Kevin Goldstein FanGraphs Chat – 6/21/2021

Kevin Goldstein: Hi everyone. I’ll have a piece going up later today about Sean Manaea’s bizarre 2013 spring heading into the draft and how I saw him, and then saw him again but didn’t really see him. That sentence will make a lot more sense once you read the piece. Until then, let’s get to your questions.

MFG1975: Nick Sandlin has been absolutely deadly on RHB. Will he be able to keep Lefties at bay enough to be more than a specialist?

Kevin Goldstein: I think ‘at bay’ is a good way to put it. He’s a fascinating pitcher with some of the more unique pitch shapes around, and I think he’ll be a good big league reliever for quite some time.

Jeb: Are the Pirates zeroing in on Mayer? What are the chances he will be the pick?

Kevin Goldstein: I don’t think they are zeroing in on anyone yet. As I wrote last week. It could come down to draft day as they figure out the talent/bonus continuum by talking to agents.

Kevin: What would Bryan Reynolds fetch in a trade if the Pirates dealt him? Two top 100 guys?

Kevin Goldstein: That feels heavy, but they could get something good. That said, why deal him? At some point you have to hold on to your good players.

George: Are we buying the Nats as contenders after their recent run? Rizzo just doesn’t seem like the type to sell if there’s even a hint of a chance.

Kevin Goldstein: Not really, but I agree with you on how Washington tends to behave in July.

JD: What is Gallo’s trade value? He’s a very unique player.

Kevin Goldstein: He’s very unique because of how he does it, but it’s not like his production is unmeasurable. He’s an above-average bat at the end of the day because of the power and walks, and that’s the way teams will value him plus the one more year of control. I don’t think it’s a slam dunk that he gets dealt.

James: What was the Astros secret on international pitching signings? Framber, Javier, Urquidy, and Garcia all signed for peanuts, none have overpowering stuff, yet all are quality to borderline ace pitchers.

Kevin Goldstein: The Astros were among the first to really dig into pitch data on international kids, and it’s really paid off.

Jack: Other than Elijiah Greene next year, who are other guys that could go top 3-5?

Kevin Goldstein: Georgia Tech C Kevin Parada and Texas Tech INF Jace Jung come to mind . . .

JA: With no clear cut #1 and with a top tier of 7-8 players, is the top 5 of the draft going to be about cutting under slot deals?

Kevin Goldstein: It might be a weird draft. Plenty will play it by the book, but we should anticipate one or two deals in the top ten.

YardGoat: Does a performance like Bednar’s over the weekend result in some recency bias and teams moving him up on their boards? Or is it more just a solidifying outing that confirms prior positives?

Kevin Goldstein: You try not to put too much on one game, but it did feel like Bednar made some money over the weekend.

Italian beef w/ giardiniera: Scary evening in the Chicago area. Hope you and yours are safe.

Kevin Goldstein: We are good here. Storm didn’t develop tornadoes until after it went through here. Hope everyone else is ok.

Rays: Is Franco’s approach fine? Maybe I’m nitpicking but his walk rate has fallen.

Kevin Goldstein: He was never a walk machine, a lot of that is because he has so much plate coverage.

David: For orgs that have regional-based scouting coverage, how many area scouts cover each region? For talent rich areas like Florida/California it seems like several area scouts may be necessary to cover the number of players

Kevin Goldstein: Sure, teams are smart like that. A Midwest area scout might have five or six states to cover, while some teams have two guys just to cover L.A. and San Diego.

Curious: what keeps clearly defined buyers/sellers (playoff odds at both extremes) from jumping the market in June/early July? industry tradition/inertia

Kevin Goldstein: I’m actually writing about this for this week.

Joey: What do private draft workouts accomplish for the team? Isnt seeing them in game action a much better indicator of the type of player they are?

Kevin Goldstein: It allows you to maybe get some high speed video of a player’s swing, get some TrackMan data on a pitcher, get some defensive reps at a new position, and just as importantly at times, sit down and talk to the kids, look them in the eye and see what they are made of.

Dalton Wilcox: Everyone loves Harry Ford. Do they *actually* love him enough to lock in the first 20 picks? It’s still a rough demo to draft from, HS catcher (even if the plan is to move him)

Kevin Goldstein: I think he’ll go somewhere in the teens….

