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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My first mock for this year’s MLB Draft is up for subscribers to the Athletic, as is a post comparing high school pitchers Chase Petty and Frank Mozzicato.

Keith Law: A broken soul stares from a pair of watering eyes. Klawchat.

Timothy: So with this many names seemingly in play for the first pick the Pirates have to try and look for an under slot deal right?
Keith Law: I think they can shave a million off anyone they take at 1 … if they’re close to indifferent among the options they can just offer that discount to two or three players, and see who takes it. I agree, though, that’s the strategy so they can go get a high-ceiling guy (probably a HS arm) at their next pick at 37.

TomBruno23: Any specific college baseball games you are targeting to watch today/this weekend?
Keith Law: Nope. I’d rather talk to scouts afterwards and go watch highlights rather than deal with frustrating TV angles and blathering commentary.

Dan: Is Chase Allsup, Auburn commit from Dothan moving up towards the top 100?
Keith Law: Not mine, sorry.

TomBruno23: Wrapped up, How Lucky, by your friend, Will Leitch. Rarely do novels anymore but I enjoyed that one. Even better that I went in not knowing anything about the plot or characters.
Keith Law: I’m reading that next after Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half, which seems to be a favorite for this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

Sedona: How does the Cards front office miss on Arozorena and Adolis and prefer O’neil and Bader?
Keith Law: I’m not so sure they really “missed” on Adolis … yes, he has the 16 homers, but he never walks and has all of 3 doubles this year. It looks extremely fluky. I was never an O’Neill guy, though – never understood what they saw in him. Dead power with nothing else.

Joe: Have you heard any early returns on if Luis Medina’s improved command and control has carried over from the end of 2019?
Keith Law: Nothing directly, not yet. I’ll go see him in June.

Tom: You mentioned about the overuse of WVUS jackson wolf. How do you evaluate him?
Keith Law: He’s on my top 100. One of the better senior signs in this draft.

Brian: Should there be consequences for college managers who abuse pitchers like what Randy Mazey did to Jackson Wolf last night? Way to wreck a kid’s future.
Keith Law: There can’t be – there is no mechanism to sanction coaches who do this stuff. If recruits started pulling out from commitments to schools that overuse their pitchers, that would help, but otherwise MLB really needs to step in and work with the NCAA to get some limits in place.

Sedona: Mackenzie Gore has not shown control of 3 of his pitches for over a year including 2 springs, alt site & now in a small sample size in the minors.  Other publications sited scouts to confirm the lack of control.  Do you think he was “effectively wild” in 2019?  Do you think he can make mechanical adjustments?  Do you consider him to be a top prospect?  Or have guys like Manoah pass him?
Keith Law: This is just wrong.

TomBruno23: Great mock, seriously cannot believe two teams get to pick 1 (ducking).
Keith Law: WordPress problem. Autonumbering didn’t work.

TJ177: Is Roansy Contreras’ stuff good enough to play at the MLB level right now?
Keith Law: I like Roansy but no, that’s too aggressive.

Tom: Will Klaw be enjoying any whiteclaws this memorial day weekend?
Keith Law: Don’t you put that evil on me.

TJ177: If Syndegaard can’t ramp up fast enough to get an MLB start this year but his medicals otehrwise look ok, could he still beat the QO value in FA? Feels like someone would still give him a multi-year deal with an opt-out just on upside.
Keith Law: I think no.

Will: Given the Yorke pick last year, is there a decent chance the Red Sox go underslot at four so they can spend more on later draft picks? If so, who might the Sox take as the underslot guy?
Keith Law: Haven’t heard that at all. Yorke is off to a rough start too, for a guy who was supposed to be able to hit above all else, so that may deter them from doing the same.

Sweeney: Is Roansy Contreras a hidden gem in the Taillon deal? Dude has been dealing…..same deal, Maikol Escotto with a grand slam last night and ~ 350/500/450 slash through the first month+. Just low-A for now, but a legit prospect?
Keith Law: It’s less than one month of sample size.

Bryan: Taylor Trammell goes back to raking at AAA. Is the difference in pitching between MLB and AAA that big? What do you expect his contributions to be for Seattle upon next recall?
Keith Law: Not only is there a big difference, but imagine how that AAA pitching would look to a guy who just saw MLB pitching for a month. Like going from calculus to long division.
Keith Law: I like Trammell but I hope they don’t rush him back to the majors, either. Set him up for success. He had real trouble with offspeed stuff in the big leagues and you have to be sure he’s seen and adjusted to the better breaking stuff/changeups in AAA before bringing him back.

Jon: Amed Rosario seems to be turning a little bit of a corner here. Can you expect him to keep hitting or a blip on the radar and will go back to what he’s been?
Keith Law: I’ve always liked Rosario and the last month or so is more in line with what I expected from him, but it’s still a small sample and he hasn’t faced the best pitching staffs in that span either.

Brace: Are Luis Urias’ days as a full-time player done? Or will a position switch lead him back to his former ability? I know you mentioned moving off of SS in the trade article might be a benefit.
Keith Law: I like him best as a platoon 2b and backup IF. He should never have been asked to play shortstop.

Sebastian: I know it’s still super early, but it’s encouraging that Ronny Mauricio already has tied his career high in home runs.  Have you heard anything about a change in his swing leading to more fly balls/power? Or just added strength?
Keith Law: Added strength – he was still pretty undersized when last we saw him.

Matt: Okay so just what the heck are we supposed to think about Cornelius Randolph now?
Keith Law: We’re supposed to think it’s less than a month of playing time.

Ben (MN): I don’t remember Trevor Rogers being a highly touted prospect, but he has been incredible so far. I do remember you mentioned him as a possible breakout candidate this year, but do you think he can continue to be a top 15-20 pitcher going forward?
Keith Law: I do. The slider is a difference-maker. He was a first-rounder out of HS, even without that breaking ball, so it’s not as if he was never a prospect – he’s just become a much better one.

Adam: Cherry-picking his outing today, but Spencer Howard looks incredible. Really tough start to his MLB career, but do you still have a TOR outcome possible for him?
Keith Law: I never had him as a top of the rotation guy, sorry.

JJ: Who will be the first 2021 draft pick to make his way to the majors?
Keith Law: Some random college reliever taken in the 8th round.

Harrisburg Hal: my daughter was playing around on ms paint and mlb stole it for one of their ‘local market’ hats… what’s my legal recourse?
Keith Law: Graphic design is her passion, apparently.

Nighter: Do teams care at all about family ties in terms of drafting? Just seeing a guy like Will Bednar where the Pirates just traded for his older brother, David. Obviously they just want to get the best players available in their pools, but it’s kind of a cool thing.
Keith Law: I don’t think anyone cares about that. If they do they should be fired. You don’t get extra points for having brothers on your team or for drafting the local kid.

Brian: I know the Yankees are desperate for bodies but doesn’t bringing up Florial seem like a bad idea assuming he’s up for more than just today?
Keith Law: Probably just because he’s already on the 40-man. He wasn’t hitting at all in AAA.

Jay: Do you like Priester, Tahnaj, Roasny, Yajure, or Brennan more? In that order?
Keith Law: You’re looking for my top 20 Pirates prospects ranking.

Ken: Watching baseball since 1980 I always hear the term “professional hitter” and “professional at-bat.”  Within the context of the words I do understand what they are saying.  Question in a specific situation – down a run – 8th inning – runner on second no one out.  Batter comes up – takes a Ball, hits a dribble foul, swings and misses, and then on the 1-2 pitch hits a slower roller right side 4-3, runner to third.   The old school analyst would call that a “professional at-bat” or “the hitter doing his job.”  For the analytical guys – is this a good at -bat or a bat at-bat that had an net positive outcome (runner to third 1 out – sac fly can get him in it to tie) or is it a bad at-bat and the outcome is irrelevant to determing if it is a good or bad at-bat
Keith Law: It’s a bad at bat in every way. It’s an out. The team’s odds of scoring went down. The team’s odds of scoring multiple runs went way down.

WHAT: You need to stop what you are doing and watch the Baez/Pirates play from a few minutes ago. We’ll wait.
Keith Law: I mean, I love Baez, and that’s heads-up running by him, but what in the actual fuck was Will Craig thinking? Was this his first day playing baseball? STEP ON FIRST BASE.

Steve: Do you Mozzicato as a over slot 2nd round guy?  I know prep pitchers should almost always sign but he seems like the type who can build his frame and add velo
Keith Law: I do. If he were committed to Vandy or Florida, he might be unsignable, but with UConn I think he should just sign.

ugotwilcoxed: Impression of Cade Cavalli a handful of starts in?
Keith Law: Haven’t seen him yet, just Rutledge. I’ve focused on the draft while they were still going, but with most of those guys done playing I’ll shift to seeing more minor league guys.

HomerSomethingSomething: Devers has been a joy to watch hitting lately. Think he breaks out and makes to 40 HR this year?
Keith Law: I think 40 HR is well within his capabilities.

section 34: Let’s say it was a lab leak. What could be done about it?
Keith Law: Let’s not say that, because the odds of that being true are extremely small, and even entertaining the possibility is just feeding the trolls.

John: Franchy Cordero optioned today — does he ever become a productive MLB player?
Keith Law: Up and down guy, IMO.

Chris P: Liover Peguero is off to a hot start and small sample size aside, what does he need to do to get top 100 buzz?
Keith Law: Let’s see him fill out and turn that contact into more extra-base hits.

Tom Plunkett: Coming to Frederick Md to see the “Draft: baseball league?   We miss the Keys and minor league baseball.
Keith Law: No, not unless those rosters really improve. There just wasn’t enough talent on them to get me to drive there when I  could go see at least six minor-league teams with a shorter drive.

Guest: Expectations for Manoah’s debut today?
Keith Law: None.

James: A lot has been made of the many Tatis errors so far. However, they all seem to be related to his throwing and the rest of his defensive skills look really good. Is that fixable to the point where we can expect him to stick at SS, possibly with good overall numbers?
Keith Law: He may be pushed off over time but his range and hands are really great.

Greg: Just looking at recent drafts and reading you/Pipeline write ups — seems like Atlanta is pretty likely going college route at 24?
Keith Law: I think so. But they’re not anti-HS, just more likely college at the first pick.

Tom: On a scale from 10 to 10 how excited are you to read the unpublished John Steinbeck werewolf murder mystery?
Keith Law: An 11. would absolutely read that.

Steve: I know SSS and all, but have you heard/seen about Pratto so far this season? Is the turnaround legit?
Keith Law: It was a real swing change, and adjustment to his approach, so I’m cautiously optimistic on that one.

Chris P: Gage Jump has been getting some helium elsewhere, but wasn’t on your big board. What do you see in him as a prospect?
Keith Law: I don’t see a top 3 rounds guy. Sub 6 foot lefty without premium stuff. I wouldn’t take that guy out of high school – college, maybe, when you’ve seen him against better competition and have better data too.

Jonas: Any new cookbooks you’ve tried or looking to get?
Keith Law: Hoping to pick up Nik Sharma’s The Flavor Equation soon.
Keith Law: My wife got me Parvana for Valentine’s Day and what I’ve tried has been great.

Dan: What do you make of Rodon’s season so far?  Finally hitting his potential after years of injuries?  Great start but not sustainable anywhere near this level?  Somewhere in between?
Keith Law: I can’t tell you if he’ll hold up, but otherwise I’m buying.

Adam: Should I care that Tatis Jrs strikeout and whiff rate are well below average?
Keith Law: No.

Adam: The untrained eye test tells me that Ryan Weathers is a really good young pitcher with top-half of the rotation upside. What is the trained eye test telling you?
Keith Law: He’s a really good young pitcher with top-half of the rotation (but not top of the rotation) upside.

David: The new Andy Weir book, “The Hail Mary” was really enjoyable with lots of hard science. If you liked The Martian, I think you would enjoy it.
Keith Law: Excellent, thank you, I did like The Martian.

Adam: It’s well documented that AJ Preller personally scouts more amateur players than any GM in baseball, but how notable is his presence somewhere within the industry? If a scout sees him at a game, do they report that back to their superiors or is it so commonplace that most just disregard it at this point?
Keith Law: It’s noteworthy – he’s not seeing players his scouts don’t like, after all.

Dan: Is Brujan from TB all that his numbers this year (SSS) seem to be?  If so going to be fun watching him and Wander and others in years to come.
Keith Law: I think he’s a star. Not a Franco type star, but a star.

Steve: Could Alvarez stick at catcher long term or more of a 1b/dh type long term?
Keith Law: Francisco? Never heard any reason to think he’s not a catcher.

Ryan: I know its not your reporting but great reporting by The Athletic on this Mickey Callaway story. I guess the only thing disappointing is that MLB is trying absolve itself of responsibility for fostering this culture across multiple clubs.
Keith Law: Yes, Britt, Katie, and Ken have all done great work on that topic. I don’t think MLB would ever admit to any responsibility for the existence of that culture, or to a failure to stop it sooner (I think that’s the better take – they didn’t foster it so much as ignore it). But at this point I will take any progress as it comes while pushing for more.

Robert: Reid Detmers has added a lot of velocity so far this year. Does this development significantly raise his ceiling for you?
Keith Law: Let’s see him hold it first.

Jeffrey: How far has Kevin Abel fallen since the 2018 CWS?
Keith Law: I’m not sure where you even draft him at this point. Might have been a first-rounder before Oregon State abused his arm. Now I don’t think you go in before the fourth round.

Joe: Given the expected dates of their better MiLB prospects contributing, how long before the O’s are competitive?
Keith Law: I think Derek asked me about that on a recent podcast and I said not in the next 3 years. Their talent is a little too far away and the division doesn’t make it easier. I have heard great stuff on DL Hall, though, and while it’s a small sample, striking out 31 of 67 batters he’s faced this year is (runs Monte Carlo simulation) good.

Chris P: Should we be concerned about Luzardo’s ability to stay in the rotation for a full season?
Keith Law: Yes. Unfortunately for him, the one time he stayed healthy for just about an entire season was the time the entire season was only 60 games.

Kevin: Gunnar Henderson is playing like a top 20 prospect this season. He need to be aggressively pushed to HiA
Keith Law: Counterpoint: No, he doesn’t.
Keith Law: He’s 20, off to a good start in low A, but hardly dominating to the point that you’d think a 16-game sample is indicative that he belongs at the higher level.

Nick V: If you were in the position to make such a judgement for a MLB franchise, would you give the thumbs up or down for allowing your higher value prospects to play for Team USA?
Keith Law: Probably thumbs down, if I’m making a decision in the franchise’s best interests.

Warbiscuit: Connor Prielipp is out for the year. At this point is it still possible he gets drafted with one abbreviated season and a season plagued with injuries?
Keith Law: He’s not eligible this year. He’s eligible in 2022, and probably won’t pitch at all that spring, so he might be a guy to watch for 2023.

addoeh: Italy and Wales in the same group for Euros and you said you were with Wales when it’s rugby.  Back with the Azzurri because it is soccer?
Keith Law: Yeah, I gotta back the blue this time.

Jack: Whens the Austin Riley apology essay dropping on The Athletic?
Keith Law: If Riley turns out to be an above-average regular, he’ll make one of my year-end columns on players I got wrong … but I’m not sure if it’s smart to let about four good weeks outweigh about a season and a half of awful. I’d be ignoring an entire chapter of my own book.

Tom: The Red Sox just optioned Franchy Cordero to Triple-A. Do you think Duran is ready to be called up?
Keith Law: I do. And I’m all in on Duran’s swing change and resulting power.

ralph: Chances Gabriel Moreno becomes a Dude?
Keith Law: Aside from catchers just generally getting hurt a lot, I think really high. He’s probably their catcher of the future.

Nick: Some forgotten names Korry Howell and Cornelius Randolph are both off to hot starts and showing some power. Are they on your radar at all?
Keith Law: No, because it’s less than a month. You have to wait on this stuff – it’s even worse this year because of the altered schedules, so if you happen to have faced, say, a certain low-A team that can barely win a game, your stats might be skewed.

Guest: Since Will Craig is trending, why did the Pirates draft him in the first round? Didn’t seem like a good pick at the time and hasn’t panned out.
Keith Law: Never understood that one. Everyone knows Wake Forest is a bandbox and he didn’t look like his power would play elsewhere.
Keith Law: OK, that’s all for this week. Thanks for reading and for checking out my first mock draft over at the Athletic. I’ll do another one of those in mid-June or so, then two more leading up to the draft. In the meantime I’ll be back on the minor league beat more now that the high schools around here are wrapping up. Stay safe & go get vaccinated!

Check out my review of the board game Cryo, which John Tomase & I played and enjoyed, over at Paste.

Keith Law: And when you put it all together, there’s the model of a Klawchat.

John M: Do you have any Austin food recommendations?
Keith Law: Franklin BBQ, of course. I liked Backspace pizza last time I was there. Better Half is great for breakfast/Coffee. Micklethwait also good for BBQ. Here’s my last writeup from there.

RH: What non-racist team name would you most like to change?
Keith Law: Are we allowed to go all sports? The Utah Jazz is just ridiculous. Aside from the two derived from Native American culture, are there really any bad MLB team names? Some might be boring but none are bad.

AJ Preller: Is Ketel Marte or Bryan Reynolds a remote possibility in left field post deadline?
Keith Law: Why would either team rush to deal those guys? I’d expect the prospect cost to be significant.

Steve: Will you have a column up about scouting Mozzicato? What were your thoughts on him?  I went to his no hitter at Southington, couldn’t believe how hard he threw with that frame (looks like a frame he could add weight to)
Keith Law: Yeah, I’m just waiting to see another player or two so I can write them all up as one post. He’s good, second round over slot type. Legit CB.

The Bench: Is Jared Walsh doing things a 39th round draft pick shouldn’t be doing?
Keith Law: Yes, and no. Teams are also willing to take more risks with 39th rounders. Also, he’s destroying RHP but right now he’s just a platoon guy.
Keith Law: Any value from a 39th round pick is amazing, though. Score one for the area scout.

CD: Prep RHP get a bad rep. Why is this exactly? What specifically makes them riskier? Since they were the best youth pitchers are they more likely to be overused?
Keith Law: The data tell us their reputation is deserved. They flame out at a higher rate.

Brandon: If the Dbacks aren’t going to play Varsho everyday why is he up right now!?
Keith Law: That’s a reasonable question.

Jack: I’ve seen the White Sox toying around with Gavin Sheets in right field – any chance he could exist in an outfield with Andrew Vaughn or is that just asking too much of Billy Hamilton / Robert when he’s back?
Keith Law: I haven’t seen Sheets in the outfield, but having seen him at first base I’d be surprised if he could be even a 45 defender in RF.

JMD: Aside from the obvious injury concern. How much are matt Allan and Pete crow Armstrong going to be impacted in your mind by going so long without playing competitively. These injuries couldn’t seemingly be timed worse. Will such a long layoff impact there ability to reach there peak or reach the majors?
Keith Law: More worried about PCA than Allan. Another lost year of at bats is more of a concern than a year of lost innings for a teenaged arm.

Mike: When do you plan to drop your first mock?
Keith Law: Next Thursday, 5/27.

Mike: Hi Keith – any rumblings on what the Red Sox might want to do at 4?
Keith Law: I think they’d prefer college (Rocker, Davis, Leiter) over HS.

Greg: Are the Giants for real? Can that starting pitching maintain?
Keith Law: I don’t think it’ll last, not at this level. I don’t think they have a top 3 offense and top 3 pitching staff in the league. That said, going .500 the rest of the way still puts them at 87-75, which could be a playoff record.

Aaron: Hi Keith, thanks for these chats. Early thoughts on Andrew Vaughn?
Keith Law: He’s looked a little overmatched, but not so much so that they should bench or demote him (not like, say, Ryan Mountcastle).

ralph: What do you think will happen if/when MLB bans the shift?
Keith Law: Joe Sheehan suggested players will sell out for pull power even more and K’s will go up. I’m still holding out hope that actual baseball people will fight this one … it’s the dumbest suggested rule change of all. It’s entirely reactionary.

TC: Do you have a timeline for when TLR will be blasted into space towards the sun? I don’t know how that locker room can continue to play for him.
Keith Law: Derek Van Riper asked me this on the podcast yesterday, which you can catch on Apple or Spotify. Short answer: I don’t think the owner is going to rush to fire his buddy.

Brian: Small sample size & high BABIP aside, what more does Owen Miller have to do to get some at bats with Cleveland and their anemic offense? He has hit at every level of the minors thus far. Also, what round do you see his brother Noah getting drafted this year? High enough to pass on Alabama?
Keith Law: He’s semi-blocked at the moment; I don’t think they’re rushing to bench Cesar Hernandez when he’s making more than most of his teammates combined, and Miller shouldn’t displace Rosario. But I would expect Miller to be up by midyear. Noah Miller is in my top 50 and I can’t imagine he goes to school.

Mike: What ever happened with Gregory Polanco? Why did he not turn into the star that people expected him to?
Keith Law: I think it’s injuries. He got pretty close in 2018, at age 26, but that has been his peak and maybe it always will be.

Les Deeny: Any early guesses on where Corey Seager lands in the offseason? My gut says it could ultimately be the Giants who pry him away from the Dodgers. Tell my gut it’s wrong.
Keith Law: I really have no idea on that. I just wait to see where they end up and write about it.

Derak: What is happening with Alek Manoah? Doesn’t seem like anyone could have predicted this breakout but maybe the Blue Jays did by jumping him up to AAA so fast. Has what he’s done this years changed your outlook on him? Is he showing the high quality pitches necessary to develop into a top 20 pitcher?
Keith Law: Had there been a full 2020 season, he would likely have started at high A and finished in AA, so starting this year in AAA isn’t that surprising if you think of this as where he would have been anyway – especially if the Jays felt like they saw enough progress from him at the alt site last year. I don’t think anything’s changed on him yet, though – the stuff is pretty close to the same as always (and I liked him a ton in college) so 3 starts shouldn’t change our minds.

Kevin: Would you be totally against a 1st half 2nd half winner baseball playoff format?
Keith Law: Yes. Like, “man the barricades” against it.

Gary: I expect the dodgers to trade for some bullpen help seeing as how they only have like 3 guys they trust at the moment. But could Josiah Gray spend some time in the pen?
Keith Law: I favor that kind of development path.

Jeffrey: Do you think Larnach stays up and will we see Adley this year?
Keith Law: When Kirilloff and Buxton return, that’s four outfielders for three spots. They could boot Sano and move someone to first, but if that’s not happening, one of the two rookies gets sent down.

Deej: Sat in the vaccinated section of a ballpark earlier this week. It felt incredibly weird to be sitting that close to other people. Have you been back in a crowd yet?
Keith Law: I’ve been to an airport, which was the weirdest and most uncomfortable part of the trip. Do most people just not know where their noses are?

Guest: Would a lower seam and deader baseballs result in a more interesting game?
Keith Law: Deader baseballs might. Not sure about the lower seams – that seems (no pun intended) like a recipe for unintended consequences.

Punk in Drublic: SSS not withstanding, any minor leaguers you are hearing about that you are viewing significantly different than you ranked them since there are actual games and players may have added velo, improved or added a pitch, or hitting approach?
Keith Law: I think it’s a little too soon for that.

Guest: Any hope for Logan Warmouth? He’s been a dud at every level and suddenly he’s got an .938 OPS in triple A. Or is this just a case of sample size?
Keith Law: And that’s why I think so.

ivy: Is there any hope of the Orioles being competitive in the next three years?
Keith Law: Barring a major budget increase, no, I don’t think their minor league talent is close enough for that.

Tony LaRussa: You better be using a typewriter and not a laptop or I’m fining your ass $100.
Keith Law: And you’re going to call me out to the media, too.

Kevin: What kind of expectations do you still have for Kyle Wright? Maddening inconsistency and already 25
Keith Law: I can’t figure him out. His stuff is good enough, yet he gets hit way harder than he should, especially his fastball. There’s no obvious reason why he should be performing this poorly.

JR: I know you’re not a football guy and like me I’m sure you’re happy the Tebow clown show is gone from baseball but now he’s resurfaced in the nfl. Taking a roster spot from someone more deserving in the name of selling tickets and merchandise.
Keith Law: I saw some more defenders come out of the woodwork when that news broke. He may really believe what he says he does, but I find it hard to reconcile that with the obvious selfishness of his professional sports careers.

David: Hi Keith,
Do you think Jaden Hill or Gunnar Hogland will be available when the 2nd round starts? I’m wondering if either would be a worthy gamble for the Pirates.
Keith Law: I would guess not.

Joe: Any Orioles minor leaguers you have gotten good reports on so far?
Keith Law: Yep, and I wrote about it here.

Jordan: I know there are at least a few MLB scouting departments that are highly skeptical of taking a prep arm in the first round, but should someone like Jackson Jobe be an exception to that thinking with the kind of stuff he possesses at 18-years-old?
Keith Law: I don’t think so – I’d argue that’s the sort of base-rate neglect bias that teams should be trying to avoid, the “this guy is DIFFERENT” mentality. Unless you know some tangible reason why Jobe  is more likely to stay healthy than all the other athletic hard-throwing high school pitchers who’ve gone in the first round and failed, you should be very wary of taking him in the top half of the first. And that has nothing to do with Jobe specifically. High school pitchers fail more often, period.

