Kevin Goldstein FanGraphs Chat – 10/18/2021

Kevin Goldstein: Hi everyone! It’s me, back in the chat room. Looking forward to your questions and I hope everyone is enjoying the post-season as much as I am.

Adam S: How will an MLB work stoppage affect the MiLB season?

Kevin Goldstein: Minor league baseball will continue. The only effect will be players on the 40 man will not participate.

Bret: How should the Jays manage their catching situation? They primarily used Danny Jansen (who hit at the end of the year but hasn’t hit much otherwise) and Reese McGuire (who has hit enough to have some value) behind the plate in 2021, with Alejandro Kirk (who has the most offensive upside but lots of defensive questions) sprinkled in. And then there’s Gabriel Moreno who could make an impact at some point in 2022. Would you recommend keeping this mix for 2022? Or is it wise to deal from the surplus? If so, who would you be most open to moving?

Kevin Goldstein: I’d listen on any of them except Moreno, who I would see as the catch of the near future. That said, I don’t think the market would be especially great for any of them.

Matt: Would a front office have more trepidation in signing a starting pitcher if their own team always performs well against that particular starter, or would that make the team value said pitcher more since they would no longer have to face your team?

Kevin Goldstein: It wouldn’t really move the needle in either direction. Just too small a sample really.

Sean: What was the internal view of Jonathan India in the Astros room when he was drafted? After such a slow start to his minor league career were you surprised by his performance this season?

Kevin Goldstein: I saw Jonathan for a weekend at Florida (great weekend with all of the Florida starters and other players and it was against Auburn so I got to see Mize), and liked him as a future 3B or 2B who could hit .275 with 18-20 HR. I think he’s going to be a very solid player.

Bearry: Looks like the Rays are, once again, in a tough Rule V spot this offseason. Anyone who isn’t a slam dunk public prospect who you see being added? Feels like Hunt and Proctor will be discussed, but there are so many pitchers (Lopez, Myers, Romero, many more)

Kevin Goldstein: Tough to answer this one, because I think the Rays will be aggressive on the trade front prior to rosters freezing in order to help them with these decisions.

Guest: What are the most important themes you are going to watch for this offseason (New CBA, Notable Free Agent Class, Front office overturn etc.), and what teams are impacted most?

Kevin Goldstein: Man, I think CBA is answers 1, 2, and 3, and every team is effected by that.

Jason: I’m curious if you think the Orioles can take a step forward next season with the progression of young pitchers and the likely debuts of Adley and Grayson? Also what O’s prospect do you see making the biggest gains next year?

Kevin Goldstein: I do, in the sense that I think they can get into the 70s in the win column and not be a total disaster . . . merely bad.

>this guy<: Is there any “word on the street” about the general attitudes or tendencies of the Cubs’ new GM? And do you think Contreras, Hendricks, and Happ are good as gone by next April or July?

Kevin Goldstein: Carter Hawkins is very well respected, especially in terms of player development, and I’m sure that will be a big focus with the Cubs as well. Jed Hoyer is most definitely still numero uno in terms of the big league club.

Brad: Kevin, please tell me the Yankees aren’t going to do the worst thing possible and sign a 1B or SS, and spend money there and continue to ignore SP.  when they can go out and get 2 big arms like Verlander and another veteran arm like Thor and finally fix the SP.  There is absolutely no room for another INF, with Voit, Torres, DJ, Urshela, unless you trade DJL

Kevin Goldstein: I think it’s weird to just assume Verlander and Syndergaard will be amazing after all of the missed time. Feels like an improved version of the Kluber/Taillon thing, no? I think they need a SS. You list those infielders, but none of them are a SS. I still think Correa would be a great fit for them.

Tacoby Bellsbury: Levels of panic for each of the remaining teams?

Kevin Goldstein: I don’t think anyone is panicking. One series is tied, and while the Dodgers are down 2-0, they’re going home and they were down 2-0 last year….

Fugazi Fan: Does changing the manager change play or team culture more?

Kevin Goldstein: Definitely the latter. It’s hard to measure the play aspect at times. A big part of a manager’s job is to get the best performances out of his player, but with so many people impacting that, including the player themself, it’s hard to figure out just how much credit/blame goes to any one person….

Guest: How much respect are teams going to give Rodon and Ray given their historical inconsistency?

Kevin Goldstein: Rodon’s second-half is going to hurt with the velo drop. Ray regressed just a bit, but nearly every pitcher did this year with all the weirdness.

