Kevin Goldstein FanGraphs Chat – 11/29/2021

Kevin Goldstein: Hi everyone. Plenty of going on. Let’s go!

FCT: Why do the Cubs hate me?

Kevin Goldstein: Why did you think they hate you? You didn’t think they were going to be players on big free agents, did you?

Guest: How do you think Gausman’s pitch mix will play in the AL East?

Kevin Goldstein: I think it will play just fine. Obviously he’ll face a lot of really tough lineups in the AL East, which could impact performance, but that’s on the hitters, not Gausman’s stuff.

DRMade: Yankees???

Kevin Goldstein: Yankees. Don’t see any reason to panic. They just don’t leak like other teams.

Greg: How difficult is it to create a total lack of leaks like seems to be out of the Braves front office? I’m desperate for any rumor possible, but I can’t remember them letting anything leak while other organizations have leaks everywhere. Is it a case of having bad, lazy beat writers? Or how tough is it for a team to actually accomplish what Anthopoulos and company have created?

Kevin Goldstein: Speaking of not leaking . . . it’s actually super hard but also creates a culture that frustrates some as circles need to be very small and very tight.

WitOnions: My friends are Big Time Mad that the White Sox appear to be letting the big FAs go off the board.  Should we really be surprised tho?

Kevin Goldstein: I mean, there are still plenty of big free agents out there no? Also, make a list of ‘teams the won the offseason’ or whatever and you’ll see it’s not a great list.

Guest: Is the flurry of FA signing activity a surprise and could that indicate that MLB/MLBPA may have some small  parameters agreed upon in the CBA?

Kevin Goldstein: I think it shows confidence that a 2022 season will be good to go, but expect a lockout and some pain along the way.

G: With Jacob Stallings supposedly drawing trade interest, am I wrong in thinking his best qualities i.e. defense, handling a pitching staff, leadership to a young team, are more valuable to the pirates than anything they might get in return?

Kevin Goldstein: Not really. With three years of control remaining, he’s not going to be part of a Pirates team that wins…

Eddy: So I thought the new CBA would be more player friendly and thus lead to a slow early FA signing period as players might’ve wanted to see what awaited them on the other side. Is everyone that afraid that only doom awaits this winter?

Kevin Goldstein: Doom awaits this winter, and any CBA agreement would NOT cover this offseason.

Jason: What the heck is happening in Seattle? A bunch of strikeouts in agency so far. Is the Dipoto and Co the reason or is it just players wanting to play elsewhere?

Kevin Goldstein: Far more the latter. Seattle can be a tough sell, as players see it as geographically isolated.

Doug: What should we take from the Morosi tweet describing Angels as a “top suitor” for Ray but also noting that they haven’t had a formal meeting yet? I’m confused.

Kevin Goldstein: Not really sure. My best guess is that they’re just letting Ray and his reps know that they want to be players and believe they can max/exceed any offer…

Justin: Can teams withdraw an offer during the lockout? Or is all correspondence with players cut off?

Kevin Goldstein: Teams can withdraw an offer anytime before acceptance, players have the same ability.

Boras skeptical: You’ve mentioned you liked to negotiate with Boras Corp , ehoy exactly, beacause they were staightforward or no BS guys or why ? Thanks a lot Kevin

Kevin Goldstein: Yeah. I feel like you always knew where you stood with them, and that means a lot to me. You might see the asks as unreasonable, but they really don’t beat around the bush.

A big dumb idiot: Does it feel incongruent that we’re about to have a work stoppage with so much money being thrown around right before?

Kevin Goldstein: Not really. Baseball is a very weird and very unique industry.

Why Rockies: Jon Gray got 56 Mill on free agency… Why was he not offered the QO? Why would Rockies FA do that ?

Kevin Goldstein: Look, my friend. I’ve spent nearly 20 years trying to understand the Rockies, and I’ve made little progress in doing so.

JKD: Scherzer has said in the past that what he’s looking for is a chance to win. He’s made a LOT of money already, has small kids, already has a ring and three Cy Youngs and (imo) an open-and-shut HOF case. He’s also a senior union rep and there has been over time a sense from the union (it seems to me) that the top guys on the market have an obligation to push the ceiling as high as possible in terms of both AAV and overall dollars, whenever they can. So what do you think the balance of his calculus is?

Kevin Goldstein: Well, it looks like he’s going to the Mets. Makes sense. He wants to spring in FLA, and seems to favor the east coast….