John Mozeliak: Is this .250/.300/.500 version of Tyler O’Neill sustainable and can he be a solid regular outfielder moving forward?
Keith Law: I really have little to no interest in corner players with that profile. They’re too easy to find or create in this offensive environment.
Keith Law: Oh, also, I’m not sure how any hitter can last with plate discipline like his. 35 K and 3 BB? In the last 20 years only one MLB hitter has qualified for the batting title with a K:BB ratio of 11 or higher, and that’s Tim Anderson, who has the benefit of being a shortstop.

Aaron C.: Who, in your opinion, is the most infamous prep draftee who should’ve took the money?
Keith Law: Oh that’s easily Matt Harrington. But I could offer others – Karsten Whitson, who reneged on TWO deals, came up in a chat with a scout recently because Whitson is coaching now. Plus all the kids who take themselves out of the draft entirely because their college coaches conned them into doing so – how many of them have gotten paid? Chris Harvey did it to matriculate early at Vanderbilt, got 217 PA total the whole time he was there, and wasn’t even drafted. We’ll see how it works out for Mike Vasil, who could have had $2 million easy in 2018, this July.

Michael: If you had to give a player a 20 rating for a skill, which would be the one that wouldn’t stop them from being an impact player?
Keith Law: Plenty of 20 runners have been superstars.

JR: Are you still wearing a mask indoors even if the business doesn’t require for those that have been vaccinated (per recent cdc guidance)? I thought I would for a while but am already finding myself ditching it at places that don’t require (and yes I’ve been vaccinated)
Keith Law: I went to Trader Joes today and still wore my mask, even though I’m two weeks past my second shot. I’m not wearing it outdoors unless required, or if I were too close to other people, although the latter hasn’t happened yet.

J: I know it is early and SSS but Pedro Leon’s start is… not great, Roberto.  Anything gleaned or heard?
Keith Law: First four games: 11 K in 17 PA. Since then: 9 K in 36 PA. Does it mean anything? Probably not. But the problem with these tiny samples so far is that they can be skewed too easily by what amounts to one bad series. He has not been good in any sense of the word, though.

Dr. Bob: Dylan Carlson is showing why everyone was so high on him. I got to watch him several times here in Springfield, MO. The ball just came off his bat differently than the other players and he was so much faster than everyone else.
Keith Law: He’s athletic and patient and has great instincts on both sides of the ball. Great, great job by the Cardinals’ scouting and development staffs there.

Joe: Have you heard any reports on what is happening with Sean Burke.  Moved back to Sunday with really short outings.  Just managing innings with basically two years off?
Keith Law: Stuff has been way down. He was on my top 50 last month but I took him completely off my Big Board (top 100) last week.

Sedona: Will Luzardo reach his ceiling of front of rotation arm?
Keith Law: I don’t think that’s really his ceiling – I think he’s a #2 if he stays healthy. That’s still very good, of course, but if he ends up a top 15 pitcher in baseball that would beat my best expectations for him.

Jeffrey: Now that Madrigal has established himself as a home run threat, should the White Sox move him to clean up?
Keith Law: Don’t give Tony any ideas.

J: So the Athletic’s article about pitchers and foreign substances was intriguing, and opened up a weird line of thinking. Will a pitcher recently called up from the minors, whether its a Lynch or a Gilbert, or a less-heralded guy like Peacock or Benjamin, having a learning curve about ‘doctoring’ the baseball? IOW, is it a competitive disadvantage for rookies?
Keith Law: That’s an interesting point I hadn’t considered. Are they also using similar gunk in the minors? Why not? But if MLB wants to boost offense, enforcing their own damn rules on doctoring the baseball would be a great place to start. Otherwise, I’m busting out my Microplane grater and asking the Phillies for a tryout.

Matt: If Antifa is responsible for the Insurrection, why doesn’t the GOP want to investigate what happened./s
Keith Law: We all know the answer.
Keith Law: Just from a pragmatic perspective, is the GOP’s continued playing towards its base, away from the center, really the right strategy? Doesn’t it reduce your ability to win a lot of close elections? Hotelling’s law says that in a two-party system you’d expect the two parties to move towards the center so they could each capture about half the market. Instead, the Democrats are drifting left, but the Republicans are lurching to the right.

Aaron C.: Crack Shack or Juniper & Ivy? Got some friends from the east coast coming into town over Memorial Day weekend. (We’re all 2x vaxxed!)
Keith Law: Depends on what you want. Crack Shack is fast and casual and good for a loud meal outside. J&I is incredible but it’s fine dining, still good for a social meal but you’re inside and it’s upscale.

Ciscoskid: would a prep RHP profile of avg FB plus CB, avg CHG with body projection with maturity a safer profile than a plus FB avg CB/CG/SL
Keith Law: That’s Braxton Garrett, although he was a LHP, and he blew out too. We really don’t know.

Jason S: Pavin Smith hits the ball hard, but he’s not hitting hrs. Is there a lot more power potential with him with a Duran swing adjustment?
Keith Law: The word from the Dbacks last fall/winter was that he had made an adjustment to drive the ball more. Either he didn’t hold it, or he’s not using it in games, just in scrimmages etc.

Dan: I have kids who are too young to get vaccinated. The end of masking means that I’m reluctant to take them to e.g. the grocery store. The positivity rate here is about 0.5%. Am I being stupid?
Keith Law: No, you’re being cautious. The good news is that their chances of getting sick if they get the virus are lower than their odds would be if they were 12 or older. But they can still catch it and transmit it.

Murph: Assuage my fears that the Orioles aren’t going to do something dumb at #5 and will take one of the two remaining of Rocker, Davis, Leiter, Mayer, Lawler and House.
Keith Law: I don’t know that House belongs in that tier. I mean, he definitely doesn’t. He’s 11 on my Big Board. But yes, I have heard them on him.

Kevin: I’m an no better, so this is not a dig, but I bought one of the signed copies of The Inside Game, and if you would have showed me the signature separately I wouldn’t have guessed it said Keith Law. Looking forward to reading next month on vacation!
Keith Law: For better or worse, that’s been my signature for 30+ years.

KDC: Should Seattle trade Haniger?
Keith Law: Yes.

Gabe: Mount Rushmore of games? (For me: Ticket to Ride, Pandemic though I might never wanna play again, Carcassonne…tie between Dominion and Splendor for that #4 spot though maybe Winspan’ll take it if I can ever carve out time to play it)
Keith Law: 7 Wonders would be on mine. I don’t mean to dodge the question, but it depends on whether this is just my four favorite games, or four games that I think stand as giants in the board game space for their influence or impact. Catan doesn’t make the first quartet, but it has to be #1 in the second quartet.

Jesse B: The Corbin Carroll injury sucks. He was probably going to move up to AA soon. How does this change his timeline? Still play Fall ball and start next season in AA ideally?
Keith Law: I don’t know if he’ll be ready for the Fall League (if there will be a Fall League, even) but I hope he can. I assume he’d then start in AA.

Todd Boss: The Nat’s low-A team is 0-15, with a -115 run differential.  Can they ever win a game?  🙂
Keith Law: Oh my god. I thought you were joking. They’re really 0-15 with 39 runs scored and 154 runs allowed. They’re slugging .213 and the team ERA is 8.09.

Alex: With Witt Jr. struggling at the start and the Royals plummeting out of the race, is there any chance we see him this year?
Keith Law: I would assume not, but maybe he turns it around and works his way up in September. Remember all the calls for him to make the major-league team back in March? Yeah. Maybe spring training stats just don’t mean anything.

Tim: Read another writer say Henry Davis may not stick behind the plate and could be a possible 3b.  Do you see him sticking at C?
Keith Law: Yes. Without a doubt.

Jason: Do you think the Rs would actually splinter and a new actual conservative party could emerge, or is it more likely that the dam breaks against Trump?
Keith Law: I’m no expert, not even knowledgeable about these things, but it sure looks like the party is heading right for the cliff with two feet firmly pressed on the accelerator.

Tom: It was interesting to hear you appear on a conservative (blanking on his name)’s sports podcast last month to talk draft etc. Was there any hesitation on that one (or conservative podcasts in general)?
Keith Law: I declined to appear on a show where the host was spreading Big Lie and COVID denialist stuff on Twitter. That’s not “conservative,” though, that’s batshit.

Sam: Are you going to be live during the draft again this year?
Keith Law: Man, I hope so. Do you know something about my health that I don’t?

Bru: Top athlete from another sport that you’d love to have seen play baseball? Wilt for me.
Keith Law: Wilt was 7’1″, too tall for baseball unfortunately. How about Federer? What if he grew up in California playing baseball?
Keith Law: That’s a good place to end this week. Thank you all for reading & for your questions. My first mock draft for 2021 will be up next week at The Athletic, and just a reminder that my book, The Inside Game, is now out in paperback and available for your Father’s Day purchasing needs. Thanks again!

My latest post for subscribers to the Athletic looks at Louisville catcher Henry Davis, maybe the best prospect in this year’s draft class, and other draft prospects from Louisville, Virginia, and the high school ranks.

Keith Law: I’ve got the answer. Open the envelope. Klawchat.

Mac: Will Jackson Jobe get top 5 consideration?
Keith Law: No. The last two drafts didn’t include a HS pitcher in the top 15 picks. Jobe shouldn’t be a top 5 pick on his own merits, or with what might be an industry trend away from HS pitchers up top.

Larry: Do you think Henry Davis’ receiving will improve? He has a problem with the catching part of catching.
Keith Law: That’s wrong. He receives well, throws plus, could use some help with blocking. I’m not sure where you got that information but it’s bad.

addoeh: It might be confirmation bias on my part, but it seems there are more HS seniors from cold weather states projected to go in the first couple of rounds the last few years or so, but especially this year.  Is this accurate?
Keith Law: It seems accurate this year, but I don’t see a trend. California and Texas are just having their worst HS years in memory, and that’s creating opportunity (or need) for cold-weather kids to fill the gap.

Bill G: Thanks as always for doing these chats.  How would you use Ohtani?  Starter/DH, Starter only, DH only, DH/Closer?  Thanks!
Keith Law: Just pick one. He’s a hitter or a pitcher. I think the Angels are losing some value by trying to have him do both.

AJ: Jazz is sure looking like the star you’ve said he would be. What is his ceiling? And do you think he’ll get that K rate down, or is 25-30% just who he is?
Keith Law: I could see him settling into the 23-25% range, but between the way the game is now and the way he swings, I doubt he ever has a year where he’s better than the league median in K%. I’m glad to see his at bats overall are better, though.

Fuzzy Dunlop: Around what round projection do you start seeing 6-8 organizations area scouts at that particular player’s game/starts?  Our local HS Friday starter has probably seen that many at every one of his starts, but I can’t see him being more than a 15th-20th round guy. I know its obviously not an exact formula, but I always wondered.
Keith Law: That doesn’t add up. If he’s a HS pitcher on Fridays – the night most colleges throw their best guys – he wouldn’t have six area scouts there unless he’s a first-rounder. You’re seeing part-timers or they’re not scouts at all.

RickG: Hey Keith. Have you considered returning to Top Chef recaps, or would you ever? This season has been very interesting. I re-watched some seasons during the Pandemic and whenever possible re-read your takes – I’ve learned much more about cooking then I knew when the shows first aired and found your perspective even better the 2nd time around.
Keith Law: I appreciate that very much, but those took around 3 hours (viewing + writing) to do, and I just don’t have that kind of time any more.

Tom: Pavin Smith seeing some regular playing time. With the adjustment to his launch angle over the past year, what do you see his offensive output looking like?
Keith Law: He’s still getting on top of the ball a little too much, but I see a high-OBP 20-homer guy.

Guest: A few weeks (months?) ago you appeared on an Orioles podcast mentioned that one thing were concerned about for Kjerstad was his strikeout rate. What is more concerning about his strikeouts than, say, George Springer’s, who is someone you were higher on than consensus when he was coming out of college?
Keith Law: Kjerstad struck out way more often with far fewer walks. Springer had plate discipline, but didn’t bring a two-strike approach (other than “swing hard”). Kjerstad doesn’t have that.

J: Do you know where Pedro Leon is headed once the minor league seasons start? Or is he going to be in limbo for a while? Also – more impossible question – what can/should expectations be for him?
Keith Law: I doubt we’ll see many assignments till next week. Minor league season starts in 12 days, though!

davealden53: From 2009 to 2019, two friends and I took annual minor league trips of a week or more to different regions.  2020 was lost and 2021 isn’t looking a lot better.  Instead, we’re considering the Arizona Fall League for the first week of November.  What have you heard about the AFL plans for this year?  Will the season extend into November?  And will fans be allowed to attend games?
Keith Law: I haven’t heard anything yet and I’m concerned MLB will just decide to axe the league to save another $23.

TomBruno23: For years the Vitae Foundation, a pro-life organization based in Jefferson City, MO, has been a sponsor of St. Louis Cardinals baseball on KMOX. This season they bring us the starting lineups each and every game. How upset should I be about this? I honestly do not know. https://vitaefoundation.org/
Keith Law: I wouldn’t give my money to the team in that situation, but my guess is that they’re playing to their base.

Tom: Joc Pederson off to a slow start. Sure, SSS, but he’s K’ing a lot even for him. Think he can be a solid offensive contributor?
Keith Law: I do, but I’m concerned that he’s whiffing so much against RHP. He’s never really hit lefties and expecting him to is foolhardy.

Sedona: Is Aaron Ashby the 3rd best SP in the entire org?
Keith Law: No – I’m not completely sold that he’s a starter.

Michael: Hi Keith. Giants fan here – interested to see what you think of farhans strategy the past two plus seasons?  I know we are better than we were when he got here and appreciate that we didn’t “tank”, but do you feel we are actually closer to competing for a championship now than two years ago?  Thanks!
Keith Law: Yes, I like the overall direction, and especially the way they’re trying out veterans who might benefit from a change of scenery and approach, players who’d be great trade pieces in July if the Giants are out of it. The worst thing that could happen would be some fake contention where they keep all of those guys instead.

Moe Mentum: It’s still early (SSS) but what should the Phillies do about their glaring hole in center field? I know you won’t recommend Odubel Herrera, but…
Keith Law: I’d probably play Quinn out there, of the options on the roster. They can fire Herrera into the sun for all I care. Moniak isn’t the answer, and while I wish the best for Haseley, they have to move on. I don’t think they have anyone close enough in the system to be better than a replacement-level Quinn.

Aaron in Indy: Glad to see Yankee fans handling their early season struggles with the patience and level headedness that we could only come to expect.

But seriously, does Boone make it thru the year if they don’t drastically improve.  And I think they will start hitting more especially when Volt comes back.  But do they have enough pitching (including minor league) to make a run at the division???
Keith Law: It’s not even 10% of the season, though. Joe Sheehan wrote somewhere the other day that every team has a 5-10 stretch at some point, even the best teams. The overreaction to the small sample is mind-boggling, even if you buy into the stereotype of the Yankee fan (I think Yankee fans are no different than fans of other teams, but we think they’re louder because there are so many more of them).

Sedona: Has Kopech shown anything differently so far to change your outlook on him?
Keith Law: No, this is what I thought he’d do in a relief role – now we’ll see how it goes as he stretches out, if his command holds (it really turned a corner in the last two months he spent in the minors) and he stays healthy.

Jason: Are reverse splits a real thing for relievers?  Chris Martin was substantially better against lefties in 2019 (and better in 2020, though his numbers were really good against both), but I’m curious as to whether that can be sustinable
Keith Law: They can be real, but you’d probably need about three years’ worth of innings to be sure of it. It would help if you could see it in the arsenal – a pitcher with a great changeup or split, but not much of a breaking ball, would likely have a reverse split.

John: An mlb.com mock draft published yesterday showed Rocker falling to the Red Sox at 4.  What do you see as the chances of that happening?
Keith Law: Not unreasonable.

Noah: Re: the Mets front office, don’t you think at this point Sandy Alderson has to step down?  One mistake in hiring is maybe something you can shrug off (although with sexual harassment, I don’t think so), but this is a pattern.
Keith Law: Yes, he absolutely does, for rehiring someone with a history of harassment over the active objections of multiple current employees. I have always liked and respected Sandy, but this is not just an error in judgment, and his response to the Athletic article did not help matters.
Keith Law: My guess is that he’ll finish the year and be allowed to “resign” on his terms, since his departure now would leave an interim GM and no baseball executive above him, but I wouldn’t even wait that long. It sends a horrible message to the organization.

Jason: Is billy mckinney (with his former first round pedigree) a breakout candidate or is he just having a hot start?
Keith Law: He has a .297 OBP. That’s not a hot start.

Steve: What is the main reason Wander Franco isn’t a major leaguer yet?
Keith Law: He’s never played above A-ball.

Ben Z: Alright Keith. Hit us with your Oscar picks. I know you haven’t seen MINARI yet (I think), my choice for Best Picture of the nominees, albeit in a deservedly tight, strong 1-2 race with Nomadland…so setting that movie aside for now…
Keith Law: I think Nomadland will win, and it would be my pick. This year’s possible Green Book is The Trial of the Chicago 7, which is very actorly and Such an Important Movie, You Know, In This Moment, but which I would rank 8th of the nominees.

Zach: Do you think Tejay Antone’s stuff can hold up in the rotation? It looks like has video game cheat codes.
Keith Law: Big spin guy but more likely a reliever in the end. Stuff plays, though.

Uli Jon: I thought this was going to be an above average draft a year ago, which maybe says something about early projections as well as Covid weirdness. If you had to pick one, would you say this class is weak or more of a shrug emoji?
Keith Law: It’s ended up weak. Now maybe it’s because guys were rusty, or are dealing with more fatigue than usual, but it’s a weak class.

Anthony: If Tatis was still a prospect would you drop him in your rankings because of this shoulder issue?
Keith Law: No, that’s absurd.

Frank: You seem to be a big Henry Davis fan from your article.  If you were picking 1-1 would you take him over any of the pitchers?
Keith Law: I am going to see Leiter (if possible) in the next few weeks, but right now, I think I would. Elite bat at catcher. Position player > pitcher. And the pitchers this year, while very good up top, are not Strasburg/Cole/Price.

Michael: Vlad is crushing it. Is it because he’s really in the best shape of his life or something else?
Keith Law: Two possible explanations: either it’s because he’s putting the ball in the air a lot more (launch angle is way up over 2019 or 220), or it’s because I made him a breakout pick last year and those names always seem to be a year too early (or, as with Rickie Weeks, just never right).

Jays: Are the Jays’ defensive issues an organizational failure or the logical outcome of a bat first bottleneck? Is improvement even possible?
Keith Law: Bat-first bottleneck, sure, but also, why play Bichette at short over Semien? why play Biggio at third? They’re making some specific choices that, while probably not huge individually, might add up to 10 or more runs allowed over the course of the year.

Ben Z: What do you think is the proper course for my Nats? It seems like their window has finally shut. It’s been a great decade and I’m not complaining (nor can I get too upset over things like the Strasburg and Corbin contracts or their failure to extend young position player superstars or trading away Giolito and Luzardo…who knows, remove one of these, and maybe they don’t get their ring)…but this will be a tough plane to take apart and rebuild…
Keith Law: Scherzer would be quite the coveted midseason acquisition if they choose to trade him. I know that’s not Rizzo’s MO, but he could probably make a killing.

Amos: Hi Keith – If you were in charge of the A’s, would you roll the dice on Jaden Hill towards the end of the 1st round? They’ve gambled on high end tools in Beck and Murray and Hill seems like a similar lottery ticket type pick if given the time to recover from TJ surgery. Thanks.
Keith Law: Depends on the medicals, but yeah, where they pick, it would be a worthwhile gamble in this draft.

Guest: The standard answer is you should never draft for need and the worst result is you have multiple talented prospects at the same position which you can trade- buuuut, would the Yankees take another catcher at 20 (given the prep catcher talent) if they’ve drafted 3 catchers in the top 2 rounds in the last 3 years?
Keith Law: Why, though? It’s not a great prep catcher class, so I’m not sure why they’d specifically take one with greater depth in other areas of the class.

Max: What does Del Castillo have to do to get back into the top-5ish part of the draft a lot of people pegged him at earlier this year?
Keith Law: That’s just not happening.

HH: Are teams allowed to ask players whether they’ve had the Covid-19 vaccine, and if not, whether they plan to get it? Would you downgrade a player who refused relative to a similar player who wouldn’t? If so, how much?
Keith Law: That’s a good question. I assume they could ask, given what they’re allowed to ask players about their medical histories. I would consider refusal to get a vaccine as an indicator of questionable makeup. It shows a lack of critical thinking.

Mac: I get all that about Jobe but what if he’s a unicorn?  HS right hander aside he sure checks a lot of boxes for a TOR pitcher.
Keith Law: He’s not, though. He doesn’t check any more boxes than Abel did. And you’re ignoring the base rate – why is he going to be a unicorn? Because he’s tall and athletic? So are lots of top HS pitchers. Because he throws hard? Well, even more do that.
Keith Law: Jobe is a good prospect. He doesn’t belong in the top 5.

Dylan: Re travel to Texas for scouting Lawlar — I was in Dallas this past weekend, and nearly everyone I encountered was masked.  My sense is that the metro areas still act about like they did under the mask orders, but that it’s a different story in rural areas.
Keith Law: That’s great to hear, although his season is about to end on Tuesday, and there will only be limited chances to see him beyond that.

Chris: Thoughts on Frankie Montas?
Keith Law: He’s a reliever, always has been. I’m amazed how much of a chance he’s gotten to start.

JC: Austin Riley’s baseball savant’s page is hard to look at – do you think this was a case of the Braves actually thinking he could get better, or just being cheap and hoping they can get anything for min salary? Just all around frustrating to watch him now
Keith Law: I assume it was more cost than anything else – play the existing options, wait for Shewmake to pop by the end of this year.

Rob: Have you seen a single coherent argument *against* DC statehood? I mean sure, it is a “power grab” to a certain extent. But what isn’t these days? Tell me why DC doesn’t *deserve* statehood and maybe I’ll listen, wingnuts!
Keith Law: I haven’t. It’s all rooted in race or party.

Graves: Should I impute to an organization the beliefs of its advertisers? If so, why?
Keith Law: They made an active choice to partner with an anti-abortion group. If your favorite team chose to partner with a white supremacist group, would you not impute those beliefs to the team?

Brett: Have you seen Arkansas outfielder Christian Franklin? Any thoughts on his draft stock?
Keith Law: Second/third round type. Been much worse since conference play starter, but has some tools on both sides and could be an interesting project for someone. Maybe he gets into the comp round – there are a lot of guys in that Kam Misner sort of category, toolsy college outfielders who swing and miss way too much but have upside. After Jeren Kendall, though, teams seem reluctant to take them in the first round.

John: How serious is Jarren Duran’s swing and miss issue?
Keith Law: I’m sorry, what swing and miss issue? Did he play in some games this year I missed?

Pete: Do you think LaRussa is mis-handling Andrew Vaughn right now? He’s playing him sporadically and batting him 8th a lot, all while Vaughn is learning a new position. Is this messing with Vaughn’s development or is this the appropriate way for a win-now team to break in a prospect?
Keith Law: James Fagen said this on my podcast this week – if they’re not playing Vaughn every day, he should be in the minors once those start.

Mitchell: Klaw, how well do you think the Dbacks are set up for the future with Hazen. Lost cause this year but do they have enough in the system to be competitive down the road with Carroll, Robinson, Corbin, etc?
Keith Law: Yeah, the system is really strong, especially with some of the pitching on the come – if guys like Grammes and Cecconi really have turned the corner, the system will look a lot better in July when we reassess. The lack of a season last year to see if their supposed changes were real does hurt their perception, although it makes no difference in reality.

Ben Z: Do we think Victor Robles is ever going to reach what seemed to be his potential as a prospect to be a decent offensive player? Or has he regressed in a way that seems permanent?
Keith Law: His main problem seems to be that he just doesn’t hit the ball hard enough often enough. I’m not really sure how you fix that.

ivy: Do you see Dean Kremer as having the potential to become, say, a #3 starter? He can look terrific for several innings, seems to have problems sustaining his performance for more than a few innings. How fixable is that sort of problem?
Keith Law: The delivery isn’t great, but I think he can be a back-end guy, a 4 or a 5 who eats innings but is worse than league-average at run prevention.

Rodney: Slow start for Rowdy Tellez. Lots of folks were highlighting changes in his BB and K rates last year. But… it was 36 games, right? He’s still probably the same 4A/platoon guy?
Keith Law: Yep, same as he ever was.

Roger: when do we see kelenic and Franco in the majors?
Keith Law: I’m guessing May and June, respectively. We’ll see what Seattle does with Lewis back and the minors starting, so Trammell would have somewhere to play.

Bree: Keith – Love your work. The A’s have had a number of players who were relatively underrated as prospects v their big league performance (Olson, Chapman, Canha). Why do you think that’s the case, if there’s an underlying reason at all and who in their current system do you think could be next to outperform their current prospect status?
Keith Law: Canha was a rule 5 pick who’s been fine as a part-time player – he’s never even qualified for the batting title. He’s not in the class of Chapman, who cut down on his swing and miss right when he reached the majors, which is really remarkable. I asked some A’s people about it a few years ago for a column on “guys I got wrong,” and they said they didn’t have a great explanation for it, either. It was something he did on his own and they gave him the credit.

Ryan: I’m a Twins fan, please tell me it is going to be ok.  On another note, Kiriloff has to be up this weekend right?
Keith Law: I thought he was going to make the OD roster, so of course I’ll say yes.

David: What would you put the odds at that the Pirates draft someone other than Lieter? Your piece of Henry Davis opened my eyes.
Keith Law: I think they should explore Davis as an option, yes, absolutely, both because he might be the #1 prospect in the class, and because maybe they can get the best deal between him and Leiter (I don’t think they’re on a HS kid there) and do more at their next pick.

