I really know nothing of him as a tactical manager, but I like that the Padres actually considered managerial experience in the minors as if it has value (it absolutely does, in my opinion), and I have heard great things about his work with young players. I'm cautiously optimistic.

If healthy? Might be a bit of a leap now, but possible later in the season.

I don't know that I think that's true - Davidson certainly projects for power - and power is a relatively scarce commodity. But I think this qualifies as looking for something to worry about: they have lots of pitching and players up the middle, so if they do have to trade for a power bat at a corner at some point they should have the pieces to do so.

I don't think that's an accurate summary of my views on him at any point. It's not like he was throwing 85 and getting guys out. He wasn't throwing 96 like he did on the Cape, but I've seen him multiple times as a pro and he's generally been at least 88-93, more often 90-94, with an above-average slider. Deception is why he puts up huge K rates despite stuff that's more grade 55-60 than grade 65-70.

I saw Nolan Martinez, Chris Murphy, and Nick Lodolo. I'm going to see Mickey Moniak today and probably Reggie Lawson tomorrow. The weather is screwing up my trip - I would have had the chance to see Lawson and Kevin Gowdy, but their games are now at the same time.

No, I think spring training stats are totally meaningless and trying to draw any conclusions from three days of games would only qualify you to participate in last night's GOP debate.

One hundred percent. If he's healthy, he'll be above average.

You'll have to be more specific; I saw Lee's last start of 2015 and saw more or less what he's been before.

Yes. Someone asked Jonathan Mayo that same question on Twitter and I was dumbfounded. That's a bad fake-scouting report going around if people think that's what he is.

I've heard better on Morejon, but still good things on Ona. Still haven't seen either. Once they're locked up in deals, they turn into phantasms.

Will see him in April but area guys were telling me more like second round coming into the spring.

I have no idea how this Hank story became a thing. Maybe Michigan's Gov. Snyder should concoct a fake-dog story because it certainly seemed to generate more reader interest than poisoning kids in Flint has.

Oh, I like hip hop, but please don't lump Kanye into that genre. I thought untitled unmastered was much more interesting and streamlined than TPAB, and while he could have used some editing (track 7 anyone?), there are some real highlights that brought me back to the brief peak of jazz-rap, particularly track 8 and track 3.

It's a 50 arm if you like it, 45 if you don't. Second base is his ideal position. I wonder if the Astros figured he was the best player available at 2 in their minds, so if there isn't an opportunity (with Altuve signed through 2019 including options, there probably isn't one), Bregman would be the centerpiece in any trade for a big leaguer in July.

They really altered Matzek's delivery, but aside from those two guys i'm not sure what other examples we have there. Often it's these kids going to coaches in their offseasons, like Taijuan Walker and Aaron Sanchez apparently did, rather than getting it from coaches.

Now, probably a 40 or 45. Future, jeez, if you wanted to push me to say 60 I wouldn't argue too hard. He's always had an approach well beyond his age.

If a kid shows up looking different physically or mechanically, that might mean something significant. I heard secondhand that David Rollins was throwing harder with a better slider than before - now that's a guy I would want to watch. But you can take the spring training stats sheet into the bathroom with you in case the stall is out of toilet paper.

I disagree that that's all there is to a minor league manager's job. No team would be thrilled with a manager who routinely finished last, because the affiliate (if it's not owned by the MLB team) would be seriously pissed off and would seek a new affiliation - and no MLB team wants to end up in High Desert. The actual experience of running a club, handling tactical situations in-game, and balancing developmental needs with trying to win is valuable and can't be replicated through any means other than experience.

I think it would. I own their Virtuoso but it's because I needed a consistent, finer grind for espresso.

Post. Saw him in AFL.

Ruffalo's character blowing up at Keaton. Not sure if it actually happened or not, but it seemed very made-for-commercial.

He's not 93-96 as a starter. Might do that in relief - I heard he did in instructs in short stints - but that's not really a change when you take a guy from starting to relief and see his velocity increase.

Yes. Although I'm not totally sure he's there on merit.