Jay: If you’re a Mets front office guy – what is your opinion of Steve Cohen? Would you rather an owner with an endless pocketbook and an endless love of the spotlight? Or a financially tight owner who just lets the FO do their thing?

Kevin Goldstein: Yeah, just gimme the big budget. I can deal with the media distractions if you give me a big budget to play with.

Rays fan: Thoughts on Wander Franco deal ?

Kevin Goldstein: Nothing super insightful here. Makes sense for both sides.

Pale Hose Time: What do you think is behind the trend of weaker teams with strong farm systems (i.e. the Rangers and Tigers) spending a ton in free agency without a clear, immediate path to contention?

Kevin Goldstein: At some point, you have to put your flag down and let the industry understand you are going to be a player.

Interesed guy: Who decides Internacional signings IS it the International Scout like Oz Ocampo? Or does the GM go to DR and watches them personally?

Kevin Goldstein: GM/AGM trips to the DR happen, but are quite rare. For some, less than once a year. They are leaning HARD on their international staff.

Derrick: When negotiating with free agents, are you responsible for only years and money? Who is responsible for “terms”?

Kevin Goldstein: Yes, years and money. Terms are defined through in-depth group discussions and obviously the GM has final say. Most conversations end with “Ok, I’ll take this back to the group and get back to you.” I did like having an understanding of where I can just say yes, going in, but that didn’t usually happen.

Derrick: Reports are that players will sign today so they can negotiate “terms”. What other terms are negotiated other than deferred money, no trade clause, payout structure?

Kevin Goldstein: Charities, award packages, travel benefits, all sorts of stuff.

Chris Antonetti: EL mentioned in his 40 man article that we can be difficult to deal with. Did you have the same experience with the Astros? Are we perceived like this because we use our model’s valuations more religiously than other teams?

Kevin Goldstein: I didn’t see the Indians difficult to deal with, other than they were very data driven so they liked the players the Astros like and vice-versa, so it was just hard to find a match.

Kyle: Good morning! Seems like today will be crazy, but odds 0-100 we see Carlos Correa sign? I’m betting 0.5, but what do you know?

Kevin Goldstein: I would also bet hard that he’s still a free agent when the lockout begins.

Tom Ricketts: *to the tune of Kanye’s “Coldest Winter”* goodbye my fans, will I ever spend again?

Kevin Goldstein: Again, did you really think the Cubs were going to be big players in free agency? If so, it’s kinda on you.

FCT: What kind of deal do you ultimately see Rodón getting and what teams make sense?

Kevin Goldstein: I think he fits for most teams, no? Who doesn’t need starters? I think because of the injury history, he should be looking for a bigger AAV and all sorts of incentives, because the injury history is probably going to keep him from getting any length.

Cob: Red Sox need a starter. Stroman? Ray?

Kevin Goldstein: Sure.

Kevin Goldstein: I mean, every team needs starters and you just named two good ones.

Matthew: Curious how this works behind the scenes: Let’s say there’s a team that has enough budget for one “big” contract, and they’re interested (as an example) in Corey Seager, Carlos Correa, and Kris Bryant. They set out offers for all three, but how does it work if they can only sign one? Do they tell the agents that there are two other offers out there and we will take who ever accepts first, and pull the offer after? Is there a deadline? What if two or all three accept? Does the team have to go back to the agents and say sorry to the ones that are not the first choice? Further negotiations? Are agents aware of the identity of the other players?

Kevin Goldstein: Sure, that kind of thing can happen, and yes, teams will definitely let agents know that they have multiple offers out there and that any acceptance could force them to rescind other offers. You can communicate deadlines (often referred to as “time outs”) on offers as well.

Maddoning: This big spending spree…doesn’t that fly in the face of any owner’s arguments that they can’t afford to give more payroll to the players?

Kevin Goldstein: I mean, nobody believes that in the first place…

Jacques Pederson: Is the NL Central going to be total dreck next year? the top two teams aren’t even good

Kevin Goldstein: We kind of thought that going into 2021 and Milwaukee won 95 games while the Cardinals surged in the second half.

Guest: think the Phillies make a splash this winter? KB or Story?

Kevin Goldstein: They certainly WANT TO, but free agents are always easier said than done.

Tom Emanski: There exists space between “not being players on the big free agents” and “not being players in the market at all while players are flying off the board left and right”.  The Cubs have many, many holes to fill, and the reasonable middle-tier types are flying off the board on the pitching side.  Even if you don’t think they’ll be competitive in 2022, signing tradeable assets is a way to shorten the rebuilding/retooling process.