Jason: dinselson lamet– should he have gotten TJ
Keith Law: Uh … didn’t he have TJ?

Rob: Bummed that the Phils had to recall Kingery while he was still working on swing changes, and reportedly struggling with it. Seems like another setback for his development, no? What’s the prognosis now?
Keith Law: Not ideal, no.

Guest: The Yankees are obviously tanking for Elijah Greene right?
Keith Law: Man, I’ve heard some really mixed things on him. I talked to one scout who said it’s among the best tools prospects in years, and a day later another scout who wouldn’t take him in the first round.
Keith Law: I will say I find these year-ahead hype guys pan out less often than you’d think. I’m not saying this on Green, but often it’s the kid who grew fastest rather than the kid who’s the best prospect.

Matt: Thoughts on Cedric Mullins? Was a switch hitter who gave up hitting from the right side this year. Now top 5 in the AL in hits.  Small sample size, but it seems to be clicking more this year.
Keith Law: SSS.

Chris: Cape Cod League just announced their season! Can’t recall, do you still come up for some CC games ever? Be fun to run into you.
Keith Law: Yes, not since 2018, but I do love going up there and really hope to work it in this summer. Might have to be after the draft, though.

Amir: Do you think Thatcher Hurd could go in the 1st round? What do you think about him?
Keith Law: Maybe 5% chance. He’s a second-round talent and I think he’s someone’s second pick overpay, not a first-rounder. We’ll see, though – almost three months to the draft, so a lot of time for Hurd (or anyone) to show something new, throwing harder or showing more power or something, and change that.

Kevin C: Tatis’s slow start, not just at the plate but in the field is concerning.  How much should be attributed to the shoulder injury?
Keith Law: I’m assuming all of it is.

Mike: Point me to some Asheville eats please
Keith Law: Never been. Isn’t that sad?

Guest: Will the Pirates draft another “number three” pitcher 1-1?
Keith Law: I have had that worry with Leiter … he’s a better prospect than Bullington was, but if he’s not a future ace, will Pirates fans just put them in the same category?

Chris: George kirby is touching 101 now? I know all the reasons to not get excited, but have you heard/seen anything that makes his outlook change?
Keith Law: I heard that from Eric Longenhagen – I assume he wrote it, too – and if Kirby’s throwing that hard, yes, it changes his outlook, because his fastball played below its velocity in college. At, say, 96-101, though, “playing down” might still be okay.

Tim: Does Nick Madrigal have value even without the ability to hit for extra bases?
Keith Law: Yes, absolutely – I’ve never said he had no value. He just has no ceiling.

Danial W: Glad you got to try Al Carbon while you were in town. Next time there are a couple pizzas up your alley, Lampo near downtown and surprisingly from Vivace near the stadium.  Have you had a chance to notice any significant changes from any major leaguers in this short season?
Keith Law: Lampo had a 140 minute wait for take-out that night. I didn’t have that kind of time. I’ve mentioned a few of those changes above, like Vlad Jr.’s swing change, and I don’t suppose it’s any news to talk about Corbin Burnes’ cutter (and he was already an ace in my mind).

David H: Thanks as always for doing these chats, Keith. Long-time reader, first-time poster. Wednesday was the 5th anniversary of Prince’s death, so I went through your archives to find your ranking of his top songs. I also read the LA Times list that ranked his 85 singles. The Times’ No. 1, “If I Was Your Girlfriend,” didn’t make your list, so I was just curious, given your status as a Prince fan, why that was?
Keith Law: What a weird choice. It’s not a very interesting or catchy song.

Matt: During weak draft classes, why don’t we see more teams punt to the next year?  If you’re 7th in a weak draft year, aren’t you better off not getting a deal done and picking 8th if the next year is stronger?
Keith Law: No, you’re definitely not. For one thing, you don’t know if the next draft is stronger. For another, you could lose your job before then, maybe for fucking up the draft, and then someone else gets that pick.

wickethewok: Would a season-long Buxton break out be the most gratifying case for you of a player fulfilling your projected potential (short of Rickie Weeks coming out of retirement)?
Keith Law: Yes, because good Byron Buxton is extremely good for baseball. The man is a walking highlight machine.

Jason: Hi Keith, do you ever listen to audiobooks?  I know you prefer dead trees, but audiobooks have really allowed me to get back to consuming books again
Keith Law: I do, but only certain genres, because I don’t have the same level of concentration and often miss stuff. It’s hard to do that with a novel and fully appreciate the work.

John: Bobby Witt Jr. over/under July 1?
Keith Law: After.

Dallas: Corbin Burnes went 4th round out of college. What was the report coming out of college and how much of this is talent vs. “pitch building” especially with the unreal spin rates on all of his pitches? My real question is how much of this is “pitch building”/adding spin?
Keith Law: Looks like I had him 46th overall on my Big Board that year. He faded somewhat toward the end of that spring for St. Mary’s, and I guess it really scared teams off; at the start of the year he looked like he might get into the late first round. Of course, his stuff is substantially better now than it was then.

Mike: What are your thoughts on the experiment of moving the mound back a foot?
Keith Law: I think it’s going to get a lot of pitchers hurt. MLB is incredible at failing to foresee the consequences of its actions.

Richard: Were you ever a baseball card collector?
Thoughts on the new Topps NFTs or NFTs in general?
Keith Law: As a kid yes. I would buy NFTs but I don’t want to sell off my South Seas stock.

Todd: Hi Keith – How did you rate Matt Olson as a prospect? What did you hit/miss about how he has turned out?
Keith Law: Made my top 100 once, then not the next year, then he was in the majors. This fluke start aside, he’s hit for some more average than I expected.

Rob: I enjoyed the Henry Davis article – I realize it’s too early for a mock draft, but any indication that teams’ thinking is evolving to have him as a top five and maybe 1-1 guy?
Keith Law: I ran that idea by a bunch of people before writing it, and nobody said it was crazy or just wrong. Most folks agreed that Davis should be in the top tier – I didn’t really go further than that – with the Vandy boys and Lawlar.

Food Fan: Hey, thanks for the chat! Cooking question. I have never used sherry vinegar but find myself with some recipes I want to try where I need it. I can’t find it easily without long drives to places I don’t usually go, something I just don’t want to do during a pandemic. Therefore, I will buy online. The options are overwhelming and I’m not sure which to select or how much to spend. Any specific recommendations?
Keith Law: I usually buy it at Whole Foods when one is on sale – any brand – because it is expensive. Jose Andres has one that’s good and often is $2-3 off at my store.

Mike: At what point does marijuana get federally legalized? And with that can we get the records of those locked up because of it exspunged?
Keith Law: I think that happens under this Administration. More than half of the population lives in states where it’s at least decriminalized. And it is such a waste of time and money to treat its possession or use as a crime. I’m in favor of the latter part as well.

Rick: You need to relax and stop trying to do the right thing.
Keith Law: Well that’s the worst advice I’ve ever gotten.

Jason: You mentioned weird defensive decisions – remember when the Phillies played Kingery at SS and Crawford at 3B for a while?  Did that make any sense?
Keith Law: No, but lo and behold, Crawford improved when he went to Seattle and played shortstop full time.

Jason: When are you coming out with a LawCoin?
Keith Law: Climate change is serious enough without me adding to it.
Keith Law: OK, that’s all for this week. Thank you all for all of your questions and for reading! I should be back next week for another chat, and I’ll be back on the Athletic’s daily baseball podcast tomorrow morning. Don’t forget to pick up The Inside Game, now out in paperback, at your local bookstore or online via Bookshop. Thanks again!

Starting at 1 pm ET. I have a new game review up at Paste, of the pickup-and-delivery game Maglev Metro; and a new post for subscribers to the Athletic, looking at the top 100 prospects who’ve played in the majors so far this year.

Keith Law: A thousand times I’ve seen this road. Klawchat.

Richard: Early in their respective careers, you thought Correa and Bregman should probably switch defensive positions to highlight their respective strengths.  Now it seems like Correa is likely to be paid as a top-flight SS…has he worked to improve his defense that much over the last 3 seasons?
Keith Law: He might be paid as one, but he’s not a top-flight defender at short; he’s probably a 45 defender who’s helped by shifting/positioning. I’m still going to rank him very highly as a free agent but with some expectation that he’ll move off SS over the course of a long-term deal.

Tom: If Tanner Houck’s increased velocity is sustainable, does that change your expectations for him, or is that more contingent on developing a change up to counter lefties?
Keith Law: The latter.

Moe Mentum: What improvements do the Phillies need to see from Scott Kingery at the plate to bring him back to the majors? Technical adjustments? Mental reset? And are you still a believer?
Keith Law: It’s a swing adjustment IMO. And maybe a mental reset but I can’t really speak to that from here – I do know his swing degraded first and the approach second. I am still a believer.

addoeh: So you recently tried Burmese cuisine.  What cuisine do you plan to try next or is the biggest missing cuisine in your culinary passport?
Keith Law: I’ve tried to work in one of the two (I think) Ghanaian places I’ve heard good things about in the Phoenix area on some trips out that way, but it’s never worked out for timing, and one of the places had a lot of beef on their menu that limited my options, but that springs to mind as something I’ve never had that would also probably open my mind to some new flavors.

Hinkie: Hello, Keith.  Looking forward to an updated draft prospect list.  Since your initial rankings, what players have done the most for their draft stock and what guys are going in the wrong direction (other than Jaden Hill)?
Keith Law: Next week will be the new list, probably 50 names this time. I wrote in this week’s draft notebook that Frelick and Henry Davis are probably top 5 picks now. Andrew Painter has picked it up after two really awful starts to open the year. Jud Fabian continues to flounder – I said he couldn’t hit the slider and opposing teams appear to have heard the same thing. James Wood might end up at Mississippi State at this point; I heard he was hitting just a shade above .200. Also something is clearly amiss with Dick Fitts. He’s gone from first-round starter to a reliever who can’t get anyone out.

Ben (MN): Have you heard anything in the industry along the lines of the “Paul Molitor and Co. stunted Buxton’s development” narrative? I always wondered at the time because Buxton seemed to go up swinging at absolutely everything in his early days with the Twins (even though he walked a lot in A Ball), but nobody in MN wanted to criticize Molitor, the local legend. Now, even the Twins tv announcers are saying that Molitor’s insistence that Buxton be aggressive and hit the ball on the ground stymied his development.
Keith Law: I haven’t heard that myself but it seems plausible, at least.

Michael: My favorite team/player had a great first week! Ha! I knew you were wrong with your opinions based on “data” and “scouting”.  I am vindicated! (By the way, I sometimes see the initials “SSS” in your chats – what does this mean?)
Keith Law: Joking aside, someone tried to tell me I was wrong about Ryan Mountcastle’s likely regression after Mountcastle got one hit on Opening Day. That’s a new record, I think.

Deke: How do you approach someone who is genuinely well-meaning but just patently wrong? Not in a Matt Walshian, bad-faith sense. Like today, the Senior Bowl’s Jim Nagy was pretty dismissive of the concept of racial bias in scouting QBs because NFL front offices only want to win, so they wouldn’t downgrade a guy just because he’s black, which is absurd on the face of it. How would you approach that without immediately putting him on the defensive?
Keith Law: I’m not sure you can do that without putting him on the defensive, but in my view the best response to that is data. Put him in a position where he has to say that he doesn’t believe the evidence in front of him.

Todd Boss: Kopech pitching in relief; would you have believed that the CWS wouldn’t have room for a 100-mph throwing strikeout machine starter?
Keith Law: I believe this is really a development strategy, both to build him back up to eventually start and help him build confidence as he continues to return after two years of not pitching.

Tom: Tyler Matzek for Atlanta. Failed starter but can he be a backend relief pitcher now?
Keith Law: Hasn’t he been that? Great story, too. I wonder how different his whole career might have been had another team taken him – getting more money in the draft came from high bonus demands that may have deterred teams from drafting him in the top ten.

Tom: Jon Grays fastball averaged about 92 last start. Any concern there?
Keith Law: I’d say I want to see at least 2 starts of reduced velocity before I’d be concerned, 3 before I panic.

Tom: Call Your Mother, my favorite dc breakfast place. glad you enjoyed it. If you like Georgian food, theres a place right across the street from CYM called Tabla. Highly recommend!
Keith Law: We went to a location of CYM in the suburbs but I can say I have never had Georgian food (assuming you mean the democracy-challenged country in the Caucusus, not the democracy-challenged US state in the Jim Crow belt).

JT: Long term, do you see too much swing and miss in Kjerstad’s complicated approach?
Keith Law: Without any adjustments, yes. I assume the Orioles will try at some point to make adjustments with him.

Jesse B: Is there something there with Yermin Mercedes?
Keith Law: A hell of a story.

Pat: So, about 2-3 weeks ago I was able to get the COVID vaccine even though technically not eligible. (Rural areas have too much supply, so I was able to finagle an appointment thru a contact). I felt guilty like I was “jumping the line”. Is that right or should it just be everyone get vaccinated as quickly as possible?
Keith Law: At this point, yes, everyone should get vaccinated as soon as they can.

HomerSomethingSomething: Do you think Garret Whitlock can stick in the Majors all year so he doesn’t have to be offered back to the Yankees? He’s looked good in Spring and in SSS this season.
Keith Law: Sure, as a two-pitch reliever with AA experience already, it’s not surprising he’d be MLB ready.

Pat: BTW, the joyous reaction of Akil Baddoo’s parents to his HR last weekend was one of the joys I’ve gotten so far this season. To watch your kid work for years & year (& for the parents to spend the $$ & drive him to all the practices/games/showcases) & get the payoff of him hitting a HR in his 1st MLB AB. It’s a lot of work & a long road, but, seeing your child succeed at the highest level in his chosen field has to be such an experience.
Keith Law: Especially in his case, where he hasn’t played since elbow surgery in May 2019.

Justin Y: Corbin Burnes has given up 2 hits in two starts, that cutter is devastating. He’s gonna be in the CY Young conversation isn’t he?
Keith Law: I said in September he might have been the best pitcher in the NL had he spent the whole year in the rotation and avoided the oblique strain he suffered, which cost him the innings he needed to make a real argument for the CYA. He’s a stud. Former #24 overall prospect in my rankings.

Mudville Nine: Hey Keith, really enjoyed Inside Game! I’m curious to know your thoughts on Russ Atkins 5 years extension with the Blue Jays. Obviously, Rogers ownership is happy with how Shapiro and Adkins manage their budgets but what do you think this tandem getting a guaranteed 5 years commitment to continue teambuilding?
Keith Law: Ehhh … I don’t think I have a strong feeling either way on this. This front office built a very strong farm system – about two years after they said they did – and that’s worthy of praise, but I also would like to see more on-field results in the majors.

HomerSomethingSomething: Mountcastle looked absolutely horrific on defense yesterday – probably cost the O’s 3 runs alone in that game. But hey, he hit a home run so that’s good, right?
Keith Law: I think he can be something if he’s just a 1b/dh who hits for power with a low OBP.

Jason S: If I said the Pirates have the worst assembled team of all time, and Dodgers have the best. How much of a reach is that?
Keith Law: You clearly didn’t see the 2003 Tigers.

Jesse The Body: Balazovic and Duran should be up at some point this year for the Twins, correct?
Erin: Is Simmons/Buxton the best defensive SS/CF combo in recent memory?
Keith Law: I would say yes on Duran, Balazovic maybe in September?
Keith Law: Good question, not a pair of positions we usually think of together, but that is probably true. Simmons is the best defensive SS post-Ozzie, and Buxton is probably the best defensive CF in baseball right now.

JT: Can we believe in Carlos Rodon again? I am not really a White Sox fan, but it’s hard to be against someone finally healthy and able to make good on unfulfilled promise.
Keith Law: I apologize for using the technical vernacular here, but his shit was ridiculous the other night. Averaging 95 again? 30 sliders with 8 whiffs in 11 swings and no balls hit fair? I just pulled up his K of Kyle Seager on 3 swinging strikes on sliders – two in the zone, one below it. Filthy.
Keith Law: I have NO idea if he can hold up, but this is basically the guy I saw at NC State as an underclassman.

Justin: Do you think the strategy of going under slot on a top pick in order to spend more later works?   Should the Pirates consider this or should they just not get cute, and take Leiter instead?
Keith Law: You have to take the right guys, both in the first round and then later. The Pirates should take Leiter, though. There isn’t a good second choice right now.

Aaron: Do you get any info from teams regarding players that are currently at the alternate sites? Are those open to scouts or media?
Keith Law: I did last year, but I’ve been draft-focused the last few weeks, and those alternate site guys will be out playing minor-league games soon enough. I know at least some are open to scouts/media but I don’t think all are.

Oz: How do you feel about the 7 inning doubleheader rule?  Atlanta and Washington played on Wednesday and I like the quicker games.
Keith Law: Hate it.

Mike: Hi Keith – thoughts on Rocker’s dip in velocity over his last few starts? A blip on the radar or more of a red flag?
Keith Law: I discussed that in my draft notebook this week.

Jason: Is it time to panic yet about Keston Hiura? He strikes out so much. I have hope but, maybe he needs a run in the minors?
Keith Law: That’s another guy who needs to restore an old swing (like Kingery). It’s frustrating to see a player who can hit, and did hit for several years in college and in the minors and even his first year in the majors, change an approach that worked.

Greg: If everyone can IMMEDIATELY see something was called wrong on replay, why do we have to sit there and be told something is “not reviewable”? Shouldn’t blatant and obvious errors be able to be remedied. It just feels like baseball being the stodgy old sport its detractors paint it as when they seem to be behind other sports in terms of technology, like replays.
Keith Law: That HBP should have been reviewable but they’d have to change the replay rules.

Cristian Javier: am I in the rotation the whole year? Can I be in contention for rookie of the year?
Keith Law: Yes, probably. No, because you’re not a rookie.

Beau: I realize we haven’t seen real games in over a year, but is Gore’s seeming lack of command/polish at this point in time concerning at all? (compared to absurdly high expectations)
Keith Law: No. call me when he’s pitching in real games.

Noah: Wife and I are both fully vaccinated, going to dinner tonight with another couple (one fully vaccinated, the other not and pregnant) at an indoor dining establishment with limited capacity.  Currently having an anxiety attack, is that wrong?
Keith Law: I mean, I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong. I don’t understand your pregnant friend’s decision-making here.

Sean: Thoughts on Ty France?  Was he not a prospect due to his limited defense?  He consistently has the best at-bats on the team, and hits the ball to all fields.  Is there something here?
Keith Law: Bench guy, but that’s probably it. No position and didn’t hit much in the minors until AAA El Paso (a good hitters’ park). Has value, though – could play a long time bouncing around as a bench piece who fills in at the corners (I don’t think 2b will really work).

Kevin: If Tatis misses a lot of time any chance Abrams will get the call up? The first part of this question made me cry.
Keith Law: I can’t imagine they would hold off all year on Abrams if Tatis does have to miss most of the season.

Tony: KLAW, I am having bad anxiety but not sure whether to go to a social counselor, psychiatrist,  or clinical psychologist.  No idea the difference neither. Any advice?
Keith Law: You want a clinical psychologist who uses evidence-based practices first.

Zack: Who do you like to make more of an impact in 2021 at/behind the plate, Tyler Stephenson or Alejandro Kirk?
Keith Law: Kirk but I like both guys.

James: How higher of a ceiling is the current Ryan Weathers who holds 96+ through multiple innings vs the previous Ryan Weathers who would bottom out at 89?
Keith Law: Well this version made my top 100 this winter and the last version did not. Difference between an above-average big league starter and a back-end guy at best.

Paul K.: Great review of Maglev Metro.  Have you played Lost Ruins of Arnak yet?  If not, it’s a lot of fun and plays well with two.
Keith Law: I have not – it’s on the long side, listed as 30-120 minutes, and even I as the biggest boardgamer in the house find my attention flags past about an hour and a half.

AnalyticsPlant: Is The Inside Game eminently more readable in hardcover or in paperback?
Keith Law: I’m speaking against my own self-interest but I prefer paperbacks. They’re just so much more portable.

Beej: As a scout, how do you evaluate bat speed with the naked eye when the difference between a quick bat and a slow bat may only be a few hundredths of a second?
Keith Law: I think it’s pretty easy to see the difference with experience.

Matt: How do we as a society deal with stupid people that have a major influence on others? Millions of morons believe Ted Nugent questioning why we don’t hear about Covid-1 to 18. You can look up how Covid-19 got its name in 3 seconds. Yet, a large group of Americans can’t be bothered to do so
Keith Law: Our public education system does not emphasize critical thinking … and plenty of right-wing nonprofits have been pushing for years to further deemphasize science and rational thought at all levels of education.

Zach: Word is Jonathan India has made big leaps behind the scenes the last two years. Did you hear the same, or is this all just small sample size?
Keith Law: I wrote about that in my top 100 this winter, which he was on.

Jeffrey: Gausman appears to be a much better pitcher with the Giants.  Is this a credit to their pitching coaches or an indictment of Baltimore’s?
Keith Law: An indictment of Buck Showalter and his staff. They couldn’t stop messing with Gausman’s placement on the rubber. They messed up Arrieta’s delivery, wouldn’t play or even speak to Hays when he first came up … Elias et al inherited so much more than just a bad major-league roster.

BenL: I know the plan is to use him as a high leverage reliever this year to build innings for potential starter role in the future, etc etc., but do you recall anyone w/ the injury history of Alex Reyes becoming a relatively healthy, successful starter?
Keith Law: No, and FTR I always questioned whether he’d hold up given his delivery. He just had such great stuff I couldn’t ignore it, but in hindsight I should have been more conservative when ranking him.

Jeff: Should I worry about Soroka’s shoulder inflammation that shut him down for two weeks?
Keith Law: Yes because it’s not his first bout.

Chris: If rocker needs surgery how far would he slide in the draft?
Keith Law: I’m not anywhere near the point of thinking he needs surgery.

Joe: Trout mentioned he’s adjusted his swing in the off-season and it seems to have paid off with a slightly hotter than normal start….would you agree?
Keith Law: Yes, I was really concerned about the huge deficiencies in his game going into 2021.

Zihuatanejo: “Why do we hear so much about Malcolm X, and *nothing* about Malcolms I-IX?”
Keith Law: OK, that’s funny.

Beej: Is it fair to put Shane Bieber in the same category as Paul Goldschmidt as mis-identified prospect? I recall (apologies if I’m incorrect) that you had him pegged as a 4-5 starter who could be HR-prone.
Keith Law: I wrote him up as a guy I got wrong. He picked up more than a full grade of velocity after college, which is rare.

Deke: Listening to Monday’s pod right now, and how much did it hurt your brain to read an ad for “read nonfiction books condensed to 15 minutes”?
Keith Law: I read a lot of ads for products I don’t personally use. It’s part of the job.

TJ: In terms of Mountcastle and the Orioles probably not contending this year, is it worth playing him in LF and seeing if theres any possible development or is it not worth the bad defense to even try him in left?
Keith Law: Can the answer be maybe? As in, sure, it’s not hurting their playoff chances, but also, is it clear yet that it’s not going to work? When should they stop and say it’s not helping him or their pitchers who end up losing outs to his defense?

Mike Trout: Not judging at all — curious what changed that you felt comfortable taking your trip before getting vaccinated? I see a lot of people, sadly imo, struggling to adjust even after getting vaccinated.
Keith Law: My trip to DC/Maryland? I didn’t have to fly, and we didn’t eat indoors at any point. We were really only inside when in our hotel room and in one store. I don’t think we did anything unsafe to others and we didn’t feel like we put ourselves at risk.
Keith Law: (My wife is vaccinated, so it’s just me, really.)

Mac: Is Kumar Rocker falling out of the top 5?
Keith Law: No. Could he, yes. Is he right now, no, I don’t think so. But he might be the 3rd pitcher taken today rather than the second (Hoglund).

JR: How much of a sample size will you want to see before determining if mlb really did modify the baseball?
Keith Law: Rob Arthur wrote yesterday or the day before that the ball is livelier than ever. I’ll defer to experts like him.

Mac: Who is the first college position player drafted?
Keith Law: Davis or Frelick.

Moe Mentum: Two celebrated contemporary novelists who do not appear on your Top 100 Novels list are Bret Easton Ellis and Jonathan Franzen. I know that just because a baseball prospect misses your Top 100 doesn’t mean he sucks, but curious about your opinions of these authors’ works? Considering either American Psycho or Freedom for my next read.
Keith Law: Didn’t like Franzen’s The Corrections. Never read anything else by him, or anything at all by Ellis.

Deke: This spring, most of the projection systems had Nick Madrigal forecast for 7, 8, 9 homers. Seems obviously ridiculous to me. Is that just a product of those systems not really knowing how to forecast someone with Madrigal’s profile? He’s such an outlier to the modern ballplayer that the projection systems just have to throw their hands up?
Keith Law: They’re not my systems, so that might be a better question for one of their developers, but I would guess that you’re right, although we have seen fewer than 7 HR in full seasons from batters recently – Yolmer Sanchez hit 2 in 2019 while qualifying for the batting title. Nobody has hit fewer than 2 while qualifying since 2014, though.

Appa Yip Yip: Are you buying what Julian Merryweather is selling?
Keith Law: In one-inning bursts, sure. Picked up about a grade of FB moving to relief.

