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Kevin Goldstein FanGraphs Chat - 10/4/2021
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Kevin Goldstein
11:50
I get so many nice comments about how much people enjoy these chats, so I have to let you know that I really love doing them. I have a blast with these.
Guest
11:51
Do you think Kyle Boddy gets another job with an MLB team?
Kevin Goldstein
11:51
I think that's up to Kyle. I'm not sure he wants to do it again, and I can certainly understand that feeling.
SJ
11:51
Seems like more job postings in the past week than all of last offseason. Sounds like normal hiring patterns are returning?
Kevin Goldstein
11:51
It's close, yes.
chilly
11:52
aside from free agency and trade deadlines, how often does average ownership speak with their staff?
Kevin Goldstein
11:52
GM nearly every day, AGMs fair often, other staff if they're in the room at the time.
How Bobby Grich Stole Christmas
11:52
I have heard that the late Kevin Towers sometimes used to call up other GMs mostly just to chat about baseball and try to build relationships that might lead to a deal down the road. Do today's GMs/AGMs talk on the phone much or is it all texts or calls with specific inquiries?
Kevin Goldstein
11:53
SO MUCH TEXTING. Honestly, during my time with the Astros, I fought like hell, and as long as I could to keep my MacBook in a PC shop just so I could have iMessage.
Guest
11:53
Is there a way/site to see stats vs pitches 95+ mph? (ala your recent podcast discussion)
Kevin Goldstein
11:53
I don't know of a public resource for that, unfortunately.
Alf
11:54
You seem to be very much in the "playoffs are a dice roll" camp. Is that a common view among baseball insiders?
Kevin Goldstein
11:54
YES.
Brent
11:54
What percentage of this year's playoff games do you expect to watch in full?
Kevin Goldstein
11:54
I think I'll end up in the 90th percentile or so.
Bob
11:54
You and many other prospect writers hate comps, but presumably they have a long tradition within the game. Is it that you hate the way fans must-use comps, but understand their value when talking amongst insiders or do you just hate comps and think they are anachronistic junk like The Good Face?
Kevin Goldstein
11:54
I just think they are often forced.
Tal
11:55
How often are analytics personnel given free reign to explore their own ideas rather than getting directives from GMs or PoBOs?
Kevin Goldstein
11:55
It's a mix. As somebody with a software development background, I often pushed for a skunkworks group within the Astros, but it never came to fruition.
M
11:55
What do you view as the main positives of working in a front office? A lot of the positives I’ve heard people say seem a bit superficial (being able to say you work for X team, reporting to a stadium) and largely outweighed by the negatives (work/life balance, pay). Just interested in your input
Kevin Goldstein
11:56
It's kind of a soft thing, but the best thing is having skin in the game. I also liked the travel and going all over the world to watch baseball. The negatives are real too. I'm still not sure I want to do it again.
Fangraphs Reader
11:56
Could the Astros add Scherzer to continue the trend of adding HOF-caliber pitchers in their mid 30s?
Kevin Goldstein
11:57
They could . . . . but I think he'll have many many suitors.
Plooto
11:57
Do you know if there's any specific reason front offices are usually located in the stadium other than tradition?
Kevin Goldstein
11:57
I mean, it's insanely convenient.
kidzero
11:57
What's your take on the Rockies making Bill Schmidt a permanent GM?  Do you think Monfort and the Rockies actually went through the proper protocols on interviewing GM candidates instead of going in-house?
Kevin Goldstein
11:58
It certainly felt like a fait acompli.
James
11:59
How does the front office generally respond if they feel like their manager is making unsound tactical moves regarding the bullpen and batting order?
Kevin Goldstein
11:59
Find a time to talk about it and talk about it.
Peter Off-Brand
11:59
Lol. The entire rest of the world is down with ties in soccer, hell even the NFL has ties. Let's put our big boy pants on and do what makes sense.
Kevin Goldstein
11:59
I really don't care about soccer or football.
How Bobby Grich Stole Christmas
12:00
Is there any conventional wisdom in the industry as which two cities are most likely to get expansion teams?
Kevin Goldstein
12:00
Vegas, Charlotte.
Chris H
12:00
What area of baseball still remains most overlooked by sabermetrics?
Kevin Goldstein
12:00
I still think defensive metrics are highly highly flawed.
Grant
12:00
Who will be the next rikishi to reach Yokozuna?
Kevin Goldstein
12:01
Am I crazy to say Hōshōryu?
How Bobby Grich Stole Christmas
12:01
Following up on the Kyle Seager question, are there any players who have more than passing conversations with the GM?
Kevin Goldstein
12:02
Yes. Some have long ones, and want to have them. Others want nothing to do with front office folks. Fine either way, really.
Marc
12:02
Why'd the Britton trade fall through for Houston?
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