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Craig can answer your questions about fantasy, about prospects, about general baseball sweetness, and about his horrifying record of out-of-the-mainstream opinions.
Craig Goldstein: If you wanna talk trash, you can talk talk talk but you better come correct
Welcome to the #converCraigtion
John (Toronto): Hi Craig,
Do you think I should pick up Soler now and what kind of fantasy value do you think he has rest of this season and is he a better keeper than Baez?
Craig Goldstein: I think picking him up now is the way to go, because there's a real chance he's a September call up. I don't think he's a better keeper than Baez though, not only due to positional value, but he's just not quite the same type of impact prospect. That's not an insult to him, but they're not in the same echelon for me.
Andrew Buchholz (Chicago): Out of Baez, Bryant, Soler, Almora, and Russell who is least likely and most likely to bust.
Craig Goldstein: Bryant is the least likely to bust for me, with Soler the most likely. Almora is extremely safe too, and but part of that is because he lacks the overall ceiling of the others and thus seems less like to be a bust in terms of perception.
Cal Guy (Cal): Hi Craig, Taking into account ceilings, injury history and proximity to the majors, would you rather have Gausman or Giolito for the next 7 years?
Craig Goldstein: Give me Gausman cause he's got a 2 year head start. I'm all for moving pitchers quickly, but I don't think Giolito is making a positive impact in fantasy until mid-2016, and Gausman is here right now. I also think he starts to miss more bats as soon as next season.
Justin (Iowa City): Go take a look at Glasnow's numbers. They are laughable. In my opinion, he is the best pitching prospect in baseball. Your thoughts?
Craig Goldstein: I've been on Glasnow for a while now, but I don't think we can just ignore the context. The FSL is a great place to pitch, and he's still walking near 5 guys per 9 innings. He can hit 100 MPH, but at 6'7 repeating his mechanics can be a challenge, which equates to control issues. He's probably not in my top 5 pitching prospects, but he could be next year. I like him, but there's plenty to refine there.
JP (TX): Do you think the Rangers should/will give Chi Chi or LuJax a shot at the big leagues in september this year?
Craig Goldstein: I think Chi-Chi going from High-A to MLB is a bit of stretch, but Luke Jackson should get a shot in my opinion. He's struggled to adjust to Triple-A from a statistical standpoint, but it's not the friendliest environment. The strides he made in Double-A were really big to me, in terms of harnessing his stuff, and I'm hopeful that can hold going forward. I think he's made it far more likely he's a starter than a reliever with this season.
Dayton (the beach): When can we all just admit Kyle Zimmer is broken?
Craig Goldstein: I don't think anyone is arguing otherwise. The question is whether he can get healthy again, and I think he can.
treynay3 (Indy): What are your thoughts on Rusney Castillo? I tempered my expectations for Cespedes…he was great. I thought no way could Puig be as good…he was better. I expected Abreu to struggle at least with his AVG…he’s a stud. I keep wanting to temper my expectations with Castillo, but why should I? I know he’s not a Puig or Abreu type talent, but could he be very, very good?
Craig Goldstein: I think he can be good, but the honest answer is I don't know anything you don't know. You've highlighted the successful Cuban imports from recent years but it's important to remember that a lot of guys come over who we don't notice as much and forget about when they fail. Remember Leslie Anderson?
Bored at work (the office): Thank goodness it's Friday...Thoughts on Kennys Vargas long term? Can he be a .280, 25 homer guy?
Craig Goldstein: Nope, I don't think he can hit nearly that well. He's got power in spades, but I don't think he's got the contact skills to let it function at it's zenith. I think he's a .250s guy, and possibly worse than that. .250/20 would be my guess at a full season worth of ABs
Cal Guy (Cal): Hi Craig, What do you see as Carlos Rodon's ceiling and when do you expect to see him make it to MLB?
Craig Goldstein: I like Rodon as a #2 starter in real life and possibly someone who could carry your fantasy staff. The strikeouts should be there. Rumor has it he could be up in September as a reliever, and that's a possibility I posed about him pre-draft.
Fred (Vegas): Craig, thanks for doing this chat. I've got a fantasy trade question for you regarding a dynasty league. Would you trade Jorge Soler, Trevor Bauer, and a 2nd round pick for Starlin Castro? Honestly, I've got no clue what the 2nd round pick will end up being. It's a late 2nd rounder, and it all depends on who Yahoo adds. My team is in a complete rebuild, but SS doesn't look like it'll be filled until Carlos Correa comes up. My other prospects include Seager, but he could move to 3B, and Baez doesn't look like he'll retain SS eligibility. Chris Taylor is also there, not sure he's the answer though. What do you think? Accept or Decline?
Craig Goldstein: My pleasure, Fred. Thanks for coming!
I honestly think I might hold on to your side of the deal. I like Castro plenty and Shortstops are hard to come by but I think you can get by with a Chris Taylor, and Soler/Bauer still have plenty of room to grow. I think Soler contributes by early next season
spank aaron (whoville): Say your a fan of graphs, who is the best player in baseball and what was the hottest verse spit this year. Bobby Shmurda?
Craig Goldstein: Your hottest verse this year
JP (tx): In a league where you can only keep players if they play in the MLB that year, have someone offering me a league minimum Kris Bryant for a high priced Lynn. what are the odds Bryant gets the call up this year? is it worth the risk?
Craig Goldstein: I don't think it is. Bryant is a 2015 debut for me, so while I don't love Lynn overall, I'm not trading him for nothing.
Mark (Queens): Is Dilson Herrera's breakout this year for real?
Craig Goldstein: Depends on your definition of real. He's always been a 2nd division starter at 2nd for me, and if you think that's "real" I'm happy enough to agree with you
Ryan (Philadelphia): How good can JP Crawford be? Fantasy Wise
Craig Goldstein: I think Crawford can be an 8-12 type fantasy shortstop, based mostly on batting average and speed. I might be overrating him with that ceiling too. I love love love him as a prospect but the ceiling isn't huge as a fantasy prospect. More deep league fodder than anything.
LeafontheWind (Heaven, no wait, Iowa): Crispy Dingleberries,
I need to put faces to the names on TINO. Please link me a picture. Also, you should totally have your own podcast where you ramble by yourself for hours on end and bring on guests only to yell at them. Thoughts?
Craig Goldstein: There's an amazing photoshop with a picture of us on our most recent TINO ep. Find it here Photoshop courtesy of the essential @Holly_Holl
JP (TX): Thanks for the chat Craig, one last question Pop tart or Toaster Strudle? and which one is more of a sandwitch?
Craig Goldstein: I like the flakiness of the toaster strudel but it always looked better than it really was. Pop Tarts are significantly better overall, and would make for the better sandwich if you were really strapped. Gorosh would probably put one in water and call it "delectable"
RotoLando (Cloud City): Which of these portly chaps do you like for the rest of the year, Billy Butler or Kennys Vargas?
Craig Goldstein: I choose death
DogsWithHats (Manhattan): Craij, how are you?
I mean, spiritually, physically, emotionally?
Craig Goldstein: Compromised
Noah Braun (San Diego): assuming they come back healthy, which SP would you want most for next year? Tanaka, Harvey, or Jose Fernandez
Craig Goldstein: If they're all starting from day 1, I'll take Fernandez. If we're going based on current timetables, I'll take Harvey
JC (CoMo): I turned down his Jonathan LuCroy and Bryce Harper for my Mike Trout. I can keep any of those guys forever. I think I might've picked with my heart instead of my head. What do you think?
