Klaw chat comments

[gunnarthor]

Klaw's chat had a few Twins questions today - he replies in bold. 

 

What's the scouting report on Kohl Stewart? Twins fans are calling him a bust because of the lack of strike outs. Does he have time to turn it around?

 

Twins fans calling a 20-year-old a "bust" by scouting the stat line are not actually Twins fans.

 

Which do you believe will have a better career, Max Kepler or Odubel Herrera. Also, have you played with any of the simulation baseball games like DMB, if so which do you like best? Thanks!

 

Kepler, and no, I haven't played any sim games.

 

Is Jose Berrios a (potential) front of the rotation starter? I know you've had concerns about his height limiting his ceiling.

 

Don't think so. He's likely to be too homer-prone with that flat fastball.

 

Byung Ho Park - thoughts on his deal?

 

Less than I thought he'd get, which is good for the Twins and also an example of how this posting system sucks for the players.

[TNTwinsFan]

At least he's consistent.

[nytwinsfan]

 

Which do you believe will have a better career, Max Kepler or Odubel Herrera. Also, have you played with any of the simulation baseball games like DMB, if so which do you like best? Thanks!

 

Kepler, and no, I haven't played any sim games.

 

Wow, he's pretty high on Kepler.

[Mike Sixel]

He has Berrios as a top pitching prospect, just not an ace type. He has always loved Kepler's skill set, and he is very consistent about juding 20 year olds by stat lines. So, ya, none of these surprise me.

[PseudoSABR]

There's also this exchange about our current outfield.

 

Kirk: Do you think Miguel Sano has the ability to play right field every day?
Klaw: I’d try him in LF and Kepler in RF. I’d say 2 to 1 odds against Sano working out in the outfield, but well worth the try.

 

Kirk: So if Kepler in right and Sano in left, that leaves Rosario…where? (Assuming Buxton in center) trade chip? Super sub?
Klaw: Trade chip, most likely. Rosario’s not as good as the other guys and the makeup is not great either.

[Han Joelo]

Makeup not great?  Interesting.  I don't know Rosario personally in any way.  He has the suspension, of course.  I for one love watching him play--everything that "makes up" his body language screams intense competitor to me.  

 

Remind me to never apply for a job with The Klaw.  He'd probably take one look at my misdemeanor DUI from 17 years ago and apply that one youthful mistake to all the intervening years of 'clean' living.

 

There's also this exchange about our current outfield.

 

Kirk: Do you think Miguel Sano has the ability to play right field every day?
Klaw: I’d try him in LF and Kepler in RF. I’d say 2 to 1 odds against Sano working out in the outfield, but well worth the try.

 

Kirk: So if Kepler in right and Sano in left, that leaves Rosario…where? (Assuming Buxton in center) trade chip? Super sub?
Klaw: Trade chip, most likely. Rosario’s not as good as the other guys and the makeup is not great either.

 

 

 

[nytwinsfan]

 

Makeup not great?  Interesting.  I don't know Rosario personally in any way.  He has the suspension, of course.  I for one love watching him play--everything that "makes up" his body language screams intense competitor to me.  

 

Remind me to never apply for a job with The Klaw.  He'd probably take one look at my misdemeanor DUI from 17 years ago and apply that one youthful mistake to all the intervening years of 'clean' living.

Yeah, other than smoking weed, which btw is legal in a number of states and likely will be legal everywhere soon, I've never heard complaints about Rosario's makeup. I generally like KLaw, but that is kind of lazy analysis.

[bluechipper]

Why doesn't KLAW just answer the questions instead of insulting the people who ask the questions? I like reading his stuff, but the negativity is sometimes annoying.

[gunnarthor]

There have been rumors/issues about Rosario's make up for years. Not giving full effort, being bored with the game.  Not always respecting the game.  Stuff like that.  I remember a Reusse quote about this time a year ago quoting a Twins official about his AFL success as something like "he decided to care."  I think Reusse used it as a positive when he was called up, saying that Rosario would meet the challenge.  Anyway, something like that.  

 

But Rosario is also a huge Molitor guy (and vice versa) so I think he'll be ok.

