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

Also, my latest boardgame review is up for Paste, covering Grifters, a “deckbuilder without a deck” that I thought played a little too mechanically.

Klaw: Klawchat. To stimulate then activate the left and right brain.

Greg: Keith do you like Atlanta’s thinking in the Alex Jackson deal? Your writeup talked about potential mechanical fixes, do you think those would bring him back close to where he was?
Klaw: I do like their thinking – trade two arms well down their prospect depth chart, get a guy who was at one point a potential 1-1 pick, still young, might need a change of scenery. Definitely a risk that he never pans out, but the reward here makes the high risk worth taking.

Frank: How does the Alex Jackson breakdown happen? It seems like everyone universally loved his swing, he hit against good comp as an amateur. What happened?
Klaw: I don’t think there’s a single answer to that. He didn’t click with the Mariners’ coaching staff. A mechanical issue he flashed some in high school got worse. I am not sure if the position switch affected him. He probably was pushed to full-season ball too fast in 2015, but that can’t really explain 2016.

Cory: Archie Bradley and what else can get Brian Dozier?
Klaw: Why would they want Dozier?

Nick: Could the Braves actually acquire a star like Chris Sale without dealing one of the core players already on their MLB roster (Swanson, Smith, Inciarte, Folty, etc)? Is it even worth it for them to do more than address a couple obvious holes for right now?
Klaw: Other than Swanson, why would you say no to dealing any of those other guys? Hell, you might even include Swanson if he’s the anchor of a trade. Sale’s a 5-win pitcher. Those aren’t easy to find.

Paul: Klaw – thanks for the write-up on great kitchen gifts. It left me wondering – what is the one expensive, non-functional item in your kitchen you alluded to?
Klaw: The espresso machine. Over $600 and it does one thing. But it does it really fucking well.

Fuzzy Dunlop: Do you think the Braves will/should hit the “reset” button so to speak with Alex Jackson and try to put him back at C? He could fall short of his best case scenario offensively and still be a hell of a value behind the dish; however, you don’t want to yank him all over the place and make him readjust again positionally.
Klaw: Although I think he could catch, at this point, I would not want to ask him to do two things (develop as a catcher and re-learn how to hit) at once.

James: University of Missouri has 128 confirmed mumps cases on campus. If we only had a way to prevent such outbreaks.
Klaw: Or a President-elect who didn’t pander to vaccine-denier frauds and morons.

Ceej: As a Pirates’ fan, what should I hope in exchange for Cutch, and is Meadows ready?
Klaw: Robles has to be in the deal. If I’m Huntington I’m asking for Robles and one of the young arms – and yes, I’m including Giolito. Ask for the sun, settle for the moon. I do not think Meadows is quite ready.

Pete: Hey Keith, big fan of your work, just preordered your book! Do you know if there’s a way to be an insider without having the paper magazine? I just think it’s a huge waste, when I was an insider, I never touched them. I would very much prefer to have an option of only receiving the magazine online. Thanks!
Klaw: We do or did offer a digital option.

Jon: Keith, what prospects (hitting/pitching) do you see making a big jump in 2017? Thank you
Klaw: That’ll be something for my top prospects package in January. I haven’t started work on that yet.

Dale: Do you see A’s prospect Frankie Montas long term as a starter or as a reliever?
Klaw: Reliever. Knee and size problems, poor command, inconsistent secondaries. 80 fastball though.

Charlie: Would you give up Robles for McCutchen if you were Mike Rizzo?
Klaw: It depends on what else is required. I’d be open to it.

Mack: Thoughts on Nick Allen? I’ve seen him play 3 times and all that little sh*t does is hit.
Klaw: That’s the perfect summary of him. I will see him again in the spring and Chris Crawford will probably see him a few times. I’m going to try to get to SoCal for a longer stretch than usual because that’s where the players are.

Jack: Keith, what have you heard about Ramon Laureano? Huge statistical season (albeit partly at Lancaster) but got some positive buzz in the AFL.
Klaw: Saw him, wrote positive buzz about him. I think he’s a legit everyday prospect.

Jason: Keith, what is the upside on Sandy Alcantara?
Klaw: Upside is ace. Long way to go to get there, but it is the right-tail outcome for him.

Bob: Now that you’ve been living in the Delaware Valley for some time, thoughts on Wawa and local obsession with it? Going out on a limb to guess you’re not a fan of the coffee.
Klaw: It’s a nice convenience store. I wouldn’t get coffee there with so many better options (Brew Ha Ha, which is a Delaware chain and roaster, is better and you’re never far from one here).

Nats Review Charlie: Robles for 2 year of McCutchen seems pretty fair, but do you think the Nats could do better elsewhere if they’re willing to deal Robles?
Klaw: Maybe. Probably, now that I think about it. But could they get someone who fits their needs? This is a pretty complete team right now. What’s the other big hole? Put Turner at short and then you’re just down an outfielder.

James: Traveling today and getting my questions in early – Would Hellickson and Walker have accepted the qualifying offer under the new conditions? The easy answer is no. I know hindsight is 20/20, but didn’t their agents know the union was pushing for a change in the system?
Klaw: I think the changes come into effect a year from now. Walker probably still accepts given the surgery. Hellickson maybe not. One year and $17 million is pretty good though. I don’t think he gets that AAV on a multi-year deal.

Tye: Opinion on $5M cap on international free agent spending?
Klaw: I’m waiting to get some more details on this – we’ve gotten half-stories so far. If that’s true, the union should be kicking itself for fighting a draft that would have paid the players more.

Mike: Hi Keith, as a new parent I’ve been debating the merits of buying organic produce. I recall a few months ago you said you try to buy organic when possible. What research or reasons led to seek out organic?
Klaw: Organic food is not any more healthful or safer than traditionally-grown food, and there is too wide a range within what you can legally call “organic” anyway. But organic agriculture in its original sense, as proposed by Lord Northbourne and others, is probably much better for the planet. Such practices develop healthier soil, sequester more carbon, and use less water. There’s research to back that, while research on organic ag’s health benefits have found nothing. For dairy and meat, I am most concerned with antibiotic-free husbandry rather than organic feed.

Mark: From what has been published so far, what do you think are the best and worst changes in the new CBA?
Klaw: Again, what we have seems to be incomplete and I’m trying to get some more details. If this bit Jeff Passan tweeted about the IFA age limit going up to 25 is true, then MLB just cut off its nose, lips, and eyelids to spite its own face. God forbid you spend some of your billions to pay better players.

addoeh: Thoughts on new season of Top Chef? Graham Elliot as a host, equal number of new chef-testants as returning chef-testants.
Klaw: Haven’t seen Elliott before, but not a fan of constantly recycling old contestants.

Ron: HI Keith- Nice to see Terry Ryan get a scouting job with the Phillies. Maybe having the analytics and tools to be a modern day GM kind of passed him, I would still bet he is one hell of a scout as far as finding talent and breaking down the physical parts of a prospects game. Good luck to him! Have you had any inter-action with him on the scouting circuit and what are your thoughts? Thanks!!
Klaw: I’ve talked to Terry a few times and I think scouting is really a passion for him too. I’m glad he’ll get to do that and be in an org that will let him have a voice at the table.

Bruce: Any recommendations for meals that can be made on the weekend to be consummed 3-4 days later?
Klaw: Serious Eats has a recipe for pressure cooker green chicken chili that would be great for that if you don’t just eat the whole thing at once like we seem to do.

Andy: Here’s a handy way to teach the Monty Hall door “problem.” You have 100 doors, there’s a prize behind one. Pick one. I’ll open 98 other doors. The prize didn’t move. You can switch doors or you can keep your current door and get beaten over the head with a pipe wrench.
Klaw: That escalated quickly. I’ve explained it this way before: You have doors A, B, and C. The car is behind one. You pick door A. You know, right now, that the odds of the car being behind door A is 1/3, B is 1/3, and C is 1/3. Thus, the odds of the car being behind door B or C is 2/3 (add B and C, or just do not A). Monty opens door C to show you a goat. The odds of the car being behind door B or C have not changed – the car didn’t move – but now the entire 2/3 is shifted to door B. The odds of the car being behind door A remain at 1/3, so you should switch.

Nick: Is Bobby Dalbec legit? I know he had some struggles at Arizona in the spring but he went on a tear in the minors to end the year.
Klaw: We’ll see. Lowell is a step down from good D1 pitching. Dalbec has power, but the strikeout rates in college were as high as we’ve seen for a big-name prospect.

Lyle: Did you see the 10 day DL proposal coming? I don’t recall seeing anything about it beforehand but I think it’s a great change for MLB.
Klaw: I didn’t, but I think we’ll see a lot of shenanigans with teams using it to cycle through extra pitchers.

Lyle: Dipoto seems to be willing to trade any time, any player but I just don’t see that he has the players to make a trade for McCutchen realistic. Probably have to start with O’Neill and Gohara and maybe add Leonys? Leaves the cupboard bare again.
Klaw: That doesn’t get close IMO.

Barry: Climate change. True or false? There are highly respected climatologists on both sides of the issue. Most of the noise is advocacy, not science. Mann of Penn State, Jones of East Anglia, and the falsifying of data. Why the silence? Global cooling, global warming, climate change. Why the difficulty in naming the problem?
Klaw: Anthropogenic climate change is real (true). You’re playing with words to create a false sense of balance (gotta hear both sides!). There was never a global cooling theory. The data and research showing the earth is warming and the oceans are getting more acidic are overwhelming. Grist has a great series of responses to climate deniers: http://grist.org/series/skeptics/

J. Kruk: Do you envision Rhys Hoskins or Dylan Cozens being anything more than MLB platoon players? What would be your realistic projection of each?
Klaw: Hoskins I think is a regular. Cozens I’m not sold on, and the makeup issue returning is a real concern.

Mike: How much of a scout’s ability to spot issues with a swing or throwing motion is innate, and how much is learned? When I watch the video clips that accompany write ups on scouting sites I struggle to see the flaws that are mentioned except at the extremes…and when I watch games live swings and throws inevitably happen too fast for me to form any opinion.
Klaw: I think it’s learned. You watch enough, focusing on certain things, you learn to observe different things. It’s how I can watch a delivery and then forget what the last batter did – I just watch the game differently now because I’ve learned to and because I have to.

Brian: Should Mets take advantage of interest and trade both Granderson and Bruce? Conforto is full time, go after Fowler possibly for CF, or trust Lagares and sign a platoon mate.
Klaw: Yes. I see no spot for Granderson now. If they won’t play Conforto every day, I think they’re beyond help.

Mike: Best rum for a Christmas gift? Maybe a top ten list of gift drinks?
Klaw: Ron Zacapa 23 is still the best rum I’ve tasted.

Jeff: I saw you recommend the propornot plugin for chrome a while back, have you seen these follow up articles about it? https://theintercept.com/2016/11/26/washington-post-disgracefully-promotes-a-mccarthyite-blacklist-from-a-new-hidden-and-very-shady-group/
Klaw: That wasn’t me.

EricVA: Can Jerad Eickhoff build off last year or is he the same guy moving forward?
Klaw: I think this is what he is and it’s pretty good.

Aubrey: Question on your FA rankings/Comments: An example, when you say on Encarnacion that you’d stop short of 4 yrs/$80 million, is that what you think his value should be somewhat in a vacuum, or you’re saying if you were a GM (avg market size, potential Division contender), you would always pass on the player if the market demanded you pay more than that?
Klaw: I say right at the top of the list, in the intro, that this is what I would pay.

Nolan LeMond: I’ve seen nothing but glowing reports and aggressive projections on Ronald Acuna, despite limited (albeit productive) experience in the low minors. Should I be getting excited or are folks getting a little carried away? What player would be a realistic comp for his big-league projection?
Klaw: I raved about him last winter and spring. I think he can really hit.

James: How do you drink your rums? Mixed or straight? If mixed, what do you mix with? Looking to explore some more rums and appreciate insight.
Klaw: Aged rums I drink straight, preferably chilled and strained (neat), or at most mixed with sparkling water or seltzer. I’ve had the Cruzan single-barrel, and it’s a little rougher than other rums aged that long (Appleton, Zacapa, Barcelo) so I would mix that with some sparkling water. If you want a rum for mixing in cocktails, get something like Appleton XV or Gosling’s Black.

Jesse B: McCutchen for Robles and Fedde. Good trade for both teams?
Klaw: Insufficient for Pittsburgh.

Dave: It appears like we’re not getting draft pick trading again. Shouldn’t this be a simple thing to implement? Seems like something they should have ironed out weeks ago before the big issues came to the fore.
Klaw: It’s nobody’s priority, unfortunately.

Craig: I was very PLEASE with the Mike Hazen signkng as GM for my Dbacks… and then I saw he was keeping around some of the garbage from before like Mike Butcher the pitching coach… because “great morale with players” or some crap. Odd right?
Klaw: I don’t think it’s odd that a new GM would choose to keep some people rather than try to hire an entire front office and coaching staff at once. Some now, some in a year.

Slint: shouldn’t more AAAA players consider going over and playing in the KBO if Eric Thames can get a 3 year deal?
Klaw: He got three years but $15 million, which isn’t even starter money. I don’t think he’s going to be very good at all – he was awful before he went to Korea, and the KBO is crazy hitter-friendly – but it’s not like he got a ton of cash. Ditching Carter for him was weird, though.

Tim: Could Reds actually get value back by trading Billy Hamilton? They could be trading at his peak – but what if he has another gear (5 win player rather than 3)? Could he fetch a guy like Conforto? (who’s stock is down and not an up the middle player)
Klaw: He hasn’t really developed at all as a hitter, and if you believe the main issue is lack of hand and wrist strength, then trade him now because that’s not likely to get much better.

Tom: Hey. I upped our family’s board game game using your recs: Ticket to Ride, Pandemic, Splendor, 7 Ronin, Pandemic, Agamemnon, and 7 Wonders. Thanks!
Klaw: That’s a strong collection.

Ben: In your write-up of the Cespedes deal, you suggested the Mets go out and get a true CF. That doesn’t seem like it’s happening. Given these remaining options, which do you think would be best: 1) Trade Bruce, have Lagares/Grandy platoon in CF with Conforto/Grandy in RF; or 2) Trade Grandy, have Lagares/Conforto in CF, and then Bruce in RF?
Klaw: I don’t think Granderson or Conforto can play CF. Conforto just isn’t that kind of fielder or athlete. Granderson hasn’t played it regularly since 2012 and wasn’t good then. So … I don’t know. Lagares is an elite defender but there’s no stick there. That’s why I wrote what I wrote – if they’re even thinking about Cespedes playing another 500 innings in center, they’re making a mistake.

Benjammin: What do the Mets do with Rosario after he torches Vegas? Move Cabrera to third? Also, is Cecchini going to make it at 2B? Thanks!
Klaw: Yes, move Cabrera to third or to New Jersey or something. He’s not a good defensive shortstop, hasn’t been for years. Cecchini’s throwing in the AFL was so bad I’m not sure where he can play now.

Tim (KC): Thoughts on New CBA?… personally I am disappointed that they dealt with only a few issues. But there is no more All-Star winner getting home-field.
Klaw: I’m on board with this.

Mikey: Are you as down on Giolito as some others are?
Klaw: Not at all. People like to be very reactive in this business.

Owen: No question here, just a longtime reader who would love to meet you at the winter meetings, time permitting.
Klaw: I’ll be there Monday to Thursday. If you see me, flag me down. I’m happy to say hi.

MJ: Keith have you seen the movie Zootopia? I watched it yesterday with my daughter and thought it was one of the best kids movies I’ve seen.
Klaw: Loved it. I’ve watched it twice. My daughter has watched it five times, at least. It’s brilliant, it’s a little sweet, it has a fantastic message, and of course it looks great. Jason Bateman’s voice work is incredible, too.

J: Do you consume all your music digitally or do you buy any cd’s or vinyl?
Klaw: All digital. I have a few vinyl records I’ve gotten as promos but I haven’t bought any.

Sean: Over the last few the weeks the local media (Philly) have promoted Scott Kingery. Is a potential long term solution at second for the Phillies?
Klaw: Yes, if he develops some more patience. Didn’t walk much in college, didn’t walk much in high-A (where he should have started last year – that was another strange decision).

addoeh: For Pete asking about not getting a paper magazine, do they still have the option of sending your magazine to a member of the military?
Klaw: I was told they discontinued that, which is a shame. Seemed like a nice way to send even a token gesture of support.

Anonymous: How do you think Domingo Acevedo’s offpseed pitches progressed this year and has your opinion of whether he can stay a SP changed at all?
Klaw: No shot.

Darren: Hi Keith, What are your thoughts on Dorssys Paulino. He seems to be able to hit, but not with a lot of power. He was also moved to the OF. Do you see him being able to play the infield or developing enough power to be a starter?
Klaw: Used to play short. Got too heavy. Not sure there’s much value there now.

Paul S.: Do you think Thames will be worth $5-$6 million per year? (Not counting the beard, which definitely has its own value!)
Klaw: I do not.

Van: I know it’s early, but who would you say are the top 3 offensive prospects in the 2017 draft?
Klaw: Chris and I ranked the top 30 prospects for the draft here: http://klaw.me/2gL6mFe

That One Guy: Carrier in IN: Trump success or roadmap to tax breaks?
Klaw: Roadmap to corporate extortion.

EC: With Top Chef I’ve heard that a lot of actual top chefs don’t allow their employees to participate. I’ve heard Jose Andres doesn’t allow.
Klaw: Doesn’t seem like they’ve struggled to get talented contestants so far, though.

Matt: I know I sound stupid in not understanding the Monte Hall problem, but isn’t it two independent decisions? You make your first choice, not there. You then have two doors, and a 50/50 chance its behind either door. By choosing “not to change,” you are actually just making the decision to choose that door again. I don’t see this as a case of conditional probability, but of two independent events. I feel completely dense!
Klaw: They’re not independent events, though. Hall has given you information on your first decision by opening that door. He hasn’t changed the game – the car hasn’t moved. He’s essentially told you that you can revise your first choice to A or to B+C, in which case you’d always choose B+C.

Scott: Does Conforto to Phillies for Herrera make any sense for both teams?
Klaw: It makes sense for the Phillies if they want to rob the Mets blind.

Jimmy: What are your projections of TJ Zeuch? Reliever or potential back end starter?
Klaw: I think more likely reliever than starter. Maybe 60/40 odds. Don’t love the delivery or the track record.

Greg: What do you think about Max Fried? He looked dominant down the stretch. Is their #2 potential?
Klaw: Yep, I think that’s just right.

Jerry: Is the lack of playing time for Conforto due to the manager, a disbelief from the front office that he is an every day player, or a little of both? Is he potentially a guy who is traded for a modest package that makes the leap once he is in a new environment playing every day?
Klaw: I hear it’s largely the manager, coupled with Conforto himself developing some weakness on the front side because he was only facing RHP. Easy fix – play him every day and send Collins to manage Columbia for a year.

Ryan: Klaw, do you think a valid argument can be made that an over-prioritization of political correctness played a part in Trump’s victory? I saw you linked to the Colin Jost joke story, and as someone who considers themself socially progressive I still think his point is not wrong.
Klaw: I highly, highly doubt that that was a factor at all in Trump winning a few swing states. Is there any evidence whatsoever that people voted on that basis?

Joe: Using $/WAR has become the default method to evaluate free agent signings on the internet. But do teams actually look at free agent contract value through a similar filter? It just seems so overly simplistic, and the assumption that a team is always getting good value if they pay the correct $/WAR amount to a player just seems like a dumb assumption to me–it’s too far removed from any context.
Klaw: Don’t use $/WAR. Just don’t. It’s so flawed that I never use it, because value isn’t linear (roster spots are a scarce resource, scarcer than money) and because the utility curve for each team is going to vary wildly. An additional win is worth more to the Yankees than the Rays, and worth more to a team at 88 wins than a team at 68 wins or 98 wins.

Jimmy: What are your thoughts on Bo Bichette?
Klaw: I think he can really, really hit, and that he’s going to play somewhere in the infield, second or third.

Paul: Going through wedding registry items. Any good cooking knife recommendations?
Klaw: My gift guide for cooks is here: http://klaw.me/2gGVCUD

Anonymous: Thank you for chat, Keith. Possible that Jahmai Jones of the Angels makes your top 100 prospect list next year? How do you like him?
Klaw: Possible. Best prospect in their system.

Justin: Aside from Reyes, who do you view as the top SP prospect in the Cardinal system? Flaherty?
Klaw: Flaherty over Fernandez, yes.

Steve: Any tips for increasing reading pace? I’m about 40 pages/hour, and would love to increase that in order to increase the number of books I can read each year. Also, solid Outkast quote to start the chat.
Klaw: I wouldn’t worry about pace. Read at the pace that is comfortable for you, where you’re enjoying it and are able to retain what you read. It seemed like the right day to quote that song.

Patrick: was Nick Williams’ multiple benchings for lack of hustle overblown? is he still a MLB regular or just a guy with tantalizing tools?
Klaw: I thought his manager handled it poorly, making it such a public issue.

Dan (Oregon): Just moved to the Portland metro area and trying to navigate through all of the coffee options here. What are some of your faves from Oregon? Thanks!
Klaw: heart coffee is one of my favorite roasters in the country.

Joe: What do you think about these dum-dums who say things like, “if I see you burning a flag I’ll beat the crap out of you” – an actual Senator or Congressman actually said that recently. It’s really just cloth, people. And it’s freedom of speech. And going to jail for assault does not give you a higher patriotism score.
Klaw: It’s freedom of speech, protected by the First Amendment and multiple court decisions. And yes, it’s just a piece of fabric. Also, if they start arresting people for this, I will join what I hope would be thousands or millions of others burning flags and uploading videos of it. Arrest us all. We know what the Constitution says.

Jebediah: Do you have an opinion on the relative worth of a Baking Steel to make pizza? Winter may be fast approaching outside, but the Steel evidently makes for oven spring!
Klaw: I use a stone for pizza and bread.

Wade: What is the best and most useful presents you remember getting from your wedding? (Hopefully it wasn’t veteran.) Trying to add stuff to our registry, but we are both in our 30s and already have a lot of things that you “need.”
Klaw: Stand mixer. Didn’t ask for a food processor, got one a year later, still using it. I think by now we’ve replaced most other stuff, but bear in mind that’s 21 years ago for us.

Frank: With regard to the 5M cap, I think it should allow small market teams to be much more competitive for talent as once the money is spent by others the team with money left will be that much more attractive to the player. I agree it’s not good for the players but it should help the small market teams a lot.
Klaw: That may be true, but why should the union help the small-market teams? Tell the large-market teams to do it.

JR: Did you ever finish the Night of, or did it fall of your radar?
Klaw: I have three episodes left. I just got caught up on a bunch of other things, then ripped through the OJ documentary, and now am trying to sneak in some top movies since it’s the month when all the good ones come out (screw you, Hollywood).

Owen: Also, I promise I won’t pants you a la Jake Peralta with every member of the Knicks.
Klaw: Oh God, it happened again!

John: The flag is just cloth, yep. And your wife’s wedding ring is just metal, so no biggie if she takes it off when she goes out at night.
Klaw: That’s correct, it’s just metal and compressed carbon. And she’s not my property, so if she wants to take it off, she can do that.

Mikey: Really? I get Flaherty over Fernandez, but Fernandez over Alcantara?
Klaw: Yes. Command, delivery, etc. – these all matter.

Nats Review Charlie: In reference to my earlier question – the only reasonable place for the Nats to improve (I say reasonable because I’m guessing Zim stays at 1B) is catcher – not sure if even Robles and Giolito gets you one as good as McCutchen is though
Klaw: Good point, and … good point too.

Ron: Would Dozier bring back de Leon from the Dodgers? Take more or less or would you not trade Dozier?
Klaw: I would include De Leon in a deal for Dozier, but I doubt that’s enough. Dozier’s really valuable.

Max G.: Klaw, any thoughts on how the Astros are going to play Bregman/Guriel(sp?)/Correa? (Other than what they absolutely should but won’t do, i.e. move Correa to third)
Klaw: You stole my response. Bergman at 3b, Gurriel in LF? I still haven’t given up on Reed as 1b.

Nick: Would a deal between Phillies/Cubs based around Velasquez or Nola for Schwarber be reasonable?
Klaw: Nola finished the year hurt, and Velasquez, while good, has yet to have a full healthy season in the pros.

Hugo Z: Do you think a hard cap on international spending will have a similar effect to what happens in the NFL with quarterback salaries vs. everyone else’s?
Klaw: You’re going to have to explain this like you’re talking to an idiot, because when it comes to the NFL, I’m an idiot.

