Klaw

  (1:10 PM)

Klawchat is intended for mature audiences and may contain snark, sarcasm, dry humor, and the occasional piece of baseball analysis. Plus it vibrates.

BD (DC)

Bryce Harper being sent to AAA to learn CF, get more exposure against lefties, etc etc... Would AA be better for him since he would be facing more prospects and less 4A types?

Klaw

  (1:11 PM)

I would have sent him to AA but I don't think it's a huge difference between the two, not enough to worry about.

John (Seattle)

Whats Bubba Starling's ceiling and ETA to the majors. Klaw? And for Danny Hultzen?

Klaw

  (1:11 PM)

Starling's got best-in-the-league ceiling, but is probably four good years away from being a big league regular. Hultzen has #3 starter ceiling but is more or less ready now.

Jon Cook (Research in Motion)

Please rank these 3 based on Ceiling. Neil Ramirez, Drew Hutchison and Nestor Molina.

Klaw

  (1:13 PM)

My top 100 (which included the first two but not Molina) is based primarily on ceiling, with probability a secondary factor, so you should always look there first for questions like this. Molina's either a back-end starter or reliever so he's not really in this discussion.

SC (MN)

Keith- What would you say should be an expected time frame for Kenny Williams to rebuild the White Sox into yearly contenders? In thinking of the development time of High School High End and Foreign Talent is 5-7 Years too much time?

Klaw

  (1:13 PM)

I think someone else (Hahn?) will be GM the next time they're good.

@Jaypers413 (IL)

Starling tweeted that he was being held in Ext. ST. Would you assign him to Low-A or hold him off until SS ball?

Klaw

  (1:13 PM)

I think extended spring is fine. His timing wasn't great on Saturday.

Cognitive Dissonance (Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex)

Help! Blue Jays pick Eric Thames over Travis Snider. Signed Dustin McGowan to a two-year, $3 million. Can I still believe Alex Anthopoulos as Wunderkind narrative? Or is being nice to players the marker inefficiency?

Klaw

  (1:15 PM)

I know everything thinks silent AA is a ninja ... but neither of those moves made much sense to me. Mcgowan's injury history should preclude any discussion of a multi-year deal.

Tim (Haverford)

Ok Ok, its two games. But its pretty evident that when Cespedes makes contact, good things will happen. A's fans can be happy about that, yes?

Klaw

  (1:16 PM)

Well, what happens when he faces major league pitching?

Kevin (FL)

So the Giants reportedly want Belt to change his swing, and the Phillies did something similar with Brown last year. Is this common practice? And is it possible coaching staffs could be overthinking things?

Klaw

  (1:16 PM)

The Giants already changed Belt when they signed him, and he raked his way to the majors in a year. Why change him again? It's not common practice with advanced prospects and there's far more harm than good to be done. You do this stuff when a kid is 20, not when he's 23 and hasn't struggled yet.

Matt (Chicago)

Are you at least intrigued by the possibilities of Samardizja as a starter?

Klaw

  (1:17 PM)

Blog post filed. Yes, there's potential.

Matt Moore (Tampa)

Over/under 200 innings for me this year? Shouldn't I be averaging about a k per inning this year?

Klaw

  (1:17 PM)

Under. Yes.

Andrew (SF)

Is the 'Petco has more OF to cover to it'd help a line-drive hitter like Alonso for hits/doubles' argument a myth?

Klaw

  (1:18 PM)

More balls to be caught in the gaps too.

Jimmy (Chicago)

What are reasonable expectations for Ackley this year?

Klaw

  (1:18 PM)

I'll set them high: .300/.370/.420.

Robert (London)

If Henderson Alvarez was eligible, would he have made your top 100 list?

Klaw

  (1:18 PM)

He made it last year, and he didn't do anything to disappoint in 2011, so...

Eric (NYC)

Do you prefer WAR or Win probability added? It seems that using the latter would be a good way to evaluate relief pitchers.

Klaw

  (1:19 PM)

WPA is still context-dependent. A good reliever only used in blowouts won't fare well in that metric.

Alex (College Park)

Any reason Shin-Soo Choo won't bounce back to his pre-2011 production?