Jacob: Do you think MLB will be able to launch their own streaming service where their are no blackouts for local teams?

Kevin Goldstein: I do.

Mark: Any chance KC extends Benintendi or Barlow this offseason?

Kevin Goldstein: I’m not sure why you’d want to extend Benintendi. Barlow is a good candidate, but it takes two to tango and I have no idea if he wants one…

Mike: So Stearns was denied permission. Theo is out. Beane looks unlikely. Is it basically Byrnes, Harris, or Arnold for the Mets POBO job?

Kevin Goldstein: I’m sure there are some mystery candidates as well. It feels like they were big game fishing now, but just because someone is a big name doesn’t mean they are the best candidate.

J: Jordan Lawlor… High-A 2022?  Or injury throw that off?

Kevin Goldstein: It was probably a Low-A assignment before the injury. No need to rush things.

Brian: fair to blame Kapler’s struggles in Philly on an organization that is only 1/2 in on analytics?

Kevin Goldstein: Not at all. Baseball has a long history of really good managers who were really NOT good managers in their first gig. Hinch, Torre, so many others.

James: Are teams willing to pay a little more for a free agent if they knew the player would sign in the same division otherwise, to avoid having to play them 19 times a year?

Kevin Goldstein: It’s tough. Usually you don’t know exactly who else is negotiating with a player. An agent might tell you that the player has a better deal elsewhere, but they will rarely tell you where that elsewhere is.

Guest: Chasing Amy is the exception to your no great Matt Damon/Ben Affleck rule? Also is Clerks a top 100 for you?

Kevin Goldstein: i really like Clerks. Mallrats has some really good moments. After that, it’s pretty much all downhill for Kevin Smith.

Kevin: I hear Adam Jones making the case to be hired as a manager. You think that could happen in the next 5ish years? Could be a splashy hire for the Padres (he’s a San Diego native!)…

Kevin Goldstein: I haven’t heard this, but the tought of it excites me.

J: At any point do you feel like there will be a divergence in pitching staff approaches.  It feels like we are close to some teams (Rays) having multiple rotation slots that are 3-5 innings tops, which puts a lot of pressure on more arms.  Would there then be a ‘market inefficiency’ on having more starters able to go 7-9 innings? At a certain point, the reduction of value for certain players seems too much.

Kevin Goldstein: I think teams are doing this multi-pitcher stuff out of necessity based on where they are at, but I don’t think teams WANT to do it, and would much rather have traditional starters who can go deep.

v2micca: Any chance service time manipulation will be addressed in a meaningful manner this CBA?

Kevin Goldstein: I sure hope so. I think a rule set that incentivizes teams to put their best product on the field is essential.

Kyle: Has anything changed with Jeremy Peña, or is he unlocking his potential?

Kevin Goldstein: Still looks like an above-average every day SS to me….

Brandon: Could Korey Lee be ready to start next season? Is he likely to be an above-average hitting catcher?

Kevin Goldstein: Maldonado signed an extension for 2022, so no need to rush. That said, yes, I do think he can be an above-average offensive catcher with a plus arm.

KB: How detailed do team get in discussing when to send/hold runners? Are “break even points” brought up in regards to probability, do they get detailed on time as far as sprint speed vs. outfield arm strengths, or is it more simple than that? I know it’s tough because when it comes down to it the third base coach has to make a decision so quickly. Loved watching Ron Washington be aggressive last night, but I know those plays are coin flips or worse and it took some nerve for him to send Rosario.

Kevin Goldstein: The most underrated aspect of sending is that beyond the quick math of runner speed and arm strength, the players need to execute the play as well, and that’s really hard.

zurzles: Did the Mets have any reason to believe Milwaukee would let them interview Stearns? My understanding is that execs generally aren’t made available unless the interviewing position would be a promotion (and he’s already a POBO)

Kevin Goldstein: Not really. Kind of it doesn’t hurt to ask kind of way.

Dave: How is the arbitration process going to work this year?  The CBA expires on the same day as the tender deadline.

Kevin Goldstein: If the CBA expires. Everything is just put on hold.

v2micca: Sound filter technology is a thing.  Why isn’t MLB more actively using it to block out or at least mute the Atlanta Home crowd Tomahawk chop, or do they just not care that much?

Kevin Goldstein: I mean, they’re showing the crowd doing it . . . so that probably answers your question.