Ben: when you were with the Astros, how closely did you guys scout/keep an eye on the Mexican league during the season?

Kevin Goldstein: Would take a look at the performances once in a while and see if there was anyone we needed to dig on. Made one trip to Mexico City to see a few guys.

Kurt: Love your work and the podcast! Wondering your thoughts on the upcoming CBA negotiations? Do you think the recent clash over the midseason crackdown on foreign substances has a tangible impact on the likelihood of a work stoppage/lockout?

Kevin Goldstein: I mean, I don’t know how you can increase the odds of the CBA expiring on 12/1 without an agreement. It was 99% before the sticky stuff fun.

Forgetful: Hi Kevin. I had a really fun question to ask you. But I’ve since forgotten what it was. So I’m just going to take this opportunity to say thank you for doing the chats and writing good articles.

Kevin Goldstein: Plenty of time to remember your fun question, but thanks so much for seeing that. For anybody who creates stuff and puts it out there for others, that kind of thing is really nice to hear.

Aaron Jameson: With what we now about pitch shapes, how do you evalutae draft prospects who throw sinkers as their primary fastball? Do those guys typically have a lower ceiling than a guy who throws a modern, rising fastball?

Kevin Goldstein: They generally do. I strongly prefer a 4 to a 2sm.

Dalton Wilcox: Beginning of the end for the NCAA or will their billions upon billions keep them alive?

Kevin Goldstein: Let’s all hope for the former. The NCAA is a horrible and awful thing.

Jay: Hi Kevin. You’ve spoken before about Teoscar being one of your favourite people that you interacted with. Can you give us something about what makes him special to his team as a person?

Kevin Goldstein: A. He works his ass off. B. He is a constantly shining light of positivity.

Angelus Novus: How does someone like Mullins go from a 40, maybe 40+ FV to what he is now? It’s crazy, you’d think a little wiry guy like that would be hitting wallscrapers but he really doesn’t. Kinda nuts in late June he’s what, second in WAR?

Kevin Goldstein: A long time ago, a very smart baseball person told me that we have to remember that players change, often in dramatic and surprising ways in both directions. I think about that all of the time. It happens.

josh: what are your thoughts on Jonathan India? Eric is a self-proclaimed “staunch skeptic” of his, but has his ability to succeed in the big leagues moved the needle for you at all?

Kevin Goldstein: I like him more than Eric. Think he could be solid as a .275 w/ 15-20 HR type.

Reed: Is Grayson Rodriguez the best pitching prospect right now?

Kevin Goldstein: Probably not, but he’s in the team photo at least.

Kate: Patrick Sandoval really has the changeup working and he incorporated more breaking balls into his last start as well (worked pretty well), but the fastball is pretty bad other than having decent velo.  How successful can a guy be with a meh fastball like this?

Kevin Goldstein: He could be a solid back-end rotation piece.

Kate: Is Bryan Reynolds maybe a lot better than we all thought?  I’m getting some Conforto vibes from him.

Kevin Goldstein: He certainly might be better than I thought….

Big Joey: How many seasons does Wander hit at least .330?

Kevin Goldstein: I mean, he might, but probably zero.

Carson: Has JJ Bleday’s June production alleviated the concerns that might have arisen following his awful May?

Kevin Goldstein: It’s certainly helped.

Cash: Would you say Luis Medinas command has gotten better this year?

Kevin Goldstein: I’d say it’s been as anticipated.

D backs fan: If you’re in the D backs from office, what are you looking for if you’re open to dealing Ketel Marte?

Kevin Goldstein: I’m not looking for anything as I

Kevin Goldstein: would be too busy trying to convince the power that be NOT to trade Ketel Marte.

Guest: If you start at the top of IMDBs top  250 movie list, how far down do you have to go to hit a movie that isn’t great? isn’t good?

Kevin Goldstein: I mean, the IMDB 250 list is based on user ratings, so it’s a joke of a list. No. 1 is The Shawshank Redemption, so my answer is one as that is far from a great movie.

Bernie: If the Pirates cut a deal with a player at pick #1, who would you be targeting with savings in round 2?

Kevin Goldstein: It’s hard to say until players start throwing out numbers.

Tim Tebow’s Thunder Thighs: With all the recent coverage of MiLB players’ compensation in mind, do you think many clubs will try to improve the quality of life of their farm systems in the near future?  One would think that applying just the “average MLB salary” toward providing housing, food, and support to any given team’s minor league system could pay for itself out of prospect development/savings values alone.