Klaw

  (1:20 PM)

Injuries would be the only reasons.

Sam (LA)

An Abreu release & a V.Wells bad month and a half is all that stands in the way of Trout arriving to the bigs right?

Klaw

  (1:20 PM)

Pretty much.

JR (Vegas)

This will make you sad. Every year, the Las Vegas paper runs a "best of las vegas" feature wherein locals are encouraged to vote for their favorite restaurants by category. In my 5 years here, every year Applebees has won for best family restaurant, Olive Garden for Italian, Red Lobster for seafood, Outback for steak, and Famous Daves for BBQ.

Klaw

  (1:20 PM)

That's hilarious. It's like NYC voters choosing Pizza Hut and Sbarro for best pizza.

Chris Traeger (Georgia)

Are you going to be doing a lot more fantasy advice with the departure of Jason Grey or is this going to be a short term deal? Love your insight, thanks.

Klaw

  (1:21 PM)

No. You might see my material in other venues, but I don't play fantasy baseball so I can't offer fantasy-specific advice.

Steve (San Jose)

Looks like my HS teammate Eric Thames won the starting job in LF for Toronto. I know you've always seen him as an extra OF -- so do you think he lasts the year as a starter? Is .270/.340/.470 with 15 HR or so attainable?

Klaw

  (1:21 PM)

I'm not sure how that split line comes to be, but I see a below-average defender who only hits fastballs, not an everyday guy.

Karl (ATL)

Over or under 30 hr and .310 avg. as career highs for Freeman

Klaw

  (1:21 PM)

Under on the power. He could hit .310 some year.

Mike (Chicago)

Your thoughts on Kris Bryant from the University of San Diego?

Klaw

  (1:22 PM)

Loved him in HS. Really scuffled on the Cape between the wood bats and decent offspeed stuff. Still on the first-round radar for next year.

Dan (Albuquerque, N.M.)

Spring training question: Analytical types often blast teams for making decisions based on spring-training statistics, but isn't it possible that teams are making decisions based on scouting? In other words, it'd still be a small sample but it wouldn't be that different from the conclusions you draw based on seeing someone in person.

Klaw

  (1:23 PM)

Sure - but it would help if they'd articulate that. Assuming they care about the criticism.

UGW (MD)

Which levels would you start Alex Meyer and Brian Goodwin at respectively? Thanks.

Klaw

  (1:23 PM)

High-A for both, assuming the outfield issues in Potomac are gone.

Dan (Tulsa)

Is there ever a situation where a team should draft based on "need"?

Klaw

  (1:24 PM)

Not in baseball.

James (Sunnyvale, CA)

What do the DBacks do with their surplus of arms. Sit patient because they will be needed with injuries? Someone like Wade Miley is good enough to be in a big league rotation but may be behind Bauer, Skaggs, Corbin, and potentially Brewer.

Klaw

  (1:24 PM)

I'm sure at some point they'll deal one of the arms, but right now they need to concentrate on having Bauer/Skaggs ready to replace Collmenter/Saunders.

EricJ (SF)

Brian Sabean often gets credit from pundits for their success in drafting and developing prospects. How much of a role does the GM play? Should they be talking about Dick Tidrow instead?

Klaw

  (1:25 PM)

Tidrow, John Barr, and their amateur scouting staff. GMs might see the first round pick but that's usually it, and even if they're in the room discussing later picks, I'd still give more credit to the scouts than the GM for successful picks (or blame for unsuccessful ones).

Nils (Toronto)

Brian Matusz. His spring numbers look quite respectable. Has his velocity improved since last year ? What's your overall assessment of his chance for a "breakthrough" this season . Thanks and love the chats

Klaw

  (1:26 PM)

Velocity has been consistently better this spring. I wrote about him in a column on 3/6.

Scott (Boston)

What players currently in the minors, aside from Trout, have the most stolen base potential over the next couple of seasons?

Klaw

  (1:26 PM)

Billy Hamilton, Gary Brown.

Max Cohen (Syracuse, NY)

Where would have Salvador Perez ranked on your top 100 if he were eligbile?