Ryan: Toglia had a strong 1st week in the AFL. Any chance he makes it on the top 100 list for ‘22?

Kevin Goldstein: Certainly not from me. 1B only, huge contact issues. AFL isn’t going to move the needle off what we saw in the regular season.

v2micca: On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely with the A’s relocate to Las Vegas within the next 5 years?

Kevin Goldstein: It’s so hard. My answer could move 3 or 4 points in either direction every week. Today, at 11:25am CT, I’ll say 7.2391487.

Ryan: Stolen bases seem to be trending up in the playoffs. Is this something you see increasing in the future or a byproduct of advance scouting?

Kevin Goldstein: More the latter.

Bob: Who’s more likely to win an MVP: Witt, Adley, or Torkelson? And is Wander going to be the better career player than all of them?

Kevin Goldstein: I have a HUGE fan of all three of those players, but I’d take Wander over all of them as well.

Luke: Drove through DeKalb this weekend, but an interstate glimpse isn’t enough to know a place. Pros/cons of your fair city?

Kevin Goldstein: Pros: I like the neighborhood I live in, and downtown is cute as hell. Cons: The usual Midwestern small town economic/class issues.

greenfrog: Do you think Steven Matz elevated his game in 2021 (possibly making him worthy of a qualifying offer)? There

Kevin Goldstein: He’s a real tough QO case. It’s VERY close. I do think he’ll do well in FA if he doesn’t get one.

Mark: What will the Giants off-season look like?  What should they be doing in your opinion?

Kevin Goldstein: I think they’re going to spend some time trying to keep what they have, especially Gausman and Bryant, and then go from there.

Guest: do you think there’s any desire or momentum on MLB’s side to stop that ridiculous “chop” at braves games? it’s terrible and makes the organization look bad nationally.

Kevin Goldstein: I don’t think they’re thrilled about it, but I don’t see them doing anything to change it either.

Joe: For minor league housing, will teams build dorms or just rent hotel rooms for players the entire season?

Kevin Goldstein: The devil is in the details, which we haven’t seen yet. I think the industry have to make sure that it’s housing being provided as opposed to a stipend, which still puts the onus of finding housing and dealing with inflexible leases on the players. As for the second question, I think renting apartments over hotel rooms is what you will see.

Zach: Obviously it’s not good to drop both but don’t the Dodgers have to have some sense of optimism knowing they didn’t play great and still almost stole both games?

Kevin Goldstein: I think they are definitely thinking that way.

Oren: You answered a question about how teams don’t always know what they’re bidding against in free agency. I’ve found that when GMs talk, they often make it sound like they knew the entire situation – we knew what the free agent would need, we knew who else was trying to trade for a player, etc. Is this mostly just GM bluster?

Kevin Goldstein: It’s really player to player. Knowing what the free agent would need in terms of $$$ is certainly a thing, but knowing who else is offering said player that kind of money is frequently a black box.

Outside Animals: What’s the best way to put together a Sunday league lineup where you’re hitting 13+ players and 4 or 5 of them are almost automatic outs. Do you stagger good with bad hitters or bunch them all together?

Kevin Goldstein: This sounds like a question for Dan.

Kate: Hearing Baty is looking pretty dope in the AFL so far.  Anything new there or just more confirmation of what you guys have seen in him (already pretty high on THE BOARD)?

Kevin Goldstein: Confirmation. Pro tip: Don’t get too worked up over AFL performances.

Peter: What is one skillset that most POBO and GM’s have that is hard to learn?

Kevin Goldstein: EXTREME Time management, avoiding micro-management because there is simply no time for that.

Ron Washington: Everyone in the baseball world loves me but it’s looking like I’ll never get another shot at managing? Is it just because I’m old or is there something else behind my lack of opportunities?

Kevin Goldstein: I think Ron deserves another chance.

BringBackDeSpanielHair: What the heck is Dave Roberts doing with his bullpen? Scherzer has a dead arm, and Urias pitched in relief already?

Kevin Goldstein: I like a lot of things they have done with their bullpen, and I think they’ve gone a bit too far with the starters. Scherzer didn’t need to pitch last Thursday and using Urias last night was a questionable decision.

lil sumo: You’ve previously mentioned peak Ichiro as having 80 hit and arm (w/ 70 run).  Which player in history had the most # of tools of 70 and above?

Kevin Goldstein: Fun question. Mickey Mantle and Bo Jackson come to mind….