Craig Goldstein: I'm not sure you ever have to justify keeping Mike Trout. Besides, haven't you heard Harper is going to minors?
Charles (Hotlanta): Hi Craig, in my 20 team dynasty league I recently traded Jon Lester for Devin Mesoraco plus the 9th overall pick in next years draft? How do you think I made out? Thanks.
Craig Goldstein: If I were your friend I'd say "that's an interesting choice you've made there, Chaz" but we don't really know each other so I'll tell you straight up I think you made a mistake. I don't think Lester is losing his skills anytime soon, and while I like Mesoraco, I don't think he's the next Lucroy. I might be wrong though -- and part of it rests on the value of the 9th overall pick. So I'm working with limited info here. Let's be friends though!
Shawnykid23 (CT): Which prospect are you stashing considering both ETA and impact- Raimel Tapia, Nick Williams, or Josh Bell?
Craig Goldstein: Bell, Williams, Tapia in that order
Theodore (Chicago): Matt Holliday still has 3/51 (not awful, but more than he'd get in FA) left with the birds. Is Piscotty getting moved this winter, does he become a 4th OF, or do the Cards find a way to move Holliday's contract? Given Holidays hitting decline this year I'd be a bit nervous to ride out the next three despite his flawless glovework.
Craig Goldstein: I think if the situation presents itself they might move either Holliday or Piscotty but the beauty is they don't have to do either. Piscotty isn't the impact talent that Taveras is, so you don't necessarily have to move someone to get him in the lineup. He's a great prospect and someone you want in your system, but the Cardinals got to where they are by making good major league talents wait their turn. I suspect they'll do the same with Piscotty.
James (Iowa): 10 team H2H can keep 15 for as long as you want. OBP and OPS instead of AVG. Would you trade Harper for Taveras and Bryant? Could try to up my end for OT, Bryant, and Baez.
Craig Goldstein: I'm 100% in Harper's corner, but yes I probably make this deal
Davey (The Internet): Why even bother?
Craig Goldstein: Mom? Is that you?
padremurph (Los Angeles): Who are you excited to watch this Sunday at Petco? What are your thoughts on Kyle Dean?
Craig Goldstein: I'll own up to the fact that I don't acquaint myself with the 2015 draft class until closer to the start of the college season. Too much fluctuation to make the investment worthwhile. Bret Sayre and Wilson Karamans are your guys on the fantasy staff for these Qs
Biff (the future): Good a real chat, none of this Cespedes Family BBQ crap we had the other day. Don't do that again.
Craig Goldstein: I know, people being nice to me upsets me too
Rich (MD): How would you rank these in 14 ™ dynasty league: Lucas Sims, Robbie Erlin, A.Heaney, J.Taillon, CJ Edwards?
Craig Goldstein: Taillon, Heaney, Sims, Erlin, Edwards
MonkeyEpoxy (Amarillo): That Luis Ortiz fella the Rangers drafted this year. Seems like he could be pretty good, no?
Craig Goldstein: There are certainly some makeup concerns with Ortiz, but he certainly had a nice introduction didn't he? Really talented kid. Let's hope he can overcome the off-the-field questions and let his talent shine. If he can, he's a steal.
kiper90 (Rochester, NY): Hey Craig, what's your thoughts on Ryan McMahon & Nomar Mazara this season and going forward? You think they will land somewhere in your Top-100 maybe 50 for 2015?
Craig Goldstein: They're two of "my guys." I think Mazara getting pushed to Double-A really helps him, as it pushes his timetable up if he can even hold his own while there. I do think both are back of the top 100 talents for fantasy, though I'd hesitate to say either are top 50 guys just yet.
Gilbert (grocery store): Rumor is ruben wants one of the cubs SS (and presumably more) for Hamels. Seems unreasonable given the 90M owed. There isn't any excess value there. Any way this can get done without locking RAJ up in the Looney bun?
Craig Goldstein: I don't know that it's crazy, but it's not something the Cubs are going to do. There's more being made of this situation than there needs to be. Hamels at $24M/year isn't bad but like you said, it's not great. I don't think RAJ has to trade him though, so he might as well ask for the world.
jaredfluth (Sioux Falls, SD): Better value over the next three years (ignoring team specific need)...
Albert Pujols or Joe Mauer?
Craig Goldstein: Pujols. I'm really concerned about Mauer at this point.
Nathan (Indianapolis): Craig, just wanted to say you're pretty great on twitter. I literally laugh out loud reading your tweets so keep it up.
Craig Goldstein: Flattery will get you everywhere, my friend.
RotoLando (Cloud City): Yasiel Puig's bat flip is a thing of beauty. What about the rest of us? Is it cool if I flip my chopsticks after a round at the Chinese buffet? How about after I get past that stupid windmill at mini-golf? Would flipping a champagne flute after gibing a wedding toast be going too far?
Craig Goldstein: I encourage all of these things to gather momentum in society, if only to upset Bill Plaschke
Thomas (New York): When Pederson gets to the MLB, how do you expect he'll do?
Craig Goldstein: I like Pederson, but I do think he gets a little bit overhyped because he's stuck at Triple-A. He's got the bat for a corner outfield spot, but I don't think he's a star there. If he can truly play CF, I think he's well above-average in terms of how the batting line plays. In a corner he's closer to league average.
jamesmcevoy (San Diego): Speaking of Harper, is this just a write off year for him? Do you still think he becomes a superstar?
Craig Goldstein: I do think he becomes a superstar year. I don't think we can just write the year off though. It's all part of adjusting and dealing with adversity. He needs to learn from this year, both off the field and on, but I absolutely believe he will.
John (Toronto): Would you build your pitching staff around Teheran and Gausman and deal Strasburg for a top 30 position player? or would you keep him along with one of those 2 pitchers?
Craig Goldstein: I think it's risky because neither of those guys are the strikeout artist that Strasburg is. If you have some middle of the rotation guys with huge K upside, I might understand it, but I'd be in favor of keeping Strasburg.
chris (Phoenix): How high is the risk factor for Derek Fisher? Seems like a real legit hitter and can hit 25+ HR's but he wasn't in the same conversation with Conforto and Zimmer. Was that due to left field profile and higher risk?
Craig Goldstein: He doesn't have the same type of hit tool as Conforto, nor the same type of overall profile as Zimmer. I'm of the mind that Fisher should be tried in CF, as he has the speed to do it (clocked him at 4.0 down the line twice in February). If he ends up in LF, I think that's the bulk of what's held against him, as well as questions on how much contact he'll make. I do think he's underrated as a fantasy asset.
Evan (Canada): Is Noah Syndergaard going to haunt the Blue Jays?
Craig Goldstein: Mort said it, so we know it's true. #RIPMort
Steve (Baltimore): How do you feel Cherington has handled Bogaerts and Mookie Betts this year?
Craig Goldstein: I think he's done fine. It's been a rough year for the Sox, but I'm not sure what other choices he had for Betts. The guy was just demolishing the minors and they could use him at the major league level. I know he's not playing consistently right now, but there's a lot to learn by being in a major league clubhouse, so I don't think he's done wrong there.
As for Bogaerts, I know the shift to 3B upset people, but at that point they were trying to make a push and a small short-term sacrifice isn't that big a deal. He knew he could put Xander back at SS later on in the season if he needed to. Bogaerts is a high-makeup guy and my guess is they thought he could handle being moved around a bit.
