JotCast | Klawchat 7/3/20

Klawchat 7/3/20

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Keith Law

1:46

I don't think him opting out would lead to a big flood of defections. I think it's more of a tipping point issue - if the trickle of opt-outs keeps going, the pace will accelerate, and eventually we'll hit some percentage (20%? 30%) where the season becomes infeasible.

Matt

1:46

I know it's not MLB, but keep in mind the Super Bowl is scheduled in *checks notes* Tampa.

Keith Law

1:46

Imagine a Super Bowl without fans. Dead quiet for three hours of football. All because we couldn't stand to shut the country down for two months.

Joules

1:46

Let's say Ender's hamstring explodes, could Pache do enough at the plate to be an everyday CF in 2021 assuming that season is ~normal

Keith Law

1:46

Yes.

Andy

1:46

Bettendorf, Iowa, is having a youth baseball tournament next weekend featuring over 100 teams from at least 4 different states. So the reason the Field of Dreams game is still on, is because Iowa is denial about anything being different.

Keith Law

1:47

As they have been since the start of this. Iowa, Nebraska, Arizona, Texas ... weird, what do all those governors and legislatures have in common?

1:48

I think I just deleted a question by mistake - someone asked if I'd read The Ghost of King Leopold and, if they meant King Leopold's Ghost, I have.

Taylor

1:48

Are you a fan of power metal? If so, i recommend a band called Unleash the Archers. The singer's voice is gorgeous.

Keith Law

1:48

I am. I'll check it out.

Steve

1:48

I’m curious, as an analytical person, how do you decide what political efforts (PACS, candidates, initiatives, etc) to support to get the most bang for your buck. I have limited resources, my local races are fairly set, so I’m looking at the KY, ME Senate races, for example.

Keith Law

1:49

Same. I keep the same approach as I do with charitable donations - I give where my buck likely gets the most bang. Food pantries are generally great for this.

Erik

1:49

Speaking of Big Mouth and other shows that are changing voice actors. Performative wokeness or actual good?

Keith Law

1:51

It absolutely bugged me that Missy, the one prominent black character on Big Mouth, was voiced by a white actor. (Duke Ellington is kind of a side gag.) Also, the show is long over, but my daughter watched Littlest Pet Shop, and the fact that a white person was voicing Sunil with a stereotypical Indian/south Asian accent was kind of appalling.

Doug

1:51

How do you think Mateo fits into the Padres plans this year? Still think he has star potential?

Keith Law

1:52

I'd probably stick him in CF - they don't have a proper CF on the roster, right? - and see what happens. I don't think there's star potential there any more.

Adam

1:52

If Cole Wilcox was highly rated and apparently valued at his $3.3 mil asking price, why was he not selected in a more traditional slot to meet that price?

Keith Law

1:53

Perhaps not every team saw him at that price, and there's certainly an opportunity cost to taking him there.

Guest

1:53

Of all, the bad ideas, wasn't allowing bars to open in a pandemic one of the all time dumbest? With how people act when drunk, it was always clear bars would help cause a surge.

Keith Law

1:53

Yes. But the liquor industry has a lot of political power.

Jake

1:55

I'm also a huge footie fan and, watching the Premier League's "Project Restart" is painful. No fans, fake crowd noise, and the intensity of a summer friendly (think spring training).

Is there anything that MLB can do to make these "baseball" games feel like Baseball?

Keith Law

1:55

Eh, I'm fine without fans. I'd be fine without broadcasters. I'd skip the fake crowd noise for sure.

Kevin

1:55

I think the Padres plan on Grisham in center.

Keith Law

1:55

He's not a CF.

Mike

1:56

I think I've suggested this before, but you should give the books of Guy Kay Gavriel a shot......a great writer.

Keith Law

1:56

Sean Doolittle recommended Sailing to Sarantium and it's on my Kindle right now.

I'm reading Say Nothing next, though. I got that from my local library - they're doing curbside pickup now.

Adam

1:56

Do you prefer Jarred Kelley for $3mil or Cole Wilcox for $3.3mil?

Keith Law

1:57

I ranked the top 100 prospects for this year's draft class right before the draft itself.

Patrick

1:57

How do I square my malignant life-long love of the Cubs with my complete disrespect for Pete Ricketts? Can I support a team when one of the owners is willing to allow people to die?

Keith Law

1:58

You could watch them, and root for them, but decline to spend money on them in the form of tickets or merchandise.

1:59

Are some prospects losing their shots this year?

Can players still develop in workouts, or is this just too hard?

Keith Law

2:00

That was the subject of my column last week ... short answer is yes, some will lose their shots, and some will still be able to develop at home, but the only players who might be better off not playing than playing are pitchers who might have pitched this year at less than 100% and get more recovery time.

Rick

2:00

Thank you for the enormous amount of work that you put into draft coverage. I am just curious.. do you get emails from agents or parents of prospects? I hope that they are civil in nature.

Keith Law

2:01

Occasionally. I try not to engage with parents who are anything but civil, because there is no gain for anyone in arguing with a parent that their kid isn't as good as they think he is. It's pointless and mean. Agents are another story, as interacting with them is generally part of my job, and most of them can still be civil even when we disagree because they understand that this is just business.

2:01

You get to rename the Redskins. What's their new name?

Keith Law

2:03

I like the suggestion that they use the Grays for its historical significance (that's the most prominent Negro Leagues team to play in DC), but it's not the most inspiring name beyond that. I don't have a better suggestion, though.

KRod

2:03

When do you move Vladdy over to 1st? is that even the best move?

Keith Law

2:03

Now. Or right to DH. He's not going to be very good at first, given his size and conditioning.

Chris

2:04

What 60 man pool interests you the most?

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