[bluechipper]

 

There have been rumors/issues about Rosario's make up for years. Not giving full effort, being bored with the game.  Not always respecting the game.  Stuff like that.  I remember a Reusse quote about this time a year ago quoting a Twins official about his AFL success as something like "he decided to care."  I think Reusse used it as a positive when he was called up, saying that Rosario would meet the challenge.  Anyway, something like that.  

 

But Rosario is also a huge Molitor guy (and vice versa) so I think he'll be ok.

Yeah I would think the challenge and spotlight of the majors would make it hard for someone to not care. I certainly saw a great effort last year.

[gunnarthor]

 

Yeah I would think the challenge and spotlight of the majors would make it hard for someone to not care. I certainly saw a great effort last year.

I remember having discussions about his attitude last year and I thought that there was something about him that would make him less likely to fail like Aaron Hicks did.  Rosario doesn't seem (from a mile away) like the kind of guy who has issues with self-doubt which a lot of us (again, from a mile away) thought was part of Hicks' problems.  

 

Basically, he seems like a cocky guy (which can be good if harnessed correctly).

[Mike Sixel]

 

Why doesn't KLAW just answer the questions instead of insulting the people who ask the questions? I like reading his stuff, but the negativity is sometimes annoying.

 

I find it funny. to each his own.

[Willihammer]

He has Berrios as a top pitching prospect, just not an ace type. He has always loved Kepler's skill set, and he is very consistent about juding 20 year olds by stat lines. So, ya, none of these surprise me.

Where does he have Stewart?

[DocBauer]

No matter how long I've been watching baseball, and no matter how smart I may think I am...I'm sure Klaw knows a hell of a lot more than I do about these things. But still.....

 

1* Love the  love for Kepler.

 

2* Like what he said about the 20 year old Stewart. I think we're all frustrated because we want him to  be a teenage/early 20's phenom, but there are just so few of those that come along. I think we owe it to him, the Twins, and ourselves as fans to give him a couple more years before tossing him under the bus.

 

3* I see his point about Berrios, but not sure I can fully agree at this point. His drive, work ethic, stuff, success to this point all seem to point to a top of the line starter. Not saying true ACE necessarily, but top of the line starter. Again, I keep flashing to Pedro Martinez.

[bluechipper]

 

Where does he have Stewart?

Pre-season he had Stewart at 53, saying he could run his fastball up to 97 with his slider being his best swing and miss pitch, four potential plus pitches, but that he needed to work on getting more command instead of control.

 

I wonder what he would say now.

[Willihammer]

2* Like what he said about the 20 year old Stewart. I think we're all frustrated because we want him to  be a teenage/early 20's phenom, but there are just so few of those that come along. I think we owe it to him, the Twins, and ourselves as fans to give him a couple more years before tossing him under the bus.

Speaking for myself, I want him to live up to the bill of a #4 overall pick. I want some silver lining for all that losing.

[bluechipper]

 

No matter how long I've been watching baseball, and no matter how smart I may think I am...I'm sure Klaw knows a hell of a lot more than I do about these things. But still.....

 

1* Love the  love for Kepler.

 

2* Like what he said about the 20 year old Stewart. I think we're all frustrated because we want him to  be a teenage/early 20's phenom, but there are just so few of those that come along. I think we owe it to him, the Twins, and ourselves as fans to give him a couple more years before tossing him under the bus.

 

3* I see his point about Berrios, but not sure I can fully agree at this point. His drive, work ethic, stuff, success to this point all seem to point to a top of the line starter. Not saying true ACE necessarily, but top of the line starter. Again, I keep flashing to Pedro Martinez.

Just looking back at the pre-season list, he had Berrios at 97 and said  "He has the ceiling of a third or fourth MLB starter if he keeps missing bats and can tighten up both off-speed pitches."

 

At least he's come around on that a little.

[Willihammer]

Just looking back at the pre-season list, he had Berrios at 97 and said  "He has the ceiling of a third or fourth MLB starter if he keeps missing bats and can tighten up both off-speed pitches."

 

At least he's come around on that a little.

I don't know why he would. All those missed bats in 2014 came as a 20 year old.

[Mike Sixel]

At the middle of the year, he had Berrios 21 overall. Man, he hates Berrios.

[Willihammer]

At the middle of the year, he had Berrios 21 overall. Man, he hates Berrios.

What about Stewart, had he moved up or down in the ranking by mid-season?