Joe (Seattle): Looking to go all in next year in my 14 team, 15 keeper points league. Have too many keeper quality players and looking to consolidate. Do I trade Price, Gomez, Taveras for Stanton? Would allow me to keep Prince and Jordan Zimmermann as well as Stanton.
Thanks! #teamCraig
Craig Goldstein: I'm ditching Prince in this scenario and keeping the three guys. Giancarlo is great, but you're losing a ton of value in Gomez an his speed with a move like this.
Dave (work sucks): What do you think of Longoria struggling this year? The AVG isn't great and the power isn't there either, and usually it's one or the other. He's too young to be declining you would think...you think he's fixable or would you sell him in fantasy?
Craig Goldstein: I think he's fixable but I would also be selling him in fantasy. Offense is down in general, but as with David Wright, I think Longoria can still be a good player and a solid fantasy contributor, but I don't think either get back to where they were
John (Toronto): What do you make of the Cubs making a waiver claim on Hamels? Why do it if they never had the intention of making a legitimate deal with the Phillies?
Craig Goldstein: Lay the groundwork for talks in the offseason. There's literally no downside to making the claim, so why not?
Frank (Chicago): How does Tim Anderson's injury affect his future? When do we see him in the majors and at what position?
Craig Goldstein: Breaking your wrist is never a good thing, and I think it dampens his power output next year but I don't think we can say with any authority that it's going to be a long term negative. I think he's a 2B when he breaks in, and I think it'll be mid-2017
Jim (St Paul): Sounds like Trevor May is getting a shot this weekend. What are your thoughts on his near- and long-term futures?
Craig Goldstein: I'm not a big fan. He can miss some bats but the command isn't there for him to be much more than back end rotation fodder. If he becomes a 4, I'd be pretty happy if I'm Minnesota. That means he's waiver fodder in shallower fantasy leagues and a bench/matchup option in deeper leagues.
J. Montero (Tacoma): If you could pick any number of minutes for Bret to be late to the podcast, what would it be and why?
Craig Goldstein: 17. It's enough time for us to get annoyed and bitch at him, but not enough that we'd actually be upset. I love bitching, so it's perfect.
jamesmcevoy (San Diego): With Simmons entrenched at SS, how do the braves fit La Stella and Peraza into the lineup? Trade coming?
Craig Goldstein: I think that you could see one of them move off the position -- potentially TLS in LF or Peraza in CF, but I think the more likely answer is that one of them gets traded. I don't think that's happening this offseason though, because depth is essential. Cross that bridge when you come to it.
Roger (Oakland): No love for Matt Olson? 34 HR's with a not so high K% in A+. Is he just another guy or can he develop into something? And if so, what can he be?
Craig Goldstein: Not a lot. He's benefitting big time from the Cal League after a less than inspiring turn in Low-A. That said, I liked him a bit out of the draft, so I'm not throwing in the towel just yet. He's more just another guy than he is "something" right now, but he's gotta do it without the insane offensive environment for me to buy in.
CubsTwitter (Wrigleyville): Can Jacob Turner pitch? https://twitter.com/keithlaw/status/497798233549467648
Craig Goldstein: He can throw a baseball towards a plate, so by the basic definition yes. I think it's a great pickup in the sense it costs them nothing and has reasonable upside, but I wouldn't bank on Turner turning into Jake Arrieta or something. With his GB tendencies, I think he can be a fine 5th starter.
Frank (St Paul): I'm surprised you like Nick Williams better than Raimel Tapia in the longterm. Williams has a lot of swing-and-miss while Tapia's hit tool is his strongest asset. Usually the hit-tool guys are the safer bets, no?
Craig Goldstein: Williams is a potential 7 hitter, so I'm not sure there's a huge differentiation there. He's also a level above Tapia and I think the question took timetable into account. I like Williams current blend of power/hit better than Tapia who is pretty thin. I do think the power comes for Tapia, but I know there's more of it there for Williams, and given the ultimate outcomes could be similar, I'll take the more advanced player.
nottes (work): Is 2015 too aggressive to expect Dylan Bundy to be in the O's rotation?
Craig Goldstein: No, he can certainly make that happen, but I do think he needs to be sitting in the mid-90s for it to happen.
Friedman (Florida): What are your thoughts on Nick Franklin? Seems like the Rays will be motivated to showcase him soon as part of the Price haul right?
Craig Goldstein: I voiced this on TINO, but I don't think he necessarily sees time this year. They were patient with Wil Myers in terms of making sure he was doing the things they wanted before he hit his way to the majors. I don't think Franklin has that type of bat, so he's going to have to be even more refined to make it to the majors. There's not a spot that's ready made for him either, so I'm not sure what their rush would be. I don't think they feel any pressure to do anything but what's best for this team.
DF (Wilmington, NC): I can't seem to get this question answered, but maybe you can help. What is the best source of info on MiLB player injuries? I am in a deep dynasty league and it would be really helpful to better understand the extent of some of these injuries. Specifically, I haven't seen anything substantive in a long time on Casey Kelly, Tom Murphy, Keury Mella, Jose Martinez or Harold Ramirez. I just know they're all hurt. Thanks!
Craig Goldstein: I'm afraid I don't have a specific answer for you, other than pestering beat reporters. There are lot of guys who are interactive on twitter and are willing to find that info for you, though I know it might now always be the case.
John (Toronto): What is your take on Kolten Wong's long term keeper value? Should I keep him over Heyward due to position scarcity?
Craig Goldstein: He's been better than I anticipated, so I have to tip my cap to Bret Sayre on that one. I was wrong. I still keep Heyward over him though.
Andy (NY): Is Rymer Liriano fully back from his injury? What's his potential in a dynasty league? You like him or Nick Williams better?
Craig Goldstein: He is indeed. I think he gets underrated in fantasy circles as a nice power/speed option, with batting average issues. He's not on Williams level for me in terms of ultimate product, though he's likely to contribute far sooner.
John (Toronto): Do you think Arenado will ever be a consistent .300 avg, 25-30 hrs & 90-100 rbi's guy or am I just sipping too much Koolaid?
Craig Goldstein: I don't know that you're sipping it, so much as sitting in the punch bowl. I think it's heavy on the average and a little bit on the power. He might be able to one or the other, but I don't see both in the same season.
PJ Areller (Tijuana): What does a fantasy baseball writer look like?
Craig Goldstein: Like you could forget taking this sight for sore eyes in. Please.
maxpowers (chicago): what is Billy Hamilton's value in a dynasty league? I'm really hurting for steals. Would Alex Gordon be enough?
Craig Goldstein: I'd move Gordon for Hamilton if I needed speed.
MRubio52 (Chicago): Craig, any truth to the rumor that you rejected a trade to #CubsTwitter at the deadline?
Craig Goldstein: There's perhaps TOO much truth to it. Miss me with that crew.
Not important (Not important either): Do you get tired of whining about the questions you get on twitter? Big fan of other people.
Craig Goldstein: Do you know me? Does it seem like I get tired of whining?
Stephen (SEA): What's your favorite type of league set up to play in?
Craig Goldstein: 20+ team league, 15+ man minors system, roto scoring, net steals, dynasty non-auction with no keeper limits. There's probably some other small things but those are the bigguns.
Shawnykid23 (CT): What do you think of Jonathan Singleton down the stretch? He's supposedly made some swing adjustments and is hitting lefties. Good source for cheap power? Do you like him over someone like Josh Reddick?
