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Klawchat 4/6/23
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Keith Law
1:01
A moment, a love, a dream aloud, a Klawchat.
Guest
1:01
Frisco RoughRiders have 8 infielders on the roster for 4 spots (and DH).  I assume that Acuna & Frainyer Chavez will have 2 spots. Does Thomas Saggese get the start and consistent playing time? At what position? How do you see their infield shaking out?
Keith Law
1:02
There is no way in hell Saggese gets less than full playing time. He's a prospect and they see him as a prospect. I wouldn't sweat positions too much as most teams move their infielders around a ton, both to give those players some added versatility and to try to improve their potential trade value - e.g., you may not think your guy Joey Bagodonuts can play shortstop, but what if the New York Mammoths do?
JT
1:02
I asked this of you on your Salas post on FB, but I'm following up now because it's still interesting. I'd asked whether catchers have different attrition rates, and you correctly pointed out that their development takes longer. I'm curious to follow up: for a Salas or similarly fundamentally sound defensive catchers, do the ability and willingness to receive pitches with good hands increase the floor substantially? I know he's only 16, but is it already possible to know that he's at least Luke Maille if he learns nothing more about the sport? It's curiosity about catching as a distinct player pool driving this.
Keith Law
1:03
I think the floor is quite high for Salas if he stays healthy - it is very hard to imagine him failing to become at least a quality backup catcher. This is Reese McGuire's skill set from his draft year, but with more future power. McGuire wasn't a good first-round pick but he has played 234 big-league games already through age 28. That's a floor, mind you, not a projection for Salas.
1:04
I think catchers develop more slowly as a class because of the added wear and tear plus the difficulty of learning two jobs. No other fielder has to do as much work during or between games as the catcher does. That doesn't mean that no catcher will develop as quickly as the best players at other positions. Salas could be in the big leagues before he's 20, but that wouldn't change or invalidate the axiom that catchers overall come more slowly.
addoeh
1:04
All Marmol should have done is say “We’ll take care of it internally.” with regards to O’Neill. And doubling down was even worse.
Keith Law
1:05
I completely agree. You don't handle that stuff in public - ever. That's true in just about any business. Handle internal discipline privately.
Isaac
1:05
Do you think Ronny Mauricio has an impact on the Mets this season? If so, at what position?
Keith Law
1:05
I do not.
JT
1:06
For a guy like Berrios who's cratering now into another season, how do you go about judging what's wrong and whether continued hope is possible?
Keith Law
1:08
I don't think there's any easy fix there, or someone would likely have spotted it. The one thing that's jumped out at me is that his four-seamer was always flat but now it's so straight you could hang laundry from it. He's also putting the thing belt-high often, which I would advise that he stop doing. I know this is all very helpful.
Freddie
1:08
Should the Reds transition Elly de La cruz to the OF once he's healthy? Seems like a good fit compared to all the other IF prospects that have
Keith Law
1:08
If you really think he can stay at SS, you leave him there. I might try him at third base before sending him to CF, because I think if and when he goes to center he's never coming back to the infield again.
Colonel Homestar Runner
1:08
Draft dodger, eh?  We'll see if those trees you're always hugging save you when Gordon Lightfoot's creeping 'round your back stair!
Keith Law
1:10
So funny story - I never entirely got that joke until almost 20 years after I first saw that Homestar sketch when I heard "Sundown" (and learned to play it - it's four chords) and realized that was a quote from the lyrics. Fun fact - "Sundown" was Lightfoot's only #1 single here in the U.S., even though he's far better known for "The Neverending Song about the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."
Billyball
1:10
I never seem to read much good on gunner hoglund. The brief stats he's put up doesn't scream anything bad. Has his stuff not fully returned? I thought he had a #2/high 3 type of future. Is it performance or merely staying healthy?
Keith Law
1:10
Never a #2 - a strong command guy pre-TJ whose stuff hasn't come all the way back and now projects more like a 4 or a 5.
Guest
1:10
What do ypu think about Brody Brecth from U of Iowa? He recently left football to focus on baseball.
Keith Law
1:10
24 walks in 33 IP this year. He throws really hard, but that is not the performance of a top 10 pick.
Freddie
1:11
As purely prospects, who would you of had rated higher, Soto or chourio?
Keith Law
1:11
I never rated Soto as high as I had Chourio - Soto played about a month or so in low A, got hurt, made my top 100, and then was ineligible a year later because he was already in the majors.
Claiming I would have had Soto higher would be just revising my own history.
KEN
1:11
Here in Cleveland, we love the way the guardians have won the past few years, but can they really contend without more pop in the lineup? Maybe even a few bats? Is Valera a realistic option when healthy?  Thanks Keith
Keith Law
1:13
I wouldn't bank on Valera helping the lineup this year - it's possible, just unlikely, given his contact questions in AAA. And yes, they do need to find some more pop. Maybe Josh Naylor is finally having the breakout year I predicted for him (in 2021).
Athletics fan
1:13
Your thoughts on Kyle Muller? Esteury Ruiz?
Keith Law
1:14
They're both in my top 20 A's prospects ranking.
Orioles GM
1:14
You are the Orioles GM.  What trade(s) would you consider?  Front line starter?
Keith Law
1:15
In theory, sure, although I'm not sure which front line starter is available right now. I would try to package some of the upper-level bats who are probably superfluous - Westburg, Cowser, Ortiz, possibly even Mountcastle - given who else is coming to try to get the best starter I can get who's more than a rental. If they could make such a trade now, which is historically rare for this time of year, it could easily add 4-5 wins to their total for the year.
Jason
1:15
Do you think Chourio could be called up mid year with a big showing at AA/AAA?
Keith Law
1:16
A big showing at AA gets him to AAA by midyear. He's only 19. I'd be surprised if he debuts this year, especially with all of their other CF.
Twinkie
1:16
Jose Salas was a player I thought could be a star a few years back. Now that his brother is getting all the attention, are people sleeping on jose, or did the projections just never materialize?
Keith Law
1:17
I don't think either is accurate - he's 5th in the Twins' system right now, not a superstar but a very solid prospect with upside.
Guest
1:17
Is PCA's floor what Almora became?
Keith Law
1:17
I would call that a disappointment. Almora's approach never improved past about AA or so.
Guest
1:17
Keith, thanks for all the great work. I followed you to the athletic when you moved.
Keith Law
1:17
thank you! I've never regretted the switch for a minute.
benjamin
1:17
thoughts on the Angels mgmt and their attempts at censorship. if i was Ohtani id run as far away from them as possible
Keith Law
1:18
They have a right to say certain people can't appear on their flagship station, and we can mock them mercilessly for being the only snowflakes in Anaheim. All they did was buy themselves worse publicity than they would have gotten had they just used Sam Blum less without actually banning him from the show.
Guest
1:18
Does Jasson make to the Bronx this year?
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