Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Ha-Seong Kim, Adrian Houser, and Foster Griffin signings, a prospect-for-prospect Red Sox and Nationals trade, and the Twins’ partial sale, then (34:00) answer emails about saying “pitchoff” instead of “first pitch,” the value of a cool nickname, a Hall of Fame reference in The Wizard of Oz, whether teams value batter performance against elite pitching, protesting ball/strike calls from the dugout, keeping Pete Rose out of the Hall, a running start for pitchers, and moving the catcher back instead of the mound. Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG post on Kim Link to Anthopoulos comments on Kim Link to MLBTR on Houser Link to MLBTR on Griffin Link to FG post on pitching prospects trade Link to Twins sale story Link to $/WAR analysis Link to $/WAR analysis 2 Link to ceremonial first puck wiki Link to “baseball exceptionalism” series Link to Sam’s hockey quote Link to Raleigh “Beef Boys” story Link to Sam on Trout in 2012 Link to The Wizard of Oz song Link to halls of fame wiki Link to Hall of Fame for Great Americans Link to Schwarber’s postseason stats Link to pitcher quality adjustment post Link to Capps hop post Link to Ben on moving the mound Link to listener emails database  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a smattering of transactions, featuring (among others) Jorge Polanco, Tyler Rogers, Kenley Jansen, Isaac Collins, Angel Zerpa, Merrill Kelly, Josh Bell, and Adolis García. Then (49:03) they talk about MLB’s move to regulate and standardize the use of in-game technology across the minor leagues, baseball content (sans spoilers!) in new Netflix films Wake Up Dead Man and A House of Dynamite (1:04:50), and MLB players who could come out of retirement after long layoffs, à la Colts QB Philip Rivers (1:15:20). Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG post on Polanco Link to Petriello on Polanco Link to FG post on Rogers Link to team RP projections Link to FG post on Brewers/Royals trade Link to 2025 team OF stats Link to FG post on Kelly Link to FG post on Kenley Link to R-JAWS leaders Link to Ben on the Lester trade Link to MLBTR on Bell Link to Trueblood on Bell Link to MLBTR on García Link to new MLB regulations Link to 2023 report on team spending Link to report on Monfort’s spending Link to EW Episode 1489 Link to EW Episode 1490 Link to Ben on Elementary Link to baseball in Knives Out Link to blog about baseball in WUDM Link to Reddit on baseball in WUDM Link 2 to Reddit on baseball in WUDM Link to Lindor references Link to Vonn’s win Link to Rivers post in FB group Link to Rivers game story Link to Seahawks tweet Link to Gainwell wiki Link to EW Episode 1928  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Garrett Stubbs and the latest example of eyebrow-raising off-the-field Phillies behavior (content warning: adult breast milk consumption), then (14:58) discuss the Pete Alonso signing from the Orioles’ and Mets’ perspectives, Stat Blast (47:09) about teams losing long-tenured/productive players and rapid roster turnover among title winners, and recap (1:05:25) a smattering of transactions to put a bow on the week of Winter Meetings. Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to cursed Stubbs TikTok Link to info on breast milk drinking Link to bodybuilders and breast milk Link to Stubbs on EW Link to Phillies himbo article 1 Link to Phillies himbo article 2 Link to FG post on Alonso Link to Alonso’s career splits Link to O’s vs. LHP Link to Sheehan on the O’s Link to O’s offense sim Link to team SP projections Link to Post cover 1 Link to Post cover 2 Link to “Headless Body in Topless Bar” Link to Stat Blast spreadsheet Link to FG post on Suarez Link to FG post on Yastrzemski Link to FG post on Finnegan Link to FG post on Thomas Link to over/under draft results Link to MLBTR on Garcia Link to MLBTR on Rogers Link to Hughes/Fitzy story  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley break down Scott Boras’s Winter Meetings wordplay and discuss the Kyle Schwarber and Edwin Díaz deals, a smattering of starting-pitcher signings, the Pirates as supposed spenders, the latest on the Ippei Mizuhara TV series, a Lane Kiffin canine conspiracy, and a Johanfran Garcia nickname. Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Boras on EW Link to Boras on Imai Link to Boras on Suárez Link to Boras on Bregman Link to Boras on Alonso Link to more on Alonso Link to “Wood” song Link to Boras on Gallen Link to Boras on Skubal Link to Boras on Bellinger Link to Bellinger quote transcription Link to quote about news timing Link to FG post on Schwarber Link to NL fWAR leaders Link to FG post on Díaz Link to Friedman’s “heavy lifting” quote Link to over/under draft results Link to Pirates offer story Link to Boras on the Pirates Link to Pirates/Marlins spending story Link to Ippei show update Link to FG post on Matz Link to MLBTR on Grissom Link to MLBTR on Ponce Link to MLBTR on Weiss Link to MLBTR on Kay Link to MLBTR on Anderson Link to HUAL on Kiffin Link to Kiffin dog story 1 Link to Kiffin dog story 2 Link to report on Juice Link to post on Juice’s account Link to Cruella de Vil wiki Link to Garcia brothers story Link to Patreon gift subs Link to Secret Santa sign-up  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley deliver a correction to the preceding episode’s draft results, ponder the mystery of a bigger John Brebbia fan than Ben, remind listeners to sign up for EW Secret Santa, and banter about Sonny Gray, Brian Cashman, and gloriously nonsensical sports beefs, Bryce Harper’s ozone therapy, two trades centered on blocked prospects, and Jeff Kent’s Cooperstown induction. Audio intro: Sean .P, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to EWStats thread Link to competitions/drafts sheet Link to EWStats site Link to FanGraphs Walk-Off Link to Gray article 1 Link to Gray article 2 Link to Dobbins dad story Link to Schlittler article 1 Link to Schlittler article 2 Link to Cashman on Stanton Link to Harper Insta post Link to Baumann post about Harper Link to Baumann’s cycling newsletter Link to Redd post about Harper Link to Harper photo 1 Link to Harper photo 2 Link to Redd’s site Link to Ozone therapy wiki Link to Bastyr U wiki Link to FG post on Ford trade Link to FG post on Password trade Link to Pirates/Marlins spending story Link to 2025 team catcher WAR Link to team SP projections Link to Jay on Kent Link to Sheffield’s explanation Link to 2B JAWS Link to 2000 NL fWAR leaders Link to 2000 NL bWAR leaders Link to “C’mon, do something” meme Link to MLBTR on Wade Link to Patreon gift subs Link to Secret Santa sign-up  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Sam Miller, and podcast scorekeeper Chris Hanel review the results of an under-25-pitchers draft Ben and Sam conducted a decade ago. Then (13:38) Ben and Sam banter about Ben’s physique, answer listener emails about doing a The Only Rule-style experiment 10 years later, discuss Sam’s revamped, unique approach to writing about baseball this year, and consider some possibilities for what we’ll remember about baseball in 2025. After that (1:05:57), Ben continues the sporadic “Baseball Jobs” series by interviewing 71-year-old John Yandle, the Giants’ left-handed batting-practice pitcher since 1985, about his transition from pitcher to BP pitcher, the keys to good BP, balancing his day job and his baseball side gig, anticipating starting-pitcher matchups, fending off advanced pitching machines, his incredible longevity, arm care in his 70s, the hitters who’ve complained the most, throwing BP to Barry Bonds, and more, followed by (2:01:20) a postscript. Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Sam Miller, “Effectively Wild Theme (Ken Maeda’s Nice ‘n’ Easy Remix)” Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to EW Episode 669 Link to competitions/drafts sheet Link to EWStats site Link to The Only Rule Link to Ben’s Vince Gilligan video Link to Pebble Hunting Link to Sam on tripping Link to Sam on non-highlight highlights Link to Sam on the CI challenge Link to Sam on dropped third strikes Link to piece about first pitches Link to How To with John Wilson Link to Sam on remembering past years Link to Sam on Ohtani in 2024 Link to Sam on the World Series Link to Sam on the Hall Link to titular Yogi-ism Link to John’s B-Ref page Link to John’s Newmark bio Link to 2024 article on John Link to 2012 article on John Link to 2007 article on John Link to Johnson’s first pitch Link to Bonds TTO splits Link to Giants Trajekt machine Link to Cooney/Wharton Link to Cooney’s LinkedIn Link to Byrnes wiki Link to Wrapped post Link to Patreon gift subs Link to Secret Santa sign-up  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the John Brebbia and Devin Williams signings (in that order, obviously), share a few follow-ups, and (31:33) assess whether each team satisfied its season preview guest’s conditions for a successful year. Then (58:18) they answer emails about the origins of the concept of the “opposite field,” the meaning of the word “whiff,” how to refer to offseasons, whether umpires practice throwing, how much stock to place in regular-season wins without an accompanying championship, and two takes on the challenge system. Audio intro: The Spaghettis, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Brebbia Link to Brebbia on EW Link to minor league FA Link to FG post on Williams Link to present-value calc Link to Petriello on Williams Link to biggest 2025 ERA-FIP gaps Link to contracts draft Link to team SP projections Link to Canadian currency details Link to Metrodome demolition Link to preseason team goals Link to Dickson on “corner” Link to Dickson on “opposite field” Link to Dickson on “whiff” Link to FG top 50 FA Link to team wins since 2000 Link to Andrews on ABS and catchers Link to Tango on ABS and catchers Link to listener emails database Link to MLBTR on Manoah Link to MLBTR on Ponce Link to Patreon gift subs Link to Secret Santa sign-up  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley respond to the responses to their response to a recent listener email, discuss (14:38) the Blue Jays’ Dylan Cease deal (including a Stat Blast about pitchers with big ERA-FIP gaps at 34:11), Anthony Rendon’s potential retirement (47:23), and the Orioles’ Ryan Helsley signing (1:05:37), before scrutinizing ESPN’s annual offseason survey of MLB executives (1:15:53). Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to EW Episode 2407 Link to T20 cricket Link to Baumann on Cease Link to team SP projections Link to contracts draft results Link to Canadian currency wiki Link to ERA-FIP gap findings Link to ERA estimators study Link to “IPA” drug report Link to Rendon report Link to Rendon EW episode Link to The Force Awakens scene Link to Helsley starting post Link to Helsley signing post Link to Helsley BP player card Link to BP pitching leaderboards Link to Ben on Alcantara in 2022 Link to Trueblood on predictability Link to Sam on the Crasnicks Link to new ESPN survey Link to Giants/Imai report Link to Patreon gift subs Link to Secret Santa sign-up  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley bring on top-tier Patreon supporter Becca Balton to banter about Becca’s baseball background, her origins as a listener, and the Nationals’ new direction, then (17:51) answer emails about a team WAR cap, an extra-innings variant in which the team to score fastest wins, manager close-ups on postseason broadcasts, citing the stats of a particular pitch, a pitch-based skills competition, and the “corners” of the strike zone, followed (1:09:33) by Stat Blasts about postseason series MVPs with negative (c)WPAs, pitchers who earned their first save in their final appearance, the oldest/most-experienced pitchers to push their career records over .500 for the first time, and teams that swept the major awards in the shortest spans, plus a postscript on the Dylan Cease signing and more. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Yesavage splitter stats Link to Babe Ruth Award wiki Link to Kershaw/Stafford backstory Link to xkcd “Ten Thousand” comic Link to Stafford stat Link to Stafford’s season Link to QB wins leaders Link to Nightengale column Link to BP on MLB’s “losses” Link to MaML on Karcher Link to listener emails database Link to Jesser’s YouTube channel Link to Rendon report Link to MLBTR on Cease Link to Baumann on Cease Link to Secret Santa sign-up  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Red Sox-Cardinals trade involving Sonny Gray and take Hal Steinbrenner to task for his comments about the Yankees not being profitable, then (37:00) talk to Jay Jaffe about the big issues surrounding this year’s (and upcoming years’) BBWAA and Era Committee Hall of Fame ballots. Audio intro: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Gray Link to Baumann on Gray Link to Breslow quote Link to Steinbrenner’s comments Link to Rob on Steinbrenner Link to Rob on Atlanta Link to Beeston quote Link to Forbes estimates Link to 2026 BBWAA ballot Link to Jay on the ballot Link to Jay’s profiles schedule Link to ballot tracker Link to ballot tracker site Link to S-JAWS info Link to Jay on the contemporary ballot Link to Posnanski post Link to The Cooperstown Casebook Link to Secret Santa sign-up  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Warren Schaeffer staying on as Rockies manager, the Mets’ and Rangers’ Brandon Nimmo–Marcus Semien swap, and their memories, thoughts, and feelings concerning Alex Rodriguez, inspired by the new, three-part HBO docuseries Alex vs. A-Rod. Then (58:35) they talk to the co-directors/EPs of Alex vs. A-Rod, Gotham Chopra and Erik LeDrew, about how the docuseries sausage was made and their insights into A-Rod’s psyche. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Schaeffer Link to Baumann on the trade Link to Alex vs. A-Rod trailer Link to stream Alex vs. A-Rod Link to Alex vs. A-Rod IMDb page Link to Gotham’s IMDb page Link to Erik’s IMDb page Link to latest HUAL episode Link to Munch King bag Link to “gun” etymology Link to 1993 Levy article Link to Secret Santa sign-up  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Aaron Judge having been teammates with both Taylor Ward and Tyler Wade, a revelation about the late-season health of Elly De La Cruz, and the hidden value of multiposition players such as Mauricio Dubón, then (38:22) answer listener emails about the terms “baseball lifer” and “double-barrel action,” when bases-loaded situations are separate, how to count innings, a weird double play, how to classify switch-hitters, non-switch-hitters who should consider switch-hitting, and whether wealth can buy a good farm system. Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Elly injury info Link to September Elly episode Link to AA quotes on Dubón Link to 2025 FRV leaders Link to Kostka thread on Grayson Link to double play clip 1 Link to double play clip 2 Link to double play clip 3 Link to Rendon homer story Link to Popkins origin story Link to listener emails database Link to Narduzzi clip Link to Narduzzi story Link to Secret Santa sign-up  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben, Meg, Michael Baumann, Ben Clemens, and Chris Hanel congregate to review the results of the 2025 minor league free agent draft (11:45) and recap their 40 bold preseason predictions (19:01), following quick games of “2025 College World Series Starting Pitching Matchup or First Amendment Supreme Court Case” (2:58) and “Cedar Rapids Kernel or Character in the Star Wars Universe” (7:42). Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to free agent draft episode Link to draft history Link to preseason predictions episode Link to predictions game history Link to EWStats site Link to EWStats on Bluesky Link to listener leaders Link to Chris’s website Link to Secret Santa sign-up  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Meg banter about the benefits of baseball supporting longer careers than some other sports (inspired by LeBron James becoming the first NBA player to make it to a 23rd season), the Mariners re-signing Josh Naylor, four free agents accepting qualifying offers, the Orioles and Angels swapping Grayson Rodriguez and Taylor Ward, whether teams will find/develop the next Kyle Hendricks, MLB’s unveiling of its new/old broadcast partners, and some news about the WPBL. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to LeBron gamer Link to B-Ref seasons leaderboard Link to FG post on Naylor Link to Passan’s Pirates report Link to We Tried Tracker return Link to Baumann on the QOs Link to over/under draft tracker Link to FG post on O’s-Angels trade Link to Judge’s former teammates Link to Judge/Wade sighting Link to xkcd comic Link to Laurila on Hendricks Link to Bloom quote Link to Toboni quote Link to Ben on Arraez Link to MLB rights release Link to Marchand on the rights deals Link to Marchand on the rights deals 2 Link to WPBL news 1 Link to WPBL news 2 Link to Ben on the OWL Link to Hot Stove League on Netflix Link to initial praise of the show Link to first recap pod Link to Secret Santa sign-up  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Meg banter about Based Boras vs. Borscht Belt Boras and a few corny quips they overlooked, then discuss end-of-season awards (Aaron Judge vs. Cal Raleigh, Paul Skenes vs. Cristopher Sánchez, Skenes as a paid pitchman, José Ramírez MVP shares, Shohei Ohtani’s dog vs. Judge’s dogs, repetition among award winners, groupthink among voters, WAR preference, bringing back old-school awards, and more) before touching on the news that Padres ownership is exploring a sale. Then (1:13:43) Michael Mountain joins Ben to Stat Blast about team rivalries. Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Boras/exec comments Link to BP Boras quip ranking Link to AL MVP results Link to Ben on Judge and Raleigh Link to NL MVP results Link to AL Cy results Link to NL Cy results Link to Skenes reaction Link to Skenes reaction article Link to Skenes Raising Cane’s spot Link to Skenes on EW Link to Posnanski on retro awards Link to Ohtani dog video Link to Judge dog video Link to Baumann on voting and WAR Link to award share wiki Link to Ramírez award share Link to pitch-fixing fallout article Link to MLBTR on the Padres sale Link to rivalry scores data Link to CTV Barger video Link to Mense hiring Link to Secret Santa sign-up  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Meg banter about a hotel-lobby shrine to Addison Barger and Scott Boras wordplay at the GM meetings, Stat Blast (25:50) about Paul DePodesta’s comeback, POBO percentage, postseason questions, and Mike Greenwell, and (1:01:07) conduct the 11th annual free agent contract over/under draft, plus a Boras postscript. Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Link to Barger story Link to Marriott love story Link to Boras quote round-up Link to Boras on Skubal Link to Boras on Alonso Link to Boras on Bregman Link to Boras on Bellinger Link to Boras on Kim Link to Boras on EW Link to Ben on the Rockies Link to over/under draft history Link to MLBTR Top 50 FA Link to Secret Santa sign-up  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Meg break down the federal indictment of Emmanuel Clase and Luis L. Ortiz, including the documentary and statistical evidence of their alleged pitch-fixing, the implications for the sport and sports gambling, the unanswered questions, the dark comedy, and more (plus a real-time reaction to an MLB betting reform and an answer to an email about parenting in the age of ubiquitous sports-betting ads). Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Link to government press release Link to indictment Link to NBA story Link to Ben’s article Link to pitches reel Link to Shoeless Joe info 1 Link to Shoeless Joe info 2 Link to MLB press release Link to Pages pitch Link to postseason pitch Link to Secret Santa sign-up  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Meg banter about the Rockies reportedly hiring Paul DePodesta as their new head of baseball operations, another managerial hiring, MLB’s World Series ratings bonanza, the resurgence of the splitter, the Royals extending Salvador Perez, and more. Then (44:30) they bring on Ben Clemens to discuss his ranking of this offseason’s top 50 free agents, the strengths and weaknesses of the class as a whole, some notable free agents from Kyle Tucker on down, players he’s high/low on, and how the specter of a future work stoppage might affect this hot stove season. Audio intro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on DePobo Link to report on “finalists” Link to Colorado tax measure Link to Passan’s Stammen tweet Link to Tingler report Link to WBC exhibitions Link to MLB ratings release Link to article on Canadian ratings Link to MLB/NBA ratings comparison Link to Sarris on splitters Link to Andrews on splitters Link to splitter usage by year Link to Neyer on splitters/forkballs Link to Salvy extension post Link to MLBPA investigation story Link to banned agent story Link to Other Ben’s FA ranking Link to MLBTR on Bieber Link to Tango on Bieber Link to Secret Santa sign-up Link to Plot Hole or Not Hole  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Meg banter about the slightly shorter-than-usual duration of the offseason, how big the WBC will be, and a few managerial hirings. After that (41:53), they talk to FanGraphs lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen about Munetaka Murakami and this offseason’s most promising free agents from international leagues, what we’ve learned about Roki Sasaki and the factors that predict MLB success for NPB/KBO players, and MLB’s winter moratorium on amateur scouting. Audio intro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to manager hirings/firings Link to most managers for one GM Link to Rockies update 1 Link to Rockies update 2 Link to Ben on ex-player GMs Link to Eric on IFA Link to Ben on Murakami/Sasaki Link to scouting moratorium news Link to EW on the moratorium Link to Secret Santa sign-up Link to Plot Hole or Not Hole  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Meg banter about all the highlights of World Series Game 7, with a side of World Series Game 6, break down the appeal of the now-completed postseason, and discuss what teams might take away from the success of 2025’s pennant winners. Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Sean .P, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ben’s post-G7 story Link to cWPA data Link to Dan S. on the Dodgers Link to Neil Paine on the Dodgers Link to Passan on Yamamoto/Rojas Link to Tango on IKF Link to Andrews on the bench-clearing Link to Ohtani’s G6 double Link to postgame Mattingly moment Link to 2015 Theo quote  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Meg banter about Trey Yesavage’s performance in World Series Game 5, whether he’s already provided a career’s worth of value to Toronto, his current prospect ranking, and his future, plus Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s steady postseason production vs. Shohei Ohtani’s clustered postseason production, covering the regular season like we cover the postseason, why the Dodgers’ bats have gone cold, Teoscar Hernández’s outfielding, Mookie Betts’ future at shortstop, what the World Series says about “momentum,” how the last two games of the series will affect post-series discussions about MLB, and Davis Schneider’s batting mimicry. Audio intro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to “pitcher’s cycle” Link to high-K, 0-BB starts Link to more Yesavage facts Link to Passan on Yesavage Link to FG top 100 update Link to MLB Pipeline ranking Link to Weaver on momentum Link to BP on momentum Link to BP on momentum again Link to Sheehan on the Dodgers Link to Sam on the Dodgers Link to Shneider article Link to “catbird seat” info Link to Barber letter  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Meg banter about Magic Johnson’s Game 5 preview, Game 4 observations, belated Game 2 takes on Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Jonas Brothers, Addison Barger’s sleepovers and doppelgangers, David Popkins’ impact on the Jays, another Cal Raleigh award win, Bryce Harper’s hurt feelings, and more. Audio intro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Magic tweet Link to Stephen A. clip Link to “catbird seat” Link to Paine’s research Link to team IBB Link to postseason IBB story Link to MLB.com Jonas Bros story Link to Mastercard Jonas Bros release Link to People Jonas Bros story Link to Jonas Bros backlash story Link to Jonas Bros performance Link to Barger/Schneider story Link to Jays internal dev story Link to Popkins story 1 Link to Popkins story 2 Link to Popkins story 3 Link to Cal award win 1 Link to Cal award win 2 Link to Harper story  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Meg banter about and draft their favorite 18 moments (one for each inning!) from an endlessly entertaining, and almost just plain endless, World Series Game 3. Audio intro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ben on Game 3 Link to Laurila on Game 3 Link to Baumann on Game 3 Link to Andrews on Game 3 Link to Clemens on Game 3 Link to Wegner’s Umpire Scorecard Link to Barger/Schneider story Link to Verducci story Link to Paisley story  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Meg banter about Ben’s trip to a World Series-obsessed city, whether Game 1 of a best-of-seven series can be “must-win,” the Jays-as-underdogs narrative, the global audience for the matchup, and a few factors they’re following throughout the series, before reacting to two California clubs’ managerial hirings: the Angels’ choice of Kurt Suzuki and the Giants’ choice of Tony Vitello (plus a postgame postscript). Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to “Must-win” article Link to best-of-seven probability Link to ZiPS odds Link to Bichette article Link to Mickey Stanley article Link to global viewership Link to Pharrell announcement Link to Pharrell performance Link to Hoffman names Link to Snell fashion Link to subjective age Link to plate-tapping promo Link to Ben on SP as RP Link to Pujols/Angels article Link to Suzuki hiring Link to Minasian story Link to HVAC story Link to Trout testimony Link to Hundley article Link to Vitello article Link to Baumann on Vitello Link to “eyes of the world” message  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Meg Rowley and guest co-host Ben Clemens of FanGraphs discuss the conclusion of the ALCS, including Dan Wilson’s decision to the turn to Eduard Bazardo to face George Springer with runners on in the seventh rather than bring in a higher-leverage reliever like Andrés Muñoz. Then they preview the upcoming World Series between the Blue Jays and the Dodgers, highlighting a few matchups they think might prove to be important in determining the winner. Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to sign up for Patreon Link to Ben on the first part of his Fielding Bible Awards ballot Link to Eric Longenhagen on Game 7 of the ALCS Link to Ben on intentionally walking Cal Raleigh Link to Joe Posnanski on the Bazardo decision Link to Davy Andrews on the three jumps of Game 7  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