Jeff: Thanks for being so outspoken about politics and Trump specifically. It’s a scary time, but you have a diverse reader base that need to hear someone standing up for basic ideas and principles that everyone should follow. You’re doing more than most journalists are doing, and it’s more their job to do than yours.
Klaw: You’re welcome. It’s funny – someone last week commented under the chat about keeping my “liberal agenda” out of it (even though this is my personal blog). My liberal agenda includes things like equality and civil rights, science-based policies, environmental protection and ensuring companies cover such externalities. I mean, I’m practically KLaw Marx.

addoeh: 21 years of marriage? Congrats, hope you two got drunk on your anniversary like a 21 year old would.
Klaw: No but for our 20th we went to St. Thomas by ourselves and got drunk on Cruzan for five days.

Mikey: Follow up on Fernandez/Alcantara….Not shooting down your assessment, more just shocked given the Alcantara “ace” potential comment you made earlier. Thanks.
Klaw: I understand now, thanks. I think Fernandez has a higher probability to be a valuable major-league starter, but Alcantara has the better “best case scenario” of the two.

Ryan: Thoughts on Eddy Julio Martinez after his first full year in the states.
Klaw: A little disappointed that he didn’t hit for more average in year one, but I’m hopeful that both he and Yusnier Diaz will make leaps in 2017 now that they’re here and acclimated.

Joe: Re: Monty Hall problem…I think it’s easier to understand it when you realize that there was 100% certainty that one of the doors you didn’t pick was always a loser. So when they selectively (not randomly) show you a goat, you don’t really have any new information probability-wise. They just showed you something you already knew was true, but tricked you into thinking it was new information.
Klaw: It’s a little bit of new information, in that beforehand you knew one of B or C was a loser, but not which one. It’s not new information in that you already knew at least one was a loser when you knew the odds of door A (your pick) were 1/3.

Quinn: Should the twins trade Dozier and what type of return could they get for him, that contract is nice.
Klaw: Yes, I don’t see any reason to keep him when they’re ready to rebuild now.

AAtown: If dodgers don’t resign hill, then don’t they come out big losers in the trade for he & Reddick? For what they gave up?
Klaw: No – they acquired two months of Hill and two months of Reddick. They didn’t acquire any rights beyond 2016.

Michael: Texas v. Johnson was a 5-4 SCOTUS decision. It’s not as cut and dry as you say.
Klaw: Isn’t this like the “first-ballot Hall of Famer” distinction? You’re in or you’re not. The plaque doesn’t change. Unless we get another SCOTUS decision, then the ruling and precedent are the same as they’d be if the decision had been 9-0.

Paul: Speaking of pizza, I made Kenji’s quick cast iron skillet tortilla crust pizza last night (made 3 of them in about 20 minutes). Wow was it good and extremely easy.
Klaw: You could do a lot worse in the kitchen than to listen to Kenji, Alton, and Ruhlman for all the basics.

Eddy: Does Derek Fisher ever make his debut with the Astros? Seems crowded. How does his offense profile?
Klaw: Probably trade bait. Has power, speed, but I’m concerned he won’t be a high contact guy. Also not a good outfielder.

JR: IIRC, Jon Singleton and his agents took a lot of heat for the club friendly contract he signed. With hindsight, sure looks like he made the right choice.
Klaw: Correct, and no doubt. You might argue the contract let him go to seed like he did, but from the player’s perspective, he got a successful outcome.

Stephan: Keith, as a Cubs fan can I be excited about Trevor Clifton?
Klaw: Yes, you have my permission.

Hugo Z: Sorry, should’ve been more clear…I think a hard cap wouldn’t hurt the Maitans of the world because some team will gamble the lion’s share of it’s money on them, but lesser players will get squeezed.
Klaw: Yes, I agree with that. Maitan still gets close to $5 million. The $1-2 million guys might get the shaft. But also there’s no Morejon deals any more – if you’re really worth $10 million, the cap appears to preclude that entirely.

Jake: I think one of the most unfortunate things of the many to come out of this election is how clear it is one party wants to keep people from voting and one wants as many people to participate as possible. And the side who wants to keep people from voting only offer anecdotal information when claiming there is widespread fraud. We have to stop this.
Klaw: I’ll end with this question/point, because it’s a great one. If you believe at all in a democratic system of government – and yes, we’re technically a republic – then this should disturb the hell out of you regardless of ideology or party affiliation. I was appalled when a few readers would respond to my tweets about states reducing polling stations or early voting by saying it was easy enough to vote anyway, so what’s the big deal? Either you want as many citizens to vote as there are citizens who wish to vote, or you do not want us to live in a functioning democracy. If you think your candidate’s or party’s path to victory lies in suppressing part of the vote, then I would suggest that the problem is the candidate’s or party’s platform. Let everyone have their say, and if you don’t like the outcome, then you try again in the next election. You don’t change the rules to make sure only people who think like you, look like you, pee like you, or pray like you get to vote.

Klaw: That’s all for this week – thank you as always for reading and for all of your questions. I will chat either Thursday or Friday next week depending on my travel back from the winter meetings.

I’ve got two Insider posts up now, one on the Astros’ moves last week and one on moves by the Cardinals, Twins, and Rangers, plus a small Rays-Mariners trade.

I’ve also updated the Spotify playlist of songs I’ve quoted to start the chats, going back to the beginning of 2016.

Klaw: Captivate the mass, cause the prose is profound. Klawchat.

Dana: What’s Gleyber Torres’ ceiling? MVP-caliber player?
Klaw: I think he’s a future star. Top ten player in the league.

Carlo: Love these chats and am so glad you continued to do them after ESPN. Do you think Bradley Zimmer can do an acceptable impression of Joc Pederson? i.e. power, speed, patience, and Ks in platoon role? Or do you think that’s aiming high or low? Thanks!
Klaw: Yes, that’s a reasonable expectation. I think Zimmer’s entering a critical year – if he can’t cut the Ks and hit LHB better, then it’s a platoon future.

John Liotta: How often do you go back and reread books? I find that I reread a couple each year. A lot of the books I read in high school or early college went unappreciated, and, in other cases, I want to make sure, now that I’m older, the books I’m recommending are still consistent with my current taste.
Klaw: Very rarely. I probably have only reread a dozen novels in my life. Master & Margarita, Great Gatsby, Huck Finn, Pride & Prejudice, and the Eyre Affair (re-read after I read Jane Eyre), plus the HP series with my daughter.

The Sad Friar: Do you still hold out hope for Javier Guerra? Sounds like a lot of people have written him off after one bad year in high A.
Klaw: Writing off a player that talented and young is stupid.

KC: Hi Keith – you’ve often described pitchers as lacking the command to be starters, and I saw similar comments on the recently traded Albert Abreu (not by you). My question is how does that work? I understand a pitcher’s command to be shorthand for ‘ability to throw quality strikes’ or ‘location within the zone’ – is it simply a matter of avoiding 30 pitch innings? So a guy with fringe command is a 100 pitch, 4 IP guy half the time as a starter,, but 30 pitch innings coming out of the bullpen are fine?
Klaw: It’s not “simply” anything with command – control is simple, but command isn’t. A pitcher who can’t command enough of his pitches to start can move to the bullpen and benefit from throwing harder and/or being seen just once per game and have the command deficiency become less significant.

Bill: Do you get your turkey spatchcocked for you or do you do it yourself? That part is by far the most daunting to me.
Klaw: I do it myself, live on Periscope.

Will: Where would you rank Lourdes Gurriel Jr. among Blue Jays prospects?
Klaw: I won’t do org rankings and top tens till late January or early February. He’s not a high-end prospect, though.

Lou (Reno): Why do teams send rule 5 eligible players to the AFL? ( thinking of Eric Wood). Aren’t they just giving other teams an extra look at these players?
Klaw: They’re also giving themselves an extra look at their own players to determine whether to keep those guys or expose them, and giving other teams looks to perhaps try to trade for them before the protection deadline.

Jonathan: I enjoyed your article on the Brett Cecil signing, what odds do you give the deal turning out well?
Klaw: Well under 50/50. The history of long-term deals for relievers is awful and not improving.

Elton: How do you like the new Tribe album (We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your service)?
Klaw: It’s great. You gotta get it. You got got to get it.

Melky: Do you think Gohara is too much to give up for Cozart? If so, who might be a better fit from the Mariners system?
Klaw: That would be a ridiculous overpay.

Nate: Keith, Carson Fullmer really struggled with his control this season. Did he have this issue as an amateur, but the competition swung at pitches out of the zone, or is this something that has developed recently?
Klaw: Couldn’t throw his breaking stuff for strikes as an amateur (and I noted that when I wrote him up). Also a hard delivery to repeat.

Kim: Has our country always been so racist, xenophobic, homophobic, and sexist and I just didn’t realize it?
Klaw: Apparently so.

Brad C.: Do you agree with those who assert that the Mets MUST sign Cespedes or their season is lost? Conforto, Grandy, Bruce, Lagares is still a good OF.
Klaw: MUST is awfully strong. He’s the best move for them. But they could lose him and sign Fowler and still end up in pretty good shape.

Jen: What’s the best case (realistic) scenario for Trump’s presidency?
Klaw: We avoid mutually assured destruction?

Ethan: Eric Wood performed well in AFL after a breakout season in AA; after being unprotected for Rule 4, could Pirates be losing a prospect with any kind of value?
Klaw: He hit 249/.339/.443 as a AA repeater at 23 (turns 24 today). Not a guy.

Ozzie: Curious to hear your thoughts on the hazing-by-masturbation incident.
Klaw: This involved Rangers prospects in the DR, for folks who haven’t heard it. I’d drop the hammer on the perpetrators, assuming they’re not jailed for sexual assault. MLB should make a swift example of them.

Matt T.: I know you buy, cook, eat a lot of various food, some of of it rich and indulgent as well. My question is, how do you stay in shape? Or have time for it? Traveling all the time for your own job, as well as having a family to raise? How do you find that balance?
Klaw: The foods I tend to discuss here or on social media aren’t what I’m eating three meals a day. My typical lunch at home (which I just ate) is plain 2% yogurt with honey, my own granola, and fruit.

Nils: Hi Keith, thanks for your Thanksgiving tips. Trying to keep my mashed potatoes simple this year, what should I be adding to them? Also, do you have a preference on the act of mashing? Ricer?
Klaw: Ricer. Make sure the cream/milk/butter mixture is hot when you pour it in. Don’t overmix or the potato starches will get long and produce a gluey texture. And I never make mashed potatoes for a crowd because they don’t hold well at all – you pretty much have to make them to order.

Alex: Is the fact that teams are already spending money on FA without the CBA being signed a good indication that it’s going to get done and that there will be only minor tweaks with no major changes to the way business has been done?
Klaw: I don’t think anyone is worried about a deal happening, but even so, any structural or rule changes would go into effect next offseason, not in the middle of one already occurring.

Jones: Given his weaknesses, what do you think motivated Cardinals ownership to resign Matheny?
Klaw: I think they love what he does in the clubhouse, the intangible leadership woo stuff. I see a guy who loses the team a few games a year with idiotic in-game moves and whose mishandling of Kolten Wong in particular may have ruined a decent prospect.

Jeff: Hi Keith, thank you for the chats, really enjoy them. Do you think the Cubs go hard after Jansen? Cubs seem reluctant to commit to that kind of $ but it seems like it would be the prime opportunity to do so while most of their younger players have reasonable contracts. If not Jansen, any ideas on who they might target? Have a hard time believing they’ll be content with Rondon.
Klaw: I have suspected they’d at least go after him, maybe not be the high bidders but be active, rather than hold on to Chapman. Jansen’s better, and he has way better makeup, to say the least. And they’re in position now to forego the draft pick (late first) to sign a free agent.

Frank: Was “letting” Brett Cecil get away a mistake by the Blue Jays, or will we only know the answer to that come spring? Brett was a huge part of that pen, and a big hole to fill now.
Klaw: I wouldn’t have come close to that offer he got.

Bob: Hi, Keith. I was curious as to the reasons for your third place vote for Jon Gray for NL ROY. Statistically he compares well with Kenta Maeda who got more press. His WAR (2.3), however, was lower than that of either Trevor Story (3.1) or Aledmys Diaz (3.5). (WAR is not the end-all, but it’s a handy place to start.) So what was your thinking?
Klaw: That’s his B-R WAR; his Fangraphs WAR, which works off his peripherals rather than his ERA, was 3.7. He was badly hurt by a low strand rate, which is in part a function of the Rockies’ bullpen and the home park. His fWAR was higher than Diaz’s or Story’s, he’s younger than Diaz or Maeda, and frankly I think what he did, in context, is a lot more impressive than, say, Story having a big power year in a great power park.

Jason: Is there a trade offer Atlanta could make for Sale or Archer that (1) the other team would accept and (2) would be a good trade for Atlanta?
Klaw: They could make a viable offer for any player in the majors if they’re willing to give up enough from their system. I’m not sure that would be advisable in either case; I think they’d be better served using all those pitching prospects to trade for a cornerstone young position player than a pitcher.

Kenny: Are there any Rule 5 eligible players who may end up being major contributors in ’17, like Biagini was in ’16?
Klaw: Biagini was worth about a win. That’s not a major contributor. And the fact that he stands out like that is why I ignore the rule 5 draft.

Harrisburg Hal: I know you normally do a kitchen gift ideas post, but can you provide a recommendation on a food processor? We find it useful for more and more recipes than we anticipated when we put a low-quality one on our wedding registry some 14 years ago, thinking we’d only use it for salsa. Have a terrific holiday with your loved ones.
Klaw: I’ll do that post after Thanksgiving. I still have the same old Cuisinart model I’ve had for almost 20 years, so I couldn’t specifically recommend another model since I haven’t tried one. I agree that it’s indispensable, though. I’ll make my pumpkin pie filling in the food processor tomorrow evening.

JR: Every year you get asked about Rule 5 draft, and every year you point out that the rule changes awhile back made it less interesting. With that out of the way, any interesting names in play, or not really?
Klaw: Don’t know, don’t care. Really. The ratio of words expended on it to value produced by it approaches infinity.

Sean: I can’t quite fathom why a team would want Chapman on a multi-year deal. It seemed evident that any dip in his velocity rendered him very hittable. Wouldn’t a reasonable team run for the hills at the idea of hitching their wagon to him?
Klaw: Also that he throws only fastballs with men on. And he’s a terrible human being who’s a fair risk to end up breaking the law or getting sued or just generally making your team look bad for signing him (well, worse than they would for signing him in the first place). I ranked him lower than he would have been on merit because of that stuff.

Paul: I got 10 bucks says Trump doesn’t make it through 4 yrs. Resigns or impeached
Klaw: I think this is a real possibility, but then we end up with Mike Pence, who thinks you can make gay people straight by electrocuting them, and a GOP that has lurched to the right on social and economic issues running the government for the remainder of the term. I’m not OK with that either, and I say that as someone who agrees with some economic policies that would probably be considered conservative or typically Republican.

Chris: Is the Braves offense actually good, or was the 2nd half a fluke?
Klaw: That’s a fluke.

Jeff: Thanks for doing these chats! Do you expect Matt Bush to continue to be successful as a reliever? What comparisons can you use when projecting him? And what do you throw out due to his situation being so unique?
Klaw: Relievers are the class of player where I’d be most likely to ignore the player’s history. Present stuff and control seem to be most important, along with platoon split (ability to get both sides out). You can suck one year and be Andrew Miller the next. That almost never happens with hitters or starting pitchers. So yes, I would be fine counting on Bush to be an above-average reliever going forward.

mike: My son is 7 and a good reader for his age. We go to the library every week and he loves to get a pile of books, but he exclusively goes for non-fiction (which is fine!) stuff. I’ve had trouble finding anything fiction related he gets excited about. Tried Dinotopia and thought I had him hooked, but it faded quick. ANYWAY, do you have any fiction rec’d for that age, something that you got your daughter interested in?
Klaw: Harry Potter, of course. She also got into these Wings of Fire books about dragons around age 8, but I don’t know if those are aimed at girls specifically. We loved the Last Dragonslayer by Fforde too.

Jeff: Looks like Rowdy Tellez will at least get to compete for a bench spot next season, if not the job at 1B. Any chance at all that he can be an average regular?
Klaw: Not to me. Bad athlete, can’t hit good fastballs.

Ryan: Hi Keith…do you think McCutchen bidding will progress to where PIT can realistically acquire a top 1-2 prospect from acquiring team (e.g., Giolito or Lopez from WAS, DeLeon or Bellinger from LAD)?
Klaw: I think so.

It Me: I just wanted to say that I don’t really care for baseball or any sport anymore, but you are my favorite Twitter follow and I love these chats. Please stick to non-baseball 😉
Klaw: I’ve never been capable of sticking to any one topic in my life. I don’t see any reason to start now.

Bob: Thanks for your answer. Good logic. I haven’t used Fangraphs enough.
Klaw: The WAR disparity on pitchers is a question without an answer. Both methods have merit and both results give us useful information. I try to look at both, looking at the components of each, and thinking about what information within those is more meaningful going forward.

Glenn: Realistic outlook for Kaprellian a mid rotation starter?
Klaw: Higher if healthy.

Matt: Thank you for not sticking to baseball. Anyone who says you should can go pound sand. If you had, I would not have learned about Alt-J as early as I did. With that said, can you name any other bands that might be off the radar that one would enjoy if they love Alt-J the way some of us do? As always, thanks!
Klaw: Wild Beasts and Everything Everything.

Eddy: Your former colleague Eric ranked Yadier Alvarez has Dodgers’ #1 prospect. Is the ceiling really that high? What type of pitcher can we expect him to be?
Klaw: Ceiling is high, but I can tell you now I would not rank him over Verdugo or Bellinger, both of whom I think are future All-Stars and are closer to the majors.

Tim: I know rule changes affected the Rule 5 Draft, but could you explain the changes? I was trying to look at had some trouble.
Klaw: The CBA before the current one included a change that extended a club’s period of protection by one year for all players, so in effect, it limited the pool to players who are either still in the low minors and thus unlikely to fare well in a direct jump to the majors or prospects who haven’t panned out.

Bob: Cardinals just raved about their Rule 5 pickup last year, Matt Bowman. While he was serviceable, he provided 0.5 WAR. Whoop-dee-doo. For that half a win, they had to keep him on the roster for the entire year (to keep from having to send him back) and hamstrung themselves at times when making roster moves.
Klaw: Yep. And I like Bowman. But you’re right.

Travis: Hey Keith, I’d like to surprise my wife by turning into A GUY in the kitchen. Where should I start?
Klaw: Go watch Good Eats. The whole series. That’s the best intro you could ever ask for.

Chris: For all the reasons you mentioned, I am dreading the inevitable Yanks’ re-signing of Chapman. I’m tired of having players on my team I loathe (A-Rod, Clemens, Ellsbury for other reasons). I know they can afford it but I’d much rather see them give Betances a chance.
Klaw: I would too, and also, having the greatest bullpen troika in recent memory didn’t get them to the postseason, so why re-sign Chapman when that money would be better spent elsewhere?

Andy: Re Pence: I look at as, Pence is someone I disagree with politically. He and I have very different ideas of what makes the country better. But he’s a politician and he’ll put the good of the country first. I don’t get that feeling for Trump, who seems to value loyalty over competence, and that’s without getting into the fact that he’s a terrible person.
Klaw: This is very fair. I am in the minority on this, but I thought Pence’s response to the Hamilton brouhaha was the right one. It wasn’t great – I mean, he still opposes protecting LGBTQ americans from discrimination – but it was the politic response, a measured answer from a person who at least considers his words before speaking.

Matt: Keith– Did you get a chance to see Greg Allen when you were out for the AFL? His on-base numbers and reports on the glove seem great, but obviously he’s been pretty old for every level as a college guy. Is there anything there?
Klaw: I did and I think he’s an extra guy. No power and didn’t look great in CF.

MJ: Do you think Hellickson made a mistake accepting the QO? Even with the draft pick compensation hanging over his head I’d think he’d have received several solid offers given the absolute black hole that is this year’s SP free agent market.
Klaw: He might have gotten more years at a lower base. I thought accepting was reasonable.

Chris: You always push for teams to hire managers with some actual managerial experience at some level rather than ‘name’ former players. Unless I’m mistaken Alex Cora has none so why do you make an exception for him?
Klaw: You are mistaken. He’s managed in the Puerto Rican league for several winters. Thanks for not giving me the benefit of the doubt.

Jason: Would an expanded roster potentially make the Rule 5 draft more meaningful?
Klaw: It might result in more picks, because hiding a guy would be easier, but won’t improve the quality of the available pool.

Chris: Her mangled grammar and spelling aside, Kate Upton was right, yes?
Klaw: She was right in that omitting Verlander was a mistake.

Tyler: Some “anonymous” FO person recently said he thinks Otani gets $300 million when he comes over. What’s really the realistic contract he gets? And can we stop the narrative of him being a 2-way player, he’s a pitcher and going to be a pitcher here.
Klaw: Doubt he gets that as a pitcher. Really doubt that. Agree that he’s a pitcher only. Could see him getting $150 million over six.

NRWillick: If asked, would you interview on the Alton Browncast? I think the two of you would be great together talking about all issues.
Klaw: Of course, because he’s an idol of mine, but what could I possibly have to contribute to that?

Tom Nieto: What is your take on Weaver and Flaherty of the Cardinals?
Klaw: Weaver looks reliever-ish to me without much of a breaking ball. Flaherty has some mid-rotation potential – great delivery and command, hoping for more oomph as he grows.

Pete: May be too early to ask, but are there any Northern California high schoolers who could be taken within the first 2 days of the ’17 draft?
Klaw: First two days includes more rounds than I cover. I don’t think there’s a day one guy (top two rounds) up there.

Zack: Looking at the Braves past, many of their prospects have been busts…(Marte, Schafer, Capellan, Hanson *RIP*) The odds of their crop of arms producing a few top flight starters can’t be any higher than 2-3 #2-3 starters. Wouldn’t it be smart to ship them off for a Sale or Archer, then possibly ship them off in a few seasons, and get prospects that have a higher probability of succeeding in the future?
Klaw: There’s a risk with Sale and Archer that you may not be including in that analysis – those guys have mileage on their arms and have some injury/bust risk too, lower than that of prospects, but the trade to acquire them reduces the diversity in your portfolio.

Tyler: I think the Cubs are still going to add some potential #5 starters and Montgomery isn’t guaranteed that spot, but what are your thoughts on him moving into the rotation full-time? Can he be a 2.5-3 WAR starter?
Klaw: I don’t think Montgomery can start.

John: I get that throwing 4 year deals at relievers is folly, but WHY do teams keep doing it? What is their rationale? Is it a situation where they feel like, “we have a 1 or 2 year window, so we’ll award a bad contract and hope it pays off in the near term”?
Klaw: I think that’s exactly it. And the market is offering 4 years, so if you want that specific player, you have to go 4 years. Of course, that is how we ended up signing BJ Ryan to a five-year deal where he delivered exactly two years of value and three years of literally nothing.

Jay: What would you do to improve the Nats this offseason? Sign Fowler and return Turner to SS? Sign Cespedes and let Bryce play CF for a year until Werth is gone?
Klaw: Definitely put Turner at SS – Espinosa was atrocious at the plate in the second half, in line with his last few years or even worse – and I am open to putting Harper in CF if they can’t get a plus CF somewhere. That roster is so good that they seem like they should be as motivated to spend as any team.

Ethan: Last chat you stated you’d look for at least 3 legit prospects for McCutchen; I’m assuming that means you think struggles were temporary, injury related, etc., and he’s due for a bounce back?
Klaw: Yes, I think they were almost entirely health-related.

Cory: You often talk or your board games. I have twin boys who will be 2 years old in a couple of weeks. At what age did you start to incorporate games with your children? I feel like 2 is a little early, but I’m curious as I’m excited to have that type of interaction with them. Thanks!
Klaw: When my daughter was four, she wanted to play the Carcassonne app on my iPod Touch, so I showed her how to do it and for a while she didn’t even care about the scores – she just liked manipulating the tiles and getting the rewards of finishing something. So after that we’d invite her to play stuff with us, but her attention span wasn’t really there until she was six or so.

Jimmy: Favorite songs off the new Tribe Called Quest album?
Klaw: Dis Generation, We the People, Space Program, Ego.

Phil: Curious about your take on this…Over the weekend 4 cops were shot and all 4 were shot by African Americans. There hasn’t been one media outlet that has investigated a connection to the BLM mantra of killing cops. Had the 4 shootings been of black pastors by white men, the whole narrative would have been on the rampant racism in our country toward minorities. Why the double standard?
Klaw: There’s a BLM “mantra of killing cops?” You completely lost me there.

Andy: What was the conversation like around the BJ Ryan signing? Were there arguments about whether or not to do it?
Klaw: It was probably the last substantive conversation I had with my boss about a player move. I was opposed to going past three years, and did some basic research that remains the foundation of my belief that relievers shouldn’t get long-term deals today. The way we use relievers, as an industry, contributes to their volatility.