Kevin Goldstein: It’s absolutely silly. They are traveling for work, so all of their expenses should be paid for.

Keith: How big of an impediment to development is an aggressive assignment that doesn’t work out? How long should an org let a prospect struggle before a demotion? Many White Sox prospects are struggling mightily and they have been aggressive with assignments in the past. Just trying to understand the risk/reward involved in these types of decisions.

Kevin Goldstein: It’s a very difficult thing to judge from the outside looking in. Makeup plays a massive role in these kinds of decisions. Some players are best served by dominating a level for a bit, and others are best served by a constant challenge.

Hunter: Drew Romo has been impressive so far in Fresno. Any chance he is a top 100 prospect soon?

Kevin Goldstein: I’m a fan. There’s a chance…

Tigers Fan: Which would be more impressive Vlad Jr. winning the MLB triple crown or Ohtani being Ohtani (doing his Babe Ruth impression) and on to his way to a 10 WAR season?

Kevin Goldstein: Probably Ohtani…

Justin: Thoughts on speculation that Reynolds is on the block? It seems ridiculous the Pirates would trade him at this point, having team control for 4+ seasons.

Kevin Goldstein: They should not deal him, agreed.

RAH: Agree or disagree, we are all aware of TINSTAAPP. Some have tried to say their is No Such Thing As A Catching Prospect. These are defeatist mentalities, right?

Kevin Goldstein: Right. 100% right.

Kevin Goldstein: Here’s the thing about this kind of thinking. You could have a scout, and he could go to minor league games and tell you everyone stinks and he would be right more often than any scout in your organization while also providing the least amount of value.

Parlayking27: I was wondering if you think a projection model (to predict game outcomes) would be more accurate by projecting a teams performance by lineups and their history against the opposing starting pitcher, or more accurate by using team level data with starting pitcher adjustments? Thanks and hope you have a great week!

Kevin Goldstein: The latter. Way too much noise in individual batter/pitcher data because of the small sample sizes.

Mike: Francisco Alvarez is killing it.  Just seems to keep on hitting in High-A.  Has he bumped up his ETA this year?  Or still on same timeline due to catcher development?

Kevin Goldstein: I certainly think he’s accelerated his ETA, but this year, and even 2022 is still too aggressive.

Sam: With Wander getting the callup, who is your new #1 prospect?

Kevin Goldstein: Pretty clearly Adley Rutschman, no?

Ben: Shane Baz was seen as a future high leverage reliever at the start of the season in part because of poor command/control. He’s gotten the walks under control so far – is the command still bad? Do you still think he’s a future reliever or are you coming around to him as a starter?

Kevin Goldstein: The stuff is very similar to what we’ve seen in the past. This big step forward is mostly because of command.

Austin Beck: What happened to me? Is my realistic potential a 4th outfielder due to lack of power?

Kevin Goldstein: A bad approach combined with too much swing and miss is a deadly combination.

JJ: Hey Kevin! How far along in draft prep are most teams at this point? Have a full board? Have their ABCD etc plans sketched out?

Kevin Goldstein: They have a full board, but magnets are still moving around quite a bit.

Reed: Is Triston Casas a future top five MLB 1B? Top ten?

Kevin Goldstein: Top ten feels like the safer bet.

Cool: Kevin, assuming Rutschman is your #1 C, who is #2? Alvarez?

Kevin Goldstein: Sounds right. Gabriel Moreno in the mix…

D backs fan: Thanks for the chat Kevin. What can the D Backs get for the players they’d realistically be trading at the deadline?

Kevin Goldstein: Some prospect depth. They don’t really have a big prize…

Gordy coleman: Michael Harris-a poor man’s acuna or pache the sequel?

Kevin Goldstein: This is such a weird question. He’s nowhere near Acuña, but that doesn’t mean he’s not good.

Terry: During your time with the Astros it seemed like you and the Yankees went head to head on some trade targets. Any behind the curtains insights you can give us a couple years removed on the Gerrit Cole trade? I remember Passan tweeting about how it seemed inevitable Cole would end up on the Yankees and then a short time later PIT/HOU finalize a deal. Was that a strategic leak designed to see if they could get anyone else to beat the NYY offer or am I giving the Pirates too much credit?

