JotCast | Klawchat 5/4/17

Klawchat 5/4/17

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Keith Law

2:08

I'm told he's a DH with power, and while he might go that high the vast majority of people I've asked have him nowhere near there - nobody told me he belonged on my top 50, for example. He's 22.5 and most of the pitchers he's facing are younger than he is, some as much as 3+ years younger.

Drew

2:08

Bought the book for my dad who loves baseball and can't wait to talk about it with him.

Keith Law

2:08

Thanks!

Chris

2:08

Have you heard the new(er) War on Drugs single they just released for Record Store Day and, if so, are you encouraged for their follow-up to Lost in a Dream?

Keith Law

2:09

It came on the radio the other day when I was in the car. I went inside, had a four-course meal, and when I came out it was just finishing.

Johnny

2:09

thoughts on Buehler's start to the year? Stuff sounds ridiculous

Keith Law

2:09

I saw him in March and wrote about the ridiculous stuff.

Michael Conforto

2:09

Man, if only the Mets could find a spot for me huh ;)

Keith Law

2:10

The excuses they made last year (and some Met fans still make for the team) are so much more embarrassing now. They wasted a year of his career dicking around with inferior options.

RSO

2:10

Would you prefer a prospect who is guaranteed to be a league average regular but nothing more, or one who has the potential to be a superstar but a high chance of being a bust?

Keith Law

2:10

Depends on what I'm giving up to get such a player. For example, if I'm drafting in the top 5, I want to roll the dice on the superstar prospect.

Chris Williams

2:11

Ever think of putting together a list for future scouting directors? Who are some of the top national scouts in the industry?

Keith Law

2:11

No. That's not something that would attract much of an audience and it's a good way to burn some of my relationships.

Taylor C

2:11

Do you still see Severino as a future reliever?

Keith Law

2:11

Yes.

Chris J

2:12

Keith, you can't tell me that the Red Sox ownership or at least front office wasn't already aware that fans in Fenway had a propensity for this kind of racist behavior. They obviously just didn't care enough until it became a big PR issue.

Keith Law

2:12

You can't exactly stop it before it happens. If a fan screams something racist at a game, you throw him out. I don't know what more they could do.

Drew

2:12

Ryan Zimmerman. Obviously his current pace isn't sustainable, but given how hard he has hit the ball the last year and change, do you see him having a good year simply by working to change his launch angle? He seems like a very interesting case study for exit velocity and launch angle given how terrible he was last year. Thanks Keith!

Keith Law

2:13

Also health. He might be fully healthy for the first time in several years. And maybe being healthy means better exit velocity (he can swing hard again) and a more consistent launch angle (his swing isn't restricted by shoulder pain)?

Johnny O

2:13

Klaw thanks for the chats as always.
You are pretty active on Twitter but also seem to get a lot done in all aspects of life. Do you just glance at Twitter throughout the day or allot specific time to it and ignore most of the day?

Keith Law

2:14

I just glance here and there. It's always open in a tab on my desktop, and I'll scan it a bunch every day to stay up to speed on news.

Ron k

2:16

Favorite baseball movie?

Keith Law

2:16

If you consider it a baseball movie, Everybody Wants Some!! If not, Sugar might do the best job of getting the baseball right and telling a good story.

Sean

2:16

As I notice that Werth is hitting second today and Murphy fifth, I have to wonder how many wins can a team expect to gain from perfect lineup construction?

Keith Law

2:17

All the research I've seen says maybe one win as measured by RAR/WAR (Tom Tango did a lot on this in the public space). But I have a feeling that you could get more as measured via WPA if you're getting the right guys up in the 9th inning more often - which is only partly in your control.

Mose Allison Brie Larson

2:17

Just wanted to say a sincere thanks to you for speaking about your issues with anxiety. As a father of two daughters (13 and 10) this Obamacare repeal has me terrified that the psych care they've needed will no longer be covered because of their "pre-existing condition".

Keith Law

2:18

You're welcome, and yes, I worry about that too, just in general. We are terrible at treating mental illness, and there's a massive cost to society as a result.

Danny

2:18

Your Hicks breakout pick turned out true a year late- assuming the Yankees can't trade Ellsbury, who do you like more for LF/CF by the end of this year- Hicks or Frazier?

Keith Law

2:18

I have a habit of being a year early on some of those picks. I'd play Hicks every day and give Frazier the year in AAA. Clint's plenty young for that and I think facing some ex-MLB pitchers will help him work on cutting down on the swing and miss.

J.O.

2:19

In watching my son's little league team - and maybe I'm overthinking this - but the umpires are instructed to call pitches two balls outside and one ball inside a strike (or else it would just be a walk fest). I understand for the LL game, but (a) are we teaching bad plate discipline and (b) why not just NOT have the kids pitch until like 12 or 13 since they probably can screw up their arms anyway?

Keith Law

2:19

I think if umps didn't call those pitches strikes you'd have pitchers hitting their pitch limits in the second inning. It's a problem without an easy solution.

Brett

2:19

Michael Mercado from San Diego has had a strong season. Have you heard anything on him?

Keith Law

2:19

Yes, heard maybe second round but also maybe not signable there.

Phil

2:19

Shipley is coming up to start for the Dbacks...is he effectively a non-prospect at this point, or is there still some potential he could develop into a mid-rotation guy?

Keith Law

2:20

Depends on his velocity. Somehow he lost a few mph off his fastball, as did several other AZ prospects the last two years. Bradley got his back in the bullpen. Let's see where Shipley is now.

Robert

2:20

I saw someone recently say they thought there was a good chance Dane Dunning might be the jewel of the Adam Eaton trade, rather than Lucas Giolito. Is this opinion putting too much emphasis on early season results, while ignoring age for level?

Keith Law

2:20

That's not crazy - Dunning was a legit first round talent last spring.

Chris Williams

2:20

Thoughts?

Keith Law

2:21

Sorry, I don't have those. They're going to be illegal under this fall's 2017 Alien & Sedition Acts.

Matt

2:21

Do you see Carl Edwards Jr as future starter?