Kevin Goldstein: Who’s a reasonable target that they’ve missed out on? I see lots of Jon Gray in the chat, but did you really think the Cubs were going to sign a good SP to a four year deal?

zurzles: When Scherzer/Boras spend all night negotiating with the Mets, then go silent, and then restart talks with the Mets, is it fair to assume they were just trying to see if another team was willing bid higher?

Kevin Goldstein: I mean, that’s their job, no?

Appa Yip Yip: Do front offices even really care about leaks that much? Is it always the FO that leaks, or do agencies do it too?

Kevin Goldstein: Agencies definitely do as well. Some teams care about it, others don’t.

CVD: Do you see the Nats making any major signings?

Kevin Goldstein: No.

Lunar verLander: Does working with a ‘leaky’ vs. ‘non-leaky’ front office have a significant impact on teams trading with one another?

Kevin Goldstein: It certainly can lead to some early conversations that include “We gotta keep this tight”

Jake: Is it correct that the Jan 15 international signing period will happen as normal even with a CBA lockout?

Kevin Goldstein: Yes. Any activity that does not effect the 40-man is allowed. So international signings all the way up to minor league free agent signings are fair game.

G: Do players/agents ever make the first offer to a team?

Kevin Goldstein: Not in my experience. They might offer ‘guidance’ in terms of years and range, but I’ve never seen a first concrete offer from the player side.

BigDaddeh: At this point could we say easily that the Yankees put Gerrit Cole’s contract on waivers and he’d get taken immediately? Wild

Kevin Goldstein: Of course he would.

CBT: As we generally become more pro-labor in the way we talk about the CBA negotiations, why are teams that spend money like LAD, NYY (perhaps now NYM?) vilified? Revenue has exploded by 2-3x what it was 20 years ago, but the biggest payrolls have stayed flat. Would people really rather see Steinbrenner or Guggenheim keep that money over it going back to players?

Kevin Goldstein: Amen.

BigDaddeh: If you are going to sign Scherzer for 3 you’ve got a find a way to extend Degrom so he doesn’t opt out after 22 since that now seems a formality with the market being what it is?

Kevin Goldstein: After last year, do you really want to start extension talks?

Mike: Thanks for doing the chat! If you were still in a front office, would you be active pre-work stoppage as many front offices have been? I understand locking up younger talents as their salary structure may change and putting a team together as a stoppage would eat into team building later. But, it seems to me that ‘older’ player pricetags would come down if younger players get more expensive

Kevin Goldstein: I would be operating in a business-as-usual style until the lockout occured.

Kiermaier’s Piercing Green Eyes: What did you mean when you mentioned charities as part of contract terms?

Kevin Goldstein: A lot of players have their own charities, and have contracts that include the team donating to them as part of their deal. There are also a few deals that have players donating to team-based charities.

Pinstripe Perry: If the Mets can support a ~$270+ million payroll being the second team in town, is it a reasonable to guess that teams like BOS, NYY, LAD can support $300+ million annually based on revenue figures even despite COVID weirdness the last few years?

Kevin Goldstein: That, and more.

Tom Ricketts: Thank you for blaming my fans.   Please ignore my failed real estate investments.  My fans pay for literally the most expensive game day experience in the whole league yet are always top 5 in attendance.  Meanwhile my team is noncompetitive because I’ve sat out 3 straight offseasons.  Yep, please keep blaming them.

Kevin Goldstein: Oh please. All I’m saying is that it was foolish to think they’d be big players in free agency. And it is/was. Period.

171: Why has no one picked up Clint Frazier yet?

Kevin Goldstein: I mean, his free agency just began….

Brian: Did you finish that huge turkey?

Kevin Goldstein: My god, we have so much turkey still.

BigDaddeh: As smart a business man as Cohen is do we think that Boras is the type of salesman that he just hasn’t seen before?

Kevin Goldstein: As I wrote today on the Matz piece, whatever you think of Cohen, his business acumen does not apply neatly to the world of baseball, which is a very unique thing.

Pinstripe Perry: Will the old INTL Amateur Rules apply in the absence of a new CBA agreement before 1/15 or will it become (even more of) the wild west?

Kevin Goldstein: Yes, existing rules apply to 1/15

BigDaddeh: Do we think that Matz’s agents did anything more “unprofessional ” than what usually happens 99% of the times in FA deals?

Kevin Goldstein: Wrote about that today. Check it out.