Andy: The AS game decision was MLB taking some heat off of players/managers of whether or not they would participate. It’s one of the first actual items I can think of Manfred doing to help his players be marketed ahead of the game of baseball.
Keith Law: Howard Bryant reported that corporate sponsors really pushed MLB to move the game. I agree that it did help the players out, but it sounds like money talked first.

Mac: Has Mayer overtaken Lawler as the top prep position player?
Keith Law: No.

Jack: Are the A’s really this bad?
Keith Law: No, but I don’t think they’re a 95-win team underperforming, either.

Adam: I second the Tabla recommendation, or Supra, their first restaurant. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried khachapuri (basically a giant boat filled with cheese and a whole egg). My question: how is DeGrom doing it??? First start against the Phillies, he was sitting 98-101 and hit 102. If that’s his velocity now, maybe the Mets will finally win when he starts occassionally.
Keith Law: I have had a peinirli, the Greek equivalent, and yes, it’s great. (Supposedly brought to Greece by emigrants from the Caucasus.) As for deGrom, I don’t really know the answer. He’s an outlier of the best possible kind.

Jason: Do you think Josh Lindblom can be of service in MLB? I believe you’ve said as a reliever. I hope the brewers keep him in the pen.
Keith Law: Yes, in relief.

Mike: Best breakfast place in az
Keith Law: 1. Hillside Spot. 2. Crepe Bar 3. Matt’s Big Breakfast.

Creedreader (TJ): Vlad jr. was touted as the first prospect with a consensus 80 hit tool. Is this true in your estimation? What does it mean that Wander Franco is the next prospect with an 80 hit tool? Has this happened before but wasn’t known because of the presence of the internet or are these two prospects truly remarkable in this respect? Has there ever been a prospect with an 80 hit tool that has underperformed or not been a major league regular? Really interested in your take on this and any other thoughts you have on a prospect being rated 80 on that particular tool which seems more qualitative and important than all the others
Keith Law: It was not true, IMO, and I think subsequent events have borne that out, although to be clear I still expect great things from his bat.

Frank: How does Henry Davis compare to other top of the draft catchers in recent years like Bart and Rutschman?
Keith Law: Better than Bart, below Rutschman.

Matt: I’ve noticed since being vaccinated, I tend to laugh (behind my mask) when I see people that refuse to wear one. Like, if you want to ignore science, fine. But sooner or later, you will get got. Am I a dick?
Keith Law: The problem is that those people ignoring science will get other people got. And then we all lose.

Santaspirt: I wonder if all the anti-DH people realize that the DH is optional. So even if it’s universal, teams don’t have to use one. I mean if it’s truly the better option for the game, I’m sure all their favorite teams will choose not to employ it.
Keith Law: Fair point. Watch how fast those 15 NL teams run towards the DH when they can.

ajd: One of the things I’ve struggled with recently while reading sportswriting is how many journalists seem to be carrying water for teams or MLB in general. I realize this isn’t anything new, but it’s depressing. How do you, as someone who is inside the game, handle this stuff? Laugh it off? Ignore this? Or is it just not a big deal?
Keith Law: When appropriate, I try to provide a contrary and I hope more objective viewpoint, with evidence.
Keith Law: That’s all for this week. A reminder that The Inside Game is indeed now out in paperback, and you can buy it anywhere you like – Midtown Scholar has many signed copies available right now. Thank you all for reading, and, for those of you who’ve already bought the book, thank you as well.

My predictions for 2021 are now up for for The Athletic subscribers.

My second book, The Inside Game, comes out in paperback on April 6th. Next Wednesday, April 7th, I’ll be appearing in a live, virtual event with fellow author Will Leitch through Harrisburg’s Midtown Scholar bookstore. Your ticket purchase also gets you a personalized, signed copy of my book.

Keith Law: It hits like a hammer when I’m that to someone else. Klawchat.

HomerSomethingSomething: Just finished The Inside Game – great work! Jarren Duran looks like he’s made serious strides at the plate since 2019 but his routes and reads have been awful this Spring. Do you think he can stick in CF or does he end up a corner guy?
Keith Law: I do believe in the swing changes, but wouldn’t judge any fielder too much based on spring training. He’s certainly athletic and fast enough to handle CF. (I haven’t seen any of his fielding misadventures, though.)

Andy: What are the odds Bo Naylor stays at C for the Indians as he moves up the minor league ladder?
Keith Law: At this point, probably around even money, with a better chance that they move him to get his bat in the lineup more than that they move him for defensive reasons.

Todd Boss: Carter Kieboom question; he just had a very public 2021 Spring Training audition failure.  He’s only 23 … but something feels like he’s at a serious cross roads in his career right now.  Does he need a change of scenery?
Keith Law: He might. Maybe just going to AAA and playing 2b exclusively would help? That said, I was always kind of the low man on his bat. I didn’t see this potential 60 hit tool, not in his bat speed and not in his overall approach.

Andy: If Chris Rodriguez can stay healthy does he have the stuff to be a legit #2 SP down the road?
Keith Law: Yes, but he’s never stayed healthy, and they took my 1000-to-1 bet from a few weeks ago against him appearing in the majors … which I said would be a stupid move at the time. I stand by that: He’s thrown 9 innings in 3 years, nothing above A-ball. How do you manage his workload this year, on a club that wants to contend, while also setting him up to return to starting in 2022? Have they closed the door on him as a starter in the long term?

Will: Keith, what are your expectations for Pache this year? Is a 250/320/400 slash line crazy?
Keith Law: I’d expect more like a .250/.290/.440 kind of line, with a lot of HR but that low OBP.

G: I know you had Ke’Bryan Hayes as the most deserving player for ROY last year, and he’s still eligible this year as he hasn’t yet hit his Rookie eligibility requirement. So my question is: Is it possible for a player to win ROY twice?
Keith Law: It is not. Last year’s winners are ineligible this year by rule. I remain a huge Hayes fan but his lack of any voter support last year has further convinced me that there are enough voters who just don’t take voting seriously, and that someone like Hayes, who is one of the best defensive 3b in baseball right now, is at a disadvantage in awards voting because he’ll produce value in ways lazy voters just don’t recognize.

Todd Boss: Props to CWS for not playing service time games with Vaughn and naming him to opening day.  What are his chances of holding his own given limited minor league ABs?
Keith Law: I wonder if he’ll end up a high BB high K guy right now, because he was always dancing on the edge of being passive. That could be a reaction if he’s overmatched by big league pitching. I hope that’s wrong.

Andy: Could Lacy open in the Royals rotation in 2022 or is that too optimistic a timeline given the lost development time last year?
Keith Law: Very reasonable.

Josh: Is there anything in Vaughn’s athletic makeup that suggests he can play LF every day at an acceptable level?
Keith Law: I don’t think so, but I wouldn’t rule it out.

Andy: Does Tanajh Thomas have a future as a starter or does he profile more as a power RP?
Keith Law: Reliever.

Will: Keith, thoughts on Sean Newcomb in the bullpen? At 26, is he done as a starter?
Keith Law: Yes. Can’t see how he can improve his delivery to throw more strikes.

Eric: Overall thoughts on the Lindor extension? I think fair for both sides.
Keith Law: He would have gotten more on the open market, I think, but I can’t criticize him for taking this deal. Of the four SS headed for free agency this winter (including him), I think he might have been the best bet for a long-term deal. Better SS now than Correa or Seager, more likely to stay there, and better hitter than Story.

Andy: Manoah really opened some eyes this spring.  Is it feasible to project a late call up this year if things go well in the minors or is that too aggressive given his lack of minor league IP?
Keith Law: Reasonable, if they manage his innings to leave something in the tank for August/September.

Champdo: How good do you think Willi Castro could be at his peak?
Keith Law: Everyday player.

Andy: Why do you hate my team? Every national expert must pick my team to be the class of the league. Every player is in the best shape of their life. Every prospect is the next big thing. Clearly, you are the issue for not seeing this.
Keith Law: What never fails to surprise me is how none of the people whining about purported “bias” against their favorite teams realize that fans of every team say the same thing.

Ted: Hi Keith – providing that he stays healthy, can AJ Puk become a GUY with less velocity (93-94), but with better command? The reports from spring suggest that his velocity has gone down a bit, while he’s working on his command. Thanks.
Keith Law: I heard that directly from a scout – Alex Coffey had a great article where she used that quote from me – and I think he can still be a GUY, but he has to show he can stay healthy, which he also has not done.

Todd Boss: Seth Romero, your favorite Nats malcontent 1st round draftee, is on 40-man and did not log a single pitch in spring training despite no injury report.  What can we glean from this information as Nats fans?
Keith Law: “Undisclosed injury.” Uh-huh. Color me shocked.

Jason: Why is Andrew Cuomo still Governor of NY?
Keith Law: I’m really not sure. He should have been gone weeks ago.
Keith Law: I also don’t know if there’s a legal route to removing him right now, though.

Khalid: Is Tyler Soderstrom’s bat good enough that he can retain his value as a prospect even if he was moved off C to either 3B or LF?
Keith Law: Yes. I wrote about that in the offseason – he’s not a C, he is a prospect.

Kevin: Your thoughts on Luis Garcia. I thought I remembered that you like him.
Keith Law: The Astros’ starter, yes.

Kyle: Do you have insight on how beneficial it is to the bookstore to buy a popular book from a wealthy author? For example, Obama’s new memoir is $45 at my local store, $24 at Amazon. I like to support the local store but that’s a big difference for an already wealthy author.
Keith Law: I believe the bulk of that difference goes to the store, although I also believe that amazon buys their books from publishers at a lower rate than local stores do.

Anthony: I’m always blocked out of Meadowparty on mobile (sending this question from my laptop). Do you know if there’s any way around this so I can access your chats/movie reviews from my phone?
Keith Law: That issue should be resolved – might need to clear your cache – but it will work on Wifi. The issue was related to some site security software Hostgator told me I needed, but it turned out I didn’t need it and it caused problems with users on some mobile networks.

Jason: are you high on Garrett Mitchell?
Keith Law: He was on my top 100. I don’t know if that makes me high on him or not, but I ranked him higher than his draft position last year.

Michael: Tyler O’Neill reportedly worked on and had a great spring as far as a significantly better approach at the plate. If he can really translate that to regular season what kind of player do you think he could be?
Keith Law: I won’t buy that at all until I see it. His whole swing and approach were geared to pull the ball. That’s no small fix.

Jib: Justin Williams starting in RF for the Cardinals today. How do you like his chances to keep that spot?
Keith Law: I really hope he gets an extended shot. He can do enough of everything to be a soft regular in a corner, maybe not right now, but in time.

Hank: I noticed you tweeted that the baseball fan in you was happy that Kirk made the Jays. What players are your favourites purely as a fan, regardless of how good they might be?
Keith Law: Stroman. Roman Quinn. Dom Smith. Lindor. Javy Baez. Tatis Jr., of course. Quite a few, really – I just don’t go overboard in talking about them because I don’t want people to find bias where none exists.

Max: Keith, sell me on Drew Waters as a future star in CF?
Keith Law: I don’t think he’s even a regular.

Guest: Thanks for doing these chats, sir. The indie (sic) league team I follow just signed Anfernee Grier, a former #1 pick by Arizona. His career has been a tire fire–was he seen at the time as a bad pick?
Keith Law: Yes, or at least as high-risk medium-reward. Hit well his junior spring until conference play started, and then he cratered. Never did learn to pick up breaking stuff.
Keith Law: I took too long to mute the announcers. Must still be spring training for me too.

Jason: So do the Mariners keep Kelenic down a few extra days or weeks past the service time marker to create a plausible defense to the claim he’ll make?  Players never win those arguments, but there usually isn’t an exec on tape admitting to the plan.
Keith Law: Maybe? I have a feeling we’ll see him sooner because they’re aware the league, his agent, and even their fans are watching.

wrburgess: Does Justus Sheffield show enough improvement this season to meet the potential you saw previously?
Keith Law: Not sure he’s ever going to be hitting 97 with a plus slider like I saw from him in the AFL, but I think he’ll be league-average this year.

Chris: Kinda feel like the Mets should’ve traded Dom Smith for some pitching? With no DH this year he’s gonna struggle to see the field (he’s unplayable in LF IMO)
Keith Law: I have thought that for a while, but I also think they were betting on a DH this year, and they don’t want to deal a guy who has turned out to be one of the most popular players on the team. I can’t completely fault them for either.

Your fellow citizens: What are your thoughts on folks thinking Covid is almost over?   Sad to see so many selfish people ruining what could be a strong recovery and good health for everyone!  Everyone, please still wear your damn mask!
Keith Law: It was inevitable. States opening back up too quickly has led to complacency, and that’s leading to new waves of cases. Good job, everyone.

Dave: Hi Klaw. Thanks for the chats. Enjoyed the Inside Game. Are you planning a third book? Between Casas, Downs, Duran and Jimenez who has the highest ceiling and who in your opinion is the most likely to reach their ceiling?
Keith Law: Kicking around an idea for a non-baseball non-fiction book. Jimenez has the highest ceiling, but he’s not ranked first in their system, because I don’t think he has the probability of the other guys.

Appa Yip Yip: Did you see anything different on what Manoah was doing this spring compared to when last you saw him?
Keith Law: No but the TV angle doesn’t show me everything and if he’s changed something minor I might have missed it.

JJ: If Bobby Dalbec plays 140+ games this year, can he surpass Mark Reynolds’ single season record of 223 strikeouts for the season?  I get that I’m not supposed to care about contact any more, but it’s getting ridiculous.  Boring, and ridiculous.
Keith Law: Yes, he could.

Josh: Will the owners feel even a hint of shame when they cry austerity & lock out players after a season where two shortstops were guaranteed 681 million dollars?
Keith Law: Absolutely not. They have no shame.

Kevin: Any college coaches thank you for pointing out how to get Jud Fabian out?
Keith Law: 50% strikeout rate in SEC play. His defenders on Twitter have gotten awfully quiet.

section 34: Keith, isn’t “service time manipulation” really just good business practice?
Keith Law: Yes, if your entire goal is profit maximization.

mike t: Is it possible for pitchers with relatively straight fastballs to add movement? I’m thinking about Mitch Keller in particular
Keith Law: I know teams that believe this is possible through pitch design, altering grips and seam placement. I think we’re still seeing the results of these experiments, and whether pitchers can do that without losing too much command. (I think some will. It’s good progress.)

Adam: Considering the layoff between actual games, should we be really excited by how *good* certain prospects like Bobby Witt and CJ Abrams have looked so far this Spring?
Keith Law: No. I mean, you can be excited, but don’t let it change your rational opinions of those players.

Adam: Considering the late bloom of his career, how dominant does Jacob DeGrom need to be for how long to make a serious Hall of Fame case for himself? Does one more Cy Young award get him there?
Keith Law: I think it’s going to be really hard for him. He’ll have to stay healthy well into his 30s and keep working as a starter, or his bulk numbers are going to pale next to other starters in the Hall (where the standards for SP haven’t changed enough to reflect changing usage patterns).

TomBruno23: Reminder of the time Gregg Jefferies received ROY votes in 1988 and 1989.
Keith Law: Can’t miss!

Dr. Bob: I’m not a big pomp and circumstance guy in any situation, but I make two exceptions: Opening Day and Game 1 of the World Series. Give me all the hoopla along with the game. Baseball is back, baby.
Keith Law: My excitement is a little tempered by the state of the world, but yes, it is very, very good to have baseball back.

Ben (MN): My opening day meal tradition is Kramarczuk’s Brats (sold at Target Field) with onions and saurkraut. It just makes me feel like baseball is finally here. What’s your favorite stadium/baseball meal?
Keith Law: I almost never eat at ballparks, sorry.

Jose: Your thought on Nats prospects Israel Pineda. Thanks.
Keith Law: He’s #14 on my Nationals prospect rankings.

Coach: Do you think Hoerner is going to hit?
Keith Law: I do, enough for him to be an everyday guy, but not enough to be a star.

Nick: I think you’ve read most of David Mitchell at this point. What was your favorite? I think mine is still Cloud Atlas.
Keith Law: I’ve read 5/8 and would agree, but I know people who love Black Swan Green.

Mac: Who do you think will be the third college pitcher off the board?
Keith Law: Gunnar Hoglund.

Chris: Gleyber let a reachable one get by him, time for the “he cant play short!” rants to begin.  Joking aside, what will they do with DJ signed for 6 yrs and Gio ensconsed at 3B if Glevber cant, in fact, play short, esp with the big group coming up as FA?
Keith Law: They’ll sign one of those FA and trade Gleyber, or move him to third and trade Gio. I can’t see them letting either of those guys stop them from signing a premium free agent.

TomBruno23: Watched Christian Little at all? I know Vandy has some other big names on the staff, but wondering your thoughts on a kid who in a normal world would be a senior at CBC High School in St. Louis instead of pitching mid-week for the #1 team in the country.
Keith Law: I have not, but I can’t emphasize enough what an incredibly bad idea it is for high school players to matriculate early in college and skip the draft entirely. This is coaches trying to make an end run around MLB teams, and the big losers are the players, who miss out on an opportunity for MLB teams to offer them a lot of money that they can still, if they choose, decline to accept.

Ben: New to your chats, thank you. Why do virtually all prospects with 70-80 power have a propensity to strike out so often?
Keith Law: When you swing that hard, you’re going to miss a lot.

Joe: When will the Blue Jays realize Danny Jansen isn’t that good and unleash Alejandro Kirk to his full potential?
Keith Law: Give them time. I’m sure they’re still wondering how much to buy Kirk’s bat since he had no time above A-ball before last fall.

elGuapo: What would you do with Aquino now that he’s out of options? Can he be a regular (.800+ OPS in ML and AAA)? Or is he just a high K guy the Reds seem to hate for good reason.
Keith Law: I’d waive him. He’s not an .800 OPS guy (or a 100 wRC+ guy) going forward.

Kevin: Given the short shelf life that catchers have, if you were Baltimore would you even have Adley catch another inning in the minors considering his D is already major league good?
Keith Law: They’re going to be so bad this year that I’m not sure there’s a real benefit to rushing him now. Maybe midyear? He’d be two years past his draft day anyway.

Grover: Have you given up on Willie Calhoun?
Keith Law: I was never a huge believer. He has no position and I don’t think the bat plays at DH.

Chris: It took til the 2nd batter of the season for the announcers to mention Cole’s salary.  Funny how they never mention an owner’s net worth.
Keith Law: They know who pays their salaries.

Mike: Ignoring the lost income angle, it is bad developmentally for position players to choose college over starting a professional career?
Keith Law: That will depend on the player. Some guys really do need college, or will make more money after playing at a good D1 program. Anthony Rendon wasn’t a top ten kind of player out of high school, but he might have gone 1-1 if he hadn’t hurt his shoulder his junior year at Rice.
Keith Law: Some is development, some is just seeing a guy regularly against better competition.

Kevin: Gore seems to still be having some command trouble. Any concern?
Keith Law: It was 11 innings. No.

Todd Boss: Speaking of kids who graduated early to run off to college: Nate Savino and UVA.  He was 1st round talent projected as a rising HS senior … now he’s UVA’s mid-week starter?  If he was that good … how is he unable to beat out middling upperclassmen starters who are currently leading UVA to a losing record?  Was he over-rated coming out of HS?  Has he regressed?
Keith Law: I didn’t see him on Saturday, but I don’t think he’s regressed as badly as Mike Vasil, who might have lost $2 million by telling teams not to draft him.

section 34: Keith, on “service time manipulation” — it seems to me that smart teams would do it not just to maximize profits (though that’s also a benefit), but to keep players for an extra full season. Not every team is the Dodgers or Mets and can afford to pay the market-rate salary of a superstar player. Do you disagree?
Keith Law: Yes, I do. Sending guys to the minors who don’t need to go there stops their development. It might cost you a win or more in the majors that year. And it’s always based on the assumption that you know what a player will be worth six or seven years into the future. Any such projections should have enormous error bars around them, at the least.

Nitelight62: I think a 14 year Major League career qualifies as not missing…..
Keith Law: Jefferies was supposed to be the best prospect in baseball, or close to it, and he was done as a regular at age 27, with 19 career WAR.

danaez: You seem to balance a wide variety of interests in addition to your family and professional lives. Are you just naturally good at compartmentalizing? I struggle with it and too often end up not getting much done because I’m overwhelmed/distracted.
Keith Law: I do compartmentalize, but I’m also fortunate in that I can integrate family and some of those interests – my wife is just as avid a movie fan (and Oscar completist) as I am. She and my daughter both enjoy board games and I think my stepdaughters are headed that way (I concede some possible influence in that department). My wife has also encourage to try or re-try activities I didn’t think I’d enjoy, like skiing or running. So a lot of those outside interests become family activities too.

Merrick: Hi Keith! Was fun seeing Andre Jackson and Michael Grove throw back-to-back innings recently after learning about them from your Dodgers list. Both appear to have exciting stuff. Do you think either might be a bullpen candidate in October?
Keith Law: Grove more likely. Jackson I think is further away from MLB-ready.

Michael: Cardinals are batting Goldschmidt 2nd, Arenado 3rd, Dejong 4th and Carlson 7th today. Maybe I’m wrong but the line up seems a lot better moving Carlson into the 2nd spot to give a guy who looks like he will get on base a good amount and hit with some power in front of Goldschmidt and Arenado. What do you think?
Keith Law: Probably Shildt being conservative with Carlson, who was way better in September in a very small sample. If Carlson is a good OBP guy this year, why not lead him off?

Mike: Hasnt Vasil been pretty good for UVA?  What happened to him to kill his draft stock?
Keith Law: Results are fine, stuff has not been what it was in HS.

HashtagSSS: Find any good coffee places in Charlottesville last weekend?
Keith Law: I drove down and back in one day. Moe’s BBQ has amazing collard greens, though.

Jeff: Thanks for the chats Keith. Any thoughts on moving the pitchers mound back to help the hitters a bit?
Keith Law: I don’t like the idea of changing field dimensions unless they’ve already tried changing more mutable things like the strike zone.

Andy 2: How much are the Cubs going to enjoy the last season of Kris Bryant? 6 years ago this wasn’t the plan for what they would be with his extra season.
Keith Law: Right, but they manipulated his service time as if they were sure they’d be contenders in 2021 and he’d still be a star.

Allen: Thoughts on Sonny Gray’s next few years? Can he be a #2 starter for a while? Better?
Keith Law: I’ll go with above-average starter but not an ace (top 20 or so in baseball).

devilinlaw: Who’s excited to watch the pitcher bat again in the NL?
Keith Law: Nobody!

Jay: How will the Pirates screw up the 1st pick? Take Del Castillo because he’d likely take less and they need MiLB C depth?
Keith Law: I think Leiter’s the most likely guy right now, but if they went college bat, I feel like Davis would be more likely. Taking the next-best guy can be a viable strategy if you get the right overpays later.

Jay: @devilinlaw Who’s excited to see Catchers hit? Nobody
Keith Law: In 2019, catchers hit .238/.309/.408, and pitchers hit .128/.159/.163. This is a stupid “point” and people need to stop making it, because it is stupid and annoying and wastes everyone’s time.
Keith Law: If pitchers hit like catchers, there would be no calls for DHs, and pitchers would win MVP awards all the time.

Trevor: Looked like Miami (OH)’s Bachman missed a few weeks, not sure if it was injury related or not, but then came back two starts later and struck out all 9 batters he faced. Looking forward to your draft prospect list update
Keith Law: Injury, yes, supposedly has come back fine. Top half of the first round stuff.

Guest: What are you thoughts on Amed Rosario playing CF in Cleveland and will they be able to get more production out of his tools than the Mets?
Keith Law: I’d really like to see him get a long trial there in the minors first. Don’t move a SS to CF in the majors and expect him to take to it immediately.

Jesus: Dom Smith huge year ?
Keith Law: I’ve been a believer since he was drafted. He can hit, and he has real power.

Pete: I’m excited about Alejandro Kirk. Who’s bat would you rather have for the next 5-10 years, his or Will Smith’s?
Keith Law: I would gladly take either. I feel better about a 10-year projection for Smith than for Kirk, though.

mike t: Regarding Pirates, wasn’t the problem with the previous regime more that they underdeveloped the talent they had, rather than drafting lesser players i  order to sign them for less? Either way,, the jury is still out on Cherington
Keith Law: Yes, I agree with that. They had some head-scratchers in the draft (Will Craig?), but also had some really good picks that didn’t work out as expected or are still TBD.

JR: Getting my vaccine next week. Excited to see games in person this year. #fyeahbaseball
Keith Law: I’m eligible to sign up on Tuesday, so I’m hoping that means I’ll be able to get on a plane before the end of the month. Everyone who can get vaccinated should get vaccinated, not just for yourself, but for your community.
Keith Law: That’s all for this week – thank you all for all of your questions. The Inside Game is out in paperback on Tuesday. Here’s hoping I can sign your copies some time this year!

I have another new board game review up at Paste, looking at Renature, the newest collaboration from Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling, two designers whose games I’ve liked when they work on their own but whose joint efforts have left me cold – until this one.

Keith Law: Pay attention, it’s not hard to decipher. Klawchat.

Ifickey: Did you get a chance to scout Nick Bitsko? If he wouldn’t have reclassified, where would he rank in this upcoming draft?
Keith Law: Never seen him. His season hadn’t started last spring when the world ended. He’d be in the same range, late first round, this year, but given the shoulder surgery he should be very glad he reclassified and signed when he did.

TomBruno23: Jack Leiter, 124 pitches…managerial malfeasance?
Keith Law: No, but pointless. He’s got a $6-8 million payday in less than four months. There’s no good reason to push him just so in 20 years he can say he threw a no-hitter in a mid-season SEC game.

