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Klawchat 7/31/20
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Keith Law
3:00
You've got that pure feel, such good responses. Klawchat.
John
3:00
Man, Bieber's command looks really strong.  How did you see him as a prospect?
Keith Law
3:02
I saw him as a back-end starter because he was more 88-91. His velocity kept creeping up, which I absolutely did not see coming, so now he'll sit 94 and his secondary stuff has improved as well. He's at least a legit #2 starter. I think over time he'll give up a few too many home runs to be an ace, but I could be wrong again.
Brett J
3:02
Jp Crawford has been noticeably better in his small sample size this year. Are you seeing anything that shows his improvements might stick?
Keith Law
3:02
I'd say this is more a continuation of what we saw from him last year.
Mike
3:02
Just wanted to say the Scouting Notebook pieces you've been running on The Athletic have been stellar. Really looking forward to that series for the next week that baseball will be around.
Keith Law
3:03
Thank you. The response to the first one was so good that it made doing a second one an easy call. Now I am a bit stuck as we wait for some more debuts, but if we get another week of games, I'll have enough guys to discuss. Could always look at which players seem noticeably different from last year too.
Andrew
3:03
What is the point of the Mariners carrying 2 actual outfielders while Kelenic sits idle in Tacoma? Shouldn’t they just see what he can do against Major League talent?
Keith Law
3:04
At this point, no. They've pushed off his free agency by a year already.
Jibraun
3:04
In his newsletter today, Joe Sheehan mentioned that MLB's K rate is rising again this year. What rule changes do you think should be instituted to lower K rates?
Keith Law
3:04
Raise the bottom of the strike zone. I also think the automated strike zone would help too.
Jebediah
3:04
Since you're a grump with no emotion for baseball, can you just calculate the teams with the highest WAR so we can award the World Series trophy to them?
Keith Law
3:05
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Arnold
3:05
Did Giants make right choice to not put Joey Bart on roster? On one hand, Posey opting out created space for him and he looks to be major league ready as a hitter. On the other hand, who knows if MLB will make it through the shortened season and Giants aren't contenders so why waste a year of salary control.
Keith Law
3:05
This is the one variable that might stop teams from recalling prospects now - what if the season ends in a few days, and you called up a guy to play three games only to have him get most of a year of service, and maybe put him on the 40-man too soon? I hate that that's a consideration, but it's real.
3:06
It's like when the White Sox recalled Michael Kopech a few years ago, and he made two starts before blowing out his elbow. He got a year-plus of service out of that.
Robert
3:06
What would it take for the MLB to admit failure and call the season? Half the league not being able to play?
Keith Law
3:06
I bet a player in the hospital in serious condition would do it.
Or another Marlins-level outbreak.
AJ
3:06
Who were better prospects as amateurs, Cole and Bauer at UCLA or Rocket and Leiter at Vandy?
Keith Law
3:06
I haven't seen the Vandy boys in college, but I think Cole and Bauer.
Deke
3:06
Even if we get anything approximating the rest of the 2020 season, it's still basically going to be a wash. So my question is: Should we be at all optimistic for NEXT YEAR's MLB season? It seems like there's every chance this is comparably bad then.
Keith Law
3:08
We shouldn't be optimistic about anything as long as the hoaxers are in power. We should have had a national shutdown for 6 weeks in the spring. Instead we have the worst situation of any developed country, even worse than many developing countries, out of every place that's been hit with the pandemic. How anyone can see this and not immediately blame the Administration is beyond me.
Kevin W
3:08
What would you do with ohtani?  Keep status quo?  Hitter only?  Pitcher only?
Keith Law
3:08
I'd pick one. Still prefer him on the mound but if he hasn't really come back from TJ yet then maybe you let him hit only and have him throw on the side?
Cubs
3:08
Is it way to early to call up someone you just drafted?
Keith Law
3:08
In theory, now. In this environment, probably.
Patty O'Furniture
3:08
Max Fried looked the best he's ever looked last night!  Not ready to call him an ace or anything, but damn.  He pitched like a grown man
Keith Law
3:09
Feeling good about all the years I kept him as a top 50ish prospect. Great athlete, smart kid, just needed time.
Kevin W
3:09
Has any player you have scouted ever had all 5 tools rated above 50?
Keith Law
3:10
I can't think of one. Many guys have the power-run-glove-arm tools. Few also have the hit tool.
addoeh
3:10
If a player getting seriously ill from COVID nor having half a team testing positive have stopped the season, nothing short of a player dying is going to.
Keith Law
3:10
This is also possible.
Kevin W
3:11
How are you going to handle school this year with your daughter?
Keith Law
3:11
We're going to do what her school offers, which I believe will be hybrid (a few days in school, a few remote).
Robbie
3:12
Were you impressed at all/ have an opinion on the way William Contreras handled his surprise early debut?
Keith Law
3:12
No opinion. Minuscule sample. I saw him get overwhelmed in his last game, unfortunately.
Greg
3:12
Should Dylan Carlson be playing every day instead of Billy Hamilton 2.0 (Bader)? If so, what kind of numbers would you expect from him in a full season?
Keith Law
3:12
I think so. .350+ OBP this year which would be a big help.
Bob
3:12
Tatis seems to be worth the $27m it took to pay off Shields.
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