Thomas: Do you think the Canadian gov’ts removal of the travel vaccination exemption will push MLB and the players to come to an agreement on a vaccine mandate? Seems like things will get really awkward in the AL east otherwise

Kevin Goldstein: I certainly HOPE it does, but I’m not especially optimistic.

171: How many pages is a player contract? Are they fully printed out on paper when the player formally signs? Is this like a bill in congress where the thing is 100s of pages long?

Kevin Goldstein: More than ten and less than 20. Most of it is a universal template knows as a UPC (Uniform Player Contract).

Cobie: You mentioned last week briefly about some possible moral issues with the draft, is that tied to fair compensation and/or time tied to drafted team? I’ve never given it much thought but it definitely piqued my curiosity. Could you elaborate?

Kevin Goldstein: I mean, if you graduated from MIT with a degree in computer science and then was told that IBM drafted you and you have to move to their office in [insert town here] and you either do that or you don’t work in the industry, would you see that as fair?

Connect 4: What are front office employees doing once the lockdown is official?

Kevin Goldstein: Still lots of work to do in amateur, international and the minors . . .

Scrapper: You said in the summer that Javier Baez wouldn’t even get 100 million because of the Ks and poor OBP.  How wrong are you going to be on that one?

Kevin Goldstein: We will see. I still wouldn’t do it, but like they say, it only takes one team….

BigDaddeh: Do you think Correa tops 43 AAV? Seems unlikely but the market is getting bonkers

Kevin Goldstein: Not on a super long deal, which is what he is likely looking for.

LOVE GALLO: How should fans balance being happy that their team is spending money with the suspicion that these deals may be overpays?

Kevin Goldstein: It’s not your money.

BigDaddeh: What happens to all of these “books” or binders that the big agents make for the big deals? They’re physical items right? Eventually they’ll see the light of day right from a historical perspective? You must have a couple in your possession still no?

Kevin Goldstein: I have the famous Yoenis Cespedes book. I have a Daniel Murphy presentation somewhere in my office. Lots of minor league FA one-sheets…

Boone Logan: Do you think the cheating scandal would prevent the Yankees from signing Correa?  Should it?

Kevin Goldstein: No; No.

BD: Who is a FA you wanted badly but were overruled on?

Kevin Goldstein: Nelson Cruz.

Didace: “IBM drafted you and you have to move to their office in…” You’re making the mistake that in thinking that MLB isn’t one large business. I’ve certainly been in the position of wanting a certain type of job at my company and been told “OK, you need to move here”. Entering the draft is applying to MLB for a job. They get to tell you where to go. Should the players fight for as much freedom and money as they can get? Of course. And I hope they always get paid; they have a rare talent. But I see no moral issues with the draft.

Kevin Goldstein: Sure, but you had the ability to go find that job elsewhere.

Guest: Why shouldn’t the Cubs spend money? I get that they won’t, but they should, right? With likely playoff expansion coming the path to .500 and playoff contention can easily be bought while they build up their development.

Kevin Goldstein: Oh, they most definitely should, but the writing on the wall screaming that they won’t was in very large, very bold type.

John: If Max is trying to win, he wouldn’t be signing with the Mets.  $$ always comes first!!

Kevin Goldstein: Am I misunderstanding this? He got paid. Go get paid. Nothing wrong with that being your calculus.

Jeb: Why use an agent’s book? Wouldn’t you have your own info and be skeptical of the agent’s understandable bias?

Kevin Goldstein: Yeah, to be honest, they never ever moved the needle in my experience.

Irrational Mets Fan: Are the Mets done? When do they start losing draft picks because of payroll?

Kevin Goldstein: We will see . . . I think they’re at like 270 now?

Lucky Ned Pepper: Are you at all surprised the Mets are going with such a big / long (given his age) contract for Max? Seems like a risky move on their part given how many other needs they have.

Kevin Goldstein: To sign a free agent, you likely have to give him more than what your model says to. You have to be the highest bidder, not the average one.

David: How close do final free agent offers from different teams tend to be?

Kevin Goldstein: Exceptionally close among the final two or three teams.

Kevin Goldstein: Often, it’s length and not AAV that wins the day, and I’m betting that the third year is what did it in Scherzer’s case.

Jeb: Re: Correa. What is a super long deal, in your estimation? 10+ years? 15?

Kevin Goldstein: I’m sure he’s at least LOOKING for 10.

Mac: Who is the best college hitter?

Kevin Goldstein: Jace Jung?

JWR: Steamer has Scherzer’s projected WAR at 4.4, suggesting that the Mets will be paying 10 million/win.  Is the market heading there or is this simply going to be an overpay by the Mets?

