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Kevin Goldstein FanGraphs Chat – 5/17/2021
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Jake
1:13
One reason fans distrust soft skills like makeup and catcher game calling is because we don’t think the media types who discuss it know much of anything and or more likely just boosting sources. How well do you think public perception matches reality on those soft skills? Any examples of FOs laughing at bad makeup guys getty publicly lauded?
Kevin Goldstein
1:14
I agree with your premise. As for makeup, everyone describes it different, and the thing I care about might not be the things you care about.
build a prospect
1:14
would you rather have a 50 hit 70 power or 70 hit 50 power guy?
Kevin Goldstein
1:14
Feels kind even. 260 w/ 30 or .300 with 15 . . .
Dalton Wilcox
1:14
I think the reason most fans don’t value soft skills is because they’ve been coached to be cynical towards anything that can’t be quantified. The Future, Now!
Kevin Goldstein
1:15
I agree with this.
TJ
1:15
How about George Kirby as the next Shane Bieber? Plus command guy who keeps adding MPH until he's an ace?
Kevin Goldstein
1:16
George Kirby is a really good prospect, but can we get past two starts in High-A before we start asking if he's going to win Cy Young awards?
YardGoat
1:16
Why do some teams gravitate towards specific categories of players in their drafts (i.e. college hitters vs. high school pitchers, etc.)? Is it a matter of feeling more comfortable with their scouting in that area or is there some analytical insight backing up a certain grouping being safer?
Kevin Goldstein
1:17
I think some of these 'gravitations' get overstated because the draft is just once a year. If a team takes high school bats with their first round pick three years in a row, it might just be because that's how things lined up three years in a row as opposed to some sudden bias for one player family over another.
Urge Overkill
1:17
UO Rules!
Kevin Goldstein
1:17
Wow, they so do not.
Steve O
1:18
Is Chris Gittens an MLB player? EVs are literally the best in the minors and he's got 80 power. Surely, he should get a chance somewhere.
Kevin Goldstein
1:18
Potential for a Chris Carter like career.
Chris
1:18
What are your thoughts on the 6 man rotation? It seems like it's helping the mariners but not helping Detroit at all.
Kevin Goldstein
1:18
Help them win? Maybe not? Help them evaluate the players to figure out who is going to be on the team when they're actually good? Absolutely.
SJ
1:19
Do MLB execs have time to follow any other sports, or are most of them too consumed by baseball?
Kevin Goldstein
1:19
They do, to different levels.
I don't, other than sumo, but I just don't really like other sports . . .
DJS
1:19
Who do you think is most likely to go 1.1? Did the Vandy pitchers show enough this weekend to put them firmly in the conversation, or are the creeping worries enough that it will be anyone's guess between the top 4-5 guys until draft day?
Kevin Goldstein
1:19
I think it's a five player mix still with the two Vandy arms, Lawler, Mayer and Davis.
Josh
1:21
How often do you think about what you would be doing if you were still working in a front office? Are you ever researching anything and think to yourself "wow I would have loved to trade for player XYZ"
Kevin Goldstein
1:21
Hmmm. Not really how my brain works, but I do try to approach my work with a FO mentality in order to better serve the audience.
asnbrv
1:21
When a team signs a veteran thats near the end of their careers, us fans usually say "cool, he can teach the young guys [thing the vet used to be very good at] ". But do teams want this? Isn't a young player listening to so many things from different people sometimes counterproductive?
Kevin Goldstein
1:22
I don't know about teaching specific skills, but there can be (can, not always) some value to having that vet in there just to serve as a role model in terms of approach to the game.
JK
1:22
This might be very nit picky, but is there any data as to the effect of minor league umpires? Just minor noise or worthwhile to contemplate? I will tune into a game on MiLB gameday here and there and it seems as if the calls are all over the place
Kevin Goldstein
1:23
I don't know of any data, but yes, minor league umpiring is ROUGH. Also, being an ump is an INCREDIBLY difficult job and just like the players, they're learning. . .
Steve O
1:23
When a team trades away a decent prospect and he becomes a star or a very good player, does that make them question their evaluation? Or do they just chalk it up to improvements the player made, etc?
Kevin Goldstein
1:24
Always makes you wonder what you missed, but there are times where you have to admit that it just probably wasn't going to happen with your team. Also, while it bothers you, you have to be happy for the player. I thought Teoscar Hernandez with a fourth outfielder, and I was wrong. I also think he's a wonderful person and shed a tear (seriously, I did) when he hit his first MLB HR.
KB
1:24
Are there pitchers out there who could conceivably take on a higher workload than they already do? Like a starter who could work every 4 days instead of every 5 without a decrease in performance. Or a reliever who can work 100+ innings in a season.
Kevin Goldstein
1:25
I do think there are a handful of them, but it's just so risky in trying to test the hypothesis.
Tommy
1:25
Do people outside of organizations have access to peripherals and advanced stats for minor leaguers? Thinking things like EV, barrel, etc? Is that something that could become standardly available in the way that it is for MLB? Eric's discovery of minor league statcast results got me thinking of it, but surely actual MLB teams have these kinds of numbers available to them already?
Kevin Goldstein
1:26
Yes, MLB teams have all of that data, and I sure miss it!
Ryan
1:26
Do you see Canterino sticking as a starter or is he destined for the pen?
Kevin Goldstein
1:26
I think it's a starter package. Feels like a back-end consistent innings eater.
Guest
1:26
Hey Kevin, I know you're a big movie fan. Do you happen to like documentaries as well?
Kevin Goldstein
1:26
Sure, tons!
Asking for a friend
1:27
Is Myles St]raw a legitimate starting CF?
Kevin Goldstein
1:27
I think he's more of a good fourth outfielder.
ChatzMcGee
1:29
How do teams know what guys might be available for trade? Is there like a league accessible trade block?!
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