Well they have so little money to spend relative to other teams that I'd probably avoid many of the HS kids who are expected to go first round and wouldn't be signable for less than first-round money. Can still find value later in the draft; perhaps there's a way to scout those guys more efficiently when you're not spending resources scouting Corey Ray or Jason Groome.

If Andrus gets hurt or hits even worse than he did in 2015, don't they have to try it?

No. And if there were, they'd be bogus. It's three months from the draft and there's no Bryce Harper type to make this an easy question.

I was not happy to see that at all, and I won't say a word to defend ESPN's actions, but I also have no idea who those executives might have been or if they're still with the company. I can only hope that if they are still around that they are being made to answer for their actions. Erin deserved so much better.

Pandemic.

I have gone to spring training every year since joining ESPN. This year is no different.

I would have done it anyway just to make it clear that I think suspensions for weed are stupid. I have real optimism that the union is going to try to get that eliminated in the next CBA. I'm in California now and I could probably be legally high right now (I'm not, just to make that clear). There's no justification for MLB being this far behind the times.

I wouldn't have tried or threatened to cut him, but as I said on the BBTN podcast, there is no benefit to paying these guys more before they're arb-eligible. I just wouldn't go out of my way to antagonize them.

I think Benintendi could do that. Hell, Bregman could do it if Altuve or Correa had some serious injury.

Hm. I think Atlanta is more motivated to go spend some money to improve the team quickly in 2017-18, but the Phillies' prospects are a bit closer to helping the big-league club.

I have done so on Twitter and on air. I've called out colleagues for supporting anti-science and pseudoscience too. So this seems like a very silly question.

Cotogna, del Popolo, flour + water, Four Barrel, Sightglass.

I've cured and smoked bacon. I haven't done anything to be eaten uncooked like prosciutto.

Aaron Blair, because he's just about there already.

A lot. Although Bradley also had issues with his shoulder, and both guys have struggled to develop a good third pitch.

Jefferies and Matt Manning are the two definites, although Manning is playing hoops and won't make his first start until April 11th.

I actually didn't watch it; I've only read recaps and reactions, which of course are going to highlight the most ridiculous moments.

No - actually, I thought it enhanced the performance because it made him fall into character more. Plus I don't know what Rezendes actually sounds like; I read an interview with Sascha Pfeifer which one of you sent to me where she said the actors all worked to adopt the real reporters' accents and gestures.

Good for the game. Daily fantasy, not so much.

Rakim. I'll entertain an argument for 2Pac, but Rakim is known by a single letter for a reason.

Yes. I think he's going to hit better than expected. He was OK before he slammed into the wall last year.

There are two problems with this. The ratifiers of the 14th amendment promised due process under the law to all, with no exceptions or conditions. Indeed, the authors or ratifiers of the Constitution or any amendment could not have imagined the world in which we live today, and saying that if they didn't anticipate modern technology, biology, knowledge of genetics (of which they had none), and so on that the documents don't apply renders them useless. As for Scalia's argument that marriage equality should have been left to state legislatures, that's an outright failure because so many federal laws and policies - including the favorable tax treatment of married couples and survivors' benefits in social security - rely on marital status that it is undeniably a federal issues. Scalia was smart enough to know this, but let his own opposition to gay marriage inform his opinion instead.

Tough to do those when I'm on a plane or in a car all the time.

I thought it was reasonable for a negotiated settlement (no appeal) in a case where the victim recanted, so whatever additional evidence MLB may have gathered that we don't have, their case against Chapman was likely weaker than they'd wanted.

.250ish with 75 walks and 20-25 homers? I don't know him that well as a player, just some video.

Really? I would never say anything online or in a text that I wouldn't repeat in person. You seem ignorant of what my job actually entails. When I say the Angels have the worst farm system I've ever seen, I still talk to many people in their organization and must be willing to stand up and answer for what I've said.

It's a strong hypothesis, and in my opinion, a good one that's probably incomplete. He was fairly crude to begin with and there was always a chance he'd never hit.