Klaw

  (1:26 PM)

Wouldn't have.

Kevin (Bay Area)

You always say that a team has to draft the best player regardless of position, which I agree with. But would a situation where the Orioles drafted Wieters and passed on Posey the next year a situation where a players position was a good reason to pass on him? Or should they have taken Posey even though they just drafted Wieters

Klaw

  (1:27 PM)

I don't think there's a clearcut answer to that. Matusz was pretty good himself, and I believe the Orioles legitimately ranked him higher than Posey.

Liam (Dallas)

Jurickson Profar is likely to start the season in AA Frisco. Appropriate level for him or the Rangers being unnecessarily aggressive (not for the first time) with their top prospects?

Klaw

  (1:28 PM)

He's fairly advanced for his age - aggressive but not crazy.

Michael (Charleston, SC)

If the Bucs had drafted Hosmer over Alvarez, could they be in contention for one of the wild card spots?

Klaw

  (1:28 PM)

No. But they should have taken him or Posey.

Andrew (SF)

Are you doing the breakout column this year?

Klaw

  (1:28 PM)

I've discussed breakout candidates in several columns this month, including the 'fantasy questions' piece and the 'bounceback guys' piece.

Clay (Charlotte)

Do you think that blocking the plate should be illegal in all circumstances or do you agree with the current rule that you're not "supposed" to block the plate until you have the ball?

Klaw

  (1:29 PM)

Blocking the plate should be illegal. You'd think a possible broken leg would also provide sufficient disincentive, though.

Jason (St Louis)

Remember Keith, a lot of your chatters won't buck up the couple of dollars to be Insiders. I'm not one of them but just wanted to remind you for when you see questions you've already answered with columns.

Klaw

  (1:30 PM)

Then they should subscribe. The chats are primarily to answer questions I haven't answered elsewhere, or to talk about food.

EricJ (SF)

It is possible for Brandon Crawford to save enough runs with his glove to make up for the bat? Is his glove GG caliber?

Klaw

  (1:30 PM)

No, no.

James (Oakland)

Has Stanford ruined Piscotty's swing to the extent that they have guys in the past? Can a team really spend a top 15 pick on a Stanford hitter, given their track record? What's Piscotty's upside?

Klaw

  (1:31 PM)

Piscotty doesn't have that (messed)-up Stanford swing like Diekroger or Austin Wilson, so I could see him going pretty high. I'll be in Tucson Friday night and probably Saturday if any of you will be at the Stanford/Arizona games.

Zach (PA)

Do you eat any "vegetarian" meals? If so, which is you favorite dish?

Klaw

  (1:31 PM)

I do. Bacon's a vegetable, right?

Branden (College Park MD)

Where do you see Dylan Bundy ending up this year?

Klaw

  (1:32 PM)

He should at least finish in AA, if not higher. I don't know how the Orioles will handle him, but I'd be very aggressive with him - I'd probably start him in Bowie.

Henry (Columbus)

The Wire progress?

Klaw

  (1:34 PM)

Finished last Friday.

Klaw

  (1:35 PM)

Samardzija post is up: http://klaw.me/onlyadolphinmaam

Scott (Sonoma)

Is it accurate to say Deven Marrero is Nolan Fontana, just slightly better at everything? Could Marrero slide out of the top 10?

Klaw

  (1:36 PM)

Marrero's a much better hitter than Fontana, 7 arm vs Fontana's 5, Fontana is a better runner, pretty similar at short. Marrero could slide out of the top ten but I doubt it. He is clearly behind Zunino though.

timmy (topeka)

When you refer to the "messed up" Stanford swing, what is that exactly? An added hitch, or a leg lift? I don't see them play, well, ever, so I'm legitimately unsure.

Klaw

  (1:37 PM)

An extremely linear, robotic approach that doesn't use the hitter's lower half at all. It's insane that they teach guys to hit like that.

John T (Eagan, MN)

Florida's Hudson Randall seems like a shoo-in for the Twins with their first compensation pick, no? College strike thrower with a low ceiling?

Klaw

  (1:37 PM)

Doubt it. I wouldn't touch him before the fourth round.