Craig Goldstein: They're about equal in my eyes, but Singleton has less competition for ABs from what I can tell. I'd roll the dice on him.
childgrambino (Richmond, VA): I'm in a 12 team keeper league. each team gets to keep 7 players for next season. who do you think i should keep from this list: George Springer, Bryce Harper, Chris Sale, Justin Upton, Byron Buxton, Addison Russell, Taijuan Walker, Lucas Giolito, Francisco Lindor, Dylan Bundy, Kevin Gausmann, Carlos Correa, Miguel Sano, Zach Wheeler. Thanks.
Craig Goldstein: Harper, Sale, Upton, Walker, Gausman, Wheeler and Springer. 12 team leagues, you keep guys who are contributing. Having this many prospects in this shallow a league is bananas. Drop a bunch.
John (Toronto): I'm getting fed up with waiting on Walker. Should I just drop him and pick up someone like May or Hendricks or can you talk me off the ledge?
Craig Goldstein: DON'T DO IT JOHN. THERE'S TOO MUCH TO LIVE FOR. MAY JUST ISN'T WORTH IT. WE CARE ABOUT YOU
Joe (SC): Sorry if this is a repeat. What are you doing with Baez in dynasty leagues where you can keep forever? Holding or selling. Have an offer of Bogaerts, Archie Bradley and Casey Jannsen for my Baez and Betances. Moving back and forth between 1st and 3rd right now. Could possibly use saves, this doesn't do a whole lot for my team this year.
Craig Goldstein: I'm generally holding on him, but Bogaerts/Bradley/Janssen is a nice haul for him/Betances. I don't think you regret doing this if it helps you this year.
Michael (MN): What are your thoughts on the Oxford Comma? What are your biggest writing pet peeves?
Craig Goldstein: I'm very much pro-Oxford comma. One sentence paragraphs might be least favorite thing going, but there are a lot of issues out there right now (some of which I know I do myself). I hate when an article is written with a premise, but 800 words in or so, an acknowledgement is made that the whole exercise is potentially useless because the method has massive flaws. Stop wasting our time.
TH (Boston): Why haven't you seen "Guardians of the Galaxy" yet?
Craig Goldstein: Seeing it at 4:15 today. Just a note that the chat will end at 3:30 or so if we don't run out of questions before then.
MB (Seattle): Think Folty could be a maurer like source of holds?
Craig Goldstein: Absolutely. I think he's an Eovaldi like starter if he ends up starting, or an impact reliever.
Ben (Boston): Over under on Cespedes 2015 HR's if the line is 40.
Craig Goldstein: I'm going to take the under on 40 homers for anyone not named Giancarlo
temple (madison, wi): How does sano compare to pedro alvarez? better hit tool, more power?
Craig Goldstein: I'm not sure there's a "more" power than Pedro Alvarez. I do think Sano has the chance to let his power function a little better thanks to better contact rates.
Tim (TX): Hi Craig, question about dynasty league trade, 7x7 with OBP and K for hitters, QS and L for pitchers. I receive Hosmer and Teoscar Hernandez, I give up Yorfano Ventura, Taillon and Marisnick. Would value your thoughts? Thank you
Craig Goldstein: Ventura is the best player in that deal and I'd want the side with him.
Number27 (Milwaukee): Craig, thanks for the chat. Baez, Bryant, Soler, Taveras, Sano, Buxton, Singleton, Polanco, Bogaerts, Gallo, Seager, Pederson... the list goes on. We've got a lot of good hitters in the minors (or recently promoted). Are these young, shiny bats going to skew MLB-wide numbers and take us out of this era of pitcher's dominance? They're not all guaranteed to be stars, but in Baez and Sano, if just those two work out, it's an extra 60-80 HR a year in the league. Is the tide about to turn?
Craig Goldstein: I don't think I can speak on that with any confidence. It's also important to note that that type of production is going to be at their peak, and not necessarily year in and year out. There are a bunch of strong pitching prospects coming around the corner as well. I don't think that league-wide offense continues it's trend downward, but we might be where we're at for a couple years.
temple (madison): in terms of ceiling, are syndergaard and severino close, or is syndergaard far better?
Craig Goldstein: Syndergaard is far better for me. I like Severino but the body makes me question how many innings he can accrue year in and year out. Severino is more of a plus-stuff 3 to me, but I wouldn't rule out the bullpen either, if he hits some road bumps.
LGB (Evanston, Il): Over/Under Baez 2015 HR's if the line is 35?
Craig Goldstein: Under
Nick (Seattle): These chats are awesome. Keep up the great work man. What are your thoughts on Steven Matz? I've heard some say he has a #2 ceiling? Reports are that his curveball is really developing. Could give him 3 above average pitches. You a fan of Matz Craig?
Craig Goldstein: Thanks Nick. I've heard the same on his ceiling from multiple scouts. I think he's drastically underrated and doesn't get enough press. I'm not about to say I think he'll *BE* a #2, but he's definitely pushed his stock up in my eyes.
Chesty (New Bern,NC): Craig,great job as usual.If Gausman is out of a starters job who would you pick up.from Ubaldo,Hutchinson,Happ,D.Smyly.Thanks
Craig Goldstein: Hutchison.
BenC22 (TINO): I did not ask the Cespedes question.
Craig Goldstein: This is a weak cover up.
maxpowers (chicago): Is the Pedro Alvarez thing done? He had some value as a bench guy that you could stream during his hot streaks.
Craig Goldstein: I've never been on board with Alvarez. His power is legit, but the cold streaks and possible .200 batting average made me nervous. I think this is closer to who he is going forward than the 40 homer bat we saw previously.
Old Bay-American (MD): What percentage of the distain your TINO cohosts direct towards you is genuine? What event/comment started it?
Also: Can Charlie Blackmon be a decent Victorino-esque player next year and beyond? (.270/90 runs/15 hr/20 steals?)
Craig Goldstein: Have you ever interacted with me on twitter? I think that's what did it. I'd say about 12% is genuine, and I probably deserve about 85% of it. I think that's a really reasonable goal you've set for Blackmon. Good job sir.
MP (Kentucky): Craig, in a points based league that penalizes K's, would Tapia leapfrog guys like, Lewis Brinson, Nick Williams, and Aaron Judge?
Craig Goldstein: Brinson yes, Judge is close, but Williams is still in front for me.
Nick (MD): What's Machado's peak offense look like? Is a .300 season with 30 HR possible?
Craig Goldstein: Definitely possible, though I'd hesitate to say likely.
Harvey (NYC): Do you have an ETA and Dynasty value for Corey Seager? KLAW ranked him ahead of Baez in his last mid season report, which I thought was very telling.
Craig Goldstein: I love Seager and have since before he was drafted. I think he is capable of arriving as soon as next season, and while he lacks the impact that Baez can provide, is less of an bust candidate as well. I think he's a top 15 dynasty prospect right now.
Kevin (Baltimore): I've seen conflicting reports about Bundy lately regarding his velocity. One source said he was only topping out at 89 mph in his recent start, while another said he hit 96 on the gun and was mainly working in the 90-94 range. Hoping you can clear this up for me. Which is true Craig?
Craig Goldstein: what I've been hearing is 88-93, touching a little higher. For a guy who used to touch 98, I'd like to see him sit in the 92-96 range before I put him back where he was pre-injury.
