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Klawchat 3/11/21
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Keith Law
1:04
No one gets hurt if they don't act funny. Klawchat.
Dave
1:04
Got your tickets for the opening day superspreader event in Arlington?
Keith Law
1:04
I have to say I'm not keen to go to Texas at all unless I'm fully vaccinated. It's a problem with multiple first rounders in the state.
Max G
1:06
Hey Keith, hope your first ski trip was both fun and painless!
Keith Law
1:07
It was actually my second ski trip, but my first in 31 years - so long that Brodie, the ski resort where I went in 1990, has been closed for over a decade. My wife is a much more avid skier and skied circles around me, but I didn't get hurt and eventually finished on some short blue runs. Still working on stopping, though.
Eddie
1:07
How do you view the depth of hitting in this upcoming draft? It seems to lack offensive star power from the outside
Keith Law
1:08
I think that's accurate. There could be a corner bat or two who emerge as late first round types like Aaron Sabato last year, where they really have to hit given their positional limitations, but I'm not confident in any of those names yet.
Isaac
1:08
On pure upside, is it Leiter and Lawler in the draft? Is Lawler a 1.1 upside type of player? Haven't had a chance to see much about him. Thanks
Keith Law
1:09
I think most scouts would put Rocker and Hill in there too. And if you really mean pure upside, there are guys like James Wood who have enormous ceilings but also could fail to get out of A-ball because their hit tools might not be there.
Isaac
1:10
I've read that Tyler soderstrom looked good in the fall at instructs, was there anything in particular that you know of that stood out? Would you keep him behind the plate?
Tyler
1:10
In cleveland we have been hearing about valera's swing for a few years but haven't been able to see it in person yet. Does he have high upside offensive potential or his it more of hometown wishing? Or Planez for that matter. We seem to not be able to groom OF bats like we do other positions
Keith Law
1:11
I've heard he hit extremely well and looked like he had very little chance to remain behind the plate. I'd probably give him a year there first before making a decision - usually I say to leave players at their toughest positions as long as you can, but if he's not going to catch OR you just think his bat is so advanced that catching is going to slow his development, just move him to third base.
1:12
Tyler: Valera does have high upside as a hitter and was on my top 100 because of that. Alexfri Planez is much less of a known commodity because he's barely played - I believe he broke a hamate bone after just a handful of games in 2019, so he's barely been scouted. That injury should be completely healed, with strength returned, by now.
Tim (Columbus)
1:12
Who is the better offensive player between Rutchsman and Torkleson?
Keith Law
1:13
I think Torkelson. But it's not an enormous difference.
Jerry
1:13
Do you prefer an assigned closer, or is it better in your opinion to have everyone available when needed, not so much time specific?
Keith Law
1:14
I don't think it's this black or white. I don't think an assigned closer is necessary or optimal, especially since it would often require a pitcher to work too often on little to no rest. I don't want my best reliever limited to one inning, and I don't want him throwing three days in a row or four times in five days. However, knowing who you're going to use in what situation is helpful for a manager beforehand. You don't want him making too many battlefield decisions - some things you can plan before the games, so you do so, and then when the unexpected happens then you make those spur of the moment decisions.
Paul
1:15
If the Mets sign Lindor long term would Mauricio have enough bat to justify a move to 3rd?
Keith Law
1:15
I believe he will, although he's not there yet, and it's quite likely that Mauricio will be the better defender than Lindor by the time he reaches the majors (when Lindor will probably be 29 or 30).
Steven
1:15
Who has more star potential: Austin Hendrick or Luis Matos?
Keith Law
1:16
Hendrick might have more star potential but Matos is more likely to become a star.
