JotCast | Klawhat 4/18/24

Klawhat 4/18/24

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Keith Law

1:20

I've seen no evidence to back that up. Doesn't mean it's wrong - I just can't support or debunk it.

Jacob

1:20

Thoughts on Rangers calling up Leiter?

Keith Law

1:22

I think he can help in some role - the arm action was cleaner in the spring and his body looked better. Only faced 57 batters in AAA but he at least was way more in the zone.

Steve

1:22

M's seem to have been very aggressive with Clase. Have you heard of any adjustments that he has made that might allow him to stick, or is he destined to K too much?

Keith Law

1:23

I don't believe he's changed anything. Contact is going to be a chronic issue for him.

Mario

1:23

In your piece you noted that the draft class isn't great after the second tier. Would this make teams less likely to try and spread out money and pick signability players in the top 10

Keith Law

1:23

Yes, it's a terrible year to do that. Your best hope for an over-slot guy at your second pick is going to be a high school pitcher, and while I'm fine with teams taking those guys with later picks, I wouldn't take a lesser player in the top 10 this year just to go get a better HS arm.

MagicOriole

1:24

What do you attribute Colton Cowser's hot start to? Has he changed much from your prospect evaluation?

Keith Law

1:24

A .500 BABIP.

Rick

1:24

With all the recent call ups, who’s gonna be your mid-season Top Prospect?

Keith Law

1:24

It almost has to be Ethan Salas. He's the top guy still in the minors, and if I did a live update now he'd be #1.

Nate

1:24

From a Stros fan…how much longer do you think it’ll take Jim crane to realize Jeff Bagwell doesn’t, in fact know baseball half as well as he thinks he does?

Keith Law

1:24

They have to fail at some point. Or I guess maybe waste another $50 million.

Mike

1:24

Think Christian Scott’s strong start indicates hes a potential number 2?

Keith Law

1:25

I don't think his strong start indicates anything different from what we thought about him three weeks ago.

1:25

Did you read Shogun? Are you watching/planning to watch the FX series airing right now? I've never read, but am really enjoying the show.

Keith Law

1:25

Never read. I know my parents liked the 1980s miniseries. They watched all of those like the Thorn Birds.

Jake

1:25

Any reason why there are so few HS guys you are high on compared to other years? Is Covid why they didn't develop or is it just a fluke?

Keith Law

1:26

They're just not out there this year, unfortunately. I don't think there's a reason - COVID didn't hurt the 2023 HS class, for example. Just a down year for HS bats. The result will probably be some of them get drafted higher than area scouts expect - I hear more sandwich/second on Carter Johnson, for example, but I bet he sneaks into the late first.

Caleb

1:27

SSS alert! But Masyn Winn has performed better-than-advertised at the plate so far, especially taking the ball the other way. Change in approach that might lead to better numbers, or just SSS?

Keith Law

1:28

SSS but he's also hitting the ball quite a bit harder this year, and making some better swing decisions than he did in his callup. That last bit is more in line with the hitter he was in the minors.

Chris

1:28

The Red Sox haven't drafted a pitcher in the first round since 2017 and their farm system certainly reflects that. Could they finally do it this year?

Keith Law

1:29

Sure, I am not aware of any rule that prevents them from doing so.

Julie

1:29

Thank you for not sounding the alarm on Holliday. He's less than two years out of high school playing 2nd base every day for a contender. The lineup he's in is stacked. The O's can afford for him to go through some growing pains, because the other guys will cover him. He will figure it out in the next few weeks and people will forget his slow start.

Keith Law

1:29

And maybe they send him back down at some point. He'll be fine.

Refugee

1:29

Do you think the ball is juiced this year?

Keith Law

1:29

I think something is up in the college ranks. Either the ball is different, or the bats are.

I'm Joey Callo...C-allo

1:30

Any idea why Atlanta has decided to platoon Jared Kelenic. He didn't show a platoon split in his breakout year last year and at 24 it seems a little early to pigeon-hole him that way.

Keith Law

1:30

He does have a platoon split for his career, and I think between Atlanta trying to win now and the hope that they can develop him into at least a good part-time player, platooning him in the short term is fine.

Kevin

1:30

Tanner Houck has added a solid splitter to his arsenal. Any chance he can be a mid rotation starter with this 3 pitch mix?

Keith Law

1:31

If that splitter really is the weapon he's never had for LHB, then yes. That's always been my main argument against him being a starter.

Alex

1:31

Among Braves pitching prospects, Owen Murphy is looking good so far and Hurston Waldrep is struggling. Anything about either of them in the early going that you'd take as grounds for optimism or concern?

Keith Law

1:32

It's two outings for each guy.

Brent

1:32

Hey Klaw! Hope you're enjoying the season more than this ChiSox fan. Boardgame question, have you played Memoir '44? From the company that made Ticket to Ride. Love history and boardgames. Able to recommend?

Keith Law

1:32

Never played it.

Joe

1:32

Anything interesting going on with your gardening this year?

Keith Law

1:33

We tried to get an early start with our little greenhouse but the weather here has been so bad until this week that I think a lot of our efforts were wasted because we couldn't transplant, either for cold or for torrential rains. We're trying mostly to grow stuff that we will definitely eat - right now it's peas, green beans, radishes, beets (ok that's just me and my wife), mixed lettuce.

Bill

1:33

Gabe Arias for Real ?

Keith Law

1:34

Do I think a player with a .417 BABIP is for real? No, sir, I do not.

Sam Roberts

1:34

Is Cam Caminiti still a R1 in a better draft year?

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