You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Kevin Goldstein FanGraphs Chat - 1/3/2022
powered byJotCast
Kevin Goldstein
12:01
Hi everyone, and happy 2022. It's me. I'm here. You're here. There's not much to talk about in the micro due to the lockout, but there's always something to talk about in the macro, so let's do that. Don't worry, the lockout will end this spring, I promise.
Kevin
12:01
Why do you like baseball? What got you interested in the sport?
Kevin Goldstein
12:02
I don't know! I don't have some great single moment. As you may know, I don't really do any other sports. I can name maybe 10 players in the NFL, more in the NBA, and fewer in the NHL. I don't do soccer. Just baseball and sumo, and my one consistent answer is that I like baseball so much because it's so damn weird.
Tigers Fan
12:02
What's your favorite song/band? If that's too precise, at least genre?
Kevin Goldstein
12:03
That's way to precise. I tend to listen to dissonant stuff, but certainly not limited to that. I can like pretty stuff too.
Datt Mamon
12:03
What do you think the Royals will do with Melendez this season? He's blocked by Perez, but is there a chance he spends this year with the Royals and splits time at C/DH? What's his ceiling?
Kevin Goldstein
12:03
Some of that might be defined by whatever the CBA looks like. If there's not an incentive for the Royals to bring him up, I doubt he'll see much time in KC.
Not Jim Tracy
12:03
What would the players have to give up to make it so that it's 4 years of Service Time to get to Free Agency?
Kevin Goldstein
12:04
Playing Major League Baseball and start their own league? That's just not going to happen. We might see something that gets them to FA differently, or counts MLS differently, but something like that isn't going to change THAT dramatically.
Toy Cannon
12:04
Does Jake Meyers have All Star potential?
Kevin Goldstein
12:05
That would surprise me. He's certainly a big leaguer.
171
12:05
If Zach Peek can add 1-3 mph to his fastball, can he be an impact pitcher at the big league level?
Kevin Goldstein
12:06
It's kind of an unfair question in that 1-3 more mph would make him a much better prospect, but at the same time, you could say that about hundreds of pitchers so to just say he's the guy is a bit disinformative.
Marshall
12:06
Hi Kevin, what is the industry perception of the value of an elite closer? For example, in a typical year, the best closer would rank as the Xth most valuable player?
Kevin Goldstein
12:06
Fun question. Not sure I want to throw out a Xth number off the top of my head, but I will say I think the industry values it more than general baseball public fandom.
Am anxious fan
12:07
Hi Kevin, we are already in January. Do you have any update on the two sides sitting to discuss the new CBA? I am a fool to believe that they will come to a deal without losing any game?
Kevin Goldstein
12:08
I don't think you're a fool. I think that's certainly possible. I'd bet against it, but not in a really big way. It's still just January 3rd, and there still is just no time pressure on either side yet.
Keefths
12:08
When do we start hearing about lockout negotiations ?
Kevin Goldstein
12:09
I'd set the over/under at two weeks from today. January 17 is the first day you'll hear about talks or schedules talks.
Keith
12:09
Can Peyton Battenfield be a 3rd starter?
Kevin Goldstein
12:10
He can be a big league piece, but No. 3 starter is pushing it.
Freddy
12:10
I know you like Tyler O’Neill,  but will he regress at all, or is last year who we can expect?
Kevin Goldstein
12:10
The thing I like about O'Neill is the dramatic improvement in his swing decisions. If he keeps that up, he should be able to keep the overall game up as well.
Guest
12:10
What kind of things do you look at when trying to find players poised for comeback seasons.
Kevin Goldstein
12:11
This is similar to the O'Neill discussion. Back away from the baseball card stats and look at the underlying data. That will help you figure out what's an actual decline and what's just bad RNG.
Nick
12:12
Are you over or under Gleyber Torres Steamer projection for 22? 269/346/445; 118 wRC+
Kevin Goldstein
12:12
Man, I just kinda like that.
Mac
12:12
I’ve heard for years that Roberto Perez is one of the best game callers. How much value is in game-calling for the elite compared to average? Over a season are we looking at a few runs or multiple games?
Kevin Goldstein
12:12
Games
GBS42
12:12
Kevin, do you think major league players should have some sense of obligation to help improve working conditions for minor leaguers?  I know the MLBPA does not represent them, but given all major leaguers have endured those difficult minor league conditions, do you think they should do more?
Kevin Goldstein
12:13
I do, and it feels like they are starting to feel that way as well.
John Dorian
12:13
Hi Kevin. I really love all your work--you've been a great addition to Fangraphs. I also appreciate that you express your values, from pointing out that players should make decisions about their careers based on what's important for them to the fact that people should enjoy whatever they like and not worry about what other people think, in your writing and chats. It is funny, given that, how long you carried on the "that's not a great movie" dialogue in your chats. I thought of this the other day when I watched Good Will Hunting to my son, which has been clearly stated by the Kevin Goldstein Authority to NOT be a great movie. Now for a question: how do you wind up getting into sumo?
Kevin Goldstein
12:14
Look, I can say that I don't think Goodwill Hunting is a great movie, but if you loved it, that's awesome. Enjoy it. We live in a tough world to find your joy. I'm not here to be a referee. As long as you're not hurting anyone, it's my job to either help or get out of the way.  As for sumo, I just starting watching it, and found it absolutely enthralling, and the love was born very quickly.
EA
12:15
Is Pedro Leon going to surprise people, play SS, and hit over .250?
Kevin Goldstein
12:15
I don't think he's a shortstop, so no.
Ian
12:15
I live in an area with a lot of good college baseball and want to become somewhat of a scouting hobbyist. How do you organize your thoughts at in person looks?
Kevin Goldstein
12:16
I kinda don't! I'm a pen and paper person. I have a desk filled with little notebooks. I have one page for each player I'm scouting and just keep taking notes and jotting down thoughts as they come to me. I don't really organize it until it's time to write the report.
Krish
12:16
Hi Kevin - only looking at his baseball skills/projections and assuming that he doesn’t have the NFL as an option, did Kyler Murray warrant a top-10 pick in your opinion? Thanks and keep up the great work.
Kevin Goldstein
12:17
It's a tough question. For some, yes he did. For others, he was more bottom of the first round. At the same time, if Murray JUST played baseball, the thought that he'd be top ten might be more universal.
JB
12:17
Obviously the holidays throw a wrench in this, but does each day of no lockout news make you feel worse (as it makes me feel), or is knowing that all it could take is one breakthrough enough to keep your confidence from wavering?
Load More Messages
Connecting…