Kevin Goldstein: Gonna disappoint you here, but I don’t remember ever being concerned about him being traded to the Yankees.

Travis: Reports that Wander is getting the call. What are the signs you’ll be looking for to see if he really is the messiah?

Kevin Goldstein: I will be looking at his approach, as well as how pitchers attack him, but I won’t be looking to see if he is a messiah, as it’s silly to expect any player to be that, even the best prospect in baseball.

Not Dawson: Hey Kevin, would you ever consider publishing a list of the Chin Music moments of culture in some form? I often find myself trying to remember what you or a guest mentioned was on Hulu and having to dive back into the podcast feed to try and remember which episode it was from and when.

Kevin Goldstein: Hmmm. Never thought of it…..but maybe?

Biff: How late do the negotiations for the first few picks go?half hour? Two days?

Kevin Goldstein: Right up until the pick is made.

Base Ball: How was it that Kyle Tucker was placed on the Covid IL when he apparently didn’t have Covid and wasn’t a close contact, but instead had some other stomach bug?

Kevin Goldstein: He had symptoms, and that’s enough.

D backs fan: Kevin, thanks for your time. Do bloodlines shape perceptions in regards to player acquisition? Like if a player has a brother in the bigs who is good, does he get a bump in perception and vice versa?

Kevin Goldstein: Often, it helps with makeup in the sense that the kid has been around the game and there aren’t going to be any surprises and he’ll make quicker adjustments.

Blaine: Nate Pearson is figuring things out in AAA, while the Blue Jays have a disastrous bullpen situation. A) Should the Jays put Pearson in the bullpen to help out? B) Would it impact him long-term?

Kevin Goldstein: Yes; No. He also just might be a reliever in the end…

Biff: Think it would be interesting to read about how trades unfold. How many guys at a position are available,how much demand . . How many negotiations take place in the last 24-48 hours.

Kevin Goldstein: Sure. Will do.

Jason: How much input does a typical front office have on putting together the lineup card?  Is it in collaboration with the manager, a directive, or suggestive?  What was your experience in Houston, if you’re able to say?

Kevin Goldstein: VERY little. Front office puts together the roster, and then hands it over to the manager who handles the in-game stuff.

Guest: Does it mean anything in particular that Kat OBrien shared her sexual assault piece on NYTimes and not a sports media outlet? (Also, powerful piece to anyone that hasn’t read yet).

Kevin Goldstein: I agree that everyone should read that, but I wouldn’t read too much into what outlet published it.

Mike Scott: Can you tell us a little more about Abraham Toro? Minors numbers look good, but I thought you may be able to provide a bit more insight.

Kevin Goldstein: In terms of data, everything screams that Toro should be a real MLB offensive performer….

Chris: When is mock Intel number 2 coming?

Kevin Goldstein: Soon-ish, when this chat ends I’m going to eat lunch and then call Eric to discuss.

Bryan: How do teams feel about the late draft?  Do they want to move it back to June?

Kevin Goldstein: Most of who I would talk to would prefer June, but nobody feels that strongly about either data. More of just an “it is what it is” attitude.

Guest: How valuable or influential do you think the new draft combine will be?

Kevin Goldstein: It might end up being of value, but this year, it is of very little value.

Jacob: Does the whether a prospect is selected to play for the Futures Game ever play into when a team would promote a prospect?

Kevin Goldstein: Not in the least.

John: Mozeliak basically said the Cards aren’t in the market as either buyers/sellers this weekend.  When a GM days this:  is it true ?  Is it posturing and if so why ?  is it simply a signal to the fanbase to set expectations (my choice ) or something else ?

Kevin Goldstein: Could be any of the above. I think it makes sense for the Cardinals to let the next few weeks play out.

Jake: Why does Patrick Sandoval’s change up play so well? It doesn’t seem to have any of the crazy movement that the best change ups tend to have.

Kevin Goldstein: Changeups are more about deception than movement. In terms of raw pitch data, Cole Hamels didn’t have an amazing looking changeup, but it sure performed amazingly.

Guest: Do you have any strong opinions in regard to leaning heavily on data/video to scout the upper levels of the minor leagues & power 5 college programs while prioritizing in-person looks for the lower levels of pro & amateur ball?

Kevin Goldstein: I do think that’s the way to go.

