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Klawchat 3/15/19
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Mark
1:25
Have you heard anything on Corbin Carroll this year yet?
Keith Law
1:25
He was in my draft ranking two weeks ago.
Bob Pollard
1:25
Saw data in a couple of tweets yesterday that one-batter pitcher appearances are declining. If  that's the case, then why get rid of them?
Keith Law
1:25
Eyewash.
JD
1:25
I know he's only 24, but after three identical years do we know what Nomar Mazara has? Or do you still think there's more to come?
Keith Law
1:26
There is more potential there. The probability of him getting to it has declined, but it is still there. A few of my breakout candidates from 2018 didn't break out but I would double down on them, including him and Giolito, for 2019.
Brendan
1:26
Hey Keith, have you read Field of Dreams? I just found out the film was based on a book and was curious if it’s worth picking up. Thanks!
Keith Law
1:26
I haven't. I don't read much baseball stuff - reading is a hobby and a sort of meditation for me, so I want something different.
Jim
1:26
Do you attend a regular boardgaming group?  Any games that work well on the road for you? (solo or otherwise).  I travel a bit for work and carry a few sometimes.
Keith Law
1:28
I co-host a family game night at my local library, and I've played with some readers in the area a few times, and joined Bill Baer (NBC Sports, and a total pinko commie)'s game group a couple of times too. (That's the only time I've played 7 Wonders with 7 people. Still great, but so different from the 3-5 player experience.) I often bring One Night Ultimate Werewolf on trips because it's portable and quick. Jaipur is a great, portable two-player game. The Mind is always in my scouting bag these days to.
steve
1:28
I would think that service time issues would be less important for a pitcher.   Do teams reflect that when the consider young pitchers in big leagues
Keith Law
1:30
A reader mentioned this around Paddack yesterday and I disagreed with him, saying I didn't think manipulating a pitcher's service time (especially one with a TJ already on his dossier) was worth doing because nobody can reasonably project a pitcher's performance and health seven years out. That is just being too clever by half. There is a reason not to promote a pitcher too soon, which is that he might get hurt, as Michael Kopech did, and cost you a year of service and salary. (I say that having argued for Kopech's promotion last summer. It didn't work out.)
Steve
1:30
Wander Franco or Willie Adames more likely to move to 3B eventually?
Keith Law
1:30
Adames for me.
Mac
1:30
I know you said you only scout the top of the draft but when you're at an amateur game do you only bear down on the guy you're there to see or do you watch other guys who may be later round picks?
Keith Law
1:30
If they're notable. I mentioned a 2020 guy in my draft post this week because he played against Matt Allan.
JD
1:30
I've always suspected that Manfred's pace-of-play push is motivated less by a belief that fans care, and more because shorter games are more profitable for business reasons (concentrating ad revenue opportunities, higher carriage fees because it doesn't crowd out other programming, who knows). Is that an unfair suspicion? If not, what's the mechanism that actually makes shorter games more profitable?
Keith Law
1:31
I have had this suspicion too - would shrinking ad inventory mean higher prices for the inventory that remains? Does viewership decline with game length beyond some threshold? I lack the data to evaluate those suspicions though.
TP
1:31
Any good reasons why Texas wouldn’t just let Willie Calhoun play everyday?
Keith Law
1:31
Where?
John
1:31
I know you've answered the question a 1000 times about working in MLB and your reasons re: family, flexibility etc. are obviously very important and reasonable.

Are there times when you're evaluating prospects though and feel like this isn't for real?  That you're scouting but not getting any action from your work product?
Keith Law
1:32
I may not quite follow the question, but the 'action' i get is from you guys. You read, and you pay to read. What more could I possibly ask for? There's no gratification for a writer like knowing your work is read and valued.
Tommy Fresh
1:32
with all the new All Star festivities this year with the election and stuff - will MLB bring in Entertainment 720 to run the show
Keith Law
1:32
Pawnee to Cleveland isn't too bad of a drive.
Ed
1:32
If Elvis Luciano pitches like hot garbage this year, is it still worth keeping him on the Jays roster for future potential?  What is 1 spot on the 25-man roster worth to a non-playoff bound team?
Keith Law
1:33
I don't think it's worth doing. Not only is it a dead roster spot, now he doesn't develop, and he makes more money next year, and there's the risk he blows out and gets all that salary and service time, and stays on your 40-man, and so on.
Del
1:33
Where do you see Dom Smith's in May:  Mets 1st Base, AAA, another team?
Keith Law
1:34
Mets 1b.
Rod
1:34
Sean Newcomb ever gonna get the walks under control?
Keith Law
1:34
I have asked the question of "how" for a while now and I don't have or hear a good answer.
addoeh
1:34
From your last newsletter (insert link to sign-up here), you talked about teams quickly sending up very young players to advanced levels to trick other teams models.  Are there teams that will exclusively pick HS seniors and JuCo freshman late in draft to fill-out rosters instead of college seniors to get more opportunities?
Keith Law
1:34
I haven't heard any of that, probably because the HS seniors would ask for more money to sign.
Layne
1:34
Recently bought Patchwork after reading your review. Great game. Any 2-player games coming up later this year that you're eagerly anticipating?
Keith Law
1:36
Not off the top of my head but I am always listening. I have Wingspan (1-4 players) here to review, and Solenia (I think also 1-4). I know Corinth, an Yspahan reimplementation as a roll-and-write game, is coming soon, and the original had a solid 2-player variant. But nothing strictly two-player that I've heard about just yet.
Scott Upham
1:36
Bo Bichette is showing off all his tools in spring training.  Other than service time, is there any reason he shouldn't be the Jays starting SS on Opening Day?
Keith Law
1:36
He's not a good shortstop.
Tim
1:37
Any thoughts on Anderson Espinoza return from TJ?
Keith Law
1:37
No. Haven't seen him. Minor league games start today for all 30 clubs, I believe.
JD
1:37
I've found Splendor to be a great portable game -- the whole thing fits in a quart plastic bag, and can be taught in two minutes.
Keith Law
1:37
Yes, very good call. Also plays well with two. Carcassonne is also very portable.
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