Inaccessible Rail: Why don’t the Mets just hire Jeff Luhnow?

Kevin Goldstein: For a variety of reasons, but more than anything, for a team that has had a variety of PR disasters in the last month, they need a feel good story with their next POBO.

Paul: Hey KG – at the winter meetings when a team meets with an agent, does he actually “sell” his player or is the team sitting there like we have all the info we need what does he want?

Kevin Goldstein: Varies. Some agents are just going to listen and take your offer and go from there. Others have VERY hard sells that include presentations and all sorts of stuff that teams ignore because they’ve already done their work on the player.

Ian Anderson’s Father: Does it really make sense to take Anderson out after 3 IP?  That just means more IP by the likes of Luke Jackson, Tyler Matzek et al.  The Dodgers have a deeper lineup than the Braves, wouldn’t the Braves want their stars to have as many ABs and IP as possible?

Kevin Goldstein: He racked up SO many high stress pitches, especially in that first inning. I don’t know if I absolutely agreed with it, but I certainly understood it.

Kretin: Do you think Raisel Iglesias is extended a QO? If so, does he accept or reject?

Kevin Goldstein: It’s tough to give a reliever one, but he’s a decent candidate. I think he’d reject because while he probably wouldn’t match that AAV, he’d get far more total contract value.

James: Over/under 6.5 innings combined from the starters tonight?

Kevin Goldstein: I’ll talk the under.

M’s Fan: If you’re the GM of the Mariners what are the first couple of moves you make this offseason?

Kevin Goldstein: You need to find more offense. Period. Team needs a bopper or two.

Appa Yip Yip: If a team paid their minor leaguers enough money that they didn’t have to work a job in the offseason and could focus solely on baseball, how much money would they end up saving by virtue of a couple more guys overachieving and making the bigs than they would otherwise? How much money have owners wasted by being cheap? (Also, y’know, it’s the morally and ethically correct thing to do)

Kevin Goldstein: Yeah, I know that teams have been dragged kicking and screaming a bit into treating minor league players better, but there’s a real tangible value to it, and I wish they would realize that more.

Justin: What do you make of the Padres reportedly not planning to interview Ron Washington or Buck Showalter?

Kevin Goldstein: I get it. They’re not looking for a quick fix. Tingler didn’t work out, but I think it’s still that philosophy where they are looking for a manger both for now and the long-term future.

TooDamnTall: I was thinking that there’s probably ‘some’ value to be had from late bloomer types who weren’t mentally ready in their early 20s, but that there isn’t much opportunity for older players to get a chance. Is this a been-there-tried-that thing for clubs, not worth the investment, something else?

Kevin Goldstein: I think if those older players deserve a chance, they usually get it. Look at Frank Schwindel. teams look everywhere for players.

TomBruno23: What is with the Mark McGwire as manager of the Cardinals talk?

Kevin Goldstein: Sure seems silly.

Ian: Do you think Andrew Heaney will still be viewed as a starter this offseason? His FIP always looks better than his ERA…

Kevin Goldstein: Both? I think there will be teams that want to try to start him, and teams that want to put him in the pen….

Cleveland: How big of a loss is Carter Hawkins?

Kevin Goldstein: You hope his institutional knowledge is just that, and you have the pieces internally to build on it, and you are happy for him for getting that gig…

Rob: Are you going to the AFL? Who are you excited to see? I take your point not to get caught up in AFL stats, but it seems like some guys could still move the needle from a scouting standpoint.

Kevin Goldstein: Players can absolutely move the needle in terms of scouting. I was just warning off of getting too excited about numbers.

Brad: why are we talking about the braves chop?  Or is this woke new generation tik tok type stuff….

Kevin Goldstein: I’m 52 years old. I don’t have tik tok, and I know that the chop is bad. Young people are awesome.

TomBruno23: Any other job openings you foresee beyond the current NYM, SD and STL situations?

Kevin Goldstein: I like to say there’s always a surprise, and I think we just got that surprise with STL.

Mariners 3B Seager Dynasty: Which free agent gets biggest overall contract this winter, Seager or Correa?

Kevin Goldstein: Correa.

Lee: Is Alex Cora a bit underrated?  Just like in 2018, it seems like his bullpen management is better than his peers.    And are some managers just better at managing in the short term (playoffs) than over the course of an entire 162 game season?

Kevin Goldstein: I think Alex Core is a fantastic in-game manager. Among the best.