Guest: Any hope for Luis Urias or has that ship sailed? Looks like neither the bat or OBP skills have shown up with him thus far in Milwaukee.
Keith Law: I don’t give up on guys with a history of hitting in the minors that quickly.

Jon: Is Corbin Martin a top-60 (give or take) pitcher this season? Is that expecting too much too soon?
Keith Law: I’m a big fan but since he is still just coming back from TJ that feels like a very optimistic projection.

Bryan: Dylan Cease’s BB problems have never seen to go anywhere. Can he be a competent starter at 4.5-5 BB/9? What is the ceiling if he gets it to 3 or so?
Keith Law: Potential #2 starter if he gets to average control, but can he get there when hitters hit his fastball as well and as hard as they do?

Pete: With the glutton of Braves pitching, do you see Bryse Wilson or Touki Toussaint making an impact this season or beyond, starting or out of the pen? Or will it have to be with another team if Atlanta won’t give them some run?
Keith Law: I assumed after they optioned Wright that Wilson would be in the rotation. Touki really has to work out of the pen for now and earn a rotation spot by throwing more strikes. It’s premium stuff, maybe ace stuff, but he has to be able to get it in the zone consistently.

Scott: Any good plan for Taylor Trammell this season? Just stick him in LF and see how it goes?
Keith Law: I’d start him in AAA. It’s become clear in the last year or so that his bat just isn’t as advanced as we (me, analysts, some scouts) thought it was. I do know one pro scout who was always a skeptic, though. Thought he was too passive in A-ball and wouldn’t hit better pitching.

Kevin: Could Brandon Marsh go .275/.350/.450 with 500 ABs this year? 15+ HR/SB?
Keith Law: I might take the under on the OBP for his rookie season.

Rod: I know to not read into ST stats too much but the Pirates look…..good? And Keller, the supposed ace, is the worst performing pitcher thus far. 1) What are the expectations for him – will he eventually be pushed into a relief role? 2) Obviously Adam Frazier and Kevin Newman aren’t going to hit .500 but the bat-to-ball skills seem elite. Frazier worth anything in a trade? Would you look to move Newman with a hot start or is he one of the guys you can start building around with Hayes, maybe Reynolds too?
Keith Law: The Pirates are not good. Let me disabuse you of that notion up front. They’re one of the two worst teams in the NL, even with some interesting guys. Keller has to find a weapon to get lefties out. He can kill RHB with the FB/CB but without a viable option for LHP he’ll never get close to his potential – I would argue his arsenal right now does not keep him in the rotation. I’ve long been a Newman fan, but he and Frazier may have too similar skill sets to both have roles here going forward.

Dan: I know you listed Gregory Polanco in the breakouts section…but what is a breakout for him? Is it All-Star level? A 2 win season? The tools are just gross if he could do the health thing.
Keith Law: I’m saying a 4-5 win season. 2 WAR would not be a breakout for him, or really anyone. If I think a player is going to break out, I am definitely hoping for more than 2 WAR.

Dan: The starts have been unreal for both Paxton and Robbie Ray – are they reclamation projects that you believe will be reclaimed for lack of a better word?
Keith Law: Both are good gambles, but spring training isn’t telling us anything.

Leo: Are velocities something that we can look for in Spring Training to be useful? It seems like Charlie Morton and Patrick Corbin both have regained a bit on the fastball, should that point towards better success than last year for both?
Keith Law: Yes, that’s one thing I think is potentially useful – a significant change in velocity in either direction. Corey Kluber struggling to hit 90 is a real problem. Dellin Betances did that two years ago and it was a sign he was hurt.

Greg: Any legitimate plan for Garrett Richards this year? Just throw him ’til his arm falls off?
Keith Law: I’m fairly sure the Red Sox have a plan, and that that’s not it.

Adam: I know you’re not a fantasy player, but each year it seems there is a guy drafted in 10th round or later that returns 1st round value. Nick Senzel a qualifier for you? He looks sharp already. Anyone else that you think could fit the profile?
Keith Law: He was a breakout candidate for me in 2020 but then came down with COVID-19 and wasn’t the same when he came back. I’m a believer, though.

Harrisburg Hal: As a fan, what is the best way to pressure MLB to move ASG in light of GA voting restrictions?
Keith Law: I doubt fans can move the needle in any way here, but I had a thought this morning: What if Black MLB players all declined invitations to play in the All-Star Game? Or announced now that they would boycott? The last thing MLB wants is that kind of publicity, not this year, not when they’re supposedly making a big push for DEI across the game.

Andy: Are the Reds kidding themselves trying Suarez at SS?
Keith Law: I mean, he was a shortstop once, and was actually a decent one. It might be a better option than anything else they have on hand.

Rick: Thanks Keith for all your work outside of baseball. Do have a baseball question though. Do you think Chisholm and/or Rodgers will eventually make it to allstar caliber players or just too many warts?
Keith Law: I’m all in on Jazz. Rodgers has two main obstacles: He can’t stay healthy, and he’s not selective enough at the plate. The latter could be improved. The former, though … well, he’s hurt again, and now losing more playing time he needs.

Michael: Hey Keith – not a prospect question, but we are hearing a lot from local media here in Philly about this being a huge Zach Eflin breakout season.  Should I buy the hype?  Have you seen anything that would indicate he is anything more that a potentially solid #3?
Keith Law: I think a solid #3 is about what he can be. The Phillies messed with his repertoire a bit, but I don’t think he ever had a higher ceiling than that, not without some significant change in his arsenal.

Kevin: Blink twice if you need help from someone forcing you to read the “mushroom coffee” ads on your podcast. I thought you pushed back at ESPN about an ad read (many moons ago), and figured fake coffee would have fit that same criteria. Either way, love the pod and thanks for the chats!
Keith Law: I have declined a couple of ads, and I often omit words from copy if I think they’re untrue or too pseudosciencey. That mushroom coffee is actually real coffee with some mushroom powder mixed in. They sent me a bag. I don’t like it.

Isaac: No one was “low” on Bobby Witt, but may we be underrating his potential? Only see his highlights, that swing gets through the zone awfully fast and mixed with that angle, it looks an awful lot like the man in Anaheim. Could Witt be a generational talent type?
Keith Law: I appreciate you prefacing that by saying no one was low on him … everyone’s got him rated pretty highly, especially for a guy who’s nearly 21 and has barely played. Even this winter I had execs from other clubs saying they weren’t sure about his hit tool, and while I know he’s been the flavor of the month, it’s still spring training and the hype is out of proportion. I don’t think he’s anything like the man in Anaheim – Trout was over a year younger on draft day, and at Witt’s age Trout was already the best player in baseball.

Freddie: Is CJ Abrams a potential #1 overall prospect, he seems to check off more boxes every time I blink
Keith Law: He checked off two more while you asked that question. And the answer is yes.

Fred: Do you still view Mize as a top of the rotation type? Seems like he gained a few ticks on his velocity. Is it just experience he needs, or is there another reason he seems to get hit harder than you’d expect considering his apparent raw stuff
Keith Law: I do still view that as his ceiling. He has to either miss more bats with his fastball or pitch with it less.

Scott: Do the A’s stay in Oakland?
Keith Law: Inertia says yes. Economics says no.

Ahammer: Is B.Doyle a legit prospect in Colorado? I have friends that are constantly hyping him, but I need more considering his age and level, or more from someone that knows what they’re talking about. These friends..don’t have the best track record, lol
Keith Law: Yes he’s legit but he really needs to play. He’s 23 with almost no pro experience and he played D2 ball in college, so we really have no idea if he can hit.

IF-land: Hi Keith, you seemed to hold up pretty well this last year, as many of us that battle mental health have had a rough year (not assuming you haven’t, but your writing has been great all year). Personally, I can’t wait for Baseball, getting to ball games will seem like a break from the mundane. Have you got out to games in person yet, last I recall your last game was scouting Veen. Hope your spring allows you to get out to games as we all enjoy your write ups
Keith Law: Thank you. I’m supposed to drive down to UVA tomorrow to see Miami and Adrian Del Castillo, which, as you remembered, will be my first game since Veen. It’s been about 54 weeks. I feel like I’m about to fly to Mars.

Sowers: Cleveland has seem to unlock the secret to develop pitchers that don’t seem to have the highest pedigree. Who would you think increases their value most in their system between Espino, Hankins, wolf, burns or the allens.  Is there a type of pitcher the develop better? Seems like burns falls more in line with the pleasac, Bieber mold
Keith Law: Espino if he stays healthy. Burns if you think Espino won’t do so.

H.cows: If Adley Rutschman was a RF, Would he still be viewed as a top 25 prospect? Is the bat good enough that it would play anywhere, or is it just that good in comparison to others at his position and stage?
Keith Law: Top 50 for sure. Top 25 might depend on the year.

Isaac: With Gimenez looking locked into the SS role in cleveland, who do you see ad the 2B in say 2023-24, seems like they have a ton of players that are pretty similar up the middle
Keith Law: I don’t think Gimenez is good enough to block their parade of SS prospects.

Rick: Apparently Kimbrel hasn’t been looking too good in Spring Training.  He hasn’t looked good since leaving Boston except for a short run at the end of last season.  He still has good stuff, but he’s reminding me of a former Cubs Closer Marmol who was all over the place. Think Kimbrel keeps the closing job or does he end up getting cut mid-season? Thanks
Keith Law: There’s a more likely option in the middle, where they keep him but he’s no longer the closer. The unavoidable truth is that closers – relievers of any sort, really – don’t last. Kimbrel held his peak longer than most.

KIL-cle: Because of the shortened season last year, should we be expecting a noticeable uptick in injuries to position players ad well as pitchers, in your opinion.
Keith Law: I wrote about that this week. I don’t know the answer – no one does – but I have an opinion, at least.

KIL-cle: Amed Rosario had a nightmare game in CF last week, but it was his 1st ever game there. Could be be an ultimate utility type for Cleveland, or would moving him maybe benefit both sides in this case?
Keith Law: As long as they just pick a position and leave him there, I think he’ll be fine. Moving him all over the place when he has no experience doing so wouldn’t help his bat.

Kevin: I know spring training stats dont matter, and last year for Dalbec was a SSS with 8 HR in 80 ABs, but realistically do you think he could hit 35-40 HR playing a full season this year?
Keith Law: I don’t. He’s going to swing and miss too much fort hat.

Jon: RIP Larry McMurtry.  Favorite novel of his?  I love The Last Picture Show.  The movie version is outstanding and might be better than the novel.  One of the great casts of all time.
Keith Law: I’ve only read Lonesome Dove, which was incredible despite its length.

Herb: It seems like many of the rules they are experimenting with in the minors seem geared to helping the running game, is that something you would like to see increase. Personally, I love going to games in the 90s and seeing Kenny Lofton get on 1st. A stolen base got the crowd going seemingly as much as anything. I think it shows the game within the game that the crowd really feeds on.
Keith Law: I do miss the running games of the ’80s and the race for 100 SBs. I think they’re exciting, but as many folks have written, they’re not a great strategy when the cost of a CS is so high.

Tony: It looks like the Marlins are going to have a pretty interesting rotation. I know your prospect rankings discussed Sanchez/Cabrera, but looking at the rotation as a whole how do you feel about those players and how to compare to each other regarding floor/ceiling?
Keith Law: I mentioned Rogers in my breakouts piece, even though I almost never include rookies, because he’s got a new slider that gives him a much higher ceiling than he had previously as a FB/CH guy with a 40 breaking ball. I don’t think the Marlins are going to see .500 this year but they’ll be the most interesting they’ve been in a decade.

Tony: If the draft were today, what would you estimate Jud Fabian’s range to be? Mid first to early second?
Keith Law: Late first to mid second, and dropping.

Wolf: Should transgender girls be able to win college scholarships in women’s sports?
Keith Law: Trans women are women.

Brent: Klaw, any idea who will fill in for Eloy in LF? I’d love for it to be Wild Thing Vaughn, but I’m a realist. Engel’s hurt too. Do you sign someone, just play 8…thanks
Keith Law: I worry about putting Vaughn in left when (as far as I know) he’s never played the OF. He might be Ryan Klesko out there. Maybe he gets hurt, maybe it impacts his bat. It’s not worth that risk.

Dungeon Master: Do you think the Mariners should go hard for one or two of the top free agents next year, especially a SS? Seems like with Kelenic, JRod, Haniger, Lewis, a bunch of solid role players, and the big 3 SP prospects they’re not far away from a pretty good team in a weakening AL West
Keith Law: I agree. Next winter is probably the beginning of the window where they should spend big to compete.

Mike: Not putting a ton of stock in spring training games, but Garrett Mitchell has a chance to be really fun, doesn’t he?
Keith Law: He can really run, and there’s enough bat-to-ball there to make that play, so even if he’s never actually good he should be an exciting player.

Danyul: Hi Keith – what role do you see garrett crochet playing for the sox this year
Keith Law: Reliever only, if he stays healthy.

Nick V: Has Groome’s ceiling lowered significantly due to his injury induced absences? I understand his bust potential is through the roof right now, but has any reports on his stuff being surprisingly good/bad?
Keith Law: No, his ceiling hasn’t lowered significantly. His curveball is more a 60 now than a 70, so it’s a little lower, but that’s the only real negative indicator right now.

Luke: Keith, loved the book. Can you speak to how the base rate affects the evaluation of Mississippi high schoolers (for example)? I understand how HS catchers and pitchers form a base rate, but for a geographic area what’s the commonality that should lump them into the same group? Level of competition?
Keith Law: Yes, level of competition. Applies to cold-weather kids too, although we’ve had more successes from high schools in the northeast than in Mississippi. There could be other variables involved as well – perhaps kids from the northeast are more likely to come from economically advantaged backgrounds that let them pay for outside coaching, or train at better facilities, or just get into more games.

Guest: Loved seeing the highlights of Rocker and Leiter recently. However, every time I see their pitch counts I think of you. Does their workload concern you at all?
Keith Law: It’s at the upper end of what PitchSmart considers acceptable. I’d really like to see Vanderbilt stop pushing them so hard every week. There’s just no good reason for it.

Santaspirt: What to make of DJ LeMahieu? Barely an average hitter by wRC+ in Colorado and then completely changes in NY
Keith Law: He’s made substantial use of the ballpark in the Bronx. Look at his home runs and where they’ve landed.

Guest: I know it’s just spring training, but the way Bell and Schwarber and Zimmerman (always a slow starter) have been swinging the bat in Florida has to bode well for the Nats’ lineup depth, right? Not that they’re all going to carry 1.100 OPS all year, but if they’re hitting pretty well this year that could have a major impact on the NL East. It feels like Washington has the widest variance range between “pretty forgettable” (if the bats aren’t there) and “95 wins” (if they all come up box cars).
Keith Law: Wrong. It’s just spring training. All of those guys could suck this year (I’m not predicting that) and three good weeks in March doesn’t change the probability of that happening.

Justin: Just watching some highlights, it seems like Rocker puts the ball where he wants it more often than Leiter does the same (granted, this is just a small sample in what Pitching Ninja provides on twitter), but I think Leiter is known as being the one more likely to have good command long term.   What are some things that scouts look for to say that someone without good present command may have good command someday.
Keith Law: That’s not accurate – Leiter does that at least as well as Rocker does. The biggest difference I hear from scouts on those two is that Leiter misses more bats with his fastball right now, while Rocker can show you a 70 slider (but hasn’t done so every start).

Generic MLB Player: Just so you know, I am in the absolute best shape of my career!
Keith Law: Good to hear! I am not.

justin g: Fernando Tatis was terrible the end of last year. Is it possible that his initial numbers are a mirage?
Keith Law: You’re asking if about 3 weeks in September tell us more than a year-plus of data that preceded it?

Jason (DC): Keeper league fantasy baseball and looking to add a prospect bat. Who do you like most long-term out of Nolan Gorman, Jarren Duran, Brandon Marsh, or Heliot Ramos? Thank you.
Keith Law: I’d go Duran, Marsh, Ramos, Gorman, in that order.

Pramit: I know that you (and many) tend not to fall for the “he’s in the best shape of his life” narrative that is created during the spring, but would you say Vlad’s weight loss could result in him having a breakout this year?
Keith Law: His weight never affected him at the plate. It’s how he swings. He’s hitting the ball hard but not squaring it up enough, getting on top of it to put it on the ground. Fix that and go have a milkshake.

eric: got my second pfizer shot, no issues, and the piece of mind and hope it brings is amazing.

EVERYONE: IF YOU CAN GET VACCINATED, GET VACCINATED!
Keith Law: Absolutely. I’m hoping Delaware will open it up to my category on the 1st. We’re so behind here.

Frank: Is there any chance Bobby Witt Jr makes the club for opening day?  Considering they are not going to contend this year wouldnt the royals be crazy not to manipulate his service time?
Keith Law: Witt Jr has never played a pro game outside of the complexes. I think promoting him what was once considered six levels and now would be five in one fell swoop would be, to use the technical term, crazy-go-nuts.

Jack: Is there any chance MLB actually moves the all-star game from Atlanta?
Keith Law: I doubt it – I really doubt it – but shame on everyone involved with a conscience if they don’t try.

Dave: Will Ryan McMahon ever happen?
Keith Law: I’m still in the yes camp. I know Sarah Langs of MLB.com called him a breakout candidate for 2021 too.

Eric: the apatow-type early-to-mid 2000s blockbuster comedies (40 yr old virgin, anchorman, old school, etc.) couldn’t – and shouldn’t – be made today. how does one reconcile laughing at and enjoying and quoting content that may have not struck one as super offensive 15-20 years ago, but now realizing how inappropriate and offensive it was to so many marginalized communities?
Keith Law: You have to draw that line for yourself. I believe works of art are largely products of their times. I happen to really like The Scarlet Pimpernel as a novel, but the anti-Semitic trope of the wandering Jew character would make it unpublishable today (for good reason), so it wouldn’t appear on any of my future rankings of novels, and I wouldn’t recommend that my kids read it. It popped up on a reading list for my daughter’s school when she was in 8th grade and I suggested that they reconsider it. Yet I also can recognize that the adventure story within is one of the best I’ve read in literature.

Kevin: what are the odds we see either a work stoppage or a strike for the 22 season?
Keith Law: Better than even.

Cory: Would you say that Lawlar, Rocker, and Leiter are clearly separating themselves from the rest of the draft class in their own tier, or is that still too early to say?
Keith Law: Take Lawlar out of that … he hasn’t looked like a top 3 guy so far. I don’t think 1-1 can be anyone but the two Vandy boys right now, but I also don’t think there’s an enormous gap between them and the next tier of college guys (Davis, del Castillo, Hoglund).

Mike: Banning the shift is ridiculous, right?
Keith Law: Yes.

Dan: Is it at least slightly concerning that someone as polished as Torkelson has struck out 13 times in 24 PA this spring?
Keith Law: No.

Guest: In which film did you find the fictitious elements to be more distracting or detracting overall, Mank or The Trial of the Chicago 7?  For me it was the former because it felt out of place to begin with, in addition to being factually inaccurate, whereas in the latter those elements felt somewhat organic to the plot.
Keith Law: The latter, because they were so obviously fake. Sorkin just couldn’t help himself.

Dan: Why do you hate Nick Madrigal?
Keith Law: We were at Frost Gelato in Arizona at the same time. He was in front of me in line and he took the last scoop of Sea Salt Caramel. I’ll never forgive him.

RIP Jessica Walter: “I love all my children equally.”

“I don’t care for Gob.”
Keith Law: I’ll leave when I’m good and ready.

Mac: Do you really think MLB will crack down on pitchers using foreign substances and if so how do you see this affecting the (many) pitchers who doctor the baseball going forward?
Keith Law: Yes, but probably just at a cursory level, to do something without doing everything.

Jason: Will cryptocurrency end badly for a lot of people and investors?
Keith Law: Hasn’t every bubble, ever?

Bob: Bos and Tex both claimed that if scouts had seen more of Yorke and Carter they would have been drafted higher. They’ve both been to instructs and Yorke has been in camp with Bis so they have potentially been seen a bit. Should Sox and Rangers fans be feeling any more confident in those picks?
Keith Law: Not sure I buy that at all … it’s not that scouts didn’t see Yorke or Carter, but that they saw them and didn’t like what they saw. I had no trouble finding scouts who saw those guys last June.

Matt: Any “just missed” breakout predictions or players you considered but didn’t include in your article?
Keith Law: A reader mentioned Gavin Lux in the comments under that article and I think that’s a great call. I’ll gladly co-opt that pick and give them the credit.

Jesse B: How quick do you think Andy Pages can move through  the minors?
Keith Law: Really depends on the swing-and-miss. I just don’t think we know enough on him to say if he’s 3 years away or 4-5 years.

PJ: I’m curious about your view on eliminating the filibuster.  On one hand, it feels like the Dems could get a lot done in the next 18 months.  On the other hand, the Republicans could EASILY take back the Senate in 2022 or 2024, and there isn’t exactly a Supreme Court Democrats could use as a backstop for terrible far-right legislation that could pass.
Keith Law: It’s starkly anti-democratic and there have been calls to remove it from multiple people across the political spectrum for decades. If removing that restores voting rights before 2022, it’s worth doing.

Randy: Looking for some new places to buy coffee beans online. Any recommendations?
Keith Law: My most recent order was from Deeper Roots in Cincinnati (a Rwanda and an espresso blend).

Scott: I know how strong you feel about domestic abuse, do you think there is a legitimate quasi-every day center fielder option in the Phillies mix right now besides Odubel Hererra? Feels like the team is looking for an excuse not to give him the job but unless they’re believers in Roman Quinn bunting twice a game will they end up throwing their hands up and saying ‘we had no other choice’? How do you rank Kingery/Quinn/Haseley/Moniak/Haseley?
Keith Law: I’d put Kingery there in a heartbeat and put Odubel on a slow boat to nowhere.

Ridley: Editors make writers better and the writer gets credit for it. Bragging about an editor-free platform would be a bit of a self-own, wouldn’t it?

Also, the kind of writer who longs to free themselves from the editors is almost always the kind of writer who most needs them (in my experience, at least).
Keith Law: Sacca did back off his comments, and was gracious about much of the criticism he received. I don’t like seeing anyone kick a group that’s down the way editors – whose jobs have been gradually disappearing for 20 years, because, as you said, they do the work and don’t get credit, so any private equity douchebro could walk in and sack them without compunction – are right now.

JT: Would you let Manoah start the year in the pen, or is the surer way to starting still starting in the minors, such as they are?
Keith Law: I’d be fine starting him in relief and moving him to the rotation in June or so. Great way to break in a young starter.

Gerald: I recall that you were bullish on Ohtani as a pitcher but skeptical that he would be a productive MLB hitter. Has he exceeded your expectations as a hitter and, if so, has anything changed in his approach?
Keith Law: Correct and he has exceeded my expectations, but he also hasn’t really hit full-time. His swing gets so long I’m amazed teams aren’t trying to crush him with velocity inside more often. He has to guess right to get to it.

The Seaward: In spite of the governor’s ridiculous statement, most responsible businesses in Texas still requires masks. What on earth do the Rangers think they’re going to gain on opening day that will be bigger than the hit they’re going to take for the outbreak they cause?
Keith Law: They’re betting, as Gov. Abbott and so many political leaders have, that there won’t be an outbreak, and they’ll avoid any repercussions. Even here in DE, the Governor reopened things too early, and all our indicators are rising again … but it’s slow and nobody is making anything of it, even though the connection between looser restrictions and rising R0 and daily case rates is obvious. We’d need an explosion in cases for anyone to get mad. If there’s no explosion in cases after some Rangers home games, no one will care.

Owen: If killing the filibuster means that DC and/or Puerto Rico get admitted as states and there are 2-4 new Democratic Senators who will make it much harder for the GQP to regain power for the foreseeable future (plus, obviously, restored voting rights), it will be well worth it.
Keith Law: Fair point. Senate aside, there’s no fair and reasoned argument why the 3.8 million U.S. citizens in those two jurisdictions should lack the representations in Congress that the rest of us enjoy.

Punk in Drublic: Who are a few guys outside your top 100 prospects who you think have the most offensive upside?  Thanks.  And keep sticking to whatever is on your mind
Keith Law: Austin Hendrick, Pedro Leon, Jeremiah Jackson, Lewin Diaz, Mark Vientos, Patrick Bailey, Brenton Doyle.

Guest: How should MLB reconcile that the methods to win baseball games most efficiently (lots of swing and miss and K’s and not many balls in play) is completely opposite to the most exciting aspects of the game (balls in play, stolen bases, etc)?  Are there rule changes that could actually be effective instead of “ban the shift” windowdressing?
Keith Law: Sure, but they require will, and agreement on both sides. I like the idea of limiting pickoff throws, because it might increase basestealing, and because pickoff throws are the third most boring thing that can happen in a baseball game (number 2 is a manager arguing with an umpire, especially after he’s been ejected, and number 1 is a brawl).
Keith Law: That’s all for this week’s chat – I have to finish my season predictions column in the next hour. I should be back for another chat next Thursday, and if you haven’t already pre-ordered it, the paperback edition of my second book The Inside Game will be out in just 11 days. Thank you all so much for reading.

Subscribers to The Athletic can see my list of prospects I can’t wait to see live in 2021, with one or two names for all 30 MLB teams.

Keith Law: No one gets hurt if they don’t act funny. Klawchat.

Dave: Got your tickets for the opening day superspreader event in Arlington?
Keith Law: I have to say I’m not keen to go to Texas at all unless I’m fully vaccinated. It’s a problem with multiple first rounders in the state.