Adam: If you were running Cleveland’s front office, what would be your A plan for CF in 2017: Naquin+platoon partner and hope the defense is at least manageable. Try to go all-in with a potential trade (Cutch or someone else), or short-term FA (Pagan, etc)
Klaw: As well as Naquin runs, it is hard to fathom how he can be this bad in CF. There have been exceptions – Joey Gathright comes to mind – but in general, if a dude can really run, he can at least be average in center. I might give Naquin one more year on that basis. He has the arm to play anywhere, and if he can just show fringy range, he’d be average overall. But he looked bad in CF this year and the numbers supported that. I could understand them punting and going to find a real defender out there – and that’s not Cutch or Pagan, IMO.

Tom: You were wrong about the likelihood of Trout winning MVP. Oh wait, so was I. Here’s to being wrong. (Actual question – what do you think pushed him through this time? I realize it was about his second best season so far, but really thought he’d be punished again for bad teammates and not leading the league in RBI)
Klaw: I saw it while on vacation and I was floored to see that he won and won by a lot, but I never looked to see if any voters discussed their votes. I’d like to think we’re getting more rational about what value is, since front offices are increasingly looking at the question the same way, but I would be basing that on speculation rather than any evidence.

Hugoz: Sorry, but I have to ask…if the Astros weren’t going to retain Castro, what else would you expect them to do if not exercise the Gattis option?
Klaw: Gattis can’t catch – he was probably the worst receiving catcher in baseball last year. (He was among the MLB leaders in WP allowed, despite only catching about 50 games, but that isn’t factored into any public defensive metrics.) I don’t see those two decisions as remotely connected.

Frank: While obviously some major leaguers come from the late rounds, is there really any value in having a draft that is 50 rounds long (or whatever it is) rather than 25 or 30?
Klaw: It’s 40 now, used to be 50, and if they wanted to cut it to 20 I’d be just fine with that. I don’t see a lot of value in its current length.

Jerry: Is the rejection of the split by some organizations due to the fact that many of the Japanese guys who throw the pitch have broken down? Do any of these execs consider the fact that the high school workloads of these guys make those of Kerry Wood and Dylan Bundy seem reasonable?
Klaw: The bias against the splitter predates the Japanese imports – it goes back to the 1980s when there were a few pitchers who developed arm problems, including circulation issues in their throwing hands, after throwing the pitch.

Joe: I am going to the Bahamas in a few months. Are you going to have a post up about your trip?
Klaw: I don’t think so, because most of what we did was at Atlantis, which I’ll say here was very nice but a poor value for the money. (I used points for the room; without that it would have been outrageous.) I do recommend the John Watling’s distillery tour and the on-site bar, where you can do a flight of their three rums for $6.50. We didn’t do the fish fry because of my wife’s shellfish allergy, but all the locals recommend that. The food and drinks at Atlantis are overpriced, and the food in general wasn’t even that good.

addoeh: Good thing the Rule 5 draft isn’t the Rule 6 draft. Because there is no Rule 6.
Klaw: Good point, Bruce.

Chris: I can’t recall you writing about Andujar in any of your AFL recaps. Can he be league avg at 3B for Yanks once Headley’s gone?
Klaw: I think he’s a little below that.

Larry: I, for one, think it would be great to hear you and Alton Brown discuss spatchcocking. As for baseball, the Giants won’t likely be able to spend enough to get both an elite closer and an elite bat, so which would you focus on if you were them: Jansen or Cespedes?
Klaw: The bat is going to have way more impact. Plus they have some power arms who could end up good relievers if they get the time to develop.

Scott: What can a concerned citizen like myself do to challenge voter suppression and gerrymandering? Of all the shitty things happening, this makes me the most hopeless and sad
Klaw: Make yourself heard. Call your state reps – all of them. Call your governor and lieutenant governor. Show up at town meetings they hold. And work to get out the vote in 2018. If you live in North Carolina, call every one of your officials to support Roy Cooper for Governor, since he’s going to win the actual vote count and state Republicans may try a backdoor tactic to steal the election.

Klaw: That’s all for this week – thanks for all the questions. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

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

Klaw: My possessions are causing me suspicion but there’s no proof. Klawchat.

Rob: Favorite Metal album this year? I’m leaning towards Dillinger Escape Plan or Nails, but I know my tastes tend to skew heavier than yours. Always appreciate the work.
Klaw: Might be Dark Tranquility’s Atoma or Omnium Gatherum’s Grey Heavens.

Peter: The Trump take on climate change is number ___ on the list of reasons to be scared
Klaw: I guess it depends on who and where you are, but the environment in general is my personal number one fear (in terms of direct impact on me or my family).

Nick: What do you think Bryce Harper’s true talent level is?
Klaw: When healthy, he’s a 7-8 win player at least.

Kyle KS: Is Dexter Fowler’s performance both offensively and defensively likely to be repeated? Does he have the ability to stay in CF over the life of a 3-5 year contract?
Klaw: Doubt he stays there 5 years, would bet on him staying there 3. Seemed to really come around as a hitter the last two years out of Denver.

Nick: Is Gausman breaking out or lucky sample size in the second half for a guy with really only 2 pitches?
Klaw: I think he’s for real.

Jay_b: Did the Cubs winning the WS bring about the end of the universe or is it just a symptom of same?
Klaw: It’s a series of unfortunate events. (I kid, Chicago.)

Dick: Does Devers absolute upside look something like Adrian Beltre?
Klaw: Nothing like that on defense. Offense, maybe, but Devers might have a chance to be a little more disciplined at a younger age than Beltre.

Frank the Clown: Is insight into why Wren did not get the GM job in Boston? So many writers like Bob Nightengay said Frank was the clear leader should be a sure bet for the position especially considering he is buddies with Dumbrowski.
Klaw: Don’t think those claims were ever accurate.

Ceej: Baez just showed both extremes in the playoffs. Do you hold out hope that he develops consistency?
Klaw: I think consistency is the least likely outcome. I would hope for more highs and fewer lows. His approach went to shit in the World Series.

VG: Keith, any recommendations for sources of recipies that are designed to help kids who are picky eaters? A book on how to think about this as a parent would be helpful, too. Thanks.
Klaw: Two suggestions. One, when my daughter was younger I found that cooking vegetables with high heat, such as roasting at 450 or 475, so the sugars in them started to caramelize (brown) made her like them more. They end up sweeter and less bitter. The other is to consider making sauces that work with vegetables and that your kids like. My daughter liked the flavor of lemon early on, so I still to this day add lemon juice to lots of sauces, and often will make something more complicated like a lemon beurre blanc specifically because she likes it.

Ryan: let’s just say you’re a senate democrat, what’s the strategy right now? do you blow up the filibuster and pass through Merrick Garland in the lame duck but then give the GOP carte blanche to do whatever they want? or do you let Trump pick the SCOTUS nominee he wants? also, since the GOP over the last 8 years proved kicking, screaming and denying the legitimacy of the president works – you should just oppose anything Trump proposes, right?!
Klaw: I favor the latter approach, which Al Franken said on MSNBC last night is his plan as well. Fight like hell. Don’t help them.

DPF: Asking early due to meetings – Tea leaves seem to say that Cutch is available. Astros seem like a good fit and they have prospects. Who should the Pirates look to get back?
Klaw: He’s been available since the summer, but it’s been kind of quiet publicly. I think you’ll see a dozen teams interested given his age, history, and contract. That’s a three-prospect deal for me – three real prospects, plus maybe something else, but I’d be shooting for multiple high-impact prospects to get enough value and diversify the risk a little.

Tom: I have heard and seen plenty of people label anyone who voted for Trump racist, sexist and xenophobic. Definition of a strawman right? I tend to believe 60 million people are not that but care about other issues and want the Republicans in charge for other reasons then to ban the Muslims and kick out the Mexicans (which if you’re being logical he can yell all about but constitutionally will not be able to do). Full disclosure I didn’t vote for either but the response to ALL Trump voters has me appalled for the country.
Klaw: My wife and I have had this debate, in part while discussing the election with our daughter. My wife takes your side – many people heard what they wanted from Trump, such as promises of jobs for the less-educated part of the workforce by bringing manufacturing back, and the other stuff didn’t matter to them. I take the other side – a vote for him is tacit approval of the racism, the dog-whistling, the pandering, the outright harassment and mockery. You don’t get to sever. It’s why I was no longer a Bill Clinton supporter after his second term: I liked some of his policies, but lying under oath before a grand jury, even over a trivial matter, told me something about his character I could not accept or ignore.

Jake: If Gurriel was eligible for your list, would you consider him Houston’s top prospect right now?
Klaw: Yuliesky? He’s 32. I could not compare him to a bunch of 20-22 year olds on a prospect ranking.

Thomas: Who would you rather have over the course of their careers…Ozzie Albies or Travis Demeritte?
Klaw: Albies. I know he can hit, and I believe he can play short or second.

Jake: Favorite (or least favorite) new MiLB team name – Fire Frogs, Jumbo Shrimp or Rumble Ponies?
Klaw: Jumbo Shrimp is pretty bad, although when they say “batter up!” it’ll be a Jacobi-level pun.

Kelly: Odds of Trump getting impeached are?
Klaw: Nil. The GOP controls the House.

Tracy: It is extremely troubling to me that facts can be so willfully disregarded as to help elect a demagogue such as the one we’re getting, where a huge portion of this country will only believe what they want to believe, feeding off from their isolated bubble of information. Not only that, but whatever is deemed fact outside of that bubble is considered false or even fabricated for the benefit of ideological gain. We are living in increasingly dangerous times, but we need more voices like you, Keith, who will denounce those who choose to be infected by this awful ignorance.
Klaw: We live in a world where people in power – and something like half the country – denies the facts of climate change. Some similar portion of the populace denies that we evolved from lower life forms. A small fraction deny that vaccines are safe and effective and actively court ways around laws designed to make the public safe. You know how that happens? When those of us – teachers, politicians, the media – who have the chance to disseminate information play the game of false balance. I’ll take the hit to my career I get from dealing strictly in facts.

Chad: Do you have any tattoos? Curious what they are if so. Admittedly an awfully personal question!
Klaw: Nope. Never had any interest. I wouldn’t judge anyone who has them, but I don’t want ink on me.

CJ: Hi Keith, On the International signing mess , why not give each team a certain amount they can spend , say 10M. If a team wanted to spend more they could buy some of another teams 4M for the same amount. So say the Dodgers want to add , they could buy 2M from the Twins and pay them 2M .The Twins would then have the Dodgers paying for their signings plus their own. There would have to be some kind of cap on how much each team could add or subtract.
Klaw: I think the fear there is some owners would just sell everything they could and punt the international market. Whatever your cap is, there would be a Loria type who would just sell it and pocket the profits every year. Maybe Liberty would do that, since the expected ROI on a million bucks in international amateur free agency is somewhere between “hard to calculate” and “who the hell knows.”

Woodsy: Tell me why it’s all gonna be all right, Keith. Please.
Klaw: Oh, I don’t think it is.

James: Where would you slot Taijuan Walker into your rotation/bullpen to start 2017? I know you’ve been critical of his development in the past. What steps would you take to salvage a potential career as a SP for him, if you ran things for the Ms?
Klaw: If this is it with him, no more mechanical or pitch changes, then I’d put him in the bullpen as a long man to start the year and adjust his role by how he pitches, probably into a higher-leverage relief role. If there’s still time to change him, though, I’d try to get him back to the longer stride he had in 2012 or so, so that his fastball isn’t ending up belt-high so often.

Mark: Who do you think will accept their QO and who do you think should accept it?
Klaw: Hellickson or Walker might. Walker’s depends on his back. Trumbo … he will probably get more than that in free agency, but there’s no way I’d give him close to that much. I think everyone else declines.

Mark: What’s your least favorite part of your job? I don’t mean things like travel or time away from your family, but rather a specific event you don’t like to cover or article you have to write or people you have to deal with.
Klaw: That’s a good question. Most of the stuff I hated doing, like the old, long previews of each playoff series, are gone. Now it’s more about writing when I don’t feel the spark – sometimes I have to react to a bit of news, but I don’t really have a strong opinion that I can back up sufficiently with data or historical examples, and then I feel like I’m dancing on the hot-takes line. I don’t want to do that; I have strong opinions naturally, so I don’t ever want to feel like I’m faking it in any way.

Jim: My friends are convinced that WAR is a “made up stat” that front offices don’t use. How different is the WAR that front offices use and what we see on Fangraphs/BR?
Klaw: Front offices use WAR. They use their own formulas for the components, but multiple front office people, from GMs to analytics directors, have said to me directly that they value player performance by comparing total production to replacement level.

Mark: What do you think about the Bud Black hiring? You said last week that Colorado should interview Cora….do you know if they even did before choosing Black?
Klaw: Black is a solid choice. He was good in San Diego, with some drawbacks. Denver is a real challenge for any manager, though, and I don’t know what specifically about him might be a good fit there. I don’t think Alex was interviewed.

Bob: I’ve felt unhappy on and off for some time and imagine it falls on the depression spectrum, but haven’t seen a therapist before. The act of seeking one out and talking to someone for the first time is daunting – and frankly, I don’t think I want to “admit” I can’t “fix” this on my own. Do you have any advice?
Klaw: I promise you that after one session with a (good) therapist the mental obstacles you describe will start to dissolve. It feels good to vocalize some of what you’re feeling and have someone make sense of it for you. Just go.

Marshall: With the rumors that Kendrick could be shipped out of LA -Can Willie Calhoun make enough contact and play passable defense to have an impact for the Dodgers in 2017?
Klaw: I don’t think he can play 2b at all.

Elton: What do you reckon the smart plays are for the Cubs this offseason? Let Heyward play center and hope Soler rebuilds his value in right? Sign Hill and Jansen to replace Hammel and Chapman?
Klaw: I wrote about their situation in some of the buyers’ guides that will run this weekend, but I think Soler might be on the trade block regardless. I would try Heyward in CF if Fowler doesn’t come back, though.

Ben: Is it just me, or is Pence almost more concerning than Trump? I mean, Trump is unpredictable and could flip on issues tomorrow. There’s no guessing what Trump really thinks. But it’s always been clear what Pence believes and none of it is good.
Klaw: Pence still believes you can “convert” gay people to straight. This is arrant nonsense, the American Psychiatric Association opposes it, and it may increase the risk of suicide for these folks. If that doesn’t scare you, you may have no empathy whatsoever.

Mike: What are the chances Otani is posted and comes over? What is his long-term outlook?
Klaw: I’m betting it’s after next year. Number one starter. Not a position player here.

Elton: What did you think about that Game Seven? Have you ever seen a wilder deciding game?
Klaw: The only one I could think of was 2001. Game 6 in 1986 had as much drama but wasn’t the winner-take-all game.

Nick: Keith – thanks for all the great work; very excited to read your book once it’s ready. How do you see Addison Russell developing over the next few years? Specifically, will the bat continue to grow?
Klaw: I think he’s going to be a star. I’d be very surprised if he didn’t improve his contact rate starting this year.

Joe: Do you think it will be hard for Dickey to transition back to the NL?
Klaw: Nah, the hard part for him is going to be that he’s just not that good any more.

Armin: Hi Keith, do you think that a position switch of Carlos Correa to 3B is inevitable? If so, do you expect it to happen this upcoming season?
Klaw: I think it is optimal, but the club has to make the decision now and get him to agree it’s for the best.

Bertil from Sweden: Do you think Astros should switch Correa and Bergman during the offseason?
Klaw: Yes, that was my implication just now – Bregman plays short. (I do like that the guy from Sweden wrote “Bergman,” though!)

Nick: Who are some of your favorite baseball writers? You can answer Keith Law if you want, I won’t tell.
Klaw: No, not Keith Law, that guy’s an asshole.

Siggy: I come to you for answers about life and baseball. This is about life. I’ve been having a hard time dealing with the election and have welcomed all forms of humor as a way to make me feel slightly better. On that note, please feel free to weigh in on a decade-old debate I’ve had with friends. Why are farts so funny?
Klaw: Because bodily functions are embarrassing. It’s why grown-ups still giggle at sexual innuendo. And lest anyone think I’m saying I’m above this, I remember being in the visitors’ clubhouse at Fenway Park around 2003 or so and laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe because Bobby Kielty was in the can and you would have thought he had 76 trombones in there with him.

Clarence(not M. Diamond): No question, just wanted to say that if someone were to make a playlist of the various songs you reference at the beginning of each chat, that person would have a baller, and eclectic, set to listen to.
Klaw: Funny you say that – I’ve contemplated doing so for a while but I always get sucked into other stuff when I sit down at the computer. It would be a weird-ass mix though. (EDIT: I started this Spotify playlist just now, working backwards from today’s chat.)

ScottyG: What would it take for the Cardinals to get Simmons away from the Angels? And would he make sense, moving Diaz over to 2B?
Klaw: No chance right now. Angels are trying to win with Trout.

JC: The Braves have been on a two year odyssey to bring in as much pitching as possible because: the 90s. After watching the Cub’s run, should the Braves have chosen instead to focus more on position players to build the championship team?
Klaw: Well at some point you have to cash in some pitching for bats. This might be a good time for it. If they called Pittsburgh on Cutch, they could put something pretty compelling together. Or perhaps Arenado, who has a little more team control left, and 3b is a gigantic void in Atlanta anyway.

Enzo Amore: If you were Muslim, how strongly would you consider leaving the country?
Klaw: The whole bit about leaving the country, and celebs threatening to do so, is that this is not a costless transaction. If I had, say, dual citizenship in Italy (I could have, had my late grandfather gotten it for my mom, since he was born there), and decided, the hell with this, I’m outta here, I would have to sell my house and many of my material possessions; secure whatever documentation was necessary for my wife and daughter to live in Italy, and for myself and perhaps my wife to work there; to ensure I had sufficient savings and/or income to travel there, and probably travel back here to see my entire family as well as my wife’s; and find an entirely new job because I don’t think I could do this one while sitting at a cafe on the Palio in Siena. So while I want to say, yeah, I’d be terrified for me and my kids now that Trump has won and the neo-Nazis who endorsed him are feeling empowered, it’s just not that easy to pick up and leave.

Oxfuzz: A few months ago, you recommended the parenting book you read while your daughter was young. Could you share the title again. Thanks
Klaw: The Happiest Baby on the Block.

Kilgore Trout: ‘A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.” – Max Planck…………When climate denialists die off, will it be to late?
Klaw: Yes, if we wait that long, the earth’s climate will have changed to a grave extent.

addoeh: What motivated you to get a puppy? How has it been getting it to adjust to the cats and vice versa?
Klaw: My wife wanted one, and we had friends who needed to give this dog up because the dad was wildly allergic to her. Bella, the dog, thinks the cats are fun and likes the chase them. They do not share her enthusiasm.

Uncle Jimbo: How does your two round international draft suggestion benefit the player as compared to the current system?
Klaw: If the dollar values per pick are set appropriately high, it should ensure that they’re getting closer to their maximum value on draft day (instead of a deal they’re locked into a year ahead of time) and they’re no longer at the mercy of verbal agreements the teams can break. (Teams get the same protection.) Players would be best off in a totally open bidding market on draft day, but that never existed and I doubt it ever will.

Matt: Have you heard of the term Faithless Elector? Basically a member of the EC can refuse to vote for the person that was elected to office. Is it a possible out, or are we really screwed with Trump?
Klaw: Yes, it’s possible. The EC has never gone against the results of the vote, and I don’t believe it’s going to happen now, even with the popular vote going towards Hillary. If it did, we might have armed insurrection, which isn’t an argument against it but is a consequence to consider.

Chris: There’s already talk of sending McCann to Houston, but if they pair him with Gardner w a middling prospect to the Astros, or another team like CWS or Wash with both C and leadoff CF needs, could it net them McCullers, Rodon, or Joe Ross?
Klaw: I doubt that would return any of those arms, who are all high-ceiling guys who make no money.

Jeff: Do you think Adam Brett Walker or Daniel Palka can overcome all the strikeouts to become MLB regulars for the Twins?
Klaw: No, I don’t, especially not Walker.

Andy: The major league minimum salary is $507,500. Players can be paid that for up to 3 years. Josh Reddick and Michael Saunders, two good but not great corner OFs will be paid over $10 million per year. If I’m a member of the MLBPA and want to protect established major league players, over minor league guys (which has been proven over every single negotiation that screwing over non MLB guys is totally fine), wouldn’t raising that minimum and getting to arbitration faster be my main goal?
Klaw: If you ask me one thing I am certain will be in the new CBA, it is a large raise in the minimum salary, to something like $800K a year or more.

Elton: What did you drink the night of the election? I turned to 8-year El Dorado rum.
Klaw: Beer. And then I realized the alcohol was bringing me down further and that was a bad idea.

Ed: My wife and I are hosting our first Thanksgiving this year! However I just realized that this means that I am responsible for the Turkey for the first time. Curious what recipe / technique you’ll be using, and if it posted anywhere? Also, have you ever smoked a turnkey?
Klaw: Serious Eats’ method of roasting a spatchcocked bird (spine cut out, bird flattened on a roasting pan). Cooks faster, skin still crisps.

Bummer: This election was a result of no one voting. Lowest voter turnout since 2000. The reality is, there’s not some wave of revolution from disenfranchised middle class. It’s a wave of apathy and non-voting that got us here.
Klaw: I agree with this, but my conclusion is that a huge portion of the electorate didn’t find Trump’s comments remotely concerning enough.

Ethan: I saw you liked a tweet suggesting that voters in Florida who voted for Stein should float out to sea–in not as nice terms. If you are someone who truly believes in democracy and our right/privilege/duty to vote, isn’t suggesting who someone vote for the complete opposite of those ideals? Also, it could be suggested to be voter intimidation of sorts, which you were also campaigning against. I’d appreciate a response, as I’m truly interested to hear your thoughts.
Klaw: Your mistake is assuming that when I like a tweet – and FTR I don’t even remember this – it is because I agree with its content. I mean, that’s an enormous error, like an Elvis Andrus in October 2015 kind of error.

Sweaty Fan: All my buddies are fired up about getting a new Rangers’ park that will have AC, but I don’t think they realize that we (as in middle class suburb folk) will likely be priced out of our usual 4-5 games per year. It probably becomes a once or twice per season treat. Kinda sucks. Yeah, it gets hot, but I love the Ballpark. Grew up watching games there. C.R.E.A.M. though, right. If it don’t make dollars, it don’t make sense.
Klaw: The taxpayers who voted to further enrich the Rangers’ owners are somewhat akin to lower-income voters who voted for Trump and his promise to cut tax rates, which will benefit the higher-income strata more than it does them.

Zach: Has Chanel Perez signed with anybody since the Astros voided his deal? Any insight you feel comfortable sharing?
Klaw: Cionel, and no, I haven’t heard it. The reason they voided it was medical but that’s all I know.

Ryan: Sometimes I wonder why you invite the type of firestorm that you did yesterday with the Arrieta tweet. You had to have known what 90% of the response would be before you tweeted it, and one would presume that you felt Arrieta meant nothing malicious or anti-semitic by the tweet in the first place. Yet now, there are inevitably people out there who might think less of Arrieta based on your tweet, and as a result he might want to have a word with you at some point. And it all could have been avoided. Intent might matter to you, but it might not matter to Arrieta, if he feels like he’s defending himself against baseless charges of bigotry by random internet people who latched onto your tweet.
Klaw: Because I say what I believe and don’t worry that a bunch of idiots might yell at me for it. (I did give the Block button a big workout yesterday.) Staying silent because you fear the reaction is how we end up here.

David: Other than De Leon, is Brock Stewart the most impactful arm the Dodgers can plug into the rotation for next year?
Klaw: Internally, yeah, probably, since Alvarez is a ways off. But they’ll add someone from outside.

Lars: Can you explain why you thought Arrieta’s comments were anti-Semitic? The answer is probably obvious and I’m just being naive but it wasn’t clear to me.
Klaw: “Hollywood” as a dog-whistling term for anti-Semites goes back decades. It’s the whole conspiracy-theory bit about Jews controlling Hollywood, the media, the banks, etc., the modern twist on the Wandering Jew character of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Anti-Semitism isn’t as overt as it was a generation or two ago, so a lot of folks didn’t understand why I connected that word and usage to Judaism.

Chris: Am I crazy to think we shouldn’t just assume Greg Bird’s gonna slot right in and be the guy he was in the last few months of 2015?
Klaw: That’s a fair assumption. Plan for that, be pleasantly surprised if you’re wrong.

Barry: You suggest that Obama has been an important president. Obamacare, the pact with Iran, his questionable executive orders that threaten the separation of powers in our government, and the anemic economic growth during his years in office. That’s not much of a legacy.
Klaw: Well, Obamacare gave 20 million people access to health insurance they lacked. The deal with Iran was a huge success. Economist Richard Carroll wrote a piece about two months ago, grading Presidents by economic growth during their terms, and had Obama about average, well ahead of either President Bush. There are criticisms of his tenure – lack of immigration reform, inability to make any real progress on even limited gun control, inaction on marriage equality until it was a fait accompli, no plan in Syria, failure to close Guantanamo – but I don’t think you got any of them.