Kevin Goldstein: But I don’t know who is underrating him….

barney gumble: think Estevan Florial has any role as a 4th OF? his FV has been steadily declining for a few years now

Kevin Goldstein: I think that’s kind of the dream ceiling at this point….sometimes tools don’t all pan out.

TJJ: Eric’s is the only board I can find that prefers Colton Cowser to Brady House. How would you rank them?

Kevin Goldstein: It’s close, but yes.

Brett: How is playing time managed in the AFL?  Teams are sending prospects to get extra reps so I would assume there has to be some sort of arrangement to ensure guys are getting actual game time, no?

Kevin Goldstein: Oh yeah. Many players arrive with instruction as too how much to play and ofter where. My pitchers are on strict usage instructions.

Scotty: Riley Greene seems to get a bit overshadowed by Tork,do you think he’s up next year and could be an immediate impact player?

Kevin Goldstein: He’s up next year at some point, but it’s never a good bet on ANYONE as an immediate impact player.

v2micca: If MLB is making a push for expansion, what to the two most likely target markets?

Kevin Goldstein: They seem to have Vegas firmly in their sights. Charlotte and Nashville are most likely US destinations…

WS MVP: Should Corey Seager have made that play?

Kevin Goldstein: It was a tough play. I lean towards yes, and say with more assuredness that a plus SS does make that play.

Will: How much importance do MLB teams put on Arizona Fall League performances? Since it’s mostly composed of players who didn’t get a full season in, could a bad month in the AFL really undermine a prospect’s status?

Kevin Goldstein: Like I said earlier. In terms of performances, VERY VERY little, and you shouldn’t either.

CFH: When players make an adjustment to their playing strategy (e.g. throwing more offspeed pitches, lifting the ball more) where in the organization does this typically come from? Pitching/hitting coaches? Or analytics departments?

Kevin Goldstein: A combination of both. Often the analysts find the issue, but the coaches are the ones hands on with the players.

Guest: Watching Snitker talk to Anderson in the dugout when he was removing him after 3, it really seemed like Snitker had great connection with him and had a great “difficult conversations” communication style.  Snit seems to be able to get a lot out of his guys.  Not really a question, but it really seems like Snit might have some of the difficult to quantify management skills that works and makes him able to wring success out of his team

Kevin Goldstein: Not really an answer to your not really a question, but high praise for looking at this. It’s this kind of thing that is more important than focusing on in-game stuff.

Giant Gonzales: If you’re the Red Sox, would you go after one of the big free agent shortstops and ask them to play 2nd for a year knowing that Bogaerts will most likely opt out after next season?

Kevin Goldstein: I think it’s VERY hard to tell a shortstop to play somewhere else for a year and defer to Bogaerts. Would be a tough sell when there are other teams saying that you are our SS, period.

Mac: Do you think the qualifying offer will go away in the new CBA?

Kevin Goldstein: I don’t know if it will go away, but at a minimum, it will be changed dramatically.

Jaime Reyes: Where and what kind of deal will Freeman get this offseason do you think?

Kevin Goldstein: I still think he stays with Atlanta, but I will admit that I’m very surprised it’s taken this long….

Dr. funk: Any insight or thoughts on Cards manager situation? What’s your speculation on what “philosophical differences” could mean?

Kevin Goldstein: Stay tuned….

Kevin Goldstein: Ok, we are entering the final 15 minutes . . . keep ’em coming…

Dylorama: What’s the WAR difference between the league’s best and worst third-base coach?

Kevin Goldstein: I think it’s tough to isolate that one. I do think that an entire big league staff can have a WAR that is quite sizable.

Jaime Reyes: Chances Riley gets extended this offseason?

Kevin Goldstein: Hard to know without talking to the player. I’ve said it before. Some players want extensions, and for others, getting to free agency is very important.

Derrick: Is Luis Urias a capable everyday 3B?

Kevin Goldstein: I think he showed enough this year to earn a shot at proving the answer is yes.

Marcus: With the number of injuries this past season coupled with the trend of fluid pitching staffs, it seemed like many teams were stretched by the limitations of a 40 Man Roster. Do you think the 40 Man Roster is up for discussion in the next CBA, and if so, what would you do to it?

Kevin Goldstein: I don’t know if the 40 would change, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see something like a 28-man roster, with the team each day announcing 25 eligible players and three inactives.

M’s Fan: To the idea that the M’s need a couple of bats. How often does it come down to just $ for free agents? How often are front offices trying but unable to get the guy despite offering the largest / best contract?