Max G: Hey Keith, hope your first ski trip was both fun and painless!
Keith Law: It was actually my second ski trip, but my first in 31 years – so long that Brodie, the ski resort where I went in 1990, has been closed for over a decade. My wife is a much more avid skier and skied circles around me, but I didn’t get hurt and eventually finished on some short blue runs. Still working on stopping, though.

Eddie: How do you view the depth of hitting in this upcoming draft? It seems to lack offensive star power from the outside
Keith Law: I think that’s accurate. There could be a corner bat or two who emerge as late first round types like Aaron Sabato last year, where they really have to hit given their positional limitations, but I’m not confident in any of those names yet.

Isaac: On pure upside, is it Leiter and Lawler in the draft? Is Lawler a 1.1 upside type of player? Haven’t had a chance to see much about him. Thanks
Keith Law: I think most scouts would put Rocker and Hill in there too. And if you really mean pure upside, there are guys like James Wood who have enormous ceilings but also could fail to get out of A-ball because their hit tools might not be there.

Isaac: I’ve read that Tyler soderstrom looked good in the fall at instructs, was there anything in particular that you know of that stood out? Would you keep him behind the plate?
Keith Law: I’ve heard he hit extremely well and looked like he had very little chance to remain behind the plate. I’d probably give him a year there first before making a decision – usually I say to leave players at their toughest positions as long as you can, but if he’s not going to catch OR you just think his bat is so advanced that catching is going to slow his development, just move him to third base.

Tyler: In cleveland we have been hearing about valera’s swing for a few years but haven’t been able to see it in person yet. Does he have high upside offensive potential or his it more of hometown wishing? Or Planez for that matter. We seem to not be able to groom OF bats like we do other positions
Keith Law: Valera does have high upside as a hitter and was on my top 100 because of that. Alexfri Planez is much less of a known commodity because he’s barely played – I believe he broke a hamate bone after just a handful of games in 2019, so he’s barely been scouted. That injury should be completely healed, with strength returned, by now.

Tim (Columbus): Who is the better offensive player between Rutchsman and Torkleson?
Keith Law: I think Torkelson. But it’s not an enormous difference.

Jerry: Do you prefer an assigned closer, or is it better in your opinion to have everyone available when needed, not so much time specific?
Keith Law: I don’t think it’s this black or white. I don’t think an assigned closer is necessary or optimal, especially since it would often require a pitcher to work too often on little to no rest. I don’t want my best reliever limited to one inning, and I don’t want him throwing three days in a row or four times in five days. However, knowing who you’re going to use in what situation is helpful for a manager beforehand. You don’t want him making too many battlefield decisions – some things you can plan before the games, so you do so, and then when the unexpected happens then you make those spur of the moment decisions.

Paul: If the Mets sign Lindor long term would Mauricio have enough bat to justify a move to 3rd?
Keith Law: I believe he will, although he’s not there yet, and it’s quite likely that Mauricio will be the better defender than Lindor by the time he reaches the majors (when Lindor will probably be 29 or 30).

Steven: Who has more star potential: Austin Hendrick or Luis Matos?
Keith Law: Hendrick might have more star potential but Matos is more likely to become a star.

Mindful: In a perfect world scenario where a player hits every aspect of their potential, who would be the best player in this upcoming draft? Is it Leiter, is that why you have him at 1, or is he more of a combination of potential and most likely to fulfill it? I suppose I always view a HS SS/CF as that “most potential” type.  Thanks for your time
Keith Law: Leiter has the ceiling/floor combination teams usually want at 1-1 now. I don’t think he’s the only or obvious choice at 1, and he may very well end up at 2 or lower in future rankings. I will say that last weekend, according to a scout I know who saw Vandy, Rocker was the better of the two, with a plus-plus slider he didn’t have the first two weekends, while Leiter’s breaking ball was closer to average. So it’s going to fluctuate.

addoeh: Who wins an Elmo-off, you or Passan?
Keith Law: I will put my Elmo and Cookie Monster impressions up against anybody.

Ben (MN): I recently participated in a virtual cocktail class to support a local bar. We made daiquiries (which I didn’t know are supposed to be non-blended) and the bartender talked all about the different types of rum. I didn’t realize there were such differences between Cuban, Jamaican, French, etc. I know you’re a rum fan, but do you have a favorite style of rum or any favorite rum-based cocktails? The bartender recommended Plantation 3 Stars as a good “workhorse” rum for newbies.
Keith Law: Plantation 3 stars is a blended white rum, which I generally avoid because it has less of the caramel notes I appreciate in rum. For mixing, I like anything aged in the 2-8 year range. Appleton has some excellent, inexpensive rums in that category, as does El Brugal. For sipping, I’d go with at least 10 years of aging. They mellow out substantially past that point. Unaged rum tastes too much like medicine.

Guest: In your write up of the top draft prospects, do you believe the top few are relatively close together or is Leiter (and maybe others) a cut above. I ask because I’m curious if the Pirates will try for an underslot deal if there is a relatively similar group at the top to have money to use elsewhere in the draft. Thanks!
Keith Law: I might do that, if they’re taking one of those top four guys – or someone else who emerges as a worthy 1-1 candidate. What you don’t want to see is them reaching down for someone who isn’t 1-1 good, like the Phillies did with Moniak in 2016, just to go over-slot with later picks.

RebWiseau: Sometimes there is a gap between how fans of a team view a particular prospect and how prospect evaluators view the same player (for example, the Red Sox fan community is much higher on Jarren Duran than you and your colleagues). Have you noticed any sort of profile for players like this where the fans are more excited than the industry about the future of the player?
Keith Law: Yes, they tend to be local media favorites. Local reporters write about these players, especially if they’re getting good info from player development, but fans don’t run that through the filter where every team likes their own players more than the industry does. Sometimes that player turns out to be every bit as good as the team says – Paul Goldschmidt comes to mind. Usually they don’t.
Keith Law: and I like Duran, BTW.

davealden53: Dee Strange-Gordon is making a case to be the Reds’ shortstop.  (Not a difficult case to make given that Kyle Farmer is the incumbent.)  Can Strange-Gordon regain value or is his bat gone for good?
Keith Law: I’d be more surprised if he can play shortstop. He was never great there in the first place and he’s how many years gone?

Steve Guitar: Intermediate guitarist getting back into it. Have you suggestions for both acoustic, acoustic-electric, and electric  Mitchell gear and any guitar pedals?  I remember you had a Mitchell acoustic no cutaway, they seem to make great valued instruments.  Thx for your help, I’d like to get back to playing regularly, (and getting my second vaccine today, f*ck yeah!)
Keith Law: I wish I could help but I own very little gear … I love playing but have never felt like I could justify spending much money on it.

Rich: Will you be doing a breakout candidates column this year?
Keith Law: Yes, it’ll run this week. I do that column every year, and predictions too.

davealden53: I know that you don’t consider players like Ha-seong Kim in your prospect rankings, but do you have any insights about how he will adjust to Major League pitching?
Keith Law: I heard quite a bit of skepticism about his ability to make enough contact to be a regular here when talking to scouts who saw him live or evaluated him on video. I’ve never seen him in person.

Chip: Klaw (kaw!, kaw!), do you think Rutschman can hit in MLB this year?
Keith Law: It would depend on your standard. Hit enough to be an average regular? Yeah, I’ll buy that. Hit enough to be a star in 2021? Seems optimistic.

Ben (MN): In this era, I don’t understand how teams can have an “edge” or be so much better than other teams in certain areas, other than in short stints. For instance, the Athletic had an article this week about whether some teams are better at increasing velocity than others. It now seems commonplace for teams to target staff from these smart organizations, and it would follow that those staff bring knowledge of that “edge” with them. When teams do find an edge, do they usually have some kind of internal strategy to keep that edge as long as possible?  Do teams just assume that edge is temporary and look for the next competitive advantage?
Keith Law: The last sentence is probably the most accurate but if teams really wanted to retain some of those edges for longer, they’d pay their staff more, rather than shedding staff as so many teams did last year under cover of the pandemic.

John: Thanks for the chat Keith! I have not heard much on Yadier Alvarez since the Dodgers DFA’d him last spring. Is he still with the club or have a future in the majors?
Keith Law: I may be way out of date but I thought he’d walked away. He has – had? – a ridiculously good arm, though.

Noah: Getting my second dose of the vaccine on Monday!  How do we convince the 30% or so anti-vax people to get it?  Herd immunity is usually cited as being achieved at around 90%.  You’re good with the numbers and facts and whatnot.  If only 70% get vaccinated, will those that are vaccinated be safe?
Keith Law: If you’re vaccinated, you’ll be safe from severe illness leading to hospitalization and possibly death. That’s a good outcome, but we aren’t likely to reach enough people without mandates (school & workplace) to get rid of the virus as a regular feature of life. You can be vaccinated and still get a mild case. Also, it’s not that 30% of the population is anti-vaccine; maybe 2-3% are truly anti-vaxxers, but the population as a whole has been fed so much disinformation, with Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube particularly culpable for letting it fester on their services, that people who get all their other shots (or get them for their kids) are now needlessly hesitant over this one.

Chip: Is Kenyon Yovan’s bat impressive enough to make him a prospect at DH?
Keith Law: I don’t think so – enough to be drafted, yes, but not enough to be, say, a top two rounds prospect.

Gums: Taillon seems to be the latest to switch to a shorter arm swing, a la Shane Bieber. Do you believe this lessens the injury risk for pitchers, and does it bode well for Leiter’s future as he has a similar arm path?
Keith Law: I don’t know about injury risk, but it has worked for many pitchers who had trouble repeating longer arm strokes, leading to worse command.

Adam D.: Do you believe the narrative that we have reached a “golden era” for prospects with more potentially high-end, young players in the minors than ever before? Or do you feel like the increased focus on prospects in general have just made a lot more of them known to fans in general, thus making it seem like there are more GUYS out there?
Keith Law: I think prospects are coming into pro ball bigger and stronger than they have at any point in history. That’s probably a big reason.

Phil in the UK: True or False: Counting sacrifice flies against a hitter’s on-base percentage is illogical, and the rule should be changed.
Keith Law: False. It’s completely logical. A sac fly results in an out. It should count as an at bat too.

Arty: Derrick Goold ran an article about how Delvin Perez committed himself to adding muscle and he’s supposed put on 20 pounds since 2019. I was a bit surprised he was invited to major league camp, but apparently reports on his progress are positive. From what you’ve seen of him, would getting stronger and adding weight help put him back into true prospect consideration?
Keith Law: He also has to hit. Yes, he’s had trouble with impact because he’s so small, but really he has to hit for us to have any discussion of his prospect status. Other than his draft spring, which ended with a positive test for a PED, he has never really hit well enough to project as an everyday player.

Noah: If the Mets don’t sign Lindor to an extension ASAP, can we stop pretending like Steve Cohen has done anything fundamentally good or different than the Wilpons?  In fact, he might be actively worse.
Keith Law: I don’t agree with that assessment.

John: Will voting rights actually be preserved prior to 2022?
Keith Law: God I hope so. It’s going to take some actual courage on the part of some Senate Democrats and perhaps a Republican or two.

Ben: Where would the top three arms in this year’s class (Leiter, Rocker, & Hill) rank among the last few pitching classes? Is this trio stronger than some of the last classes of top college arms?
Keith Law: I think they are – they’re at least on par with recent years. Likely better than 2020, definitely better than 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016.

ChrisP: Is Braves’ Michael Harris a guy or a GUY?
Keith Law: More potential than GUY right now. Has to go out and hit. If he does that, he’s a GUY because of his other tools.

Sean M.: Also, just bought Smart Baseball. Great stuff so far- was fun remembering that twelve months I wondered if Edgardo Alfonso and Rich Aurillia were studs.
Keith Law: Thank you. Alfonzo was a guy I wanted to be better – seemed like he was capable of so much more and then you looked at some slightly advanced stats and realized he just didn’t produce.

Michael: Went down a rabbit hole of a GOP friend’s FB page and she’s trying to tell people the vaccine is dangerous, posting “articles” that link to supposed deaths after getting the vaccine or from the vaccine. Lots of people agreeing with her. Aside from deleting my FB account, do you have any advice for dealing with these types of people?
Keith Law: I would suggest at least an attempt to reason with her, for her own good and the good of your community, but with the expectation that it’ll go nowhere.

Jason: Does the addition of JBJ make the Brewers a slight favorite in the NL Central? I’m still expecting a tight 3 team race.
Keith Law: It helps them, certainly – good to see someone else trying to improve besides the Cardinals. I’d like to see the Brewers flip Garcia for some pitching.

Alan & Lou – Detroit: Give me some good news on the Tigers as a Detroit sports fan. Any chance they don’t finish in last like the Wings, Pistons, and Lions?
Keith Law: They’re very likely to finish last, but you should get a lot of Mize, Manning, Skubal this year, and that’s worth the price of admission.

Shane Bieber: Is skill or durability a bigger roadblock for Triston McKenzie becoming an ace?
Keith Law: Durability.

Concerned Fan: Keith, Yoan Moncada was visibly in pain last season as he played through complications from his COVID-19 experience. Now, he claims that he feels healthy and strong. But how can we be sure that he is not a victim of long-lasting COVID respiratory issues that will prevent him from being a high-level athlete ever again?
Keith Law: We can’t, can we? I didn’t realize he was struggling to that extent but he can’t be the only one.

Andrew Vaughn: Given that Andrew Vaughn is slated to be the White Sox full-time DH this year, how do you think he’ll adjust to MLB pitching? Love him as a prospect but worried that he’ll be overmatched right away.
Keith Law: My one worry would be that he might be too passive early on, and have to adjust that. I don’t think he’s just up there to walk, but that’s a big leap in ball/strike distinctions (and thus in required recognition) from college and a brief stint in A-ball to the majors with a year off in the middle.

Ben: If you had to pick one: Grierson or Leitch?
Keith Law: I’ll never tell.

Tom: Keith – have you ever read Robert Caro’s books on Robert Moses or LBJ? If so, would you recommend them?
Keith Law: I haven’t, because they’re very, very long.

Guest: Where do the Yankees start their top catching prospects in the minors? Breaux and Siegler HiA, Wells in LowA and Gomez back to GCL?
Keith Law: Seigler low A, Wells high A for me. Breaux has been very bad on defense in the majors.

Matt: Should the Jays just start the season with Austin Martin at 3B?
Keith Law: No.

Kevin: I know you dont like player comps. But how unfair are the Durran to Grady Sizemore comps?
Keith Law: Yikes. Wasn’t Sizemore a three-sport athlete in HS?
Keith Law: like, Duran’s a good prospect, but Sizemore was at another level in athleticism. Just couldn’t stay healthy.

Nate: Your thoughts on Cavan Biggio are well known at this point, but offense aside, I can’t be the only one thinking the Jays are crazy for trying to have him play significant innings at 3rd right? Not a scout but I just don’t think he has the arm strength or quickness to play there consistently.
Keith Law: I agree. He was more passable at second.

Jared: So Cleveland is just moving forward with Tito/Antonetti huh…
Keith Law: While I assume people in the organization knew more about Callaway than they’re letting on, we really don’t have good evidence on that yet. I’d like to see a real MLB investigation and then have consequences based on that. Right now we mostly have assumptions and the occasional rumor. I’m sure someone knew. I’d just like to be sure the right people are called to account.

Jim: Hi Keith. More likely to be a true #1 — Ian Anderson or Max Fried?
Keith Law: I lean Fried because he has the better arsenal overall.

Bill: The word is that Gavin Lux has “quieted” his swing and no longer has the throwing yips. Does he seize 2B (or SS if Seager leaves) for the foreseeable future?
Keith Law: Hope so. Was always a fan, still am.

Nate: Would you consider yourself a casual fan of college baseball outside of work? I like it but the lack of pitching depth for the most part can make it hard to watch at times, especially midweek games.
Keith Law: No, because of the tin bats, excessive bunting, and too-frequent late-game pitching changes.

Michael: I get that we all do things for our spouses, #solidarity, but do you “like” football or Pfish?
Keith Law: She reads these chats so I’d better be careful … I would say I really appreciate Phish because they’re such skilled musicians. At the two concerts we attended in 2019, I could just stand there and watch Trey’s fretwork for an entire solo and get lost in it. I wish I could move around the fretboard that easily but I could at least pick out patterns and try to infer where his mind was going. Football is just a fun thing to get angry about and an excuse to chill on the couch, but it’s nowhere near as serious a matter as rugby.

Ben: Akil Baddoo is getting a lot of buzz this spring from Tigers twitter. What should Tigers fans realistically expect for Baddoo? Would you cut Jacoby Jones to keep Baddoo on the squad?
Keith Law: I like Baddoo quite a bit, and hope he’s healthy now and can stick. Never bought JaCoby’s bat, and he’s about to turn 29 with no real track record of consistent production. I think the highest I ever rated him was out of high school, when he was all tools and athleticism, but he didn’t progress at LSU or in multiple stops so far in pro ball.

Mason: What would you do with Varsho this year? Think he’ll get the consistent playing time to get going this year?
Keith Law: Move him around the field but make sure he’s playing close to every day.

Joe Maddon: What do you think of the Angels Chris Rodriquez? Will he make the opening day roster? Do you see him long term as a starter or a reliever?
Keith Law: Absolutely should not make the OD roster. He’s barely pitched in three years and needs to be managed carefully this year, not according to the whims and needs of the major-league club.

ssimo02: Enjoyed your interview with Triston McKenzie. I respect that you won’t use Cleveland’s team’s nickname in your articles. Why did you use it to tag the team in your Tweet promoting the interview?
Keith Law: That’s their twitter handle. I can’t change that.

J. Alfaro: Who are the Top 3 catchers in the MLB draft in your mind, and need I concern myself with them?
Keith Law: Del Castillo, Davis, and Ford. We’ll see if Mack joins them when his season starts. The first three are all going in the first round.

Nate: As a Utah resident it’s cool to see Seth Corry getting some love. When’s the last time a legit prospect came out of Utah in any capacity? Do we have to go all the way back to CJ Cron?
Keith Law: Yep, it’s Cron, and he’s an Arizona kid who went to the University of Utah. There have only been two players drafted and signed out of Utah high schools to reach 10 career WAR: Bruce Hurst and Glenn Hubbard, 1976 and 1975 drafts respectively. Next is John Buck at 5.8 WAR.

Andrew: Thinking about Carlos Correa – are you aware of any evidence that guys who are injured frequently at a young age are more likely to continue to miss a lot of games throughout their careers? Correa has missed about 1/3 of his regular season games since 2017 while in his early 20s. I’d love for the Astros to extend him, but how do you bake this into a valuation of him? Basically, is “injury prone” a real thing?
Keith Law: So, my understanding is that, yes, this is true, the best predictor of whether a guy will get injured is whether he has gotten injured. I can not, however, point you to a study of any sort to demonstrate this.

Guest: Hi Keith. I also have anxiety and started taking metamucil when I read that you take it for digestive issues. How many pills do you take per day?
Keith Law: I take five, the recommended dose, every day before lunch.

Pat D: I don’t know why, but I don’t think I’m as excited as I should be for this upcoming season.  I’m not sure if it’s because I think the Yankees half-assed it in the offseason or because of my own health/work/personal issues or because things still don’t feel “normal.”  Anyone else feel this way?
Keith Law: I feel some of this, certainly … it doesn’t feel quite real to me, and my enthusiasm for going to see actual games is tempered by news like teams opening their gates way too soon or to too many fans. Maybe that will dissipate as soon as I get myself to a game.

Jason: Are your ESPN-era chats gone forever?
Keith Law: I don’t think they are all gone but the first few years were wiped out in the site redesign.

Dan: Cruzan has some great darker rums for blending including a 137 proof to make coquito.
Keith Law: I don’t love their rums, even the 15-year or the blackstrap. A little too medicinal for me.

JT: Evan White was a rookie and it was a weird year, but 40% K rate does not portend great things. Are you still optimistic about the bat?
Keith Law: Him becoming so pull-happy and unable to hit a MLB fastball is a huge concern.

Sal: Have you seen/heard anything about Dom Smith indicating he’ll maintain the numbers from the second half of 19 and 2020? He appears to be one of those guys to root for as a human and player.
Keith Law: That’s the hitter I always thought he’d become, so I wasn’t surprised to see it. I hope they continue to commit to finding him as much playing time as possible.

JR: Why do the Mets feel the need to explore an extension with Lindor? SS free agent class is loaded next year. Yes, he’s a great player, but seems a bit premature. Also, do you find it unique that they are publicly discussing that they are exploring extension talks with Lindor and Conforto? Seems like most of these extensions get announced as a surprise (like Tatis, Jr).
Keith Law: They’re clearly trying to signal to fans that it’s not Wilpon business as usual any more.

Paul: If we get to a point where every dr, nurse, every waiter, bartender, is vaccinated and hospitalizations are low – doesn’t it make sense to open things up?
Keith Law: Gradually, sure. Completely, as Texas and Maryland have done? No. A restaurant full of maskless (or frequently masks-off) people, mostly unvaccinated, is still a bad idea.
Keith Law: To be more specific: It is not supported by the science. Restaurants don’t have the distancing or ventilation required for maskless dining.

Appa Yip Yip: What players are your highest priority evaluations for this year? Guys who intrigue but haven’t been seen much or played in a bit?
Keith Law: That was my column yesterday. Gave 32 names, I think, despite the headline (which I didn’t write).

Bernie Brewer: Arcia vs. Luis Urias is a real post-hype prospect battle. Are either still potential assets for MLW?
Keith Law: I won’t give up on either guy … yet.

Andre: Keith – What have you heard about Robert Puason? It seems as though he went from being hailed as a top prospect ($5 million bonus) to almost an afterthought before playing a game in the US.
Keith Law: I don’t think he was really that top of a prospect, but he did get a huge bonus. Ton of concerns about his bat and body before and after he signed.

Frank: How does Henry Davis compare to some of the other recent catchers who were picked in the first round in the last few years?  He went to our local HS and was very excited to see your write up on him and that he is that well regarded.  Thanks.
Keith Law: Whichever team gets most comfortable with his unorthodox swing will pull the trigger somewhere in the teens, I think. Power for sure, high contact rates now, and can definitely catch. If everyone loved the swing and thought he’d continue to put the ball in play he’d be a top 10 guy.

JR: As weird as it sounds, I honestly think corporate America is our best bet to increase vaccine rates, especially the airlines, cruise ships, amusement parks, stadiums, etc. Places that accommodate large crowds. If they all institute a “you can’t visit our place/use our services without a vaccine or a recent (less than 24 hours) negative test” it will force anti vaxxers to either comply or prove negative test before being amongst a big group of people.
Keith Law: Yep. It’s bizarre, and inefficient, but some corporations are doing more on massive issues like climate change or LGBTQ+ rights than our own government.

Dixie: Have you ever read “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay?” Thoughts?
Keith Law: I have – here’s my review from 2009. Chabon’s a brilliant writer who needs an editor to reign him in.

Tom: Have had debates about madrigal’s potential offensive output. No way he even slugs .420 (nice) or so right??
Keith Law: No evidence that is or ever will be within his skill set.

Max: What percent of this Mickey Moniak resurgence are you buying — 25%?
Keith Law: Zero for now. He’s got 10 AB in early spring training.

Tom: At what point will you vote for the person who will more likely unite america as opposed to the candidate we agree with more?
Keith Law: Show me a candidate who can “unite” America – after 12 years of GOP obstructionism, in particular – and we can talk.

Pat D: I think I know the answer, but will conservatives remember that they started “cancel culture?”  Bill Maher after 9/11, The Dixie Chicks, but even much longer ago The Beatles after the “more popular than Jesus” statement.  Also, can us sane people please agree that “cancel culture” is a bullshit, inaccurate term anyway?
Keith Law: It’s a term that segment of the media loves almost as much as they love talking about trans athletes.

Adam: I know you do not choose what to advertise on your podcast, but have you ever had to refuse to promote somewhat who wanted to buy ad time?  If a “anti-vax” org wanted to buy a spot, for example, could you go to the people at the Athletic (or before that, ESPN) and say that there was no way you would read the provided copy?
Keith Law: Yes. I have declined some ads and asked for changes in other ad copy (e.g., a product that wanted me to call it delicious, when I tried it and did not find it delicious).

JG: Is Whitley now destined to join Appel and Aiken as Astros 1st round pitching prospects to never pitch in the Big Leagues?
Keith Law: It’s Tommy John surgery … he’ll be back. Maybe he’ll never be what we thought, but he’ll be back.

addoeh: Any interesting/amusing stories from how you and your wife met or from your first few dates?
Keith Law: I’d have to check with her before sharing too much, but I think this is fair game: neither of us was all that sure that the other was interested after the first date. I traveled after that and we were texting furiously the whole time, after which point it became clear we could have something special – which we do.
Keith Law: I need to wrap this up – I’m sorry, there are still some great questions in the queue. Thank you all for reading. Next week’s chat might be at a different time or even postponed depending on work travel and other things. In the meantime, my breakouts column should run Wednesday, and I have a new review up at Paste of the quick 3-D board game Holi. Thanks again – stay safe and get that vaccine!

My ranking of the top 30 prospects for this year’s MLB Draft is now up for The Athletic subscribers.

Keith Law: Gold’s just around the corner. Klawchat.