Lauro (Newport Beach)

You mentioned you though Hamels' change-up could lead to prolonged success as he ages. Does that repertoire make you comfortable enough to hand him a 5-7 year deal? Any longer than that?

Klaw

  (1:38 PM)

I'd be more comfortable going long-term with him than most of the FA starters we've seen the last few years - I think that repertoire will still work even when he loses 2-3 mph off his FB.

Jason (Birmingham)

Keith, you drink beer, you love meat. Are you concerned about gout?

Klaw

  (1:38 PM)

I don't actually consume that much of either at a time, though.

Owen (Berkeley)

Jeurys (sp?) Familia: Sparkling dazzler, modest roustabout or average nogoodnik?

Klaw

  (1:39 PM)

I'll take "modest roustabout," I think.

Seabass (OB)

Why do kids who hope to play in the big leagues go to Stanford then?

Klaw

  (1:39 PM)

It's a hell of an academic school.

Aaron (LA)

David Justice a fair comp for Hosmer?

Klaw

  (1:40 PM)

Too low.

Ian (OH)

It sounds like Luc Giolito may be back and pitching sometime in April. Does this make you cringe because he's being rushed back, or is it an encouraging sign that his arm is okay?

Klaw

  (1:40 PM)

No, his arm is fine - there was never any damage in the elbow, and they're going to be extremely conservative with him going forward.

John (NY)

Any thoughts on Rafael DePaula? Finally got his visa, is he a top 10 prospect in the Yankees system?

Klaw

  (1:40 PM)

Haven't seen him. Based on secondhand reports, back of the top ten.

Eric (New Jersey)

My kids are getting into board games? What are you playing with your daughter that requires a bit of strategy?

Klaw

  (1:41 PM)

Carcassonne and Ticket to Ride are her favorites. Also got the Hey, That's My Fish! app, which is a little easy for adults but great to play with your kids.

Kevin (Bay Area)

What do you think the ceiling is for Kyle Crick?

Klaw

  (1:41 PM)

Number two ceiling, but a long way away from it.

Steve (NY)

How much a chance Giolito falls out of the top 10?

Klaw

  (1:42 PM)

If he's throwing before the draft and his medicals are fine, I'd say zero percent chance.

Byron (Portland, OR)

What'd you think of the biomechanics piece a few days ago?

Klaw

  (1:43 PM)

Not a fan.

Brian (Bucktown)

does Volstad offer the Cubs any more upside than a #4 starter. Not that that'd be a bad return on Big Z, but I'm wondering if a guy with his size and stuff could bust out as a #2 type?

Klaw

  (1:43 PM)

Yeah, he could. I wouldn't bet on it, but he could.

Brian (Seattle)

You see any top 5 round talent out of the Northwest this June?

Klaw

  (1:44 PM)

Clint Coulter and Carson Kelly will go in the top two rounds.

Drew (Santa Fe)

ETA on Archie Bradley and would you be as aggressive with him as you said you would be with Bundy

Klaw

  (1:44 PM)

Bundy's much more polished now. Bradley's good, but I'd start him in low-A.

Trav (SF)

Ever tried making bread? Any recommendations?

Klaw

  (1:44 PM)

Get Peter Reinhart's Bread Baker's Apprentice.

Andrew Casher (San Diego)

Will the Cubs regret trading me when I move to the rotation next year?

Klaw

  (1:44 PM)

No, because you won't hold up as a starter.

aaron (boston)

Any prospects outside your top 100 receiving significant rave reviews?

Klaw

  (1:46 PM)

Austin Hedges would be one - and I'll say again I screwed up by omitting him. Kiley saw Syndergaard throw really well earlier this week. Heard good things on my Cleveland sleeper, Ronny Rodriguez.

Lucien (Storrs, CT)

LJ Mazilli - prospect or not? Anyone else on UConn worth paying attention to this year?

Klaw

  (1:46 PM)

Not really, no.

Bobby A (New York City)

Thoughts on Brad Boxberger? thx!

Klaw

  (1:46 PM)

Solid two-pitch reliever.