 

Basically I'm wondering if KLaw puts his money where his mouth is or if his rankings move along with everyone else's - which basically reflect the statistical production.

edit: * stats, adjusted for level/age that is.

[bluechipper]

 

At the middle of the year, he had Berrios 21 overall. Man, he hates Berrios.

He sure took his sweet time moving him up though.

[bluechipper]

 

What about Stewart, had he moved up or down in the ranking by mid-season?

Basically I'm wondering if KLaw puts his money where his mouth is or if his rankings move along with everyone else's - which basically reflect the statistical production.
edit: * stats, adjusted for level/age that is.

He wasn't in the midseason top 50 or honorable mention. I'd be really surprised if he makes the top 100 this year.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

I remember having discussions about his attitude last year and I thought that there was something about him that would make him less likely to fail like Aaron Hicks did.  Rosario doesn't seem (from a mile away) like the kind of guy who has issues with self-doubt which a lot of us (again, from a mile away) thought was part of Hicks' problems.  

 

Basically, he seems like a cocky guy (which can be good if harnessed correctly).

I remember madre dos calling him "mischievous" in a thread last summer (or words to that effect). Quite often, those are guys you want. 

 

Not to mention Rosario nearly led the majors in outfield assists last season.

[Dantes929]

 

No matter how long I've been watching baseball, and no matter how smart I may think I am...I'm sure Klaw knows a hell of a lot more than I do about these things. But still.....

 

 

Hit the nail on the head there.    He is right 50% of the time as opposed to us dumb amateur shmucks who are wrong 50% of the time.

[kab21]

What's the scouting report on Kohl Stewart? Twins fans are calling him a bust because of the lack of strike outs. Does he have time to turn it around?

 

Twins fans calling a 20-year-old a "bust" by scouting the stat line are not actually Twins fans.

 

Stewart is definitely still a prospect and not a bust but a fair question would be 'How far down the rankings has Stewart fallen and what is his ceiling now?'  The quoted question let KLaw off the hook for saying anything substantial but even KLaw has to significantly be second guessing Stewart's potential at this point. 

[gunnarthor]

 

Stewart is definitely still a prospect and not a bust but a fair question would be 'How far down the rankings has Stewart fallen and what is his ceiling now?'  The quoted question let KLaw off the hook for saying anything substantial but even KLaw has to significantly be second guessing Stewart's potential at this point. 

I actually sent in a question asking about Stewart as a prospect but he didn't answer it.

[Seth Stohs]

 

There have been rumors/issues about Rosario's make up for years. Not giving full effort, being bored with the game.  Not always respecting the game.  Stuff like that.  I remember a Reusse quote about this time a year ago quoting a Twins official about his AFL success as something like "he decided to care."  I think Reusse used it as a positive when he was called up, saying that Rosario would meet the challenge.  Anyway, something like that.  

 

But Rosario is also a huge Molitor guy (and vice versa) so I think he'll be ok.

 

 

True on all counts, and a lot of his "issues" don't need to be public. I'll leave it at that. 

 

That said, Molitor really does believe in him. Rosario had a terrific rookie year. We'll see how he does going forward. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

Speaking for myself, I want him to live up to the bill of a #4 overall pick. I want some silver lining for all that losing.

 

And Seattle likely wants Danny Hultzen to live up to the bill of a #2 pick. Let's just let Stewart advance as appropriate.

[jimmer]

 

And Seattle likely wants Danny Hultzen to live up to the bill of a #2 pick. Let's just let Stewart advance as appropriate.

With the plethora of quality starters we have in the rotation now and for a few years to come, it's not like we need to rush him.  He's only a #4 overall draft pick who has 2+ minor league seasons and who will likely play in A ball again next year ;-)

[Thrylos]

 

 

3* I see his point about Berrios, but not sure I can fully agree at this point. His drive, work ethic, stuff, success to this point all seem to point to a top of the line starter. Not saying true ACE necessarily, but top of the line starter. Again, I keep flashing to Pedro Martinez.

 

Pedro had a plus plus changeup

a plus to plus plus fastball

a plus curveball

and an above average to plus slider/cutter

all with a plus to plus plus command and control.

 

Other than size and maybe work ethic and drive, Berrios is nothing like Pedro.