Darryl: Who cracks the Big Show first…Senzel or Rutherford?
Klaw: Senzel is almost two years older and has SEC experience. He’ll get there fast, like, this year fast.

Sean M: The yankees apparently tried Jorge Mateo out in center during instructs do you think that could be something worth exploring further given their glut of shortstop prospects?
Klaw: If he can’t start to make harder contact, it’s not going to matter where he plays.

Jeremy: Say you’re Jeff Brdich, whats your strategy for sorting out the Rockies outfield. Specifically whats your desired starting lineup in 2018 and what do you do with Cargo/Blackmon/Parra? Thanks!
Klaw: Trade CarGo, since he’s a FA after the year. Dahl has to be there every day. If the plan is to keep Arenado long term, I’d consider moving McMahon to a corner. Tapia-Dahl-McMahon is pretty darn good for three times the minimum salary.

Gerry: Recent story of Dylan Cozens punching Boog Powell in the DWL has sparked past problems about character at draft time in 2012. Do you see this recent transgression as a “blip on the radar” OR a serious character flaw with him.
Klaw: I think his makeup is a negative. But you know how it works – if you perform, then makeup concerns are less concerning. Right now, strictly speaking about his baseball future, I’m concerned about the poor defense, the inability to hit LHP, and his big home/road splits in AA (Reading is a great HR park).

Barry: If your mother was born before your Italian grandfather became an American citizen (if he ever did), then you are eligible for an Italian passport. It was not necessary that your mother first obtain an Italian passport.
Klaw: I believe he became a citizen before she was born. He fought for the US Army in WWII, including as part of the liberating force in Italy. She was born less than a year after he came home, of course.

Jackson: What isn’t to like about the Obama administration? While being obstructed, unemployment is way down, the market is way up, continuous job growth, less boots on the ground, ISIS on the run. Is it a perfect country, no. Perfect job, no. But how is there so much anger against him? Is it because he’s athletic and not gritty with a high IQ?
Klaw: This is my feeling. If you expect perfection from any President, well, Pollyanna, I have some bad news for you. But he did more in eight years than I expected either at the start (when I voted third-party for the only time) or even at the midpoint (when I voted for him).

Patrick: if you are Matt Klentak, do you look at deals for Velasquez since the FA class is weak? If so, what could a young controllable starter like him net?
Klaw: I guess you always listen, especially since he’s a bit fragile, but I would not feel any rush to trade the guy given the absence of anything like him in the system at the moment.

Bill: Do you think any big names will be traded this year (not older players, per se, but rather more impactful ones)?
Klaw: Yes, I think this will be a big winter for trades of big names. I’m hoping it is!

Ethan: Regarding Stein question, I’m new to Twitter, it may have been a retweet, and while not saying it directly, it seems you validated my assertions, so thanks for the response.
Klaw: I would not have retweeted something like what you described. Retweets aren’t endorsements but you bet your ass I’m cautious about what I retweet because it will seem like a passive endorsement no matter what I say.

Jared: Have you watched Disney’s “Peter Pan” with you family?
Klaw: The original? Yep. Once. And never again.

CJ: Can Bellinger be an option for the Dodgers in a corner OF spot out of spring training?
Klaw: I think that’s too soon. But I believe he’s going to be a star.

Hank: Do you feel that Addison Russell could conceivably be a .350 OBP guy in the future? The guy looks like if he could be an absolute super star if he could cut down the strikeouts and improve the walks.
Klaw: I do, I think he’s more selective than he seems, but came to the majors well before his bat was totally ready.

Barry: Guess what? Whenever the loser in the presidential race gets 45% of the popular vote, the country is divided. Isn’t that most of the time?
Klaw: And we get “the country is more divided than ever” stories every four years, don’t we?

JJ: I keep reading that everyone on the Tigers’ roster is available. What kind of trade value does Miggy actually have? Still a superior hitter when healthy, but those healthy days are dwindling as he ages, and that contract is scary.
Klaw: I doubt he or Verlander could be traded given their contracts. I think it’s more likely we see guys like Kinsler or Anibal traded.

Azam Farooqui: Do you think John Olerud would have deserved more consideration for Hall of Fame in modern era?
Klaw: I do not. very good player, not a HoFer.

Rob: Given the dearth of free agent pitching and Arrieta’s proximity to free agency, should the Cubs consider trading Arrieta or do you think that the opportunity for a second world series is too great to do that?
Klaw: I would consider trading him only if I was also acquiring his de facto replacement in the rotation somewhere else.

Confused Lefty: Why are some people on the left so desperate to try to assign blame to liberal comedians such as John Oliver in the wake of Trump getting elected? I would argue that Oliver and his ilk did a far better job than the traditional news media of keeping people informed of the real facts and issues of the election.
Klaw: I agree with your last statement, but the problem with Oliver etc is that they end up preaching to the choir. How many Trump supporters watch Last Week Tonight regularly? The show is overtly progressive.

Biff: Keith I am for Obamacare, from a humanitarian perspective. But it seems like the liberal defense of these massive premium increases has been, “it’s not a big deal, because this doesn’t actually affect the Obamacare users because they are mostly on subsidized plans” – yeah no kidding, but someone’s paying for the increases. If it ain’t the end user, then it’s everyone else. Is that really a good defense of the massive cost of Obamacare – that it’s OK, as long as the poor folks aren’t on the hook for it?
Klaw: If you agree that everyone should have access to health insurance – or, really, to health care – then the question becomes who pays for it. It’s not the poor, because they are poor. (I hope that’s self-explanatory.) So the real question is the redistribution of this cost to the remainder of the population. And I don’t think there’s a ‘right’ answer to that. If you told me, hey, you’re going to pay $500 this year to help make sure the poorest Americans have basic health care, I’d say, OK, I can do that. Many people would say they couldn’t. Others would simply not want to. There’s no ‘right’ answer there. But you cannot take the position that you want to give everyone access to health care as long as everyone pays for themselves. It’s a non-starter.

Jon v: If you were running cleveland’s front office would you be more inclined to listen on Bauer or Salazar?
Klaw: Salazar because forearm injuries scare me, and for all Bauer’s goofiness, dude stays healthy.

Duane: Any new side dish or dessert recipes on this year’s Thanksgiving menu that you can share with us? Thanks again for all you do.
Klaw: I haven’t decided yet. It may depend a bit on what looks good when I shop that Monday morning. There’s a small set of items I have to make, so I only get to experiment around the edges.

Joe: Re: Obama’s legacy: I think it’s also always important to point out just how committed the Republican Congress has been to obstructing Obama and/or doing nothing. They shut down the government over the Affordable Care Act even though Obama was elected twice with that as his top goal, it passed Congress, and was declared constitutional by the Supreme Court. They voted constantly to repeal, even though they knew it would never happen. They’re still trying to investigate Benghazi even after several bipartisan and non-partisan investigations have turned up nothing. They refused to even hold hearings on Merrick Garland. The fact that the Republicans held the Senate even after their nonsense over the last several years is just as depressing as the presidential election.
Klaw: I agree with the obstruction bit, and Garrison Keillor made the point in a column yesterday about how now the Democrats/liberals should just say, hey, you wanted the reins, well, have at it, we’ll be over at the bar. But I will say that the Republicans hold both houses of Congress now because that is what the voters have decided they want. If you don’t like this situation, as I don’t, then the answer is understand what the voters want and to show them that Democratic candidates are the more likely ones to provide it, because right now, that is not what the electorate as a whole seems to believe.

Tim (KC): I am surprised that Jose Fernandez did not get top 3 Cy Young… I don’t think the autopsy report had been released as of voting deadline, right? Did the possible involvement of drugs/alcohol play into voters not voting for him? If only writers knew that ERA is an over-rated stat… even though K.Hendricks did have a great season… others had better.
Klaw: I doubt that had anything to do with it.

Joe: It seems worth noting that Obamacare was, as a concept, developed by the conservative Heritage Foundation in the 1990’s.
Klaw: And implemented by Governor Mitt Romney in Massachusetts, for whom I voted twice (Senator in 1996, then Governor when he won).

Jeff: Wondering if you ever read The Intercept (Glenn Greenwald’s online news website)? I thought Glenn wrote a superb piece about parallels between the US Election and Brexit, and (partly) about Dems needing to look in the mirror if they want to know who to blame for Trump’s ascendancy. Highly recommended. If you haven’t read it, give it a go.
Klaw: That piece is wonderful and it’s in my links post this week.

Colin: If the Cubs are indeed trading Jorge Soler for pitching, do you think they are targeting a piece for this year or one or two guys that will be ready soon? Or both? Neither?
Klaw: I think any trades now for the Cubs would be aimed at making the 2017 team a championship-caliber club again.

Tim (KC): Which award did you vote for this year?
Klaw: NL Rookie. I BET YOU CAN’T GUESS MY TOP TWO

Ted: Obamacare gets ripped by the masses because their people can see the direct redistribution of wealth that it requires. If the government wants to provide free healthcare for the poor, then government hospitals should be build in low income areas. Those without insurance can visit these facilities free of charge and the staff is paid from government funds, just like any other employee. You would see much less of a backlash from the general public for a system like this, which would likely cost less than the current system.
Klaw: The issue here is “government funds.” That’s taxpayer money, dog. The government generates funds by taxing its citizens. You’re just changing names.

Drew: Is the future of our country dependent on principled conservatives reigning Trump in?
Klaw: excuse me while i research uses of arsenic

Hugo Z: That’s a real reach with Arrieta, considering that he was obviously referencing non-Jews such as Cher and Lena Dunham.
Klaw: To be absolutely clear, again, I did not say he was trying to attack Jews. I said that was how it read, because I’m familiar with the dog-whistle use of the word. If I did that, and a couple of folks said to me, hey, Keith, that word means something, I’d delete and rephrase. (FTR, I didn’t realize so many celebs did the ‘leave the country’ bit. Alec Baldwin said it in 2004 and he’s still here. I guess I just ignored those quotes when they happened.)

JR: Do you buy the “Sanders would’ve beat Trump” argument?
Klaw: No. Trump would have beaten Sanders by a huge margin. I think Kasich would have cruised to victory over Hillary. But Biden might have won over Trump. That’s the one scenario I just don’t know about.

Ed: Re: Spatchcocking – Did you do the dry brine? And how long did you brine it for? Thanks again!
Klaw: I did. Six hours? Does that sound right?

Ben: How many pages is your book? Gotta plan accordingly.
Klaw: It’s going to be under 300.

Steve, Geneva, IL: How about an off the radar prospect that in a year from now we will say, “This is the guy Keith Law told us about.”
Klaw: I will give you at least 30 of those guys when I do the prospect rankings in February.

Jon v: Is dexter fowler a high side outcome for Bradley Zimmer?
Klaw: Er … that seems a little optimistic to me. Zimmer has stalled out at AA and I’m concerned.

Craig: Gut feeling: will Braun be traded this offseason? And beyond the Dodgers, who is the most likely trade partner?
Klaw: Gut feeling is no.

Bill: If you were John Coppola, what moves would you make this offseason for the Braves?
Klaw: I’d flip some of this pitching depth for a young big-league bat or two, and I’d ask my sister what the Japanese director really said to Bill Murray.

Joe: What do you think Machado would be worth on the trade market?
Klaw: Two years left, probably looking at $30-35 million in arb salaries? Still worth a mint, I’d say. I’d be looking for two to three impact prospects plus other stuff. Ask for the sun, settle for the moon.

Hank: Have you ever listened to the heavy metal band Lord Dying based out of Portland? They are amazing, you should check them out.
Klaw: Yes, wasn’t quite for me, but thanks for the rec.

Gary: Keith, you seem to hear a lot of dog-whistles out there, concerning everything from race relations, to the climate, and every injustice everyone has ever suffered over the course of history. Doesn’t it give you a massive headache fighting everyone’s battles for them?
Klaw: Nope, I’m just fine, thanks. You seem like this is really bothering you, though.

Greg: And, thanks for not sticking to sports. I don’t really pay attention to anything outside the sports realm, so it’s appreciated knowledge and insight.
Klaw: I couldn’t stick to sports if I tried. Baseball is great, but baseball all the time makes Keith a dull boy.

Andrew: Who are you hearing gets the final say in decision processes, Atkins or Shapiro?
Klaw: I’m pretty sure it’s Shapiro and has been since day one.

Phil: Can you write an article or blog post in the future, from the perspective of your work while in the front office, about the conversations you and other staff are having when you receive news about Jeurys Familia’s domestic violence arrest?
Klaw: I don’t think I could go to that length, but here’s something for you. This happened when I was with Toronto. A player got in a fight with his baby’s mother and he threw the stroller at her. (WTF.) She called the cops, and they called us, specifically our director of team security. And while I wasn’t in the conversation from there, I know that in the end, she was persuaded to drop the charges. By whom, I don’t know. How, I don’t know. Were any Blue Jays executives really involved in that, I don’t know. I do remember afterwards that it was clear that the player, who was near the end of the contract, wasn’t going to be welcome to return.

Chris: There are rumors out there that the Dodgers may prefer Chapman over Jansen. They seem so close that it is weird that they may prefer an external candidate with baggage issues over a home grown player with none. Thoughts?
Klaw: Might think he’s going to come cheaper. Maybe they know something about Jansen. Andrew Friedman also has a long history of acquiring players with character issues – in Tampa he acquired Josh Lueke and Matt Bush, they played Elijah Dukes, they drafted Brandon Martin (now in jail for a double murder); and in LA they acquired Chin-Hui Tsao, who is banned for life in his native Taiwan’s pro league.

Zach: Did you see that ATCQ is going to be performing on SNL? Any guess on which songs they perform?
Klaw: I did, and I’m excited but confused. This is Tip and Shaheed, right? Without Phife, is it the Tribe?

Jeremy: As a registered republican who voted for Hillary, what do you think would be easier, cutting out the hateful religious extremist voices from the republican party, or joining the democrats and trying to drag them back to earth (in my opinion) on economic/foreign policy? There are ideas on the right in those two areas that merit serious debate, but are getting lost in all the nonsense/hate/denial of facts.
Klaw: Before the election, I hoped the Republicans would lose and it would encourage the center to disavow the extremist wing. Now I think they’ve decided that wing helps them win elections. You might have better luck on the other side.

Jimmy: How do you view the morals of me paying attention to your chat at work instead of working?
Klaw: Nietzsche said it was OK. I asked.

Petru: You’ve been very outspoken against DV and DUI’s and I thank you for that. If you were GM and a player the caliber of Trout, Machado, Bryant, etc got involved with that and the club wanted to keep them, would you resign if you loved everything else about the job and the opportunity?
Klaw: If my team’s star player beat his wife or child and the team’s owner refused to allow any disciplinary action, I would resign, yes.

Tim (KC): Corey Seager, Kenta Maeda… then Trea Turner, Gray, Story, Oh
Klaw: I can’t say if any of that is correct, but I will say the top of the ballot was easy but there were more names worthy of consideration for the last spot than I anticipated.

Ed: Re: Dry Brining – they recommend 12 to 24 hours, but up to 3 days. I’m thinking overnight would be plenty.
Klaw: So maybe it was 12 then. No way I did 3 days. I wouldn’t have room in the fridge for it.

Klaw: Anyway, that is all for this week and there will be NO CHAT next week. I will be on vacation and mostly if not completely offline. I will return the week after and maybe I will do a Periscope chat while butchering the turkey again. Thank you as always for reading, for humoring me, for asking good questions (even the tough ones), and for continuing to show up for these week after week.

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

My latest boardgame review for Paste is up, covering Beyond Baker Street, a Hanabi-like game with a Sherlock theme and deduction component.

Klaw: Pretend-to-be chats don’t seem to know they limitation. Klawchat.

Brad: So I get that Maybin was a lousy CF defensively, but he was still the only viable CF option in the Tigers organization. Al Avila saying there will be a competition between Tyler Collins, Anthony Gose and Jacoby Jones is all fluff, right? I can’t see the Maybin trade being made unless Avila is confident he can get an MLB ready CF in a trade for JD Martinez or Ian Kinsler. Thoughts?
Klaw: I don’t think any of those three guys is a CF answer. Jones can’t hit and I don’t think he can play center. Collins can’t play CF. Gose can’t hit. I don’t mind the Maybin trade because that’s now two years of atrocious numbers for him in center, but the replacement isn’t here.

John Liotta: I know you have had a busy year this year, what with writing a book, etc., but have you been able to keep your reading pace from last year when you read 100 books?
Klaw: I finished my 78th book in the car (audio, folks, settle down) today driving down from CT. I guess I’ll end up with 90-odd? I’m working my way through the Pulitzer winners, which will slow me down because some of the remainders are very long.

Marshall MN: Klaw have you already begun work on your Top 100 prospect list or do you give yourself a little bit of an “off season” once the series is done?
Klaw: I can’t get to that till I’m through free agent rankings.

Jesse: Adam Rubin noted yesterday that the Mets are very high on 1B Peter Alonso. I was wondering if you could give some info on him and your general thoughts. I was surprised to hear this as most fans have heard of Dom Smith as the 1b of the future.
Klaw: Alonso’s a nice prospect, outside chance to be a regular, not as good as Smith – they’re the same age, in fact, and Smith already has a solid season in AA behind him.

Jeremy: Are we at the point where the White Sox just need to bite the bullet and do a complete rebuild?
Klaw: I think that would be the right direction, given the farm system’s thinness (although it’s improved a lot in the last year-plus). It’s hard to see them buying enough help to contend even with Sale and Quintana leading the rotation.

Tom: Wednesday night was not just #fyeahbaseball, it was #fyeahsports.
Klaw: I would agree with that. I love how many people are still talking about Game 7. When was the last time we had that? 2001?

JT: What is the biggest move your foresee David Stearns making this winter ?
Klaw: Unless he trades Ryan Braun I doubt there’s a big move coming there.

#FlyTheW: Hoping to pick your scouting brain and compare it to what I see with my untrained eye. Addison Russel seems to take a lot of fastballs for strikes early in the count and then often chases off-speed outside the zone later in the count. Do you think he would benefit for jumping in the first fastball he sees, or do you think he is taking the correct approach?
Klaw: I don’t know that that’s necessarily true about his approach.

Rich O: Do the Yankees make a move for an impact bat (i.e. Cespedes, Encarnacion etc) this offseason?
Klaw: Is that what they really need? They have corner bats who need to play. If they go external it should be for pitching, not 1b/dh/lf types.

Chuck: “In a world full of greed, we’ll never want more…” is not entirely true. Do you see any of the Cubs prospects making a difference in Chicago next year? Johnson, maybe? And how long before Jimenez arrives?
Klaw: Jimenez is at least two years off, I think – late 2018 would be the soonest I’d expect to see him. Clifton is probably 2018. Cease further off. Happ could appear in 2017, though I’m not sure where he would fit. Do you mean Pierce Johnson? He just had an awful year in AAA at 25, and I never liked his arm action, so I don’t see any impact from him.

Max: I’ve been pretty set on voting for Stein for quite some time, but with Killary apologists it’s almost driving me to vote for the lesser of two evils from the big corporate party: Donald Trump. Your endless smear campaigns agaibst 3rd party candidates and white washing of every disgusting thing Clinton has done (you aren’t the only one guilty of this to be fair) probably hasn’t just alienated me I’d bet. I hope you and those following the same path as you know you’re just driving people to vote this way.
Klaw: I’m going to go on a limb and say that someone who refers to Clinton as “Killary” is perhaps not the most rational-minded voter in the electorate.

MJ: Other than the managers and Theo, how many future HOF’s in game 7? Lester? I assume it’s too soon for Rizzo, Bryant and Lindor even though they are the right path.
Klaw: Francona yes, Maddon probably has a ways to go but the ring helps. Lester no. Those three you named are all kids who are off to the right starts but way too far off to call any future HoFers. Zobrist has 40 career fWAR – is he the leader on both rosters?

Dave: Know you don’t watch a ton of TV, but any current favorites? I’m currently addicted to Shameless for what it’s worth.
Klaw: Not really. We watch Brooklyn 99, a little behind on the Good Place, and that’s about it. Got some stuff we want to binge on now that the season’s over but we’ll see if that happens.

jimbonova: Criticism of ownership and sports “journalism:” It seems to be me that certain issues are off-limits to sports media. For instance, mistakes by ownership. I am a Red Sox fan and while this ownership group has brought three World Series trophies to the team, it is apparent that they are responsible for many missteps (e.g., departure of Epstein, Francona, Lester, Hazen, Sawdaye), yet there is little reported about these kinds fo mistakes in the press. I live in the Washington DC area and find this true of local ownership in all four of the major sports. Any thoughts?
Klaw: Media need for access colors all kind of commentary. But I think some ownership missteps have come under fire, like the fiasco in Arizona the last two years. A reader also pointed out how Moorad ran Hoyer and McLeod out of San Diego (and Jaron Madison too), and now those guys helped the Cubs win a ring. Angelos has gotten his share of criticism for protecting certain employees in baseball ops during GM changes. So there could be more criticism, but certainly some come out.

Eric: Call me a cynic, but am I the only one that finds it odd when people comment “We forgive you Bart man!” Shouldn’t it be Bartman doing the forgiving? He had to fear for his life for what is, at the end of the day, some silly sports thing.
Klaw: The fan and media reaction to and ongoing fascination with Bartman is disgusting.

Tye: What’s your favorite ESPN show to watch? (Not including Baseball Tonight or Sportscenter)
Klaw: Outside the Lines is the best show on ESPN.

Eddy: Were Xander’s 21 HR a natural progression for him? Is that his peak? 2016 seemed like a great eyar for him, but can he get better?
Klaw: I think he has 30+ potential.

Rich O: Do you see the Yankees and Tigers as a potential match for a JD Martinez trade?
Klaw: Again, I see no reason for the Yankees to acquire a corner bat, especially not a poor defender like JDM.

Dave: Are you or have you ever been a member of the band Arcade Fire?
Klaw: Let me check and get back to you.

Scott of Lincolnshire: Every World Series winner has clubs that try to copy something that they did unique to win. What do teams try to take from the Cubs championship?
Klaw: Get high draft picks, trade aggressively, and spend a few hundred million on long-term deals?

Mike: Now that the WS is over, will ESPN be publishing your top prospects for the 2017 draft soon ? Is Alex Toral a top 10 pick (despite the fact he’s a HS 1B only) ?
Klaw: Toral is not a top 10 pick or close to it. Last I heard, they’re going to run my free agent and trade-market preview content first, and then the draft rankings. I’m sorry for the delays but the schedule is not my decision.

Anthony: Last year in a chat you said regarding a potential move by the Rangers of Josh Morgan to catcher: “I love the idea. Could be a Russell Martin type back there.” Two follow-ups to that. One: why would Morgan be more valuable as a C than a middle infielder — just that you don’t think he can handle 2b or SS or something else? 2: This off-season there is renewed talk of trying Morgan at C, do you remain optimistic about Morgan, especially if he takes to such a change? Thanks!
Klaw: Morgan isn’t a SS, and replacement level at C is much lower than it is at 2b. I’d be very optimistic if they fully commit to the conversion now.

Pat D: If the Cubs had lost, ____% of the blame would have gone to Maddon, and ____% would have been justified?
Klaw: 100% and maybe 40%. I thought he made two clear mistakes: bringing in Chapman with a man on and having Baez bunt with two strikes. Those were indefensible. I thought pulling Hendricks for Lester was overreactive, but not absolutely a mistake – Hendricks isn’t really a 2 ERA guy and he’d already gone through the order twice (I think). The ump blowing the third strike call was the bigger mistake in that inning, and so was Ross making a late, errant throw to first on a ball he should have held.

Brian: What needs do the Indians have to address in the offseason to become contenders again?
Klaw: Get the rotation fully healthy, get Brantley healthy, determine who the CF will be going forward (can Naquin, who runs well but was awful in CF this year, become at least average?), maybe patch a little around the edges of the roster. I don’t think they’re really lacking anywhere.

Adam: Obviously the Braves are rebuilding the farm with arms, so what do you think of yesterday’s hires of Wallace and Chiti?
Klaw: Mixed feelings. Britton credits Wallace with helping make him a new Mariano Rivera, but the moves of Gausman around the rubber, the overuse of Bundy, monkeying with other deliveries … do I want that same guy around all those young Atlanta pitchers?

DC Deac: You were always pretty negative on Severino as an ace for the Yanks mostly due to mechanics. Did we see that this year or was this meltdown something different?
Klaw: I didn’t think he could hold up or have sufficient command to be a starter. That’s what happened this year. I’d leave him in the pen now, where I think he could be pretty electric.

Hinkie: Cameron Rupp, Andrew Knapp, Jorge Alfaro … what do the Phillies do with these three guys next season?
Klaw: Marry, f… oh wait, wrong game. I’d play Rupp regularly and Knapp as the backup, Alfaro to AAA with some clear thresholds for him (that he understands) before he’s promoted. He has to work the count more, and he has to receive better.

