I kinda like this guy.

Rays Attendance: What is the most important ‘makeup’ trait in a ballplayer? And which teams value makeup/character the most, you’ve found?

1:18	Kevin Goldstein: I know it’s a cliche, but love of the game is big for me. Even more important is that drive to improve and knowing that there’s always something to work on.

Don: How do you think fans (who feel this way, at least) rationalize siding with owners over players while also constantly saying that Manfred is ruining the game? As if Manfred is anything more than a figurehead and mouthpiece for those owners?

1:19	Kevin Goldstein: Um . . . without getting too political, on a cultural level this country has turned bosses/busines owners into heroes and workers into less than that.

Joe: Is it difficult to square any potential political leanings one might have about workers (say, they should be paid for their labor) and being in a front office? It seems sort of impossible not to treat players like commodities to some extent.

1:33	Kevin Goldstein: Yes, it can be difficult, and I personally believe players should never be referred to in commodified language, like ‘assets’ for example

Mac: Do you think they’ll move the draft up?  This summer is/was an absolute mess.

1:36	Kevin Goldstein: Man, I hope so, but it did well in terms of in a public facing way.

JB: From your experience (writing, scouting, FO, etc.), is there a logical fix for service time? Seems like a good opportunity for MLB to also enhance its brand by getting young upcoming stars going earlier/without controversy.

1:37	Kevin Goldstein: I’ve always liked the concept of just starting service time at signing date.

On 11/17/2019 at 8:22 AM, Harold's Leg Lift said:

So it was Kevin Goldstein who sent the emial.  All the assbags are coming out to play.  

first goldstein's redemption, next hostetler

I didn't quite remember goldstein as blogger, but he has added a very nice balance in fangraphs which had started to become a little too snarky with how even keeled he is. When sullivan left fangraphs was a tough read for me, but goldstein has been a must-read. 

I thought he would be kinda an arrogant prick but his writing is very much not that.

I did an interview with Kevin for Future Sox back in 2010...over AIM. 

He was very gracious with his time and always appreciated him for that. 

1 hour ago, bmags said:

first goldstein's redemption, next hostetler

I had to think what that was about. Goldstein was cleared of any cheating so his assbag status was suspended.  

1 minute ago, Harold's Leg Lift said:

I had to think what that was about. Goldstein was cleared of any cheating so his assbag status was suspended.  

I remembered just because I hoped he wasn't involved and had never seen an update and was pretty sour on him initially until his writing won me over. With how segmented luhnow kept his people i'm actually not surprised he was not involved.

 

Linked below is a good read regarding Kevin Goldstein. 

https://awfulannouncing.com/online-outlets/fangraphs-hires-former-astros-scouting-director-kevin-goldstein-analysis-commentary.html

Didn’t realize he is there now, will start reading. Thanks @Harold's Leg Lift

Dude was on fire today.     Tyler “SLAB” O’Neill: Which defensive metric do you trust most?

Kevin Goldstein: My eyes. I just still very skeptical of nearly any defensive metric.

 

Fred: In most publicly available pitch frame metrics Martin Maldonado is average. Do the Astros’ metrics say different? What makes him so valuable?

Kevin Goldstein: He’s game management and his working with pitchers is as good as anyone in the game. It’s not something you can put a number on, but it’s there, and it’s incredibly valuable.

Dalton Wilcox: You scare me with all this talk of unquantified Value. Life only counts if quantified, no? Everything else is stupid unlike me

Kevin Goldstein: An economist won a Nobel Prize in the 1970s by yelling at other economists who believed they should ignore that which can not be quantified. I yell at baseball fans who ignore that which can not be quantified.

 

SJ: What are the best online resources if I want to try to train my brain to see what scouts see? Watching video of players with really good individual tool grades on the board has been helpful but can I supplement that in any way?

Kevin Goldstein: If you want to train your brain to see what scouts see, you need to sit behind home plate at games.

 

 

On 8/16/2021 at 3:01 PM, Harold's Leg Lift said:

I kinda like this guy.

Rays Attendance: What is the most important ‘makeup’ trait in a ballplayer? And which teams value makeup/character the most, you’ve found?

1:18	Kevin Goldstein: I know it’s a cliche, but love of the game is big for me. Even more important is that drive to improve and knowing that there’s always something to work on.

Don: How do you think fans (who feel this way, at least) rationalize siding with owners over players while also constantly saying that Manfred is ruining the game? As if Manfred is anything more than a figurehead and mouthpiece for those owners?

1:19	Kevin Goldstein: Um . . . without getting too political, on a cultural level this country has turned bosses/busines owners into heroes and workers into less than that.

Joe: Is it difficult to square any potential political leanings one might have about workers (say, they should be paid for their labor) and being in a front office? It seems sort of impossible not to treat players like commodities to some extent.

1:33	Kevin Goldstein: Yes, it can be difficult, and I personally believe players should never be referred to in commodified language, like ‘assets’ for example

Mac: Do you think they’ll move the draft up?  This summer is/was an absolute mess.

1:36	Kevin Goldstein: Man, I hope so, but it did well in terms of in a public facing way.

JB: From your experience (writing, scouting, FO, etc.), is there a logical fix for service time? Seems like a good opportunity for MLB to also enhance its brand by getting young upcoming stars going earlier/without controversy.

1:37	Kevin Goldstein: I’ve always liked the concept of just starting service time at signing date.

So if you just start service time and calculate free agency from signing date, doesn't that incentivize signing older players so you'll have control for more of their peak? Seems like we need a formula that uses signing date as a base but weighs signing age in some way.

On 11/2/2021 at 1:37 AM, CentralChamps21 said:

So if you just start service time and calculate free agency from signing date, doesn't that incentivize signing older players so you'll have control for more of their peak? Seems like we need a formula that uses signing date as a base but weighs signing age in some way.

Yes, I think the formula would need to accommodate for signing age. 

 

Maybe 7 years for college, 9 years for HS and 10 for international. That would make anyone a free agent around 27-28.

That would really devalue older prospects  though who haven't yet broken out (like sheets and burger), because a 25-26 yo rookie wouldn't have much control left. 

Edited November 5, 20214 yr by Dominikk85