Kevin Goldstein: More often than not, money talks. Geography can play into things a bit, and sometimes whether you spring in AZ or FL can move the needle.

Giant Gonzales: Follow up to the Bogaerts question, would you consider moving him to third and signing a Correa? The defense is pretty rough on the left side and Devers could take over DH with Casas being the top prospect at 1B

Kevin Goldstein: Now you’re thinking. . .

Luis: Should fans care at all about the AFL?

Kevin Goldstein: Absolutely. It’s super fan and great way to see lots of really interesting prospects in one place!

Jay: I am in the “managers don’t matter much” camp but think really bad ones (old school, yelly types usually fit the bill for me) hurt. But if you avoid that, does not matter too much. Maybe on the margins or in high leverage series (like championship series). Am I wrong?

Kevin Goldstein: VERY wrong. Managers matter. A lot.

Harmon Ripkowski: Is Carlos Correa the best fielding SS in the majors, or is it some not-a-household-name player?

Kevin Goldstein: He’s easy plus, but the best? Nah.

Rob: I feel like this is a super annoying question, but you say teams ignore AFL performance and yet players always have a chance to move the scouting needle. So teams are paying attention to performance, just not stats, right? I see those as two different things but seems like you have them as one.

Kevin Goldstein: Yeah, sounds like just a language mismatch. How players look in the AFL matter. How they look on the stat sheet, not much.

Brad: Would something like this ever happen in real life? Cashman calls Judge and says we have two options for you and we need an answer by December 1.  We know you probably want or your agent is telling you that you should get 10 years $300MM but we know that is never happening. We should only give you MAX 5 years and $20MM per year due to your injury history, so Option 1 is 8 years $200MM which is overly generous with your age and injury history, AND we name you captain, Option 2, we trade you for 2-3 good spects are rebuild the farm.  Let us know what you decide.

Kevin Goldstein: That’s a real crappy approach. Really doesn’t respect the player at all.

Mike: How does Jake Meyers fit into the Astros lineup long-term?

Kevin Goldstein: Every day SS until you find a better option, hitting towards the bottom of the lineup.

Marcus: Sometimes injured players stick around with the major league club while they are on the IL, and you see them in the dugout during games, etc. Other times, they seem to vanish. Is this simply based on their rehab situation, or is there more to it as to when a player sticks around versus when they don’t?

Kevin Goldstein: Yeah, usually devoted to rehab time when they go to the complex or at times a private facility.

TomBruno23: Cardinals SS in 2022…DeJong…Sosa…Other…

Kevin Goldstein: Sosa.

Fugazi Fan: What’s the starting salary  and years on an Aaron Judge extension in your opinion?

Kevin Goldstein: He’s tough because ’17 and ’21 are the only fully healthy years he’s delivered. I’d want to hear from the trainers and medical staff about his chances of staying healthy long term.

Hopeful: When a new GM like Carter Hawkins comes in, how much poaching is “allowed” from his old colleagues and connections? Do you expect to see any from him?

Kevin Goldstein: It depends, but often the answer is none. In many permission cases, there is a clause that if permission is granted, no further permissions will be given to that team for 12 or even 24 months.

Jordan: Do broken bats get recycled?

Kevin Goldstein: Fun question, and I have no idea. I’ve never heard anything like that.

Plooto: Likelihood of Craig Kimbrel having a job next season? He wasn’t all too good with the Sox and they’re almost certainly gonna decline his offer.

Kevin Goldstein: He’ll certainly have a job. It’s not like he pitched himself out of baseball or anything.

Lunar verLander: Jake Meyers the CF becoming the everyday SS? Bold move.

Kevin Goldstein: Ah, chat typos…..Sorry.

Derek: With the MLB CBA expiring on December 1st and the Winter Meetings in mid-December, if there’s not a new agreement, would there still be the Winter Meetings? Or the Rule 5 Draft?

Kevin Goldstein: There would still be a winter meetings. While we focus on the big league fun during those, the majority of people at the winter meetings, as well as the trade show, are for minor league baseball. So they would still happen, but nothing interesting would happen. There wouldn’t be a big media thing, I doubt MLB Network would cover them, etc. There would not be a rule 5 draft as once the CBA expires, the players will be locked out and all transactions will be frozen.

Kevin Goldstein: And on that dark note, I’m out

Kevin Goldstein: Thanks for all the great questions and I’ll see you next week.