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Friday, August 31, 2012

Goodbye to the Internet

Goldstein traded to Astros.

JoMo the master pitch framer Posted: August 31, 2012 at 06:39 PM | 32 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: astros, kevin goldstein

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1. Mark S. is bored Posted: August 31, 2012 at 08:44 PM (#4224136)

The Astrs' sent Fernando Martinez and a PTBNL to Baseball Prospectus to complete the trade.

2. 'Spos Posted: August 31, 2012 at 09:16 PM (#4224157)

Hard to believe the internet will get good value back.

3. The John Wetland Memorial Death (CoB) Posted: August 31, 2012 at 10:34 PM (#4224198)

Good for Kevin. His work kept me subscribing to BP for several years than I would have otherwise. Hopefully, this works out wonderfully for both parties ...

4. asinwreck Posted: August 31, 2012 at 11:04 PM (#4224206)

I am going to miss that podcast. Here's hoping that Otto leads several dog rescue promotions at the juicebox.

5. God Posted: September 01, 2012 at 12:01 AM (#4224231)

Great for Kevin, but man, what a bummer. Up and In was the best podcast in the history of podcasts. Hopefully they find a way to somehow keep it going with Jason Parks.

6. Austin Posted: September 01, 2012 at 12:54 AM (#4224253)

Wow. I did a double-take when I saw this on BP's front page. Kevin's BP work and podcast definitely had a significant influence on how I understand the game, so I'm going to miss having him around.

I think the most surreal part is that he's not just going there to be some lower-level drone - he's going to be the Pro Scouting Coordinator. Now, I don't actually know exactly what that means, but what's interesting is that the title makes it sound like it has a large management component. And that seems strange, given that I don't think Kevin has any kind of management experience. Can anyone shed some light on what exactly his role will be?

7. God Posted: September 01, 2012 at 01:05 AM (#4224256)

Well, pro scouts are the ones who go around scouting minor league teams to decide which players in other teams' farm systems they want to target in trades. So it sounds like Kevin will be in charge of those guys.

8. base ball chick Posted: September 01, 2012 at 01:15 AM (#4224263)

well, i guess you gotta start SOMEwhere, and my terrible team is for some reason, considered a "major league" team

i'd love to work as a scout but unfortunately, life don't always turn out the way you'd like it to

9. Austin Posted: September 01, 2012 at 02:01 AM (#4224273)

The press release simply says: "Goldstein will oversee the Astros pro scouting efforts, which will include comprehensive scouting of both minor league and Major League players across the 30 Major League clubs as well as independent leagues and foreign professional leagues."

I guess the way I can make sense of it is that he'll act as a sort of "opinion aggregator" - which is pretty much what he does now - and report to the front office in that capacity.

10. TerpNats Posted: September 01, 2012 at 08:12 AM (#4224304)

Forget that Cubs-Miami 2015 World Series prophesied in "Back To The Future II" (which wasn't going to happen unless the Marlins had switched leagues and names). That fall, we will witness a Washington NL-Houston AL World Series, which in the late 1980s would have seemed just as absurd.

11. asinwreck Posted: September 01, 2012 at 08:17 AM (#4224306)

And that seems strange, given that I don't think Kevin has any kind of management experience.

One of the really interesting things about the recent Up and In interview with Luhnow is that Kevin and his new boss worked for rival consulting firms back when they were in the corporate world. Worth a listen.

I guess the way I can make sense of it is that he'll act as a sort of "opinion aggregator" - which is pretty much what he does now - and report to the front office in that capacity.

Those freakishly prolific daily reports on every minor leaguer under the sun he was doing for BP are now going to Luhnow. A loss for us, but good information when the Astros try to trade for more young talent.

12. JoMo the master pitch framer Posted: September 01, 2012 at 01:20 PM (#4224476)

Of course, all the source from whom he gleaned this good information will be far more reticent. I wonder how his schtick works without sources.

13. Non-Youkilidian Geometry Posted: September 01, 2012 at 01:35 PM (#4224482)

He'll still have sources -- the scouts who work for the Astros. I also wouldnt be terribly surprised if some of his old sources who previously scouted for other teams wind up employed by the Astros sooner or later.

14. MM1f Posted: September 01, 2012 at 02:01 PM (#4224508)

And that seems strange, given that I don't think Kevin has any kind of management experience.

EDIT: What post 11 said.