Jesse: Baring any major acquisitions or subtractions and assuming Cespedes doesn’t return, how should mets best align their OF? I think Lagares should be playing everyday but not sure how they will make that work
Klaw: Conforto plays LF every day. Everything else comes after that.

Nelson: People sure like to forget that Bill Murray abused his wife for years
Klaw: His public image doesn’t line up well with stories people close to him tell about his temperament or his behavior. (Murray’s wife of about ten years accused him of abusing her and threatening to kill her; she withdrew the claims after their divorce settlement.)

Chris: Would you give Neil Walker a QO? I think I’d take it if I was him. Not sure of his market outside of NY with that balky back.
Klaw: Yes, and probably yes.

Nils: Hi Keith, does Blake Swihart still have a future as a C? Is he a change of scenery candidate?
Klaw: Yes, and probably yes.

DH: T/F: the best fit for Fowler this offseason is the Cardinals, and they will give him 4/64
Klaw: That’s a good call, actually. I don’t spend much time thinking about best fits, though.

Jeff Chisholm: I remember you recommending “The Fresh Beat Band” a while ago for family viewing. I just watched it with my daughter and can’t understand what you see in it. Can you explain? Maybe it was just a bad episode I saw
Klaw: I assume this is a joke, because I complained for years that it was one of the worst kids’ shows I’d ever seen. I had successfully forgotten about it until just now, so thanks for nothing.

ryan: everyone always says, ‘oh they’ll be back’ especially for whoever loses the WS – but if one of these two teams doesn’t make it back, which one is it more likely to be?
Klaw: Cleveland’s payroll limitations are a serious issue. They will never have the margin for error the Cubs had. It’s amazing that they made it to Game 7 despite losing two of their three best starters.

Ryan: I’m happy the cubs won at least so we can retire the idea that curses and voo doo magic are reasons that transcend team performance
Klaw: Yes, more of this superstition-killing, please.

Nate: Keith, if you were Rick Hahn, would you sell or attempt to buy/build around that core?
Klaw: Per above, I don’t think he could build a strong contender around the current core.

Matthew: If you were in Cleveland’s front office, would you consider shopping Andrew Miller this offseason?
Klaw: I’d take offers, with no clear incentive to trade him unless overwhelmed.

CarlC: I read that excellent Frey article you linked too. This may be a 30 year old argument, but Im guessing male media members would never be allowed in a WNBA locker room, right?
Klaw: I’m almost certain that they are.

JMD: What should the mets do at C? d’arnaud seems like he isn’t durable enough and hasn’t produced when he’s played. Plawecki hasn’t made much impression. Should they go external? Weiters?
Klaw: I’d play Plawecki and tell the manager to stop fucking running down his players to the media (which he did to Plawecki in May).

Nick: If there ends up being an International Draft, do you think the the current J2 rules will apply in terms of eligibility or will rules more akin to the Rule 4 Drafr apply? If the latter, this poses an interesting predicatment for 15/16 year old int’l players.
Klaw: I can’t imagine MLB forcing those kids to wait till age 17/18. It’s not like Dominican kids are finishing high school. I’d really object to any rule of the sort that clearly hurts the kids.

Ryan: Keith, What should I say to people who say pitchers should not be able to win the MVP because “they have their own award”?
Klaw: I say read the MVP rules, genius.

Fear: Are you afraid of what will happen post-election, regardless of who wins? I have this great fear (I think justified) that if Trump loses, some of his supporters will go on violent rampages, believing that the election was rigged and they need to get justice their own way.
Klaw: Yes, I am fearful both ways. I’m generally fearful that Trump’s bogus claims of rigging and voter fraud have eroded some faith in our democracy, period, at least in the portions of the country where he has the most support. And I’m disgusted with the media for covering his claims without anywhere near sufficient skepticism.

Andy: It’s a shame that David Ross’s clubhouse leadership disappeared in 2014 in Boston. Luckily it reappeared in the last couple years when he was surrounded by some really good teammates. Perhaps good clubhouse leadership is really about being a solid backup catcher. Or in the case of last year, his leadership lead to the Cubs trading away Wellington Castillo for basically nothing.
Klaw: Grey hair in the beard helps too. In which case my clubhouse leadership skills have advanced substantially in the last year.

Ron: Any thoughts on your alma mater’s decision to cancel the soccer season?
Klaw: I support Harvard’s decision 100% and I’m proud of them for doing the right thing. Would that Baylor had done the same with football.

Albert: Keith, have you seen the Real Sports piece about balls and strikes being called by a computer and relayed to the umpire? I’d like to see that happen. Your thoughts? Also, if you’re thinking about binge watching a TV show Silicon Valley is genius. I think you’d enjoy it.
Klaw: That piece used raw data that had not been checked and cleaned for reliability (e.g., throwing out bad readings by the system, which unfortunately do occur), and so the results weren’t valid. I agree on moving towards computerized ball/strike calls, as most of you know, but that study didn’t present the right conclusions.

Aaron: You were fairly critical of the Reds’ haul in the Cueto trade. Does their trade of Lamb for just cash give further credence to your initial assessment?
Klaw: Well, he was probably the third of three pieces, so I don’t know that I’d say this changes much. Reed should be a lot better than he showed in 2016 – that has been the big shock to me.

Scrapper: What do you expect next season from Alex Bregman?
Klaw: Makes the All-Star team.

Drew: Knowing that ridiculing someone’s stance only entrenches them further into their position, regardless how illogical it might be, how do you balance the choice of trying to change minds as opposed to saying “Eff it, you deserved be be ostracized”
Klaw: I know this is probably about the election, but i compare it to vaccine deniers. If you don’t want to vaccinate your kids, well, fine, but they can’t come to public schools, and we’re not interacting with you in any way. We have to make the cost of denial high enough that more people choose to comply with public health rules.

John: There is some sort of irony to all the criticism of how crooked Hillary is. Due to numerous, often times partisan rather than legitimate, investigations, and the hacks you are as close to absolute transparency as you can get. And what did we find, she does things any typical politician does, some of which are morally questionable, but don’t cross the line to illegality. Whereas Trump is the least transparent candidate ever, is under investigation for criminal fraud, and reporters have raised numerous questions on what appear to be numerous explicit violations of charity law by his personal charity, which has already lead to a cease and desist soliciting donations order from the NY dept. that monitors charities, not to mention the stiffing of numerous vendors for over 30 years. Yet she is the crooked one.
Klaw: I agree with this completely. And I’ve never defended Hillary as particularly moral, ethical, or ‘clean’ compared to other politicians. But she’s not a virulent racist, or misogynist, not dog-whistling white supremacists, not talking about using nuclear weapons, and not proposing tax-code changes to benefit the highest income brackets.

Doug: What’s a good game that a 5 year old, a 7 year old, and a 9 year old can all play?
Klaw: Ticket to Ride. You’ll have to help the 5-year-old a little bit.

Scrapper: A pitcher has ___________ control on balls in play.
Klaw: A little bit of.

Rick: I disagreed whole-heartedly with Maddon’s decision to use Chapman when he did in Game 6. Chapman’s rarely been worked hard as a reliever, and always got plenty of rest in Cincinnati. Pitching 2 games in a row was common, but never for more than 3 outs at a time, and his stamina issues on the rare occasion that he was worked hard, were usually easy to recognize. I think his struggles in Game 7 were totally foreseeable and Maddon is lucky that Cleveland didn’t finish it in the 9th.
Klaw: I disagree a bit with your logic here. I think Chapman’s problems were more related to having the man on base, which is when he throws almost exclusively fastballs, than to fatigue, since in the 9th he looked like his normal self.

Zac: You know, it’s people like Nelson that fuck everything up. Just because someone is accused of something, does not mean they are guilty.
Klaw: And an acquittal doesn’t make them innocent (O.J. Simpson comes to mind). Hillary and Trump have both been accused of a lot of things. It’s up to us as individuals to determine which claims appear to have merit and then which of those actually matter.

Xolo: What’s your take on the Selig Rule? The runners up in Arizona were reportedly Cora and Wakamatsu, who are both POC, while the job went to Lovullo, who’s not.
Klaw: Lovullo has a good resume for that job, so I’m not really concerned about that specific hire, as opposed to, say, Milwaukee hiring Counsell or Minnesota hiring Molitor, who were completely unqualified for the role.

Michael: You criticize Gary Johnson a lot for his stance on the government role’s in slowing down climate change. I’m wondering if you could provide some concrete steps the government actually could take without threatening the economy too much. The federal government’s record in subsidizing green companies has not been good.
Klaw: Subsidizing green companies is less promising than subsidizing certain consumer behaviors, such as working with electric utilities to educate consumers on wasting power at home, raising fuel-economy standards in a meaningful fashion, subsidizing solar panel installations in areas where sunlight is copious (and then forcing states to allow negative metering – vote no on 1 if you live in Florida!), and fighting global deforestation. I agree that some proposals would threaten economic growth, but I’m more concerned about proposals (like higher gas taxes) that would have a regressive effect. If you ask me to pay an extra $1 per gallon of gas next year, it’s not going to affect me much at all: I drive a hybrid, so I don’t use a ton of gas, and I make enough money that this will not dramatically affect my purchasing decisions. But to a household making $25K a year, the same tax would have a huge impact.

Anonymous: Playing time aside, what do you see in the cards for Soler’s future development?
Klaw: If he gets regular playing time next year and stays healthy, I think he takes a big leap forward.

Tyrone: With election day coming, do you think America, and Black America, are better off than it was 8 years ago?
Klaw: Yes. I think there is quite a bit of hard data to support this, including the halving of the unemployment rate and real income growth for about 3/5 of the workforce. We’ve also seen some civil rights advances (gay marriage for one) in the interim. But we could lose all of those gains with a Trump win.

Aaron C.: Making blackened salmon tacos with a tomatillo salsa for dinner tonight. Would appreciate an appropriate beer pairing, klaw.
Klaw: Evolution Lot #9.

Chip: Is Ona an elite prospect? Heard he’s looked good but not amazing in instructs.
Klaw: I don’t think he was ever elite, just a solid prospect who was paid more because he was a Cuban FA.

Jake: Do you think Alex Cora is well on his way to becoming a manager eventually or does he still face some prejudicial barriers?
Klaw: I think he’ll get there. The AZ interview was a good step. Colorado is nuts if they don’t interview him.

Daniel: Why is going through lineup 3-4 times in a game bad and starting 2-3 times against a team in playoffs OK? thanks
Klaw: Fatigue.

John: The male reporters in women’s locker room issue is a myth. The WNBA operates under the exact same rules as the NBA for locker room access, the NCAA basketball tournaments operate under the same rules.
Klaw: Yep. And if a male reporter misbehaved in a women’s locker room, I don’t think he’d be employed for 24 hours beyond that.

Todd: Any predictions about the mechanics of an international draft? Number of rounds? How deep does slotting go before capping a given team’s bonus pool? Other pertinent points to consider?
Klaw: I’m guessing it’ll be short. You just need a few rounds to take care of the elite guys, the $500K and up types, and then you let teams sign anyone they want for $300K and under or so after that.

Pat D: So who is your favorite Homestar Runner character? I say “is” because I refuse to think of it as a thing of the past, and I’m not just going to assume it’s either the two-bit wrestle-man or his yellow dog.
Klaw: Homsar’s almost-sane ramblings were always my favorite. “I was raised by a cup of coffee!”

Ben: I know you raved about Travis Demeritte’s defense. But if he can hit .240 in the big leagues with 25+ homers and elite defense, isn’t that still a pretty valuable player?
Klaw: If he posts a .300 OBP, it is. If he posts a .270 OBP, it isn’t.

Frank W.: I got my daughter into Baseball because I love the sport and never really understood why so many girls seem to be forced into playing Softball. With shows like Pitch and the success of players like Chelsea Baker and the push of women’s baseball by boosters like Justine Siegal and her Baseball For All group, do you think there will be women playing professional baseball in the near future?
Klaw: I think it’s a very long way off. The Sonoma Stompers thing was a nice story, but there’s no evidence to say those women could have held their own even in rookie ball. If I saw a high school girl playing baseball who had the abilities of a male prospect, I’d back her completely, but I don’t think this girl exists yet.

Andy: This election, I’m a one issue voter. Which side does the KKK advocate for and support wholeheartedly? Yeah, I’ll pick the other side, thanks.
Klaw: I’m waiting for the Aryan Nations to weigh in.

Joe: Was it just my imagination, or was the strike zone really bad in the World Series? Hard to believe that guys like Joe West get to call the World Series. Hirschbeck was terrible too–was that just a retirement present for him?
Klaw: Game 7’s was particularly horrendous.

Marshall MN: Do you think the addition of Thad Levine to the Twins front office was a good one?
Klaw: I think this is more of the same. Falvey hired someone a lot like him, and the two of them combined have no field or scouting experience. I would have preferred to see Falvey hire someone more complementary, and to at least consider a minority candidate.

Robert: Personally, I don’t take much issue at all with Hillary’s behavior, when taken in the context of what exactly she does for a living. Reprehensible as some of her conduct may be, in the words of our old friend Omar LIttle, it’s all in the game.
Klaw: I’d put it this way: The system is rigged in one very real sense, in that it highly favors the type of career politicians that it tends to produce as major-party candidates. I also think that is part of the appeal of Trump to the people who are willing to overlook the bigotry, the race-baiting, the genital-grabbing, the promises to defund Planned Parenthood and build a wall and stop any Muslims from entering the country.

JWR: Maybe it’s personal preference but baseball games have gotten too long for my tastes and I would prefer a pitch. clock that forces pitchers to use 3-5 seconds less per pitch. And I’d ban Pedro Baez from pitching. Where do you stand on pitch clocks?
Klaw: Pitch clocks make the game move faster and also force pitchers to take less time to recover between pitches. They’re a mixed bag.

Matt: I’d wager to say depending on a dying industry (coal) is far more damaging to the economy than a shift towards green energy.
Klaw: Or petroleum. It’s not clean, and the supply can only decrease.

Drew: Piggybacking off of your spot-on point about Molitor and Counsell, Is there any recent managerial hire more egregious than Matt Williams? Giving that dude reign of the 2014 Nats was about as wise as giving your 16-year old keys to a Porsche.
Klaw: Yep. And when they won that first year he was there, suddenly he was praised as a brilliant manager, when in fact he was the idiot farmer’s son whose shovel happened to strike oil.

STEVE: Should Trout win the MVP?
Klaw: Yes, but I doubt he will.

Marshall MN: The thing about the fervent libertarians and Gary Johnson supporters that I find ironic is that the political free market has spoken and those libertarians ideas just aren’t popular. Obviously that doesn’t preclude them from continuing to make their case, but if libertarian ideas were the solution that they all seem to think they are, then someone from that party would have won an election at some point.
Klaw: I think most people who self-identify as ‘libertarian’ haven’t read either the party’s platform or what true libertarianism entails. The idea that the government should provide very few if any public services would come as a real shock to people who depend on things like interstate highways or a standing army for their life and livelihoods.

Bob: After watching the WS, my wife decided that Kris Bryant is dreamy. Should I be worried?
Klaw: He is dreamy. Have you seen those blue eyes?

JimmyB: Keith. Thanks for everything you do. I, like you, am a huge Parks & Rec fan. However, one question has been bothering me considerably – if Ron is such an ardent Libertarian, why would he ever accept a job in local government? On my third watch through of the series, and I can’t get over this issue…
Klaw: He answers that question in one episode.

Jeffrey: What’s your opinion on divulging the toxicology report for Fernandez?
Klaw: I don’t think they had a choice, did they? But I think we all knew this was a likely outcome. Also, I saw one of those “Recommended for You” ads today using his face and saying “Jose Fernandez’s net worth blew us away.” To whoever designed that ad and placed it, go fuck yourselves and I hope you rot in hell.

Jason: I’m not surprised by the fact that many “fans” disagree with some of your opinions, but I’m often surprised by their vitriol. How do you deal with the stream of vitriol, even if it is coming from a relatively small percent of readers?
Klaw: I block and mute a lot. I even got threats on Wednesday night from Cubs fans mad I said I didn’t want to see Chapman again. A lot of cowards find courage when they’re behind a screen.

Thomas Willard: Do you think Kopech has a #1 ceiling? Possibly called up late next year?
Klaw: Absolutely #1 ceiling, almost no chance he’s called up next year.

Lance: The problem with Washington is that it produces people like Evan Bayh. He was once highly regarded, but was really just looking for a way to stuff his pockets. The partisan nature of politics means no Dems call him out. Just as Republicans wouldn’t. Fortunately, it looks like he may lose.
Klaw: Yes, and to be clear, I don’t think this kind of venal behavior is limited to any particular party or ideology. Our system of government and the laws around gifts, donations, and lobbying make corruption pretty easy.

JJ: Are there teams out there that just flat out won’t consider Chapman because of the domestic abuse? Or does that have a short shelf-life in the MLB?
Klaw: Yes, there are such teams, and good for them, but I think if any executive said so he might face trouble from the union.

Rob: With Schwarber, Zobrist, Heyward, Soler, Almora and Fowler (maybe); what would you do with the Cubs’ outfield?
Klaw: I don’t know if you can pencil in Schwarber for 150 starts in left field, but I’d probably figure him in left, Heyward in center, Soler in right, Zobrist filling in at second and in both corners. Leaves Almora on the outside, which is a shame as I think he’s someone’s every day CF.

Andrew: So everyone was claiming we entered a new age of bullpen usage this postseason….then everyone ran out of gas. Are we going to see any meaningful change in the future in how these arms are used in the regular season? Seems to me that if you can train MIller to be that type of pitcher all year, you can.
Klaw: If teams want to use relievers like that in the regular season, then those teams will have to get used to those relievers appearing in 45 games, not 60. More pitches per appearance should mean more days of rest. Otherwise I don’t think it works.

Winston: Do you think draft picks will be trade-able in the next CBA?
Klaw: No, but I hold out hope I’m wrong.

Joeybats32: Still surprised Giants gave up Phil Bickford for a mere bullpen arm and Lucious Fox in the Moore/Duffy trade. Was this the “cost of doing business” or did the Giants quickly learn that neither is as good as they thought? If the latter, what does that say about the Giants scouting department . . . ?
Klaw: Bickford was never good enough to be drafted that high, and then he got worse in pro ball.

JG: Were you encouraged by Buxton’s better late season stats?
Klaw: Encouraged, yes, but aware that it’s a small sample in September and far from conclusive.

CK: Do you ever recall a player who suddenly lost it to the extent Jason Heyward did this year? I honestly felt sorry for him, to the extent you can for a guy who makes that much money playing baseball and who was in the process of winning a World Series (the way he handled it seemed pretty admirable, I must say). What are the chances he never gets back close to what he was?
Klaw: Mike Lowell. He recovered.

Jesse B: Is Rhys Hoskins the Phillies longterm answer at 1B?
Klaw: I think he is.

Todd: Your next chat, who’s the President Elect?
Klaw: I sincerely hope it’s Hillary Clinton. I believe Trump would be a disaster for our economy, for civil rights, for our foreign relations, for trade, for global peace, and for women’s rights. Whether you like Hillary is beside the point; we will get one of these two people as our next President, and her policies are far superior to Trump’s, in detail, in realism, and in potential effect. If Trump wins, we will see our rights erode, employment and income decline, and global instability increase. That is not the America – or the world – I want for myself or for my child. I hope you will join me in voting for Hillary on Tuesday, and sending a clear message to the Republican Party that we reject everything that Trump and his followers stand for.

Klaw: That’s all for this week’s chat – I’ll be back next Thursday. Thank you as always for all of your questions and for reading.

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

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.

My Boston/Cleveland and Texas/Toronto ALDS previews are now up for Insiders.

Klaw: If I could buy my reasoning, I’d pay to lose. Klawchat.

Dave: Mariano Rivera pitched 3 innings in game 7 in 2003. I’m just sayin’.
Klaw: That idea, stretching out a normally one-inning reliever for nine outs, is so anathema to managers today I would be floored if anybody tried it. (Dave’s referring to the ALCS.) Maddon would be the only guy I could see doing that, since Chapman’s definitely capable of going more than three outs and is a free agent anyway so who cares.

Frank: Do you think what was referred to as “Catcher’s ERA” 10-20 years ago was an imperfect precursor to what we have more recently come to understand as the ways catchers impact results?
Klaw: It just had too much noise in it to be useful. But framing had to appear in there somewhere, right? If framing is real, it would mean pitchers’ ERAs by catcher would differ, and the problem with C-ERA is that the real effects were obscured by randomness.

Lyle: Given the current state of the Mariners COFs, it seems likely that Tyler O’Neill could be up as soon as the All-Star Break. Is there any reason to think that he could (or even should) break camp with the team, though? Muddle through in RF with some combo of Gamel/Smith/Heredia until then?
Klaw: No reason. I think he’d struggle with contact out of the gate anyway. He’s a solid prospect, but not a superstar.

MK: Mike Schur wrote a great piece on Mike Trout yesterday. Do you ever just shake your head at the people that are watching some Mantle/Griffey/Mays hybrid monster and not consider him to be the MVP? The guys career WAR is already higher than several hall of famers and hes only 25…Its a shame that i dont have the luxury to watch him more frequently.
Klaw: I work in an industry with a very mixed group of people – referring to the writers here – including a large subset of folks who just don’t want to change their thinking. Voting for Trout would invalidate years of believing it was one way, when it’s the other way.

Josh: Where does Bumgarner rank for you in the hypothetical “Pitcher (past and present) I would want starting for my team in a win or go home game.” ? Who would you place above him?
Klaw: Quite a few guys. I don’t think he’s any different in October than he is April-September. He’s great all the time, but he doesn’t have any special ability to pitch well in the postseason.

Tom V.: Thoughts on Ausmus being brought back for another year?
Klaw: A clear mistake. His misuse of young pitchers has been horrifying to watch. He’s just not good at the visible aspects of his job, and it’s hard to see how he can be so good at the invisible aspects that we could ignore the time he had Daniel Norris throw 50+ pitches in an inning.

Kevin W: What do you say to climate change deniers that sat stupid shit like it’s just weather? Any go to sites you use?
Klaw: You’re fighting way uphill with those twits. You could point out that if they don’t understand the difference between climate and weather, then they certainly shouldn’t be commenting on climate change.

ML: With the Falvey announcement made official on Monday, do you expect a complete overhaul of the scouting staff?
Klaw: My guess is player development gets overhauled, not amateur scouting. They also have no real dedicated pro scouting staff and I can only assume they establish one.

Carty: There’s been a lot of cooling on the idea of Eduardo Rodriguez becoming a 1/2 (which was the buzz for a while). What do you ultimately see for him going forward?
Klaw: I still think he gets there. He’s young, talented, a bit raw, raced through the minors and lost a lot of reps to injury (including pitching when he probably shouldn’t have). I’m very optimistic on him long-term.

Marty: No sketch comedy in the TV Book. What would you add if you could? Mr. Show for me all the way.
Klaw: The Muppet Show.

Dan: Am I stupid for being excited for the Wold Baseball Classic?
Klaw: Not at all. I enjoy parts of it. But I also don’t care if the U.S. wins; I’d kind of prefer that we don’t (hasn’t been a problem in the past!) because I think its purpose is more to grow the game globally than to promote it here. That said, stacking Team Israel or Italy with a bunch of Americans is silly. It’s not going to get the media coverage in the represented country if it’s not predominantly made up of players from there.

Frank: I believe you said a few weeks ago that you would not consider Happ for the Cy. Why not? Also, does Aaron Sanchez warrant a mention in the discussion?
Klaw: I wouldn’t consider Happ because he hasn’t been good enough.

Matt: Keith, I know this question deals with a lot of speculation, but if Atlanta can add a couple of starting pitchers either via FA or trade, is it plausible to think a winning record could happen next season? Thanks for answering.
Klaw: It does not seem plausible to me.

Santos: In a previous chat, you mentioned you take Escitalopram for anxiety/depression (and that it makes a significant difference), was that prescribed by a general practitioner? Did you bring up Escitalopram or did the doctor? I’d like to approach this subject with a medical professional but I don’t know where to start.
Klaw: Prescribed first by a GP. I’ve seen psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, and other GPs since then and had scripts from each of them. I went in and discussed symptoms, and then the GP chose this drug and gave me a small xanax prescription because my anxiety was so bad I was having trouble sleeping. (This was shortly after my one huge panic attack in 2012, while driving on Staten Island … insert joke here.)

Archie: One thing that stands out about Bumgarner is how he is one of the most fierce competitors in our galaxy. As a scout, do you pay attention to the willingness of a kid to compete and the desire to win, or is that something that is hard to detect and shows up when the competition gets consistently better at the pro level?
Klaw: Nearly all MLB players are incredibly fierce competitors. It’s nonsense to say that Bumgarner is somehow different in that regard. If you’re not competitive, you don’t get this far without otherworldly talent, and most MLBers don’t quite have that latter thing.