Kevin Goldstein: I think $$$ per win is a HIGHLY flawed way to look at things….

Mr. 954: On your suggestion, I got into Sumo, now that the november tournament is over, what should I watch next to get my fix. My partner and I are both HOOKED.

Kevin Goldstein: Yeah, you just gotta wait until January 9th….

171: I’m now reading a version (almost certainly not the latest) of the UPC and this thing says that you’re not allowed to go skiing?!???

Kevin Goldstein: Absolutely not. Can’t jump out of a plane either. Can’t take big physical risks like that. It’s one of the reason so many players get into golf.

Chris: I’d appreciate you elaborating on your two word response about how Correa’s involvement in the Astros’ cheating program shouldn’t matter.  Your response seems a little cavalier, honestly.  Is that the organizational attitude to cheating and wrongdoing that led to the trashcan, Osuna, Taubman, Codebreaker, etc. etc.?

Kevin Goldstein: It wasn’t cavalier at all. I don’t think the Yankees do or should care about it. Correa is a generational talent and he’s entering his prime and that’s why they should be interested in signing him.

GBS42: Kevin, if the new CBA has a higher minimum salary than some players sign for this offseason, those players would just be bumped up to the new minimum salary, correct?

Kevin Goldstein: Hmmm. Haven’t thought about that, but I would assume so.

Elias: Should Orioles fans believe that the extremely low budgets will result in spending in the future or are annual budgets completely independent?

Kevin Goldstein: I would hope that the Orioles front office at least has an understanding that if they can say it’s time to spend, they’ll be able to.

David: If for some reason a player really doesn’t want to go to a certain team, how much of an overpay would it take for that team to sign him?

Kevin Goldstein: I think that’s very player/team dependent. Very individual. Some teams are a total no-go for a player, regardless of money.

kevinthecomic: Speaking of things you can’t do that are in the UPC, I remember back in the day that Paul Quantrill (father of Cal, I believe) of the Blue Jays told the team that he broke his leg tobogganing.  The Blue Jays’ doctor examined him and said: “only if the toboggan was going 50mph (80km/h)”.  Quantrill came clean and said he was snowmobiling, which is a probitted activity.  Blue Jays could have, but didn’t, hold back salary.

Kevin Goldstein: Snowmobiles also not allowed. Motorcycles often a no-go as well.

Sirras: Do you have a “favorite” misconception that you hear often? That is, is there something you hear fans or pundits say often that makes you laugh given your knowledge of how the industry actually works?

Kevin Goldstein: Taking any seriousness into the reporting of a team “checking in” or “talking to” a free agent. Teams check in with tons of players they’re not going to get serious about.

Cynthia: How much do teams create a personalized workout plan for their players versus letting players create their own?

Kevin Goldstein: Most players handle their workout stuff, simply in terms of maintaining physical strength, agility, etc. themselves. Strength and conditioning group certainly can and do provide input to the player.

Lucky Ned Pepper: Why do you think $ per win is a flawed way of looking at things?

Kevin Goldstein: Scarcity. You can find 1 win players all over the place, and five win players are obviously WAY more rare. It’s not linear at all.

Cube Jockey: How common is it for clubs to agree to cover college costs for a drafted high school player if they don’t make it to the majors?

Kevin Goldstein: Always. All deals have a scholarship package.

Guest: Hey Kevin, do you think we could see Freddie Freeman sign sometime before the 1st?

Kevin Goldstein: Anything is possible, but that one would surprise me.

JWR: I love baseball and don’t want to be THAT guy but still think that 3 1/2 hour baseball games suck.  I analogize it to movies, where I have a strong preference for movies in the 2 hour range.  Does my analogy work for you?

Kevin Goldstein: I get it. I’m fine with a 3.5 hour game if it’s 11-10 and full of drama. It’s the 4-2 3.5 hour game that’s a problem. Honestly, I think a pitch clock fixes everything in terms of game pace. I was at the biggest mess of an AFL game a couple of weeks ago. 20+ runs, tons of errors, walks all over the place, multiple mid-inning pitching changes. But also a pitch clock. Game took 3:15.

Jay: What are the chances a salary floor is implemented in a new CBA? Is that a nonstarter for the owners?

Kevin Goldstein: The owners have already pitched a salary floor, it was a non-starter because along with it they pitched a lower CBT ceiling.

Sirras: Has the pace of signings over the last 7 or so days surprised you?

Kevin Goldstein: Yes it has. I thought there would definitely be some players who wanted their business settled before the lockout, but I didn’t think it would be anything close to this many.

