JotCast | Klawchat 10/13/17

Klawchat 10/13/17

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Keith

1:44

What is your POV on how teams should best use the AFL? Some teams have sent top guys there; others (like White Sox) sent none of their top guys. How do the developmental pro/cons break out in your mind?

Keith Law

1:45

Send guys who need to face better pitching to develop. Send anyone who missed time during the year due to injury and needs to make up the AB/IP they lost. Send borderline 40-man candidates so you can evaluate them - and so can other teams, so maybe you can trade them in November.

Joe

1:45

Gary Denbo a good hire for the Marlins?

Keith Law

1:46

I don't have an opinion on him specifically for that role, but overseeing player development AND the amateur draft is ridiculous - and worse when the person has no experience on the amateur side. Those are both departments that require one full-time head.

Dan

1:46

Sadly, there are still probably plenty of other "Harvey Weinsteins" in Hollywood and many other industries that have acted similarly. Hopefully, all these monsters can be rooted out.

Keith Law

1:47

I bet they're all over sports too. I would imagine a woman working for a professional sports team would feel the same way many of these young actresses say they felt when Weinstein attacked them - no one will believe them, it's a male-dominated industry, they're alone/without support. If you're a woman in MLB and have been harassed in any way by a male supervisor or co-worker, I'd love to hear your story.

1:48

Over/Under 3 years, $30 million for Cozart?

Keith Law

1:48

I think well over on the dollars.

Tracy

1:48

Hi Keith, I'm a book imbiber just like you, but more so on the non-fiction side, particularly presidential bios, so I am looking forward to reading the new Ron Chernow book on Grant. Do you have any interest in this subject?

Keith Law

1:48

Never been huge on American history as a book topic. I go more for history of science books when I go non-fiction.

Marc

1:48

White Sox still have to go BPA at 4 even if it's another SP right? People already seem to be itchy to start 'filling holes' 12 months into a rebuild.

Keith Law

1:49

Always go BPA.

Nick

1:49

Think Almora is a can be an average everyday hitter? And how good can "elite" defense really be in center field when speed is average at best?

Keith Law

1:49

Andruw was still an elite defender even when he was no longer any kind of runner. Vernon Wells never ran average but had a few years of great defense in center. I think Almora's an elite defender and doesn't have to hit much to be an average regular.

David Dahl

1:49

Do you think I'll ever stay healthy enough to be an All-Star caliber player? Or just a "nice" #3 OF?

Keith Law

1:50

All-Star if healthy. Health is a big unknown here. He had a serious injury that can alter a career, but I don't know any specifics about his case.

Mike

1:50

But I am in the camp that believes starting Bauer in game 1 was just an excuse to give Kluber's back an extra day to recover.

Keith Law

1:51

We just don't know, right? Maybe Kluber still wasn't 100%. Maybe Scherzer could have started games 1 and then 4 and been fine, but the Nats didn't want to risk it. I don't always succeed but I try to limit criticisms of managers to stuff we know - like, hey, Jayson Werth, not so good with the bat now.

Grant

1:51

What purpose does exit velocity serve?

Keith Law

1:51

Harder contact is good, no? Increases likelihood of hits, likelihood of extra bases. No power without hard contact either.

Nick

1:51

Have you read Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy? I really enjoyed it as a quick one with excellent, funny dialogue.

Keith Law

1:52

Yep, enjoyed it, read the first sequel, thought it was repetitive.

Mickey

1:52

Hammett or Chandler?

Keith Law

1:52

Hammett

1:53

Hypothetically Hart is forced to resign. Who would be a good replacement for him? Who would be a good replacement for Coppy?

Keith Law

1:54

I think it depends on who's actually calling the shots there. You can't bring in someone who won't be able to work with Schuerholz, for example. If you need a president and a GM, do you hire someone who's had success as a GM elsewhere and promote him to the President role that Hart currently fills? I threw some names out last week, but it really depends on who's still there in Atlanta when the dust settles on the investigation.

Adam

1:54

In the Nationals situation, down two games in a five game series, was there a strategic advantage for Strasburg pitching game 4 instead of game 5? I was having trouble following what the problem would be moving him back a day if he were sick.

Keith Law

1:54

The idea of losing the series without Strasburg pitching again.

Jim

1:55

Braves J2 prospects from 2016 were high profile guys with big dollars - Maitan, Gutierrez, Severino - wouldn't that open up the flood gates for other J2 prospects to leak tampering?

Keith Law

1:56

Every J2 player who signs on July 2nd had an illegal predraft deal in place. Could any of them come forward and demand free agency because the signing team broke the rules? Does MLB want to open that door, and thus find itself lying on the ground with a giant door on top of it? This metaphor isn't quite working out for me, but yes, when the whole system is corrupt, then it could all collapse given the incentive the players have to take the money and then cry foul.

Clark

1:56

I don't think I've ever seen you post anything about soccer, but do you have an opinion on the humiliating loss this week that saw the USMNT miss the World Cup? It's not like American soccer was every going to challenge baseball or the other top sports, but it still has to be a huge blow to the sport's rise here, right?

Keith Law

1:57

I assume so, but I really don't know or follow soccer. I'll typically watch a little World Cup, but that's it.

Bobby

1:57

You said in your post you saw Albert Abreu " turn the changeup over at release". For we noobs that are just getting into this stuff, what exactly is "turning over a changeup" and how did you, as the evaluator, recognize it.

Keith Law

1:57

It's a literal description of how the pitcher's hand moves at release. I can see him turn it over - rotating his wrist at release. When a pitcher does it on one pitch but not the others, it's a signal to an observant hitter what the pitch is.

Jay

1:57

Tommy Pham one year wonder or sustained success for next few years?

Keith Law

1:58

Skills are there, has to stay healthy. He really had no track record of health coming into the year.

Ted

1:58

So you're saying the White Sox should have sent Robert to the AFL. He seems to fit the "should face better pitching to help with further development" bucket.

Keith Law

1:58

I don't think he has a work visa yet. I was told he's not in instructs either.

1:58

I like Xander Bogaerts, but where the hell is the power?

Keith Law

1:58

Played with two hand injuries this year. Can't hit for power if you can't grip the bat.

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