Bradley: What do you think Sal Frelick’s potential MLB comp is?
Keith Law: I don’t like player comps, for various reasons. As he is now, he’s a leadoff type, high average/OBP, speed, defense in CF. Aaron Fitt and I discussed him on the podcast this week and he really thinks there will be more power in there. I could see that with some swing help.

JD: You said on the podcast that this seemed like a weak draft class. Same with 2022? Any particular standouts there already – Green, Johnson, someone else?
Keith Law: I don’t think I said that – it’s not a weak class, it’s kind of a good one. Strong in college RHP, high school shortstops, more catching than usual. Light on college bats – there may not be a college bat in the top ten – and left-handed pitching.

Tom G: Is there a comp for Lewis that you know of? 2 years off of baseball at such a young age?
Keith Law: Which Lewis?

Flavia: Do you have any concerns about the shape of Leiter’s curveball translating to MLB?
Keith Law: No. That’s … weird. I don’t think I’ve ever heard that complaint about a player.

Jared: Do Antonetti and Francona need to go?  Still some fact-finding to do, I suppose, but it reeeally looks like they knew and covered it up.
Keith Law: If executives know a potential employee has a history of the kind of behavior Callaway exhibited, and hire him anyway, yes, they should be let go.

Jason: Thoughts on the JBJ signing? I guess you can never have too many OF. Are we a pitching and D team, hoping to win 1-0?
Keith Law: What if you made the whole team out of centerfielders?
Keith Law: I actually love the deal. But i wonder if there’s a trade coming too – do they really need him, Cain, and Garcia?

David P: Who is the better pitcher? Grayson Rodriguez or Edward Cabrera. I’m torn but lean towards Grayson.
Keith Law: I ranked them both on my top 100, so the one I put higher is going to be my pick.

whyaremen: If I get the vaccine is there any reason for me to not attend games, from a public health perspective?
Keith Law: No, but wear a mask so you don’t spread the virus unknowingly.

David P: Any sense on who the Red Sox prefer at 4? Would they really draft a bat over one of the 3 pitchers?
Keith Law: WAY too early. Anyone trying to claim they know who’s drafting whom, or even who teams are targeting, is misleading you. I was with the Jays for five springs, and we never had anything narrowed down this early. This year it’s even less likely teams will do so.

Noah D: Hey Klaw, who do you see winning the Cleveland SS job between Gimenez and Rosario? Both were highly touted at one time
Keith Law: No inside info here, but I’d guess Gimenez is the regular SS and Rosario ends up playing multiple positions.

@RichCampbellPhD: I’ve had some fun watching ASU streaming games while waiting for April 1. How will the scouting of college players go for this year’s draft? Are word-of-mouth/network effects going to be even more pronounced than usual?
Keith Law: Teams are able to send scouts to most colleges right now. I only know of a handful of prospects who can’t be scouted in person right now, like Mason Black (who was scouted at Coppin State last week, but whose school, Lehigh, isn’t allowing anyone into games yet).

Barry: Will you be doing an Eagles draft preview this year? Seriously though, it would be fun if you joined The Athletics’s Eagles podcast as a guest at some point.
Keith Law: I don’t know how to define my Eagles fandom if I can’t complain about how Carson Wentz must be color blind since he never seemed to distinguish between his own receivers and the other team’s secondary.

Rocky: Do you think Gabriel Moreno has the chance to crack the top 100 prospects this year?
Keith Law: If you read all the way to the end of my Blue Jays org report, I answer that question directly.

Guest: RE SF Giants. Is this a draft class that allows the Giants to load up on arm talent? It seems the Giants farm system, while getting stronger generally, is lacking high ceiling arm talent.  Thoughts?
Keith Law: They’re definitely lighter on arms than bats. They could probably grab 2-3 quality arms in their first three picks, although I’d always advise best player available.

Adam: The Padres 5th OF job appears to be Brian O’Grady’s to lose going into Spring Training. More importantly, he is likely the primary back up to Trent Grisham in CF. If Grisham were to get banged up a bit, how much faith (both defensively and offensively) would you have in him starting for an extended amount of time?
Keith Law: I wouldn’t let him play there on more than an emergency basis.

Adam: Now that Fernando Tatís Jr is locked up for the next 14 years, would you project CJ Abrams as a CF or as a 2B long term? Which of the two positions is deemed more valuable?
Keith Law: He’s a shortstop.

Mason: Do you follow what’s going on in Independent ball much? Noticed some former 1st round picks will be coming to a city near me in Nick Travieso and Ty Hensley. Any chance they can break back through to affiliated ball?
Keith Law: Hensley’s main issue was health – and it wasn’t his fault. All depends on how hard they’re throwing, and in Travieso’s case I’d ask where his arm slot is these days.

Joe J: What is Franco’s ceiling? Can he be better than Tatis?
Keith Law: He’s not as dynamic as Tatis, or as fast, but he’s a better pure hitter.

Ben: Keith, why do you hate my draft prospect?
Keith Law: I hate all draft prospects equally.

Adam: Agree or disagree: Preller teaching himself Spanish and Japanese, never having an arbitration hearing during his tenure with the Padres, and not playing service time games with top prospects shows that he understands how valuable a track record of good faith is when you negotiate extensions. This is on top of building one of the best scouting and player development programs in the league. The man is simply a great executive.
Keith Law: That you, AJ?

Geordy: What has caused Luke Leto’s star to fall so far?
Keith Law: I don’t know how a high school player’s star could have “fallen.” When was he … whatever you think he was?
Keith Law: It’s not like we’re talking about a drafted kid who flopped in pro ball or something.

TomBruno23: I cannot bring myself to give a ____ about rules in spring training games. Am I ok?
Keith Law: They’re just practice for profit. I don’t get too worked up about it as long as no one does anything stupid.

Aaron C.: Have you ever written at length about pitcher usage in college (or high school)? Forgive my ignorance, but a hasty Google didn’t bring up anything.
Keith Law: Probably lost to the ESPN site re-design a few years ago.

Jon G: I’ve seen a couple of early mocks with catchers going to the Cubs. I’m not taking mocks very seriously at this point, but the team has given out a lot of its bigger bonuses in the draft and J2 market to catchers. Given the eventual shift to robo umps, how smart of a strategy would cornering the market on young, bat-first catchers be? Does a rule change mitigate the risk of targeting that demographic to any degree?
Keith Law: Don’t pay any attention to “early mocks.” They’re just guesses; no team has any idea who they’re taking now.
Keith Law: The risk of catchers isn’t related to framing. It’s related to the huge wear and tear of the position, as well as the difficulty of learning to hit while also learning to be a catcher.

Chris: How many negative reports on a prospect’s off-the-field traits does it take for you to be comfortable mentioning said traits about that given player? I imagine that would be a difficult situation to handle, you don’t want to besmirch a player’s reputations because some former coach or teammate didn’t like them for some reason. Guessing if you hear “man, player A is difficult to work with/is a nightmare off the field” enough times you’d be okay mentioning it in a story, just curious where that line is. (Apologies if my wording is clumsy)
Keith Law: I have to hear it from multiple, clearly disconnected sources.

John: Now with Triple-A being delayed, do the Mariners start Kelenic on opening day?
Keith Law: I would. The Mariners might. Kevin Mather wouldn’t have.

Tom G: Sorry Royce Lewis
Keith Law: That helps. Josh Hamilton did, and both were #1 overall picks (although quite dissimilar as players, and as people). Sucks for Lewis, though, because he had real swing issues he had to fix, and now he can’t really work on them for a least 6-7 months.

Guest: Hi Keith! What are floor and ceiling of the Braves Contreras? Who is the long term catcher for Atlanta, him or Langeliers?
Keith Law: Either. One ends up traded. Both are everyday catchers.

Thomas: Hi Keith; Thanks as always for these. You’ve been pretty vocal (which I agree with) about Cavan Biggio not really being an everyday player. However, given the front office has talked him up as being a core player for a couple of years now, do you actually envision them doing a 180 at some point, or do you think front offices feel like they’ve painted themselves into a corner when they make comments like these? (side note, it sounds like Montoyo is going to bat Springer leadoff. I was legit worried he would keep Biggio up there).
Keith Law: The signing of Semien told us far more than their words ever did.

Matt: Keith – I really love that you appreciate progressive metal.  I’m a huge Mastodon fan and have recently been getting into Gojira.  What other bands would you recommended in that genre?
Keith Law: Alcest, Pallbearer (doom), Toundra come to mind.

HH: Have you noticed any changes in the college ranks to how college coaches are (ab)using their top prospect starters? Are coaches doing it less? Are prospects & their parents avoiding coaches with such reputations?
Keith Law: Not that I’ve noticed.

Jeff: Which do you think is more anti-player, the draft or the international signing cap?  As I get older, I am really starting to understand how unfair a draft is to labor.  But is the international process any better?
Keith Law: They’re both anti-player and pro-owner.
Keith Law: Both shift money from players to ownership. Full stop.

Oscar: Klaw, what are the chances we see some fans in the CWS in Omaha? Also what’s the chance we see you come out for a few games?
Keith Law: Nebraska never even bothered with a mask mandate, right? And didn’t give two shits about workers in their meatpacking factories? They’ll probably allow 100% capacity by June.
Keith Law: I don’t go to the College World Series. In the past it was after the draft, so it was useless, but even now it’s not a good scouting environment.

Todd: Any thoughts on todays inauguration?
Keith Law: Just how many Great Disappointments can these people undergo before realizing they’ve all been duped?

TomBruno23: Thinking about whyaremen’s question as well…I am lucky enough to be getting my 2nd dose next Thursday, my favorite ballclub announced they are selling 15k per game…yet I am kind of like, “Nah, TV is fine.”
Keith Law: I can certainly understand refusing to support a team that is acting against the community interest, but once I’m vaccinated I will go to games, wearing a mask (or two), with little concern about catching the virus.

ATR: What do you think Willi Castro’s ceiling is?
Keith Law: Could be an everyday player.

Rob: Do you put any stock into raving spring training reviews of a young prospect’s work ethic and attitude?
Keith Law: No. I would put stock into a major league manager saying, “Joey Bagodonuts? He’s the laziest kid I’ve ever had. Rolls in at 5:30 for the five o’clock meeting, beer in one hand and cigarette in the other.”

Nelson: Didn’t see Huascar Ynoa on your Braves prospect report (maybe he’s ineligible, i am not clear), but do you think he can be useful at the MLB level? Think you were pretty high on him in your 2020 system report.
Keith Law: Ineligible. He was a prospect, will probably be a solid reliever for them this year.

Don: How does Ian Moller compare to other recent HS catchers?
Keith Law: Bat is well behind.

Pat: Assume Leiter is 1-1, Rocker is 1-2, who should Detroit take at 1-3? One of the HS SS, right? Lawler?
Keith Law: They should probably wait until July to decide, but Lawlar and Hill are the best choices right now.

Mike: Do you think Danny Jansen still has a shot to be an average regular?  I’m excited about Kirk, but if he’s starting, that’s sort of it for Jansen, no?
Keith Law: I’m leaning towards no on Jansen. No history of durability, for one major reason.

Guest: Who are the best local players?  Lonnie White?
Keith Law: Quite a few – Benny Montgomery, Solometo, Petty are all pretty close to me.
Keith Law: Black, if Lehigh opens its doors.

Jeff: Political prediction: do the Democrats “amend” the filibuster rules in some way to pass much needed legislation to combat the voter suppression going on in red states?
Keith Law: I sure as hell hope so, because you know the Republicans would have zero hesitation in doing so if it suited them.

Thomas: I’m a bit surprised to see Hajjar being mocked in the first round some places despite having close to twenty total college innings. Was he considered a legit draft prospect out of high school?
Keith Law: He’s not a first-rounder right now. That’s absurd. He could be one by July – I’m not going even hazard an opinion on that – but people saying he’s going in the first round are just making shit up.
Keith Law: Everyone’s a draft expert now.

Jake: Comparing the offspeed pitches from Leiter and Rocker – more that the Leiter’s curve is just that good or that Rocker’s slider may not have the same success in professional baseball?
Keith Law: Rocker’s slider is great against college bats, but multiple scouts told me they don’t think it’s going to be the same sort of weapon in pro ball.

Rob: At this point in his career, do you see Michael Chavis as having the ability to be an average every day player or is he a bench bat at best?
Keith Law: Bench guy more likely.

Drew: Do you believe that the Republican part is truly fracturing? I certainly hope so and the divisions do seem to be real and somewhat insurmountable for a rational human. But every time over the last 4-5 that I’ve gotten that feeling of “ah, this is where it end” I end up feeling foolish for believing it.
Keith Law: Oh I don’t think so. I think they’re quite happy with their newfound cohesion.

TomBruno23: I believe you were a Yankees fan growing up. Was Mattingly your favorite player? Any under the radar deep cut favorite players?
Keith Law: Willie Randolph was my favorite.

Patrick: Could Chris Rodriguez sneak into the Angels bullpen by the end of the season? He looked filthy in his spring debut
Keith Law: He has never pitched above A-ball and has 9 innings in the last three years.
Keith Law: Sure, teams do stupid stuff all the time, but you’d have to lay 1000-to-1 odds against a kid with his history getting time in the majors this year.

ProjectHanyo: I know this is gonna be a guy not on your list and more of a maybe top 5 round guy, but what have you heard about Ryan Bliss of Auburn? Thoughts on him?
Keith Law: Exactly – rounds 3-5 sort of guy, scouts may love him, can’t play short and doesn’t have real power.

Dougie Fresh: Andrew Stevenson a league average regular?
Keith Law: Platoon guy.

Important spring update: Taylor Rogers just yelled “It’s a spring training game, come on man” to home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez after getting squeezed like five times in six pitches.
Keith Law: Good for Rogers.

Ben: So…  Dylan Crews is pretty good, huh?
Keith Law: We should probably hold off until LSU plays someone decent. They beat the hell out of Nicholls, Youngstown St, and Southern the last five games.

Mike: It seems like a lot of A’s fans are perpetually excited about Lazarito being a future star, but seems like a bit of a long shot to me. What do you think?
Keith Law: Zero shot.

Drew: The Twins having their AAA affiliate 10 miles away in St. Paul is pretty cool as a Twin Cities resident but it actually feels like it would offer some real opportunity for the Twins brass. Do you think they push more players that might have otherwise been in AA up to AAA? Or is this as dumb as I’m starting feel like it is as I close in on the end of my question?
Keith Law: Could be a good business decision but not a good baseball one.

Matt: You were high on Max Pentcost right?   What happened to him?
Keith Law: Was I? I feel like I was a little lighter on his bat, but the truth is he just got hurt, a lot, and we’ll never know if he was any good.

Tom: Hey Keith, have you had a chance to spend any time at the Delaware beaches?  Any restaurant recommendations?
Keith Law: Really loved the Station in Lewes. Haven’t spent much time down there overall though.

Harry: Apologies if you have addressed this already, but what led you to leave Jud Fabian off of the top 30?
Keith Law: He can’t hit a breaking ball. Guys his age with that issue don’t go in the first round much, if at all, any more. Kam Misner is a good comparison – an SEC player who got off to a huge start, fell off when conference play began, and went in the comp round. Anfernee Grier was similar too.

Drew: Lewis Thorpe is in the best shape of his life by all accounts. If he’s back at 92-93 does that make him an appealing option for the Twins when Matt Shoemaker gets hurt?
Keith Law: Sounds like he’s in a better place mentally too. I think he’s at least a back-end starter if his velocity is back to where it was years ago, pre-TJ.

Aaron C.: I know baseball is BACK when my A’s-leaning newsfeed is filled with “Buddy Reed’s Done It Again” headlines. Jesus, people.
Keith Law: I know we’re a little more accustomed to fringe guys – Max Muncy comes to mind – changing overnight and becoming stars, but yeah, I’ll believe in Buddy Reed’s bat when he does this in regular season games. He’s a great athlete, 7 run, 7 glove, with some power, but his swing has always been a problem.

Justin: Do you think MLB has a full season lockout next year ?
Keith Law: I hope not but I think it’s a real possibility.

Guest: What’s the next project for you at the Athletic with the prospects overview complete?
Keith Law: Draft stuff, a couple of new feature ideas, and some labor commentary.

Claudio: What do you see in Braden Shewmake? Is he an everyday MLB shortstop and potential replacement for Dansby, utility guy, AAAA?
Keith Law: He was on my top 100.

Dan: Does Ronny Mauricio stick at SS?
Keith Law: Yes, no doubt.

Chris: Do you have a type of prospect that you find harder to scout than the others? Or is there a type of prospect that is more likely to “fool” scouts because they’re difficult to project?
Keith Law: Catchers are very hard to evaluate as amateurs. The hit tool is the hardest tool for hitters, command for pitchers.

TomBruno23: How long are we going today? I have a meeting in an hour and want to get a walk in while it is 65 outside. Asking for myself.
Keith Law: Till about 3:15 ET. Had to start late because I was recording something for my next podcast.

Dan: Any thoughts on NBA Top Shot and how MLB could get into the virtual collectable space?
Keith Law: I think that space is ridiculous. You don’t own a digital “collectible.”

Guest: In 2021, is there a phrase that is supposed to imply intelligence but in fact signals the exact opposite more than “I did my own research?”
Keith Law: Nope. That just means they have access to the internet, and no capacity to distinguish real from bogus information.

Robbie: Hi Keith.  Any sense as to MLB/Manfred’s reaction/response to the Callaway, Porter, Ellis situations.  MLB seem to have been mostly silent to date.  Would think MLB has a role to play in expunging this behaviour from the sport through fines, penalties, suspensions etc. to players/clubs.  Are you hearing that anything is in the works/being contemplated at the MLB level?
Keith Law: I know for a fact there are multiple MLB investigations ongoing.

JR: I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am a little that the Suess estate’s personal decision to stop selling certain books has turned into “Biden and the Dems have cancelled Dr. Suess” lol. They made the decision on their own (and a very cynical person may even wonder if they did it in part to drive up book sales)
Keith Law: I’m more amazed at how many people on the left seem to see this as actual concern over “cancel culture” rather than obvious pandering to the base. It’s the same as the bills requiring trans athletes compete in the sexes they were assigned at birth. It’s not a real problem. Nobody actually cares about this issue. But it buys headlines, and appeals to the Neanderthal base.

addoeh: Split loyalties seemingly for you next weekend for Six Nations.  Will you cheer for Italy or Wales?
Keith Law: Italy has no chance in the 6N, so it’ll be easy to root for Wales.

Dan: Do you like backgammon?
Keith Law: Never got into it.

Don: Is Jake Burger a guy again after losing 40lbs?
Keith Law: I’m optimistic that he’s going to turn back into a prospect this year.

Anon: On a scale of 1-10, just how threatened is our democracy? The proliferation of social media disinformation, stupid people generally, and naked attempts at voter suppression have me afraid. Am I overreacting?
Keith Law: At least a 7. The media – and not just right-wing media, but most mainstream media – are complicit. Why are people who encouraged the Big Lie appearing on my television? Who the fuck is booking these people?

TomBruno23: Any thoughts on DC as a 51st state?
Keith Law: It is absurd that they’re not one. The same for Puerto Rico. Why should those American citizens lack representation in Congress? Because they’re mostly people of color?

Chris: Tatis, Soto, and Acuna – Between their actual baseball ability and the way they play the game, have we had a more enjoyable trio of young stars in recent memory? And that’s before you add in more established guys like Trout, Betts, Baez, and so many others!
Keith Law: MLB should be marketing the hell out of those guys already.
Keith Law: I’m sure we’ve had comparable trios, but those are the guys we have right now. They should be household names.

Frank: What are a few great baseball documentaries you’ve watched?
Keith Law: Pelotero.

Trevor: KLaw – Appreciate the draft prospect write-ups. Happy to see Bachman high on your list as a former Miami (OH) grad myself. No question just in agreement that the teaching of critical thinking to kids would vastly improve the educational system
Keith Law: It should be a major part of any state or local education reform.

Matt: I know this is a subjective question and open to interpretation, but if you had to pick the team that has the least amount of hope of being a consistent winner in the next decade, which would you pick?
Keith Law: I feel like Colorado is in the worst shape, because they don’t seem to have a clear direction for the major-league roster, the farm system is below the median, and that is the hardest MLB environment in which to build a team. They have to be 10% better than everyone else.

Guest: Seuly Matias has a ____ chance of being Joey Gallo
Keith Law: Zero.

Jason: How long until the other teams catch up to San Diego’s discovery of the market inefficiency in spending money to win?
Keith Law: Sssh. It’s still a secret.

Thomas: I might be one of those rare few people that actually read your prospect stuff entirely to apply to my fantasy league. I’ve won a handful of times so thank you for all your help. Well worth the subscription. Whose bat would you prefer long term, Jazz Chisholm or Brandon Lowe?
Keith Law: Chisholm has way more risk but way more upside. Your choice.

Alex A.: In Atlanta, 3rd appears to be the only position of any significant concern in the near term (assuming one of the two catching prospects hits).  Do you see a scenario in which Riley becomes a serviceable regular, or is the future Shewmake/outside acquisition?
Keith Law: Shewmake could end up there, or stay at SS, but I’ve never really bought Riley’s bat and we now have a year-plus of data showing he’s not able to hit enough to be a regular. His bat speed has always been an issue.

That guy: with regular season baseball still about a month away and this cold weather I’m looking for something new to play. Whats your favorite 2 player board game?
Keith Law: Favorite of all time is Jaipur. Would also recommend 7 Wonders Duel and Patchwork.

Greg: What player on a 10+ year contract would you bet is the first to leave their team? Most likely to finish their contractt?
Keith Law: I am all in on the Padres’ plan, but if I’m being realistic, the odds of both of their 10+ year guys staying in San Diego for the durations of their contracts are probably low.

Jase: What’s the best way to address competitive and/or financial imbalance in the game? Booting certain owners? How would they legislate that? Cap and floor? Or just shrug and accept it?
Keith Law: Tie revenue-sharing payments to some form of competitiveness. If you lose 110 games, you don’t get any cash.

Rob: Kyle Wright or Bryse Wilson? Who do you think has a better year
Keith Law: Leaning Wilson but not that confident in the pick.

Don: Is Andrew Vaughn’s lack of power so far in pro ball a concern?
Keith Law: He played for three months. After a full college spring.

Fernando G: Hey Keith, Hope you’re doing well. Do you have any insight into the front office culture across MLB right now? I am interested in getting started in the industry, but worry if the culture is more ‘traditional’ (i.e. tattoos and piercings are frowned upon). Sorry if that’s a bit of a loaded question, but it’s something I have been curious about and didn’t know where to look for any useful info on it. A traditional culture wouldn’t be a complete turnoff for me, but it would certainly be a negative that I would like to be able to take into account beforehand. Thanks!
Keith Law: If tattoos were frowned upon you’d never see a former pro player in any front office job.

Pat: Many of the local media around Detroit are saying Tigers need to take a college player at 1-3, so the timeline matches up closer with the “Big 5” prospects that are all supposed to hit within the next yr-18 mos..that has to be some of the worst reasoning ever, right? Pass up a potential star SS like Lawler because he may not debut until 2024-25?
Keith Law: Local media are probably not in a good position to make that call. Not that that ever stopped anyone. You take the best player available, period.

Jon G: Have draft evaluators (scouts, higher ups, public analysts) begun to incorporate seam-shifted wake into their lexicon as it relates to draft prospects? Would that make any meaningful difference from simply describing “late movement”? Has the concept as demonstrated changed the way you value certain pitch types?
Keith Law: Scouts don’t evaluate that … I mean, how could they? You can’t see it with your eyes. That’s why we have the technology. But scouts can see how hitters react, or how a pitch breaks in an unexpected way. SSW is just the hot new term – not saying there’s anything wrong or untrue about it, but it’s been in a few articles this week and now it’s the new toy. (EDIT: Just to be clear, I’m not diminishing SSW, or anyone writing about it, at all, but to argue against a sort of recency bias in ideas – the last new thing you heard isn’t necessarily the best thing, or even true. To answer the remainder of Jon G.’s question, I think SSW is different from late movement, or even movement; it describes a cause and an effect, with the effect a specific type of movement and the associated deception.)

Guest: I badly wanted the Yankees to draft Jack Leiter in 2018 (no offense to Volpe). How has he developed in the last 2 years?) Higher velocity, better command and sharper breaking stuff?
Keith Law: All of that. Filled out some too.

Tom: Is there any chance of Jon Gray becoming anything more if he were to move outta coors field?
Keith Law: I think so. Would love to see it.

Mike M: Any plans to make it to Bridgewater to see the new Yankees AA affiliate?
Keith Law: Of course, once it’s safe to do so.

Drew: Boy, the longer Cuomo stays in office despite his incompetence on COVID and multiple harassment allegations, the more he looks like a Democratic mini-Trump, huh? I feel like we should really not emulate the “shamelessness as a political superpower” on the left.
Keith Law: Agreed. I’m glad at least some Democrats have called for his resignation.

JD: What should be looking for in Andy Pages’ game this year?
Keith Law: Contact.

JD: Your writeup of Matt Allan was pretty much all positive, but I gather he’s missing something he needs to be a true ace. What’s that?
Keith Law: I said in the writeup that his fastball plays below its velocity. That’s his main drawback. He’s going to have to work more with his offspeed stuff than most starters.

Steve: You think Mondesi can be a star?
Keith Law: Career .284 OBP, .292 in the last two seasons if you want to give him a pass on the early call-ups. He has never developed an adequate approach at the plate, and I doubt he ever will. He can still be valuable because he does so many other things, but hitters with neither patience nor power have limited ceilings.