Azad Earl: Where you surprised that Seiya Suzuki will not sign before the 1st?

Kevin Goldstein: Not at all. He just posted, and it was going to take time.

Sir Nerdlington: With Scherz over 40M in AAV, the salary cap luxury tax has to go up significantly, no?

Kevin Goldstein: I think more accurately, the other owners will be mad at Cohen for going so far over it.

Guest: Whether it’s a game or a movie, I’m happy to watch something that’s long if it’s a good product.

Kevin Goldstein: I agree but a 4-1 game that takes 3.5 hours without much action is not a good product.

A cat: Expecting any surprise nontenders?

Kevin Goldstein: I’m kind of fascinated to see what the Yankees do with Gary Sanchez.

Jay: If there is a salary floor in the new CBA, would we likely see some crazy signings by the likes of the Pirates, Rays, Athletics, etc to get there? Would definitely make free agency even more interesting.

Kevin Goldstein: I’ve wondered this myself. Floor is 60 and team is at 50. Do they overpay some late-signing free agent and give him 10 to get there?

Pinstripe Perry: You worked for a team in TX, does the “no state income tax” pitch ever become a portion of the sell to a FA or is that thing significantly overblown by fans?

Kevin Goldstein: That pitch is absolutely something to sell. Makes a big difference when you are talking about eight-figure salaries.

Jeb: May you please educate me – if a team plans on non-tendering a player, why not release them beforehand to free up a 40-man spot? Is it just a matter of getting more time to negotiate with the player?

Kevin Goldstein: For the most part. You might not think a player is worth the $8 million he’s going to get as a tendered player, but you’d be happy to have him for $6m, so you take your shot.

JWR: Would the Mets have still signed Scherzer if Matz hadn’t walked back his handshake agreement earlier this week with the Mets?

Kevin Goldstein: I think so. Mets are going wild, and it’s really good for baseball.

Joe H: Will minor league portion of rule 5 draft still take place as normal?

Kevin Goldstein: Good question. I’ll look into it.

JWR: Who will have the better career: Fernando Tatis Jr. or Wander Franco?

Kevin Goldstein: Holy crap what a question. I don’t know. I don’t want to just gut that one.

Keith: do you think yolmer sanchez can be the white sox 2b in 2022? or not nearlt good enough for a team in its contending window? how would you prioritize their adds if they don’t have budget for top options at every need?

Kevin Goldstein: I thought Semien was the perfect fit for him, and they might have as well and then balked at seven years. I would have done the same.

John Wick 4: What position will Corey Seager be playing in the middle of his free agent deal?

Kevin Goldstein: Really depends on the team.

BigDaddeh: Do all HS draftees get the college scholarship deal or just the top ones? Related to that – can you offer college money and not have it count against the cap total?

Kevin Goldstein: Scholarship packages are separate from the bonus and do not hit the bonus pool. College juniors get them as well for their final year based on tuition costs of the school they attend.

John Wick 4: What is a pitcher’s prime?  Or is that not a thing, given how pitchers often don’t develop in a linear fashion?

Kevin Goldstein: The latter. Treat each player like an individual. From drafting, to player development to later career stuff and better things will happen.

Kevin Goldstein: Ok, folks, entering the final minutes…..

greenfrog: If you were targeting a controllable young SP in a trade, would you focus on trade talks with Miami (Lopez, Rogers), Oakland (Bassitt, Manaea, Montas), Cincinnati (Castillo), or some other team?

Kevin Goldstein: I think Castillo would be my number one target, but despite what’s out there, the Reds might be listening, but they’re certainly not going to sell low.

Jaws: the Revenge: Three websites I should be subscribing to (besides Fangraphs)?

Kevin Goldstein: The Guardian, and maybe Patreon a couple of podcasts you really like.

PS: Take a wild guess at a Soto extension!

Kevin Goldstein: $475 million?

matt: What’s the likelihood that we have a new CBA by Valentine’s Day? What’s your best guess as to when it happens?

Kevin Goldstein: My best guess would be February 1, which is just enough of a runway for Spring Training to start on time.

KB: Stroman has received some backlash for his tweets and liking of tweets the past several days. Do teams care at all about that kind of stuff?

Kevin Goldstein: A little bit? Kind of? The possibly ugly truth here is that the better the player is, the more teams are willing to put up with in this regard.

Kevin Goldstein: OK, folks, gotta go back to writing stuff. Thanks for all the great questions and enjoy the next three days. More craziness is coming!