Andrew: Read your Cleveland / Boston write-up. Couldn’t help but notice that the Red Sox were always referred to as the “Red Sox” and the Indians were always referred to as “Cleveland”. Thank you for doing that.
Klaw: Not an accident. I have not actually used Cleveland’s team nickname in my own writing in probably nine years. My editors have been very good about helping with that.

ML: The Twins are now on the clock! Everyone knows the Twins have had a difficult time developing pitchers. Do you have any idea what Twins fans should expect upcoming drafts to look like?
Klaw: No, not really. I can guess they’ll use the same Trackman/statcast-style data that other front offices have begun to use, including Cleveland’s. But I think until Falvey has more people in place below him I’m really just throwing ideas out there without any sound basis for them.

Tom: Last night an awful hitter was intentionally walked so the Giants could face the opposing pitcher instead. Remind me why the DH is bad again?
Klaw: You didn’t enjoy that bit of strategery?

James: Not sure how to word this. How do you feel about the Arizona management shake up? Your article probably did not alert the ownership of the problem unless they were hiding in a hole somewhere. However it was a very public way of outing bad decision making. I expect you feel bad for the guys but they made their choice of how to run the organization.
Klaw: It’s never personal; it was a legitimately newsworthy subject, that an MLB franchise was being run by people who were incapable of handling some fundamental aspects of their job, to the point that other MLB execs were commenting to me on how abysmal the situation was. They’re in a hole now that it will take them some time and creativity to get out of, from one of the game’s worst farm systems – I can’t see a top 100 prospect there anywhere – to a payroll that is nearly half committed to a good starter and a DH on a National League club. As for feeling bad, I’ve said before, I didn’t make any of those mistakes; I just organized them.

Harold: Do you like the Renteria choice by the White Sox?
Klaw: I wished he’d gotten more of a chance in his first gig, although obviously they went for the upgrade. But he also had some things he could have done better the first time around that he’ll have to improve now with this second chance. Everyone likes him as a person and a communicator, but on-field tactics, including stuff like defensive positioning and integrating the better info that comes from analytics, will be the key for him to be better the second time around.

Frank: Doesn’t the MVP question vis-a-vis Trout have to include a definition of what MVP means? Is Trout the best player alive? Yes. Did he have such a large impact on his team? Well, they still finished 2nd last in their division, so how much value could he have added? Was he valuable to MLB as a whole? Somewhat, although he would be more so in New York or Chicago, but should geography play into that? To me, an MVP has to be on a team that had a somewhat successful season, because then he provided value by lifting the team to a level it otherwise would not have achieved.
Klaw: He added a ton of value; they would have been unwatchable without him, probably the second-worst team in baseball, near 100 losses. Just because you don’t think there’s value in losing 88 games instead of 98 doesn’t mean that there isn’t.

John (Raleigh): Do you think it is possible for MiLB players to ever obtain collective bargaining rights? Separate or MLBPA offshoot. I know there are structural barriers to such a union, but my blood boils at the wage suppression tactics of MLB and it’s owners.
Klaw: Better question for someone who knows a little about labor law.

CB: Why do HOF voters say that they are waiting for the HoF to make a decision about steroid users? Clearly, they already have. When Pete Rose gambled, he was quickly banned for life by the HoF. Now, with steroids, no ban has been announced or even hinted at. De facto, the HoF has made clear that (1) Steroids are not as problematic as gambling, and (2) Steroids are not a disqualifier.
Klaw: And given Manfred’s comments on Ortiz, it’s pretty fucking clear that Bonds and Clemens belong in. We will forgive what we want to forgive.

Mark: When is the ’17 draft rankings coming?
Klaw: Soon, but I have other content I have to finish first (the NLDS stuff today) as well as some work on the book.

Mark: Do you have a budget at ESPN, as in if you want to hire someone do you have that freedom?
Klaw: No, and I’m not sure I want the responsibility of being a full-time manager on top of everything else I have to do.

Steve: “Hey let’s not give Trout the MVP award he deserves because Arte Moreno signed Pujols and Josh Hamilton! Makes sense! Mookie gets MVP for his crucial role in developing David Ortiz and acquiring Porcello and Price!”
Klaw: Exactly. The whole thing is stupid – it is a fabricated, selective definition of “value” that supports a preconceived notion.

James: To the 9% nationally who say you are voting for Gary Johnson – he doesn’t know who the leader of North Korea is or what is happening in Syria. Vote for someone with a chance to win.
Klaw: Or, take a look at the man’s actual platform, such as his plans for taxation, regulation, or dealing with climate change. Then if you still think he’s the right person for you, vote for him. But at least understand the man’s views, because in terms of economic and environmental policies he’s a lot closer to Trump’s platform than Clinton’s.

Bobby: Is there any grouping of words you hate more than “I know its a small sample size BUT…”? Shouldn’t everybody know by now that a SSS by definition is not indicative of a significant change?
Klaw: It’s not proof of a significant change – if the sample is too small we can’t tell if the change is significant or not. Over the years I’ve started to ignore more of these questions. I got at least a half-dozen on Sandy Fucking Leon this summer. Really?

J.P.: Per Nick Cafardo – “Bryan Minniti, Mike Bell, Ray Montgomery, Peter Woodfork and Kim Ng all in the running for D’Backs GM job” – who would you pick?
Klaw: Those are legitimately good names, and I know four of them well and one of them a little bit. I’m not going to go any farther than that until they make a hire.

Andy: Ubaldo Jimenez has been in the top 10 in his league in walks every year in the last 9. He also has been known to just lose a ball like in a wild pitch or HBP. Please explain to people that IBB Encarnacion is a bad idea.
Klaw: And the guy on deck, Jose Bautista, is good for 100 walks every full season. It was a terrible idea.

addoeh: Charleston, SC good choice for Top Chef? With so many good food towns, I would have preferred a road trip through the South, like last year in California.
Klaw: Yes, it’s a great food town, but I have to think they’ll branch out a little given the number of episodes.

Mark: Would you rather have Buddy Reed or Bryan Reynolds in your system?
Klaw: I rated Reynolds about forty spots higher on draft day and I wouldn’t change that at all. Reed can’t hit.

Harrisburg Hal: Do you have a go-to carrot soup recipe? I have a newfound affinity for it. I’ve tried about 4 different recipes with each being really different. Latest one was the ginger carrot soup from Boma at WDW.
Klaw: The one in Hugh Acheson’s The Broad Fork.

Alex: What is your opinion of starting rotations having RHP and LHP? Does it matter? Do you think the braves need to add a LH starter?
Klaw: I think it matters more in the postseason than the regular season.

Tom: Kris Bryant had a 7.7 WAR. The Cubs finished 17.5 games in first place. Obviously, the Cubs didn’t need Bryant to finish in first place. (I tried to make this sound as dumb as possible)
Klaw: Yep. When you create artificial rules around what constitutes value, you end up with these paradoxes.

Cody: I’ve always argued this with people from the devil’s advocate standpoint, but would love to hear your opinion. I constantly hear fans across baseball complain about how their ownership is “cheap” and doesn’t want to spend the money necessary to win. I’ve heard for years as a Pirates fan, and from other fanbases. I’ve always been skeptical of those kinds of statements because in reality, none of these people truly know what the books look like. I happen to think that for some of these owners, their teams are not the profit centers people paint them to be and are more doing it because it’s cool and as a way of civic pride. Where do you stand on this? Do you think that teams are actually not making the margins people imagine or the other way around?
Klaw: I think most teams are swimming in cash, but it’s their right to turn a profit. I don’t like when owners cry poverty and ask for government handouts, but I haven’t criticized any owners for choosing to take home profits rather than spending it on the payroll. (I would criticize owners for spending too little on scouts’ salaries, or not paying interns, or for the joke wages all teams pay minor leaguers, though. Those are drops in the bucket.)

Charlie: Thoughts on Cody Bellinger? Would you comp him to say, a Brandon Belt?
Klaw: I don’t like comps, but I will say on Bellinger that his year in 2016 was unexpected and kind of remarkable: He cut his strikeouts without losing all his power. That’s a huge adjustment for any kid, especially one on the young side, and I think players who make adjustments like that at young ages are marked for stardom.

JJ: How many ABs for a hitter against a specific pitcher before it’s no longer SSS, and actually significant?
Klaw: There is no such number. Just ignore them. Players change and by the time you got the hundred or more ABs you might need they wouldn’t be the same players anymore.

Joe: Could Trey Mancini have an impact for the Orioles next year? He looked okay in the few at bats he had this year.
Klaw: Don’t see it. Bench guy for me.

Ryan: Say tomorrow that baseball loses their anti-trust exemption… would there really be any negative setback for the sport?
Klaw: No but you would see some large structural changes. Probably first would be Oakland and/or Tampa Bay ownership looking at moving. I think – could be wrong on this – that territorial rights would go away in such a scenario so the A’s could just move to San Jose.

Bryan: (1/2) Klaw, long time reader. Was hoping you might have some helpful resources you can direct me to, just to cope with a situation that has recently thrown our whole family for a loop. Long story short: my wife (mid-30’s) recently revealed that she was abused as a child, by her sister’s husband (currently mid-40’s). No one knew it, not even me. She held it in for nearly 25 years. Of course, the man denies it and her sister has chosen to stay with him. We have very good reason to believe he is physically abusive (she has called the police on him before). As a result of all this, her sister has basically been isolated from the rest of our family, as her decision to stay with him is being seen as a tacit approval of his behavior. But I think the true reason she stays is because she is afraid of him, and for good reason. I feel like there is nothing we can do to this man, practically speaking.
Klaw: Part one… stay with me …

Bryan: (2/2) And part of me feels bad for shunning my sister in-law, knowing she is in a bad situation. But what else are we to do? We are seeking counseling, but other than that I can’t see of any other way to proceed, other than keeping our distance from her (we have children too, FWIW).
Klaw: I would suggest you contact RAINN, or perhaps call the national sexual assault hotline 800-656-4673, to ask for advice. I would shun your sister-in-law too if she can’t accept that her husband is abusive and won’t try to leave the marriage. I hope your wife is getting help through therapy; abuse survivors are at high risk for PTSD too.

John: Thoughts on Taylor Trammell and Mickey Moniak? Do they seem pretty similar to you in terms of value and/or potential?
Klaw: Totally different. Moniak’s a polished kid who can already hit quite a bit but doesn’t have a huge ceiling because he probably won’t get past 50-55 power. Trammell is less polished – not crude by any means – but has more upside as a power/speed type with more athleticism. IIRC he was a pretty high-contact guy in HS, though, so don’t classify him as just one another Georgia prep tools goof.

Ben: The Leopard by Giuseppe di Lampedusa is one of my favorite novels, but one of only a few Italian novels I’ve read. Any suggestions for similar writers/novels?
Klaw: I liked the two books I read by Alessandro Piperno – Persecution and the Worst Intentions.

JC: Looking forward, but if Heyward was a FA this year & signed an identical contract to what he has remaining, would you be OK with it?
Klaw: It would be excessive; he probably wouldn’t get that on the open market.

Joe: Could you ask your wife to update her blog (linked at the top). Her writing is good, but it hasn’t been updated in three years.
Klaw: Will do. Can’t promise anything though. She’s had a rough year.

JL: Having a good friend over for the weekend and want to make them a really nice dinner. I’ve drastically improved my cooking the past few years but said friend is vegetarian where the staple of most of my tried and true dishes are meat-based. Anything you’d recommend for a vegetarian based meal? Thanks!
Klaw: If dairy is OK, that’s what I would probably think of as the center of the meal – a souffle, a baked pasta dish, a frittata (egg and cheese). And lots of vegetables; that’s how I’m trying to cook now anyway, vegetables first, protein second.

Darryl: Will Senzel be the full time 3B at some point next season?
Klaw: Maybe by August? That’s not a crazy thought, given how fast Schwarber, Conforto, Bregman, and Benintendi all got there. He’s not quite as high-ceiling as those guys but I think he’s in their class as a hitter.

Andrew: If writers aren’t going to put Trout on the top of their MVP ballots because he’s not on a playoff team, by that logic shouldn’t they leave him off altogether? I mean, if they aren’t going to vote him #1, why would they vote him #2 ahead of Donaldson?
Klaw: To quote a certain gerbil, they don’t have the balls.

Jim: Hi Keith, do you like the 1 game Wild Card? I feel as if a three game series would be better and more fair. 1 game just seems so un baseball, even though I do love the instant drama.
Klaw: I prefer that to a three-game series where other teams are off for a week … and if you want three games, why not five? or seven? We’re going to have to accept some unfairness in any playoff system. Let’s at least get the fun aspect of instant elimination and all of us on twitter talking about the same game.

Frank: “I have better things to do.” Dumbest answer to an exit interview ever, a true indication he wasn’t qualified for the job or both?
Klaw: I’ll go with both. The man was simply overmatched by the requirements of the job. He had no relevant experience, had been out of the team side for 14 years, and was not forward-thinking in the least. But at least the Dbacks managed to employ a bunch of his – er, his wife’s – clients, so he’s still going to get paid by them!

Ryan: I know you hate this topic, but Tim Tebow is going to the AFL… on a scale of ‘vastly overmatched’ to ‘why is this dude even here?!’ how will he do?
Klaw: We know why he’s there, but I expect him to be vastly overmatched.

JJ: So, if the Diamondbacks are in that big a hole (and I agree with that assessment), should they actively try to deal Goldschmidt this off-season to speed up the rebuilding? He’s already 29 years old, but I could definitely see an AL team like the Red Sox or Yankees being very interested in him as a 1B/DH, and they would have the minor leaguers to deal.
Klaw: That would be the smartest strategy for speeding up a rebuild, but I would imagine ownership objecting to the team trading its best and I think most popular player.

Nick: With Moniak having limited power potential, who would you have chosen #1 in the draft Rutherford or Moniak? They seem to be similar players with Rutherford having a higher power ceiling.
Klaw: I think I ended up with Moniak one slot above Rutherford on my rankings, but I liked both guys a ton and either would have been a good choice. I thought both were top five talents in the class.

Scooter: The “I have better things to do” comment was taken massively out of context… everyone go read the transcript or watch the video please
Klaw: I did. And it wasn’t. He was relieved that the job was over, and said he had better things to do.

Mike: Re: Shunning – I think you want to shun because it seems like she’s protecting an abuser, but not because she can’t accept that he’s an abuser or won’t leave the marriage. At some point, she may need help getting out of that relationship. And the original poster and OP’s wife may want to be available to support that.
Klaw: I agree with that; I think the shunning is self-protection, too. The victim likely wants no contact with her abuser, and since Bryan has mentioned having kids, they shouldn’t want those kids anywhere near the abuser either. But to your point, we all have an obligation to help someone escape an abusive relationship if we are asked.

Anonymous: Highly recommend John O’Hara “Stories”that just came out. Fitzgerald & John O’Hara are up there on my favorite authors, can you suggest anyone stylistically like them?
Klaw: Thanks, I do love Appointment in Samarra. Some Graham Greene novels (not the Catholic ones) remind me of those two. Hangover Square is a bit in that vein, but darker. No one can really touch FSF for prose style in my view, though.

Henry: Keith, if you were named the MLB commissioner today, what are the first two or three things you would do to improve the game/system?
Klaw: The whole july 2 free agent system is broken and needs an overhaul. I’d sever free agency from the draft, at least so that you don’t lose a pick by signing a free agent. I’d pay minor leaguers a reasonable wage in exchange for an agreement not to sue. I’d resolve the Oakland stadium situation any way possible – probably by relocation, but whatever it is, they need a new home. And I think Manfred is already doing this, but I’d try to normalize MLB’s relations with Cuban baseball as the US normalizes relations with the Cuban government, so we can smooth the flow of players from Cuba to MLB and perhaps allow US players to go play there as well.

Alex: Manfred said he was open to changing the September call up rule. Can this happen for next season and what do you think is a reasonable fix to the current situation?
Klaw: Limiting the number of active players for any specific game would be a good start. The goal should be to make September baseball look like July baseball, not to constrain it to the point where it becomes a problem for, say, a 15-inning game.

JR: Is TJ Riveria an everyday MLB player? If you were the Mets, would you pencil him in as your everyday 2B next year, or look to upgrade (i.e., re-sign Walker?)
Klaw: No, barely a bench option. I might try to re-sign Walker for a year, because I’m not sure about Cecchini’s bat being good enough for 2b right now (and his throwing problems got worse this year, to the point where I don’t think he’s a shortstop).

Levi: If no Goldschmidt trade, perhaps Pollock?
Klaw: It would make sense. I also think Drury could start for someone, but not Arizona if Goldy is still there. They have pieces. They just need a different mind in charge. It’s just not that bad a roster.

Lucas: have you ever been to an “after hours” event at Magic Kingdom, i.e. Christmas party or Halloween Party. Im taking my 11 year old and 8 year old in November and wondering if it worth the extra $$
Klaw: I haven’t, because they’re expensive and being a cast member doesn’t get me any special privileges for those parties.

Andrew: Why did Eppler deal Santiago for Nolasco/Meyer? If I recall correctly, Santiago’s a free agent next year and they could’ve easily had gotten a comp pick out of him which has to have higher value than Alex Meyer at this point.
Klaw: They must believe that Meyer has untapped potential, although I think he’s far more likely to end up a reliever given his age and lack of progress.

Nick: If the gap between Moniak and Rutherford is so close, why were they drafted 17 spots away from each other? All signability concerns?
Klaw: All signability concerns. Rutherford was seen as a tough sign because he would have been sophomore-eligible out of college (2018 draft).

Nick: In regards to the Magic Kingdom question it is very much worth it.
Klaw: There you go. Thanks for the help.

Klaw: That’s all for this week – I have more writing to do and some errands that have to happen before my daughter gets home from school. Thank you all as always for your questions and for reading.

My annual look at players I got wrong is up for Insiders. You can also preorder my upcoming book, Smart Baseball, on amazon.

Klaw: I’m sorry, but I’m just thinking of the right words to say. Klawchat.

Lark11: I’m curious about your view (if I recall correctly) that A.J. Preller shouldn’t be fired for the player medical records machinations. Wasn’t that pure fraud/intentional misrepresentation? Coming on the heels of Preller’s previous misdeed, isn’t this an important data point? Doesn’t it call into question the integrity of the entire organization?
Klaw: I think you’re assuming we know all the details of the transgression. I certainly don’t.

Chris Matthews: Who’s your favorite foreign leader?
Klaw: President Don Vincente Ribiera.

Nelson: If news came out the next day that Fernandez was drunk and driving the boat, would/should the memorials have been any different?
Klaw: I was afraid that this might actually happen. His death isn’t any less of a tragedy for it. We might choose not to honor him in the same way, but I would hate to see anyone argue that we shouldn’t mourn his death.

Omar Little: Is Verlander or Kluber the frontrunner for CY young right now? JV has the better numbers overall, but not by much. I know Sale is up there too. It won’t be Porcello will it? Thanks KLAW for all you do!
Klaw: I think Verlander’s got a solid narrative behind him – we thought he was done as an elite starter, now he’s probably top 3 in the league – although I am not sure I’d put him over Sale or Kluber.

Jake: If we are going to focus on the SSS of Tebow yesterday, how about we discuss the 5 outs in 6 at bats against players ten years younger?
Klaw: How about we ignore him like the washed-up quarterback he is?

Daniel, Texas: Why is Ian Desmond having such a poor second half? Is Carlos Gomez the better player for CF going forward in 2017?
Klaw: Desmond’s first half was the outlier. (I’ve noticed the trolls telling me I was wrong to criticize that signing have disappeared, too.) I prefer Gomez’s raw ability and potential for plus defense, but isn’t banking on him a huge bet on a tiny sample?

Brian Gunn: Hi Klaw. In today’s ESPN piece you write that the Cubs “position their fielders as well as any team in baseball.” Yet they also shift less often than any team in baseball. Does Sean Ahmed (their defensive metrics guru) know something normally progressive teams like the Astros and Pirates don’t? And if so, do you think there will be a move AWAY from shifts in upcoming seasons?
Klaw: It’s a coding issue – BIS doesn’t mark anything as a shift if it doesn’t involve an infielder moving to the opposite side of second base. (I’m 99% sure that’s correct.) Soif you move your shortstop so that he’s essentially behind second base, that’s not marked as a “shift,” but it looks like a shift to me – it’s extreme positioning, at least. So no, I don’t think you’ll see a move away from shifts, but you will absolutely see a rise in fine-tuning positioning per batter or per batter-pitcher combo and away from ‘dumb’ shifts where you just run the third baseman out into short right field for any pull-hitting LHB.

JT: Why and how are such terrible sites being cited during this campaign? Florida’s state GOP just tweeted a tinfoil hat site (infowars), as a for instance.
Klaw: Because people choose what they want to believe first and find links to confirm those beliefs second. Drop in on any so-called debate between vaccine denialists and, well, rational human beings, and you’ll see the former hit you with a stream of links from garbage sites that promote junk science over real research.

JR, CT: Hi Keith, would you give the Mets any chance against the Cubs with their rotation in the shape it is now. I imagine best case is the lefty power bats get/stay hot and they can slug their way to some ugly wins?
Klaw: I would never give any team in a playoff series less than 45% odds to win it.

Jeff: A question some friends and I have been thinking about – can you name a player off the top of your head, whose reputation as a “great” player has been damaged by the advent of sabermetrics? I feel like Pete Rose would be one such player. Christ, the guy was named All Century and some delusional people still argue that he is the best hitter/player who ever lived.
Klaw: Andre Dawson. Tony Perez. I guess Jim Rice, although no one ever considered him a great player until he became the Luddites’ cause celebre. Jack Morris, perhaps.

Lance: What is the ideal Wild Card game roster construction?
Klaw: Carry 5-6 relievers and stack the bench with PH options (and maybe a Terence Gore if you have one).

Jason: What were your thoughts of Jonathan Villar coming through the minors? Did you think he had this much power?
Klaw: Nope. When he was traded to Houston I wrote that I didn’t foresee more than fringe-average power. Granted that was five or six years ago, but still, he’s got more than that.

kg: If you were a GM, would you prefer to play a youngster with a low ceiling or sign a veteran that you might be able to flip at the trade deadline for better prospects? Assuming that your team isn’t expected to make the playoffs this year. I would think the veteran with hopes to acquire prospects might be a better option since most teams can afford to fit a veteran’s contract into their budget anyway.
Klaw: Depends on what that “low ceiling” is. An average everyday player who makes $500K a year is an extremely valuable commodity, even if there’s zero chance he’s ever better than that.

Nick: What’s your take on Alex Jackson? Do you still think he can become a middle-of-the-order bat with the right coaching and adjustments? Does he have to get out of the Seattle org?
Klaw: I would not give up on him entirely given his youth, but every report I got this year was negative.

Owen: Regarding Terriers (from your review of TV: The Book), it might be the greatest single-season show in history. You should absolutely try to squeeze it in this winter.
Klaw: It’s on the list I’ve created for myself, although the odds are good I won’t get through much this winter because we never seem to have that much time between when my daughter falls asleep and when we have to do the same.

Mike: Thoughts on Spencer Kieboom’s promotion?
Klaw: Great defender, pitchers love working with him, long shot to do much with the bat. The Ramos injury is just brutal for them.

NeedsMoneyToLive: I couldn’t tweet my support since I work for an MLB club, but worse than the “new GM mold” is the insistence on requiring lengthy unpaid internships in order to be considered for a job in MLB. I know you’ve supported eliminating them before but the spotlight really needs to go on this awful practice.
Klaw: Totally agree. I think everyone in MLB knows there’s a problem, but the status quo is working for individual owners so they don’t want to be the ones to change it.

Jason: How long until a team announces that, absent extraordinary circumstances, no pitcher will go through the lineup more than 3 times?
Klaw: Why announce it? Just do it. Let other teams figure it out. Plus this way you avoid media questions when those circumstances do occur.

Nick: Cesar Hernandez as a 4.2 fWAR and 3.4 bWAR. Is he really an above-average regular moving forward or are we just seeing a random spike in the defensive metrics?
Klaw: I’ve spoken to a lot of analysts while working on my book, and one thing that’s come up often is skepticism of large one-year spikes in defensive metrics like this one. If a player is +15 like CH is this year, without any history of it, you can say with some certainty that he’s been an above-average defender, but should doubt that he’s been THAT good a defender. MLB clubs have much more precise data to work with and they implied that they get fewer of these outliers.

Jason: Are advanced scouting tools inevitably skewed toward run prevention (e.g., batted ball days leading to defensive positioning)? If not, what types of things can you envision that would help offense?
Klaw: That’s what’s happening right now with analytics, but I think the new data streams will end up influencing all parts of the game. Defensive positioning is just the low-hanging fruit.

Nick: Who’s more likely to put it all together moving forward: Eric Hosmer or Yasiel Puig?
Klaw: Still think there’s something more to be extracted from Hosmer’s bat. Might need a different organization & hitting philosophy.