MoonBeamMcSwine: Can you opine on Arkansas’ Christian Franklin as a possible comp to Mookie Betts?… please?..

Kevin Goldstein: Sure, it’s ridiculous. And Franklin is quite interesting. Just don’t compare guys to Mookie Betts. That’s just silly.

Quarantino Martinez: Do you think the O’s should/will go underslot again this year at the draft or start to look at best available?

Kevin Goldstein: I think that mostly depends on how the first four picks play out. I’m sure they are preparing for both possibilities.

Keefths: Shawshank is amazing !!! stick to baseball KG

Kevin Goldstein: It’s really not.

Rob: Jake Cronenworth is on pace for a borderline allstar WAR.  I don’t think that was the projection coming up.  What’s changed?

Kevin Goldstein: Outstanding contact ability and sneaky pop developed.

BigDaddeh: How much do front offices weigh bigtime tournament (ie NCAA supers/CWS) performances in the draft? Is “coming up in a big spot” something that really carries a good amount of weight? Or is there an inclination to pounce on a guy who had a quiet tournament who’s stock might have dropped a touch?

Kevin Goldstein: Maybe a small needle move, but not a big one.

Chris: Why does tj knock a guy like hill down 20+ spots but hoglund only like 5?

Kevin Goldstein: Track record.

Thad Levine: Best landing spots for Buxton if the Twins decide to shop him

Kevin Goldstein: They shouldn’t shop him.

SJ: How much does the work load change for the scouting department in the few weeks immediately after the deadline?

Kevin Goldstein: Significantly, but a lot of it is a switch flip from preparation mode to read and react mode.

Kevin: Where do you see Austin Martin ending up positionally?

Kevin Goldstein: Outfield.

Guest: Are you going to Riotfest and if so, who are you most excited to see?

Kevin Goldstein: No plans. Not a big fan of festival type shows.

Brian: What happens to baseball ops people if there is a lock out? Is it all just contingency planning based on how the new CBA could pan out?

Kevin Goldstein: It could get ugly again. People could get furloughed/let go.

Marty: If you had to choose between seeing Devo and Mr. Bungle, which would you choose?

Kevin Goldstein: Devo. No question.

Rick Groves: Hunter Greene was hitting 104 in his last start.  Who should be more scared?  Opposing batters or the Reds medical staff?

Kevin Goldstein: Continuing on an earlier theme, I’m just not a fan of this kind of defeatist thinking. You say everyone is going to get hurt and then say I told you so when they do. Accomplishes nada.

Harrison: What are some of the easier things to teach prospects coming up into the league, and what are some of the tougher ones? Would you guys ever draft guys you felt had the harder tools locked up where you could project on the others? Would you ever take guys vice versa who you felt had a limited ceiling but would perform well in the minors and be trade throw-ins?

Kevin Goldstein: I think teaching a hitting approach remains a massive challenge.

Chamaco: Is Joe Gray Jr a GUY or a guy?

Kevin Goldstein: A guy.

Broken bat: Bobby Bradley has struck out 10 of last 18 at bats. The pitching formula has been implemented. Do you see a .250 hitter in his arsenal.

Kevin Goldstein: I do not.

Brad LIpton: Kevin.  I find the emphasis on strike zone judgement for certain hitters has negatively impacted their overall productivity since it takes away impactful aggression.  The goal is to get pitches to hit in the location where you like to hit it so that you can do damage (hit it hard somewhere).  I feel that, for certain players, this has not become the priority (unfortunately).  On the other hand, Marcus Semien is doing a great job of mixing in patience with aggression and has been able to be extremely productive.   What are your thoughts on this?

Kevin Goldstein: Hitters are mostly taught to be aggressive. If you get a pitch you can drive, drive it. If that happens 0-0, great, swing at it.

baseballenjoyer: Is Chas McCormick an everyday player for some team?

Kevin Goldstein: Maybe in a second-division starter kind of way.

Peter: Hey KG – recently joined FG as a member in large part to you coming back on board and would encourage everyone else to do the same! As a Rays fan I’m excited about our prospects close to the majors but couldn’t help but notice Curtis Mead’s development in Charleston. Any chance he moves up the Rays list soon? Thanks again.

Kevin Goldstein: Thanks for supporting FanGraphs. Everyone should do so. Mead is off to a great start, but there are question marks on the power ceiling, approach and where he ends up defensively.

