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Klawchat 9/20/18
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Robert
1:13
Impressions on Jake Bauers .  Does he have a starting position in 2019 ?
Keith Law
1:14
Still think he has a chance to be a regular, but the lack of power - and he's even said the Rays' attempts to improve his launch angle screwed him up as a hitter - is a major limiting factor given his lack of defensive value. Might be a bench guy or tweener for them in 2019.
Nick
1:14
Can one of the Phillies low-minors MIF take off next year (Gamboa, Guzman, Brito)?
Keith Law
1:15
I think Luis Garcia (the SS, not the P) is going to blow right past those guys. Not a big Gamboa believer; Brito has ability but he's not strong enough to convert that to production yet.
Patrick
1:15
I want to ask about Ryan OHearn.  1.2 war in 38 games.  SSS range so what's real and what's  a mirage about him so far?
Keith Law
1:17
It's not real pretty but he makes very hard contact. The major-league baseball is helping him - the guy never slugged .500 anywhere in full-season ball, and now he's over .600 in the majors? - but I think he could be a second-division regular with some patience and power despite low batting averages.
Chris
1:17
Read today: "I just seem to see modern day players age way quicker than the less-muscular, less Strength and Conditioning coached, no Staff Nutritionist players of days gone by."

This immediately got support from other commenters, but this struck me as inherently false...it's purely anecdotal. Am I wrong here?
Keith Law
1:17
Yes, anecdotal, and certainly counterintuitive.
Chris
1:17
Where do you think Baez lands on the NL MVP list? Like everyone else, I loooove watching him play, but it seems strange to me that he could win with such a pedestrian OBP. Am I nitpicking here, or does this put him in the 2nd tier of NL candidates?
Keith Law
1:18
No, he's clearly in the top group of maybe a half dozen guys, because he plays critical positions and plays them well. I could easily justify putting him ahead of some guys who are a half a win (by WAR) over him because of the value of his positional versatility.
jacos
1:18
Do you see Cubs moving Schwarber, Russel and or Almora in off season, especially if they sign Harper?
Keith Law
1:19
I have no inside information on this but I get the sense they're about done with Russell. He's superfluous anyway.
Zac
1:19
Michael Fulmer and Daniel Norris seems to always be battling injuries, who do you feel more confident moving forward?
Keith Law
1:19
Fulmer, just because Norris' velocity hasn't been there this year. Still holding out hope for both guys; Norris is so athletic and has such great baseball acumen that i feel like he'll put it together if his body allows it.
Ryan
1:19
Is it time for the Cardinals to look to trade Carson Kelly in the offseason? Seems like Knizner is close to passing him on the depth chart, if he hasn't already, and Kelly seems stuck at AAA with Molina under contract for two more season.
Keith Law
1:20
Yes - I think they should have done so already.
Alex
1:20
Do you think your phone number or social security number could be in sequential order in the number pi?
Keith Law
1:21
Funny question. There are sites that let you search within pi, and the answer is no for mine.
Grant
1:21
I see a lot of people predicting Adell could be up by next July. Would that be rushing him in your mind?
Keith Law
1:21
Yes but to be fair 1) he's been so much better this year than I expected, now that he's made a few small but substantial adjustments and 2) the uberathletes like him tend to move pretty quickly.
JR
1:22
Did you consider Nimmo for players you were wrong about? IIRC, the past few years you've projected him as a fourth/fifth OF - do you still view him as such, or can he be an everyday guy?
Keith Law
1:22
My criticism of him has always been that he doesn't produce vs LHP, and that is still true. He was a top 100 guy at least once for me.
Drew
1:22
The Royals are a ways away from contending. Whit is good and not young...so they should probably trade him. With his cost controlled contract, what's that worth? Top 100 prospect?
Keith Law
1:23
Yes, they should have done so in July. I would think he'd fetch two quality prospects of some sort.
WSox Fan
1:23
This rebuild is heading nowhere isn't it?
Keith Law
1:23
That seems rather pessimistic.
1:25
Also, I don't agree.
Baseball loves gross narratives
1:25
Lots of Rays catching the A's for the WC2 spot. I'm trying to tell people to simmer down but they won't listen. Please talk some sense into them for me, will you?
Keith Law
1:25
It's unlikely, but not entirely impossible.
Guest
1:26
What is the most common "missed tool or added skill" when a player over performs their minor league scouting evaluations on the big league level?
Keith Law
1:26
Hit tool or fastball command.
Tysen
1:26
Do we need to blow up the current MLB/MiLB dynamic? It's appalling how little those guys make in a season
Keith Law
1:27
Too late. The GOP Tax Scam law pretty much ended this discussion. I don't understand how any minor league player or anyone who is close to one could vote for a Senator or Representative who voted for that bill - voted to take the player's fundamental rights as a laborer away.
Bobwalktheplank
1:27
I what point do the Pirates just say maybe Josh Bell isn't that good.  His hitting numbers might be a tick above average but his defense and baserunning are not good.  Is their still upside?
Keith Law
1:28
There is still upside - but I think it's fair to ask why so many Pirates hitters who have raw power haven't shown it, with Bell at/near the top of that list.
Matt, KY
1:28
Consider this Trade: Trout to the Braves for the following: Inciate, Touki, Riley, Wright, and Anderson. Who hangs up first, Angels or Braves?
Keith Law
1:28
I saw this, and it was so fucking stupid I ignored it and went on with my life.
Jamal
1:28
Do WAR totals change? As in, if I look at a player's WAR after the 2016 season, would it be different now?
Keith Law
1:28
No, not in the way I think you're asking.
HH
1:28
Is Tristan McKenzie still too far away to content for the #5 spot in next year's rotation? Or do I just think he's young because he's SO skinny.
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