montgomery the riskiest player considered to be a first round talent?
Keith Law: Him or Benny Montgomery. Benny for his swing, Colson for his age/position.

Justin: Do you think Henry Davis is a solid MLB C when it’s all said and done?
Keith Law: I do – but I know some scouts think he’s not a catcher in the long term. He’s good enough now that with professional coaching I think he’ll be an above-average defender.

Josh: For all the (valid) talk about how modern baseball strategy is making the sport less watchable, I really enjoy watching what the Giants and Gabe Kapler are doing in terms of getting most of their position players into every game (15 batters with >100 PA; very few true “full-time” players). It feels engaging as a fan to think along with the decision-making and it keeps me interested through high-stakes pinch hitting choices and “line changes” when a new opposing pitcher comes in. It’s non-traditional, but I find it compelling and sort of fresh as a viewer. Thoughts?
Keith Law: I agree. And FTR I don’t think shifting makes baseball less watchable. the damn rabbit ball does.

Dan: Has Dillon Dingler solidified himself as a top 100 prospect?
Keith Law: He might be. He’s very good, certainly.

Jesse B: Has Jordan Walker’s pitch perception been better than you anticipated, and if so are we looking a potential star down the road?
Keith Law: Yes, way better, and yes.

In A Big Country: I’m not expecting to grow flowers in the desert…damn you Keith, been stuck in my head for two days now.  By the way, ever heard the “Wonderland” EP, because it’s pretty great.
Keith Law: It’s such a quintessentially ’80s song. Adamson was brilliant. They just got pigeonholed by MTV. Wonderland is great, too.

Mac: Do you think MLB will keep a mid July draft date?
Keith Law: Yes. It’s not like Manfred ever listens to any feedback from club execs or scouts.

Jason S: Do you think Jazz always as swing and miss issues? His swing looks so quiet to me. Is it just pitch recognition?
Keith Law: Yes and maybe some inexperience. I think he’s going to end up a superstar at least in some years. He’ll be worth The Wait.

Mac: Madden or Bednar?
Keith Law: Bednar for me.

Uli Jon: Any chance the Giants go pitcher, or are they committed to position players and hoping Farhan and the ballpark can continue to weave magic with former prospects?
Keith Law: I don’t think they’re committed either way.

ChrisP: Do you think Adrian Del Castillo can stay behind the dish, and if not, then what would his ceiling be?
Keith Law: At the end of the day (spring), no, I don’t think he will, and unless someone gets him to power, he’s a bench guy.
Keith Law: Now, there’s probably power in there, but he’s a swing overhaul guy who needs a position. I don’t take that guy in the first round.

Justin: do any of the prospects in this draft crack your overall top 40 or 50?
Keith Law: Yes, at least 5-6.

Pat: It’s interesting to hear you say the Red Sox are choosing out of conventional candidates after what they did last year with Yorke. No chance they just go way off script again?
Keith Law: Not at pick 4, I don’t think. They picked later last year.

James: How worrisome is Matt Manning right now? He can’t get anyone to swing and miss, has no secondary stuff, and no spin on his fastball.
Keith Law: He was hurt last year in August and hasn’t looked right at all this year. Something’s up.

Kevin: Do you think it is better for Triston Casas’ development to go with team USA to Tokyo, or to stay in AA for the next month+?
Keith Law: Staying in AA.

ChrisP: What’s happened to Gore this year? Is he hurt or tinkering with his mechanics?
Keith Law: Blister. The Padres are also working on his mechanics but every time his blisters return this happens.

Brian: I have a hard time believing Detroit would take Jobe at 3 if Leiter and Mayer are gone. Who should they take in that situation? One of the shortstops or Davis?
Keith Law: Jobe or House. Not Davis.

Danny: Any idea what’s up with Alexander Vizciano and TJ Sikkema for the Yankees? Haven’t pitched at all this season. Are they expected to come back this season?
Keith Law: Sikkema has had a “lat” injury for like three months.

Rick Sanchez: Baz, Cavalli, and Detmers have all seen their prospect status soar this year. Is it too aggressive to say these guys have ace upside?
Keith Law: Detmers is hitting 97 now. He’s way better than we thought.

Appa Yip Yip: I read that draft pick trading was nixed in the 80s because the commissioner was worried cheap teams would trade all their picks so they never had to pay draft bonuses, which is hilariously on brand for baseball, but do you know if it’s actually true?
Keith Law: That was the rationale, but it turned out to be totally wrong. Cheap teams want more picks. The draft remains the best value in baseball.

xxx(yyy): Wife and I are taking a trip (long weekend) to one of the following cities late this year, which of these do you (most) recommend? Charleston, Denver, New Orleans, Portland or somewhere else? Mainly a food/exploring trip so open to other places!
Keith Law: Charleston is amazing. Portland might be the best combo of food + stuff to do, though.

Drew: Have you followed any of the Bret Weinstein / anti-vax / Ivermectin saga? It’s kind of sad to see a scientist use his credentials to spread such paranoid tripe.
Keith Law: Yes. Not sure if he’s really lost his mind, or if this is just a grift. He’s a good example of someone on the political left who has delved into pseudoscience and anti-vaxxerism, though. It’s not solely the province of the right.

Brad: On the podcast, you mentioned Benny Montgomery as possibly a Rockies pick. Would he be a reach there? BTW, I will see you Monday, and I don’t need a note from you to miss work for the event.
Keith Law: Oh cool, I assume your boss is coming too, then. It would be a reach but perhaps an under-slot pick.

Roy: Have you always felt averse to taking HS pitchers early? I thought you were on board with Hunter Greene going top 2 a few years back–this is not an argument, by the way, but a genuine question. I wasn’t sure if there are exceptional talents, or if I was wrong about that, or if this is a more recent development in drafting strategy. Thanks!
Keith Law: No, this is somewhat new for me, after I looked at the data while writing The Inside Game and realized just how significant the differences between classes of players were. It’s not just a scouting axiom; high school pitchers really are way riskier.
Keith Law: That’s all for this week. I’m still not 100% sure what I’ll be doing during the draft itself, but I’ll be at the Futures Game on Sunday and will make myself available on the concourse some time between the end of BP and the first pitch, plus I’ll be at the Tattered Cover on Monday at noon MT for a talk and book signing. I hope to see many of you there!