Green New Deal: I have a hard time seeing how we’re going to convert to renewables at the scale needed without more investment in nuclear energy.  The main arguments are expense and waste, but from the cost perspective, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to potential GDP loss from more natural disasters and overall instability.
Keith Law: Agreed. Unfortunately, the green energy crowd tends to be anti-nuclear because availability bias leads them to believe that it is more dangerous than it actually is.

Frank: Any reason why you do not typically include recent j -2 signings such as diaz and martinez in teams’ top 20 reports/other notables ?
Keith Law: Because they’re 16.

Adam: Would you give Pache more time at the Alt Site/AAA and trot Ender out there or start him in the Majors then re evaluate come may?
Keith Law: I’d play him now and get the benefit of his defense, but I won’t argue if they want him to go to AAA to work on pitch recognition.
Keith Law: Once AAA starts, that is.

John: Why bother keeping the filibuster anymore?  If protecting voting rights isn’t important enough to remove that nothing will ever be and unfortunately only one side sees that as a problem.
Keith Law: My question is why the filibuster ever existed. It seems antithetical to our system of government.

Nolan: I know it’s crazy, but I find myself hopeful about Anderson Espinoza. Seems like starter is out of the question, but could he be an impactful bullpen piece?
Keith Law: I don’t think it’s that crazy and I would like to see if he can start. Few guys do after two TJs, but there have been exceptions.

Mac: Was surprised Alex Binelas made the top 30. He’s looked horrible at the plate and they’re starting to play him at 1B more often because he’s been just as bad at 3B.
Keith Law: I said in the piece that he’s gotten off to a bad start, but the rankings aren’t just based on this year. He may very well end up in the second round or later, though.

Jason: Re: Puerto Rico, it’s unclear whether they actually want statehood.  In 2012, a bare majority wanted to even change its current status (and then was split between free association, statehood, and independence), and in 2020 statehood barely received a majority over independence (“no” meant a commission to determine the next steps toward independence)
Keith Law: That’s not really true; a majority of PR residents want statehood, with three nonbinding votes in the last 15 years showing that, but opponents have done a good job of casting doubt on that. Just another episode in our country’s long and shameful history of disenfranchising nonwhite voters.

Steve: How far along are you playing My City? We’re  4 episodes in, so Chapter 2, and enjoying it so far.
Keith Law: We hit the gold mines, which I think is about halfway? It’s fun. A nice light game we can play 2-3 times in a sitting. Put it aside for a while as my wife was extremely busy with work and I was plowing through prospect rankings.
Keith Law: That’s all for this week’s chat. Thank you all so much for reading and for all of your questions. I’ll try to keep these chats going weekly now that we have a season, depending on my travel commitments once those get starter. Stay safe, and go get vaccinated as soon as you can!

Keith Law: I know there’s got to be a break in the monotony. Klawchat.

Nate: With the lost year of development for many minor league players has there been any talk of pushing Rule 5 eligibility back a year?
Keith Law: I haven’t heard that. It would have to be collectively bargained, and it would be a disaster for minor leaguers. Let’s hope the union stands up for them, even though they’re non-members.

Max G: Hey Keith, thanks for taking the time to do this. You had mentioned (I believe in your last chat) that a factor in you ranked big-name-heavy systems, such as the Tigers, Ordeals, and WSox, where you did was because of their historically poor international programs. What does improving these club’s international scouting look like, and is there any hope for these orgs?
Keith Law: I like the autocorrect of the Orioles as “Ordeals.” I’m sure fans who’ve lived through the last few years would concur. It’s not just one solution for all teams – in Baltimore’s case, it was the previous regime’s choice to eschew that market completely, while in Detroit and Chicago, they tended to avoid the higher-bonus guys, and did not get great results when they did go for the seven-figure players.

xxx(yyy): thoughts on NBA Top Shot? chances we see an MLB version of that same kind of concept?
Keith Law: Had to look this up. I really don’t know anything about this idea. Digital assets aren’t assets. You don’t own the ebooks you think you bought. You’re just leasing them.

Mitchell: What first year players, J2 or 2020 draftees are you most excited to see in person in Sprint Training?
Keith Law: This will be a column in March.

Ben (MN): Have you tried playing any board games with others virtually? If so, any that work well? I’m getting so sick of two player games because my wife beats me all the time.
Keith Law: On gaming sites, yes. Across Zoom, only more social games. I wrote about some for Vulture back in November. https://klaw.me/2HdYUAl

Terry: I patiently waited for your NL Central Top 20 prospects lists to see where Drew Rasmussen was going to land….quickly learning after his name didn’t appear that he lost rookie eligibility (face, meet palm). Thoughts on him?
Keith Law: One-inning reliever. Horrible overuse at Oregon State ended any chance he’d be more.

bROOKS: Matt Thaiss – major leaguer? Bench likely, or every day guy?
Keith Law: Bench ceiling. Not enough bat for every day guy.

Billy: Is Cubs fans dragging of the Ricketts family warranted?
Keith Law: I mean, there are so many reasons…

Stu: Have you heard anything about Verlander’s progress? Best guess: does he pitch in the majors again? He’ll be out of a contract at the end of the season
Keith Law: Oh, he’ll pitch in the majors again. Someone will give him a chance even if he’s throwing 87.
Keith Law: I have no idea how he’s doing.

Duchess: Hey Keith, Pedro Leon seems unique in that he’s a older than many of the international prospects and has some pro experience. Understand that the long layoff introduces a huge variable, but what are the chances he sees a rapid run through the minors and ends up in Houston later in the summer?
Keith Law: He’s really interesting in that he has the tools of a top 50 or even top 25 prospect, is older than the typical J2 signing, but is younger than most of the good Cuban position player prospects who’ve come over (other than Robert, I think). We just have no idea how advanced he is as a hitter because the Serie Nacional has been so bad since the waves of defections began 8-10 years ago.

RobD: Do we really know how valuable it is for prospects to play in real minor league games vs other ways to develop their skills? I often hear about needing more time in game situations – is there really no other way to teach them those things than games? I have been wondering if something like 2-3 games a week plus alternative training ala Driveline might be a more efficient means of development. I know I am colored by my high school baseball days where we’d spend hours on a bus just to play a game where I’d get 4 ABs and a few groundballs hit to me.
Keith Law: I don’t buy that at all. The hardest things to do in baseball involve other players who are trying to do the other hardest things against you – getting hitters out, hitting real pitching.

Andy: How do ratings on the Athletic work, from the writer perspective? If I rate everything as solid, but occasional things as awesome, does that help ratings or is it like Uber, that awesome is the standard and anything below it could be an issue?
Keith Law: No one has ever mentioned those ratings to me.

barbeach: Belated congrats on your nuptials.  Wishing you many decades of happiness.  Bought Azul to play with the family based on your recommendation…has been great fun as we navigate Covid cabin fever.  So thanks.  Question: Is this the year Clint Frazier really breaks out?
Keith Law: If he’s healthy, he’ll play and be fine. I don’t think he’s a star because the same swing and miss issues that were there in high school are, as far as I know, still there.

Todd Boss: Texas frozen windmills == root cause of Texas’ power grid failures.  Right.  At what point does the disingenuity of right wing media become so ridiculous that even the brainwashed masses who watch it call BS?
Keith Law: Never. That will simply never happen. Denialism is too entrenched in American culture, the result of poor public education, income inequality, and our high degree of religiosity compared to other developed nations.

Andy: How long until you feel comfortable going to a game? How long until you feel comfortable taking your family to a game (since there won’t be a vaccine for kids until at least 2022 season?) It’s outdoors, but the yelling and close proximity, makes me hesitant.
Keith Law: I’ll go when I’m vaccinated, or I’ll go if it’s just media and scouts but no fans. I don’t see taking the kids till next year.

JT: Is using Biggio as a stop gap until Austin is ready a perfectly OK solution for the Jays? All of the rumored links to 3B seem to reveal that they get it on Biggio–he’s not a long term starter.
Keith Law: The signing of Semien was the clearest indicator to me that they see what I have always said about Biggio. He shouldn’t be playing every day for a contender.

JT: How hard is it to consider guys like Yadier Alvarez when doing your lists and organizational charts? In a normal year, we would have seen how he reacted to adversity, and it’s possible he could have broken through. Now, it’s almost like we’re forced logically to assume the worst–which tends to happen, ‘natch.
Keith Law: I say this facetiously, but … who?

John Olerud: So… how do the Ms best handle this? Indeed, as a (now more embarrassed and more reluctant than ever) fan of this sorry team, what would you say is the best approach going forward, both on a responsible/ethical and (less importantly) competitive level? To be sure, these are not mutually exclusive outcomes, and any suggestion of such is no doubt complete BS. But I’d be grateful to get your analysis of the situation and your suggestions for any ideal hires. Thanks as always for taking the time.
Keith Law: The M’s need an actual investigation into their internal culture, because, in most cases, if the President feels this way, it’s reflected throughout the organization. Any solution depends on just how widespread these sentiments are.

Todd Boss: If you were the Nats, would you stick Seth Romero as a starter in AAA or have him compete for the lefty reliever MLB bullpen slot?
Keith Law: Can’t see him being a starter with his persistent knuckleheadedness.

JT: I signed up for the Athletic for you and for Eno. Thank you for what you do.
Keith Law: Thank you. Your subscriptions allow me to do what I do.

Jake: What did you hear about Seth Corry in instructs that jumped him into your top 100? Do you think he starts in AA and at least starts the clock for giving the Giants pitching a much needed youth infusion?
Keith Law: The answer to the first question is in the player capsule for Corry. The answer to the second is yes to AA and no to the majors.

Aaron: Agree with your take on the Chicago 7 – it shows the full Sorkin experience, with the good and bad that implies (maybe he created the female FBI agent to have a bad female character).
Keith Law: In fairness, and I don’t feel any real need to be fair to Sorkin, the real story has no women in it. Creating a fictional female character to avoid that is probably a good thing. Creating THAT fictional female character was just stupid.

Phillip P.: Thanks for the chat, Keith! By every measure, Ronald Acuna has been a star. And if he maintains his level of production for a long time, he’ll be a HOFer. But what are the chances he makes the leap from being a 5- to 6-win player to being an 8-plus-WAR guy? What adjustments does he need to make to get there?
Keith Law: He’s still just 23, and B-R had him at 2.3 WAR in 46 games played last year (a rate of 8.1 WAR per 162 games) after a 5.7 WAR in 2019. Your question sort of presumes he’s not already heading towards a 7-8 WAR peak and I don’t agree with that.

JJ: What will you miss most about the Tim Tebow Era?
Keith Law: Oh, no question, the whining from people who claimed I hate Tebow for his religious beliefs, as if he was the only Christian in baseball.

Dan: Thanks as always for the chat Keith! Who in the Twins system do you think has the best chance to have a helium year and jump up the rankings?
Keith Law: Every team report has a Sleeper section at the end that answers this precise question.

Rob: I’m curious now that you’ve gone through the whole prospect exercise (and thanks for all 80,000 words, by the way), did you end up getting more usable and reliable (aka independently sourced) scouting information than expected?
Keith Law: No, I don’t think so. I’m glad this book is closed and we will get games this year, with scouting reports and data, to make the whole exercise better and more enjoyable in 2022.

Joe: Does Antoine Kelly project as a starter or more a 2 pitch reliever?
Keith Law: Starter with high variance.

Guest: With Lindor, Baez, Correa, Seager and Story all free agents at the same time, what do you think those contracts look like?  My assumption is that all of them expect $150 million+ but I have a hard time finding 5 realistic teams that will bid at that level.
Keith Law: Depends on whether there are any more free agents out there as a result of the new CBA – or if the CBA negotations are drawn out and we get some sort of labor stoppage.

Tom: I think we’re probably ok to just throw out Kris Bryants 2020 and say he’s still a .380 OBP 500 SLG guy, right?
Keith Law: I would work off that assumption if I were Hoyer.

JJ: Ten years, $240 million, and three total playoff games — do you think, if given a redo, either the Angels or Albert Pujols would do that contract again?
Keith Law: I’m sure Pujols would. I doubt the Angels would.

Jackie: Do you think Jeter Downs takes over at second base for the Red Sox some time in 2021?  I’m not too excited by the thought of Enrique Hernandez on an everyday basis.
Tim: How close to being a MLBer is Khalil Lee? What’s his most likely future? Thanks.
Keith Law: I think Downs could, yes.
Keith Law: Lee is probably not far at all from being a big leaguer, but he has a real adjustment to make before he’s a regular (and the hope is that he started to make it at the alt site).

Salty: You mentioned last chat about not investing in crypto partially because it’s an environmental disaster.  I don’t get involved with it personally due to a lack of understanding and confidence in it, but never thought of it in that light.  Can you please expound on that, unless you feel this isn’t the best format to do so?
Keith Law: I believe I linked to it in the last chat. Cryptocurrencies require tremendous computing power, and the energy used to support them already rivals some countries’ entire energy usage. And to what end? None, other than speculation.

Heather: What’s your favorite conspiracy theory that you secretly think, “Yeah, that one might actually be true”?  Roswell, the JFK assassination, the Patrick Ewing Lottery Fix, pedophile pizza parlors?
Keith Law: I mean, one of those things (Ewing) is not like the others. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to hear a pro sports league rigged something to ensure that a player went to a specific market – or, worse, to ensure that, say, Michael Jordan never fouled out of a game because it would crush TV ratings. The other three things you mentioned are all basically nuts.

Brian: I had a question there (I’m the Dylan Cease guy) and hit send too soon. My question was if you were the WSox, would you rather have Dylan Cease or Dane Dunning?
Keith Law: Cease.

Chris P: Didn’t see Derek Hill in your top 20 for the Tigers. You had been higher on him than most in the past due to his athleticism, but has he gone past the prospect level now?
Keith Law: With no evidence to say he’s going to either make more contact or hit the ball harder than he did in 2019, we have a 25-year-old whose ceiling is fourth outfielder.

Todd Boss: When Jared Kelenic is sent to AAA on April 1st for two weeks, how big will the outrage be?
Keith Law: He has more reason for a grievance than Kris Bryant did, given Mather’s comments. That said, is Kelenic actually ready for the majors? Do we know that? The Mariners might have a good answer, but with no minor league season in 2020, we’d just be guessing.

Kori: Hi Keith – if Austin Beck can (a big if) bring his hit tool to 40, does that rest of the package make him an average regular?
Keith Law: Don’t think so. 45 yes, 40 no.
Keith Law: Well … even at a 45, is the power he shows in BP also showing up in games? Or does he get to that grade 45 (thus still below average) hit tool by shortening up and trading power for contact?

Matthew: Catcher of the future in Toronto: Jansen, Kirk, or…?
Keith Law: I might bet on Moreno over Kirk, but it’s not Jansen.

Old Prospector: Do you think Francisco Mejia can be an everyday player in MLB?
Keith Law: I do. There are few guys who hit like he did in the minors and then completely fail to hit in the majors. Andy Marte comes to mind. But they’re rare.
Keith Law: And Mejia didn’t just put up empty numbers. He really hit, with some impact, and a good swing, and scouts agreed with the stat lines.

Old Prospector: Obviously it is going to be a rough year in Pittsburgh. Beyond Hayes and Keller, is there anyone on the big league roster you think could be a valuable contributor the next time the Pirates are competing for a playoff spot?
Keith Law: I could see Reynolds ending up on that roster 3-4 years from now. Anyone else of merit would be gone by then, though.

Jay: Do you think we’ll ever see two DHs? Or teams use their DH for their catcher instead of the pitcher? It feels like catcher’s are getting worse offensively as a collective for some time now.
Keith Law: No, I don’t, and I don’t agree on the latter point. I think catchers hit about as well as they did 30-40 years ago, but they catch better.

Dan: Do you think Vlad will be able to make the adjustment(s) to get the ball in the air more this year? I know it’s super early in his career, but was that ever a concern of yours/anyone’s regarding his swing? I can’t recall ever reading anything about his GB%.
Keith Law: I think he will at some point, but all the people excited about his weight loss seem to think the two are connected and they’re absolutely not.

Sandy Alderson: Is Biden reopening the child detention facility as bad as it sounds? What do we do to hold him accountable?
Keith Law: It isn’t as bad as it sounds, but that didn’t stop everyone from reacting to a headline. They had to reopen the facility to comply with COVID-19 prevention guidelines. The Washington Post and NPR both fact-checked this claim.

Dr. Bob: Isn’t the problem that Kelenic can’t file a grievance if he’s sent down because he won’t be represented by the union until he comes up?
Keith Law: Bryant wasn’t either. He still filed one (and lost).

Jay: When COL signed Arenado to his extension, I thought COL signed him for a good $/WAR/year and it was a good value. Why did they have to kick in an extra $50M to trade him for prospects with such limited ceilings and FV?
Keith Law: Poor negotiating by the Rockies? I don’t have another answer.

Prospector: Who would your project for better offensive production if they both reach close to their ceilings – CJ Abrams or Ronny Mauricio?
Keith Law: Abrams.

Jay: Give me hope that Blaze Jordan will be an all-star. Not because I like the Red Sox, but because we need more Dodgeball named guys in MLB
Keith Law: Extremely unlikely. Singles hitting first baseman. Needs a massive swing overhaul to get to his power.

Old Prospector: Any thoughts on Elijah Greene? Is he a potentially generational type 1-1 pick type guy?
Keith Law: He’s going to be a high pick in 2022 – there was some talk he’d try to reclassify into 2021 – but I am not putting that tag on him yet.

JJ: I don’t think everyone involved in the JFK assassination was arrested.  Oliver Stone made everyone who thinks that way look like a lunatic, however.  Thanks, Oliver.
Keith Law: I haven’t seen that movie, essentially for that reason: ultimately he’s trafficking in, and profiting from, conspiracy theories. I know people say the movie is great. I can’t watch it with clear eyes.

davealden53: First time since your wedding that I’ve stumbled upon one of your chats while it was still going on.  Congrats on the wedding and especially on the letter you wrote about it.  The letter was so sincere and quietly joyful that I’ve yet to delete it but instead return to reread it regularly.
Keith Law: thank you! you haven’t missed many chats – this is only my third since I got married – but I appreciate the kind words.

Andy: I know you haven’t done draft rankings yet but Leiter v Rocker, who are you leaning towards having higher? Also, is that top 2 better (in college) than UCLA’s of Cole-Bauer?
Keith Law: Draft rankings next week. I have never understood the idea that Rocker was some obvious 1-1 guy. He’s not. And I don’t think he’s going to be 1 on my ranking. This is some combination of him throwing the no-hitter two years ago and being famous and good in high school (he was), but those aren’t reasons for a player to be taken first overall.

Todd Boss: Will the ill-advised comments of now resigned Mariner’s president have a profound effect on the next CBA?  Or will his comments be spun as the words of a raving mad-man that are completely untrue?
Keith Law: I’m hopeful it encourages the players to take a harder line this time around, after they went for quality of life improvements in the last negotiations but ended up conceding too much ground on other fronts, including the luxury tax and the international free agency system.

Lacey: Hey Keith, do you have any baseball podcast series you’d recommened? I just finished The Edge about the Astros and loved it. Anything along those lines?
Keith Law: No, sorry, even in a pre-pandemic world I only listened to 3-4 podcasts, and now without time in the car I have a hard time keeping up with those.

Matt: What’s your take on Mitch Keller….didn’t allow a hit in his last eleven innings, but walked ten guys….
Keith Law: We know by now that pitchers not allowing hits is at least partly a function of luck/defense, and not exclusively a credit to the pitcher. You’re also asking about a sample so small it’s meaningless. Keller’s main problem is the lack of a third pitch to get lefties out – in 2020, he walked 11 LHB and struck out 6, and he’s had problems with LHB going back at least to AA.

Guest: What will be the highest priority for the union in the next CBA: fixing service time manipulation, making drastic changes to the luxury tax, reducing the number of controlled years from 6 to something like 4, something else?
Keith Law: It should be the luxury tax, although I would also like to see them reduce the number of years to free agency to 5.

Chris: You’re forced to answer, which team is the best run organization in baseball right now?
Keith Law: Fun fact: I am not forced to answer, so I won’t. There are many well-run organizations in baseball right now.

Len: Macro Luciano – can he become a GUY?
Keith Law: Yes.

Chris: I’m a huge Dodger fan, but I just absolutely love what the Padres have done the last couple of years (minus Hosmer). It is just so refreshing to see a team trying to win (and what a weird thing to say about professional sports).
Keith Law: It’s great for baseball, but isn’t it good business? Sure, you can take easy profits from revenue sharing, but if you want the bigger payoff, doesn’t it make sense to exploit the inefficiency of other teams essentially doing as little as possible and try to win? If the Padres end up with their first World Championship, it will also result in a large windfall for the owners.

Dee Arby: Our educational system needs a massive overhaul, what core subjects outside of science and math should we be teaching the kids?
Keith Law: Critical thinking. That’s more of a multi-disciplinary thing, but teaching students to read with a critical eye – perhaps using the SIFT method – and understand how to tell when someone is lying or misleading them, or when a conclusion isn’t supported by the evidence provided, or how unconscious biases might affect what they see and think.

Nate: Not a baseball comment — having the league fix the draft lottery so the Knicks win the rights to Patrick Ewing, then never winning a championship with Patrick Ewing, is so typical of the Knicks.  They can’t even cheat properly.
Keith Law: That joke was the best thing in all of Soul.

Guest: Just saw Royce Lewis, top prospect of Twins shows up for Spring Training and under preliminary physical is revealed to have torn ACL and out for the year.  As an athlete, how can you have that serious an injury and not know???
Keith Law: Perhaps he was hoping for a better outcome? I’m sure lots of us have had health scares, or know people who’ve had, where you knew something was wrong but hoped or prayed (if you’re so inclined) for a better diagnosis than the worst case scenario.

JR: Has tanking gone so far that it’s become a strategy for not really trying but we can tell our fans it’s our plan? I feel like Cubs/Astros started this trend, and it worked for the most part for them.  Other teams have tried but seemed to only be serious about the tanking aspect and not the “spending once we get good” aspect, yet they keep using tanking to stay bad/not spend.
Keith Law: The “we’ll spend when we get good” line is the key here. As long as fans buy it, they’ll sell that … and never spend.

Pat: Courses that should be mandatory in school- Some type of personal finance. Teach kids about credit, stocks, interest, borrowing, student loans, etc. I wonder how much lesser the student loan debt crisis would be if young people at least had a basic understanding of what they’re signing.
Keith Law: Yes. I’d rather see a full year of economics – half on personal finance, half on how the economy actually works – than a fourth year of English (or literature). I say that as an avid reader, too. The former is a lot more useful for life after high school than reading Pride and Prejudice and An American Tragedy.

Rules for Thee: Why did you feel it appropriate to have a wedding ceremony amidst the pandemic?  I know you said you were in compliance with Delaware regulations but you’ve also criticized those regulations.  So which is it?  Abiding the regulations makes approved activities safe?  Or the state’s regulations are putting people needlessly at risk?
Keith Law: That’s simply false. I did not criticize Delaware’s regulations on gatherings, which were very strict and right to be so. We adhered to those, with a tiny reception, and to mask and distancing guidelines as well. I have criticized the lax rules on bars being open, though. Go troll somewhere else.

Frank: Please fine “Rules for Thee” $5 for baiting.
Keith Law: Oh, absolutely.

Chris: I’m wondering if you have an opinion on a team having a fixation in the international market for specific countries.  The Dodgers seem to skew heavily towards Venezuela right now, for example.
Keith Law: That was true at some points in the past – Houston had a longstanding affinity for Venezuelan prospects in the 1990s – but I don’t know if that’s feasible now with a hard cap on international bonuses. That said, the failed state in VZ and danger of travel there could also mean an opportunity for teams willing to take that risk or spend more for personal security there.

Guest: Keith, what does it say about an organization that just a year or so ago would sign a young player like Arrenado (or in NFL, Wentz or Goff) to huge 9 figure contracts and then move on??
Keith Law: Aren’t those NFL deals non-guaranteed? I don’t think it’s a perfect analogy. Also, Carson Wentz held the ball for your entire question and just got sacked.

Oscar: Have you ever considered designing your own board game? It’s not like you have too many other things going on . . .
Keith Law: Yes. It’s a time-consuming task, though, and I have so much else I need or want to do.

Guest: Keith, as a follow-up to the Mather talk:  Don’t  these multi-billion dollar organizations have internal media training and updating memos of how and what to say in public??  It seems like such an easy answer to a lot of stupidity.
Keith Law: Yes. I’m not sure they think to include Presidents and CEOs in those. Isn’t there an assumption (wrong, obviously) that if you’ve risen to that point you already know how to deal with the public?

Joe: What percentage which you say AAA games happen in early April at home stadiums? How about the other levels in May?
Keith Law: I think the games will happen – figure maybe 20% are cancelled due to positive tests – without fans until at least May. MLB may just have to accept that they need to subsidize some of those teams, which is only fair since they just executed a hostile takeover of the minors anyway.

Mike Trout: Longtime reader so seeing you comment and watch football is a little jarring. What do you like about it now that you didn’t seem to like before?
Keith Law: I married an Eagles fan. Although I have to say I prefer watching rugby. As long as we beat the English, I don’t care!
Keith Law: That’s all for this week. Thanks so much for reading, especially with the large amount of content I dumped on you in the past month. I will have a draft ranking up next week, and remember that The Inside Game is coming out in paperback on April 6th. You can pre-order it now, and maybe I’ll get to do some signing events this summer once more of us are vaccinated too. Stay safe everyone!