Marcus: Hi Keith. Thanks for the weekly chats. The Giants have been lacking a true power threat pretty much since Bonds. When I look through their minor league system, I don’t see any big-time power threats and what players they have with a modicum of power look like they strikeout a lot. Have they got anyone who could develop into a 30-40 HRs a year power threat at the big league level?
Klaw: Not off the top of my head. Shaw has that kind of raw power, but it’s a below-average hit tool (slow bat, doesn’t see the ball well). Reynolds is more like a 25 HR/25 SB guy, and strikeouts are an issue with him because he tends to run very deep counts and needs a better two-strike approach. I like him quite a bit, though, more than Shaw.

Colin: Have you written anywhere about your favorite roasters in the US? I am looking to try some new stuff
Klaw: I assume we’re talking coffee here. I haven’t, but here’s a bunch: Intelligentsia, Four Barrel, Blue Bottle, Cartel, heart, Archetype, Deeper Roots, Re-Animator, Royal Mile, Cuvee, 49th Parallel (BC).

Ridley Kemp: Rolling Stone left The Prisoner completely off their top 100 TV shows list. Were there such glaring omissions from the TV: The Book book?
Klaw: Nothing I noticed. I mentioned in my review that I thought Will & Grace might get a mention, since it was a cultural milestone, but it just wasn’t that great a show, especially after the first two seasons, and Sepinwall confirmed to me that that was the reason it didn’t make the cut. (The Prisoner wasn’t eligible for their book because it was British.)

Eric: Regarding Kyle Hendricks, you may have been wrong but certainly at least some of his success is due to landing on the right team at the right time. To his credit, he appears to have reached his 99% percentile of optimal performance. Is that more on him or on the Cubs? I feel that baseball is littered with prospects that could have been somebody if they had only been on the team with the right coaching and management in place to maximize their talent but maybe I’m overstating it.
Klaw: I talked about that a little bit, but I didn’t want to make it seem like I was somehow walking back the assertion that I made a mistake. (I hate calling it an “admission,” as if I made a moral error. “Forgive me, Bill James, for I have sinned.”) You are correct in that he is in the right place at the right time in baseball history, where the Cubs, a very analytically-minded organization top to bottom, could see him and the data and get him to throw his changeup more, to try to work more to the edges of the strike zone, to encourage contact because the fielders will be in the right places. Give the player credit too – I would always rather say, hey, I was wrong, because the kid made me wrong.

JJ: DId Yoan Moncada benefit at all from riding the bench for the Red Sox over the last six weeks? Aside from the pretty healthy per diem. In his limited ABs, he struck me as a guy who absolutely needed another 750 plate appearance in the minors (at least), not to mention a ton of innings at whatever defensive position they’ve chosen for him.
Klaw: Yes and perhaps that’s the benefit – it told everybody that he needs to start next year in the minors.

Danny: I’ve seen people suggest it would be appropriate to honor Jose Fernandez by voting for him to win the Cy Young award. Normally, I’m opposed to “stunts” like this that would otherwise never be suggested if not for tragic circumstances..but you could certainly do a lot worse with your Cy vote this year..
Klaw: He’s deserving, but not the top candidate. Perhaps the NL Cy Young Award could become the Jose Fernandez Award, and the Cy Young Award would just refer to the AL?

Ted: Do you agree with the notion that postseason results are just based on randomness?
Klaw: No. I believe that a human predicting the results will fare no better than a random prediction. I believe that a lot of luck goes into the postseason, from health to timing to matchups. But to say they’re just based on randomness would wipe out any role the players themselves play. Madison Bumgarner having the October of his life – of anyone’s life – was not “random.” The result, the Giants winning the WS as the 8th best team in baseball, may seem random in context, but the victory itself was not random.

Jason: Could Zach Davies have a similar career arc of Kyle Hendricks? I am not saying under 2 ERA good, but a solid #3 starter type?
Klaw: He was quietly very good this year, and I looked at him for today’s article but decided there wasn’t really enough of a delta between what he did and what I thought he’d be (4/5 starter). League-average starter? I’ll buy that.

Ron: Keith-Did the Twins hire Falvey? Good hire? Whom do you think he will tap for GM?
Klaw: They will be hiring him. I don’t know him that well, and am surprised they would hire a President who has never formally run a department of any sort; they interviewed Chaim Bloom, who appears to have the same skill set and background, but has managed a department before. That’s not a knock on Falvey per se, and may simply reflect my own ignorance. I have no sense of what they’ll do for GM.

William: I have a hard time understanding why people often rush to deny science and politicize it. Once a concept is established it just seems foolish to fight it. With climate change for example, it is ok to disagree with the best policies to combat it, but I fail to see how denying man’s role in it serves a political ideology. I am convinced that the vaccine deniers and climate change deniers would have been Heliocentrism “skeptics” in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Klaw: Yet we have a major political party arguing it’s bunk, and its candidate for President claiming it’s a fiction created by China. This is an existential crisis that affects everybody – the cost of food, the supply of clean water, the feasibility of living near coasts, global energy costs and supply – and slightly more than half of our polity is in abject denial.

Adam: Hunter Dozier — is he a DUDE or just a dude?
Klaw: Just a dude, I think.

Greg: Assuming all the Mets 7 good SP’s (not including Lugo) are healthy going into next yr (obviously a huge huge assumption) do you think the Mets should go straight up with a 6 man rotation?
Klaw: I’m not certain that actually helps – pitching guys less within games seems like it has more benefit in fatigue reduction. That’s based on scant evidence, though. Either way, this is hypothetical because it seems impossible that all seven will be healthy at the same time.

Jonny B: What would be more upsetting: Britton winning the AL Cy Young, or someone other than Trout winning AL MVP? For some reason, the idea of any closer winning the Cy Young seems objectively indefensible.
Klaw: Upsetting is putting it strongly; the writers as a whole are bad at this stuff and will always be, perhaps increasingly so as the gap between what teams know and what we know increases. If Trout loses, it’ll be to Betts, who’s #2. If Britton loses, it would be like David Ortiz winning MVP this year – a narrative defeating facts.

Jorge: We’re cooking a 1.5 lb corned beef using our sous vide machine. We’ve seen a ton of diff advice on what lenghth/temp to do it at. What says you?
Klaw: I say corned beef is disgusting.

Bryan: How come you love to pull the “absence of evidence…” card on a multitude of occasions, but still refuse to acknowledge the mere possibility that PED’s might assist player performance without iron clad proof?
Klaw: I’ve acknowledged the possibility on numerous occasions, and even supported it in the case of amphetamines. So I don’t think you know what you’re talking about.

JG: With Falvey only being 33, do you see any animosity with a GM who likely will be older?
Klaw: Well, if that’s the case, Falvey shouldn’t hire him.

Danny: My Asdrubal Cabrera cog diss is kicking in again. I know the numbers say he is no longer a good player, but every game he seems get a huge hit or make a great play. Please give me another dose of reality and remind me the numbers don’t match what my eyes are seeing.
Klaw: They don’t. UZR has him 18th of 24 shortstops this year, and a couple of guys below him aren’t really shortstops. Also, it has Elvis Andrus among the worst, which surprised me. UZR isn’t the be-all and end-all but it matches the eye test on Cabrera.

Michael: Coffee: black or with milk/cream?
Klaw: If it’s real coffee, black, no sweetener.

Ryan: If you got to ask one debate question for both candidates, what would you ask?
Klaw: Explain the difference between Keynesian economics and the monetarist school. Or something about climate change, but this year that would be a rout.

Ant: Reports indicate Austin Riley was catching up to fastballs much better in the second half. Still down on him?
Klaw: Yes. His bat speed hasn’t changed – that’s wishful thinking.

Randy: I’ve seen comps that have compared Alex Verdugo to Markakis, is that about right or do you have a different comp?
Klaw: I think he has more power than Markakis ever managed to show in the majors, although Markakis as a prospect projected to show more than he ever did.

Rob: I love Carcassonne, but haven’t tried any of the expansions. What are the best, and are any of them “essential” (IE, you wouldn’t want to play without them again)?
Klaw: Traders and Builders is pretty awesome.

Bill: In his post-game press conference, Brad Ausmus said that he was reticent about bringing Fulmer back after a 45-minute rain delay in a game in which he had already thrown 68 pitches in three innings. I’m thinking “insane” or possibly “foolhardy.” Any other descriptions come to mind?
Klaw: Didn’t he pull the same shit with Daniel Norris last September? A 50-something pitch first inning, right? Just fire him. This isn’t a solitary error in judgment. It’s a pattern of ignorance. (And hire Alex Cora to replace him!)

Anonymous: As an advocate, I’m curious for your thoughts. I’ve considered being screened for anxiety/depression with medication following, but am hesitant because I don’t like the idea that taking meds means I’m no longer “me”? Any advice?
Klaw: Been taking meds for anxiety for four years and I’m more “me” with them than I ever was without them. Prior to that – I take escitalopram, 20mg/day – the person you saw, met, even talked to online was dominated by the effects of the constant low hum of anxiety. Now I think more clearly, I’m more deliberate, I’m calmer, and everyone in my life has noticed.

Adam: Hi Keith! Thanks for everything you do. I enjoy reading your book reviews, and want to start reviewing the books I read as well to help me form my thoughts about them. I’m curious, did you write reviews for yourself before you had a platform? And do you take notes about books you read, or just compose the reviews on the fly?
Klaw: Never wrote for myself before, and I rarely take notes unless there’s a great quote I want to remember. Glad you enjoy them.

Anthony: Coffee: light, medium, or dark roast?
Klaw: Light. I’m a third-wave guy.

JT: What percentage of the claims against Clinton are legitimately true? Think that she’s on her death bed, she had detractors killed, she ordered a stand down in Benghazi, she ruined her husband’s accusers, she’s really a reptile level junk.
Klaw: Who can tell? I feel like the GOP would do better to focus on the actual policy questions, such as things she voted for in Congress that were mistakes – I would say the Patriot Act, but that’s probably not a good talking point for them – rather than this stuff or blaming her for her husband’s imbroglios.

JP: What if Keurig offered you $1 billion to endorse their K-cups? Does even Klaw’s dignity have a price?
Klaw: No shot. Bad coffee + environmental disaster.

JC: Is Goldschmitt the player you’ve missed out on by the widest margin in your career? BTW I think your track record is amazing.
Klaw: I think so. And if I could time-travel back to when he was in the minors, the one thing I would tell myself most on him is “just give him more of a chance.”

Ramanujan: Are bat speed and power correlated? I assume power comes from hitting a ball hard, which I assumed meant keeping the bat moving quickly (while keeping your hands and wrists rigid)…or does keeping the bat rigid as possible matter more for power (while moving the bat quickly is literally all that is necessary to have bat speed)? I’ve heard you mention a few times that people
Klaw: I don’t think that’s true. Power comes from hard contact and launch angle. Hard contact can come from strength too, especially wrist and forearm strength.

Adam: Any college pitchers in this draft with TOR potential?
Klaw: Wright and Faedo might.

Adam: Thoughts on the DBacks firing of De Jon Watson?
Klaw: I’d heard some anecdotal stuff about his time there that was unfavorable, but nothing to compare to the more concrete stories about TLR and Stewart screwing up the rules or mishandling their players. I think De Jon got scapegoated bigly.

Adam: At least two national writers believed the Padres should have been forced to send Anderson Espinoza back and received a lesser prospect from the Red Sox in light of the Preller fiasco. What are your thoughts?
Klaw: Can’t see how you can do that. You can only send the two teams back to the negotiating table, at which point Preller would have said “just send back Pomeranz.” It works better when the player with the injury issue is the prospect or one of the prospects, not the main target in the deal.

Jamie: I am sure you have heard of Harvard’s new policy on final clubs. What are your thoughts on the clubs themselves and the policy?
Klaw: They were extralegal when I was there; I don’t know if they still are. I wasn’t in one – it was largely rich kids or occasionally athletes, and I was and remain neither – and they were mostly invisible to me. (Fraternities are illegal at Harvard, for those who don’t know. For that I was fairly grateful.)

Adam: Baseball player most likely to kneel during the national anthem: Bryce Harper?
Klaw: Carlos Delgado wouldn’t stand for it in protest of the US Navy’s use of Vieques for bombing practice. It wasn’t that big of a deal at the time. Harper wouldn’t kneel, though – I think you’ve got his profile wrong.

Steve: Better 1B bat: Ronald Guzman or Rhys Hoskins?
Klaw: Hoskins. I am not sold on Hoskins’ real power, but Guzman I think has that.

Logan: What’s your opinion on Maikel Franco going forward? Is his low OBP due to lack of anything protecting him and trying to do too much?
Klaw: It’s his approach. What you offered are excuses. He’s never been a patient or disciplined hitter; he has great plate coverage, even out of zone, and is so damn strong he can do stuff with pitches other guys couldn’t hit fair. But he needs a significant improvement in his selectivity for his OBP to become acceptable.

Sgt Donnelly: Whose stock would you buy for the next 5 years: Buxton or Mazara? PS Thanks for sharing your baseball insight
Klaw: The offensive bar for Buxton to become an average big leaguer is so low because of his great defense & baserunning that I’d take him, easily. And I love Mazara.

Tracy: Have you read anything beyond The Hound of the Baskervilles? I’m asking because I’m eyeing an exquisite hardbound volume of Conan Doyle’s complete Sherlock Holmes works and I’m wondering if it’s worth it.
Klaw: A bunch of the short stories. They’re all great.

Nick: Thoughts on AJ Reed this year? IIRC you had some concerns about how his bat speed would play in the majors. Do you think that played a part in his high K rate, or was he maybe being too passive? Obviously he didn’t have too much of an opportunity to get acclimated with HOU fighting for a playoff spot this season.
Klaw: I think it was a factor, yes. Had he gotten more time in the majors, I think he would have made the same kind of adjustments he made in the minors, going the other way more with pitches he couldn’t get around on, which is why I rated him fairly highly despite concerns about the bat speed. For the reader who asked about Riley above, that’s the kind of player you hope he can become.

Aaron: I know it’s an extremely SSS, but less swing and miss so far from Renfroe. Encouraged?
Klaw: No, because it’s an extremely SSS.

Jeremy: It seems like you fit a ton of things you love to do into the same 24 hours I have, but I feel like I don’t do anything I enjoy. Any tips?
Klaw: I never want to assume too much about time, since some folks have to work two jobs or crazy hours just to pay the bills, but since you’re here I’ll guess that you have some flexibility. First thing I’d say is think about how you use your day and look for the time you’re not using well. I never sit in front of the TV unless it’s for something I really want to watch, for example. I used to do that, and then after a while I realized I was wasting part of every day and getting nothing out of it.

Elton: What are your thoughts on Peraza and Herrera for the Reds next year? Would the optimal result be Herrera at 2B (assuming they somehow liquidate Brandon Phillips) and Peraza as a roving backup/punch runner?
Klaw: I’d play Herrera at 2b and send Peraza back to AAA to play every day, preferably at SS. Peraza’s performance there this year was pretty mediocre and I wouldn’t be rushing him into a MLB job at ~23.

Brayden: Is JP Crawford still an elite prospect after a down year or is he over-hyped? Yes he was young for AAA but his gap power is non-existent.
Klaw: You’re scouting the stat line, and yes, he’s still an elite prospect, just very young for AAA as you said.

Nick: Speaking of players you were wrong about, do you still like the Jason Heyward contract?
Klaw: Yes, actually.

Rick: Why was Corey Seager passed on by 17 other teams? What was your report on him coming out of high school?
Klaw: He wasn’t “passed on” by other teams. He wanted well over slot, and had Boras, so some teams were afraid to take him and find he wouldn’t sign. This isn’t Trout again. Everyone knew that kid was special.

Chris: Great job as always in identifying who you were wrong about each year and owning up to that fact. You get it right a lot but it’s impossible to be perfect. Having said that, who are some players you missed on that you thought would be sure things at the major league level?
Klaw: Smoak is the one who’ll always bother me, because I never saw him do anything but hit, and pro scouts I talked to just raved about him up until he was traded to Seattle at the least. I thought Wieters would be a much better hitter too, while I’m at it. Lot of pitchers I liked were derailed by injuries – I had Zach Britton as a potential #2 starter.

Klaw: That’s all for this week; thank you as always for all of your questions. I’ll be back next Thursday if I’m not crushed by a hurricane.

You can pre-order my book, Smart Baseball on amazon already; it’s due out in April. Also, sign up for my email newsletter to stay up to date on all the stuff I write in various places.

Klaw: What do we have for entertainment? Klawchat.

Chris: Terry Collins brought in Smoker for Reed in 8th last night to face Freeman. He rationalized it postgame saying that Freeman is 2-4 career off Reed. Also, Smoker did induce weak contact. That said, when a manager quotes a SSS of 4 ABs to back up a decision, shouldn’t he immediately be fired? The game has passed him by.
Klaw: I saw a lot of howling about the decision last night when it happened, but I don’t have any problem with bringing in a lefty to face Freeman. That part is fine. The logic afterwards, well, it’s a stretch to call it logic because only a fucking idiot thinks four at bats is a meaningful sample.

Chris: Can Conforto play RF long-term? I think CF is a definitely “Hell No” and 1B is also pretty much off the table, but knowing Cespedes will probably only want to play LF, it seems RF would the one spot to get Conforto in lineup regularly.
Klaw: I think he can play right or left, but agree CF is a no go.

BB: It was a while ago this guy was a prospect, but do you have any thoughts about Mike Montgomery re-joining the Cubs/an MLB rotation moving forward? Or do you think he’s better suited as a BP arm?
Klaw: Never had the command or breaking ball to last as a starter. Certainly had plenty of opportunities.

Jake: What’s the ceiling for Jharel Cotton? Middle of the rotation guy?
Klaw: Probably less. I guess if you’re talking top 5% type of outcome, then okay, I’ll say middle of the rotation guy, but it’s not likely.

Father Tim: My son is 5 months old now and we’ve started to introduce some solids mixed with breast milk. Did you make your own baby food or use “safe” store bought brands like Nature’s Choice?
Klaw: Never made our own. Great idea. Too much work.

Ceej: Some think Moncada will play a ton next year because Shaw and company aren’t that good and others think he’ll spend most of the year in the minors. Which side are you on?
Klaw: Minors. Swing and miss is a legit issue here.

bobby: It’s barely possible that Gary Sanchez won’t be the best catcher in the history of the game. If that is the case, what do you foresee for him? Annual All Star? Occasional All Star? Solid performer? Kevin Maas? Thanks for the great work…
Klaw: The Kevin Maas comps are unfair (I know you’re not making one) because Sanchez has been better AND has actual value beyond the power AND there was a little more cause for optimism on Sanchez coming out of the minors. I think he’s a frequent All-Star, and could have an MVP type season or two, because he’s a catcher who will probably hit like a good first baseman.

bobby: The Yankees did a good job of rebuilding their farm system with some impact trades at the deadline. Clearly they need pitching to compete. If you were Cashman, would you deal from your prospects for a frontline starter, sign a Rich Hill, or wait a year and hope a Sheffield or Kaprielian works out and if not sign someone after 2017? Thanks, as always, for your great work.
Klaw: Probably would wait a year and see how some of the arms in the system fare next year, since several were hurt all or part of this year.

buck farmer: who would you pick for AL Cy Young?
Klaw: Kluber or Sale.

Jeff: Have you met Vin Scully? Any good stories?
Klaw: Once. He was a delight. Every bit as nice as he appears to be.

Anthony: I expect you to be flooded with this question. But what the are chances Sanchez can win RoY?
Klaw: I think pretty good, because he’s one of the 2-3 best candidates on performance and has a strong narrative behind him. Plus voters can be like sheep – one guy floats some stupid idea, like Cespedes for NL MVP last year, and next thing you know a lot of voters are baaaing along with it. Also it helps Sanchez that there’s a historical bias against pitchers winning ROY and the next-best candidate, Fulmer, is a pitcher.

Bradley: As someone who teaches high school Econ in a district that requires it for graduation, I appreciate your support of more kids taking the class. Would you be on board with all states requiring at least an intro class to graduate?
Klaw: Absolutely. I think it’s more essential than art or music, which I had to take in HS as well, or shop classes, which I had to take in junior high.

Fuzzy Dunlop: I’m already planning on getting the v60 pourover that you recommended the other day. What about a good grinder? I don’t like the one I have now, can you recommend one?
Klaw: I have a Baratza Virtuoso. It was recommended by my friend at Intelligentsia and it’s been great, as was the customer service when the first one I got proved defective.

Mike K: Any thoughts on Tommy Joseph? Is he a viable starter at first base moving forward?
Klaw: I don’t think so, but I don’t have a problem with them giving him half a season there to start 2017 and see while Hoskins goes to AAA.

Jeff: This is a bit of an odd question where your answers will probably more of an educated guess than it is a concrete answer, but you seem like the guy to ask it to! When you look at some of the MLBs official rules, rookie eligibility being a good example, why is it that at bats is the benchmark for determining status and not plate appearances? As a whole, it just seems like the MLB, at least in an official capacity, highly favors using it over plate appearances. I’ve always been a bit befuddled by that.
Klaw: PA matter for batting average title determination. It’s probably a function of convenience – at bats are listed everywhere, PA are not.

Dan: Adam Frazier appears to have an excellent hit tool, but with zero power. Any chance he can stick at an everyday player or is his ceiling a solid utility guy, if that?
Klaw: Utility guy for me.

Darren: Teabow hit an instructional league batting practice home run! I can’t wait to hear his speech at Cooperstown.
Klaw: Better get me a bucket, I’m gonna throw up.

Brett: Jason McCleod seems like the perfect candidate for the Twins job. Do you think he’s as interested as they are?
Klaw: He interviewed, so I can only assume so. I’ve touted him a bit here and on ESPN over the last few years because I think he blends scouting, player development, and analytical understanding in a way that would allow him to run a modern organization. Hiring strictly analytics guys to be GMs isn’t any better than hiring strictly scouting types, or than hiring a mediocre agent who’s never held a meaningful front office job in his life to be GM.

Clay: Do you think the Twins need to reset the rebuilding process after they hire a new GM, or are the pieces there that they could trade for some pitching?
Klaw: I think they need to focus on developing pitching for a change, and finding out why some decent pitching prospects they’ve had in the minors haven’t worked out as starters.

Dana: What’s Michael Pineda’s deal? Obviously, he has swing and miss stuff, yet the results are lacking.
Klaw: I think it’s a fairly hittable fastball when he misses his spots, which is often.

Reeve: Would Hunter Greene be your choice for #1 pick as of right now? What are some other names with #1 potential?
Klaw: No, he wouldn’t be 1 over Jeren Kendall. Kyle Wright is a possibility for 1, as is Alex Faedo. I think our top 30 is due to go up next week?

Rube Waddell: Does Trea Turner’s production fall off next year or can he keep up his all star level of performance?
Klaw: There’s no way he maintains this level of production. He’d be Honus Wagner if he did.

Missing Macphail: Keith, what do you do if you are Baltimore? You have three-fifths of a rotation and a solid bullpen, an offense built around inconsistent power with poor OBP and little speed, two very good players in Schoop and Machado, a great manager but a farm system that’s been gutted by short sighted trades? Weiters and Trumbo are probably gone after the season as well. Would it be better to blow it up and start over? I’m not sure how you could do so when the only parts other teams would want are the players you would like to build around. What’s your take?
Klaw: I don’t think Buck would have any patience for a rebuild, and what Buck says goes, so that’s the end of that conversation. I think the situation’s worse than you say – they have 2/5 of a rotation and whatever becomes of Bundy, who hasn’t been very good since they stretched him out and is a shell of what he was in high school. So they have to find two more starters on the market unless they can salvage something from Gallardo or Ubaldo, and they don’t have a ton to trade from full-season ball. It’s a serious challenge in and of itself, made worse by the constraints of the organization.

Jack: Is Franklyn Kilome a potential number 2? or backend?
Klaw: As with Cotton, if you’re talking absolute best-case scenario, #2 is reasonable. If you’re talking realistic ceiling, then it’s lower than that, with high probability that he’s a very good reliever.

Rube Waddell: Marcus Semien — Can he get better on both sides of the ball in 2017?
Klaw: No. I think this is it. I’m even surprised he’s gotten to this point.

Gordon Lightfoot: In 200 plate appearances since the beginning of August, McCutchen has put up a line of .288/.388/.494. Is it safe to say that the Cutch we saw pre trade deadline was driven more by things like health and not as much natural decline?
Klaw: It’s a small sample there, but I have said all year I thought it was health more than age. He’s a little young to be in that kind of age-related decline already.

Daniel: What can you tell us about Shohei Otani? Where/when will he play in mlb?
Klaw: He’s a pitcher, no matter what HR highlights you saw. I don’t think there’s any debate over this. As for when, I bet he comes over after 2017.