Dan: Could MLB make every pitcher throw a bullpen session where they know the balls have no sticky stuff and then if their spin rate jumps by say 400 rpm from that baseline automatically collect their belt uniform hat etc to check for foreign substances as they leave the game?

Kevin Goldstein: Nope.

Chester Arthur: Do you think that the sticky stuff is going to be more difficult than other issues for the union to negotiate on? Seems unique in the sense that you’ve got outspoken hitters on one side of things, and outspoken pitchers taking a different angle

Kevin Goldstein: Both sides have much bigger things to worry about.

hbar: Can you and your colleagues explain why the Giants are good? Exasperated fans of other NL West teams need an explanation, or is the explanation that it is a chaotic & cruel world

Kevin Goldstein: Good starting pitching, good bullpen, outstanding lineup creation on a daily basis to maximize performance.

Bryan: Do teams give scouts archetypes to look for position by position?  Or is that too specific?

Kevin Goldstein: Nah. Just find good players. They come in all shapes, sizes and ability sets.

Dalton Wilcox: How much do teams value non-Cape Cod summer leagues?

Kevin Goldstein: Not nearly as much as the Cape, but they are watched.

Kevin: Did we learn anything about the Astros during their clinical four game sweep of the White Sox that we didn’t know before? Quite a statement series.

Kevin Goldstein: Just that their offense is relentless and easily the best in baseball, but you should have already known that.

Big League Choo: In a recent interview former NFLer Terry Crews claimed 70% of the players in the NFL hated playing, but did it because it was their “way out.” Now baseball isn’t going to break your brain like football does, but if you had to guess, what % of players in MLB don’t love their job?

Kevin Goldstein: I think most baseball players really like being baseball players. There are certainly more than a few who are simply good at it and don’t really love it, but they are a small minority of the player pool.

Brian: Will any free agents sign between the end of the World Series and the expiration of the CBA?

Kevin Goldstein: It’s hard to say. I wonder if the quiet period will be busier. Still a lot of unknowns.

Mark: If you’re a team like the Twins this year (maybe Sox last year?) where you expect to be in the middle of your competitive window but turn out to suck that year, how do you reevaluate? Trade expiring guys?

Kevin Goldstein: Exactly. I think it’s fair to say this year isn’t going to work out, but we still believe in the core, so just get rid of rentals and start over for 22. No player signed after 2021 is available.

Matt: If you have seen Ted Lasso, would you compare Teoscar Hernandez’s vibe to Dani Rojas?

Kevin Goldstein: YES.

Italian beef w/ giardiniera: Little Miss Sunshine opinion?

Kevin Goldstein: Good movie.

Andrew: The Padres substantially drained their top level talent outside of a few elite guys. Now in third place, do you think they’ll continue to take big swings?

Kevin Goldstein: I don’t think A.J. Preller knows how to take little swings . . .

Chris: Any chance Eric, Keith law (you seem to get athletic writers regularly) or even Kiley to talk draft on the pod this week or next?

Kevin Goldstein: Message received….

Jonathan: Given your background, this might be an appropriate question: What do pro scouts/any in-office personnel do in the offseason?

Kevin Goldstein: There’s plenty to do. Pro scouts have AFL/Winter ball and work to do on off-season transactions.

Jays: What drives you and Eric’s disagreement on Manoah?

Kevin Goldstein: I’m more convinced he’s a starter.

Sammy Sosa’s cork: What is the difference between Triston Casas and Jordan Walker? To me they are the same guy

Kevin Goldstein: Cases has the superior hit tool, Walker has the bigger power. I think they’re actually quite different players..

Mike Scott: Best fits for Jose Berrios?

Kevin Goldstein: Minnesota.

matt foley: any love for non-sumo wrestling? Thinking folk/free/greco, not WWE.

Kevin Goldstein: Nope, just sumo.

Deathclaw: Is Matt Olson hitting a new level? It’s been fascinating to see him decrease his Ks significantly and seem to become a more complete hitter.

Kevin Goldstein: Yes. It sure feels like a real and very significant change for the better.

Joshua: As a fun exercise, could you create a fair and realistic trade that involves Scherzer assuming the Nats decide to sell? Thanks.

Kevin Goldstein: This is a very complex question that is hard to answer off the cuff. So much depends on how the Nats and any potential trading partner handle all of the deferred money.