Mindful
1:16
In a perfect world scenario where a player hits every aspect of their potential, who would be the best player in this upcoming draft? Is it Leiter, is that why you have him at 1, or is he more of a combination of potential and most likely to fulfill it? I suppose I always view a HS SS/CF as that "most potential" type.  Thanks for your time
Keith Law
1:17
Leiter has the ceiling/floor combination teams usually want at 1-1 now. I don't think he's the only or obvious choice at 1, and he may very well end up at 2 or lower in future rankings. I will say that last weekend, according to a scout I know who saw Vandy, Rocker was the better of the two, with a plus-plus slider he didn't have the first two weekends, while Leiter's breaking ball was closer to average. So it's going to fluctuate.
addoeh
1:17
Who wins an Elmo-off, you or Passan?
Keith Law
1:18
I will put my Elmo and Cookie Monster impressions up against anybody.
Ben (MN)
1:18
I recently participated in a virtual cocktail class to support a local bar. We made daiquiries (which I didn't know are supposed to be non-blended) and the bartender talked all about the different types of rum. I didn't realize there were such differences between Cuban, Jamaican, French, etc. I know you're a rum fan, but do you have a favorite style of rum or any favorite rum-based cocktails? The bartender recommended Plantation 3 Stars as a good "workhorse" rum for newbies.
Keith Law
1:20
Plantation 3 stars is a blended white rum, which I generally avoid because it has less of the caramel notes I appreciate in rum. For mixing, I like anything aged in the 2-8 year range. Appleton has some excellent, inexpensive rums in that category, as does El Brugal. For sipping, I'd go with at least 10 years of aging. They mellow out substantially past that point. Unaged rum tastes too much like medicine.
Guest
1:20
In your write up of the top draft prospects, do you believe the top few are relatively close together or is Leiter (and maybe others) a cut above. I ask because I'm curious if the Pirates will try for an underslot deal if there is a relatively similar group at the top to have money to use elsewhere in the draft. Thanks!
Keith Law
1:24
I might do that, if they're taking one of those top four guys - or someone else who emerges as a worthy 1-1 candidate. What you don't to see is them reaching down for someone who isn't 1-1 good, like the Phillies did with Moniak in 2016, just to go over-slot with later picks.
RebWiseau
1:24
Sometimes there is a gap between how fans of a team view a particular prospect and how prospect evaluators view the same player (for example, the Red Sox fan community is much higher on Jarren Duran than you and your colleagues). Have you noticed any sort of profile for players like this where the fans are more excited than the industry about the future of the player?
Keith Law
1:26
Yes, they tend to be local media favorites. Local reporters write about these players, especially if they're getting good info from player development, but fans don't run that through the filter where every team likes their own players more than the industry does. Sometimes that player turns out to be every bit as good as the team says - Paul Goldschmidt comes to mind. Usually they don't.
and I like Duran, BTW.
davealden53
1:26
Dee Strange-Gordon is making a case to be the Reds' shortstop.  (Not a difficult case to make given that Kyle Farmer is the incumbent.)  Can Strange-Gordon regain value or is his bat gone for good?
Keith Law
1:26
I'd be more surprised if he can play shortstop. He was never great there in the first place and he's how many years gone?
Steve Guitar
1:26
Intermediate guitarist getting back into it. Have you suggestions for both acoustic, acoustic-electric, and electric  Mitchell gear and any guitar pedals?  I remember you had a Mitchell acoustic no cutaway, they seem to make great valued instruments.  Thx for your help, I'd like to get back to playing regularly, (and getting my second vaccine today, f*ck yeah!)
Keith Law
1:26
I wish I could help but I own very little gear ... I love playing but have never felt like I could justify spending much money on it.
Rich
1:27
Will you be doing a breakout candidates column this year?
Keith Law
1:27
Yes, it'll run this week. I do that column every year, and predictions too.
davealden53
1:27
I know that you don't consider players like Ha-seong Kim in your prospect rankings, but do you have any insights about how he will adjust to Major League pitching?
Keith Law
1:27
I heard quite a bit of skepticism about his ability to make enough contact to be a regular here when talking to scouts who saw him live or evaluated him on video. I've never seen him in person.
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