MP (Kentucky): Rangers future OF: Mazara, Williams, and Brinson? Crazy athletic...
Craig Goldstein: Would be pretty amazing to have that type of home grown outfield. Of course we're years away from it being a possibility.
Cal Guy (Cal): Hi Craig, Glasnow can be nearly unhittable when he's on. Do you see a possibility of him becoming a better major league pitcher than Giolito, or does Gio's combo of stuff AND command give him the edge?
Craig Goldstein: Definitely more the latter. I wouldn't be putting Giolito and Glasnow in the same category, unless we're going alphabetical
Jared (LA): Why is Craij?
Craig Goldstein: Because I'm on the correct side of the "gif" vs "jif" debate. I stated "I don't say my name Craij Joldstein" and thus both nicknames were born.
ng (kona): If Steven Souza were 23, how much higher would his prospect stock be? Top 50? Given lost dev time (bit.ly/1v4s07G), does it make sense to consider him as younger for projection purposes?
Craig Goldstein: What are the rules in this alternate universe. Can I be 23 again, and have people respect me? This is very disconcerting. I don't think you consider him younger for projection purposes for a few reasons. He's more physically mature than his competition, and that's an advantage, playing time or now. I don't think you can just subtract years off a guy because he wasn't playing as much, because he's still experiencing a lot of things that make him the player he is today.
MetsFaithful5 (Syracuse ): Jacob deGrom or Billy Hamilton for ROY (pretend its the end of the season) ? And is what deGrom doing real? He has a very very good 2.97 FIP and all his peripherals are solid. Outside of one awful start, they'd be even better (specifically his whip, H/9 and ERA).
Craig Goldstein: I'd probably go deGrom at this point. I think he's absolutely earned what he's done this year. The peripherals back it up, but I also don't think he repeats it going forward. He hasn't been this type of pitcher in the minors, and I don't know that he's suddenly doing something differently. I also wonder how his body holds up after 200+ IP, with his slight frame.
Eddie A (Jersey): Keeper league question, what are your thoughts on keeping pitchers vs Hitters, especially after this year?
Craig Goldstein: I prefer hitters as I think they're generally safer, but it depends on how the league values certain things. I prefer overall value more than anything.
justarobert (Santa Clara): What do you make of Jason Kipnis's year? Big decline in power and BABIP. Perhaps 2013 wasn't a breakout year?
Craig Goldstein: I think it was, but the oblique injury really hurt after a slow start. I think he can be a 15 homer guy, but it wouldn't surprise me if the injury is still nagging at him. Obliques tend to linger.
temple (madison): I could still get a good trade based on Bundy's reputation. Would that be the way to go or would you hold him assuming he can get back to his former self?
Craig Goldstein: So much depends on what the value being offered is.
Alex (Anaheim): Do you think Aaron Judge will be a power bat for the Yankees at some point?
Craig Goldstein: Absolutely. I'm all in on Aaron Judge.
Stein (NJ): Answer this for a fellow Jew. Why does it feel like this site is the minor leagues for other sites. Where would you slot in as far as prospects go if true?
Craig Goldstein: I think BP has been fortunate enough to have some really stellar writers, scouts come through, and at some point people start looking at it as a place to generates those types. We have an incredible smart staff, and a management team that supports in innumerable ways. It's hard situation to be in and fail, honestly. I don't know that I have a good grasp on where I am in a structure like that. Pride/confidence don't come easily to me, so my default answer is to say "NP" in terms of prospect status, but I know people do respect me and my opinion, and that means the world to me. I just hope I don't let anyone down.
norwun (LA): Will Lindor be called up this year? Seems like they cleared the way for him during the trade deadline.
Craig Goldstein: I wouldn't be surprised but I don't think there's a rush either. They sold at the deadline and don't have the payroll to ignore service time concerns completely. I think it'd benefit Lindor to be up with the big league club for a month or so, but they can do that in September without messing with service time. I'd expect a May/June arrival for good.
temple (madison, wi ): i'm in a 2 catcher dynasty points league with swihart, wieters and w ramos not competing this year, but i want to next year. i could trade machado and n ramirez for mccann middlebrooks z britton. at third i have bogaerts gallo and sano for next year
Craig Goldstein: I'd be holding. I like McCann for a bounceback season but I don't like the downgrade from Machado to Middlebrooks. Swihart should be up next year at some point.
Frank (Toronto): Aaron Sanchez has done better than I expected so far. Any chance the Jays leave him in the bullpen for good?
Craig Goldstein: There's always that opportunity when a player succeeds there, but I do think they have enough rotation issues going forward that they give him a shot.
Fernando (LA): Is this talk of Carlos Rodon being up in September legitimate, or is it just something to get the White Sox fans excited about? If you had to give a percentage number of Rodon being up next month, what would it be? I'd just imagine they would give him some rest after a long college season with a lot of IP and many high pitch counts.
Craig Goldstein: I think it's legitimate. They've done it before (Sale) and they're a hyper-aggressive org when it comes to promotions. If he's going to pitch out of the bullpen in the minors, why not he majors? I'd say 60% chance they do it. I like the idea.
Brian (Mass.): What are your thoughts on Ryan McMahon? He opened the season on a tear yet was left off most mid-season top prospect lists. I've heard a lot of good things about him but wondering what you think his ceiling is?
Craig Goldstein: I think his ceiling is a first division third baseman. He's left off of lists because he's in Low-A and in a hitters park, so the numbers probably overstate things a bit. He's still a good prospect though, and while he hasn't been as hot as his start was, he's been doing just fine.
Bobby (Chicago): 10-team league where you keep 7 guys. I'm thinking about going super young and keeping: Harper, Taveras, Machado, Billy Hamilton, Matt Harvey, Kris Bryant, CarGo. Any chance my 2015 team doesn't suck ass?
Craig Goldstein: Yeah there's a chance, but there's a *ton* of risk that you have in those guys. Good long term bets on all of them, but you should focus your draft on 2015 talent and not worry about future bets too much if this is going to be your strategy.
temple (madison): pedro alvarez---does he get better with the hit tool and stay an everyday player? what is in his future?
Craig Goldstein: I don't think he's all that good. Probably an everyday player on a bad team.
treynay3 (LA): What do you think the Dodgers do with Alex Guerrero? His hitting really well in AAA and they're paying him a lot of money to sit there. With Gordon playing so well, it doesn't make sense to displace him though...what do you think they do with those two?
Craig Goldstein: I think Guerrero is a nice bench option at some point. LAD has some health risks at SS and 3B, and Guerrero could get some time there if one of them go down.
Craig (DC): From one Craig to another; Brandon Finnegan is off to a nice roll in his pro debut and has reached AA already. Rotation piece in the bigs? If he sticks what upside do you see out of him?
Craig Goldstein: AND WE'RE BOTH IN DC. Let's meet and be best friends sometime. I absolutely love Finnegan and have thought of him as a LHP version of Marcus Stroman. I definitely think he's a starter, and I think he can be what we think of Stroman as.
Michael (Chicago): Rizzo legit? I know he's made improvement against lefties. You think this can be a nice average stat line for him next few years?
Craig Goldstein: I do think he's legit, and he's absolutely exceeded my expectations. I do think this can be an average stat line for him going forward. For all our Hosmer/Freeman discussions, I think the question at this point is Rizzo/Freeman?
Phil (Boston): Shouldn't the Red Sox be giving up on Middlebrooks by now?