Mikey (Beacon Falls, USA)

Will Middlebrooks - more Brandon Inge or Evan Longoria - i.e. is he just the latest product of the Red Sox hype machine?

Klaw

  (1:47 PM)

Can I go with "in between?" Kind of a wide range there.

Dave (San Diego)

If you had to guess, who are the top 5 picks in this year's draft?

Klaw

  (1:47 PM)

Appel, Zimmer, Zunino, Buxton, Gausman.

Jon (WI)

I get what you're saying about Cashner, but could he be a truly elite bullpen arm?

Klaw

  (1:48 PM)

I think he already is.

Ryan (Fredericton)

RE: David Cooper... everyone knows he has no power, but do you think he could hit .310+ in the majors?

Klaw

  (1:48 PM)

I do not.

Me (Where I am )

Do you expect Brett Lawrie to exploid into a Ryan Braun type breakout or are the expectations based on last years small sample overblown on him?

Klaw

  (1:48 PM)

I think he'll be a star, and fairly soon, but last year has created unreasonable expectations.

Matt (DC)

Klaw, do you own a Kitchen Aid? Must have appliance for making your own pasta.

Klaw

  (1:48 PM)

I do, with the pasta-making attachment.

Jon (WI)

Is Mat Gamel going to hit? Is a .270/.340/.450 line completely out of the question?

Klaw

  (1:50 PM)

Not out of the question, but not exactly what you want at first base either.

Jon (WI)

Can Tommy Milone be a break out candidate, not because of his stuff, but because of how his stuff will play in Oakland? I could see him breaking out in a similar way to how Brandon McCarthy has "broken out".

Klaw

  (1:50 PM)

I don't think so. Maybe Oakland makes him look better than he is, but Milone is no McCarthy.

Ben (Oregon)

How much do minor league stats matter? I mean, really. I see a ton of internet analysis of prospects based mostly on stats and I have to believe teams laugh at stuff like that.

Klaw

  (1:51 PM)

Teams do laugh at a lot of it, which isn't to say there's nothing good out there - just a lot of uninformed stuff that doesn't consider what went into producing those stats. That said, minor league stats have some value when combined with quality scouting reports.

Steve (Blacksburg, VA)

How do you see Feliz's secondary pitches developing?

Klaw

  (1:51 PM)

Struggled with the curveball the day I saw him, but he also had a slightly stiff shoulder that day. I'd let him go to AAA for a few weeks to focus on the offspeed.

Steve (NYC)

Debate at my house for Easter - rack of lamb or baked stuffed shrimp. Rack is the clear winner, correct?

Klaw

  (1:52 PM)

The correct answer is "duck."

John (Houston)

Just curious where Appel would rank compared to last years crop of top college arms (Cole, Hultzen, Bauer, Jungmann, Gray) if this years version of him was in last years draft?

Klaw

  (1:52 PM)

Below Cole and Bauer for me.

Tom (Pittsburgh)

I think I recall you saying recently that the fall-off of the upper tier of this draft is between picks 7-10. What does that leave the Pirates with at 7, do you think?

Klaw

  (1:53 PM)

It might be more around 9-13 now - draft is looking a little better. They could do pretty well with a high school arm there - might have all of Giolito, Fried, and Smoral there, and I wouldn't rule out Eflin going that high (although I doubt it happens).

Josh G (Stockton, CA) [via mobile]

If you were running a team drafting outside of the top 10 and Giolito drops, would you risk taking him (and taking a big hit to your draft pool)?

Klaw

  (1:53 PM)

If he'll sign, yes.

Nathan (new york)

Why do some guys develop new pitches in their mid 20s and others are stuck as 1-2 pitch relievers? Is it a matter of commitment. Is it a matter of mechanics? Do front offices spend much time trying to get guys to take on a third pitch?

Klaw

  (1:54 PM)

I think it's more complicated than we realize. Function of delivery, muscle development, hand size (can't throw a good split if your hands are too small, for example), mental aptitude, etc. Some guys pick up a cutter like they found it lying on the ground, others can't even master a decent circle-change.

