JotCast | Klawchat 10/24/19

Klawchat 10/24/19

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Keith Law

1:48

I have no issue with them handling it as they did. I'm actually unsure if they could just release the player under the DV policy.

Pat

1:49

By taxing "wealth", what do do you do? These people don't have those $$ lying around in cash, it's in some non-liquid asset, like stock or real estate, etc. Make the wealthy sell assets to pay the wealth tax? Does that affect the value of the assets? I'm not saying high income shouldn't pay more taxes, but, the logistics of taxing "wealth" seem fuzzy to me.

Keith Law

1:49

You open a separate argument, which is that our capital gains tax is WAY too low. We tax regular income more heavily than we tax capital gains, but capital gains tend to accrue to higher income earners and to the wealthy, not to the majority of American households.

Geralt of Rivia

1:49

Gut feeling – even with the talk of trimming the payroll, luxury tax, etc., do the Red Sox come to terms with Betts? Trade him in the offseason? Ride out 2020 with the hopes of being in contention?

Keith Law

1:50

Depends on who's GM and what ownership wants to do, but I don't see a good path to contention for them in 2020 with their current pitching staff.

Stu

1:50

Is toxic maleness endemic to baseball, and other male sports, or can it be fixed?

Keith Law

1:50

Toxic masculinity is endemic to any patriarchal society. It's not just sports; they are the visible tip of a very large iceberg.

Scott

1:51

Hi Keith. Looking forward to reading book #2. What are your thoughts on Barber to the Phillies?

Keith Law

1:52

Nice guy. Don't know much about his own philosophy, but he comes from an org that integrates traditional scouting and analytical tools about as well as any team does.

Ben

1:52

Any Seattle eats recommendations? I am headed there for work and know nothing about the food scene.

Keith Law

1:52

I haven't been since 2001 (and it kills me).

Pat D

1:52

I find the combination of Buck and Smoltz to be pretty unbearable to listen. Do you feel that way or am I just convinced that they both hate the Yankees and make no attempt to hide that?

Keith Law

1:54

I have watched all of their games without the sound. Smoltz's attitude on modern players and especially on analytics does MLB no favors at all. Actually, I did hear a bit of game one, and I think he referred to Scherzer "going to the computer" in Max's brain to figure out how to get some hitter out. I mean, John, that's what analytics departments do. So it's okay if a player uses his fallible memory, but not okay if we use the ACTUAL FUCKING DATA?

Craig

1:54

Why aren't more major league teams simply buying affiliates when they come up for sale? The easy way to guarantee a good location/good facilities is to own the team yourself.

Keith Law

1:54

Then you have to run the teams.

Geralt of Rivia

1:54

Are fantasy and sci-fi genres that you are less interested in? (movies/tv/books) I think I just see you talk about them less, no judgment just curious.

Keith Law

1:54

Not true at all. I've read every Hugo winner but four (Cyteen, the two Mars books, and this year's winner).

Allen

1:55

Wealth is actually much easier hide then income, primarily because there is much more ambiguity in terms of what someone's actual wealth is. Several European countries have eliminated their wealth tax because the costs of collecting it weren't worth the revenue gained. https://www.accountingtoday.com/articles/democrats-love-a-wealth-tax-b...

Keith Law

1:55

Bookmarking this to read later, thank you.

Chris

1:55

If invited, would you ever sit for an interview on Hot Ones? And how far up the Scoville Scale could you go?

Keith Law

1:55

I would, but not very far.

Vincent Adultman

1:55

Do you think Didi would accept a QO?

Keith Law

1:55

No. He's a top ten FA this winter.

Gloria

1:55

I'm sure some of your readers/trolls are upset by the MAGA hat comment, but I hope they realize that for me and many others it's like seeing a KKK hood, swastika, etc.

Keith Law

1:56

If you choose to wear that hat, you are doing so with the full understanding that many people will see it and find it offensive - and that, Mr. Luhnow, is "intent."

Sean

1:56

I believe you really liked Zadie Smith's White Teeth. Do you plan on checking out her new short story collection Grand Union?

Keith Law

1:56

Eventually yes. Read On Beauty and Swing Time, both fine, neither measured up to White Teeth.

Buscon Bob

1:56

How awful is the Cubs pitching development part of their farm system? Baltimore bad?

Keith Law

1:57

They haven't drafted much pitching either - their strategy was always to draft bats and trade for or sign pitchers. Hard to kill their player development for failing to develop prospects they never had.

John

1:57

Did you read beyond the Three-Body Problem?

Keith Law

1:58

I didn't; it was fine, but felt no need to move on from there. The whole unfolding-the-proton gambit was right up against the edge of the envelope for me ... I was like, okay, I think I'm good here.

Dave

1:58

re Taubman - is it normal for front office types to be in the locker room during celebrations, etc.? Was this always the case?

Keith Law

1:58

Yes, it's normal, and I have no objection to him or any other FO personnel being there.

Pat

1:58

Agree on capital gains, it should be higher taxed. Never understood why the tax rate is tied to how long you owned the asset.How about a sloped capital gains tax % based on amount gained, similar to income tax? Maybe the top tier is 50% for any gain over $5M or something?

Keith Law

1:59

Sure, at least that's moving in the right direction - and while it will somewhat disincentivize capital investment, I don't think that will stop anyone from trying to found the next Amazon or Facebook either. Set it at a rate where investors will still think they can get rich, even though they may give nearly half of it to the government in taxes.

Pat

1:59

Odds that Taubman was drunk in the clubhouse? That's my hunch. Not that that's an excuse, but it led him to say the quiet part of what surely was an internal talking point about this reporter continuously pointing out that Osuna is a scumbag out loud

Keith Law

2:00

If he was, well, in vino veritas.

Moe Mentum

2:00

Who was more musically innovative, David Bowie or David Byrne? How about most *influential*?

Keith Law

2:00

Don't know their oeuvres enough to answer the first one but Bowie was certainly more influential.

Patrick

2:00

Who do you believe is the top prep righty in the 2020 class? Abel? Kelley?