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Klawchat 08/28/19
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Keith Law
1:00
I guess I didn't know. Klawchat.
Otto Adamvino
1:00
With Deivi Garcia, Schmidt, Gil & Medina all looking good lately, has the Yanks' minor-league pitching taken a step forward overall this season?  Do you project any/all of those four to be good MLB starters?
Keith Law
1:02
Garcia is the highest probability starter of the group for me. I'd project Schmidt to start, with some caveats about his durability. Medina probably has the highest ceiling, based on pure stuff and delivery, but the shortest track record of adequate performance (he's been great recently, a complete turnaround from everything that came before). You didn't mention Roansy Contreras, who I also think is a definite starter, or Luis Gil, more likely a reliever than the others in the group but nonzero starter potential. So yeah, pretty solid crop.
Bruce
1:02
Will Bo Bichette stay at SS? Does he have an All Star hit tool?
Keith Law
1:03
I would bet on him moving off shortstop, but I think he has at least a 60 hit tool.
Will
1:03
How close are Matt Olson and Ramon Laureano to their ceilings?
Keith Law
1:04
I would say they're both at or right near their ceilings. Laureano has even exceeded my expectations for him when I saw him and wrote him up positively after the AFL in 2016, before the Astros tried to change his swing.
Tony
1:04
Man, Rhys Hoskins looks terrible. I know he's not as good as he looked when he first came up, and probably isn't this bad, but it really is starting to seem like he's more Pat Burrell than Paul Goldschmidt at this point
Keith Law
1:05
A 120 wRC+ isn't terrible; I think you're reacting to how he gets to that figure (power and walks, lot of Ks, low average) rather than considering the total production. I'd say I'm more concerned about his defense than anything else.
VernRudyVanceDerekKeith LAW
1:05
The Pirates seem to have several rookies & young vets having pretty strong offensive years.  I know they have no pitching, especially given Taillon's injury, but is there enough of an offensive core there to build a contender?
Keith Law
1:05
Yes. But they need a lot of pitching to get there and right now I don't see it in the system.
Danny
1:05
So I'm torn. I want Trump gone because he's the most divisive and destructive American politician we may have ever seen. Recessions are terrible, although inevitable in economic cycles. Am I wrong to want this recession within the next year or so if it means helping get him voted out?
Keith Law
1:06
I had this same conversation with someone the other day ... you can't root for a recession, not if you have any sort of conscience, but the realistic view is that 1) recessions are inevitable, as you said, and 2) they often bounce a lot of incumbents, especially the President.
Paul
1:06
Hey Keith - my wife and I are trying to plan a trip in early December. Somewhere tropical, looking for something adults only, nice beache etc. I know you have been to a few any place that you have been that you would recommend?
Keith Law
1:07
My girlfriend and I just stayed at Sunset at the Palms in Negril, Jamaica, this month, and we thought it was fantastic - adults only, all inclusive, never had any need to leave the resort, incredibly friendly and helpful staff. The food was better than we'd expected too. We did see the largest stingray either of us could ever remember seeing, right on the beach, maybe three feet from the water line, so ... swim carefully.
Tony Gonsolin
1:07
I have a legitimate 4 pitch mix with + grades and pitched well against NYY, ATL, STL and @ COL.  What is my realistic ceiling?
Keith Law
1:08
Slow down. You do not have four pitches with plus grades.
Sedona
1:08
Will Joe Palumbo and Justin Dunn be in their respective rotations in 2020?  What are their ceilings?
Keith Law
1:08
That feels like a strong maybe in both cases (better than even odds, far from definite). Dunn potential #3 starter, Palumbo maybe a tick below that. I believe both guys can start.
Tevin
1:08
It got very little publicity at the time, but is the Randal Grichuk extension by the Jays the most confusing deal of the year? They gave him $50+ million for 5 years despite having him under control through 2020. He's already 27, he's a 1-2 win player (this year he's even less) at a non-premium position.
Keith Law
1:09
I have always been befuddled with industry evaluations of Grichuk as more than an extra outfielder, which date back to when he was in the low minors. His strengths and weaknesses are pretty clear and I don't think they've changed at all since he was a prospect, have they? That's not a core player you try to lock up. You keep that guy, and pay him fairly, but save your long-term investments for guys like Bichette.
Sedona
1:09
Why can't lefties hit lefties while righties can hit righties?
Keith Law
1:10
Right-handed batters have platoon splits; they're just not as severe. I think the main reason is that there are so many fewer left-handed pitchers, so left-handed batters don't get the same quantity of reps against same-side arms as RHB do. There could also be some selection bias at work, with teams particularly favoring LHP who have the breaking ball(s) to get lefties out.
Mark
1:10
Were you surprised Blake Swihart passed through waivers ? Kind of feel bad for the guy, the ankle injury ,parasites,his brother passing away. Is his career likely over ?
Keith Law
1:10
Surprised, a little. Career over, not at all.
Hank
1:11
Bryan Reynolds. How much of this is mirage, how much of it is sustainable?
Keith Law
1:11
The .410 BABIP is obviously unsustainable, by a large margin. His secondary skills are enough to make him a regular even when that bubble bursts.
Jason
1:11
On Monday, Atlanta had Billy Hamilton on third with 1 out, down by 1.   The hitter (not very good) walked, bringing up the pitcher's spot, and the two options were Tyler Flowers and Hechevarria.  Although Hechevarria hit a sac fly to score the tying run, was that a rare situation where an out in play would probably have been preferable to a walk?
Keith Law
1:12
I may have missed something in your question, but I don't see why that's preferable; the walk loads the bases for whoever was on deck, who was not the pitcher.
The Ghost of Bobby Thigpen
1:13
Hey KLaw.  You wake up tomorrow as Rick Hahn.  Do you view your team as ready to compete for the playoffs next year?  If so, what moves do you make? Thanks.
Keith Law
1:13
I do view them as contenders in 2020. First order of business would be adding a starting pitcher, probably via free agency.
Chris
1:14
O/U on David Peterson innings next year in majors: 100
Keith Law
1:14
With most teams I'd say over. I can't figure out anything the Mets are doing; they are operating with such a short horizon that I find it hard to predict how they'll use players or even who they'll keep.
BigDaddeh
1:15
Would you be in favor of a mercy rule in baseball? And at what point? Up 12 runs after 7?
Keith Law
1:15
In the majors, no, please God no. In the minors, I'd be open to that rather than having position players pitching, because at that point the development is over.
davealden53
1:15
James Kaprielian keeps putting up competent or better 4 to 5 inning starts in Double-A.  Might he be multi-inning option for the A's in September and a #4 starter next year?
Keith Law
1:16
Yes to the former. I can't predict his health after the TJ and long recovery ... I thought he had #1 starter potential before he blew out, but can he hold his stuff and handle a starter's workload? I don't think anyone can reasonably answer that question.
Lee D, LA
1:16
Keith -- Here in LA it felt like the Dodgers chances to win the WS dropped from 33% to 20% after the Yankees beat up Ryu and also will likely get home field advantage -- and the Astros might too.  Over-reaction to one 3 game series?
Keith Law
1:16
There is no reaction to a 3-game series that is not an overreaction.
addoeh
1:16
While he's in Poland next week to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the start of WW II, do you think the Chosen One will pull aside the Czech Republic leader to ask if the Sudetenland is available for sale?
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