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Klawchat 10/26/17
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Keith Law
1:49
He's a starter.
Martha Stewart
1:49
Are there any cooking shows you watch besides Iron Chef?  Do you have a favorite 'ethnic food'?
Keith Law
1:50
I don't watch Iron Chef, just Top Chef. Isn't pretty much all food ethnic?
Jimmy
1:50
I've read a few times that the Yankees' player development people have great success helping their pitching prospects throw harder. It always comes up in profiles about Chance Adams. Do you know if there's any evidence that they're actually better at it than other teams? Or is this just an anecdote someone noticed and a bunch of other people grabbed?
Keith Law
1:52
It's anecdotal evidence across a pretty long list of players, so I'm inclined to believe it. I know I've seen a lot of these guys in Trenton the last few years. Adams isn't even the best example, with a slightly above average fastball. They got Tate's fastball back. Sheffield throws harder than ever now. And they keep finding these relievers, like Cody Carroll, late in the draft who get into the system and suddenly start bumping 98.
Craig
1:52
How do you feel about Trump's tax plan announcement?
Keith Law
1:54
I think the evidence does not support their claim that tax cuts for the highest income levels will boost economic growth. That may have been true in the 1960s, when the top marginal rates were over 50%, but it appears to be untrue today, when even the top rates are moderate for a developed country. I do think tax cuts can stimulate the economy, but need to go to people who'll increase consumption as well as investment, and I think no one wants to talk about the benefit of radical tax reform because both parties love to regulate behavior through taxation. (But please, tell me why anyone should be able to deduct mortgage interest - up to $1 million of it! - on a *second* home.)
Timothy
1:54
How much stock do you put into the AFL? (Ex: Alex Jackson)
Keith Law
1:55
AFL performance is close to meaningless. It's too small of a sample, in a very hitter-friendly environment. Joey Terdoslavich led the league in homers one year and Atlanta fans went nuts when I said he wasn't really a prospect.
Patrick
1:55
What do you think of Thario? Can he be marketed as a starting infielder and used as trade bait, or is he better served in a utility/depth role? Do you like him or Wade better?
Keith Law
1:56
Thairo is a second division starter for me, or a good utility guy. Might have more value in trade in a package given their depth chart.
Clyde
1:58
Did Michael Gettys make any progress this year?   191 whiffs certainly suggest not, but he did up his walk rate, I believe.
Keith Law
1:58
He was repeating high-A. No.
Nick
1:59
Does Justus Sheffield have #1 stuff?
Keith Law
1:59
Sure looked like it in the AFL. We'll see if he can pitch with that stuff for a full season, but it's very promising.
Brian
1:59
Can we please kill the K Zone, now also appearing on Fox?  I would like to see the pitch with my own eyes.  If it's a debatable call, show me the K Zone on replay.  Am I wrong?
Keith Law
1:59
Not a huge fan either. I have Gameday for that stuff. I tend to watch games both ways.
Antonio
1:59
What is it about Chance Adams that doesn’t really get him prospect list love? Supposedly throws hard and the numbers are obviously there. I don’t get it.
Keith Law
1:59
Doesn't throw that hard, doesn't have a real out pitch, undersized without great fastball plane.
Patty O'Furniture
1:59
Giancarlo's not really going to the Giants, is he?
Keith Law
2:00
It makes no sense for either club. The Giants' system is weak at the moment, so the Marlins wouldn't get much of a return. And the Giants would be taking on an albatross contract for a player who doesn't make them a contender right away.
Sean
2:00
Keith, having just finished your book and reading about the Astros use of high-speed cameras and such in their pro scouting, I have a question about player development.  How much is this stuff being used in the minor leagues?
Keith Law
2:01
It's all over the place. You can't go to a minor league game without seeing the cameras the parent clubs have set up to record their own guys and the visitors.
Daniel
2:01
Is it just injuries that have derailed Gilbert Lara so far? Or is he not that good?
Keith Law
2:01
I think he's just not that good, but he'll turn 20 on Monday and I don't want to entirely write him off.
Pete
2:03
Isn't a stale clubhouse what you get when all your players are old?
Keith Law
2:03
You might say that, yes.
Ridley Kemp
2:03
Are you aware of any benefits that Major League Baseball is involved with for Puerto Rico? I've been poking around and can't find anything, which surprises me given the league's ties to the island.
Keith Law
2:04
They gave $1 million in the wake of the hurricane, and individual teams have done more as well (I think the Pirates in particular have).
Patty O'Furniture
2:04
Would a bad contract swap of Matt Kemp for Jacoby Ellsbury be beneficial for either team?  Or is that just kicking the can down the road?
Keith Law
2:04
I'd rather have Ellsbury. I don't think Kemp has any value at all.
addoeh
2:04
I assume you have started your free agent list.  How difficult is it to get to 50?
Keith Law
2:05
Getting to 50 isn't hard, but the quality drops off right around 30. Beyond that, my capsules will be much shorter.
Ryan
2:05
What are your thoughts on the direction the Pirates are heading? They obviously had a fantastic 3 year run, but are now coming off of back to back losing seasons and the young reinforcements that were supposed to be arriving to bolster those playoff rosters have not lived up to expectations aside from Bell and maybe Taillon. I'm concerned the window already shut without them ever even getting out of the NLDS.
Keith Law
2:06
Might be time to churn the roster a bit - not a full rebuild, but to trade away some guys approaching free agency before they leave. They also had disappointing years from four of their top five prospects, and that has to turn around, obviously.
Dennis
2:06
As an Angels fan, I'm glad that Mike Scioscia's ridiculous 10 year deal is up after next season. Do you agree that they should hire a new manager?
Keith Law
2:07
Yes. If they won't just fire him, they should tell him beforehand this is it, and if he wants to stay and manage, they'll honor him at season-end with some big celebration or whatever. I don't care. They just need new thinking in the dugout and he's not providing it.
Matt
2:07
I’ve heard you mention often that the Orioles aggressively revamp their young pitchers’ deliveries. Zach Davies also mentioned this briefly in a Fangraphs interview. Could you give us some specifics? What are they doing? Is this a Dan Duquette thing? Or a Buck thing? Or just a long-standing Orioles thing?
Keith Law
2:08
My understanding is that it's been Buck and also some of their pitching coaches, not Duquette. I personally don't like it - I would never change a pitcher's delivery unless he was having injury or effectiveness problems. You're asking for trouble.
Alex
2:09
Have you heard any scouts discuss Kolby Allard's year? Was his velocity as down as reports say - 88-92. I know you had him in your Top 50.
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