Heath (Dallas)

Every Angels fan nightmare is Mike Trout becomes Brandon Wood. What is the likelihood this occurs? How high were your expectations of Wood (recognizing how badly the organization botched his development)?

Klaw

  (1:55 PM)

Zero. Wood could never hit an offspeed pitch. Trout's eye at the plate is advanced well beyond his years.

Other Barry (Outer Space)

How much does the Stanford connection scare you about Appel? I saw on someone's website that, since Mussina, 19 pitchers from Stanford have either made the majors or were drafted in the first three rounds, and Rick Helling was the best of them. Is there something Stanford's doing to pitchers (like they do to hitters) that screws them up? And will it affect Appel?

Klaw

  (1:55 PM)

Was that on BP? I know one of their writers was looking at this. And yes, it would scare me. Stanford hitters don't hit and their pitchers get hurt.

Josh G (Stockton, CA) [via mobile]

Can Cecchini stay at SS? Can he hit as well as his brother?

Klaw

  (1:55 PM)

Yes, and I'm not sure yet.

Lance (Vancouver)

Weak crop of college hitters this year, no? Think my A's will break from tradition and take a prep guy at 11 (assuming Marrero and the top college pitchers are gone)?

Klaw

  (1:56 PM)

Very weak. Who's third after Zunino/Marrero? Piscotty? Wisdom? Shaffer? Not Fontana or Naquin.

Steve (NYC)

The rack is being poached in duck fat. Happy?

Klaw

  (1:56 PM)

I'll accept that.

Nick (Long Island)

Where do you see Stryker Trahan going in the draft? Do you think he stays at C and how does he project as a hitter?

Klaw

  (1:56 PM)

First round, probably top 20, yes, and above-average bat for the position.

Steve (NY)

Any opinion on Josh Edgin? His stuff looks pretty impressive from the left-side. May even make Mets' OD roster despite never facing AA hitters yet.

Klaw

  (1:57 PM)

Middle reliever - not a surprise that a good LH A-ball arm could jump to the majors and throw 50 innings in a pseudo-specialist role. Teams are often too slow to push those guys anyway.

@ryanpicks (Freddy Beach)

D'Arnaud + McGuire for Hosmer ... who says no first?

Klaw

  (1:57 PM)

The Royals, with a long list of choice profanities.

Jay (Tacoma, WA)

Quick book question: what's the worst "classic" you've ever read?

Klaw

  (1:57 PM)

Moby Dick.

DJ (NY)

Shaffer is definitely on your top 50 now right? He's been killing it this spring. Speaking of which, when will we see an update to that top 50?

Klaw

  (1:58 PM)

He's top 30 now. The editors pushed the next top 50 back until after Opening Day. I am hoping to write up an update column tomorrow with some notes though.

Snakes (Virginia)

So $500 million lottery? If I had to guess, you never buy lottery tickets and this would be no exception. Am I right?

Klaw

  (1:59 PM)

Correct.

Nik (Philly)

Phillies are high on Jake Diekman - hard-throwing lefty sidearmer. Can he be more than a LOOGY?

Klaw

  (1:59 PM)

That's what he is.

Nick (Long Island)

When will you post your first mock?

Klaw

  (2:00 PM)

Early to mid-May. Before that point teams have not narrowed their pref lists enough to make a mock possible.

Clay (Charlotte)

The lottery is a tax on stupid people. I'm all for it.

Klaw

  (2:00 PM)

You are the 1%.

Wayne Khan (Toronto)

Ever think of writing your prospect book that would be sold in stores.

Klaw

  (2:00 PM)

I can think of nothing more depressing than spending a few months writing a book that will be out of date 90 days after it's printed.

Liam (Dallas)

Gary Sanchez has been mashing this spring, but reports note marked improvement with his defense. Do you think he has a chance to stick at C at the upper levels?

Klaw

  (2:01 PM)

I do, but from what I've heard he's got a ways to go back there. This isn't Montero where it's not physically possible though.

Friedhof (Brooklyn)

Will the new MLB draft rules result in teams tanking in September for draft position? The payoffs for that strategy are much higher now.