Craig Goldstein: I don't think it costs them anything to see what he can do, but I don't think they'd have any issue moving on from him in the near future.
johnwood427 (Chicago): Is having Ben Carsley as a collegue:
1) The best thing ever!
2) Like a dream come true!
3) Life's most glorious gift!
4) All of the above!
Craig Goldstein: Ben Carsley is one of the most brutally funny people I know, and I despise working with him in every capacity.
RotoLando (Cloud City): What is best in life?
Craig Goldstein: A good sandwich.
Cal F. Eyornya (Nebraska): There is a bully at work that eats my lunch. How should I handle this?
Craig Goldstein: Put laxatives in your lunch.
Macho Man (Parts Unknown): Do you consider Dylan Bundy to still be an elite pitching prospect and value him that way for dynasty fantasy purposes?
Craig Goldstein: He's kind of cordoned off at this point. I want to be patient and give him time to fully recover from a serious injury/surgery. I would say that I'm willing to value him that way if he can get back to full health. I'm not 100% certain that he will though.
padremurph (Los Angeles): Trea Turner has been tearing up the MWL. How excited should I be?
Craig Goldstein: As a college product, he should be hitting in that league, so don't go too crazy. Keep an eye on his contact issues. If he can solve those he's going to be fun. The speed is fantastic.
childgrambino (Richmond, VA): I'm in a 14 team, 5x5 dynasty league. at 1B, i currently have Brandon Belt and Jon Singleton. Is Kennys Vargas worth a pickup ? I'm not contending this year.
Craig Goldstein: I don't think he'll approach either of the guys you have, but I suppose it depends on who you're cutting.
Steve (Northern Virginia): Is Rondon the #1 pick in a dynasty's rookie draft this offseason? If not, who is? Better yet, what's the top5 look like?
Craig Goldstein: Assuming you mean Carlos Rodon, I think it's him or Schwarber. When we drafted on TINO I took Rodon, but I understand the preference for the bat. I'd go: Rodon, Schwarber, Finnegan, Zimmer, Hoffman today, but that could change tomorrow.
temple (madison): is josh bell going to be up in 2015 and where does he play 1B?
Craig Goldstein: I think 2015 is aggressive but possible. I think he'll debut in the outfield.
Jim (WI): Would you trade Sonny Gray for Anthony Rendon straight up in a 12-team, six keeper league? If you were keeping Rizzo, Price, Scherzer, Trout, Tulo and Strasburg, would you even think about keeping Rendon over one of the pitchers?
Craig Goldstein: I'd be willing to make that trade, and it's something to consider, but I'd ultimately keep the pitchers.
jamesmcevoy (San Diego): So have you given up on Hosmer?
Craig Goldstein: I'm not giving up on him, but it needs to look different than it is right now. There's just no power in that swing, and if he can't hit for power he's not even Brandon Belt.
Jim (Houston): Is Jose Berrios part of the Twins rotation next year?
Craig Goldstein: even if he was healthy, I don't think that's reasonable
Mike (Holden): Did Sean Manaea figure something out over his past few starts? Future No 2? Also, is John Lamb actually remaking himself into a prospect?
Craig Goldstein: #2 ceiling, but I'm more comfortable with him as a mid-rotation arm. Lamb is making us take notice, but as always, it's going to take a more consistent version of this to get buy-in. Well, unless you're Bret.
Jim (Houston): Jorge Alfaro is holding his own at AA so far in a very small sample. Any chance he gets called up at some point next year?
Craig Goldstein: There's a chance, though given their patience in calling him up to Double-A, I think they give him an extended run there, and some time at Triple-A. Focus more on 2016.
Adrian (Las vegas): Ryan Braun down year due to injuries or PED related decline?
Craig Goldstein: I'm far more concerned with injuries than I am PEDs
Chris (Pheonix): What the heck happened to Erik Johnson?
Craig Goldstein: Honestly I have no idea. I still think there's a back of the rotation starter in there somewhere.
Marco (Dallas): Bubba Starling: future 4th outfielder a possibility? Drew Stubbs light? BA says he's the best defensive OF and best OF arm in the Carolina league. Surely a team is going to give him multiple chances right?
Craig Goldstein: The question is... what IS Drew Stubbs light? Is that a major leaguer? 5th outfielder to me. Not going to hit.
Mike (Worcester): Can Jake Marisnick hit .250 in the majors some day? It seems he'd be an incredibly useful player if he could.
Craig Goldstein: Ben will tell you Jake Marisnick could hit .250 while balancing a plate on his head, but Ben is a liar. I think he's a 4th outfielder.
Chris (nyc): Jedd Gyorko really as bad as a .182 average? as in did pitchers figure him out?
Craig Goldstein: Nope, he's not a .182 guy, but he was always likely to be a .250 guy, something closer to .240 given his park/down offensive year in baseball make .230 not hard to believe.
Henry (Houston): Does Carlos Correa see time in the majors next year?
Craig Goldstein: I think the injury makes 2016 more realistic.
treynay3 (Gatlinburg): 20 team dynasty league, here are my pitchers: Chris Sale, Sonny Gray, Homey Bailey, Jake Arietta, Jason deGrom, and Mike Leake, with Kimbrel, Doolittle, for saves and a few guys for holds. In a 20 team league, would that be a solid staff? And also, I kinda want to upgrade and have the offensive pieces to do so. If I paired one of those guys with a bat to upgrade, who would you try to sell? Thanks!
Craig Goldstein: Yeah that's a solid staff though it gets shaky on the back end. I'd move a Bailey/Leake or deGrom for an upgrade.
RotoLando (Cloud City): At the risk of getting the side eye from Mau, I am now referring to Leonys Martin as Lenny Martin. Can Lenny be a starting OF in a 12team next year?
Craig Goldstein: Depends on the OF depth, but in a standard 5 OF league, he's a starter for me.
Guy (Flavortown): Is there a published ETA on Medlen? Seems like he will be close for the start of the season, but have not heard a thing.
Craig Goldstein: I haven't seen a specific ETA on him. 2nd TJ guys give me the willies, so I'm avoiding the situation on the whole.
RotoLando (Cloud City): People should start putting full names of players in their goofy questions. It always cracks me up when a BP Player Page includes a nonsense question from a chat. Carlos Rodon.
Craig Goldstein: Big words from a guy who calls himself RotoLando. WHY THE SECRECY BUDDY
Theo Lee Reed (New York): Which player do you consider, like tater tots, underrated?
Craig Goldstein: Brandon Moss is the tater tots of baseball
Mike (Holden): Robert Stephenson's control issues in AA a sign of a possible injury or just growing pains in AA?
Craig Goldstein: More likely the latter than the former, for me.
Scott (Lincolnshire): Baez! Baez! Baez!
Is he going to break his ankle someday? Legit question
Craig Goldstein: concerned that if I say no, someone is going to go to great lengths to prove me wrong. If you just mean on his swing... Beltre has made it this far, so there's hope.
Brian (Mass.): How good is corey dickerson? He's been a monster since he started getting regular playing time. Are the Rockies crazy enough to bring back Cuddyer and prevent Dickerson from playing everyday next year? Do you prefer Blackmon or Dickerson fantasy-wise?
Craig Goldstein: Dickerson is really good. I'm not willing to put anything passed the Rockies in terms of weird organizational decisions, but if management not good, don't play there, amirite? Dickerson over Blackmon for me.