15. Joe Kehoskie Posted: September 01, 2012 at 02:15 PM (#4224521)

One of the really interesting things about the recent Up and In interview with Luhnow is that Kevin and his new boss worked for rival consulting firms back when they were in the corporate world. Worth a listen.

Hasn't Kevin talked about not going to college? I've never heard of a management consulting firm hiring high school grads. Anyone know what field(s) Kevin consulted in?

***

Of course, all the source from whom he gleaned this good information will be far more reticent. I wonder how his schtick works without sources.

This was my first thought yesterday when I saw the news. I wouldn't be happy about it if I was BPro, but I assume Kevin will be bringing all of the info. he's aggregated with him to Houston. That probably has some value, but from here on out, Kevin's info. should only be as good as Houston's pro scouts, unless scouts from the other 29 teams are idiots. (Of course, they're idiots for talking to people like Kevin, Keith Law, et al., in the first place, but that's a different story.)

16. Austin Posted: September 01, 2012 at 06:04 PM (#4224666)

#11 - Interesting! Thanks for the info.

17. PreservedFish Posted: September 01, 2012 at 06:21 PM (#4224673)

I wouldn't be happy about it if I was BPro, but I assume Kevin will be bringing all of the info. he's aggregated with him to Houston. That probably has some value, but from here on out, Kevin's info. should only be as good as Houston's pro scouts, unless scouts from the other 29 teams are idiots.

I really don't think the Astros are hiring him just so that they can have a proprietary newsletter.

18. Justin T is expanding the aperture of awareness Posted: September 01, 2012 at 06:27 PM (#4224676)

Heh. Yeah, no ####.

19. Joe Kehoskie Posted: September 01, 2012 at 08:28 PM (#4224734)

I really don't think the Astros are hiring him just so that they can have a proprietary newsletter.

Who said anything about a newsletter? I was referring to the database that Kevin assuredly has maintained. Thanks to the widespread cooperation of scouts, he's been like a shadow Bureau for the past few years.

Otherwise, I doubt the Astros are hiring him because of his prior MLB, scouting, or management experience, because he apparently doesn't have any.

20. Mike Emeigh

Posted: September 02, 2012 at 02:04 PM (#4225097)

BPro is going to make an announcement on Tuesday about Kevin's replacement.

-- MWE

21. Dan The Mediocre Posted: September 02, 2012 at 02:51 PM (#4225133)

BPro is going to make an announcement on Tuesday about Kevin's replacement.

-- MWE

Should we be congratulating you?

22. Darren

Posted: September 02, 2012 at 03:30 PM (#4225156)

[whispering]Hope it's me. Hope it's me. Hope it's me.[/whispering]

23. Avoid running at all times.-S. Paige Posted: September 02, 2012 at 03:44 PM (#4225167)

Good for KG but bad for us.

24. Mike Emeigh

Posted: September 02, 2012 at 04:16 PM (#4225187)

Should we be congratulating you?

Nope. Won't be me.

-- MWE

25. Avoid running at all times.-S. Paige Posted: September 02, 2012 at 04:19 PM (#4225192)

Excited for Jack Keefe.

26. Avoid running at all times.-S. Paige Posted: September 02, 2012 at 04:27 PM (#4225198)

But if I'm a betting man it's going to be Callis or Law.

27. Mike Emeigh

Posted: September 02, 2012 at 04:36 PM (#4225205)

But if I'm a betting man it's going to be Callis or Law.

I can't imagine that it would be either; BP doesn't have that kind of budget. It would be more likely to be someone like Mike Newman.

-- MWE

28. CFBF Hates Hyphens Posted: September 02, 2012 at 04:45 PM (#4225209)

I bet it's Chris Christie.

29. Joe Kehoskie Posted: September 04, 2012 at 02:00 PM (#4226283)

As expected, Jason Parks to assume Goldstein's role at BPro.

30. Mike Emeigh

Posted: September 04, 2012 at 07:41 PM (#4226639)

BPro announcement.

-- MWE

31. Into the Void Posted: September 04, 2012 at 09:07 PM (#4226680)

It was a bummer listening to that last show. Can anyone recommend a good baseball podcast to listen to? Up and In was the only one I listened to. I looked around on iTunes and "The Baseball Show with Rany and Joe" looked like a possibility.

32. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: September 04, 2012 at 09:19 PM (#4226688)

And that seems strange, given that I don't think Kevin has any kind of management experience.

No one does. Until they do!

Great for Kevin. Should be really fascinating to see how Houston operates.

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Goodbye to the Internet

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