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Klawchat 9/14/17
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Keith Law
1:01
Staccato signals of constant information: It's Klawchat.
Trey
1:02
I know you've marked Chad Kuhl as a future reliever, and I've been with you on that. But each time he goes out I see a little more development and want to give him a longer shot. Any change on  your opinion?
Keith Law
1:02
None. Still a two-pitch guy who has serious trouble with LHB.
Michael
1:03
With Gray, Hoffman, Freeland, Marquez, possibly Bettis, do the Rockies have a legitimate starting rotation? Or will they need to replace some of those guys?
Keith Law
1:04
Gray is the clear keeper of the group. Hoffman might just be a bad fit for Denver, given his flat fastball. Marquez is the most likely reliever of the group given his platoon split issues. Bettis I've always figured was more likely a reliever, but I'm rooting for him all the way now.
William
1:04
Is esteury ruiz the next Fernando tatis?
Keith Law
1:04
Ruiz is only one month younger than Tatis, so I'll say no.
Angel
1:04
If you have the chance to put otani in your top prospects .. what rank you will put him?
Keith Law
1:04
Otani isn't a prospect. He has several years of experience in NPB, Japan's top league, and I don't rank those guys as prospects.
Adam
1:05
Austin Hedges' defensive prowess seems to have arrived as advertised. His bat, however, Is a bit underwhelming. How much does a strong defensive catcher have to hit to remain a starter?
Keith Law
1:05
He has power, and I think he'll hit just enough to get to it and end up not just a starter but a good one because of all the defensive value he'll bring.
Deke
1:06
Price-gouging laws: Good or bad? I've heard econ. experts say they are actually bad (low price means supply gets eliminated, means even fewer people can get the water or whatever), but I have a real hard time with "sorry, poor person, economics says that case of water is $80."
Keith Law
1:07
I think it's too hard for authorities to truly separate gouging from supply/demand-based price increases. And it's true that in some market conditions, high prices can lead sellers to increase supply. The key of any such law would be to focus just on short-term price spikes caused by disasters or acts of God, where the economic benefit is unclear or nonexistent - such as, it's not like suppliers could suddenly ship a bunch of food and water and gas to south Florida on no notice.
Mike
1:08
Why do teams sometimes put guys on the 10-day DL in September? What advantage does that provide now that the rosters are expanded?
Keith Law
1:08
I actually don't know the answer to this.
Chris
1:08
I hate to nitpick as a Mets fan, but why does the FO allow TC to sit Dom Smith and Nimmo against lefties? Also, Cecchini is on the bench in favor of ABs for useless vets like Reyes and Cabrera. It drives me crazy that they can't even suck properly.
Keith Law
1:09
The Cecchini stuff bugs me more. I'm OK with easing up on Nimmo, who's always had trouble with LHP, or Smith, who has shown power but hasn't made a ton of hard contact yet, right now. By next year, however, Smith needs to be playing every day and someone else needs to be the manager.
Adam
1:10
It has been speculated that Otani's free agency will be a situation "where money almost literally isn’t a factor," due to the new signing rules. But the difference between $300k and $10mil is still a lot of money, even for Otani, right?
Keith Law
1:13
Of course it is. Two thoughts on Otani: One, I saw absolutely nothing this week to indicate that he's any more likely to be posted next month than he was a few days ago. There was one completely unsourced report out of Japan ... and that's it. He may very well come over, but this was a non-story. Two, a team can sign Otani to a short-term deal with a forced non-tender clause, which most NPB free agents had in their contracts, so they'd become MLB free agents after just three or four years here. Hell, if I were GM of a contender with the cap room, I'd offer Otani one year at the maximum allowed salary and agree to nontender him at the end of the year.
Chris
1:13
If I'm the Mets I'm fielding offers for deGrom this offseason. Their minors are a disaster and if they could command a Sale or even Gray-like return, they'd have to consider it. A 2018 playoff run just doesn't look doable right now.
Keith Law
1:13
I agree. Pitching depth is gone. I don't think the minors are "a disaster" but they're not helping in 2018 beyond the guys already up.
Kelly
1:13
What's your take on Cub's pitcher Jen-Ho Tseng, and what are your thoughts on bringing in a young starter during a pennant race?
Keith Law
1:15
Pretty average stuff, always had a flat fastball in the low minors. He stopped missing bats this year but posted the best GB rate of his career, so perhaps there's something new there. I don't mind bringing in a young starter for important or high-leverage games, as long as it's someone with command, rather than a stuff guy who's still unfinished as a pitcher.
Devon
1:17
Have you heard anything about this supposed "power struggle" in the Braves FO? I hope the old guard of Schuerholz and Cox don't think they can win the way they used to, with a top 5 payroll any more.
Keith Law
1:17
No. I said last week I thought that story was nonsense.
Bobby
1:17
Keith - Thanks, as always, for these chats. Re Chance Adams of Yanks system, it seems like you think he is a likely reliever. That said, I imagine you think it makes sense to keep him starting until he absolutely proves he can't? Since he has more or less proved himself against minor league hitters what would you do w him if you were Cashman?
Keith Law
1:17
I'd spot start him in the majors, definitely. Unless there's a health reason or absolutely no room at the inn, I'd always let a starter continue to start until he proves he can't.
Bob Horse
1:17
Have you seen/heard anything about Jesus Luzardo since he returned from TJ? Early returns look promising for the A's
Keith Law
1:18
Heard the stuff is all the way back, so yes, very promising.
Chris
1:18
Marcos Molina a starter or reliever?
Keith Law
1:18
Reliever. Stuff isn't the same post-TJ and it's not a good delivery for a starter.
Paul
1:18
Keith - see any of Gohara's start last night? You weren't lying when you said it's an easy 98! Slider looks filthy too. Even in the first start, the numbers were ugly, but he got seriously squeezed on a few eventual walks that became his undoing. I'm excited!
Keith Law
1:18
I did, and yes, two plus pitches, chance for a third adequate one, has the size, still very young. I liked the trade for Atlanta at the time and like it even more now.
Nick Pappagiorgio
1:19
Right now, are Kershaw's .47 ERA and .52 xFIP advantages and superior K/BB ratio (6.7 to 4.7) enough to offset his ~25 IP deficit to Scherzer for NL CY? (They're even on WHIP and FIP.) Thank you!
Keith Law
1:20
I don't see why K/BB ratio or WHIP would matter at all in this discussion. It's how much you pitched and how well you prevented runs - which you can argue is measured by ERA or RA, or by stats like FIP that focus more on what the pitcher controls. (Don't use xFIP.)
Craig
1:20
I see where the Brewers called up Aaron Wilkerson, possibly to take Jimmy Nelson's spot in the rotation. His AA stats this year were great -- does he have the stuff to start big league games right now?
Keith Law
1:21
Yep, potential 5th starter type, great story behind it too - wasn't even the #1 on his own HS team, ended up at NAIA Cumberland, pitched in independent ball, Red Sox scouted him there and signed him
Nancy
1:21
What's your outlook on Albert Almora?  Can he be an every day above average regular.  He's walking a little this year and has continued to hit well and play great d.
Keith Law
1:21
I think the defense makes him an above average regular in time.
Jon
1:21
What do you make of Kevin Gausman's season? Has been electric the 2nd half. But we saw that at points last year as well. Is 2018 his year to put it all together?
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