Mike (Holden): Is there anyone is the De La Rosa/Workman/Ranuado/Barnes/Owens/Johnson salad who profiles out as more than a #4 starter?
Craig Goldstein: Owens is a 3 to me. RDLR has the upside but I wouldn't say he profiles better.
Steven (Oh me oh oh my oh oh Cleveland Ohio): Hunter Dozier struggling in AA after strong results earlier. Just a bump in the road for him/adjusting? An everyday 3B for you?
Craig Goldstein: It was an aggressive move to put him there, so an adjustment period shouldn't be surprising. I still believe. 2nd division regular for me, with the possibility of a few role 55 years in there.
Mota (2003): I found this answer from Christina Kahrl re: OPS from 2003. I agree with her. Wondering your take.
Ryan Wilkins (Concord, CA): Dear Chris, Don't you just love OPS? Isn't it amazing how one stat can tell you SO much about a player's offensive performance? Why bother with complicated stats like EqA or MLVr when the simplest ones are the best??? Cheers, -Ryan.
Christina Kahrl: Talk about waving the cape... yes Ryan, I've gored my share of matadors on this particular subject, but let just repeat my position, which is that OPS is pernicious and evil, not to mention lazy and non-descriptive. It adds genuiine math flavor to evaluations of player value best left to adjectives. A 1200 OPS doesn't mean anything to me, and it doesn't have any connection to runs scored beyond 'lots', and a player with that OPS is 'good.' I like language, so why bother with the ersatz math? It's about as useless as Win Shares in terms of describing player value.
Craig Goldstein: I think on a specific level she's absolutely right. The math is crappy and there are a lot of flaws to it. If you think I'm going to argue with someone dropping "ersatz" in an answer, you're crazy. I do think as a quick and dirty measure though, it's useful. I think Wins are an abhorrent measure of who is good at pitching, but from a macro level, taking the guys who win a lot of games over a long period of time... you're going to get a lot of really good pitchers.
It depends on what your ultimate goal is, and who you're communicating with, because a lot of people aren't going to understand EqA or TAv or a number of other advanced stats. You have to know your audience, and while educating them is admirable, sometimes you just need to communicate on a level you both understand, even though it might not be the BEST descriptor or evaluative tool.
Shawn (Office): Where are the following guys playing on opening day 2015:
Lester?
Shcerzer?
Shields?
Hamels?
Craig Goldstein: Red Sox/Cubs/Dodgers/Phillies
Mike (Holden): Does Manuel Margot have .350/.450 upside or is he another overhyped Sox prospect?
Craig Goldstein: I don't know how he's been hyped to you, but I don't think he gets enough attention in general. .450 in today's game is a little strong for me, but I think he can hit for average and speed, and be a nice top of the order hitter
jamesmcevoy (San Diego): In my Dynasty League, i can obtain Jose Peraza for Jake Lamb and the 13th overall pick next year, which is for the recent amateur draftees and any imports. What say you?
Craig Goldstein: I'd probably do it. I don't love the recent draft
drmorris (SF): Who do you like most for fantasy ROS: J Odorizzi, Z Wheeler, or J Nelson?
Craig Goldstein: Odorizzi. That split-change is real.
RotoLando (Cloud City): In your opinion, what is the ultimate white guy name in baseball?
Craig Goldstein: This guy
BenC22 (Your heart): Please compare each member of TINO, yourself included, to a fruit.
Craig Goldstein: Bret - Banana, Ben - Blood Orange, Mau - Dragon Fruit, Craig - Mangosteen
Navin R. Johnson (Mississippi): The new phone book is here! The new phone book is here!
Craig Goldstein: Concerned about what passes for exciting in your town.
Matt (IL): What's your estimation on Javier Baez's full season stat line?
Craig Goldstein: .245/.295/.495 as of right now.
ChoppertoChipper (Edmonton): If you owned a minor league baseball team, what would you name them? The Sandwiches? The Coconut Crabs? Something else? Then, when you die, what kind of commemorative patch would the team wear to honour you.
Craig Goldstein: I think CocoCrabs has a certain minor league oeuvre to it. I'd like the patch to be a sandwich though.
Callie Fornya (Vermont): Which longterm contract with paw print tattoos would you rathe have? Jedd Gyorko or Starling Marte?
Craig Goldstein: I didn't love either at the time, but Marte is the guy I'm buying between the two.
Jim (ATL): Number 1 pick in 2015 Draft?
Craig Goldstein: As I said I don't devote a ton of attention til closer to the start of the season, but I'll put some weight behind Matuella.
seabass77 (Milwaukee): Will billy burns get a September call up and if he does how many sb does he get?
Craig Goldstein: I think he's probably up depending on how the Triple-A team is doing playoffs wise. I wouldn't expect a ton of playing time there.
Nostradamus (The Future): CJ Edwards is Rich Harden.
Craig Goldstein: Pretty sure we'd know if Rich Harden was in a costume, but hey, you're the seer.
Sjcolmus (Baltimore): I have Segura, Wilin Rosario and Shelby Miller in a keeper league where they'll be cheap next year. Should I have any confidence that one or more of them will rebound? And would you hold on to any of them over Danny Duffy or Drew Pomeranz for the same price?
Craig Goldstein: I like Duffy going forward. Would drop Rosario for him, and while I'm not optimistic on Segura, I'm hopeful he can rebound a bit. Pomeranz isn't very good.
Jordan (Milwaukee ): What type of sandwich would Mike Trout be?
Craig Goldstein: The best kind.
John Johnson (Wisconsin): Dynasty league, which side you got? Chris Sale + Kris Bryant + Marcell Ozuna or Gregory Polanco + Anthony Rendon + Christian Yelich
Craig Goldstein: Sale/Bryant/Ozuna on the strength of the first two.
Brian (Mass): Of Tanner Roark, Jacob deGrom, and Jesse Hann, who do you think offers the most upside the next 2-3 years?
Craig Goldstein: Hahn has the most upside for me, but also the most risk. If I'm picking one overall, I take deGrom.
Chesty (New Bern,NC): Craig Two hours and still going,thanks.Have C.Davis as my 1st baseman.I am looking for a sub (.12 team hr,r,RBI,ave xbh,sb ) Available on the wire are Singleton,Jp Arencibia,D.Murphy.Send help.
Craig Goldstein: Note that I'll be wrapping up in 15 min or so. I'd take Murphy if it's Daniel and not David. Otherwise gamble on Singleton.
ChoppertoChipper (Edmonton): What is your favourite thing about baseball?
Craig Goldstein: Canadians.
Frank (brooklyn): thoughts on Machado rest of this season?
Craig Goldstein: I think he's rounding back into form. I'm optimistic.
Brian (ma): I have a bunch of young, far away OFs on my dynasty team. Who has the highest ceiling? Who do you think makes an impact first? Gabby Guerrero, Justin Williams, Manuel Margot, Albert Almora. Any have the chance to be a fantasy star?
Craig Goldstein: Highest ceiling, Guerrero. I don't think any are fantasy stars, but of the ones listed Guerrero/Williams have the chance.
Ryan (Heavy MTL): Has anyone put eyes on Jordan Paroubeck this year? I am curious as to how he looks, considering his ceiling is considered to be quite high
Craig Goldstein: I saw him in Spring Training, but I can't speak to anything he's done since. He looked fine there, but of course he was just drafted. A better question for the prospect team.
MP (KY): What do the D'Backs have in Jacob Lamb? Difference maker in an NL only league?