Mike: I know you were down on Yulieski Gurriel based on seeing him years ago. Granted it’s a sss but from what you’ve seen so far are you surprised by his performance?
Klaw: Remember that when I saw him he was also out of shape. It’s not fair to judge him on that look and that’s why I never really put it out there when the Astros signed him.

Mike: You can bash Jill Stein on Twitter all you want, but I find both Trump and Clinton to be deplorable with absolutely no honor and integrity. As a result, I will not cast my vote for either of them despite the fact I’ve always voted Democrat. Now, here’s a question for you – why should I vote Democrat after the DNC leak proved beyond a reason of doubt that the DNC leadership did everything it could to help Clinton win the primary and even aggressively targeted Sanders in a negative way? Why should I bow down to the establishment that cheated and proved it didn’t care what the voters actually wanted?
Klaw: Because this is a binary election. If you don’t vote for Clinton, you are effectively voting for Trump. You can convince yourself otherwise all you want, but if you wake up on November 9th and the President-elect is a dog-whistling white supremacist, then it’s on you and every other potential Clinton voter who decided this was the year to hold your breath until you get what you want.

Jaysfan: Donaldson has to be injured, if you had that information would you share it?
Klaw: He had an MRI on his hip a week ago. That’s not secret.

Casey: What is the ceiling for Magneuris Sierra? I assume with the lack of power he has to be able to stay in center in order to be an average regular?
Klaw: Yes but everything I’ve heard says he stays in CF.

Rick: Keith, In addition to the great work you do on baseball, I really like the insight you provide on other important issues. I have no question for you, just a thank you.
Klaw: You’re welcome, and thank you for reading them. I don’t pretend to have lots of answers but I do like to talk about these issues as part of the learning process.

Joe D: Keith, how can the public have faith in scientific studies when articles like the one you linked to last week show that results can be bought? On the advice of a former statistics professor, when I hear or read that a study was performed I always try to find out who paid for it.
Klaw: Those results were bought in 1965. The level of scrutiny today is much higher, and the opportunities for other researchers to replicate (or fail to replicate) results are greater.

Avi: Taillon has looked a little shaky recently. I sort of sense it might be fatigue for a guy who’s thrown 150+ innings that had not pitched since 2013. Thoughts? If the Pirates weren’t hanging on to WC hopes by a thread I would prefer to have him shutdown.
Klaw: I think that’s a reasonable position on all fronts. I don’t know if he’s feeling fatigue, but that’s a lot of innings for a guy who as you said basically missed two years.

Oren: Gregory Polanco has struggled a bit with breaking stuff this year and its clearly one of the last adjustments he needs to make. How confident do you feel that he can make those adjustments? He’s always struck me as a guy who takes a little longer than most to make them, but he gets there.
Klaw: I think that’s very fair. I believe he can make those adjustments because 1) he’s never been a hacker or somehow hopeless on offspeed stuff and 2) as you’ve said we’ve seen him make other adjustments before. The guys who scare me are the ones who’ve never hit breaking stuff at any level, or the ones who just don’t make adjustments well. I’ve never been a Grichuk guy because he’s struggled with breaking stuff since high school.

William Bradley: Can Hunter Renfroe hold down a MLB job next year, or was he simply out-performing this year in a hitter friendly league as an older player? Also, what are your projections next year for Tommy Joseph?
Klaw: Very hitter-friendly league and poor K/BB rates too, for a guy who already had swing and miss concerns and doesn’t recognize breaking stuff that well either.

Tim: I keep hearing that baseball needs to appeal to a younger audience. Do you buy this? I’ll be honest: the argument seems fallacious on its face, so I’ve never bothered to read further. Am I making a grave error?
Klaw: No, I don’t buy it.

Rob: You were a little hard on the Reds for the return they got for Todd Frazier but that Schebler and Peraza boy turned out to have nice seasons and are young. Have your thoughts evolved at all on that trade?
Klaw: No, it remains a huge loss of value for them. Schebler’s been replacement level for them, and he’s 25. Peraza didn’t hit well in AAA, hasn’t walked or shown any power in the majors, but at least the Reds have given him some reps at shortstop which would give him a substantial boost to his value. Still they could have done so much better for Frazier than they did.

Pete: Jordan Luplow and Connor Joe had solid 2nd halves in the FSL. Do you see either as future major leaguers?
Klaw: Not of any consequence, although I expect both to get to the majors.

sam: Hey, Keith… since you’ve stated in the past that your concept of the rookie-of-the-year vote is to vote for whom you thought would have the best career (I remember when you thought Matusz was the best choice one year), would you vote for Sanchez or Fullmer this year?
Klaw: That’s overstating it a bit – I think that this should be a factor, since we’re typically looking at very unequal opportunities (playing time) when comparing ROY candidates. If I had a vote today, I’d probably give it to Sanchez, although Fulmer is worthy and if you wanted to put him first I wouldn’t disagree.

JC: I’ve been concerned all year about the way the Braves have used Aaron Blair. He has been up and and down 4 times and pitched poorly until his last ML start. Should the way the Braves have used him have long term effects?
Klaw: His fastball’s been off a bit and given that I was hoping he’d get a stint in relief to get some confidence back and also maybe let him regain some strength.

Bob: Good afternoon, Keith. I have read up on how WAR is calculated but one thing escapes me. Are park effects factored in? If not, then is that something that the evaluator has to do to interpret the data?
Klaw: Yes, all versions of WAR I know, including the ones teams use internally, include a park adjustment.

Morris: On Twitter I notice you frequently get labeled as a liberal. But when you tear Jill Stein a new one or defend Ronald Reagan’s presidency or rip some naturopaths on vaccine science I don’t see complaints about how conservative you are. I guess that’s not a question.
Klaw: People who call me or anyone else a “liberal” as a sort of insult don’t seem to know what the word means. I am more of a classical liberal than a modern liberal, but you’re not going to see that distinction on social media.

Casey: What is the best way to cook asparagus without having a grill?
Klaw: Roast at 500 degrees about ten minutes. Just toss with a little olive oil and salt beforehand.

Carly Simon: Tebow, Tebow, Tebow… seriously though…. I keep reading Tebow would have been a “high” pick coming out of HS yet I don’t recall ever hearing his name pre-draft. Do you have any recollection/opinion of his status as a 17-18 year old player? Is this just more Tebow hype or was he a legit “top 10 round” HS prospect?
Klaw: You don’t recall that because this is utter bullshit, and you should call out any reporter who claims it. He didn’t even play his senior year of HS.

Justin: Your obligatory, stick to baseball question. As an economist, what do you think we should do with interest rates?
Klaw: I wish I had even a reasonable answer to that (and I’m not an economist).

JC: First, second, short ,LF and CF seem set for the Braves. What positions would you focus on improving during the offseason?
Klaw: They need power bats, somewhere.

J: Totally agree with Sabbath as top 5 most important/influential band of all time. Other 4? I’m thinking Stooges, Velvet Underground, Ramones. Beatles. Not best of course but influential
Klaw: Clash would be one of my five, along with the Beatles, of course. I feel like Zeppelin, even though they’re not that critically adored, influenced two generations of rock musicians. This is one question where popularity may matter more than artistic merit (and I like Zeppelin quite a bit). So VU may get the critical nod, but they were and are far enough outside the mainstream that I’d probably exclude them.

BB: Cubs are still short on upper level minors SP’ing. Trevor Clifton had a nice year in high-A. He someone that has MOR kind of potential?
Klaw: Yep, he’s taken a nice step forward. There’s pitching in their system but not top-end pitching.

Frank: What would Atlanta have to surrender from the farm to acquire Chris Archer?
Klaw: Why would they want to do that? Pitching they’ve got.

Andy: You have NL ROY right? Do you wish that you could vote in an award that’s likely to be closer? Or is it just an honor to vote?
Klaw: Yes, and yes it would be nice to have a tougher decision – I think 1-2 are pretty obvious – but it is an honor and a responsibility to vote, and I will not complain about it.

Ian: Allard looked great this year after he came back from the back injury/rehab. Assuming the back issues are behind him, is he the best pitching prospect in the Braves system and most likely to reach their ceiling? Think he starts at A+ next year, or repeat at Rome? Really excited to watch the progress of that rotation at Rome. Thanks!
Klaw: I had him as their top pitching prospect prior to the season, I think, and I’d stick with that. I wish he was more physical, but he’s loose and athletic and I think he’ll be fine even without the size.

Tom: Do you think Patrick Corbin’s struggles this year (although he’s done better in the bullpen recently) stem from his recovery from TJ surgery? Do you think he’s a good candidate for a rebound next season after he’s fully healthy?
Klaw: Remember when I suggested last December that they put Corbin in the bullpen for part of 2016, and got pilloried for it? Or how TweedleDave said they were expecting a full season out of Corbin as a starter this year? That all worked out well. And by the way, yes, I am expecting/hoping for a rebound; he’s very athletic and had two legit weapons when healthy.

Pat D: Nice to see you, Mr. Creosote. Where would you start Rutherford next season? I think it has to be Charleston, but is that possibly pushing it?
Klaw: Charleston. He’ll turn 20 in May, so he has to start in low-A IMO. The goal should be Trenton by end of 2018. I think he’s got enough hit tool right now to do it.

JR: Do you think Gsellman and Lugo are legitimate MLB SPs going forward, or are they both having nice SSS stretches against mostly weaker competition? If so, would the Mets be smart to look to sell high this offseason and look to trade either or both?
Klaw: Gsellman yes, Lugo I don’t think so, but I wouldn’t try to sell either. That is their starting pitching depth right there. Without those guys they would have been screwed this year.

Evan: What do you make of Eric Hosmer’s consistently terrible defensive metrics? Is this due to poor positioning or a lack of ability? Are we getting to the point where he should DH?
Klaw: I think defensive metrics do a poor job with 1b because they measure range but not the receiving aspects of the job.

Jon: Even though it’s a meaningless feat, do you think if Trout reaches 30-30 HR/SB, that helps his MVP case?
Klaw: I think voters baaaa have already decided that they’re not baaaaa voting for him baaacause he’s on a losing team.

Bill: Matt Boyd reportedly changed his arm angle during the middle part of the season and has pitched extremely well since his return, with increased velocity and a higher strikeout rate. Can such an adjustment really have that kind of immediate effect?
Klaw: Yes. Arm angle/slot shifts are dangerous (I think) but the effect can be pretty dramatic for fastball life, breaking ball tilt, or just plain deception.

Nick: TJ Rivera has hit everywhere he has played, including his recent time with the Mets. I know he is already 27 so he isn’t exactly a kid, but what do you think his ultimate ceiling is as a MLBer?
Klaw: Up and down guy. He’s hit everywhere but he’s been old for everywhere too.

Spx: Not to derail the chat to vax stuff, but is it possible some truth in not ALL vaccines are always safe? Could be possible for one recent, limited tested vac out of the 200 causing problems?
Klaw: When there was the slightest hint that the first rotavirus vaccine caused bowel obstructions, it was yanked from the market immediately, even though the number of actual cases was minuscule. So, yes, it’s possible there could be a minor issue with a vaccine, but it would be evident immediately. There aren’t larger problems because vaccination itself is safe; your child will get more pathogens from a few hours at school or day care than from all the weakened or dead-virus vaccines s/he will get in his/her lifetime.

Linus: How much do you think Statcast and other “on the field” measurements revolutionized front offices? How much time will it take to change fans’ perspective of the game?
Klaw: I’m writing about this now for my book, and yes, it’s changing things very rapidly within the industry, but the gap between what they know and what we know is increasing as a result.

Michael: Hi Klaw- Thanks as always for the chats. You remain the sole reason for me being an ESPN Insider. I became a huge fan of Ticket to ride and Carcassonne in large part due to your reviews. However I have had the Le Havre app on my iPad for months and been unable to get over the hump of what seems like overly complicated game play. Any suggestions on an easy way to learn to play?
Klaw: That’s because it is complicated; I traded my copy of the physical game away because we hadn’t played it in years. It takes too long to set up and gameplay is very involved, even compared to Agricola. But if you’ve played Agricola at all, then Le Havre becomse a little more straightforward.

ritchie vanian: Keith- It appears you are no fan of Terry Collins, but can you give him credit for keeping such an injured team in contention? Only one starter has not been on the DL this year, and his best pitcher has been the 975 year old Big Sexy.
Klaw: Why is that to Collins’ credit, though? What has he done specifically to make the team play better? Is it tactical? Motivational? (I doubt this exists, but you could at least make the argument.) Something else?

Brett: I think the Rabbit books by Updike are great (they get better with time). I know you find the main character to be an ass, but isn’t that kinda the point?
Klaw: It is the point. I just don’t like that kind of novel.

Bevan: If Manuel Margot doesn’t start in CF for the Padres tonight, I’m going to lose my mind.
Klaw: Understandable.

Mike: What’s your fave boardgame to play with a 7 y.o? Ludo is crushing my soul.
Klaw: We have played regular games with my daughter since at least that age. Ticket to Ride is a great starter game, because everything is colors and arithmetic.

Bob: Speaking of Grichuk reminds me of other similar players like Trumbo. Not making outs is the #1 goal of a hitter but power has value too. What does a team do with low-OBP, high-SLG guys like that? Only use them to pinch-hit? Have no more than one or two on a team and bat them sixth or seventh? Frustrate yourself trying to teach them how to take a walk?
Klaw: The problem I see with those guys is that it takes a tiny bit of lost luck or lost power (or the wrong ballpark) to make them one-win players or worse. You’re relying entirely on a skill that is still a bit volatile.

Andy: Baseball does need to work on appealing to a younger audience. They need to do that by making it much more cost and time effective to play baseball as a kid. My 6 year old doesn’t need 6 hours of practice a week. 8 year olds (and their families) could use a weekend off instead of traveling all over the area playing. That’s how you appeal to a younger audience, having every kid be able to play as long as they have the talent to.
Klaw: That’s all fair and reasonable. I also have told many parents that their kid doesn’t need to play year-round, and that travel teams aren’t often worth the money. But I worry about kids for whom the expense of a glove and a bat is too much; basketball has a much lower cost of entry, requires fewer kids, and only requires a hoop. Making baseball more accessible to every kid would be a better use of marketing dollars than … well, I take it back. It would be a more noble use. It might not be a better ROI.

Kenny: I’ve always liked that you will admit when wrong. The O’s clearly have holes, but have contended for four straight years. What is allowing them to do that despite their flaws? It can’t be SSS anymore.
Klaw: Good bullpens, very good tactical manager, some luck here and there with guys having career years. I don’t think Britton should be a CY candidate but he’s having an outstanding year, and he was an outstanding prospect for whom the Orioles found a role even when he didn’t work out as a starter.

Brett: We know you live in DE, but where would you live if you had no obligations (yes, I realize that’s a poor way to describe a family and job)
Klaw: Italy.

Lee: Can we quit with the false equivalence between Clinton and Trump? I’m tired of people suggesting that they can’t vote for Clinton because they are both equally awful candidates. Trump is an actual threat to our country like we’ve never seen. Clinton just seems like more of the same which in comparison seem pretty OK with me for the time being.
Klaw: This is more or less how I see it. I do think HRC has real policy proposals that we can debate, some of which I like and some of which I don’t. Drumpf doesn’t even have that.

Ryan: Do you project Gonsalves as a #2 in the majors?
Klaw: Not without an average breaking ball.

Nathan: Does America have any hope of survival if Clown Hitler wins the presidency and the GOP retains control of the House and Senate?
Klaw: It’s a terrifying possibility. Hence, Italy.

Marques: I’m biracial. We can talk about bias all we want in the minority community and people lake us add giving excuses instead of explaining a reality. So, when a white guy with credibility says implicit bias is real, it helps mentally if nothing else. How can we improve if we don’t acknowledge the obvious? Thank you for your empathy.
Klaw: You’re welcome. To be honest, I feel like the worst white guy to talk about this stuff. I grew up in as white an area as you could possibly find in the country. My wife (we graduated from HS together) and I think we had fewer than 5 African-American students in our graduating class of about 375, maybe a dozen Asian-American students, and I don’t think we had anyone who would have specifically identified at the time as anything else. I’ve seen racism elsewhere, later in life, including in my time in baseball, but I’ve only been a passive observer and I didn’t even grow up with that around me. The worst bias I saw growing up was the casual anti-Semitism of the Catholic suburbs.

Spx: So basically you are ripping Jill Stein because Trump has lose, correct?
Klaw: No, I’ve ripped her for pandering to the tin-foil hat conspiracy theory nuts.

Brett: Did you collect baseball cards as a kid? I suspect I’m about your age, and I wonder if some of us “investing” in cards 1986-89 has driven the interest in stats
Klaw: Yep, tons. Probably still have them somewhere.

Steve: Where do you see Mitch Keller in terms of prospect ranking after his breakout year?
Klaw: He’s a top 50 prospect, but I hesitate to get more specific until I do some real work on that list.

Gregg: Any advice for someone who hates the idea of everything about cooking (time, cleanup, prep, etc.), but also sees the importance and possible enjoyments of it?
Klaw: Do things that require less of what you hate. Grilling minimizes cleanup. One-pot dishes do the same. Slow cookers are great for cooking multiple nights of food in one shot. I don’t cook a full meal every night every week; I often cook enough meat in one shot to cover three dinners for the family and then build meals around whatever else we’re eating, typically the vegetable dish.

Henry: Keith, your book seems to be tailored for novices attempting to understand the overrated statistics of the game. (Yeah, I’m kind of judging it from its title). Can you share if your current readers will get something out of it. P.S. Amazon is listing it as a #1 new release in Business Facility Management, whatever that is.
Klaw: I hope current readers will enjoy it, and there will be a section at the end (mentioned above) on Statcast and the future of the game, but there will be parts where you’re thinking, yep, I know saves are stupid. There is, however, nothing in the book on facility management. That’ll be the sequel.

Tom: Heh, how can you talk about influence and not mention Pink Floyd, shine on you crazy diamond.
Klaw: I love Pink Floyd but I don’t think they’re that influential. What bands or subgenres really derive from their work?

Chris: Has Max Fried gotten back to the level you expected after missing so much time, or does staying in the Sally League hurt his case?
Klaw: He’s back, and I don’t worry quite so much about age relative to level for pitchers as I do for hitters. With pitchers, results do matter, but stuff and projection matter too.

Ron: Are you going to watch Pitch? The reviews, including Sepinwall, have been outstanding at least for the pilot.
Klaw: I am not.

Rob: Do you manage to get in a lot of board game time during the season, or is that mostly an offseason hobby?
Klaw: My wife and I play something 3-4 nights a week, and we play something with our daughter maybe 2-3 afternoons a week. I’m pretty adamant about getting that quality time in with the family when I’m not traveling or at a local game. I was home more this summer due to the book and a family matter, so I’ve played more games this year.

Susan: What watch do you wear? I realize it’s a silly question, but still curious if you care?
Klaw: I haven’t worn a wristwatch in more than ten years.

Chris: I’m with you, I see no reason for the Yanks to undo the restocking of the system by trading it all for Sale or something. Rather see them consolidate for a year (in fact I’d like to see them keep going and trading Gardner, McCann, and selling high on Castro’s superficial numbers), but I’m worried the powers that be (not Cash) will get antsy and worry about empty luxury seats w/o “name” stars on the field.
Klaw: They’re going to be decent and very fun to watch next year, and I think Sanchez might already be enough of a name guy to help draw fans.

Amy: I’m sure ESPN will make you put this in a prediction post, but who you got for WS? I feel like everyone will pick the hot Sox, but it rarely seems to work out that the hottest pre playoff team wins.
Klaw: I’ll make a prediction because people want one, not because I think I have some special woo or anything. I’m likely to go Cubs because I think they’re the best all-around team, built well for the playoffs, especially in run prevention.

Sam: How much will Jorge Mateo’s bad final 4 months of the season knock him down in top 100 prospect rankings?
Klaw: I’ve said this previously, but I’m less concerned with his performance than with the apparent lack of hard contact. He could be hitting the ball hard and not getting results, and I’d still be high on him. But he’s not even doing that. And then there’s whatever got him suspended in July on top of everything else.

Scrapper: Who will have the better career: Carlos Rodon or Kevin Gausman
Klaw: I’ll take Gausman, believe it or not. He’s got the third pitch and I think he’s more likely to end up with above-average command.

Ryan: Keith – thanks for the chats and for not being afraid of stepping outside the foul lines. I have a 4.5 year old daughter and my wife and I want to step past infant books for her. What chapter books worked for you and your daughter around that age?
Klaw: We did the Winnie the Pooh books and the first two Mary Poppins books and my daughter loved them. Eventually you’ll run into Rainbow Magic, and I wish you godspeed when that happens.

Grant: Has the perceived value of any contract flipped further this year than Rick Porcello’s? He went from being called a bottom 10 MLB contract to a Cy Young candidate.
Klaw: Too bad the GM who signed him got fired for his troubles.

Scrapper: Is exit velocity something that you look at now or is this a “limited utility” statistic for you?
Klaw: I believe there is value in it, but we are still learning what that value is.

Zac: If you were going to have the perfect breakfast, lunch, dinner combo in Nashville, where would you be eating?
Klaw: Breakfast at Pinewood Social, lunch at Mas Tacos Por Favor, dinner at Husk or City House or 404 Kitchen or Two Ten Jack…

Ramon: I’m certainly no scientist, but I’ve heard theories that while vaccinations are themselves bad, that possibly over vaccinating (getting too many all at one time) may be a bad idea. What do studies say?
Klaw: They say this is absolute nonsense. My daughter, at age one or maybe just short of it, was at a playgym of some sort, and my wife saw her lick the floor. She ingested more pathogens in that one act than in every vaccine she got that whole year. Our immune systems are way stronger than the deniers claim.

JWR: Do you set aside a specific time to write your book or is it pretty much just write when time permits?
Klaw: When time permits. And when I’m not distracted by things.

Chris: Has Kodi Medeiros shown enough to stay as a starter long term, or is he for sure destined to the pen?
Klaw: Bullpen guy.

Chris: Preller should have been fired, right?
Klaw: I don’t agree.

Brett: Is David Ortiz an easy choice HOF’er? It seems like he is being treated as such. The WAR is surprisingly low (and if Bagwell is out for steroid suspicion, isn’t Ortiz in the same boat?)
Klaw: He’s not a HoFer for me. Edgar is the better DH candidate, and that bar has been set too high for Ortiz to get in.

Stacy: Ok, what do you think of tattoos? Obviously, they are big with millennials. Would you be good with you daughter sleeving the arm?
Klaw: I don’t have any, but it’s her body and when she’s old enough it’ll be her choice.

Jim: Response to the cooking cleanup question: They made liners for crock pots so there’s no cleanup involved with that.
Klaw: Also true.

spx: Inciate’s catch – first step was -.7. How is that possible?
Klaw: I actually don’t understand what that’s saying. He started before the ball was hit?

Tom: Sorry, my Pink Floyd joke sounded better in my mind, the operative word was “influence”, the lunatic is in my head…
Klaw: Careful with that axe, Tom.

Frank: Making my first trip to the AFL and looking for any recommendations on food stops..Also long term who will end up having a better career Bellinger or Verdugo th
Klaw: Check my Arizona dining guide for the first part. I’ll bet on Verdugo although I had both guys as top 100 prospects before the season.

Henry: The Smiths were highly influential, and Johnny Marr’s guitar playing is highly underrated. They wouldn’t be on a “top-five” list but their influence is still very evident with the British music scene.
Klaw: Absolutely, but it’s only within the British scene, I think.

Chris: Do you think Chase Vallot can stick behind the plate, and if not, will that bat play good enough elsewhere?
Klaw: No, and I don’t think so.

Scherzer’s Blue Eye: Would you put Giolito as the centerpiece in a deal for Sale? Given the year that Giolito has had?
Klaw: I’d hate to sell a little low – especially when some of it was the Nats’ own tinkering with his delivery – but if it gets you a CY caliber guy like Sale you consider it.

Joe: Do you think third party votes are always bad, or does Trump’s incompetence make this year a special case? I’ve voted third party before and would probably be giving Johnson my vote this year if someone like Kasich had been nominated. But I just can’t do it with Trump on the ballot.
Klaw: I’ve voted third party before too. I don’t agree that they’re always bad. But this time, there’s a dangerous man at the gates of the White House, so bar the doors.

Marshall MN: If you could go back to college and do it all over again (under the assumption you couldn’t follow your current work track), would you directly pursue a writing career or would your obvious interest in science point you toward a hard science field?
Klaw: If I could do it over again, I’d major in applied math and use all my electives on foreign languages. Those are all things I love, and as it turns out, they’re all quite useful in many careers, including the one I’m in. But I started college at 17 and it was a small miracle I could do my own laundry, let alone pick what classes to take.

Klaw: That’s all for this week – sorry the pace was off a bit but I stayed overtime to try to make up for it. Thank you as always for all of your questions; I’ll be back next Thursday for another chat.