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Klawchat 3/8/18
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xxx(yyy)
1:32
any faith in Rougie Odor turning things around and being closer to an average hitter in 2018-2019?
Keith Law
1:32
I'm quite bearish.
Zac
1:32
Who has the higher ceiling between Alex Faedo and Brady Singer
Keith Law
1:32
Faedo. I have a hard time seeing Singer as a 180 inning starter
Chris
1:32
What's the best future alignment for Oakland's infield? 2B Barreto, SS Mateo, UTIL Neuse work for you?
Keith Law
1:32
Neuse everyday 3b? I know they have Chapman, but I wouldn't just stick Neuse in a part-time role when he might be capable of more.
Kenny
1:33
It seems like some teams may be kind of slightly be starting to put an emphasis on their hitters making more contact, even at the expense of a little power. Do you think the game has gotten a little too homer/strikeout heavy and that a team may be able to gain an advantage by putting the ball in play more than their opponents?
Keith Law
1:34
The payoff from adding power has exceeded the cost of reduced contact. Improved defensive positioning might be the main reason or at least a reason for the latter part of that. I don't like the homer/strikeout heavy environment, but it is probably a rational strategy for most teams.
Ron
1:35
German ceiling?
Keith Law
1:35
Die Höchstgrenze.
(Seriously, I don't know who you're asking about.)
B
1:35
Would you consider Max Fried somewhat of a breakout guy this year? He was over his head in the majors, but I like his stuff.
Keith Law
1:35
I didn't think he was over his head at all. He's on the list today.
Levi
1:35
Tyler Glasnow with another erratic outing yesterday. I know it is just Spring training, but is there still any hope for him to be a reliable starter?
Keith Law
1:36
If you believe in the axiom about taller pitchers needing more time to get their coordination together for consistent deliveries, then yes, there is still hope. But the odds are declining.
Jackson
1:36
Fernando Tatis is looking good in all aspects of the game this spring. Is the best course of action to have he and Luis Urias play in AAA all year together and come up next year?
Keith Law
1:36
That's the worst course of action because it moves someone off shortstop right now.
Paul
1:36
Can Joey Gallo become a .250+ hitter? Seems like everyone assumes that he's a Mendoza-line guy, but he's only 24, has gotten better each year, and doesn't have a L/R split.   I just keep thinking he'll be a monster.
Keith Law
1:37
I wouldn't rule that out at all. Gallo has made a ton of progress already at reducing his swings and misses in the zone and at laying off stuff out of the zone. When he was first drafted, the swing worked, but he'd swing too often and mistime a lot ... but he'd get away with it because he'd hit a mistake into the next county. He's actually cut down substantially since then.
Dan M.
1:37
You've said that Strahm should be in SD's opening day rotation but do you think he will be?
Keith Law
1:38
It doesn't seem like it right now, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if he got 15-18 starts this year. It's not like he's behind the Nats' front four.
Jack
1:38
I'm a nerd so I looked back at MLB drafts from 20-30 years ago and it's shocking how many 1st rounders never made it. What do you think has happened in scouting to lead to more draft success in the last 5-10 years.
Keith Law
1:40
We've gone from ignoring a lot of stats to at least some teams paying attention to publicly available stats to using proprietary data and internal R&D efforts to evaluate players. Bobby Witt was the 3rd pick in the 1985 draft despite walking 78 guys in 96 innings his junior year at Oklahoma. That would never happen today. (He was in the majors less than a year later and walked 143 guys in 157.2 innings his rookie year. What the hell did they expect?)
Dougie Fresh
1:40
What do you expect from Rhys Hopkins?
Keith Law
1:41
I expect him to have a great season, probably All-Star caliber, that feels like a disappointment after the two months he had to end 2017. I would bet on under 40 homers rather than over. Still think he'll be a 4-5 WAR guy, just not MVP worthy.
BD in DC
1:41
Are Lamonte Wade, and Brandon Lowe MLB regulars?
Keith Law
1:41
Neither.
Joey Joe Joe
1:42
Were you surprised by Brian Goodwin putting up a > .800 OPS last season?
Keith Law
1:42
Nothing should really be a surprise in 278 PA.
Zachary
1:42
Twins starting shortstop in 2021 is Jorge Polanco? Nick Gordon? Royce Lewis? Wander Javier? Yunior Severino? Or someone else?
Keith Law
1:42
I believe if you asked them, they'd say Lewis. I still have real doubts about him staying on the dirt; he has a LONG way to go, based on what I saw (and area scouts also saw) last spring.
Trea
1:42
J.D. Davis have a future in Houston? If he got a chance to play elsewhere, how good of a bat could he be?
Keith Law
1:43
Fringe regular for someone. Maybe ideally a platoon guy.
What's in a name?
1:43
Yes, it's spring training, but Billy McKinney has 4 HR.  Considering his late-season power surge in 2017, if this is truly another half-grade or so in the power department, does he go back to being a fairly good prospect?
Keith Law
1:43
It's spring training. I don't even look at those stats.
Dan
1:43
I know we should ignore Spring Training stats, but in his last start Vince Velasquez was throwing almost exclusively 4-seamers in what seemed like an effort to concentrate on locating the pitch. If he has success doing so the rest of the spring, is that the kind of thing he can build on in the season?
Keith Law
1:44
That's different from spring training stats and definitely something i'd pay attention to ... although in VV's case, I have always been more concerned about the fringy breaking ball than fastball command. Yes, it's something he can build on, and it makes him better, but it doesn't address his main pitching flaw, or the fact that he has yet to stay healthy for a full season.
Nick
1:44
Going to PHX next weekend to watch some baseball. Staying in the Encanto village area. Any good restaurant recs?
Keith Law
1:45
Search this site for all my recs, but you're right by Pizzeria Bianco, Matt's Big Breakfast, Forno 301, Giant Coffee, Tacos Chiwas, and, when it opens, Roland's Market.
What's in a name?
1:46
I think Ron meant Domingo German.
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