JotCast | Klawchat 11/29/18

Klawchat 11/29/18

Keith Law

1:00

No time for nothing, no Patek Philippe. Just Klawchat.

Joe Cleveland

1:00

Mets are crazy, right? Getting Cano giving up players like Kelenic or Dunn seems very dumb unless they get another valuable and controllable player like Haniger.

Keith Law

1:01

Hey, any time you can trade your #1 and #2 prospects for a 36-year-old second baseman with a bad contract and a volatile commodity like a one-inning closer, you just have to do it.

Adam

1:02

I guess Joe Simpsons comments didnt slide by unnoticed

Keith Law

1:04

Fox Sports is claiming his comments had nothing to do with the decision to get him largely off TV, which I find hard to believe. But worse is Simpson's comments (from the AJC): “I have a very strong protective instinct on the game and its customs and history and traditions, so my comments were only intended as a defensive mechanism of the game.” That is not any sort of apology, or even a remote acknowledgement of the tacit (or less than tacit) racism of his comments. It's an old white man who doesn't even know that the customs, history, and tradition of baseball include excluding players of color, then allowing them to play while treating them vastly differently than white players. Whatever the reasons, I'm glad Fox chose to turn this page.

Patrick

1:04

Keith, with your front office experience, what do you think the Brewers should do this off-season, esp about SP? Go with the young players? Or push for a Bumgarner type (star SP available for a short time)?

Keith Law

1:05

Burnes and Woodruff join the rotation, and they're both good. I wouldn't view a top-end starter as a priority. Bulk innings, perhaps, but I wouldn't go spend prospects.

Patrick

1:05

Thanks again for all these chats Keith.
Do you have a favorite holiday/seasonal recipe?

Keith Law

1:05

Not really. My daughter and I will make some cookies, like the Italian flag (tri-color, rainbow, seven-layer ... they have lots of names) cookies made from almond paste, chocolate, and raspberry & apricot jams.

Ryan

1:05

Hi Klaw, Thoughts on the rumored Cano/Diaz to Mets trade? I'm confused why the Mets would include Gimenez.

Keith Law

1:06

Gimenez isn't in the class of Dunn or Kelenic. He's a solid prospect but doesn't have that kind of upside.

Dave

1:06

Thanks for the chat. Does Brian McCann have enough left to be the Braves' primary catcher in 2019?

Keith Law

1:06

No, nor did they sign him to do that.

Jeff

1:06

Currently waiting in line at Little Miss BBQ. Got here at 830. Second in line (opens at 11). Good move or GREAT MOVE?

Keith Law

1:06

Great move. Get the brisket.

Mike

1:06

Have to run to a meeting, so I’ll take your answer off the air. The (purely hypothetical) return of Medina and JoJo Romero for MadBum is fair, right? I get the feeling in the Bay Area that fans won’t be happy with any return given their sentimental attachment to Bum.

Keith Law

1:07

Honestly, I'm not sure if I like that for the Phillies, just because Bumgarner isn't what he used to be, and I feel like you might get something better if you package Romero (whom I really like) and Medina (more stuff than performance) in another deal.

section 34

1:07

I can't decide between two Orioles questions:
1) What's a reasonable timeline for the O's to return to contention?
2) If you were in charge, would you DFA Chris Davis, or take some other action?

Keith Law

1:08

I think it's 4-5 years, and I would DFA him. At least get the 40-man spot back.

Dave

1:08

Hi, Keith! Thanks for all of your baseball writing! This is non-baseball, though: With the closing of Cocina Lolo, what do you do for quality Mexican food in your area now? Asking for a Delaware friend.

Keith Law

1:08

Honest answer: I don't. I just get my fix on the road now.

Michael Conforto

1:08

Would you ever do science and politics chats or writing? Your takes are more well thought out than most political journalists, and watching you torch anti-vaxxers on Twitter is extremely entertaining.

Keith Law

1:08

Thank you. I would if there were a serious professional opportunity to do so. Doing it just on my own probably brings more downside than reward.

1:08

Does Peter Alonso have the bat to be an above average DH if he were in the AL? Can he hit 30 hr? And does he give all of that value back if he plays at 1st?

Keith Law

1:09

Yes, yes, and not all of it, just some.

Jake Albrecht

1:09

Do you abandon books if they're not working for you? I'm slogging through War and Peace and I thought I successfully left it behind but every time I want to quit I feel guilty about it.

Keith Law

1:09

I do, usually early on. If I hit page 100 I'm probably finishing it. I got through War & Peace without too much trouble. Les Miserables is the novel of that length I'd advise everyone to skip.

Kasvot Vaxt

1:09

How many wins would this Cano / Diaz deal add to the Mets next year?

Keith Law

1:09

I'll say 5-6. Which makes them ... a fourth place team.

Jared

1:10

How would you rank the Brewers three young pitchers -- Peralta, Burnes, Woodruff -- going forward?

Keith Law

1:10

Burnes well over Woodruff, who's then over Peralta.

Matt

1:10

Hey KLaw, Mark Bowman reported that acquiring Kluber would likely cost the Braves Kyle Wright, Touki, and Pache. Would you make that trade if you ran the Braves?

Keith Law

1:11

No way. Especially with some very small signs that Kluber may be declining relative to his peak. You're paying for three years and it's likely none of them is 7-WAR Kluber.

Marshall MN

1:11

I don't disagree with your opinion on the ability of Royce Lewis to stick at SS, but if he can't cut it there at what level would you expect to see the Twins move him to a different position? At AA?

Keith Law

1:11

That's probably right.

Kacey

1:12

Did you know that a witch hunt involves guilty pleas from the President's personal attorney, campaign manager, deputy campaign manager, foreign policy adviser and national security adviser? When will this witch hunt end???

Keith Law

1:12

The great part of the joke is that the witch hunt keeps finding more witches.

Dave

1:12

Keith, any thoughts on who the Orioles will replace Gary Rajsich with as their scouting director?

Keith Law

1:12

I have no idea.

Ciscoskid

1:12

Does the market of available 1B options make Brandon Belt a negative value asset?