Weenie: How high is the top ranked player on a team’s board that becomes available to a team when it’s their turn to draft? Excluding unsignable players would a team picking 50th get the 40th or so player on their board?

Kevin Goldstein: Probably a bit higher.

Dipoto: Is my team a .500 team?

Kevin Goldstein: Yeah, somewhere around there. Sneak solid club.

Brian: What are actually going to be the big questions in the CBA negotiations? I cant imagine anyone will press for anything as radical as a salary cap/floor and I doubt there is going to be a big push to help minor leaguers. Is it all on the field stuff? Service time?

Kevin Goldstein: Service time as built into a system that incentivizes clubs to put their best product on the field. The biggest arguments are going to be over revenue. Clubs are making tons of money (primarily in real estate) than don’t fall directly on the baseball part of the spreadsheet.

Dalton Wilcox: The NFL is gross

Kevin Goldstein: Don’t watch it at all.

David (formerly Sonoma State): I can’t wait for your first in-person FG event where one of us asks you a movie opinion and the entire crowd groans in disbelief at your answer.

Kevin Goldstein: That sounds fantastic.

El Zilcho: More likely: Matt McLain becomes an above average CF, or Sal Frelick becomes an above average 2B?

Kevin Goldstein: I think it’s more likely that McLain is the 2B and Frelick the CF at the end of the day.

Brian: What is it about Nick Madrigal’s approach or technique that could be developed in youth players? Not everyone with grow into a body like Giancarlo Stanton or Trevor Bauer (big guys) and not everyone will have incredible Lincecum or Billy Hamilton physical gifts. What can studying Madrigal teach a young player?

Kevin Goldstein: I don’t know how you teach that kind of hand/eye coordination. It’s as unique as Stanton’s strength in my opinion.

Don: Will there be a draft chat? That’d be nice

Kevin Goldstein: There will be plenty of coverage.

Sam: On the Manaea piece (which was great), how did the Royals know his number to sign? Is that something that Boras would tell every interested team, or would he guide his client to certain favored teams?

Kevin Goldstein: It’s unlikely that the Royals knew an exact number, but they certainly knew a range.

Mike: Do you expect the Mets to be aggressive at the deadline?

Kevin Goldstein: I do.

Brett: How many GM’s watch every single pitch of every big league game?

Kevin Goldstein: Zero? It’s an impossible ask. Sometimes they are traveling, sometimes they have to entertain someone in the suite, sometimes they have to take a trade call, or get in touch with the training staff if someone gets hurt. Tons of potential distractions.

Guest: Follow-up on one of the Franco questions: Is there *any* prospect or player whom you would project as a consistent threat to hit .330 each year?  That seems like an outlandish prediction for anyone, given the state of the game right now (i.e., lots of Ks, lots of power, etc.).

Kevin Goldstein: Nobody I can think of.

Keefths: You have Gabriel Moreno at 50 Raw power. He seems to be mashing at AA, would you increase that grade ?

Kevin Goldstein: Yup.

Brian: Pretty terrible that “dinner with the family” wasn’t listed as why a GM would miss a PITCH

Kevin Goldstein: Plenty of family comes to the game and eats with the GM at times, but GMs certainly aren’t going home for dinner on a home game day.

Kevin Goldstein: Ok folks, just a few more. I gotta more rom for Mr. Clemens or he gets VERY angry, and you don’t want to see Ben Clemens when he’s angry.

Royals Boy: Thoughts on Zack Haake and Dante Biaisi no-hitting the Timber rattlers on Friday?

Kevin Goldstein: Haake has really interesting stuff. Probably a pen arm in the end and needs to stay healthy.

Sam: What happens if a player says I’ll sign for X, the team drafts him, and then the player increases his number? Does this ever happen? If it does, does the agent get blackballed?

Kevin Goldstein: It happens. It’s super frustrating, but it happens. Sometimes it’s the agent being full of it (rare, and never big agents), but sometimes it’s the kid changing his mind.

Derek: Are there as many interpersonal rivalries between/among players in the MLB as there are in the NBA that just don’t get as publicized for some reason?

Kevin Goldstein: I don’t think so. Different dynamic.

Ameer: Love the site. Keep it up.

Kevin Goldstein: Thanks and I will do just that. Thanks for all the great questions everyone and I’ll see you next week. I gotta go write something. . .