JotCast | Kevin Goldstein FanGraphs Chat

Kevin Goldstein FanGraphs Chat - 11/1/2021

Kevin Goldstein

12:00

Hi everyone. It's Monday, I'm chatting. The typing muscles are loosened and I'll get to as many questions as I can.... LET"S GO.

Bret

12:00

What happened to Luke Voit? He looked like a fixture for the Yankees heading into this season, having some recent monster seasons. Obviously, injuries plagued his 2021, but why has it pushed him out of favor and into a nontender candidate?

Kevin Goldstein

12:01

I don't think he was every really healthy, which is obviously an ongoing concern for him. He's on the wrong side of 30 and doesn't have a skillset that ages well...

Dave

12:01

Going to watch any NBA this season?

Kevin Goldstein

12:01

No plans.

Matt

12:02

Can the Angels count on one, or both, of Jo Adell/Brandon Marsh to be a full-time regular next season?

Kevin Goldstein

12:03

I think a safe way to enter the off-season is by assuming you can count on one of them.

Justin

12:03

How low do you think a team's payroll would have to be leading into a year (or after a small group of years) in order for the league/MLBPA to demand action? If the Pirates open 2022 under ~$40 million like the project to and dont get in trouble (when combined from the past few years' low spending), I dont know how any team will ever will get in trouble.

Kevin Goldstein

12:03

Hard to answer this with a CBA on the horizon....

Ryan

12:03

Rockies sent Ryan Rolison to the Dominican winter league instead of the Fall League. Is this better or worse for development? Would players rather

Kevin Goldstein

12:04

It's neither better or worse, but it's more player specific. If there was a player who I wanted to get more coaches and hands-on instruction with some game reps thrown in, I'd want them in the AFL. If there was a player who I wanted to simply get highly competitive innings, I'd go to LIDOM.

Jeff in Jersey

12:05

Would you extend QO's to both Syndergaard and Conforto? If they both accept, the Mets are near the luxury tax without any additions...but there aren't any bad one-year deals, right?

Kevin Goldstein

12:05

There are bad one year deals. I'm not sure 37m for those two for one year is the best idea.....

12:05

Marco Luciano had a nice start to the season, but cratered upon promotion to High A. Wonder if this is worrisome at all, or not really since it was only for a month or so and he's so young.

Kevin Goldstein

12:05

Not really since it was only for a month or so and he's so young.

Jefferson

12:05

Charlie morton has been so good in his late 30s. What's your concern level about him returning after the broken leg?

Kevin Goldstein

12:06

Really not much. Obviously it's far preferred over an arm issue.

Jefferson

12:06

Thoughts on Kyle seager email? Seems like a real shitty way to depart with a player who has been with the team for over a decade

Kevin Goldstein

12:06

Sounds like they tried to get in touch with him and did imform the agents which is standard protocol.

Yo-Yo

12:06

All four positional Cardinals (Gorman/Yepez/Nootbaar/Donovan) are crushing it in the AFL, for whatever that's worth. Do you think all four reasonably project to be average or better players? Let's say average is 1.5-2.0 WAR/600.

Kevin Goldstein

12:07

I certainly would not bet on all four becoming that. Some will.

Beiisbolero21

12:07

Astros going with Garcia over Urquidy tomorrow; any idea why?

Kevin Goldstein

12:07

Urquidy pitched yesterday (breifly) and I wonder if they're hoping to save him for game 7.

Dave

12:07

What's for lunch?

Kevin Goldstein

12:07

Wife made pizza last night, and there are leftovers.

Jacob

12:07

That spinning throw play from Correa last night was A+.

Kevin Goldstein

12:08

He's just a phenomenal defensive player. It's really what separates him from Seager in my mind as far as the big name free agent shortstops.

Yo-Yo

12:08

Has your method of projecting swing-and-miss guys changed at all over the years? If you look at the worst contact% rankings, the very worst players are often the best overall hitters. Do you give more leeway towards the guys who whiff a ton now because of the current state of hitting?

Kevin Goldstein

12:08

You can recalibrate a bit as to what big swing and miss really is, but contact is still exceptionally important.

James

12:09

Thanks for the chat! For their 2022 roster should the Padres run it back, tweak it, or overhaul it?

Kevin Goldstein

12:09

It's an excellent roster. I think the Padres need to get away from always trying to make the biggest splash and get the biggest name and 'win the offseason' and focus on depth. A lack of depth is what doomed them last year.

Or I guess, still this year.

171

12:09

Do players spend time in Spring Training planning out and practicing their special celebration handshakes with each other? It seems like a good amount of players have a whole routine that is different between different players. How do they plan and remember these 8-9 different 2-4 second celebrations?

Kevin Goldstein

12:10

Yes they do. Spring training is an absolute grind. It's like groundhog day for six weeks.

Parade of Arms

12:10

Is pitching so fungible now that a team whose 3rd best pitcher is Will Smith or Tyler Matzek can win a World Series? What can or should MLB do to make pitching matter again? (Or, do you think they should stand pat and do nothing?)

Kevin Goldstein

12:11

Both teams are without their best starters. Coming off of the very weird 2020, everyone is exhausted. I would wait until we get through a 'normal' season before I start worrying about it.

Colin

12:11

By your estimate, what percentage of teams have “win a World Series” as their true organizational goal, not caveated by financial or other constraints that make it more or less improbable?

Kevin Goldstein

12:12

I think it's a goal of all 30 front offices. Owners create the constraints.

TomBruno23

12:12

This video of Escogido celebrating after Pujols won the game yesterday is what LIDOM is all about.