Klaw

  (2:02 PM)

I don't think so. Payoffs are only slightly higher. But I am curious to see how teams change strategies - will we see more predraft deals in the first round so teams can shift money to later rounds?

Kyle (Chicago)

What are your thought on Cilantro? Do you cook with it?

Klaw

  (2:03 PM)

Yes, and I grow it in the garden. But I know some people think it tastes like soap.

Mike Mac (Boston)

Do you see any possibility for Matt Antonelli making a big league appearance for the Orioles this year? With Brian Roberts hurt and only Robert Andino in his way, you'd think he has a shot right?

Klaw

  (2:03 PM)

Appearance? Maybe. Can't believe they gave him a major league deal.

matt (DC)

Klaw, have you ever read the Corrections? If so, any thoughts?

Klaw

  (2:03 PM)

Yes, last August, blog post on the dish about it.

Greg (Cambridge, ON)

When does braising stop and boiling start? I just can't seem to get the results of the pros

Klaw

  (2:03 PM)

If your braise boils, you're doing it wrong. Braising is low and slow.

Bill (The "W")

Is Arodys Vizcaino still in the top 100 prospects Post TJ Surgery?

Klaw

  (2:04 PM)

If I redid the list, he would still be on it.

Melvin (Seattle)

What are your thoughts on a couple under the radar prospects.. Marcell Ozuna and Trevor Story

Klaw

  (2:07 PM)

Love Story's glove and arm, was not wild about the bat in HS. Ozuna's really crude, a real hacker, and I believe Greensboro is a good place to hit.

Lucas (NY)

Lonnie Chisenhall. Wasn't he a decent prospect? He didn't hit last year, and he's starting in AAA this year. Does he not have the tools to succeed in the majors? Is a quad A player?

Klaw

  (2:07 PM)

He was - I still love the swing, would hate to give up on the bat, but the platoon splits are a real concern for me.

Joshua (Vancouver)

Do you see Adonys Cardona as a guy that could be on the top 100 in 2013 or am I rushing things a bit? I believe it was you who said they wouldn't be surprised if he hit 100 at some point.

Klaw

  (2:08 PM)

Maybe for 2014, but yes, real upside guy, he'll get to triple digits at some point.

John T (Eagan)

Actually, from a pure math standpoint, now's the one time to play the lottery. Estimated $389 million lump sum before taxes, with 1 in 175 million odds of winning. Even assuming taxes take you down to $200 million, the return is in your favor, as long a shot as it may be.

Klaw

  (2:08 PM)

This assumes the number of tickets sold doesn't vary with the jackpot size.

Dan (Chicago, IL)

Hi Keith-What would a HS player, who plays outside of the baseball factories (So Cal, AZ, FL), need to hit, avg wise, to interest a scout? .600? Would a super high OBP help?

Klaw

  (2:08 PM)

Doesn't matter. We're not looking for high school performers. We're looking for physical tools.

Eric (Bedford,NY)

Don't think I've read you review a non-fiction book. What gives?

Klaw

  (2:09 PM)

I have no idea. I read and review them all the time.

Bob (Madison)

Fair on the HS scouting question, but don't the stats get the scouts to come look at the tools in the first place, if it's not a baseball factory?

Klaw

  (2:10 PM)

No.

John (Green Bay)

Your # of tickets sold for the lotto argument is flawed, the odds are based on the number of balls dropped and the combinations of 6 numbers that are possible... i know Math is Hard!

Klaw

  (2:10 PM)

Number of tickets sold affects the probability that there are multiple winners. Math is hard indeed.

Dan (Philly)

Can John Mayberry be a major league starter or will Philly realize he's out of his element very quickly?

Klaw

  (2:11 PM)

Not a starter. Nice bench guy though.

Ross (Las Vegas)

Heading down to Scottsdales to see the Rockies. Thoughts on Pink Pony? Overrated steakhouse? Never been.

Klaw

  (2:11 PM)

Never been. Go to Citizen Public House and get the pork belly pastrami starter.

Klaw

  (2:12 PM)

I'm headed out to Tempe to a minor league game, so I've got get rolling. Thanks for all the questions - I'll be back next week.