Craig Goldstein: I'm going to go well below "difference maker." Certainly rosterable though (who isn't, to be fair).
Nathan (Midwest): How awesome would a Tiger-A's ALCS be with those rotations? Who would you take to win and could we possibly get a better matchup?
Craig Goldstein: Uh, I feel like you're ignoring the Ubaldo, Norris, Miguel Gonzalez, and Chen rotation the O's could throw out there
Steve (Baltimore): What happpened to Jean Segura this year? How much hope should we put in a revival next season?
Craig Goldstein: It was a rough year prior, but I'm sure his tragic family situation isn't helping at all. I'm tempted to ignore the second half. I am hopeful he can bounce back, but I'm not optimistic
Nate (Indy): Who's your favorite hitter? One that you find yourself rooting for more than others. What about a pitcher? Mine are Gregory Polanco and Sonny Gray. Just wondering if you had any guys that you particularly like.
Craig Goldstein: This question has been plaguing me all chat, and I'm not sure I have an answer. I love watching Yordano pitch. Short guys with big velo are a soft spot for me. I love Gray too. As a Dodgers fan it's hard for me not to love Puig, but Anthony Rendon might be my favorite at-bat in the league. His hands are so damn good.
Shawnykid23 (CT): Do you see Kevin Gausman making the jump next year to at least being more reliable and getting more Ks?
Craig Goldstein: Yes absolutely
MP (Kentucky): Ranking highest upside, bat only... Aaron Judge, Rio Ruiz, Lewis Brinson, Renato Nunez, Dalton Pompey, and Franklin Barreto?
Craig Goldstein: Pure upside: Brinson, Judge, Pompey, Ruiz, Barreto, Nunez
BenC22 (TINO): I would like fruit reasoning. Also johnwood seems cool.
Craig Goldstein: Bananas are essential, so I thought that applied to Bret. They're great on their own, and they're vital in smoothies, plus, Banana Bread is great. Blood Orange for you, because you may appear standard at first glance, but there's more flavor and aroma beneath the surface. Dragon Fruit for Mau because he's Mondragon, and Mangosteen for me because I'm incredibly rare and delicious, but also not FDA approved.
Steven (Ohio): When you say it was an aggressive promotion for Dozier can you elaborate more? College guy in his second season of pro ball and was handling A+ well down the stretch. Is he just not developed enough for AA?
Craig Goldstein: It wasn't so much down the stretch as it was mid-June. He still hadn't hit for power and I think it would have been fine for him to spend the season in High-A, though I don't think challenging him is a bad move either. I think he'll be fine.
jamesmcevoy (San Diego): Does Carlos Martinez have a future as a starter or is he destined for the bullpen?
Craig Goldstein: If he's stuck in STL, I think he's a bullpen arm. I'm of the mind that he should start, but he's got to get lefties out when he does.
Reed (Onlyville): Is you with the shits?
Craig Goldstein: I mean, I ain't NOT with em.
Wicket (Iowa): Alcantara, Almora, Vogelbach, CJ Edwards for Hamels, does it get it done?
Craig Goldstein: I don't think so. RAJ has to hit a home run for Hamels and I think he's going to require at least one top 15 type prospect. I love Alcantara, but I'm not sure he's enough to carry a deal for Hamels.
justarobert (Santa Clara): What would be your Zoo with Roy equivalent for the Dodgers?
Craig Goldstein: An afternoon with the Puig/Uribe/Ryu trio would be blissful
frustrated (ohio): Considering that Cabrera is gone and the defense stinks why hasn't Lindor been brought up?
Craig Goldstein: I think service time could be a factor, just as much as that this season doesn't matter much. They don't need to get better right now, because they're not really competing for anything.
Tony (WI): How does Sonny Gray project for next season? Would you consider him to be an "elite" pitcher, up there with the likes of David Price or is he still a tier below?
Craig Goldstein: He's a tier below the Price types.
Greg (Jacksonville): What do you think the outlook is for Mesoraco going forward? His numbers are buoyed by a high BABIP and power on contact numbers. What kind of player do you see him settling into? Is it too much to expect him to be a 20 homer 800+ OPS catcher annually (when healthy)?
Craig Goldstein: I think that's the high end, but I don't think it's too much.
MP (KY): Manny Machado to SS next season?
Craig Goldstein: I'm doubtful. Moving to a position you haven't played in two years and coming off a knee injury doesn't sound like a great set up to me.
temple (madison): what do you have against starling marte? he chases some bad pitches but he has decent swing and speed
Craig Goldstein: I've long had issues with his approach, and I think they're showing through a bit more this season. I didn't think the HBPs were sustainable as part of getting on base, but it appears they might be. I think he's more than I originally thought, but also less than people were thinking after last year. He's fine, but I don't think he's special.
Jon (Indy): On a scale of something to anything, how scary would it be to be in a drawn in infield with Baez batting?
Craig Goldstein: I don't even see scary movies, Jon. What makes you think I could handle this?
RotoLando (Cloud City): Have you seen Derek Jeter's Kazam shoes? What accomplishments do you want on your Final Season cleats?
Craig Goldstein: "burned down twitter so he could be king of it's ashes"
Ryan (Maine): Got a trade offer in dynasty league…main players are Taillon and Lucas Simms. Which would you rather have?
Craig Goldstein: Taillon for me.
Brett (New Jersey): Maikel Franco is continuing his hot stretch from July into August and slugged his 10th HR last night. If he comes up in September, will he see time at 1st and 3rd? Also, what are your expectations of him as a major leaguer?
Craig Goldstein: I think he's likely to see time at both spots, yes. I think he can straddle the gap between first and second division bat. The line would likely be below average for 1B, but playable at 3B.
temple (madison): what's your opinion on nick franklin? is he going be an average second baseman or better?
Craig Goldstein: Average type for me. I'm not big on him.
Mitch (ATL): Best SS prospect in 2016?
Craig Goldstein: if I wanted to get risky I might say Amed Rosario. Safe answer is JP Crawford. (real life answers, not fantasy)
avery (bronx): When the Mets finally decide to sell off some of their big league arms who do you think will go and what could be the possible return for a Dillon Gee or Jon Niese?
Craig Goldstein: I think Niese brings more back for whatever reason.
Anthony (Dallas): Gio Gonzalez a good buy low target?
Craig Goldstein: I think so. I don't see something that's wrong with him long term.
The Dude (Office): What is presidential nominee Craig Goldstein's platform, and who is his VP?
Craig Goldstein: "I've got a lot of problems with you people, and now you're gonna hear about em". Running mate is Ben Carsley because I know he wouldn't say no, but he'd goddamn hate it.
ChoppertoChipper (Edmonton Canada): What's the best nickname in baseball right now? As much as my Braves love causes disdain for all things Nationals, Tony Two-Bags is pretty strong.
Craig Goldstein: Tony No Dads is my personal fave
RatedRookie (Atlanta): One waiver transaction left in a keep-forever, 16-keeper league and looking to acquire one more SP/SP prospect: Lucas Giolito, Archie Bradley, Dylan Bundy, or deGrom.
Craig Goldstein: Giolito
ethan (queens): Do the mets have a legitimate shot at the playoffs in 2015?
Craig Goldstein: I'm gonna say no
Craig Goldstein: Alright all, thanks for the time. I'm gonna go watch a CGI Raccoon blow some stuff up. Baseball will be here in half an hour to help you get through.
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