In the hours before an ill-fated (for the Mariners) ALCS Game 7, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the state of Meg’s fan feelings and the highlights, lowlights, managerial moves, and more from Games 5 and 6. Then they discuss Shohei Ohtani’s instantly legendary NLCS Game 4 performance (plus postscript). Audio intro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to sign up for Patreon Link to Little reasoning Link to Ben on the Ohtani Game Link to SI Ohtani article Link to Betts pod  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about ALCS Game 4 and NLCS Game 3, with an emphasis on Max Scherzer’s must-win mentality and why his hyped-up mound and start-day demeanor stops just short of scanning as too intense, the Dodgers’ likeability (or lack thereof), and repetitive promos. Then (as Meg sporadically exclaims about the beginning of ALCS Game 5), they discuss how the Tigers should approach Tarik Skubal’s contractual/financial future, followed by a postscript featuring snippets of real-time reaction to the Mariners’ Game 5 comeback and Shohei Ohtani’s instantly legendary, pennant-clinching Game 4 two-way display. Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to sign up for Patreon Link to Scherzer’s must-win quote Link to Sheehan on Scherzer Link to The Bandwagon post Link to Petriello on catcher fatigue Link to Defector on Piazza Link to MLBTR on Skubal Link to MLBTR Skubal poll Link to Monfort message  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the effect of road dominance on the postseason spectator experience and discuss NLCS Game 2 and ALCS Game 3, touching on Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s throwback complete game, the historic playoff production of Kiké Hernández, the less surprising excellence of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a budding Dodgers backlash, pitcher usage when a team is trailing, how to handle Humpy, and much more. Then (1:16:22) they answer listener emails about the ethics of October rooting, what to call two-game sweeps, “representing” the tying run, great takes on great pitches, and players who lost “local hero” status. Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to sign up for Patreon Link to 2019 road dominance Link to 2023 road dominance Link to playoff OPS ratios Link to Arozarena playoff wRC+ Link to Hernández playoff wRC+ Link to Paine on the Dodgers Link to Castellanos defense Link to Kiké quotes Link to QT commercial Link to #6org post 1 Link to #6org post 2 Link to #6org post 3 Link to Salmon Run cast Link to Humpy story Link to MLBTR on Hedges  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley revisit Meg’s experience of Mariners-Tigers ALDS Game 5 and recap the first few games of the Championship Series round, touching on postseason broadcast booths, the Mariners’ mauling of the Blue Jays in Toronto, Pat Murphy’s burnishing of the Brewers’ underdog image, broader narrative-building about the Brewers-Dodgers series, whether the Dodgers intentionally took it easy during the regular season, the GIDP heard ’round the world, starters moonlighting as relievers, Blake Snell, and more, plus closing banter about manager news and Pete Alonso’s contract target in his second crack at free agency. Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to sign up for Patreon Link to Meg’s 2386 postscript Link to playoff win expectancy changes Link to Humpy article Link to Humpy video Link to worst BsR w/30+ SB Link to AL team Gold Gloves Link to NL team Gold Gloves Link to The Bandwagon on Gold Gloves Link to GIDP video Link to GIDP article Link to Cooper on the GIDP Link to Turang on his near-HBP Link to Stathead on 100-pitch playoff games Link to jacked Jays fan Link to Robles play Link to Passan on the NLCS Link to Murphy’s “eight guys” quote Link to Defector comment Link to Craig on the Dodgers Link to Schildt story Link to Hinch story Link to Alonso report Link to Sam on “seeking”  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley announce their playoff livestream plans and then break down Game 4 of the Phillies-Dodgers NLDS, including their musings on Orion Kerkering’s game-ending error and the events that preceded it, whether baseball would be better or worse without its tragic on-field figures, the Phillies’ future, and the intimidating Dodgers. Then, after a few thoughts on the Brewers and Cubs, they banter about baseball’s culture of pitch-tipping paranoia (53:29), the effects of high-tech pitching machines (1:09:20), the upcoming MLB free agency of NPB slugger Munetaka Murakami (1:17:00), and potentially encouraging comments about MLB’s path to a unified package of broadcast rights (1:20:58), plus a postscript message from Meg (1:30:05) about the Mariners’ ALDS Game 5 victory. Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to sign up for Patreon Link to FG Phillies-Dodgers gamer Link to walk-off video Link to Gelb’s Phillies story Link to walk-off errors stat 1 Link to walk-off errors stat 2 Link to Yoda quote Link to tweet about Call on Call Link to Stark on the Phillies’ future Link to Petriello’s post Link to new meme format Link to bunting etymology Link to FG Cubs-Brewers gamer Link to article on pitch-tipping Link to Ben on the banging scheme Link to Wilson’s chess quote Link to The Bandwagon on Trajekt Link to 2024 Trajekt Stat Blast Link to tweet about Yesavage Link to Ben on pitching machines Link to home wRC+ by year Link to road wRC+ by year Link to MLBTR on Murakami Link to Ben on Murakami/Sasaki Link to Normandin article Link to Kennedy comments Link to Kasten comments  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the rampant overuse of the phrase “must-win game,” denying late timeouts, the Blue Jays’ victory over the Yankees, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a Yankees postmortem, Aaron Judge’s partial postseason redemption, the athletic (and managerial) highlights and lowlights of the other ALDS and the two NLDSes, the swan song of October Clayton Kershaw, postseason sacrifice bunting, Bryce Harper’s thoughts on childbirth, and more. Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Passan’s Phillies tweet Link to Posnanski on comebacks from 0-2 Link to Vlad’s Yankees grudge Link to Vlad and Papi Link to Papi on Schlittler Link to Rosenthal on Judge Link to Sheehan on Judge Link to Rosenthal on the Yankees Link to The Ringer on Fox’s MLB panel Link to “clean your clock” etymology Link to Stott bunt explanation Link to Harper quote Link to Raleigh shirt story Link to infield-fly call Link to Stark fun fact Link to The West Wing scene  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s recovery from illness and her ongoing emotional distress as a postseason spectator, then share their takeaways from the first two games of each ALDS and the first game of each NLDS. After that (51:15), Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie joins to talk about how he’s handling postseason stress, his thoughts on the Mariners season and playoff performance so far, the team he would root for if he weren’t an M’s fan, and whether he’d write a Mariners victory song, plus a postscript (1:31:15) on how Guardians fans are feeling. Audio intro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Langs on Yesavage Link to Ben on first-year pitchers Link to Passan on Roki’s reinvention Link to FG post on M’s-Tigers G2 Link to DCFC’s Mariners post Link to 2011 interview about DCFC’s name Link to “Ichiro’s Theme”  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh brings on Michael Baumann, who immediately makes Ben regret it by subjecting him to a lyrical ode to Effectively Wild inspired by the Taylor Swift song “Wood.” Then they play “College Baseball Player or Make and Model of Car?” before recapping the three decisive Game 3s of the wild card round (with an emphasis on the absurdity of the Guardians’ immediate elimination after their historic AL Central comeback, a bad call on Xander Bogaerts, the heroics of Cam Schlittler and Ryan McMahon, and converting from Red Sox fandom to Yankees fandom) and ranking the four division series matchups. Then (1:15:44) Ben talks to Tigers TV broadcaster Jason Benetti about calling the team’s 2024 comeback and 2025 collapse, how to process their reprieve from elimination after a historic blown lead, players to pay attention to in the ALDS, and naturally, John Brebbia. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Audio interstitial: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to “Wood” lyrics Link to reliever familiarity effect Link to call on Bogaerts Link to Padres postgame video Link to Padres frustration Link to ump scoreboard Link to Schlittler fun facts Link to Schlittler pitches piece Link to Jeter catch Link to McMahon catch Link to Schlittler’s mom’s account 1 Link to Schlittler’s mom’s account 2 Link to article about Schlittler’s family Link to Ben on first-year pitchers Link to Ben on the Brewers and Jays Link to 2024 Benetti appearance Link to Brebbia EW episode Link to Benetti’s podcast Link to Cal award  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh brings on Hannah Keyser and Zach Crizer of The Bandwagon to banter in a hopefully not-immediately-dated way about the first two days of playoff action, including the Dodgers dispatching the Reds, Dave Roberts using “Strategy,” Aaron Boone’s perceived mismanaging, the flamethrowing Mason Miller and a playoff-pitch-speed conundrum, and more, plus conversation about how teams with byes are trying to stay ready, the league’s many managerial openings, whether running the Rockies is a good gig, the Rafael Devers trade in retrospect, and the best teams to bandwagon, followed (1:33:54) by a postscript. Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to The Bandwagon Link to Episode 2105 Link to Hannah on the Phillies’ prep Link to Phillies intrasquad game Link to Ichiro scrimmage story Link to Ben on the mid-PA pitching change Link to Girardi on “Strategy” Link to 2024 “Strategy” episode Link to Vesia one-pitch K Link to Vesia scoring quirk Link to Anderson tweet about Miller Link to article about Miller Link to Miller video Link to fastest postseason pitches Link to fastest regular-season pitches Link to Eno on playoff pitch speeds Link to The Ringer’s postseason storylines Link to Obama anger translator sketch Link to Crochet vs. LHP tweet Link to The Bandwagon on Boone Link to Chisholm dive Link to Cora’s follow-up Link to Breslow on Devers Link to Diamond tweet Link to Sarris tweet Link to Baggarly on Posey Link to MLBTR on the Rockies Link to manager vacancies Link to Arrested Development meme Link to DeLauter debut article Link to DeLauter debut play Link to Lemon/Bearden kiss Link to article on the kiss Link to 1991 Mets article Link to streaks data Link to SB distribution graphs Link to SB distribution data Link to Sacramento A’s jersey Link to Keown on the A’s  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about their plans for playoff livestreams and an MLB attendance announcement, then recap the highlights of the last weekend of the regular season and discuss what excites them about the playoffs. Along the way, they rank the collapses of the Astros, Tigers, and Mets and banter about trade-deadline do-overs, playoff-clinching walk-offs, Game 162 incentives, whether tiebreakers are fairer than tiebreaker games, a smart save by a first-base coach, the scariest October teams relative to the regular season, the AL wild card matchups, two Alex Cora quotes, the potential for first-time champions, and more, plus follow-ups. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to livestreams sign-up Link to MLB press release Link to attendance stats Link to year-over-year attendance Link to Marte robbery Link to Rafaela triple Link to Sam on walk-off triples Link to Trout homers Link to Trout streak Link to Alomar Jr. intervention Link to Kayfus walk-off Link to Norby quote Link to Mets/Marlins history Link to MLBTR on Alonso Link to Cora quote Link to haters meme Link to FG staff predictions Link to preseason playoff odds Link to other Cora quote Link to mid-May Gleyber pull rate Link to May 12 Gleyber game Link to first-year postseason starters Link to MLBTR on Toboni Link to lowest K%+ Link to Adames dinger Link to Episode 2350  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Mariners clinching the AL West, the benefits and drawbacks of MVP debates, the power of great players to enhance a season for spectators, the Cardinals’ and Giants’ reciprocal eliminations, the near-extinction of the 200-inning pitcher, the Nationals’ new head of baseball ops, and how predictive a track record of adept drafting is. Then (53:15) they answer listener emails about whether a player could/should ever challenge a ball/strike call that went their way, whether increased pitcher injuries have contributed to the lack of great teams, sticky-stuff inspections on broadcasts, how many pitches it takes to evaluate a pitcher, whether/why baseball managers incur fans’ wrath more than other sports’ coaches, whether teams are turning fewer double plays than they used to, and Trey Yesavage’s many 2025 teammates, plus (1:40:47) a postscript. Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to 2015 MLB promo Link to Ben on Judge vs. Ohtani Link to Giants elimination story Link to Cardinals elimination story Link to pitcher IP leaderboard Link to preseason pitcher IP projections Link to Passan on Toboni Link to MLBTR on Toboni Link to WaPo on the Nats Link to Ben on pitcher injury rates Link to Ben on pitcher workloads Link to Rodón quote Link to MLB GIDP% Link to Jays tweet Link to quote-tweet Link to Kenny Jackelen Link to 2025 teammate leaders Link to single-season teammate leaders Link to listener emails database Link to BP on Blalock Link to Blalock leaderboard Link to highest ML ERA (min. 55 IP) Link to highest ML ERA (min. 100 IP) Link to FG wOBA values Link to BP location research Link to FG playoff odds Link to Darowski update  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the delights of the last week of the regular season, the Dodgers’ bullpen problems, and what kind of compromise the challenge system is, then (43:09) answer listener emails about where the warning track extends, the easiest day at the office for a batter, a player who exclusively hits one single per game, whether MLB front offices are Bayesian or frequentist, the relative strength of the AL and NL, and ticky-tack tags, plus (1:37:08) a postscript. Audio intro: Sean .P, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Skubal error clip Link to MLBTR on Fry Link to Tigers/Guardians game story Link to MLBTR on Sasaki Link to D-Backs/Dodgers game story Link to Sheehan on challenges Link to Goldstein on challenges Link to Posnanski on challenges Link to warning track definition Link to Arenado play Link to Stanton post Link to Sam on NoPAPH Link to NoPAPH by year Link to 2025 NoPAPH Link to Yount incident Link to FG wOBA values Link to Bayesian inference wiki Link to frequentist inference wiki Link to Marlins listing Link to multiple Marlins listings Link to Guardians listing Link to Red Sox listing Link to Rockies listing Link to Angels listing Link to Mets listing Link to Springer tag Link to Cameron on sliding 1 Link to Cameron on sliding 2 Link to listener emails database Link to 2014 F1 story Link to pitwall explainer  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the standings and stakes of an unexpectedly wild last week of the regular season, whether there’s such as a thing as a playoff team that can’t make a deep run, why Cal Raleigh is the player of the year regardless of whether he wins MVP, whether it still makes sense to say that fan-favorite players will never have to buy a meal/drink in their team’s city, the unique celebrations of Pirates pitcher Dauri Moreta, the official arrival of the ABS challenge system, the Marlins calling pitches from the dugout, the extent to which coaches should influence games, and Mike Trout’s barehand catch with a fan. Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ben on the last week Link to latest HUAL episode Link to Jay on playoff permutations Link to largest lost leads Link to FG playoff odds Link to BaseRuns standings Link to team payrolls Link to The Phantom Menace scene Link to player of the year award Link to historic achievement award Link to FG mailbag Link to Moreta video Link to Moreta nickname story Link to challenge system explainer Link to Marlins story 1 Link to Marlins story 2 Link to 2016 Dodgers story Link to Trout article/video Link to Petriello post  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about 2025’s record number of 25-25 players and whether the current power/speed version of the sport is rendered any less impressive by its recent rule-change origins, the historic pre/post-All-Star break splits of Julio Rodríguez and whether the Mariners can help him become less of an extreme slow starter/fast finisher (phrasing?), the lockstep seasons (and recent slumps) of Pete Crow-Armstrong and Ceddanne Rafaela, the impending retirement (and on/off-field legacies) of Clayton Kershaw, and MLB’s new Amateur Recovery Period Policy, plus follow-ups (1:21:31) on a few of those topics. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio outro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to power-speed fun fact Link to Opta Sports wiki Link to Opta EW interview Link to power-speed number Link to power-speed by season Link to ’87 HR spike info Link to more on ’87 spike Link to 2025 SB leaders Link to The Bandwagon on basestealers Link to Julio’s career splits Link to biggest pre/post-ASB splits Link to Paine on Julio Link to February Julio article Link to PCA/Ceddanne laggardboard Link to Kershaw retirement story Link to Ben on Kershaw vs. Pedro Link to recovery period announcement Link to ESPN on the recovery period Link to BA on the recovery period Link to 2024 MLB pitching report  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the state of the wild cards and whether the pennant races have been more exciting than forecasted despite the lack of actual changes in the playoff field, Cal Raleigh’s latest exploits, Geraldo Perdomo’s quiet excellence, the Orioles’ 2026 outlook, the Dodgers’ rotation and bullpen, Shohei Ohtani’s playoff role(s), the bouncebacks of Mookie Betts and George Springer, Yordan Alvarez’s ankle, James Wood and Spencer Jones slumps, season-ending schedules, and whether teams playing spoiler is satisfying for fans. Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG playoff odds Link to Clemens on the playoff odds Link to Paine on the Mets Link to Clemens on Raleigh Link to FG WAR leaderboard Link to Orioles report Link to Dodgers rotation ranking Link to Dodgers reliever ranking Link to team SP projections Link to Dodgers rotation story Link to Ohtani starting story Link to Ohtani outfield story Link to Perdomo/Betts leaderboard Link to Craig on the Dodgers Link to Rob on the zombie runner Link to Petriello on Jones Link to Apple TV+ baseball doc Link to Astudillo news  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s reaction to the Mariners moving into first place in the AL West (at least temporarily), Jac Caglianone and the Royals’ woeful corner-outfield offense, whether major leaguers have gotten better at sliding, and an unjust byproduct of the zombie runner. Then (50:43) they bring on baseball researcher and Sports Reference designer Adam Darowski to discuss Robinson Canó’s 4000th professional hit and Adam’s work on the 4000 hits club. Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Alonso quote Link to mustache/witch article Link to more on the witch Link to even more on the witch Link to 2021 Stat Blast Link to M’s pitching query Link to B-Ref newsletter Link to Langs M’s note Link to team travel Link to team extra innings pitched Link to 2025 worst team LF/RF Link to worst team LF/RF since 2002 Link to Royals LF Link to Royals RF Link to playoff odds Link to Jac’s leading xwOBA-wOBA Link to Moniak slide Link to Moniak slide close-up Link to Crizer on slides Link to Cameron on slides Link to Cameron on slides 2 Link to Treinen game Link to previous Treinen-type losses Link to Treinen nickname article Link to @PitchingNinja tweet Link to Treinen conspiracy posts Link to Canó video Link to Canó video 2 Link to Canó article Link to Canó article 2 Link to Adam’s Canó post Link to Canó Insta post Link to Canó Insta post 2 Link to Canó Insta post 3 Link to Canó Insta post 4 Link to Canó Insta post 5 Link to Canó cards story Link to Adam’s presentation Link to Simkus SABR article Link to BP 4K club article Link to Adam’s website Link to underarm serve article 1 Link to underarm serve article 2 Link to eephus pitch wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the deepening twilight of Mike Trout, then (21:19) discuss why the so-called “death of expertise” sweeping society hasn’t swept sports in the same way, before answering listener emails (1:04:01) about whether the Rangers are good, how the count can be “quickly 0-2,” what makes a righty seem like a lefty, whether a player can be unclutch, the Rockies’ run differential, and the other kind of pitch clock, plus (1:37:58) a postscript. Audio intro: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to The Athletic on Trout Link to Woodrum on velo Link to hitter pitch speeds Link to previous Trout talk Link to The Death of Expertise Link to the WSJ on physics Link to the New Yorker article Link to Manfred analytics quote Link to politics WAR Link to Democracy at the Ballpark Link to the Hard Knocks reference Link to Paine on the Rangers Link to Dubuque on Helman Link to previous Burger banter Link to BaseRuns standings Link to playoff odds Link to Brebbia report Link to leaguewide late & close Link to Alvarez late & close Link to worst run differentials Link to illustrated pitch movement Link to Statcast spin direction Link to clock-reading survey Link to listener emails database Link to Baseball Reliquary interview Link to Buehler comments  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss and speculate about the percentage of major leaguers who’ve been inducted into some hall of fame and banter about Elly De La Cruz’s extended slump, Sean Murphy’s hip-to-be-tear revelation, and the perils of playing through injury, then assess where the line is when publicly shaming fans for ballpark behavior, and a pattern of Tigers executive misconduct (plus a postscript). Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Poff induction Link to Poff pod 1 Link to Poff pod 2 Link to Jones HoF comment Link to Little League Hall Link to Reds WAR leaders Link to Elly 2025 splits Link to Murphy 2023 splits Link to Murphy story 1 Link to Murphy story 2 Link to Phillies fan summary Link to dad interview Link to Phillies fan video Link to Phillies fan article Link to Bader bat story Link to US Open CEO apology Link to CEO fake apology Link to The Athletic Tigers report Link to Ella Black series Link to immaculate inning list Link to Pereda vs. Ohtani Link to Pereda pitches Link to Kahle pitches Link to sports-sounds doc  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s near no-hitter, the Effectively Wild bump, and the Orioles’ incredible comeback), then banter (and quasi-Stat Blast) about four subjects: whether Shohei Ohtani has been more or less valuable as a DH only or as a two-way player this season; whether Cal Raleigh hits a disproporionate number of homers in garbage time (compared to the league and to Aaron Judge); whether position-player pitchers are better when they throw very fast pitches than when they throw very slow ones; and why left-handed pitchers are having a historically strong season, plus (1:23:05) several postscript follow-ups. Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to YamamotO’s video Link to FG win expectancy Link to B-Ref gamelog Link to Pages robbery story Link to Mussina vs. Everett video Link to near no-nos Link to Ben on no-no umps Link to Ohtani two-homer game Link to one-way Ohtani Dodgers W-L Link to two-way Ohtani Dodgers W-L Link to one-way Ohtani WAR Link to two-way Ohtani batter WAR Link to two-way Ohtani pitcher WAR Link to publication bias wiki Link to file drawer problem Link to MLBTR on Brebbia Link to Cal >4 runs split Link to league >4 runs split Link to Judge >4 runs split Link to Cal leverage split Link to league leverage split Link to Judge leverage split Link to clutch comparison Link to WPA leaderboard Link to mistake hitting article Link to most catcher HR Link to Kingery vs. Kurtz Link to exit velo responsibility Link to Kingery vs. Kurtz pitches Link to Mains on PPP Link to slowest possible pitches Link to average PPP velo Link to slowest PPP pitch Link to fasest PPP pitches Link to PPP 45 and under wOBA Link to PPP 80 and up wOBA Link to PPP 79 and up wOBA Link to PPP 45 and under RV/100 Link to PPP 80 and over RV/100 Link to PPP 79 and over RV/100 Link to LHP ERA- leaderboard Link to LHP FIP- leaderboard Link to 2025 RHP ERA Link to 2025 LHP ERA Link to Sawchik on LHP Link to Crizer on LHP Link to Crizer on LHP 2 Link to Nesbitt on LHP Link to LHP horizontal release Link to pitching fWAR leaders Link to LHP pitch types Link to LHP velo Link to RHP velo Link to wRC+ vs. LHP Link to LHP TBH% by year Link to LHP Stuff+ Link to LHP familiarity advantage Link to Soto pitcher article Link to Soto BP pitcher video Link to Trammell bat update Link to pitch-tipping article Link to Whitecaps article Link to HUAL episode  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether Trent Grisham’s 30-homer season is more or less surprising than Juan Soto’s almost-30-steal season, Colson Montgomery’s dinger spree, why there hasn’t been a no-hitter this season, and the exciting-but-boring AL/NL West races. Then (26:47) they bring on top-tier Patreon supporter Ashton Moss to banter about his baseball background and answer listener emails about the value of crowds, minor leaguers and strikeouts, WAR and pitcher value, the effect of funk on familiarity, double switches, automatic doubles, missing bats, rounding bases, and BP with fielders, plus (1:46:18) a postscript. Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Trammell bat story Link to FB% leaders Link to Montgomery leaderboard Link to no no-nos article Link to no-hit-starts query Link to team records since 8/1 Link to Ballers story Link to Carter story Link to Hang Up Link to Day’s non-piercing Link to Clippers Wall Link to Clippers logo Link to PTFO podcast Link to S-JAWS Link to Lincecum splits Link to double switch wiki Link to dictionary definition Link to ground rule double wiki Link to pitch types penalty Link to “My Oh My” Link to “speedball” reference Link to “2-3 count” Link to listener emails database Link to MuniciPals Golf Podcast Link to listener emails Link to Data Golf Link to Data Golf interview Link to bomb and gouge info  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about broadcasters’ anxiety about saying “Cam Schlittler,” whether the Mets’ pitching-prospect trio of Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Brandon Sproat will produce more WAR than “Generation K,” a protracted trot by Rafael Devers, whether Framber Valdez intentionally crossed up his catcher, how a lockout looming in late 2026 could affect the coming offseason, Mason Miller’s extra-special immaculate inning, and the team that’s surprisingly pitched the most shutouts, plus a postscript (with Mets-SP projections). Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Schlittler article Link to Ruocco clip Link to Generation K wiki Link to Sproat call-up Link to Devers trot article Link to The Athletic on Framber Link to agent’s comments Link to Passan’s preview Link to Langs on Miller Link to Miller video Link to team shutouts leaderboard Link to team goose-egg leaderboard Link to team pitching WAR Link to team SP WAR Link to Foley artist wiki Link to latest HUAL episode  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley talk about not talking about the Cardinals, then banter about Sandy Alcantara’s resurgence, whether Walker Buehler will have his own bounceback for the Phillies, Ha-Seong Kim’s reunion with Jurickson Profar, the concept of “adversarial location,” Aroldis Chapman and Taj Bradley‘s discoveries of inside/outside and scouting reports, respectively, Chapman’s extension, whether Luis Arraez’s strikeout avoidance is still fun, a notable FARTBAT, switch-thrower Carlos Cortes, and Meg’s Mariners anxiety. Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Link to Cardinals odds graph Link to Cardinals WAR leaders Link to team attendance changes Link to preseason team projections Link to Glaser bobblehead Link to Alcantara leaderboard Link to team SP projections Link to team RP projections Link to Judge article Link to Olney video Link to Olney pitch-type splits Link to Dan S. on Chapman Link to Chapman on DV Link to Bradley article Link to K%+ leaderboard Link to Dan S. on Arraez Link to Sam on Arraez Link to Goodhart’s Law Link to FARTBAT episode Link to Story HR video Link to Story HR article Link to Cortes article  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about John Brebbia’s return to the big leagues, Kyle Schwarber’s four-homer game, the potential for a position-player-pitcher-assisted five-homer game, Heliot Ramos and dingers on extremely slow pitches, an interminable inning, whether the playoff race is over and, if so, whether that’s an indictment of the 12-team format, and the profusion of recently promoted pitchers potentially in line for postseason starts, then (55:50) answer listener emails about season-ending injuries, accounting for player intention in WAR, “rounding home,” giving pitchers tall shoes, making baseball less random, the worst on-field feeling, pitcher aesthetics, and mid-PA pitching changes, plus (1:36:34) follow-ups. Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Brebbia Link to The Onion headline Link to four-homer-games query Link to Schwarber’s dingers Link to article on Suárez game Link to Ramos homer Link to slowest HR pitches Link to Rob Arthur on exit speed Link to pitch-count tweet Link to Nats-Yanks game Link to pitch-count query Link to Keyser on the playoff race Link to Sheehan on the playoff race Link to Baumann on the playoff race Link to Andrews on the playoff race Link to the AP on strikeouts Link to McLean info Link to Tong info Link to Tolle info Link to Baumann on Rodriguez Link to Marucci email Link to Seinfeld clip Link to possessions info Link to Ben on mid-PA pitching changes Link to listener emails database Link to Rounding Home book Link to Rounding for Home book Link to Rounding Home movie Link to “Rounding Home” headline Link to Berkson’s paradox Link to Berkson and baseball  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the semi-resurgence of Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and Clayton Kershaw, Nathan Eovaldi’s injury and Patrick Corbin’s climb to the top of the Rangers innings leaderboard, the great-but-forgotten Steve Rogers, the end of Andrew Heaney’s Pirates tenure, Royce Lewis’s focus on his stats, whether MLB’s strikeout rate has declined because teams are targeting higher-contact hitters, the promotion of whiff artist Jonah Tong, why hitters aren’t swinging less, and a minor league attendance drop. Audio intro: Garrett Krohn, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Link to SP trio WAR before Link to SP trio WAR after Link to Kershaw fun fact Link to Eovaldi news Link to Rangers IP leaders Link to Laurila’s post Link to Rogers leaderboard Link to Rogers at BR Bullpen Link to Rogers SABR bio Link to Captain America wiki Link to MLBTR on Heaney Link to Heaney laggardboard Link to owners Reddit research Link to Tellez story Link to Tellez quotes Link to Lewis quotes Link to leaguewide K rate Link to DotF K research Link to Mains on strikeouts Link to Baumann on the K paradox Link to BtB on the K paradox Link to MLBTR on Tong Link to MLB SP K% leaders Link to MiLB SP K% leaders Link to Foundation wiki Link to Tango on taking Link to Eno on taking Link to swing run values Link to take run values Link to leaguewide plate discipline Link to BA on MiLB attendance Link to MLB YoY attendance Link to Carville quote Link to Meg’s MiLB research Link to other Ben on streaks  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the early start to the 2026 regular season and MLB’s schedule in a warming world, tossing snacks after tossing a bat, this year’s potential trio of 50-homer hitters (including a Cal Raleigh update), the virtues of players who have high floors (with check-ins on Bobby Witt Jr. and Trea Turner), the (dubious?) merits of the BBWAA’s new reliever of the year award, Tyler Phillips’s anti-hitter mentality, new large relievers Zach Maxwell and Drew Sommers, Brady Singer in Cincinnati, Juan Soto’s basestealing, Zack Wheeler’s prognosis, the latest on Shane Bieber and Kyle Tucker, and Samuel Basallo’s extension, plus responses about other sports’ significant sounds. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to schedule announcement Link to Contreras ejection video Link to Contreras ejection quotes Link to suspension news Link to pre-September HR stat Link to 50-homer-seasons query Link to FG WAR leaderboard Link to Seinfeld scene Link to Zoolander clips Link to Sheehan on Witt Link to Stark on the reliever award Link to setup man award Link to Phillips interview Link to Maxwell intro tweet Link to Sommers intro tweet Link to Maxwell story 1 Link to Maxwell story 2 Link to Kirk steal story Link to Vogelbach promo Link to TOS types Link to Curb scene Link to Wheeler diagnosis Link to FG on Basallo Link to Rubenstein on extensions Link to Kiley on Basallo Link to table tennis spin Link to table tennis stomps Link to catcher stomps Link to Spieth shot Link to Tiger shot Link to quotes about drives  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about sports equivalents to baseball’s bat crack, Colson Montgomery’s torpedo bat, reserving judgement on the MVP race, Francisco Alvarez’s minor league reset (and subsequent injury), a Kyle Tucker slump/injury update, the hot hitting of Giancarlo Stanton and Jakob Marsee, the Twins’ new knuckleballer, Pierson Ohl, and the ramifications of MLB’s impending deal with ESPN (and other broadcast partners), followed by (1:19:16) listener emails about a baserunner catching a pickoff throw, an ill-timed umpire sneeze, and the post-realignment future of MLB awards, plus (1:36:36) follow-ups. Audio intro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to O’Neil clip Link to bat-crack article 1 Link to bat-crack article 2 Link to bat-crack article 3 Link to bat-crack article 4 Link to bat-crack article 5 Link to tennis strings wiki Link to catgut wiki Link to WaPo on Changeover Link to Changeover Link to Nathan on Hang Up Link to James on Montgomery Link to previous Alvarez banter Link to Alvarez leaderboard Link to Tucker injury article Link to Stanton leaderboard Link to Marsee leaderboard Link to Baumann on Marsee Link to article on Ohl Link to Yahoo broadcast report Link to The Athletic broadcast report Link to WSJ broadcast report Link to The Athletic on ESPN’s plan Link to MLBTR summary Link to Hang Up on ESPN/NFL Link to Cooper’s post Link to enshittification wiki Link to listener emails database  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about torpedo bats (remember them?), Cody Bellinger’s good year and confounding career, recent comments by Craig Counsell and Aaron Boone, the impending call-up of Bubba Chandler and the recent arrival of Owen Caissie, the weirdest things about being a pro baseball player, a zombie-runner-induced ending to a pitcher’s duel, and Alien: Earth as a baseball show. Audio intro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Straw update Link to Sam on Bellinger Link to Clay interview Link to Tribune on Counsell Link to latest Counsell quote Link to 2018 Counsell quote Link to The Athletic on Counsell Link to Brewers subreddit post Link to Chandler call-up Link to rookie eligibility tweet Link to rookie eligibility explainer Link to Caissie debut story Link to Marte apology article Link to Marte apology article 2 Link to Tigers-Astros game Link to Oort Cloud wiki Link to Ben on sci-fi Link to Buck Bockai Link to Dixon Hill Link to Captain Proton  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the commissioner’s power to dictate conversations about baseball, realignment possibilities, whether league distinctions still matter, how much they have to banter about, Victor Robles’s bat throw and suspension, the latest Tommy Pham flare-up, a Ketel Marte controversy, the Brewers, the Blue Jays, and what teams’ styles of play represent, a two-pitch inning, the promotion of Samuel Basallo and the Orioles’ future at catcher, Zack Wheeler’s injury and the Phillies’ unaccustomed uncertainty with Wheeler and Aaron Nola, Bryan Woo’s six-inning streak, Kyle Tucker’s slump, Ceddanne Rafaela’s positional splits, three Seymours, and Cody Ponce’s KBO dominance. Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Manfred’s comment Link to Selig on realignment Link to Nesbitt on realignment Link to team travel mileage Link to climate change article Link to Robles suspension article Link to Robles apology Link to Pham article Link to Piecoro on Ketel Link to Nightengale on Ketel Link to Perdomo on Ketel Link to Ketel apology Link to 1.0+ WAR Brewers Link to Rosenthal on the Brewers Link to Sam on the Brewers Link to two-pitch-inning game Link to MiLB two-pitch-inning Link to Basallo promotion Link to Basallo analysis Link to rookie eligibility tweet Link to rookie eligibility explainer Link to Wheeler injury article Link to team SP projections Link to Woo article 1 Link to Woo article 2 Link to Tucker benching news Link to Laurila on Rafaela Link to Kruk comment Link to knocker-up wiki Link to three Seymours Link to Bob promotion Link to Bob Emergency Link to Seymour Weiner news Link to baby-name data  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether any of the teams that sold at the trade deadline can make an improbable playoff run, whether the Dodgers’ position in the playoff race refutes or confirms preseason fears about their advantages, and the accelerating splintering of sports broadcasts (MLB on the Poob tube!), then answer emails (41:40) about Roman Anthony’s OBP, driving/batting in runs with walks, and Juan Soto vs. players traded for him, before (1:03:34) talking to FanGraphs founder David Appelman about the site’s 20th anniversary. Audio intro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG playoff odds Link to divisional comebacks story Link to Paine on bad/expensive teams Link to burgers story Link to BP IL Ledger Link to baseball streaming story Link to streaming meme Link to more on the meme Link to streaming expenses story Link to Bois on Bonds Link to listener emails database Link to previous Appelman appearance Link to Appelman’s birthday appearance Link to death of dial-up Link to Crawford conversation Link to Speier post Link to podcast-description stats  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the bounceback season of Trevor Rogers, the NL Cy Young race, career achievement awards, observations from a Shohei Ohtani start, the NL West race, and the significance of the Pohlads’ decision not to sell the Twins. Then (42:36) they answer listener emails about check-swing appeals, how the changing media landscape could affect fandom, streak freezes, when a game is tied, scattering hits, walk-away wins, Red Sox pain vs. Yankees pain, Toronto’s run differential, and Adam Dunn vs. Kyle Schwarber. Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Rogers leaderboard Link to Rogers tattoo episode Link to NL WAR leaderboard Link to Academy Honorary Award Link to outfield defense laggards Link to public enemy no. 1 clip Link to Ohtani pitch usage Link to splitter to Rengifo Link to Padres/Dodgers fun fact Link to Dodgers FG post Link to Sportico on the Twins Link to The Athletic on the Twins Link to Manfred on the sale Link to “sell the team” story Link to umpire manual Link to Sam on the umpire manual Link to KBO check-swing story Link to Duolingo mascot story Link to “Railroad Daddy” Link to team wins since 2018 Link to blowout-adjusted Pythag Link to gradient wins Link to Ben on Dunn vs. Pierre Link to Poscast episode Link to listener emails database  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a few of this year’s WAR leaders dropping off their previous paces, Dave Roberts’ critiques of Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers’ playoff pitching, Clayton Kershaw vs. Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander’s self-deception, the early hot streaks of Luke Keaschall and Warming Bernabel, Carlos Correa returning to form as an Astro, the AL West race, Brandon Woodruff and the Brewers, alumni home run derbies, Josh Naylor’s low-speed stealing, Luis Arraez’s batting average, the Padres’ failed hidden-ball trick, and pitch-tipping skepticism. Audio intro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG combined WAR leaderboard Link to Roberts quotes Link to Kershaw/Scherzer story 1 Link to Kershaw/Scherzer story 2 Link to Verlander story Link to Verlander’s stuff stats Link to Keaschall fun fact Link to FG playoff odds Link to FG post on Woodruff Link to Brewers derby story Link to Sam on derbies Link to Naylor’s Savant page Link to Padres HBT article Link to pitch-tipping story  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether Mike Trout has become a boring baseball player, Paul Skenes almost perfectly replicating his sensational rookie season, and recent trends in pre-arb extensions, answer a listener email (57:39) about becoming a fan of the whole league instead of (or in addition to) one team, and (1:14:49) meet major leaguers Josh Simpson and Dugan Darnell. Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Trout hypotheticals Link to 2025 TTO% leaders Link to Trout TTO% by year Link to leaguewide TTO% Link to older hitters wRC+ Link to Trout’s Savant page Link to Trout’s $ value Link to Dalton photo Link to pitcher WAR since 2024 Link to Skenes pitch-type splits Link to Paine on extensions Link to listener emails Link to new debuts Link to Simpson wiki Link to Simpson interview Link to phantom ballplayer wiki Link to 2024 Simpson article Link to 2025 Simpson article Link to ERA-xERA leaders Link to Dartmouth draftees Link to Princeton draftees Link to Yale draftees Link to UPenn draftees Link to Harvard draftees Link to Brown draftees Link to Columbia draftees Link to Cornell draftees Link to Ivy draftees ranking Link to Darnell wiki Link to Darnell article 1 Link to Darnell article 2 Link to Darnell article 3 Link to Darnell article 4 Link to Darnell article 5 Link to team RP WAR  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Marlins’ winning record against the Yankees, Ty Cobb and Kyle Stowers, the Blue Jays’ demolition of the Rockies, pocket pancakes, and more. Then (38:19) they answer listener emails about a CBT exemption for World Series winners, celebrations in the pitch clock era, nonpartisan bullpens, a humorous shirsey, batter no-outers, and September roster expansion, plus Stat Blasts (1:26:50) about extreme ball/strike throwers, road-only HR hitters, no-walkoff teams, unusual scoring, and old pitcher/catcher + pitcher/batter combos. Audio intro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Marlins vs. Yankees Link to wins since 1993 Link to Leerhsen’s Cobb book Link to Ringer MLB Show Link to HoF site on Cobb Link to Wright on Cobb 1 Link to Wright on Cobb 2 Link to Wright on Cobb 3 Link to Wright on Cobb 4 Link to Wright on Cobb 5 Link to Wright on Cobb 6 Link to Wright on Cobb 7 Link to Wright on Cobb 8 Link to Wright on Cobb 9 Link to Ben on Ichiro power Link to E. coli outbreak Link to dysentery report Link to Oregon Trail meme Link to Jays fun facts Link to run differential data Link to FG’s The Board Link to Buxton cycle Link to Buxton images Link to Twins summer sausage Link to pocket pancake video Link to Bellinger violation Link to pitch clock extension Link to strike% data Link to ball% data Link to road homers sheet Link to runs matching innings sheet Link to 2007 Sox-Yanks game Link to 2013 Sox-M’s game Link to 1979 Phils-Cubs game Link to 2008 Marlins Rockies game Link to 1925 Sox-Tigers game Link to Quinn-Schang game Link to Clemens-Franco game Link to listener emails database Link to all-triples games  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about umpire Jen Pawol’s promotion to the majors, whether the MLB Speedway Classic lived up to its name, Nathan Eovaldi’s Gibsonian season, another big blow to the practice of pitcher hitting, a “breakout” question, an optimistic Twins take, the Yankees’ concerning (to Yankees fans) slide, Roman Anthony’s extension, whether MLB’s playoff picture is boring, Andrew Vaughn’s hot hitting, and the accuracy of a baseball scene on The Gilded Age. Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Rockies comeback Link to Pawol news Link to Speedway Classic problems Link to Speedway Classic record Link to Gibson/Eovaldi stat Link to Central League news Link to Central League stats Link to Ben on pitcher hitting Link to Adell breakout post Link to Sheehan on the Twins Link to Paine on the Yankees Link to BaseRuns records Link to FG playoff odds Link to team baserunning Link to team defense Link to Sam on hustle Link to Ben on hustle Link to team wins since June 1 Link to MLBTR on Anthony Link to Vaughn leaderboard Link to Davy on the playoff odds Link to TGA question Link to TGA episode Link to Richard’s Strike Four Link to SP FIP stat Link to notable episodes list  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about where they stand on two competing perceptions of this year’s trade deadline activity and why it turned out not to be a dudline, then discuss all the major storylines—including A.J. Preller’s all-in antics, the Twins’ teardown, Carlos Correa’s Houston reunion, and the closer carousel—before going through moves on a team-by-team basis to offer critiques and praise. Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Count von Count Link to Jake and Jordan data Link to Paine on deadlines Link to Paine on this deadline Link to Sheehan on the deadline Link to Dan’s post Link to ZiPS verdicts Link to FG roundup Link to MLB.com tracker Link to FG’s The Board Link to Pipeline’s Top 100 Link to Bandwagon on the Padres Link to BA on the Padres Link to Preller’s past prospects Link to FG playoff odds Link to “bob’s your uncle” tweet Link to MiLB FA draft stats Link to Twins letter Link to Antonetti Twins quote Link to Breslow quotes Link to minor league reset episode Link to Greene’s mustache story Link to Cashman on Jones Link to info on Vaughn Link to Seranthony graphic Link to Griffey cow story Link to Griffey cow video  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about how the expanded playoffs may suppress trade activity and, prompted by the passing of Ryne Sandberg, the factors that can make a player punch above their weight from a popularity perspective. Then (31:47) they answer listener emails about triples hitting, Bryce Harper vs. José Ramírez, the effect of gray hairs on free agency, football body comps for baseball players, “first half” vs. “second half,” change-of-scenery candidates, perfection for hitters, the language of WAR, scouting trade candidates, framing a player for pitch-fixing, early/late-season platoon players, outfielders lying down on the job, and Aaron Judge’s BABIP (plus a reaction to Rich Hill’s DFA). Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ben C. on expanded playoffs Link to Dan S. on expanded playoffs Link to Paine on the deadline Link to Sandberg NYT obit Link to Sandberg Stat Blast Link to “Sandberg Game” video Link to triples Stathead Link to Stark on future HoFers Link to Wilkins kiss story Link to info on Day’s beard Link to post-ASB split 1 Link to post-ASB split 2 Link to splits spreadsheet Link to Ben on the foul lines Link to Russell on outfield defense 1 Link to Russell on outfield defense 2 Link to Russell on outfield defense 3 Link to doubleheader trade Link to Szymborski on Judge Link to Petriello on Judge Link to Savant xBABIP Link to listener emails database  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Well, almost nothin’. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ichiro Suzuki’s Cooperstown induction, Nick Kurtz’s four-homer game, Aaron Judge’s injury (and Cal Raleigh’s MVP candidacy), Bryce Harper’s showdown with Rob Manfred, Emmanuel Clase’s implication in baseball’s brewing pitch-fixing scandal, Royals, Tigers, Braves, and Yankees trades, and the unsettled standings. Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ichiro speech Link to Ichiro speech story Link to Bois Mariners doc Link to Paine on the ’01 M’s Link to Kurtz video Link to FG post on Judge Link to McMahon’s shave Link to Bandwagon on the Phillies Link to ESPN on Harper Link to NYP on Harper Link to cow at Camden Link to info on Manfred’s CAP Link to more on Manfred/Phillies Link to McMahon’s shave Link to FG post on Clase Link to Guardians post on Clase Link to MLBTR on Lugo Link to FG playoff odds Link to pitcher WAR since ’24 Link to team OF WAR Link to Royals outfielders Link to Bandwagon on the standings Link to Paine on the Tigers  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Ben Clemens banter about the FanGraphs crowdsourced trade value tool, the Josh Naylor, Ryan McMahon, and Gregory Soto trades, the outlook for Eugenio Suárez, the fascinating Spencer Jones, and the lack of production by MLB rookies this season, then (58:30) discuss Other Ben’s player rankings for the fourth annual trade value series (plus a Nick Kurtz update). Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to crowdsourced tool intro Link to crowdsourced tool Link to Twilight EW episode Link to Naylor trade post Link to McMahon trade post Link to Soto trade at MLBTR Link to Jones at Prospect Savant Link to Jones 3-HR video Link to Jones MiLB defense Link to MiLB batting leaders Link to Yankees prospect list Link to Dan’s ZiPS prospects update Link to MLB EV leaders Link to MLB Z-Contact% laggards Link to Ben on Gallo Link to batting stance move Link to team defense leaderboard Link to Yankees WS collapse Link to rookie batting WAR Link to rookie pitching WAR Link to rookie WAR by year Link to Ben on the MiLB-to-MLB gap Link to 2024 trade value top 10 Link to 2025 trade value intro Link to 2025 trade value top 10 Link to Keltner list Link to Kurtz highlight video Link to Kurtz single-game WAR Link to one-game total bases leaders  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the long-awaited baseball events that occurred during Ben’s brief vacation, highlighted by Rich Hill’s return to the majors. They also discuss developments involving other quadragenarian pitchers, provide an update on their “2025 in 2025” Patreon campaign, and consider Bryan Woo’s parents’ dedication to attending all of his starts, additional aspects of the Brewers’ success, the Angels’ lack of rotation turnover, Myles Straw vs. Roki Sasaki, and an especially impressive Ronald Acuña Jr. throw. Then (59:10) they bring on author and researcher Mark Armour to talk about the Satchel Paige Project, Mark’s ongoing, yearslong effort to document every game Paige pitched. Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Effectively Wild on Patreon Link to FG post on Hill Link to Woo article Link to Paine on the Brewers Link to Brewers batters Link to Mains on the Angels Link to Whitley on Soriano Link to pre-ASB SP WAR Link to Sasaki/Straw post Link to Ben on Meneses Link to Acuña throw Link to Acuña throw article Link to Baseball Project song Link to Paige Project article Link to Mark’s announcement post Link to Paige Project results Link to Paige pitching map Link to most wanted games Link to Mark’s website Link to Effectively Wild on Patreon  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Meg Rowley and guest co-host Michael Baumann discuss the Brewers’ recent win streak, what’s contributing to their success, and the general state of the National League playoff field and what it might mean for the trade deadline. Then they consider the worst ways to lose (and win) a baseball game on the back of the Phillies’ walk-off no-swing catcher’s interference versus the Red Sox and discuss the merits of various sauces. Lastly, in response to a listener email, they contemplating what, if anything, they could see the players asking for in exchange for a salary cap in the next CBA negotiation, leading Michael to offer a bold proposal. Lastly, with the Tour de France underway, Michael tells Meg about the effects that PED use had on the world of cycling and its fans. Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Garrett Krohn, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to the Brewers’ BaseRuns and PythagenPat record Link to the Brewers’ Playoff Odds Link to Jay Jaffe on why Arizona should sell Link to Baumann on why the Diamondbacks shouldn’t Link to the FanGraphs Trade Value Series Link to Phillies/Red Sox play Link to Sam on no-swing catcher’s interference Link to Baumann’s cycling newsletter Link to listener email database  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a rare prediction by Ben, related to two players who were recently swapped by the Pirates and Royals, Adam Frazier and Cam Devanney. Then (13:52) they mark the podcast’s 13th birthday and launch a “2025 in 2025” plea for Patreon support before (24:19) discussing several of the most intriguing storylines of the rest of the season. After that (1:11:35), they wrap up with listener emails about non-MLB Home Run Derby prospects and the Royals’ perfect pitch-clock management. Audio intro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Effectively Wild on Patreon Link to FG on the trade Link to MLBTR on the trade Link to Perrotto on Frazier Link to RoS ZiPS Link to IL DTs Link to MLB DTs Link to Royals depth chart Link to FG “first half” trends Link to The Athletic RoS stories Link to ESPN RoS stories Link to catcher fatigue research 1 Link to catcher fatigue research 2 Link to BaseRuns standings Link to playoff odds Link to K%+ leaders Link to Sam on Hill Link to violations leaderboard Link to listener emails database Link to Effectively Wild on Patreon  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and FanGraphs lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen discuss the lows and highs of the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game and swing-off, plus banter about beef boys, Blooper, kissing, and the timing of the All-Star break, then (1:03:40) recap the amateur draft, touching on the selection of Eli Willits first overall, first-round risers/fallers, teams that had the best drafts, the latest Holliday (Ethan), the Twins’ extremely tall pitcher Jason Reitz, Boston’s Marcus Phillips pick, and the predictability of the draft vs. international signings. Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Derby formats Link to Derby formats piece Link to Cal’s plunking Link to Derby robbery Link to one-inch difference Link to Cal/Skubal mic’d up Link to Schwarbombs Link to Posnanski on the ASG Link to Passan on the swing-off Link to swing-off surprise report Link to the Miz ASG story Link to ABS piece 1 Link to ABS piece 2 Link to Scully’s Aaron call Link to Aaron tribute Link to Roberts sidestep Link to beef boy story Link to Sam on the Dumper Link to Meg’s Blooper selfie Link to Mr. Met video Link to Vinnie/Cags kiss Link to Sheehan on the ASB Link to Olympics timing Link to Eric’s mock Link to Eric’s ranking Link to Eric’s recap Link to Bremner article Link to Reitz Reddit post Link to Down on the Farm study  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Davy Andrews banter about Meg’s absence, Byron Buxton, Kyle Stowers, and an Orioles/Marlins surprise, the backlash to Jacob Misiorowski’s All-Star selection, the status of the All-Star game and whether All-Star designations need to change, All-Star/Home Run Derby excitement and the merits of several unsung (or undersung) All-Stars and non-All-Stars, a hypothetical about mystery All-Stars, Shohei Ohtani’s pitching progression, and more. Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Meg’s Blooper selfie Link to Passan and Blooper Link to Vinnie/Cags kiss Link to Davy on PCA Link to 5 BB ≥ 100 mph Link to 5 hits ≥ 100 mph Link to Miz article 1 Link to Miz article 2 Link to Miz article 3 Link to Miz article 4 Link to BP on All-Stars Link to All-Star replacements Link to Neil on the HRD Link to Neil on All-Stars Link to Davy on the Derby Link to NHL ASG policy Link to Chapman velos Link to EW Episode 1 Link to listener emails database Link to pitchers vs. PPP Link to pitchers vs. non-PPP Link to rim height story 1 Link to rim height story 2 Link to rim height story 3  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Blooper, the All-Star-Game-hosting Braves’ flagging fortunes, the pre-deadline trade market, the simultaneous surges of Ceddanne Rafaela and Pete Crow-Armstrong, the performances of old pitchers Charlie Morton, Clayton Kershaw, and Justin Verlander, and the death and legacy of Lee Elia, then (1:01:44) share several Stat Blasts about players who were All-Stars in their worst seasons, teams with reverse records against good/bad opponents, Billy McKinney and serial replacement-level players, and more. Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Blooper bio Link to Blooper origin story Link to Blooper origin story 2 Link to FG playoff odds Link to Neil on parity Link to Passan deadline preview 1 Link to Passan deadline preview 2 Link to WAR leaders since June Link to Petriello on Rafaela Link to over-40 pitchers Link to run support Link to best ERAs since 2021 Link to Elia obit Link to Elia retrospective Link to Elia retrospective 2 Link to Elia retrospective 3 Link Elia recording Link to bleeped Elia recording Link to oldest rookie hitter All-Stars Link to oldest rookie pitcher All-Stars Link to all-stars in worst season Link to all-stars in worst full season Link to Hunter obit Link to one-run-game data Link to backward team data Link to MLBTR on McKinney Link to replacement-level data Link to Angels tweet Link to Stat Blast notes Link to listener emails database Link to Kalkman on Clarke Link to NCAA concussion news Link to mound-movement math  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Rich Hill–Dallas Keuchel competition for the Royals rotation and give José Ramírez his due, then (17:45) answer listener emails about when to fire a GM, an all-star spot for elite defenders, teams composed of clones of Aaron Judge, Daulton Varsho, or Zack Wheeler, moving the mound back unnoticeably, a rule-changing MLB concussion protocol, whether WAR is a counting stat, and unsuccessful surgeries, plus Stat Blasts (1:24:05) about four-team trades, lefty position-player pitchers, homer flubs, bases-loaded walks, and the cost of throwing a ball on purpose, plus (1:47:30) a cat PSA. Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Link to Keuchel signing Link to Hill game log Link to on-pace projections Link to ASG WAR research Link to Judge pitching stats Link to Ben on PPP vs. pitcher hitters Link to Derby participants Link to 2024 CF arm strength Link to 2025 RF arm strength Link to Reds mound story 1 Link to Reds mound story 2 Link to Ben on moving the mound Link to MLB courtesy runner Link to concurrent surgery Link to Jenks surgery Link to Reimold story Link to Segedin story Link to 1991 death Link to 2021 death Link to % LH non-PPP Link to % LH PPP Link to LH PPP wOBA Link to RH PPP wOBA Link to Durant trade Link to five blades satire Link to Varsho play 1 Link to Varsho play 2 Link to two Tylers play Link to Levine on Ortiz Link to Ortiz ball rate Link to strike/ball value Link to FA $/WAR Link to listener emails database Link to Mains data Link to HR thief story Link to HR thief jersey  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Brandon Woodruff and the minor medical miracle of players returning from significant injuries to be big leaguers again, the likelihood of players becoming or repeating as all-stars, Clayton Kershaw as an honorary all-star, the end (for now) of the Pete Alonso Home Run Derby era and the Derby’s new blood, the Nationals firing their POBO and manager a week before picking first in the draft, new Statcast catcher-stance data, and the Blue Jays unseating the Yankees in the AL East, plus (1:29:38) postscript updates. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio outro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Woodruff’s return Link to Neil’s new ASG research Link to Neil’s old ASG research Link to Alonso news Link to Derby participants Link to Smith Rule 5 story Link to Kershaw selection Link to Rizzo text Link to Nats WAR leaders Link to Nats prospect list Link to FG on the Nats Link to catcher stance data Link to Petriello on stances Link to Trueblood on stances Link to Trueblood on throwing Link to Swanson on EW Link to FG on the Yankees Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Kay kerfuffle 1 Link to Kay kerfuffle 2 Link to playoff odds changes Link to team pitching clutch Link to team pitching clutch Link to batter tOPS+ w/RISP Link to batter tOPS+ w/high lev Link to pitcher tOPS+ w/RISP Link to pitcher tOPS+ w/high lev Link to Kaline book Link to Scherzer on effort Link to Opta Pirates stat Link to Langs Pirates stat Link to Stark on shutouts Link to Mains on scoring Link to EW YouTube playlist  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Paul Skenes’s new interest, Clayton Kershaw and the evolution of 3,000-strikeout celebrations, and the deepening deadball era in Japan. After that (24:37), frequent Stat Blast Correspondent Ryan Nelson joins to discuss why there have been so many team shutouts this season and then deliver several Stat Blasts, followed (1:02:56) by postscript updates. Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Hiles tweet Link to Reddit joke Link to pitcher run support Link to Kershaw’s 3000th K Link to FG post on Kershaw Link to Scherzer’s 3000th K Link to 3000th-K montage Link to 3000-K club wiki Link to Facebook post Link to 2025 Pacific League Link to 2025 Central League Link to team shutouts count Link to shutout-rate data Link to Posnanski on shutouts Link to BP on blowouts Link to 50-gun salute Link to SP matchups data Link to SP matchups leaders Link to homer-matching data Link to Roberts confession Link to FG Parker obit Link to Parker shirt info Link to Parker smoking photo Link to last-shutout data Link to most younger PA list Link to most younger BF list Link to Woo tweet Link to listener emails database Link to EW YouTube playlist Link to Pujols/Cabrera story Link to Boyd video Link to EW Episode 1735 Link to EW Episode 1736 Link to Independence Day post  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about how many members of the All-Star Celebrity Softball Game roster they have heard of, honorary all-stars, and velocity spikes preceding arm injuries, then discuss an investigation concerning possible pitch-fixing by Luis L. Ortiz, a federal civil rights complaint about the Dodgers’ DEI policies, and Rob Manfred’s pitch to players in advance of CBA discussions. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Coachella formula Link to the “celebrities” Link to Simpsons clip Link to influencer fame data Link to MLBTR on honorary all-stars Link to Atlanta pitchers story Link to ESPN report on Ortiz Link to Trueblood pitch videos Link to Axios on Miller and L.A. Link to The Athletic on Miller Link to more on the complaint Link to 2023 MLB complaint Link to The Athletic on Manfred Link to more from The Athletic Link to the SBJ on Manfred Link to Sheehan on Manfred Link to MLBPA probe Link to fan ban Link to fan interview Link to MLFAD data Link to Waldron pitch usage  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the return of Richard Lovelady, the MLB season debut of knuckleballer Matt Waldron, the superlative Zack Wheeler, how other knuckleballers in baseball are faring, Rich Hill’s wait for a call-up, Shohei Ohtani vs. Vinnie Pasquantino, Jacob Misiorowski and the leaguewide rise in pitcher extension, James Wood’s four intentional walks in one game (and the Angels’ outlier IBB total), MLB’s strikeout plateau (or reversal), Luis Arraez’s pursuit of contact history, historic events involving Wilyer Abreu, Trevor Rogers, and Jack Leiter, a serial fan interferer, the biggest team attendance climbs and declines, and how MLB’s minor league parks have played. Audio intro: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Lovelady Link to uniforms changes Link to best pitchers in June Link to Posnanski on Wheeler Link to AARP patch Link to Pasquantino tweet Link to extension leaderboard Link to leaguewide extension Link to leaguewide four-seam extension Link to leaguewide four-seam velo Link to velo leaders Link to perceived velo leaders Link to extension mailbag Link to Ben on pitching distance Link to Whitley on Wood Link to Andrews on Wood Link to four-IBB club Link to 2025 team IBB Link to IBB difference spreadsheet Link to Bonds/Rays IBB post Link to Rays IBB Link to 2025 K%+ keaders Link to all-time K%+ spreadsheet Link to Dan S. on Arraez Link to Rob on strikeouts Link to MLB K rate by year Link to non-pitcher K rate by year Link to Abreu fun fact Link to Rogers/Leiter fun fact Link to Arizona fan story Link to Arizona fan story 2 Link to Arizona fan tweet Link to Hang Up episode Link to attendance changes Link to park factors Link to Severino story 1 Link to Severino story 2 Link to Manfred quotes Link to leaguewide TTO% Link to player TTO% Link to Marte update  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Kutter Crawford’s mysterious wrist accident, then discuss Wander Franco’s conviction (14:58) and Walker Monfort’s promotion (19:57) before checking in (33:36) on the players and teams on pace to overperform or underperform their preseason projections the most at the precise halfway point of the season. Finally (1:12:44), they answer listener emails about “secret teams” in MLB, throwback, quiet games at the ballpark, and Denzel Clarke. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Audio outro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to WhatIfSports offer page Link to Crawford story 1 Link to Crawford story 2 Link to Sale accident Link to Barmes story 1 Link to Barmes story 2 Link to Kent story Link to injury cover-ups Link to Franco story 1 Link to Franco story 2 Link to Monfort story Link to halfway point Link to Rays playoffs story Link to projections comparison spreadsheet Link to preseason projections Link to on-pace projections Link to preseason playoff odds Link to listener emails database Link to Belanger club Link to most PA with low OPS+  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Dicky, er, Richard Lovelady’s short tenure with the Mets, round one of Paul Skenes vs. Jacob Misiorowski, the nature of modern pitcher’s duels, a Jacob-related fun fact, updates on Juan Soto and Jo Adell, revisiting childhood favorites through the lens of advanced stats, and public funding for the Diamondbacks, then (47:14) discuss fans crossing the line, player reprisals, and (1:08:07) Fernando Tatis Jr. suing Big League Advance. Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Lovelady Link to Dietrich call-up Link to Baumann on Skenes vs. Miz Link to Jake/Jacob fact Link to Opta interview Link to Miz fact Link to shutouts stat Link to Wilson Fortnite story Link to Diego Segui news Link to David’s PED admission Link to Diamondbacks funding story Link to Field of Schemes on Arizona Link to Marte story Link to Santana story 1 Link to Santana story 2 Link to Santana story 3 Link to Duran story Link to Hendriks story Link to MLB harassment story Link to NHL harassment story Link to Francisco story Link to Simpsons clip Link to AP on BLA Link to Calcaterra on BLA Link to BLA EW interview Link to FG post on BLA Link to Taylor play 1 Link to Taylor play 2 Link to Taylor play 3  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Richard Lovelady’s qualified embrace of the nickname “Dicky,” the return of players named “Otto” to the major leagues, Denzel Clarke’s increasingly extreme offense-defense divide, Cal Raleigh’s records (and MVP) pursuit, Bryan Woo as Seattle’s starting stalwart, the underrated Eugenio Suárez, Byron Buxton’s success, the loudness of Yankee Stadium (and MLB ballparks in general), Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s shoeless sprint, the Phillies’ tandem slide, the demotion of Francisco Alvarez, catcher offense, and the Rockies’ reported interest in rehiring Bud Black, plus (1:23:53) postscript updates. Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Lovelady article Link to Lovelady tweets Link to players named Otto Link to baby-name data Link to baby-name app Link to Otto popularity Link to FRV leaderboard Link to Langs on Cal’s pace Link to FG post on Cal Link to B-Ref on Woo Link to M’s WAR leaders Link to team SP WAR Link to team wRC+ Link to Players of the Week Link to Suárez tweet Link to Suárez career ranking Link to Buxton surgery article Link to Buxton recovery article Link to plica syndrome wiki Link to Jay on Yankee Stadium Link to Jazz article Link to Phillies slide article Link to Phillies slide GIF Link to Baumann comment Link to Major League clip Link to Phillies sprint speeds Link to Alvarez demotion article Link to MLBTR on Alvarez Link to catcher offense Link to shortstop offense Link to Nightengale report Link to Ben on ex-pitcher managers Link to MLBTR on Brebbia Link to team RP WAR Link to Asensio article Link to Myers play Link to Angels Stathead query Link to times on base wiki Link to Colvin post Link to Colvin article Link to Colvin video Link to NPR on broken bats Link to maple vs. ash article Link to Monrovians game info Link to Kilroy was here wiki Link to Sogard post Link to Ben on long PAs  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Tommy Kahnle’s postgame shaving ritual, Hunter Bigge’s close call and danger from foul balls, Padres vs. Dodgers as baseball’s best rivalry, and a lost opportunity for a Tarik Skubal vs. Paul Skenes matchup, then (58:23) answer listener emails about the most influential owner of the century, the definition of an inside pitch, full-count pickoff attempts with two outs, a possible sliding-mitt drawback, and real baseball with fantasy scoring. Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to WhatIfSports offer page Link to “Tommy Can You Hear Me?” Link to new Kahnle article Link to tweet about Kahnle Link to 2023 Kahnle article Link to lowest pitcher ERAs Link to Emma tweet Link to Bigge article 1 Link to Bigge article 2 Link to on-deck-hitter fouls Link to Sam on helmets Link to Dodgers-Padres article 1 Link to Dodgers-Padres article 2 Link to Dodgers-Padres video Link to Ohtani video Link to Jazz article 1 Link to Jazz article 2 Link to Jazz article 3 Link to Jazz article 4 Link to staggered aces article 1 Link to staggered aces article 2 Link to staggered aces article 3 Link to Halvorsen throw Link to Volpe slide article Link to Volpe slide video Link to listener emails database  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a possible Rays franchise sale, the latest on Elly De La Cruz, Oneil Cruz, Sandy Alcantara, and Aaron Judge, Andrew Benintendi as the current face of replacement level, Nats manager Dave Martinez’s comments about coaches, and Clayton Kershaw’s cap on Pride Night. Then (56:10) Ben brings back former guest, podcast host, and major leaguer Ross Stripling for an exit interview about his big league career, covering his greatest regrets and accomplishments, his historic debut, the evolution of the league, his swingman exploits, his future, and much more, followed by (2:04:11) a postscript. Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Link to bold preseason predictions Link to MLBTR on the Rays sale Link to Sportico on the sale Link to Pope’s baseball cap Link to NYT on tax change Link to Hang Up on tax change Link to info on public land sales Link to Forbes franchise valuations Link to Sportico franchise valuations Link to Davy on Cruz Link to Judge slump stats Link to BP on Judge vs. Crochet Link to Posnanski on Judge vs. Crochet Link to Judge vs. Crochet video Link to 2023-25 hitter WAR Link to Tango on Bloomquist Link to Rockies HR record Link to Martinez quotes Link to Martinez video Link to later Martinez quotes Link to The Bandwagon on Martinez Link to Rizzo on Martinez Link to Kershaw cap story Link to Bible verse Link to 2023 Kershaw comments Link to AP on Supreme Court decision Link to NYT on the hotline Link to L.A. Times on Dodgers silence Link to Kiké Insta post Link to story on Lakers sale Link to EW Episode 859 Link to EW Episode 1397 Link to EW Episode 1997 Link to Stripling’s debut game Link to Stripling’s debut game video Link to swingman spreadsheet Link to Ross’s podcast Link to Ross’s “retirement” post Link to Adrian Peterson story Link to Stripling pitch usage Link to story on Stripling and data Link to Stripling’s salaries Link to Stripling vs. batters Link to Kiké crotch bump Link to Stripling’s sprint Link to Stripling on investing 1 Link to Stripling on investing 2 Link to Stripling on investing 3 Link to Stripling’s steal Link to AP story on hustle Link to Triple-A walk-off video Link to Triple-A walk-off details Link to Hill update Link to Trevor Project info Link to Trevor Project website  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss the Rafael Devers trade in depth, covering why Boston made the move, the resulting fan frustration, and the Giants impact. Then (57:56) they cover bad news about Christian Montes De Oca, John Brebbia, and Johnny O’Brien before bantering about Shohei Ohtani’s return to the mound, the Rays rotation, Charlie Morton’s turnaround, Patrick Corbin, why the Astros are still good, Aaron Boone, and tennis-style boundary reviews. Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ben L. on Devers Link to Ben C. on Devers Link to MLBTR on Devers Link to MLBTR on Devers fallout Link to other teams report Link to Mookie reaction Link to MLBTR on Van Belle Link to MLBTR on Montes De Oca Link to MLBTR on Brebbia Link to Brebbia on EW Link to EW Episode 1153 Link to Jeff on Johnny Link to Johnny obit Link to Ohtani article Link to Ohtani cleaning clips Link to Laurila on the Rays Link to team SP IP Link to Rangers IP Link to Morton splits Link to boundary call article Link to Pope tweet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Tarik Skubal dialing down his top-end fastball (and dominating nonetheless), Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s self-described 70 percent effort level, Ronald Acuña Jr. hitting more and running less, whether the Blue Jays are getting what they wanted out of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the debut of Jacob Misiorowski, Aaron Civale’s trade request (and trade), whether it matters that the baseball is flying less far, and a correction about Barrys, plus listener emails (1:13:20) about guaranteed WAR in the amateur draft, whether Mike Trout will wind up being the best Mike, and what makes a play (or a player) impressive. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to WhatIfSports offer page Link to Skubal’s fastest pitch Link to Skubal top speeds Link to Skubal stats Link to info on Misiorowski’s debut Link to The Miz wiki Link to marks vs. smarks Link to Clemens on Acuña Link to Acuña SB droughts Link to Acuña sprint speeds Link to best hitters Link to Jazz quotes Link to Ben and Jeff on percentages Link to pulldowns explainer Link to full-season best hitters Link to best hitters since 4/9 Link to pulled-air-ball rates Link to Vlad’s rates Link to The Athletic on the baseball Link to Savant drag page Link to Civale trade request Link to more on the request Link to MLBTR on the trade Link to team SP WAR Link to team SP projections Link to league wOBA/xwOBA Link to first overall picks Link to more on no. 1 picks Link to no. 1 pick WAR Link to more on no. 1 pick WAR Link to loss aversion wiki Link to B-Ref’s Skenes post Link to RoS ZiPS projections Link to 2026 ZiPS projections Link to 2027 ZiPS projections Link to Schmidt leaderboard Link to Barrys game Link to Muñoz cat photo Link to Muñoz cat story Link to Pillar catch Link to listener emails database  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about depictions of the pitch clock in popular media, how the lack of advancing visual fidelity in baseball broadcasts makes it harder to identify when clips come from (and other ways we might distinguish eras at a glance), Hunter Dobbins drama and why it’s harder than it used to be to fake a pro baseball career, a fan exchange program, and Jackson Jobe’s surgery (with a Jacksons update), plus Stat Blasts (1:16:57) about the longest team streaks of one-run outcomes, the ultimate vulture wins, game-winning RBI leaders, the longest-tenured lineups, and players who were overshadowed on the day they debuted. Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to info on internet outages Link to “Hometown Hero” wiki Link to “Hometown Hero” IMDb Link to ESPN on pitch clock drama Link to edited Trout vs. Ohtani Link to Trueblood on catching Link to initial Dobbins story Link to Sherman report Link to Dobbins response Link to more on Dobbins response Link to third Dobbins response story Link to Lance B-Ref page Link to Griffey explanation Link to Vladito on the Yankees Link to Big South League Link to Mizuhara story Link to Eric Adams story Link to Hill opt-out story Link to Toys movie Link to aircraft carrier derby Link to fan exchange post Link to MLBTR on Jobe Link to The Athletic on Jobe Link to one-run-wins streak Link to one-run-outcomes streak Link to one-run-losses streak Link to Lee/Gipson-Long game Link to Foulke game 1 Link to Santana game Link to Law game Link to Harvey game Link to Wilshere game Link to Knowles game Link to Moore game Link to Cup of Coffee Link to @ScoringChanges tweet 1 Link to @ScoringChanges tweet 2 Link to @ScoringChanges tweet 3 Link to GWRBI wiki Link to ’80s Mets wins ranking Link to career GWRBI leaders Link to single-season GWRBI leaders Link to longest-tenured lineups Link to Van Belle call-up Link to overshadowed debuts sheet 1 Link to overshadowed debuts sheet 2 Link to two Barrys game  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about good news and bad news for Ben’s recent Meet a Major Leaguer subject Christian Montes De Oca, Craig Kimbrel’s short-lived return to Atlanta, the promotions of Roman Anthony and Jacob Misiorowski and a proposal for automatic call-ups, Denzel Clarke’s incredible catch and extreme stat line (and the nature of quantifying defense), Jhonkensy Noel’s offensive outage, two uncommon occurrences involving baseballs in strange places, Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s mic’ed-up error, Clayton Kershaw’s payback against the Cardinals, and (1:10:26) “Hometown Hero,” a baseball-themed episode of Poker Face. Audio intro: Garrett Krohn, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MaML episode Link to Montes De Oca debut Link to MLBTR on Montes De Oca Link to The Athletic on Kimbrel Link to BP on Kimbrel Link to MLBTR on Kimbrel Link to Orioles/Braves episode Link to O’s/Braves since 5/6 Link to Anthony homer Link to Misiorowski pitch Link to Clarke catch Link to Arneson posts Link to A’s sprint speed leaderboard Link to FRV leaderboard Link to Clarke on-pace projection Link to Sam on Clarke Link to 2015 Trout robbery Link to GMJ robbery Link to White robbery Link to JBJ robbery Link to Pillar robbery Link to Schanuel bat training Link to worst wRC+ ranking Link to Weathers story Link to Weathers clip Link to fan-thrown-ball story Link to fan-thrown-ball clip Link to Jazz error Link to Ben on in-game interviews Link to Kershaw story Link to Kershaw clip Link to Kershaw velo Link to Panthers/Oilers fights Link to Bing Bong explainer Link to Hang Up and Listen Link to recent reinstatements Link to “Hometown Hero” wiki Link to “Hometown Hero” IMDb  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Spencer Strider’s concerning performance, how he and Sandy Alcantara remind us that comebacks from elbow surgery aren’t automatic, and whether things are lookng up for the White Sox on and off the field. Then (32:23) they bring on top-tier Patreon supporter John Thomas to banter about his background as an EW listener and baseball fan, answer listener emails (42:34) about the future of baseball’s historic cathedrals, whether sabermetrics inevitably promotes efficiency and specialization, whether Mariano Rivera delayed the reimagining of bullpen roles, the evolution (or devolution) of framing, and a rotation of Paul Skenes clones, and then Stat Blast (1:38:33) about the Rockies and the best-ever infield defenses, Devin Williams and the worst holds, and notable matchups between minor leaguers and rehabbing big leaguers. Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to WhatIfSports offer page Link to Davy on Strider Link to TJ return study Link to White Sox TV info Link to MLBTR on Ishbia Link to Ishbia wiki Link to story on Ishbia’s home Link to story on the Suns Link to Ishbia letter Link to Sheehan on the Sox Link to Vargas leaderboard Link to team SP WAR Link to Veres on the Rockies Link to Dubuque article Link to Scout School series intro Link to Scout School series conclusion Link to Ben on no-hitter defense Link to Ben’s gaming pod Link to John Thomas slang Link to Russell on shortening up Link to article on historical TTOP Link to Rob on TTOP over time Link to Molina framing montage Link to Ben on framing in 2013 Link to Ben on framing technique Link to Skenes TTOP splits Link to Russell on SP handedness Link to Ben on SP playoff familiarity Link to Ben on RP playoff familiarity Link to Monfort on defense Link to all-time infield defense Link to 2025 infield defense Link to infielder definition Link to infield definition Link to rulebook on infielders Link to Ben on Piazza Link to hold definition Link to Williams game Link to worst 2025 holds by WPA Link to McDaniels game Link to worst-ever holds by WPA Link to Cascarella game Link to worst 2025 holds by RE24 Link to Maton game Link to worst-ever holds by RE24 Link to Cox game Link to Kershaw game story Link to Kershaw box score Link to Reds prospect list Link to rehabbing pitchers sheet Link to rehabbing batters sheet Link to Ryan Nelson Link to Robert Au Link to listener emails database Link to Excellius Link to La Colaborativa Link to Dotson/Farrell article Link to SNL Goulet clip  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Pete Alonso’s performance since they marveled at his hot start, the return of Craig Kimbrel, Max Muncy’s tale of two seasons, how hitters fare after LASIK, the Mets’ “secret sauce” against Shohei Ohtani, whether the Dodgers’ injury woes will hurt their capacity to recruit pitchers, Brandon Pfaadt’s “yes hitter,” the latest step toward the challenge system, Eric Anthony’s dad discovery and nature and nurture in player development, the underrated Willie Davis and Reggie Smith, and more, plus a combined Meet a Major Leaguer/Stat Blast segment (1:19:39) on Nic Enright and Christian Montes De Oca (and the rule-altering signing of the 13-year-old Jimy Kelly). Audio intro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to previous Pete banter Link to Pete before Link to Pete after Link to Muncy before Link to Muncy after Link to Muncy article Link to MLB LASIK study Link to secret sauce article Link to Spahn quote Link to Cup of Coffee Link to FG on Casparius Link to “yes hitter” post Link to “yes hitter” Stathead Link to Ben on no-hitters 1 Link to Ben on no-hitters 2 Link to challenge system news Link to Anthony and Davis story Link to B-Ref new debuts Link to The Athletic on Enright Link to Guardians prospects list Link to phantom player wiki Link to 1972 scouting article Link to Montes de Oca wiki Link to Montes de Oca name Link to Diamondbacks prospects Link to MDO article 1 Link to MDO article 2 Link to MDO article 3 Link to MDO article 4 Link to Kelly at B-Ref Link to MiLB.com on Kelly Link to SI on Kelly Link to EW Stanky draft Link to Mexican League article Link to Koo video Link to Bois on Koo Link to Kenny Jackelen Link to player signings spreadsheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Taylor Walls fulfilling a preseason podcast prediction by being ejected after tapping his helmet following a questionable call (and the many notifications Ben and Meg received from EW listeners), Luke Weaver’s stretching injury, the Rockies’ purported improvement, the decline of the closer as bullpen protagonist, a miraculous softball-delivery dirt clod, an unfortunate instance of replay review, the LSU Shreveport Pilots’ undefeated college season, Jac Caglianone’s call-up, Corbin Burnes’s bum elbow, Mookie Betts’s improved defense, the death of Japanese baseball legend Shigeo Nagashima, and more. Audio intro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Walls story Link to Reddit comments Link to @EWStats ruling Link to Walls and Trump Link to Walls and DeSantis Link to Revere ride info Link to Weaver stretching story Link to Dan S. on Weaver Link to carrots myth Link to Rockies quotes Link to Rockies 10-day offense Link to Rockies 10-day pitching Link to Denver Post story Link to The Athletic on Kenley Link to Ben on saves Link to Ben on SP protagonists Link to softball clip Link to softball story Link to Ben on Capps Link to Springer clip Link to Springer story Link to Dave on slides 1 Link to Dave on slides 2 Link to Shreveport story Link to Wake Forest story Link to Hill Triple-A game Link to MLBTR on Burnes Link to CBS on Mookie Link to Ohtani Nagashima post Link to Nagashima obit Link to Whiting quote Link to Nagashima NPB Stats page Link to Oh NPB Stats page  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the most exciting prospects who haven’t yet made the majors but should soon (including Jac Caglianone, Roman Anthony, Bubba Chandler, and Andrew Painter), the struggles of once-ballyhooed trade targets Sandy Alcantara and Luis Robert Jr., the recent rebounds of Emmanuel Clase and Devin Williams, the returns of Mike Trout, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Spencer Strider, the differing trajectories of former Reds relievers Fernando Cruz and Alexis Díaz, the surprisingly successful and homegrown Yankees, the looming specter of Craig Kimbrel, watching Paul Skenes, what baseball would be like with man defense, not zone, and teams whose playoff odds have increased or decreased the most in the season’s first two months. Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to WhatIfSports offer page Link to Passan on prospects Link to MLBTR on Caglianone Link to MiLB leaderboard Link to FG prospect rankings Link to Pipeline rankings Link to team OF WAR Link to FG Royals prospects Link to Dan S. on Jac Link to BaseRuns standings Link to team SP WAR Link to SB leaders Link to team wRC+ Link to FIP since 4/26 Link to MLBTR on Jobe Link to MLBTR on Díaz Link to ERA-FIP gap Link to Kimbrel contract info Link to Tobias clip Link to playoff odds changes Link to Contreras article 1 Link to Contreras article 2 Link to Maldonado article  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Rockies’ historic series losing streak and their rest-of-season projections, an Orioles fan’s decision to get the name of Trevor Rogers tattooed on his butt, a Patrick Corbin innings-eating update, draft prospect Jace LaViolette’s dedication to staying in the lineup, the late-career struggles of Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, and Max Scherzer, the Yankees’ shame about their rings commemorating their 2024 pennant, and more. Audio intro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Rockies stat Link to Opta interview Link to Kamka tweet Link to BaseRuns standings Link to FG playoff odds Link to ESPN SoS Link to Baltimore Banner article Link to Rogers tweet Link to Kjerstad tweet Link to best Orioles starts Link to Rangers IP leaders Link to LaViolette article 1 Link to LaViolette article 2 Link to LaViolette article 3 Link to LaViolette homers Link to Kershaw article 1 Link to Kershaw article 2 Link to Yankees rings article  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the new hardest-hit ball of the Statcast era, exit speeds across eras, Oneil Cruz vs. Elly De La Cruz, whether Tarik Skubal has gotten too good, Aaron Judge not feeling great at the plate, whether Rockies fans should boycott the team, how the (first) Juan Soto trade is working out for the Nationals, a Clay Holmes rotation conversion progress report, Jake Burger’s minor league reset, a threat to Shea Langeliers’ A’s sprint speed lead, a dominant DH in Division III, and a new show trying to claim the podcast’s corner. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Cruz homer Link to 120+ mph balls Link to Clemens on Skubal Link to Cooper stat Link to Passan Skubal tweet Link to ESPN on Skubal Link to Skubal splits Link to Misiorowski story Link to Misiorowski clip Link to Misiorowski video Link to new Judge quotes Link to 2024 Judge quote 1 Link to 2024 Judge quote 2 Link to Kyle Clark commentary Link to year-over-year attendance Link to Nats prospects Link to Nats WAR leaders Link to Rule of 17 explainer Link to Burger game log Link to MLB.com on Burger Link to A’s speed leaders Link to A’s prospects post Link to A’s shakeup article Link to CBS Mazzone post Link to Mazzone player page Link to Mazzone at TBC Link to Mazzone article Link to clip of the other EW Link to Brault wiki Link to Brault on EW Link to Simpsons clip  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Rockies being so bad that mostly innocuous stories about them now seem like examples of organizational incompetence, a wild loss by a Rockies affiliate, and why recent terrible teams have been so bad, then (36:56) answer listener emails about catchers framing poorly on purpose, penalizing hitters when their bats make contact with catchers, whether the draft should be helping the worst teams more, and a potential sac-fly tactic in a walk-off situation, plus a Stat Blast (1:17:59) about runners making up for bad baserunning plays, pinch running too late, failed team attempts to reach .500 for the first time, and a piece of baseball wall art, followed (1:43:28) by postscript updates. Audio intro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to WhatIfSports offer page Link to worst 50-game starts Link to Dollander call-up story Link to Dollander IL stint Link to Gelb tweet Link to Soto story Link to lawsuit story Link to “the baseball rule” Link to @ScoringChanges tweet Link to walk-off story 1 Link to walk-off story 2 Link to Aces call Link to box score Link to PCL standings Link to Kirk/Bassitt story Link to Stick It wiki Link to strikes called balls Link to balls called strikes Link to FG post on Wilson Link to pinch-runners spreadsheet Link to Grichuk walk-off video Link to baseball wall art Link to FARTSLAM post 1 Link to FARTSLAM post 2 Link to listener emails database Link to MiLB FAD tracking Link to Hanel’s predictions post Link to Stranger Things Night Link to Victoria Day wiki Link to Victoria Day Jays post  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Rich Hill’s latest perfect game bid, whether the Tigers are as good as they’ve looked, Jared Jones’ elbow surgery and the Pirates’ offensive outage, Paul Skenes and whether lower arm slots will protect pitchers’ arms, Pete Crow-Armstrong and the players who’ve ascended to “main character” status this season, and more listener suggestions for what to call tandem home run robberies and homers that clear the fence due to defensive miscues. Audio intro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to latest Hill game Link to Hill footage Link to 2016 Hill game Link to Hill on EW Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Sheehan on Detroit Link to projected RoS SP WAR Link to Jones note Link to Passan on Skenes Link to Heyman on Skenes Link to Skenes slot video Link to Pirates unfun fact Link to team offense since 4/23 Link to VAA explainer Link to arm-slot injury study Link to Russell on n=1 Link to The Bandwagon on Brown Link to last-year pitcher WAR Link to BP on Brown Link to 2025 EW bold predictions Link to 2025 FG bold predictions Link to combined WAR leaderboard Link to chase rate leaderboard Link to story on PCA moving back Link to PCA on his mom Link to The Bandwagon on main characters Link to free month of The Bandwagon Link to Paine on the Cardinals Link to Passan on the Cardinals Link to team defense leaderboard Link to Meg on farting Link to Carpenter retirement Link to Carpenter leaderboard 1 Link to Carpenter leaderboard 2  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Elly De La Cruz’s unspectacular start to the season, the firing of Brandon Hyde and what it would take for them to blame a manager for a team’s disappointing season, the hubbub about Juan Soto’s hustle, MLB’s announcement about Rivalry Weekend’s success, Kyle Schwarber and the lineage of non-Hall-of-Fame hitters who’ve appeared to have a chance at “magic number” milestones, MLB’s attempt to define the swing, the overwhelming array of Statcast stats, the latest call for Shohei Ohtani to specialize, and more. Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes 2, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG on the O’s Link to FG playoff odds Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Girardi firing article Link to ESPN on Valentine Link to FG on the Twins Link to Soto flight confusion Link to Ben on Jeter vs. Cano Link to Soto in-game interview info Link to Ben on in-game interviews Link to Soto plays Link to Mendoza quote Link to MLB press release Link to Vedder Cup story Link to Schwarber HR stat Link to Stathead query Link to most HR since 2022 Link to swings article 1 Link to swings article 2 Link to new Savant leaderboard Link to article on new metrics Link to FG on Royals pitching Link to Ohtani strikeout Link to Pereda ball Link to Ohtani article Link to Sam on Ohtani  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about listener suggestions for terms for tandem home run robberies (and the opposite of home run robberies), whether it’s so O’sver in Baltimore, Jacob deGrom succeeding despite slightly less dominant stuff, and the realness of the rivalries in MLB’s inaugural “Rivalry Weekend,” then (48:46) answer listener emails about awarding hit by pitches based on location, not contact, which player actually “starts the scoring,” whether defenders should save the ball from their first putout, a pitcher hitting month, and pantsless mascots, plus a postscript (1:38:32) on Ayami Sato, the first woman to play pro baseball in Canada. Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to WhatIfSports offer page Link to team wRC+ w/RISP Link to team batting Clutch Link to team wOBA-xwOBA Link to FG playoff odds Link to BaseRuns records Link to MLBTR on the O’s Link to deGrom FG post Link to Rivalry Weekend info Link to Vedder Cup story Link to Sam on the no-go zone Link to Rob Arthur on HBPs Link to Billy the Marlin pics Link to Billy video Link to Grant on mascots Link to listener emails database Link to Hang Up and Listen  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Julio Rodríguez gifting a homer and then taking one away, two Red Sox outfielders teaming up to make a catch, home-run-robbery terminology, Conor Jackson and remembering some guys who were good for your fantasy team, pouring one out for the Austin Barnes Dodgers era, lopsided scores, and the A’s, then (55:30) discuss Pete Rose’s reinstatement from the permanently ineligible list: why it happened, what it means, and what’s next. Audio intro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Julio gift Link to Julio robbery Link to Sox catch Link to The Bandwagon on the catch Link to Office Space clip Link to Patrick on lopsided scores Link to EW bold predictions Link to BaseRuns standings Link to A’s sprint speeds Link to Ben on Rose’s reinstatement Link to Ben’s Rose obit Link to Jay on Rose Link to Wetzel on Rose  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about an expert’s stance on stretching, whether the White Sox were the funniest team for the new Pope to support, what Paul Skenes signing up for the WBC signifies, an optimistic take on the odds of a lost season, Bud Black’s firing and the dreaded “vote of confidence,” Roki Sasaki’s struggles, a petty Shohei Ohtani, how opposing teams have handled Aaron Judge, a Javier Báez rebound, sliding mitts as fashion accessories, a real-time reaction to a Rich Hill signing, and more, plus (1:36:48) updates and a preliminary postscript on Pete Rose’s reinstatement from the ineligible list. Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to NYT on stretching Link to trigger point info Link to end range of motion Link to NYT on Baseball Pope Link to Phillips on the Pope Link to 2005 Pope video Link to 2006 Trump photo Link to papal infallibility wiki Link to JLD on the Rizzler Link to Keke Palmer meme Link to Skenes WBC story Link to Hannah on Skenes Link to The Bandwagon entry Link to Bud Black quotes Link to Pirates Shelton statement Link to MLB.com on Sasaki Link to pitcher zone rate leaders Link to pitcher contact rate leaders Link to Sasaki IL news Link to latest on Kershaw Link to Ohtani video Link to Ohtani story Link to Hannah on Skenes Link to hitter zone rate leaders Link to Clemens on walking Judge Link to defense vs. Judge Link to Jay on Aranda Link to Jay on Báez Link to sliding mitts story Link to MLBTR on Hill Link to FG SP WAR Link to FG SP projections Link to Rose news Link to 2015 Jackson story Link to Thorn in 2016 Link to Thorn in 2019 Link to 2020 ESPN report Link to March ESPN report Link to April ESPN report Link to calling Trump report Link to MLB ban wiki Link to Ben’s Rose obit Link to Rose death reactions Link to Rose ban text Link to Jackson details  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Ben Clemens of FanGraphs banter about the latest positional drama regarding Rafael Devers, then discuss whether and why pitchers leaguewide are Yu Darvish-ing and Tyler Holton-ing—that is, throwing more pitch types, and varying their pitch types more based on batter handedness—before answering listener emails about home strike zones and combining bad teams to make a good team. Then (44:42) Ben continues the “baseball jobs” series by bringing on Adam Auer, major league dietician for the Brewers and former minor and major league strength and conditioning coach, to talk about how teams are improving player performance through nutrition, exercise, and recovery, followed (1:41:49) by Emory Brinkman, senior editor for Stats Perform, who discusses generating viral fun facts, parsing statistical qualifiers, and data-wrangling. Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio interstitial 2: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to WhatIfSports offer page Link to MLBTR on Devers Link to Ben on adaptation score Link to adaptation score sequel Link to BP on Holton Link to BP on Brown Link to Ben L. on Rays changeups Link to 2008 SP pitch usage Link to 2024 SP pitch usage Link to Ben on the Orioyals Link to Adam on LinkedIn Link to MLB dietician origins Link to Adam’s hiring Link to Minasian comments Link to Emory on LinkedIn Link to Stats Perform Link to Schneemann fact Link to Alonso fact Link to Carpenter fact Link to Ohtani fact Link to unremarkable day fact Link to shutouts fact Link to Ohtani fact 2 Link to BWJ fact Link to Young graphic Link to @OptaJoe Link to deGrom post Link to Pirates statement Link to Freeland comments  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

It’s a baseball-book bonanza! Ben Lindbergh rounds up the authors of three new baseball books for conversations about their work and our relationships with the past. First he talks to John W. Miller about his biography of Earl Weaver, The Last Manager, Weaver’s wiring and sabermetric intuition, and the diminished role and reputation of managers. Then (48:16) he brings on Will Bardenwerper to discuss his book, Homestand, the contraction of the minor leagues, and baseball as a social bond. Finally (1:29:52), Jacob McArthur Mooney joins to explore his new novel, the Northern, the baseball card wars, and road/coming-of-age stories. Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to 2022 books episode Link to Pope article 1 Link to Pope article 2 Link to The Last Manager Link to Weaver on Strategy article Link to SABR on manager nicknames Link to Thompson nicknames Link to MLBTR on Shelton Link to Muckdogs video Link to Homestand Link to Meg on MiLB contraction Link to Batavia wiki Link to New York–Penn League wiki Link to Muckdogs wiki Link to Stompers wiki Link to Mint Condition Link to The Northern Link to Canadian Minor League Baseball Link to The Cactus League interview Link to “2319” scene Link to MLBTR on Castillo  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh brings on Brandon Uffner, an Orioles and Braves fan, to talk about his two teams’ slow starts to the season, his prescription for fixing them, how he came to root for them, managing his competing loyalties, and more. Then (36:01) he talks to Austin, a White Sox and Rockies fan, about both of his teams bottoming out and how that has or hasn’t affected his appetite for baseball. Finally, (1:04:59), Frequent Stat Blast Correspondent Ryan Nelson joins to deliver several Stat Blasts. Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to playoff odds changes Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Laurila on walk-off groundouts Link to walk-off out 1 Link to walk-off out 2 Link to walk-off out 3 Link to Mets streak tweet Link to rule 34 wiki Link to catching mask trick Link to lone pitcher example Link to new-name data Link to listener emails database  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Mike Trout’s latest injury, Pete Alonso’s renaissance, a Daulton Varsho recovery catch, Andrés Muñoz the cat guy, and the called strike zone (sort of) shrinking. Then (40:49) they bring on top-tier Patreon supporter Carson Otter to talk about his background with baseball and the podcast, share his baseball-related work experience, and answer listener emails about home teams hiring umpires, the one Statcast stat about Babe Ruth they would want, and a way to extend a consecutive-games-played streak without playing. Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to WhatIfSports offer page Link to Ella Black series Link to Ella Black event details Link to Jay on Trout Link to Blum on Trout Link to Trout wOBA-xwOBA Link to Trout hypotheticals Link to The Athletic on Alonso Link to Varsho play Link to Varsho quote Link to Muñoz story Link to recent pets study Link to The Athletic on the zone Link to postseason HFA Link to umpiring history Link to EBUG history Link to Ottavino on Ruth Link to Ben on caliber of play Link to Ripken injury info Link to listener emails database Link to Homestand Link to “Wake up babe” meme  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the unexpected power of Meg’s Mariners (and Jorge Polanco, specifically), in contrast to the Rangers’ unexpectedly light-hitting lineup. They also discuss a Jackson Chourio comment about Julio Rodríguez, the long-awaited comeback of Lance McCullers Jr. and the thus-far-deflating comeback of Sandy Alcantara, the literally diminished Mookie Betts, Jose Altuve’s self-knowledge, a Rockies theory, and the existence of Maverick Handley. Then (38:11) Meg gives Ben some alone time with Tigers reliever John Brebbia, who talks about iPhones vs. Androids, social media, the prospect of becoming Ben’s friend, indy ball, beards, spreadsheets, pitching for the 2024 White Sox, going from worst-to-first in the AL Central, being the new guy in a tightly bonded bullpen, pitch-calling, adapting, Brebbia’s alma mater as a pitching powerhouse, whether baseball players (other than Brebbia) are funny, his post-playing future, a potential new nickname, and more, plus a postscript (1:49:21). Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ella Black series Link to Ella Black event details Link to Dodgers bidets article Link to FG post on Polanco Link to Chourio video Link to Mookie’s Savant page Link to Altuve story Link to Ben on MLB talent level Link to Tigers Brebbia video Link to first EW Brebbia banter Link to second EW on Brebbia Link to Step Brothers scene Link to collected Brebbia clips Link to Players’ Weekend video Link to Brebbia pitch-type splits Link to Brebbia’s Wikipedia page Link to Elon major leaguers Link to Bunny Hearn info Link to TLOU scene  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Roki Sasaki and the Dodgers’ bidets, baseball in The Last of Us, The Simpsons, and the (future) work of Lin-Manuel Miranda, walk-off groundouts, two possibly botched calls, Jesús Luzardo and how skilled teams are at evaluating medicals, a four-homer effort in a loss, the unexpectedly exciting NL West race, and Rob Manfred and Pete Rose, plus follow-ups on towering bat flips, players kissing, unequal leg lengths, and more. Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ella Black series Link to Ella Black event details Link to Dodgers bidets article Link to Ben’s bidet article Link to Greinke quote Link to Sam on TLOU Link to 2003 Tigers on TLOU Link to 2003 Tigers in Doctor Strange Link to Simpsons episode Link to Lin-Manuel story 1 Link to Lin-Manuel story 2 Link to Laurila on ground-offs Link to Judge non-HR Link to triple play Link to triple play story Link to Luzardo story Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Jay on the four-homer game Link to Rangers-Giants walk-off play Link to Contreras flip Link to Twins Insta post Link to one Correa kiss Link to latest Correa kiss Link to Dodgers depth chart Link to Manfred comments  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a new contender for the highest bat flip, meet major leaguers (14:28) Ryan Johnson and Alan Roden, and (48:35) answer listener emails about how different baseball would be if losses were free for fans and wins cost extra, whether the Rockies will finish in first before the Dodgers finish in last, whether umpires would stand somewhere else in a full-ABS situation, the record for career games pitched without a decision, catcher’s gear designed for a one-knee-down stance, why more Japanese catchers haven’t joined MLB, and more. Audio intro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to WhatIfSports (coupon code “EFFECTIVELYWILD”) Link to Ella Black series Link to Ella Black event details Link to Lugo bat flip Link to Caminero bat flip Link to Caminero article Link to tallest buildings wiki Link to Meet a Major Leaguer Link to Angels prospect list Link to Blum on Johnson 1 Link to Blum on Johnson 2 Link to Johnson pitch face Link to Ben on DBU Link to Blue Jays prospect list Link to MLB.com on Roden Link to Sportsnet on Roden Link to Laurila on Roden 1 Link to Laurila on Roden 2 Link to BA on Roden Link to Brian May wiki Link to The Bachelor Australia wiki Link to Ben on international Bachelor Link to Quasar wiki Link to Sagittarius A* wiki Link to B-Ref new debuts Link to Dan S. on Rockies vs. Sox Link to relocated ump image Link to career G w/o decision Link to single-season G w/o decision Link to consecutive G w/o decision Link to G w/o decision to start career Link to Díaz legs quote Link to tall-catchers episode Link to Opening Day catcher video Link to catcher gear 1 Link to catcher gear 2 Link to catcher gear 3 Link to Opening Day catcher video Link to short catchers Link to Allen on NPB catchers Link to 2009 Johjima story Link to FG NPB data Link to Mori’s player page Link to listener emails database Link to Andy’s angles sketch  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about old-pitcher comebacks (or dropoffs), James Wood’s inefficient excellence, Aaron Judge’s potentially unparalleled peak, whether pitching to contact pays, a possible Paul Skenes change, a base-stealing update, private equity’s MLB plans, and Rob Manfred’s feelings on fandom. Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ella Black series Link to Ella Black event details Link to MLBTR on Hill Link to MLBTR on Chavez Link to team SP WAR Link to projected SP WAR Link to MLB.com on Wood Link to pulled air balls Link to Wood’s Savant page Link to Jay on Judge Link to The Bandwagon on Judge Link to strikeouts study Link to Sam on Skenes Link to Skenes max velos Link to Clemens on steals Link to CNBC salary cap piece Link to CNBC private equity piece Link to latest Manfred comment Link to earlier Manfred comment Link to BP on Manfred and fandom Link to cricket popularity piece Link to Rogers statue story Link to Curse of the Colonel  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about EW’s Ella Black series and catch up on topics they missed during the week away from regular episodes, including: some struggling teams (including the Orioles and Braves), Cal Raleigh’s (and David Rubenstein’s) bobbleheads, an Atlanta kerfuffle involving Brian Snitker, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Jarred Kelenic, recent pitcher injuries, Pete Alonso’s slugging and running, Juan Soto’s lineup protection, a Dodgers trade rumor, hitters tapping their helmets, Mike Trout’s fan-interference epiphany and odd batting line, Patrick Corbin’s venomous encounter, MLB’s approach to Jackie Robinson Day, Aaron Judge’s WBC captaincy, a talent differential between leagues, and more, plus Shohei Ohtani the dad, the Comerica keyhole, and other postscript updates. Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ella Black series Link to Ella Black event details Link to Hoffman report Link to Elias quote Link to playoff odds changes Link to bobbleheads database Link to Raleigh bobblehead Link to tweet about Diaz Link to Elias quote Link to Snitker article Link to MLBTR on Steele Link to Strider story Link to McKenzie story Link to 2024 Cortes story Link to Cortes update Link to MLBTR on Siri Link to Soto on lineup protection Link to FG on Soto’s comments Link to Alonso running Link to Roberts rumor Link to Bohm helmet tap Link to Lee exchange article Link to Trout on fan interference Link to Corbin news Link to latest Jackie release Link to Jackie language changes Link to Jackie language story Link to Trump/Manfred story Link to Judge/WBC story Link to Olney leagues tweet Link to AL logo Link to NL logo Link to Ohtani birth announcement Link to Ward call-up Link to Canadiens story Link to “burn the ships” wiki Link to keyhole story Link to The Clubhouse precedents  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ella Black was the first woman to write about baseball for a national publication—if her name was Ella Black, and if she was a woman. On Ella Black: Lost and Found, a three-part scripted series from Effectively Wild, Ben Lindbergh explores what we know about the enigmatic trailblazer and tries to solve some of the mysteries that have surrounded her ever since she debuted—and, just as suddenly, disappeared—in 1890. On Part 3, “Ella’s Legacy,” Ben reveals what he’s learned (and what we may never know) about Ella, connects her story to today, and pays his respects in person. Only a Woman: Ella Black, Lost and Found Part 1-Ella's LegendPart 2-Ella's SeasonPart 3-Ella's Legacy Link to Ella’s writing Link to Ella timeline Link to info on Ella’s family Link to info on the Pinkertons Link to headstone photo Link to gravesite photo Link to family photos Link to possible Ella photo Link to Nancy/possible Ella photo Link to Ella’s signature Link to voice cast Link to guest list Link to period music Link to pianist’s website Link to “The Journalist” poem Link to “Only a Newspaper” excerpt  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ella Black was the first woman to write about baseball for a national publication—if her name was Ella Black, and if she was a woman. On Ella Black: Lost and Found, a three-part scripted series from Effectively Wild, Ben Lindbergh explores what we know about the enigmatic trailblazer and tries to solve some of the mysteries that have surrounded her ever since she debuted—and, just as suddenly, disappeared—in 1890. On Part 2, “Ella’s Season,” Ben chronicles Ella’s coverage of baseball’s civil war, explores her own disputes with skeptics, and explains how both conflicts ended. Only a Woman: Ella Black, Lost and Found Part 1-Ella's LegendPart 2-Ella's SeasonPart 3-Ella's Legacy  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ella Black was the first woman to write about baseball for a national publication—if her name was Ella Black, and if she was a woman. On Ella Black: Lost and Found, a three-part scripted series from Effectively Wild, Ben Lindbergh explores what we know about the enigmatic trailblazer and tries to solve some of the mysteries that have surrounded her ever since she debuted—and, just as suddenly, disappeared—in 1890. On Part 1, “Ella’s Legend,” Ben introduces Ella, explains the circumstances that made her so extraordinary, and sets up the stakes of the 1890 baseball civil war. Only a Woman: Ella Black, Lost and Found Part 1-Ella's LegendPart 2-Ella's SeasonPart 3-Ella's Legacy  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the acceptable circumstances (if any) for a bobblehead of a team owner, the Grand Junction Jackalopes belatedly embracing their destiny as the “Chubs,” and more, then (29:35) review and discuss the Netflix documentary The Clubhouse: A Year with the Red Sox, followed by a tease for an upcoming Effectively Wild scripted series and (1:26:37) follow-ups. Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Link to Orioles bobblehead Link to O’s promotions page Link to Rubenstein wiki Link to Rubenstein video Link to Chubs story 1 Link to Chubs story 2 Link to Chubs story 3 Link to EW Episode 1396 Link to Jackalopes wiki Link to Spartanburgers wiki Link to Spartanburg wiki Link to Netflix doc Link to Cora quote Link to budget issues Link to Duran story 1 Link to Duran story 2 Link to Casas clip Link to 2024 Sox playoff odds Link to Ripperger scorecoard Link to Hammerheads gamer Link to Hammerheads box score Link to Tavares taxes story Link to Paris box position Link to Paris side view Link to Mahomes pants story Link to extension deadlines list Link to The Pitt thread Link to Wade/Ward wiki Link to EW Episode 1890  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s big bonus, Edmundo Sosa’s beginner’s home run robbery, how much of a difference depth makes, and the relative levels of alarm about the shoulder injuries of Reynaldo López, Victor Robles, and Blake Snell. Then (49:14) they talk to MLB.com’s Michael Clair about what it was like to attend the amateur baseball event of the year: the Division III showdown between Yeshiva and Lehman, who entered their Wednesday doubleheader on the two longest active losing streaks in college baseball. Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Rosenthal on Vlad Link to Sosa play Link to Clemens on depth Link to Clemens on depth on EW Link to MLBTR on López Link to team SP projections Link to MLBTR on Snell Link to MLBTR on Robles Link to Petriello on Robles Link to Robles batting change Link to Michael on the game Link to original Reddit post Link to postgame Reddit post Link to Caltech story Link to Yeshiva team stats Link to Yeshiva vs. Lehman stats Link to Game 2 video Link to Ben on Salina Link to Michael’s manuscript Link to Michael on the Czech team  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about umpires’ surprising preference for full ABS, Rob Manfred’s take on torpedo bats, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s $500 million extension, players’ frugal behaviors, precedents for Dennis Santana’s short pants, the Giants’ new City Connect jerseys, and (1:14:31) the Dodgers’ White House trip. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio outro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Manfred interview Link to Baumann on Vlad Link to MLBTR on Vlad Link to post-Vlad FA class Link to Rogers spending info Link to cheap players article Link to Ben on paywalls Link to Hannah on Skenes Link to cut Skenes quote Link to Pence on pants Link to Pence pants video Link to Pence pants comments Link to Odor pants video Link to Rangers pants video Link to Rangers pants blog Link to more pants photos Link to Giants jerseys Link to Roberts on White House Link to Mookie on White House Link to White House visit  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

In a grab-bag episode, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the low league BABIP early in the season, the most interesting standings developments so far (with emphases on the Dodgers, Padres, Braves, and AL Central), Atlanta re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-acquiring Jesse Chavez, early attendance issues for the A’s, (team-friendly?) extensions for Jackson Merrill, Kristian Campbell, and Ketel Marte, Dennis Santana’s sartorial innovation, the end of Comerica Park’s dirt strip, players being told not to tap their helmets, a mid-plate-appearance pitching change, a 12-6 slider, the Dodgers’ new, Ohtani-related celebration, ESPN’s annual executives/scouts survey, being “on gear” in climbing, and Carshield baseball ads. Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to early season BABIPs Link to Ben on 2020 BABIP Link to Ben on lower league BABIPs Link to playoff odds changes Link to Baumann on the Braves Link to Chavez transactions page Link to Hill Stat Blast Link to Chavez Stat Blast Link to Clemens on Mookie Link to 2002 NL East Link to Castillo fun fact Link to FG on Merrill Link to Union-Tribune on Merrill Link to FG on Campbell Link to Campbell on “friends” Link to FG on Marte Link to The Bandwagon on Marte Link to MLBTR on Marte Link to A’s attendance article Link to ESPN survey Link to Goold tweet Link to EW on “strategy” in 2024 Link to Ben on “strategy” Link to Harper quote Link to EW on The Pitt Link to new 12-6 slider Link to Santana clip Link to Comerica change Link to Ben on pickoff moves Link to ballpark homogenization Link to Ohtani celly 1 Link to Ohtani celly 2 Link to Freeman injury info Link to Vlad report Link to Shapiro quote Link to Curb clip Link to Ghiroli article Link to Carshield EW episode Link to FTC press release Link to FTC complaint  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about several oddities of the early season, including pitcher Ryne Nelson’s single and a drone encounter with an A’s bat boy, then discuss Jurickson Profar’s PED suspension, Garrett Crochet’s extension, and Jonathan Lucroy‘s reaction to Roki Sasaki’s apparent post-start tears, before bantering about whether full ABS would encourage even harder throwing, Lance Lynn’s retirement, a wild college throw, and more, plus a postscript. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Jay on the White Sox Link to Nelson hit Link to more on Nelson Link to Pirates Elias tweet Link to B-Ref Brewers post Link to The Athletic on Profar Link to Orr on Profar Link to Ben on natty or not Link to Baumann on the Braves Link to MLBTR on Crochet 1 Link to MLBTR on Crochet 2 Link to MLBTR on Campbell Link to Sheehan on Crochet Link to Dan S. on Crochet Link to MLB.com on Crochet Link to drone story Link to Sasaki clip Link to L.AT. on Sasaki Link to Lucroy tweet 1 Link to Lucroy tweet 2 Link to more Lucroy tweets Link to Wolfe quotes Link to r/tragedeigh Link to McAfee story Link to ABS story 1 Link to ABS story 2 Link to Lynn podcast Link to RF throw Link to MLBTR on Vlad Link to Shapiro story Link to MLBTR on Pfaadt  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley have an in-depth discussion on all aspects of the sport’s topic du jour: torpedo/bowling-pin/juggling-pin(?) bats. They also banter (59:58) about the abysmal beginning of Rafael Devers’s season, Aaron Judge’s interviews, MLB’s attempt to make up for its MLB.TV outage, the vibes at Blue Jays games, Willson Contreras eating bat tape, Jack Leiter taking a ball to the beans, the invasion of Chases, and Sutter Health Park, plus (1:37:22) several follow-ups. Audio intro: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ben on the bats Link to many bat-related links Link to official bat change Link to Judge quotes Link to Waldman clip Link to Contreras clip Link to Contreras story Link to Leiter clip Link to r/tragedeigh Link to listener emails database  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley react to assorted frustrations and delights of Opening Day, then (42:07) conduct the fifth annual Team Fun Draft, in which they draft all 30 teams in order of how fun they expect them to be to follow in 2025. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes 2, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Audio outro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to story on mlb.tv outage Link to Guardians offer Link to FG staff predictions post Link to FG staff bold predictions Link to Meg’s PPR summary Link to Ringer entrance survey Link to Contreras post Link to Bibee on Chipotle Link to Torkelson article Link to Shohei HR reactions Link to Rosen on ballparks  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and FanGraphs writer Dan Szymborski banter about how much spring training stats matter, which players improved their projections the most this spring, whether prospects really have a harder time making the transition to MLB from Triple-A today, their spring training award winners, the five-ish biggest questions/storylines for each of them this MLB season, and a smattering of “bold predictions” from EW listeners. Then (1:23:29) Ben brings back the “Baseball Jobs” series by interviewing Josh Kantor, longtime Fenway Park organist, to talk about how he got his gig, his side projects, the ins and outs of his in-game responsibilities, the upcoming season, and much more, followed by a brief keyboard performance. Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Audio interstitial: Josh Kantor and Nancy Faust, “Sweet Caroline” Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to 2015 spring study Link to Hoyer quote Link to Ben’s new prospects article Link to Ben’s old prospects article Link to spring champions Link to ST team wins Link to FG ST leaderboards Link to five Clemens questions Link to listener bold predictions Link to EW predictions ballot Link to previous Baseball Jobs pod Link to Josh Kantor wiki Link to Baseball Project pod Link to Baseball Project song Link to Kaminski pod  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Mookie Betts’s unwanted weight loss, new Statcast data on batter positioning, and whether hitters should generally move back in the box, then recap Cal Raleigh’s extension and a smattering of other buzzer-beating transactions before discussing (35:46) some of their favorite moves of the offseason. Then (1:10:31) they talk to FanGraphs writer Davy Andrews about his origin story as a writer, his greatest hits so far, and the “We Tried Tracker,” his effort to compile all the times a team reportedly tried (but failed) to acquire a player. Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Davy Andrews, “Edouard Julien, Are You Gonna Rule Again?” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ohtani article Link to Dodgers article 1 Link to Mookie article 2 Link to Mookie article 3 Link to Petriello article 1 Link to Petriello article 2 Link to Adler article Link to Ben on moving the mound Link to MLBTR on Raleigh Link to Raleigh dumper thread Link to notable transactions Link to Ben’s Grantland article Link to TFPIOT Tumblr Link to Tracker wiki Link to Too Far From Town posts Link to Target Field post Link to cleat cleaners post 1 Link to cleat cleaners post 2 Link to Davy’s FG archive Link to Seinfeld clip Link to We Tried Tracker Link to WTT posts Link to predictions vote  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s positional power rankings progress and discuss why MLB is “evaluating” its Diversity Pipeline Program, then for the first time in a while answer listener emails (15:35) about how baseball would be different if swinging hard caused more serious injuries, a high-elevation league/division, inter-game penalties for frivolous end-of-game challenges, whether the challenge system will make umpires tone down their punchout calls, whether player-initiated challenges should be included in WAR calculations, split-squad games in the regular season, and limits on the number of NPB players per MLB roster, plus a real-time reaction (1:14:03) to the Chesapeake Oyster Catchers logo. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Meg’s PPR intro Link to Athletic report Link to Calcaterra report Link to travel ban news Link to 2019 Cuba deal news Link to Russell on power hitting Link to Ben on Mexico City Link to Oyster Catchers logo Link to logo response story Link to Pickles mascot story Link to GJ Chubs episode Link to EW emails database Link to predictions vote  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and FanGraphs authors Michael Baumann and Ben Clemens play “College Baseball Player or Musician Who’s Performing at Sea.Hear.Now 2025” (4:53), and then explain the third annual preseason predictions game (11:53) and make 10 bold predictions apiece (18:57) about baseball in 2025, to be voted on by listeners. Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to vote Link to music festival Link to Ben on festival posters Link to previous scores Link to 2024 predictions Link to 2023 predictions Link to FG playoff odds Link to Ohtani max velo Link to .500 teams data Link to Waldron article Link to Lewis article Link to knuckleball qualifiers Link to Ben on knuckleballs Link to Other Ben on sliders Link to slider rates Link to highest bullpen WPAs Link to Rob on stolen bases Link to Corbin signing article Link to Dan S. booms/busts Link to 3B sends data Link to Savant 3B sends Link to Patrick on 3B sends Link to Russell on 3B sends Link to Oyster Analytics on 3B sends Link to 2024 attendance Link to Ben on risk aversion Link to vote  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the opening series of the regular season in Japan, then (10:55) discuss the removal (and eventual restoration) of a page about Jackie Robinson on the Department of Defense website, before (39:53) bantering further about breakouts, how player heights dropped (or didn’t!) after players were measured more accurately this spring, Joey Gallo’s attempted conversion to pitching, and an abandoned Marlins player-development idea. Then (1:27:38) they talk to Pirates pitching phenom Paul Skenes about being a cover model for MLB The Show 25, his stoic exterior, starters as stars, an auction for his debut baseball card, his hobbies, his expanding pitch mix, and max-effort pitching. Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Randy Johnson on EW Link to Ohtani homer Link to ratings info Link to Davy gamer 1 Link to Davy gamer 2 Link to post about Jackie page Link to article about Jackie page Link to archived 404 page Link to restored page Link to NPR on Rogers page Link to first statement to Passan Link to second statement to Passan Link to segregation ban story Link to MLB D&I page Link to old MLB D&I page Link to post about change Link to CBB breakouts tweet Link to height changes sheet Link to pitcher-measuring info Link to Gallo tweet Link to Ben on Gallo in 2014 Link to TTO% leaderboard Link to Marlins ad Link to Stock tweet Link to Herald on Marlins Link to Athletic on Marlins Link to The Show gameplay trailer Link to The Show launch trailer Link to Livvy’s nonchalant quote Link to Skenes composure quote Link to Skenes Opening Day reveal Link to Skenes dexterity quote Link to new pitches story Link to Skenes auction Link to Skenes on workload Link to deGrom story Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about completing the season preview series, then preview the 2025 New York Yankees (7:48) with Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News, and the 2025 Chicago White Sox (1:04:41) with Sox Machine’s James Fegan. 2025 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to offseason spending Link to FG payrolls page Link to Yankees depth chart Link to Yankees offseason tracker Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Gary’s author archive Link to White Sox depth chart Link to White Sox offseason tracker Link to 2024 CWS WAR leaders Link to Grifol eclipse story Link to James’s author archive Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Jacob deGrom dialing down the velo, the Cardinals signing their first free agent of the offseason, David Robertson still being available, the underrated career of Yasmani Grandal, the latest New Era cap confusion, follow-ups on several recent topics, and the newly jacked Mr. Met. Then (57:22) they talk to R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports and Thomas Nestico of TJStats about their podcast-approved approaches to picking breakout candidates, their methodologies and success rates, their breakout picks for 2025, and more. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Audio interstitial: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Passan on deGrom Link to MLBTR on Maton Link to MLBTR on Grandal Link to latest caps Link to more on the caps Link to FG post on caps Link to old EW on caps Link to slambio article Link to Rob on walk-off reversals Link to Patrick on 3B coaches Link to Keke Palmer meme Link to jacked Mr. Met Link to Grizz Link to R.J.’s breakout picks Link to Thomas’s breakout picks Link to R.J.’s 2024 breakouts review Link to xkcd comic Link to sickos meme Link to Devers article Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a surprising amount of Mo Vaughn content, a rash of spring injuries (including Gerrit Cole‘s Tommy John surgery and other Yankees ailments), the latest A’s and Rays woes, and more. Then they preview the 2025 Los Angeles Dodgers (26:11) with The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, and the 2025 Colorado Rockies (1:34:00) with The Rockies Insider’s Patrick Lyons. 2025 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes 2, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Vaughn story 1 Link to Vaughn story 2 Link to Enhanced Games wiki Link to Hang Up episode Link to FG post on Cole Link to Ben on spring injuries Link to Rays report Link to A’s report Link to A’s report 2 Link to A’s feature Link to Russell on rep. level Link to offseason spending Link to FG payrolls page Link to Dodgers depth chart Link to Dodgers offseason tracker Link to Sasaki signing info Link to “Lettuce” digital short Link to EW TJ research Link to “Are We the Baddies?” Link to cherry blossoms info Link to prank war article Link to prank war video Link to Fabian’s author archive Link to Rockies depth chart Link to Rockies offseason tracker Link to Rock Talk 1 Link to Rock Talk 2 Link to Colorado pronunciation Link to hangover effect info Link to Freeland on EW Link to Ben on Freeland in 2018 Link to Sheehan on Bud Black Link to Monfort prediction Link to Patrick’s work Link to Patrick’s podcast Link to trademark article 1 Link to trademark article 2 Link to trademark article 3 Link to trademark renewal Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a baseball flub in medical procedural The Pitt, Lawrence Butler’s extension, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s lofty contract target, how the ball moves differently in the Cactus League, and the value of variety in pitch selection, followed by Stat Blasts (49:20) about the WAR values of letters in player names, the best one-and-done pitcher/batter seasons in each franchise’s history, and the longest-tenured groups of players on pennant winners. Then (1:08:20) they talk to Carson Lund, director and co-writer of newly debuted baseball movie Eephus, about his celebrated contribution to the beleaguered genre. Audio intro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Gagnes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to slider explainer Link to The Pitt episode Link to Inglourious Basterds scene Link to Bluesky post Link to Passan tweet about Butler Link to MLBTR on Butler Link to Vlad contract info Link to Ortiz comments Link to Baumann on Vlad Link to Dan S. on Vlad Link to Trueblood on Vlad Link to Rosen on movement Link to Rosen on variety Link to Down on the Farm study Link to Oyster Analytics Link to Stat Blast 1 spreadsheet Link to Cocaína García wiki Link to Stat Blast 2 request Link to Stat Blast 2 spreadsheet Link to Stat Blast 3 request Link to Stat Blast 3 spreadsheet Link to Carson’s IMDb Link to Eephus website Link to Eephus trailer Link to Eephus Rotten Tomatoes Link to Eephus AP review Link to list of baseball movies Link to Filmmaker Magazine Link to Jacques Barzun quote Link to Barzun essay Link to Soldiers Field game Link to Soldiers Field photos Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a fresh wave of “breakout candidate” crimes, Jerry Dipoto’s latest Meg-maddening comments, the rise of the “kick change,” how ball/strike calls differ from other boundary calls, Barry Bonds’s comments about Shohei Ohtani, and more. Then they preview the 2025 Atlanta Braves (50:56) with 92.9 The Game’s Grant McAuley, and the 2025 Miami Marlins (1:35:27) with Fish on First’s Kevin Barral. 2025 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Passan article Link to breakout screenshot 1 Link to breakout screenshot 2 Link to breakout screenshot 3 Link to Dipoto article Link to kick change info 1 Link to kick change info 2 Link to kick change info 3 Link to kick change info 4 Link to kick change info 5 Link to “new hotness” tweet Link to Naquin article Link to Ishbia article Link to MASN update Link to Jay on Iglesias Link to Hang Up and Listen Link to James quote Link to latest Bonds comments Link to earlier Bonds comments Link to Bonds armor Link to Sam on retaliation Link to Rob on retaliation Link to offseason spending Link to FG payrolls page Link to Braves depth chart Link to Braves offseason tracker Link to Baumann on Braves SP Link to team SP projections Link to team RP projections Link to Grant’s author archive Link to Grant’s podcast Link to Marlins depth chart Link to Marlins offseason tracker Link to Sherman article Link to Sheehan on breakouts Link to 2024 attendance Link to grievance article Link to Kevin’s author archive Link to Kevin’s podcast Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether the challenge system will inevitably pave the way for full ABS, the degrees of difficulty for two-way Travis Hunter vs. two-way Shohei Ohtani, and (very briefly) reinstating Pete Rose. Then they preview the 2025 Philadelphia Phillies (36:58) with The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, and the 2025 Cleveland Guardians (1:19:49) with The Athletic’s Zack Meisel. 2025 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio interstitial 2: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to post on the two zones Link to Hunter clip Link to Hunter article Link to Colorado pronunciation Link to Ben on goalie goals Link to Manfred/Rose report Link to Ben on Rose Link to EW on Rose Link to offseason spending Link to FG payrolls page Link to Phillies depth chart Link to Phillies offseason tracker Link to Harper/milk post Link to hydrogen water explainer Link to team WAR projections Link to team SP projections Link to team RP projections Link to Matt’s author archive Link to Matt’s podcast Link to Guardians depth chart Link to Guardians offseason tracker Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Mario Kart article Link to Thomas trade quote Link to 20-homer OF article Link to Zack’s author archive Link to Zack’s podcast Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the balletic strikeout celebrations of Rockies reliever Jefry Yan, Terry Francona’s selective opposition to ABS this spring, how frequently potential game-ending strikeouts will get challenged, and baseball in Season 2 of Poker Face. Then they preview the 2025 Arizona Diamondbacks (36:00) with The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro, and the 2025 Washington Nationals (1:24:35) with The Washington Post’s Andrew Golden. 2025 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Yan article Link to Yan montage (Yantage?) Link to more Yan clips Link to Francona article Link to challenge strategy research Link to Oyster Analytics Link to 2024 Stripers game Link to Poker Face teaser Link to trumpet mute info Link to offseason spending Link to FG payrolls page Link to Nationals depth chart Link to Nationals offseason tracker Link to losses leaderboard Link to Lerner quote Link to MLBTR on MASN Link to Andrew’s author archive Link to Diamondbacks depth chart Link to Diamondbacks offseason tracker Link to bill passage Link to Nick’s author archive Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about some members of last year’s Yankees and Dodgers still sniping about the World Series, Max Scherzer’s objection to the challenge system, how ABS has broadly been received so far, and assorted tactical considerations concerning when to challenge. Then they preview the 2025 New York Mets (29:08) with The Athletic’s Tim Britton, and the 2025 Los Angeles Angels (1:20:24) with The Athletic’s Sam Blum. 2025 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to 2024 WS stats Link to Nestor comments Link to Boone comments Link to latest Kelly comments Link to November comments Link to Ben on WS Game 1 Link to WS Game 5 recap Link to ABS permutations Link to Scherzer challenges Link to Scherzer on ABS Link to catcher dekes episode Link to challenge strategy research Link to Oyster Analytics Link to replay review analysis Link to replay review episode Link to offseason spending Link to FG payrolls page Link to Mets depth chart Link to Mets offseason tracker Link to M&M Boys wiki Link to Tim’s author archive Link to Angels depth chart Link to Angels offseason tracker Link to Angels-inspired Stat Blast Link to Bender EW episode Link to Sam’s Bender article Link to Sam’s author archive Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether certain injuries can improve players, old-but-good guys not getting gigs, the offensive disparity between the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues, and Bryce Harper’s Phanatic tattoo. Then they preview the 2025 Boston Red Sox (31:16) with The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, and the 2025 Sacramento Athletics (1:25:13) with Jason Burke of Inside the A’s. 2025 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Keaschall article Link to Mets camp count Link to MLBTR on Iglesias Link to Belt article Link to aging curve 1 Link to aging curve 2 Link to Verlander article Link to spring training parks Link to homers/humidity Link to 2024 FL ST wOBA Link to FL teams’ RS wOBA Link to 2024 AZ ST wOBA Link to Link to AZ teams’ RS wOBA Link to overall ST wOBA Link to overall RS wOBA Link to Phanatic tattoo story Link to offseason spending Link to FG payrolls page Link to Red Sox depth chart Link to Red Sox offseason tracker Link to Netflix series story Link to Werner quote Link to Alex’s book Link to Alex’s author archive Link to Athletics depth chart Link to Athletics offseason tracker Link to Jason’s author archive Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the end of the Yankees’ beard ban, the potential end of MLB’s business relationship with ESPN, and whether the World Baseball Classic should imitate the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off. Then they preview the 2025 Texas Rangers (50:07) with MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry, and the 2025 Pittsburgh Pirates (1:27:23) with Pittsburgh Baseball Now’s John Perrotto, plus a postscript (2:03:57) about Ben’s growing affection for Tigers righty John Brebbia. 2025 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Yankees announcement Link to story on policy change Link to story on policy origins Link to Simpsons clip Link to Gleyber photo Link to Castillo hair story Link to Castro hair story Link to McCutchen hair story Link to Vlad/Yankees story Link to Williams reaction Link to ESPN opt-out story 1 Link to ESPN opt-out story 2 Link to Ben on the WBC Link to Ben on Hang Up Link to offseason spending Link to FG payrolls page Link to Rangers depth chart Link to Rangers offseason tracker Link to Kennedi’s author archive Link to Pirates depth chart Link to Pirates offseason tracker Link to John’s author archive Link to Brebbia links Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the start of spring training games, the charms of Tigers reliever John Brebbia, whether MLB’s uniform pants were always semi-transparent, and Shohei Ohtani’s parallel parking skills. Then they preview the 2025 Seattle Mariners (27:37) with Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times, and the 2025 Cincinnati Reds (1:12:53) with The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans. 2025 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Brebbia video Link to Buffalo/buffalo sentence Link to Brebbia’s college page Link to Brebbia article 1 Link to Brebbia article 2 Link to Mandela effect wiki Link to Ohtani video Link to offseason spending Link to FG payrolls page Link to Mariners depth chart Link to Mariners offseason tracker Link to Ryan’s author archive Link to Petriello on T-Mobile Link to Reds depth chart Link to Reds offseason tracker Link to C. Trent’s author archive Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a player who signed an extension (Geraldo Perdomo), a player who didn’t sign an extension (Vladimir Guerrero Jr.), a player who’s switching positions (Mike Trout), and a player who’s not switching positions, at least for now (Rafael Devers), plus an update on Meg’s updated beliefs about Shohei Ohtani’s dog. Then (48:42) they talk to Eric Longenhagen about FanGraphs’ top 100 (well, 102) prospects list and much more. Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG post on Perdomo Link to MLBTR on Vladito Link to MLBTR on Trout Link to MLBTR on Devers Link to MLBTR on Stroman Link to Ohtani/Decoy photo Link to Eric’s top 100 list Link to Dan’s top 100 list Link to Alfaro story Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s new sound-dampening windows, listener defenses of MLB’s altered two-way-player rule, and the latest intolerable “breakout” pick, followed by Stat Blasts (15:49) about the teams with the most winless, non-lossless pitchers and the all-time past-their-prime/time-travel teams. Then they preview the 2025 Houston Astros (32:41) with The Athletic’s Chandler Rome, and the 2025 St. Louis Cardinals (1:25:07) with The Athletic’s Katie Woo. 2025 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to windows explainer Link to breakout push notification Link to Ragans article Link to late-2023 pitcher WAR Link to Stathead results Link to Kram’s Stat Blast Link to 2005 payrolls Link to Ryan’s Stat Blast data Link to Michael’s Stat Blast data Link to offseason spending Link to FG payrolls page Link to Astros depth chart Link to Astros offseason tracker Link to Chandler’s author archive Link to Chandler’s podcast Link to Cardinals depth chart Link to Cardinals offseason tracker Link to 2024 attendance change Link to Katie’s author archive Link to Katie’s podcast Link to MLBTR on Ragans Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Red Sox signing Alex Bregman, the Padres signing Nick Pivetta, and Anthony Rendon’s latest long-term injury. Then they preview the 2025 Chicago Cubs (29:35) with The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma, and the 2025 San Francisco Giants (1:14:41) with The Athletic’s Grant Brisbee. 2025 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG post on Bregman Link to MLBTR on Bregman Link to over/under draft results Link to MLBTR on Pivetta Link to Blum on Rendon Link to EW episode on Rendon Link to Cubs depth chart Link to Cubs offseason tracker Link to offseason spending Link to FG payrolls page Link to Sahadev’s author archive Link to Sahadev’s podcast Link to Giants depth chart Link to Giants offseason tracker Link to 2014 Giants preview Link to Grant’s author archive Link to Grant’s podcast Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Rob Manfred’s Super Bowl cameo, the return of not-terrible uniforms, a new finding in the “familiarity vs. fatigue” debate about the times through the order effect, two more Dodgers signings, and an intriguingly timed alteration to the criteria for two-way-player classification. Then they preview the 2025 Minnesota Twins (46:06) with The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman, and the 2025 Detroit Tigers (1:29:21) with The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen. 2025 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Manfred clip Link to Fielder meme Link to uniforms article Link to BP TTOP study Link to previous TTOP research Link to MLBTR on Kershaw Link to FG on Hernández Link to 2024 major league rules Link to 2021 major league rules Link to 2019 rule announcement Link to 2020 press release Link to 2021 press release Link to current glossary entry Link to archived entry Link to Twins depth chart Link to Twins offseason tracker Link to offseason FA spending Link to FG payrolls page Link to A-Rod arb news Link to RP projections Link to 2024 RP WAR Link to SP projections Link to Aaron on France Link to Aaron’s author archive Link to Aaron’s podcast Link to Tigers depth chart Link to Tigers offseason tracker Link to farm system ranking Link to Cody’s author archive Link to Cody’s podcast Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Dodgers’ overstuffed 2025 bobblehead lineup, Ippei Mizuhara’s sentencing, and the Angels’ tireless pursuit of players who were good several seasons ago. Then they preview the 2025 Baltimore Orioles (35:55) with the Baltimore Banner’s Danielle Allentuck, and the 2025 Kansas City Royals (1:08:21) with the Kansas City Star’s Jaylon Thompson. 2025 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Jonathan Crymes 2, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Dodgers promotions Link to Dodgers bobbleheads post Link to past bobbleheads Link to giveaway conditions Link to bobblehead data Link to Rockies bobblehead post Link to Angels bobbleheads Link to Ippei sentencing 1 Link to Ippei sentencing 2 Link to Knight thread Link to Angels additions Link to Ben on the Orioyals Link to Orioles depth chart Link to Orioles offseason tracker Link to offseason FA spending Link to FG on O’s spending Link to Camden Chat on O’s spending Link to Danielle’s author archive Link to Royals depth chart Link to Royals offseason tracker Link to Dan S. on the Royals Link to KC stadiums update Link to Moore for governor news Link to Jaylon’s author archive Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Mets re-signing Pete Alonso, the Twins signing Harrison Bader, and the compressed standings in the newly released FanGraphs and Baseball Prospectus playoff odds. Then they preview the 2025 Tampa Bay Rays (31:35) with MLB.com’s Adam Berry, and the 2025 Milwaukee Brewers (1:09:55) with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Curt Hogg. 2025 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG post on Alonso Link to 2021 Boras study Link to FG post on Bader Link to Byrd wiki Link to FG playoff odds post Link to FG playoff odds Link to BP playoff odds Link to Rays depth chart Link to Rays offseason tracker Link to Adam’s author archive Link to Franco update 1 Link to Franco update 2 Link to Brewers depth chart Link to Brewers offseason tracker Link to Episode 2262 Link to Episode 2263 Link to MLBTR on Contreras Link to Trueblood on Contreras Link to Curt’s author archive Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley introduce the 13th annual Effectively Wild season preview series, then banter about the Tigers signing Jack Flaherty to a smaller-than-expected deal, a long-awaited explanation for the gambling-related firing of umpire Pat Hoberg, and the death and legacy of former commissioner Fay Vincent. Then they preview the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays (43:30) with the Toronto Sun’s Rob Longley, and the 2025 San Diego Padres (1:20:30) with MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell. 2025 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to season preview series wiki Link to projected standings page Link to Silicon Valley clip Link to Dan S. on Flaherty Link to Petriello on Flaherty Link to MLBTR on Flaherty Link to over/under draft wiki Link to Hobert press release Link to EW on Hoberg’s ump perfecto Link to Vincent’s NYT obit Link to Vincent’s SABR obit Link to Vincent’s SABR bio Link to Manfred’s Vincent statement Link to Sheehan on Vincent Link to Vincent on gambling Link to Posnanski on Vincent Link to EW on commish tenures 1 Link to EW on commish tenures 2 Link to Law on farm systems Link to McDaniel on farm systems Link to Jays depth chart Link to Jays offseason tracker Link to Rogers Centre offense info Link to Rob’s author archive Link to Padres depth chart Link to Padres offseason tracker Link to black swan wiki Link to Padres TV subs Link to AJ’s author archive Link to Topps Bunt 24 art Link to Winfield game Link to Canseco/Garvey game Link to Ben’s Luka pod Link to Memorial Cup wiki Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Max Scherzer and Jorge Polanco signings, Scherzer vs. Justin Verlander, and the changes in pitcher usage over the course of those pitchers’ careers. Then (20:17) they discuss stricter restrictions on the size of fielders’ gloves, and the merits of a tax in Meg’s county to help pay for the Diamondbacks’ ballpark renovations. Finally (55:54), they answer listener emails about designated “jersey guys,” rotating, pre-assigned pennant winners, and factors that could differentiate teams in their pursuits of free agents. Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG post on Scherzer Link to MLBTR on Polanco Link to Ben on innings eaters Link to article on headlights Link to Patrick on gloves Link to Ben on the foul lines Link to Ben on pitcher limits Link to Sam on errors Link to AZ tax article Link to deMause on the tax Link to better-than-average effect Link to franchise tag wiki Link to Verducci on Burnes Link to listener emails database Link to Pete Rose Baseball Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the overwhelming listener response to their previous conversation about cover models for baseball video games, and Ben issues some “Bo Nos” in support of his previous Royals reporting. Then (18:19) they talk about the Rays signing Ha-Seong Kim, Roki Sasaki “prospect” rankings, a recent leaguewide run on relievers, trade-based brother breakups, Hal Steinbrenner’s unconvincing attempt at anti-Dodgers-spending solidarity, and minor league name matches for major leaguers, plus (51:42) an in-depth discussion about the teams that have had the most demoralizing (and/or inactive) offseasons (so far). Audio intro: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Link to Episode 2276 Link to Bo Game Boy game Link to Bo NES game Link to Bo handheld game Link to Soto cover Link to Prime Time Football Link to FG on Kim Link to over/under draft Link to Rogers screenshot Link to Rural Juror Link to Pressly/Sewald post Link to Kahnle/Stanek post Link to Estévez post Link to Steinbrenner comments Link to other-Castillo signing Link to other J-Rod Link to Ben C. on the Pirates Link to Paine on payroll/playoffs Link to offseason spending list Link to teams without ML signings Link to MLBTR on Scherzer Link to MLBTR on Polanco Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about some good news and bad news about breakout picks, Junior Caminero’s unbeatable bat flip and home run trot in the LIDOM playoffs, the latest MLB The Show cover model(s) and the lone MLB franchise that hasn’t put a player on the cover of a video game, the Ryan Pressly trade and whether Houston has a plan, and the mysteries of T-Mobile Park’s scoring suppression, plus a Stat Blast (1:28:57) about the players who came closest to team monogamy without quite being faithful to one franchise. Audio intro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to latest MLB article Link to Caminero article Link to Caminero video Link to Caminero photo Link to Caminero flip video Link to Orosco flip article Link to Prince flip article Link to Sánchez trot Link to Soto trot Link to Soto trot game Link to Naylor trot Link to Cruz trot Link to Santander trot Link to Marte trot Link to cover models article Link to baseball video games list Link to Ben on pitching prospects Link to Paine on sports video games Link to Indiana Jones pod Link to MLBTR on Pressly Link to MLBTR on Bregman Link to MLBTR on Yordan Link to FG on Pressly Link to Littlefinger speech Link to Churchill speech Link to Petriello on T-Mobile Link to Statcast park factors Link to Arneson gravity post Link to Earth’s gravity wiki Link to MLBTR on Jones Link to Stat Blast data Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s memories of Ichiro and his sensational MLB debut, Ippei Mizuhara’s letter about his work with Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki’s dog, the misleading name of “Sluggball,” Jurickson Profar and the prospect of a Braves rebound, which players will get “shorter” thanks to the challenge system, two new rules changes, how the Dodgers will make innings meet, how to make 3B coaches more aggressive, “Tragedeigh,” and more. Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ichiro’s first MLB hit Link to Ben on Ichiro’s homers Link to Ippei’s letter Link to Ippei recording Link to Roki’s dog Link to dog tweet Link to Dekopin meeting Link to Slugball website Link to Slugball article 1 Link to Slugball article 2 Link to Slugball article 3 Link to Sluggball video Link to Petriello on Profar Link to team WAR projections Link to Rosenthal on Boras/Braves Link to ABS measuring info Link to Eric on heights Link to George’s Timberlands Link to Drellich on rule changes Link to MLBTR on rule changes Link to EW Episode 1863 Link to article on baserunning play Link to EW Episode 2169 Link to Dodgers depth chart Link to Sheehan on the Dodgers Link to listener emails database Link to running strategy study Link to Russell on 3B coaches Link to Ben on goalie goals Link to tragedeigh wiktionary Link to tragedeigh subreddit Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley bring on FanGraphs senior writer Jay Jaffe to break down the Hall of Fame voting results, from new honorees to one-and-done candidates to trends in support to forecasts for future ballots and much more. Audio intro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Hill report Link to MLBTR on Hill Link to 2025 voting results Link to 2024 voting results Link to selections by year Link to Jay’s results post Link to Jay’s ballot Link to all FG HoF coverage Link to Wagner call video Link to Sam ballot Link to Tyrer article Link to committees page Link to pre-PITCHf/x framing Link to Ben on Hall of Frame Link to Jay on Hall of Frame Link to The Cooperstown Casebook Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley revisit and update their recent discussion on the Dodgers, competitive balance, and what’s good for the game in light of L.A.’s latest additions, then (1:06:18) discuss the Blue Jays’ signing of Anthony Santander and the outlook for Pete Alonso, followed by (1:20:02) a Stat Blast on Bob Uecker and the players with the highest percentage of homers hit against Hall of Famers. Audio intro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to EW Episode 2272 Link to Ben on the Dodgers Link to Ben C. on L.A. relievers Link to Sheehan parity post Link to MLBTR on Scott Link to MLBTR on Yates Link to Dodgers deferrals article Link to Ricketts quote Link to Pirates fan fest story Link to Cherington quote Link to McCutchen misspelling Link to Marlins spending article Link to MLBTR on Santander Link to Dan S. on Santander Link to Santander Stathead Link to Alonso update Link to Alonso/Boras story Link to Stat Blast question Link to Uecker clip Link to Stat Blast data Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley react to the news that Roki Sasaki is signing with the Dodgers (shocker!), breaking down how the posting process played out, the Dodgers’ ridiculous rotation, whether L.A.’s talent-acquisition advantage is good or bad for baseball, the runners-up for Roki, and more. Then they explore how softball and baseball are joining the women’s sports boom via the expansion/launch of professional leagues this year and next by talking to Emma Baccellieri of Sports Illustrated about the Athletes Unlimited Softball League and AU’s innovative scoring model (49:15), and Kiri Oler of FanGraphs about the Women’s Professional Baseball League and her work as a data scientist on MLB: The Show (1:25:28). Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Sasaki’s announcement Link to MLBTR on Sasaki Link to previous Sasaki episode Link to Ben on Sasaki Link to Ben on the Dodgers in 2015 Link to Ben on the Dodgers’ advantage Link to Rob Mains on the Dodger dynasty Link to Dodgers depth chart Link to team SP projections Link to team WAR projections Link to Emma’s book post Link to Emma’s author archive Link to Hannah/Lindsey episode Link to Emma on AU in 2021 Link to Emma on Olympic softball Link to AUSL wiki Link to AU scoring system Link to AUSL announcement Link to Emma on baseball dying Link to Emma on the Players’ League Link to Emma on the WPBL Link to AUSL announcement Link to Justine Siegal EW episode Link to WPBL wiki Link to Kiri’s LinkedIn Link to Ben on The Show Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Deaths don’t actually come in threes—unfortunately, there are many more than that—but Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley begin by marking the passings of a trio of notable figures: David Lynch, Bob Uecker, and Tommy Brown. Then (35:27) they talk about the maybe-momentous signing of a Japanese player not named Roki Sasaki (Shotaro Morii), follow up on previous conversations about “breakout” creep, answer a couple of questions about breakouts, and then respond to listener emails on other topics, including nicknames for pitches, the evolving meaning of “moneyball,” phasing out Hall of Famers, and a modification to the infield fly rule. Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Lynch NYT obit Link to Uecker NYT obit Link to Uecker acting roles Link to Brown NYT obit Link to Brown AP obit Link to Brown SABR bio Link to Brown text interview Link to Brown audio interview Link to MLBTR on Brown Link to 1940s clippings on Brown Link to Ben’s Brown Twitter thread Link to The Athletic on Morii Link to Silver on breakouts Link to skeuomorph wiki Link to Detroiters on Netflix Link to Ben on Detroiters Link to Baker on LinkedIn Link to infield fly play Link to Strike Four Link to listener emails database Link to grumkins wiki Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a new escalation in “breakout” creep, the Blue Jays signing Jeff Hoffman, risk tolerance in transactions, alternate spellings of names, Roki Sasaki’s effect on the market for international amateur free agents, another example of a team offering a higher salary in arbitration than a player requested, Mets owner Steve Cohen’s financial returns, Nick Castellanos on MVP Jose Iglesias, and a 19th-century curved-bat idea (1:08:44), plus (1:22:40) a Stat Blast on the players who’ve appeared in the most distinct team matchups. Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to breakouts post Link to Jeff on HoF artifacts Link to Clemens on Hoffman Link to MLBTR on Hoffman Link to Hoffman press release Link to Madisynn clip Link to MLBTR on Sasaki Link to article on Sasaki effects Link to Flanagan arb post Link to WSJ on Cohen Link to Castellanos clip Link to banana bat article 1 Link to banana bat article 2 Link to banana bat article 3 Link to banana bat article 4 Link to banana bat article 5 Link to Alan Nathan physics site Link to bat boning wiki Link to Stat Blast sheet 1 Link to Stat Blast sheet 2 Link to Ben on Stairs Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to MiLB draft data Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about salary arbitration, Kyle Tucker, and the unique case of Mike Edwards, then (15:55) kick off a series of interviews about unsung baseball jobs by talking to Rockies bullpen catcher and major league operations assistant (and now, minor league hitting coach) Aaron Muñoz, followed (1:06:09) by former Marlins coordinator of baseball information services (and former FanGraphs writer) Bradley Woodrum, plus (1:59:04) a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Audio interstitial: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Speier post Link to original Speier post Link to Edwards article 1 Link to Edwards article 2 Link to Edwards article 3 Link to Edwards article 4 Link to Mike Edwards wiki Link to Marshall Edwards wiki Link to Dave Edwards wiki Link to Tucker arb article Link to Sheehan on Tucker Link to fan ban article Link to bullpen catchers article Link to Aaron’s LinkedIn Link to Denver Post article Link to Emma on bullpen brawls Link to brawl video Link to brawl article Link to Bradley’s LinkedIn Link to Bradley’s FG archive Link to Bradley’s YouTube video Link to Lewie Pollis episode Link to lotto ad Link to Calbert Cheaney Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Ben Clemens banter about the Giants signing Justin Verlander, a plateau in leaguewide slider usage, and why spending on free agents has exceeded expectations so far. Then (20:55) they continue a cherished podcast tradition by conducting the 12th annual Effectively Wild Minor League Free Agent Draft, in which they select 10 minor league free agents each and compete to see whose roster will accumulate the most combined MLB playing time in 2025. Audio intro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Baumann on Verlander Link to Dubuque on Verlander Link to Verlander pitch values Link to Verlander max speeds Link to Verlander stuff ratings Link to Ben L. on Kershaw Link to Ben C. on sliders Link to Ben C. on spending Link to FG SP projections Link to last year’s draft Link to FA draft wiki Link to competitions sheet Link to historical picks sheet Link to BA list Link to Neosho alumni Link to Neosho wiki Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley rant about the practice of picking “breakout” players who have already broken out, react (22:20) to the Orioles’ Charlie Morton signing and discuss (38:24) Morton as one of the pitchers who best embodies his era, and answer listener emails (52:14) about whether the existence of the minor leagues suggests that baseball is the hardest sport to play and why MLB’s potential TV-driven decrease in revenue is worthy worrying about, plus a postscript (1:33:54). Audio intro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Rooker tweet Link to pet peeve wiki Link to breakout picks article Link to R.J.’s 2024 picks Link to R.J.’s picks revisited Link to Ben’s tweet about R.J. Link to MLBTR on Morton Link to FG post on Morton Link to McCarthy interview Link to team SP projections Link to individual SP projections Link to team payrolls Link to O’s payroll page Link to McCarthy interview Link to baseball exceptionalism wiki Link to Ben on caliber of play Link to Allegory of the Cave Link to Seidler story 1 Link to Seidler story 2 Link to Seidler story 3 Link to Seidler story 4 Link to Chargers story Link to neutral zone wiki Link to listener emails database Link to EW Episode 2104 Link to 2-strike tOPS+ Link to 2-strike sOPS+ Link to Schunk story Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Patreon supporter Jordan Smith banter about Jordan’s baseball background, the Tigers’ 2025 hopes, the Dodgers signing Hyeseong Kim, and more, then (30:48) answer listener emails about per-game stats, “advanced” stats, televised arbitration cases, an owner playing in games, pit stops on the basepaths, assorted variations on the Golden Batter (and the Golden Batter vs. the zombie runner), relaxing substitution rules, defining “changeup,” and $ per HR. Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Seinfeld episode Link to Seinfeld clip Link to MLBTR on Kim Link to Ted Turner story Link to player/owner story Link to player/owner post Link to Ben on arbitration Link to Sam on lineup resetting Link to Sam on pits Link to listener emails database Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

As the halfway point of the offseason approaches, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the relative merits of the first half of the offseason vs. the second half of the offseason, assess the weakest projected positions on contending teams and the best remaining free agents, and list MLB stories they’re looking forward to following. Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to weak positions sheet Link to FG team projections Link to FA projections Link to SP projections Link to WAR leaders page Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the latest on Roki Sasaki’s posting process, the NL-AL imbalance, and why the active homer leader doesn’t have more homers, then (50:44) review the team goals from the 2024 season preview series. Audio intro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Sasaki update Link to Mains on NL vs. AL Link to Posnanski post Link to Jeremy Frank tweet Link to B-Ref HR page Link to active HR leaders Link to season preview predictions Link to Red Sox prospects Link to Bryant car story Link to crotch bump story Link to crotch bump clip Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Lindsey Adler, and Hannah Keyser talk about Lindsey and Hannah’s evolving relationships to baseball writing, near-simultaneous Substack-starting, and (ongoing) pursuits of self-discovery and creative fulfillment. Then (45:27) Ben and Hannah analyze the Teoscar Hernández and Corbin Burnes signings and (1:05:49) discuss at least one listener-nominated topic about each National League team that wasn’t previously covered on the podcast in 2024 (plus a real-time reaction to Shohei Ohtani’s announcement that he’s going to be a dad). Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Link to Lindsey’s Substack Link to Hannah’s Substack Link to MLBTR on Teoscar Link to Passan on Teoscar Link to MLBTR on Burnes Link to Ben C. on Burnes Link to Gammons on Hazen Link to Hannah on diving catches Link to Ohtani’s Insta post Link to Toglia’s Insta post Link to Burnes’s Insta post Link to Snow/Baker video Link to Shaq meme Link to MLBTR on Maxwell Link to Maxwell on EW Link to missed stories links Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann play “College Baseball Player or U.S. Army Air Forces Pilot Who Took Part in Operation Vengeance,” banter about Jake Burger’s three consecutive seasons with a .250 batting average, the Tigers signing Gleyber Torres, and how the ruling about Diego Pavia’s NCAA eligibility could affect college (and pro) baseball, then (26:59) discuss least one listener-nominated topic about each American League team that wasn’t previously covered on the podcast in 2024. Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes 2, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Operation Vengeance Link to MLBTR on Torres Link to FG top 50 FA Link to over/under draft Link to AP on Pavia ruling Link to BA on Pavia ruling Link to Pavia wiki Link to missed stories links Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss the career and life of Rickey Henderson, focusing on changes in public perceptions of his play and personality, how underrated he was (even though he was highly rated!), and his impact on the modern game and media, then (41:52) catch up on a flurry of transactions, including a run on first basemen, NL/AL East pitching moves, and predawn newsbreaking. Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ben on Rickey Link to Bryant on EW Link to Mays EW episode Link to FG payrolls page Link to MLBTR arb salaries Link to FG SP projections Link to Marlins revenue sharing Link to Santana house sale Link to Rooker tweet Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Pebble Hunting’s Sam Miller banter about Michael Lorenzen embracing an Effectively Wild hypothetical, Ben and Sam’s past predictions about baseball in the 2020s, and Paul Skenes and the ERA title, then discuss what will be remembered about baseball in 2024 (plus a postscript). Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to EW Episode 2242 Link to Lorenzen article Link to EW Episode 1512 Link to MLB Vault Link to Stephen A. vs. Shaq Link to Sam on qualifying Link to Sam on 2024 1 Link to Sam on 2024 2 Link to Sam on 2024 3 Link to Sam on past years Link to Sam on lineup resets Link to Baumann on Walker Link to Sosa letter Link to Sosa story Link to Newlywed Game clip Link to Superman clip Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Cody Bellinger trade, the Yankees’ and Cubs’ next moves, Guaranteed Rate Field changing to Rate Field, and the results of MLB’s inquiry into pitcher injuries. Then (31:39) they bring back A’s slugger Brent Rooker to discuss his monster 2024, his work as a World Series correspondent, misconceptions about hitting, how Sutter Health Park will play, leaving the Coliseum, his future with the A’s, unreported injuries, ballplayer parental leave, his favorite meals of the year, learning chess, his 2025 goals, and much more. Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG post on Bellinger Link to Guaranteed Rate wiki Link to Rate Field announcement Link to ESPN on the MLB research Link to Passan on the MLB research Link to the AP on the MLB research Link to The Athletic on the MLB research Link to Ben on pitcher injuries Link to Ben on too many pitchers Link to Rooker’s first pod appearance Link to FG post on Rooker Link to correspondent announcement Link to Annie Hall scene Link to story on surgery Link to “not trading” tweet Link to extension story Link to weddings story Link to crosswords research Link to Sutter Health story Link to park factors Link to Rooker’s TikTok Link to Rooker’s Instagram Link to Rooker’s Twitter Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the qualifications for being a superstar, the Kyle Tucker trade from the Astros’ and Cubs’ perspectives, the Devin Williams trade from the Yankees’ and Brewers’ perspectives, and various other transactions, including the A’s trading for Jeffrey Springs and the Orioles signing Tomoyuki Sugano, plus thoughts on Caleb Durbin’s dimensions, the significance of financial terms in transaction analysis, a possible spending divide stemming from a disparity in TV revenue, and Rob Manfred on restoring the starter. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Joe Sheehan Newsletter Link to FG post on Tucker trade Link to Rome on Tucker Link to FG post on Williams trade Link to Durbin photo Link to FG post on Springs trade Link to Pride Night story Link to FG payrolls page Link to Patrick’s post Link to Manfred’s comments Link to trial balloon wiki Link to Langs tweet Link to “Cody’s Only” Link to “Superstar” Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the end of the Winter Meetings, then discuss the rest of what down in Dallas: the Max Fried signing and where the Yankees roster stands, the Garrett Crochet trade, referring to a single player as a “Red Sox,” the Andrés Giménez (and Spencer Horwitz) trades, the Rangers re-signing Nathan Eovaldi and trading for Jake Burger, the Nationals landing the no. 1 overall pick in the draft lottery, Washington’s pitching development philosophy, the saga of Braggo Roth, and more, plus a few postscript updates. Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Dan S. on Fried Link to Jaffe on Fried Link to Clemens on Crochet Link to Passan tweet Link to Clemens on Giménez Link to team DRS Link to team FRV Link to Longenhagen on Giménez Link to Baumann on García Link to Andrews on Eovaldi Link to Baumann on Burger Link to payrolls page Link to Rule 5 reports Link to Rizzo quote Link to Nats spring sign Link to Nats preview pod Link to 2023 team Stuff+ Link to 2024 team Stuff+ Link to team fastball velo Link to team pitching WAR Link to Braggo bio Link to Braggo wiki Link to A’s and Fried Link to Sheehan on Crochet Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Roki Sasaki’s destination, follow up on their previous discussion of the Juan Soto signing, and discuss several more transactions, including the Giants signing Willy Adames, multiple Dodgers and Orioles moves, and a trio of starting-pitcher signings, plus reactions to the Hall of Fame elections of Dick Allen and Dave Parker, and FanGraphs Walk-Off talk. Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Wolfe’s comments Link to seasons explainer Link to FG post on Adames Link to FG on Adames splits Link to Passan on Adames Link to over/under draft results Link to Passan on Adames Link to Keltner list Link to Zaidi report Link to Posey profile Link to Ben on ex-player execs Link to Posey hirings Link to Melvin on bunting Link to FG post on the Dodgers Link to FG post on the Orioles Link to FG post on Holmes Link to Petriello on conversions Link to FG post on Bieber Link to FG post on Romano Link to MLBTR on Cobb Link to MLBTR on Baumann Link to Baumann on EW Link to MLBTR on Cobb Link to Jay on Allen/Parker Link to Allen shirt Link to FG Walk-Off Link to Ben on Piazza Link to EW gift subscriptions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss all the aspects of Juan Soto signing a record-breaking contract with the New York Mets. That’s it. That’s the episode. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Dan S. on Soto Link to Ben C. on Soto Link to Kram on Soto Link to Passan on Soto Link to The Athletic on Soto Link to Heyman on Soto Link to MLBTR on Soto Link to FG Soto stats post Link to OBP+ leaders Link to OBP+ through 26 Link to payrolls page Link to Friedman quote Link to EW gift subscriptions Link to Secret Santa sign-up form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a Tigers tweet about future first-pitch timing and other non-topical PSAs, provide a Secret Santa sign-up reminder, consider baseball authority figures who answer fan mail, discuss the impact that the changing economic landscape of college sports could have on MLB drafting and development, react to Danny Jansen’s deal with the Rays, and answer a question about defining “division rivals,” then (57:10) bring on Michael Mountain to Stat Blast about his new Wins Above Average-based Hall of Fame metric, BOOG, plus updates. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Tigers tweet Link to Monfort email 1 Link to Monfort email 2 Link to Manfred email Link to Manfred autograph 1 Link to Manfred autograph 2 Link to Manfred autograph 3 Link to Manfred autograph 4 Link to Selig email quote Link to Updike quote Link to NIL Athletic article Link to MLBTR on Jansen Link to tweet about Jansen Link to Tango Bluesky post Link to Tango blog post Link to Michael’s Stat Blast cover Link to HoF pace for hitters Link to HOF pace for pitchers Link to tiered HOF by BOOG score Link to BOOG graphs site Link to MLBTR on Holmes Link to MLBTR on Bieber Link to MLBTR top 50 FA Link to over/under draft score Link to ABA article Link to Manfred backtrack Link to EW gift subscriptions Link to Secret Santa sign-up form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the A’s signing Luis Severino and year-end podcast-listening stats, follow up on the golden at-bat and Hall of Fame plaques, and (1:07:46) discuss the history of deferred payments in sports contracts. Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG post on Severino Link to over/under draft results Link to Gonzalez A’s tweet Link to Passan spending tweet Link to FG payrolls page Link to Pesäpallo episode Link to The Athletic’s Soto report Link to Manfred and Stugotz Link to non-Gandhi quote Link to Russell on the golden AB Link to golden thong story Link to listener emails database Link to plaque variations Link to story on Jackie’s plaque Link to AP on the Dodgers Link to Dolgoff plan info 1 Link to Dolgoff plan info 2 Link to Ard interview Link to ABA article Link to “Sutter Day” on EW Link to Sutter article Link to Turner censure article Link to reaping/sowing tweet Link to Hunter article 1 Link to Hunter article 2 Link to Hunter article 3 Link to Hunter article 4 Link to Hunter article 5 Link to Hunter article 6 Link to 1981 article Link to Rice article Link to 2013 deferrals story Link to EW gift subscriptions Link to Secret Santa sign-up form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about their obliviousness to Juan Soto signing rumors, what should count as a team claiming to have tried to sign someone, a rash of recent real signings, the strength of the free agent market so far, the Dodgers’ accounting tactics and misperceptions about deferrals, the decline in therapeutic use exemptions to MLB’s joint drug policy, and (44:17) the pros and cons of the controversial “golden at-bat” idea that was recently mooted by Rob Manfred. Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Passan’s Soto tweet Link to MLBTR’s Soto stories Link to The Athletic’s Soto report Link to MLBTR’s top 50 FA Link to FG’s top 50 FA Link to We Tried Tracker post 1 Link to We Tried Tracker post 2 Link to We Tried Tracker Link to FG post on Montas Link to FG post on Boyd Link to Cubs spending rumor Link to FG post on Higashioka Link to FG post on Edman Link to Becker on Snell Link to Becker on Edman Link to 2009 TUE story Link to 2016 TUE story Link to Russell on TUEs Link to 2024 testing stats Link to Bluesky bot Link to pudding expression Link to Delilah wiki Link to Manfred pod appearance Link to Stark article Link to Bananas rule Link to EW gift subscriptions Link to Secret Santa sign-up form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a Nolan Arenado rumor, then (5:15) answer listener emails about fandoms that are overrepresented in baseball media, Formula 1-style “pay players” in MLB, whether players should be paid overtime for the postseason, whether MLB will ever classify foreign leagues as “major,” a Disney Channel baseball scene, fan-elected baseball executives, and (1:14:13) a player (Earl Pruess) with a mysterious nickname, followed by a bonus Stat Blast (1:24:02) about the typical tenures of sports leagues commissioners and Supreme Court justices. Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Arenado Link to Arenado Athletic report Link to Dave’s USSM letter Link to MLBTR on the letter Link to “pay drivers” article Link to NBA prize money Link to Dodgers postseason pool Link to Ben on league reclassification 1 Link to Ben on league reclassification 2 Link to Suite Life scene Link to Suite Life episode Link to spectator interference rule Link to Veeck’s fanagers Link to “Gibby” nicknames Link to Pruess post Link to Pruess TSN card Link to Pruess signing article Link to Pruess gambling article Link to Pruess documents Link to Pruess autograph 1 Link to Pruess autograph 2 Link to Pruess autograph 3 Link to Pruess obit Link to younger Pruess obit Link to listener emails database Link to EW commissioners discussion Link to Stat Blast spreadsheet Link to latest HUAL episode Link to EW gift subscriptions Link to Secret Santa sign-up form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley begin with a cold-open reaction to late-breaking news about Blake Snell signing with the Dodgers, then (19:52) banter about gift subscriptions, the Angels signing Yusei Kikuchi, and the Brady Singer–Jonathan India trade, follow up (46:58) on the Rays stadium situation, and, in the Thanksgiving spirit, discuss (56:59) things about baseball that they’re thankful for. Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Dan S. on the Snell signing Link to MLBTR on Snell Link to Dodgers depth chart Link to team payroll page Link to team attendance page Link to FG gift subscriptions Link to EW gift subscriptions Link to FG on Kikuchi Link to FG on Singer/India Link to Royals lineup splits Link to Rays update Link to Rays ballpark letter Link to article about players chewing Link to fun things drafts Link to Secret Santa sign-up form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, Ben Clemens, Michael Baumann, and podcast scorekeeper Chris Hanel convene to play “College Baseball Player or Fictional Republican Politician?” and reveal the victors of the 2024 minor league free agent draft and bold preseason predictions game, including recaps of each prediction. Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to minor league FA draft pod Link to draft wiki Link to past draft research Link to 2024 bold predictions pod Link to 2024 bold predictions wiki Link to 2023 predictions recap Link to preseason predictions wiki Link to drafts/competitions sheet Link to “WDJDD?” song Link to Ohtani scrum count Link to EW guests spreadsheet Link to Baumann on 300 Ks Link to Chris’s website Link to Support Class Link to Patreon gift subs Link to Secret Santa sign-up form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about how much Shohei Ohtani’s teammates helped him win his third MVP award, his incredible four-season stretch, whether Dekopin/Decoy is really his dog, the other MVP and Cy Young results, a Joey Meneses signing, Austin Slater and the virtues of being a team’s “top target,” the Rays’ confounding stadium strategy, the varying pronunciations of “envelope,” a listener question about RSN ownership, the seventh annual Effectively Wild Secret Santa, and more, plus a postscript Stat Blast (1:15:40) about players whose whole MLB careers were confined to “non-MLB” ballparks. Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ohtani interview Link to Ohtani quote Link to preseason projections Link to Episode 2140 Link to Dekopin clip Link to MLB.com on Ohtani Link to AL MVP voting Link to NL MVP voting Link to AL Cy voting Link to NL Cy voting Link to MLBTR on Meneses Link to Sox Machine on Slater Link to Rays letter story Link to DRaysBay on funding 1 Link to DRaysBay on funding 2 Link to Calcaterra on the Rays Link to Manfred on the Rays Link to Joe on the RSN era Link to Rangers RSN story Link to ROOT schedule Link to Ben Zimmer’s website Link to Ben on Wolfe Link to first pronunciation Link to second pronunciation Link to summer sausage episode Link to Secret Santa sign-up form Link to listener emails database Link to 2020-only players Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to Andrew Lowden’s cover Link to “The Good in Everyone” Link to Stat Blast parks list Link to Stat Blast players list Link to Reddit comment  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Rich Hill’s latest (and hopefully not last) pitching exploits, then discuss how Rob Manfred’s desire to craft his legacy as commissioner could shape the sport’s direction, why sports commissioners’ tenures last so long, what qualities of the World Series-winning Dodgers rival teams might try to emulate, rumors surrounding the Dodgers and Roki Sasaki, and more. Audio intro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Hill gamer Link to Hill pitching matchup Link to Hill strikeout montage Link to Hill on next season Link to Manfred on expansion Link to Manfred on national TV Link to Manfred on media training Link to Theo on copycats Link to NBC Sports Chicago news Link to link rot wiki Link to Theo on decadal changes Link to Lewie’s newsletter Link to team postseason percentages Link to semantic satiation wiki Link to MLBTR on Sasaki Link to Rosenthal on Sasaki Link to Ben’s Halo podcast  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley solicit listener suggestions for an upcoming podcast series, discuss what they would ask potential employers if they were on a Juan Soto-esque free-agent tour, and banter about the Orioles dismantling “Walltimore,” the far-less-settled-than-expected situations of the A’s and Rays, differing medical evaluations and Brusdar Graterol’s role in the Mookie Betts trade, the AL and NL Rookies of the Year, and the most interesting aspects of the Hall of Fame ballot. Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Multisport Sabermetrics Exchange Link to EW groundskeeper interview Link to EW Rooker interview Link to Soto meeting tracker Link to Walltimore article Link to 2021 park factors Link to 2024 park factors Link to ballpark homogenization info Link to Rays ballpark article 1 Link to Rays ballpark article 2 Link to Trop images Link to A’s/Rays article Link to A’s/Rays/expansion article Link to Daikin Park news Link to Yankees/Flaherty article 1 Link to Yankees/Flaherty article 2 Link to Brusdar trade hold-up Link to MLBTR on original Betts deal Link to PPI MLBTR on final Betts deal Link to Brusdar retrospective Link to MLBTR on Graterol’s shoulder Link to Ruth’s Chris name Link to NL voting results Link to AL voting results Link to 2025 ballot Link to Jaffe on the ballot Link to Stark on the ballot Link to Dubuque on the ballot Link to framing leaderboard  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the resolution of the Diamond Sports Group bankruptcy hearing, how declining broadcast revenue could lead to labor strife, and the Pirates’ reward offer for a baseball card that comes with a patch from Paul Skenes’s debut jersey, then (28:42) bring on Patreon supporter Craig Wingbermuehle to discuss his job and Effectively Wild origin story and then (38:25) answer listener emails about why we don’t talk more about postseason revenue, why extensions render players ineligible for Prospect Promotion Incentives, team mission statements, whether teams or the league should own home run balls, secretly promising a post-signing extension to an international free agent such as Roki Sasaki, Nick Martinez’s opt-out streak and contract progression, what constitutes a homestand and career year, and whether a player can be just 0-for-10. Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Link to Drellich on DSG Link to ESPN on DSG Link to Sheehan on the RSN Era Link to Pirates reward offer Link to Dunne tweet Link to Fanatics jersey tweet Link to bean-feast wiki Link to postseason share rules Link to more on playoff shares Link to even more on shares Link to Yankees playoff revenue Link to MLBTR on PPI/extensions Link to PPI rules Link to Rockies job posting Link to The Baseball Rule wiki Link to Ohtani ball on display Link to homestand definition Link to career year definition Link to Vientos call Link to Vientos article Link to listener emails database Link to The Miracle League site Link to Miracle League donations Link to Russell on the ’05 Cubs  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley follow up on previous banter about the best title for a president of both baseball and business operations, then deliver fresh banter about how Derrek Lee’s 2005 RBI total was a sign of its time, where the Rays will play in 2025 and beyond, the Marlins’ new manager, and a slew of modest Angels signings. Then (48:02) they’re joined by UPenn professor and post-doctoral researcher, respectively, Douglas Jerolmack and Shravan Pradeep, to discuss their recent research about how the sport’s storied Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud works, its special qualities, whether it could or should be synthesized, and more. Audio intro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Falvey news Link to worst leadoff tOPS+ Link to 2005 Cubs batting order splits Link to Dril tweet Link to MLBTR on the Rays in 2025 Link to more on 2025 Rays Link to Rays in 2028 Link to MLBTR on McCullough Link to Ben C. on d’Arnaud Link to guests’ research paper Link to Doug’s UPenn page Link to Shravan’s UPenn page Link to Shravan’s website Link to UPenn research summary Link to NYT research summary Link to PopSci research summary Link to NBC news research summary Link to rubbing mud wiki Link to GLP-1 origins Link to rubbing mud video Link to mud maker story 1 Link to mud maker story 2 Link to sticky synthesis story Link to Ben on sticky stuff 1 Link to Ben on sticky stuff 2 Link to schedule makers news Link to schedule makers video  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen banter about how to abbreviate Twins executive Derek Falvey’s new dual role as president of both baseball and business operations, then (5:23) discuss Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki from a scouting perspective, touching on how good he could be, how a team could ease him into MLB, what tweaks he could make to his repertoire, the bonus pool system that could help determine where he signs, and more. After that (50:16), Ben and Meg talk to NPB journalist Jim Allen about Sasaki’s posting from a Japan-based perspective, exploring why Sasaki was posted now, how Japanese fans feel about his departure, and what the implications could be for NPB. Finally (1:21:01), Ben does a bonus Stat Blast about baseball overrepresentation in crossword puzzles. Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Falvey news Link to Trueblood’s Falvey tweet Link to Eric’s Roki update Link to Eric on Roki in August Link to Ben’s Roki update Link to Ben on Roki in 2022 Link to Kiley on Roki Link to Passan on Roki Link to Coskrey on Roki Link to 2024 bonus pools Link to Cooper on draft picks Link to Ardaya on courting Ohtani Link to Ohtani courtship Link to Jim on Roki’s situation Link to Jim on the Marines Link to Jim on Hirooka Link to Jim on Roki’s future Link to NPB union article Link to Jim’s podcast Link to Hang Up and Listen Link to latest HUaL Link to Raymond’s spreadsheet Link to Rooker EW episode  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a listener proposal to artificially designate (and trade) a two-way player, then (19:28) conduct the 10th annual free agent contract over/under draft, plus closing banter (1:09:45) about the new Sacramento team’s city designation, a Philly front-office shuffle, and POBO priority. Audio intro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to typing monkeys research Link to typing monkeys research summary Link to FB thread Link to two-way rule Link to Sam on not swinging Link to previous over/under draft results Link to competitions/drafts sheet Link to MLBTR top 50 Link to FG top 50 Link to A’s name change info Link to MLBTR on the Phillies  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and FanGraphs writer Ben Clemens banter about the latest batch of Scott Boras puns, position changes for Willson Contreras and Mookie Betts, surgery for Shohei Ohtani, Skip Schumaker’s move to Texas, and Buster Posey’s front-office philosophy, then (47:21) discuss Other Ben’s top 50 free agents list—focusing on Juan Soto, Blake Snell, Corbin Burnes, Pete Alonso, Gleyber Torres, underrated/overrated options, and market trends—and (1:19:12) MLB’s most interesting offseason storylines. Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Boras puns Link to MLBTR on Contreras Link to MLBTR on Betts Link to Betts Statcast fielding Link to Betts Statcast running Link to MLBTR on Ohtani Link to MLBTR on Schumaker Link to MLBTR on Bregman Link to Baggarly tweet about Posey Link to Baggarly’s Posey profile Link to Ben C. on the top 50 FA Link to Sam on “seeking” Link to Boras on Soto 1 Link to Boras on Soto 2  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about team/player option/opt-out decisions involving Gerrit Cole, Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, and Eugenio Suárez, the Royals re-signing Michael Wacha, the players who received qualifying offers, the Minasian brothers as rival GMs (and potential PoBros), Carlos Santana’s historic Gold Glove, an international signing scandal (on multiple levels), evidence of racial bias in player development, a Japan Series upset, and more, plus a postscript. Audio intro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Cole 1 Link to MLBTR on Cole 2 Link to pitcher WAR since 2020 Link to P RA-9 WAR since 2020 Link to MLBTR on Snell Link to Snell leaderboard Link to MLBTR on Bellinger Link to MLBTR on Suárez Link to Suárez leaderboard Link to Suárez Stathead search Link to MLBTR on Wacha Link to FG on Wacha Link to qualifying offer list Link to FG top 50 FA Link to Rob Arthur article Link to Rob on racial bias in 2020 Link to Rob on Black catchers in 2020 Link to Ringer scouting reports series Link to MLBTR on Minasian Link to LAT on the Minasians Link to USA Today on the Minasians Link to Langs Santana stat Link to ESPN on signing scandal Link to MLBTR on signing scandal Link to Rob Arthur article Link to Rob on racial bias in 2020 Link to Rob on Black catchers in 2020 Link to Ringer scouting reports series Link to Climax Series wiki Link to Climax Series bracket Link to BayStars win 1 Link to BayStars win 2 Link to Jim Allen tweet Link to Ben on the BayStars Link to Hank Hill promo  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about offseason EW, Tommy Kahnle’s love affair with changeups, the Yankees’ preparation and fundamentals, Aaron Boone’s managing, the Dodgers as a dynasty, the White Sox hiring Will Venable, Alex Kirilloff’s retirement, two prediction anecdotes, glove flips as the new bat flips, the check-swing challenge system, the Premier12 tournament, the Women’s Pro Baseball League, Eric Adams and the World Series, a Yankees executive keeping things in perspective, a record sum for a historic baseball, Shohei Ohtani trumping One Piece, Dodgers parade comments, a no-show for NPB’s Sawamura Award, and more. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to story on Kahnle’s changeups Link to Kahnle pitch types Link to pitch types Stat Blast Link to Boone report 1 Link to Boone report 2 Link to Sherman on the Yankees Link to 2015 Royals scouting story Link to Ben on the Dodgers Link to Dodgers dynasty story Link to dynasty system Link to MLBTR on Venable Link to MLBTR on Kiriloff Link to Kiriloff’s announcement Link to Gleeman tweet Link to elephants/mice info Link to Fernando prediction tweet Link to Fernando prediction story Link to Vientos prediction tweet Link to Vientos prediction story Link to glove flip clip Link to 2012 Chapman story Link to Baseball for All tweet Link to WPBL story Link to WPBL interview Link to Siegal EW episode Link to Premier12 roster Link to Premier12 wiki Link to challenge system story Link to challenge system video Link to Afterman comments Link to Adams attendance story Link to Ohtani ball auction Link to Ohtani ball auction 2 Link to Fat Joe comments Link to Ohtani shirt response Link to One Piece story Link to Sawamura Award story Link to Sawamura EW episode Link to Petriello on catching Link to “Something’s Coming”  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Games 4 and 5 of the World Series, with an emphasis on Game 5’s error-plagued fifth inning, managerial moves and bullpen performance, the significance of the Dodgers’ victory and the future of the franchise, puzzling stats about sweeps and teams that fall behind 3-0 in best-of-seven series, cluttered fun facts, fan interference mishegoss, and much more. Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Daniel Lewis, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG playoff coverage Link to Ben on the Dodgers’ win Link to Game 5 fun facts Link to Kram on the fifth inning Link to Will Smiths story Link to Rogers tweet Link to fan ban Link to facial recognition story Link to Gronk tweet Link to 3-0 leads story Link to Ben on predicting sweeps Link to Paine on sweeps 1 Link to Paine on sweeps 2 Link to fun fact 1 Link to fun fact 2  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about and break down the lopsided first three games of the World Series: what went as expected, what was surprising, Aaron Judge’s postseason struggles, Freddie Freeman’s heroics, Shohei Ohtani’s injury, pivotal plays, Aaron Boone and Nestor Cortes, TV ratings, and much more, followed by (1:06:47) a brief, a not-about baseball voting PSA. Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG playoff coverage Link to Sterling call 1 Link to Sterling call 2 Link to Judge interview clip Link to Stanton play Link to Boone on the 2004 Red Sox Link to Ben on Boone and Cortes Link to Ben on team health Link to Will Carroll on Ohtani Link to Jeff Passan on Ohtani Link to TV ratings info Link to Langs slams stat Link to Langs 3-0 stat Link to Ice Cube video Link to Fat Joe video Link to Vote.gov  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Meg Rowley and guest co-host Craig Goldstein, editor-in-chief of Baseball Prospectus, discuss the passing of Fernando Valenzuela, and his importance to both the Dodgers and baseball more generally. Then they preview the 2024 World Series between the Dodgers and the Yankees. They detail the relative strengths and weaknesses of both teams, breaking down the lineups, rotations, and bullpens, and discuss the players who might make the difference, from big stars like Ohtani, Betts, Judge and Soto, to lesser-known arms like Luke Weaver and Brent Honeywell. Audio intro: Benny and A Million Shetland Ponies, “Benny and A Million Shetland Ponies – Horny EW Theme” Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FanGraphs’ postseason coverage Link to Eric Nusbaum’s book “Stealing Home: Los Angeles, the Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between” Link to Andy McCullough on Fernando Valenzuela Link to Craig on how the Dodgers should bullpen Game 1 Link to Craig’s podcast, Five and Dive Link to Rob Arthur on Ohtani’s effect on attendance Link to Ben Clemens’ World Series Preview Link to Mike Petriello on the reliever familiarity effectLink to Michael Baumann on Giancarlo Stanton Link to Davy Andrews on Aaron Judge Link to Dan Szymborski on home field advantage in the playoffs Link to Davy Andrews on the stars of the World Series Link to Michael Baumann on postseason relievers Link to Judge and Ohtani in the postseason  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Meg Rowley and guest co-host Eric Longenhagen, FanGraphs’ lead prospect analyst, discuss some of the eliminated playoff teams, Meg’s grand unified theory of Grimace, and a few of the things they are looking forward to in the coming Dodgers-Yankees World Series. Then they discuss what Eric does and doesn’t look for in his Arizona Fall League looks, and how things are going for a few of the Fall League’s big prospects, including Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter, Braves catcher Drake Baldwin, Dodgers outfielder Zyhir Hope, and Padres catcher Ethan Salas. Plus, Eric offers a few tips for those hoping to visit the AFL this year. Audio intro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG playoff coverage Link to Eric’s first Fall League dispatch (Andrew Painter, Ethan Salas, Zyhir Hope) Link to Eric’s second Fall League dispatch (Tre’ Morgan, Kemp Alderman) Link to the Fall League section of The Board Link to Jay Jaffe on Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge in the postseason Link to Jay Jaffe on starting pitching in the postseason Link to FanGraphs 2024 staff predictions FanGraphs 2024 staff playoff predictions Link to ZiPS game-by-game World Series Odds Link to the FanGraphs Playoff Odds Link to the FanGraphs Playoff Batting and Pitching Leaderboards  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s surprise presence and PitchCom conspiracies, recap the big moments (and big swings) from the end of the ALCS and NLCS, compare and contrast Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton, consider the 2025 outlooks for the Guardians and Mets, discuss the implications of a World Series matchup between big spenders, preview the Series, and share stats about Emmanuel Clase’s postseason implosion, the meeting of Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, and the star-studded-ness of the Yankees’ and Dodgers’ rosters. Audio intro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG playoff coverage Link to Clerks montage Link to Ben on SP playoff familiarity Link to Soto at-bat breakdown Link to Stanton at-bat Link to Soto at-bat Link to Soto quote Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Clase query data Link to listener emails database Link to Verducci on Dodgers-Yankees Link to ZiPS WS projections Link to Sterling clip Link to Langs stat 1 Link to Langs stat 2 Link to Langs stat 3 Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to MLBTR on the Mets Link to series star data  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Game 3 of the ALCS and Game 4 of the NLCS, follow up (39:05) on replay review, fly-ball classifications, and executive titles, answer listener emails (53:22) about retiring numbers for both home and road teams and correctly labeling bat “flips,” and Stat Blast (1:03:46) about postseason despair, ball behavior, and roster turnover, plus (1:50:49) a postscript. Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Link to FG playoff coverage Link to Noel HR call Link to triple HR prediction Link to Giménez play Link to 2016 NBA Finals wiki Link to Jaffe on Smith Link to Johansson hat Link to xkcd comic Link to listener emails database Link to Bautista bat flip Link to Playoff Despair Index data Link to Sheehan on October offense Link to Ben on the 2019 ball Link to postseason SLG-xSLG Link to lowest postseason SLGs Link to Tango on re-centering 1 Link to Tango on re-centering 2 Link to Smith flyout Link to Sheehan on roster turnover Link to Ben on roster turnover Link to roster turnover data Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to Episode 1771 Stat Blast Link to Episode 1586 Stat Blast Link to hard-hit FB out % Link to hard-hit LD out % Link to Garcia nickname Link to Sportico on sports betting Link to Jeter clip  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a report that Jerry Reinsdorf might be willing to sell the White Sox, then (13:22) discuss the tactics and storylines of ALCS and NLCS Game 2, including controversial Vogt decisions, how Yankees fans would perceive a pennant or championship, the importance of Max Muncy, visualizing success, Shohei Ohtani’s small-sample splits and playoff history, and more. After that (1:08:02), they answer listener emails about people who don’t know Ohtani can pitch, why some plays aren’t reviewable via replay, expanding the three-batter-minimum rule, and pedantry concerning squaring up foul balls, “taking a souvenir away” when robbing a homer, flying out sharply, and Canadian baseball-executive titles, plus a postscript featuring Ben’s daughter’s Effectively Wild debut (1:39:06). Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes 2, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Reinsdorf report Link to MLBTR on Reinsdorf Link to Clemens on Vogt Link to recent franchise sales Link to more on recent sales Link to playoff batting leaders Link to Baumann on Ohtani splits Link to Ohtani on the postseason story Link to Ohtani on the postseason video Link to Ohtani NPB postseason stats Link to Ohtani New Balance ad 1 Link to Ohtani New Balance ad 2 Link to xkcd comic Link to Buehler game story Link to neighborhood play explainer Link to replay review explainer Link to McTaggart tweet Link to squared-up-barrels rate Link to squared-up-rate explainer Link to Greene robbery video Link to listener emails database  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a mayoral Yankees/Mets cap and the history of politicians flubbing comments about baseball, tease their next playoff livestream, and discuss when it’s acceptable to call a game “winner take all,” the conclusion of the Division Series round, José Ramírez the motivator, the Tigers’ 2025 outlook, nobody believing in the Dodgers (supposedly), how Dave Roberts is doing, injury-compromised players, the first games of the NLCS and ALCS, the clutch hitting of Kiké Hernández, Giancarlo Stanton, and…Clayton Kershaw, misconceptions about one-knee-down catching, the 2025 Dodgers rotation, an uptick in October TV ratings, and the significance of the CS matchups. Audio intro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Adams cap article Link to NYT on the Adams cap Link to Adams Mets fandom Link to Adams 9/11 comment Link to Clinton story 1 Link to Clinton story 2 Link to Clinton story 3 Link to Clinton New Yorker cover Link to Giuliani story Link to de Blasio story Link to Obama story 1 Link to Obama story 2 Link to politicians story Link to “no cap” definition Link to Ramírez report Link to Ramírez and Mario Kart Link to Trueblood tweet Link to Muncy clip Link to Muncy/Hernández quotes Link to Curtis on doubters Link to Roberts confession Link to original Roberts quote Link to Dodgers streak story Link to updated playoff hitting data Link to postseason hitters, min. 50 PA Link to FG payroll page Link to one-knee-down story Link to PB/WP rates Link to Cooper thread Link to Swanson EW episode Link to BP fielding data on Naylor Link to FG fielding data on Naylor Link to MLB.com on Kershaw Link to MLBTR on Kershaw Link to MLBTR on Stone Link to Maldonado surgery story Link to Raleigh surgery story Link to Sheehan on second chances Link to Jay on the Yankees’ pen Link to Langs on slams Link to “must-win” quote Link to Trop update Link to Strike Four  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about not sleeping on the less star-studded but still exciting AL Central Division Series, a David Fry prediction, the reliever familiarity effect, an abhorrent TV shot, the Yankees’ ALDS victory, when the Royals will return to October, the Braves firing a few coaches, the future of Tropicana Field, and how MLB will weather climate change. Then (1:00:24) Ben clears out a backlog of seven Stat Blasts, on: Jon Berti and starting at a position for the first time in the playoffs; Beau Brieske and equal counts of games started and finished; the evolution of position-player pitching; Aaron Judge and the most- and least-clutch hitters in the postseason relative to the regular season; Luis Tiant, Pete Rose, and the hitters and pitchers who played the longest at the same time without ever facing each other in the regular season; the Trajekt effect and a century of the times-through-the-order penalty; and the average length of playoff series; plus a postscript. Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Fry prediction report Link to observer effect wiki Link to reliever familiarity effect info Link to Trueblood on the effect Link to TBS screenshot Link to Defector on broadcasts Link to Sheehan on Fry and K.C. Link to FG preseason playoff odds Link to article on Mahomes at ALDS Link to best team offenses Link to MLBTR on Atlanta firings Link to Seitzer wiki Link to The Athletic on the Trop Link to ESPN on the Rays Link to DRaysBay on ballparks Link to Keyser on climate change Link to story about Berti Link to 2003 Cabrera article Link to Cabrera 2003 RF game log Link to GS=GF leaders Link to Rob Mains on PPP 1 Link to Rob Mains on PPP 2 Link to Rob on PPP in September Link to PPP velo by year Link to Jeff on PPP BABIP Link to PPP stats since 2008 Link to all pitchers stats since 2008 Link to PPP stats 2008-17 Link to all pitchers stats 2008-17 Link to PPP stats 2018-24 Link to all pitchers stats 2018-24 Link to FG postseason leaderboards Link to postseason hitters, min. 50 PA Link to postseason hitters data Link to Ben on Reddick Link to Ben on Yordan Link to Tiant NYT obit Link to Angell on Tiant Link to Savannah Tiant hiring news Link to Ben on Rose Link to Mutombo obit Link to no-matchup players Link to no-matchup players, interleague Link to ESPN on Trajekt Link to EW Trajekt discussion Link to Ben on pitching machines Link to TTOP graph 1 Link to TTOP graph 2 Link to TTOP graph 3 Link to TTOP data 1 Link to TTOP data 2 Link to Mains on Smoltz Link to Mains on past TTOP Link to Mains on first-inning HFA Link to all DS Link to all LCS Link to all WS Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to listener emails database Link to Thomson and Thompson Link to epenthesis wiki Link to Wendy’s ad Link to Lindbergh Burrito Method Link to NJ/NY Gotham wiki Link to NYCFC wiki Link to first-night effect article  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Spotify Feed  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Bluesky Account  Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the possibility of players predicting opponents’ home runs, the Mets’ NLDS victory, New York’s title drought, Padres-Dodgers Games 3 and 4, Walker Buehler’s “earned” runs, Manny Machado’s clever, controversial dash, ALDS updates, a green-screen response and broadcast nitpicks, the possibly impending sale of the Twins, whether the ’25 Angels can pull a ’24 Royals, TJ3 deets, and a drastic injury-prevention prescription, plus a postscript. Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG playoff coverage Link to NY title drought data Link to “vintage Eric” quote Link to FG playoff odds Link to Emma’s Mets tweet Link to Baker on the Mets Link to Keyser on the Phillies Link to Castellanos quote Link to Grumkin wiki Link to Padres-Dodgers Game 3 story Link to skunk in the outfield Link to Sheehan on Machado Link to Calhoun play Link to Judge play Link to Judge play article Link to Jazz boos story Link to Jazz boos tweet Link to Yankees travel tweet Link to Trueblood on chaos Link to Defector on radio issues Link to Twins Daily on radio issues Link to MLB/Audacy agreement Link to Pohlad statement Link to Twins Daily on Pohlads Link to MLBTR on Pohlads Link to Gleeman grilling Link to Moreno story Link to MLBTR on the Angels Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Ahmad interview Link to Arthrex tape Link to Arthrex kickback case Link to Meister profile Link to arm-stress article Link to slider RPM/velo Link to sweeper RPM/velo Link to ZiPS odds Link to foul strike rule Link to Milton/Trop article Link to Sterling call Link to TBS screenshot Link to standards of review info  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the latest home run predictions (by Carlos Estévez and Lawrence Butler), top closers blowing leads, the compelling, competitive postseason, highlights of recent games, broadcasters invoking momentum, replay controversies, and Padres-Dodgers bad blood, plus follow-ups on green screens (or the lack thereof) on baseball broadcasts, fun-fact qualifiers, and the Reds and the Selig Rule, and closing banter about the Brewers and Willy Adames. Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG playoff coverage Link to Estévez prediction piece Link to his previous prediction Link to Estévez prediction pod 1 Link to Estévez prediction pod 2 Link to Estévez prediction pod 3 Link to Butler interview clip Link to story on Butler and Harris Link to player predictions wiki Link to Carpenter homer Link to hardest-hit balls vs. Clase Link to Clase 3-run HR fact Link to Carpenter leaderboard 1 Link to Carpenter leaderboard 2 Link to Carpenter career platoon splits Link to Rosen on Carpenter vs. Clase Link to Clase pitch-type splits Link to Sam on closer flops Link to FG reliever projections Link to SP cruising study 1 Link to SP cruising study 2 Link to momentum study 1 Link to momentum study 2 Link to momentum study 3 Link to momentum wiki Link to Sam on the 2014 Royals Link to Paine on 1-1 ties Link to ZiPS odds Link to Ben Clemens on weekend games Link to Nate Silver post Link to replay reviews breakdown Link to MLB quotes about replay Link to Dodgers-Padres Athletic recap Link to Dodgers-Padres breakdown video Link to Roberts quote Link to Machado video 1 Link to Machado video 2 Link to Rosenthal on Machado Link to dugout sides Link to Simpsons clip Link to Lux quote Link to green screen photo Link to Ortiz photo 1 Link to Ortiz photo 2 Link to virtual replacement ads info 1 Link to virtual replacement ads info 2 Link to virtual replacement ads info 3 Link to Alonso fun fact Link to Carpenter fun fact Link to Francona hiring article Link to Heyman tweet Link to Brewers postseason streak Link to Gandalf book quote Link to Gandalf movie quote Link to triple crown question 1 Link to triple crown question 2 Link to triple crown question 3  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Pete Alonso’s huge homer off of Devin Williams, the chaos and colorful characters surrounding the Mets, the difficulty of counting the qualifiers in an Alonso fun fact, Alonso’s free agency, the compelling nature of the Division Series matchups, previews of each series, the front-office shake-ups of the Cardinals and Giants, the Reds hiring Terry Francona and the state of the Selig Rule, Triple Tommy John surgery, how uncertainty about broadcast deals could affect free agency, heartening MLB attendance, TV ratings, and fan age info, and the origins, evolution, and import of the pitching triple crown. Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG playoff coverage Link to episode about Ben’s mom 1 Link to episode about Ben’s mom 2 Link to Alonso homer Link to Alonso fun fact Link to Howie Rose call Link to Citi Field crowd reaction Link to bar crowd reaction Link to Bowling Alone wiki Link to lowest career ERA- Link to lowest career FIP- Link to Williams injury article Link to MLBTR on Alonso 1 Link to MLBTR on Alonso 2 Link to Ben on post-pennant turnover 1 Link to Ben on post-pennant turnover 2 Link to Winker/Adames video Link to Winker helmet slam Link to Austin Powers mole scene Link to cWPA numbers Link to Mets good-luck-charm explainer Link to Mets and Hawk Tuah info Link to Pitbull remix info Link to info on Mendoza and Díaz Link to Division Series projections Link to Guardians-Tigers preview Link to Yankees-Royals preview Link to Phillies-Mets preview Link to Dodgers-Padres preview Link to MLBTR on Levine Link to Woo on Cardinals PD problems Link to Woo on Cardinals changes Link to Baggarly on Posey Link to MLBTR on Putila Link to Ben on ex-player GMs Link to Posey’s 2023 comments Link to Johnson Selig Rule comment Link to MLBTR on Francona Link to Wilson Selig Rule episode Link to MLB.com on the Selig Rule Link to Taylor on manager diversity Link to TJ3 introduction Link to TJ3 comparison Link to TJ3 tease tweet Link to The Onion blades article Link to ElAttrache New Yorker profile Link to Diamond Sports Group article Link to MLB attendance press release Link to Skubal triple crown article Link to triple crown wiki Link to triple crown dictionary definition Link to pitching triple crown article 1 Link to pitching triple crown article 2 Link to pitching triple crown article 3 Link to pitching triple crown article 4 Link to pitching triple crown article 5 Link to pitching triple crown article 6 Link to pitching triple crown article 7 Link to pitching triple crown article 8 Link to pitching triple crown article 9 Link to pitching triple crown article 10 Link to pitching triple crown article 11  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about distracting digital and between-pitch ads and ever-present win probability graphs on playoff broadcasts, the concept of controlling your own destiny, Orlando Arcia hugging Manny Machado, consternation about postseason small samples, Monday’s memorable Mets-Braves doubleheader, Carlos Mendoza’s Edwin Díaz decision, the most compelling postseason storylines, the early exits of the Orioles, Astros, and Braves, the futures of the Orioles and Tigers, MLB’s uniform fixes, Ken Kendrick’s comments about Jordan Montgomery, and the legacy of Pete Rose, plus a postscript (1:49:38). Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG playoff coverage Link to Arcia clip Link to Arcia FB post Link to Arcia tweets Link to Ben on 2024 upsets Link to Díaz quotes Link to Harvey quotes Link to September bullpen FIPs Link to Ghiroli on the O’s Link to Elias on the payroll Link to bold preseason predictions Link to Ben on Sale in 2018 Link to Hinch quote Link to uniform news Link to Kendrick/Hazen comments Link to Just For Men ad Link to Ben on Rose Link to Jay on Rose Link to Drellich on Rose statements Link to Rose tributes Link to Alonso fun fact Link to Iglesias prediction Link to d’Arnaud homer Link to bouncing tweet 1 Link to bouncing tweet 2 Link to bouncing tweet 3 Link to bouncing tweet 4 Link to bouncing tweet 5 Link to baseball bouncing tweet Link to mondegreen wiki Link to eggcorn wiki Link to eggcorn origin Link to Zimmer on eggcorns Link to eggcorn database  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

In (dis)honor of the 2024 White Sox displacing the 1962 Mets atop the modern-era single-season losses leaderboard, Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, FanGraphs’ Ben Clemens, and Yahoo Sports’s Jordan Shusterman conduct a draft of facts and stats about this record-setting Sox season, scored by Sox Machine White Sox reporter James Fegan, who also describes covering the team’s disastrous play. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLB.com on loss 121 Link to Reinsdorf letter Link to EW Episode 762 Link to EW Episode 1730 Link to Sox season preview pod Link to worst team hitter WAR Link to CBS on Sox stats Link to ESPN on Sox stats Link to FG payroll page Link to list of worst records Link to Sox splits Link to Getz on Sox last year Link to Getz on Sox this year Link to Sox WAR leaderboard Link to Sox booing 1 Link to Sox booing 2 Link to Sox booing 3 Link to BaseRuns standings Link to losing streak fact Link to 2023 FG Sox post Link to Baumann on 121 Link to The Athletic deep dive Link to ESPN deep dive Link to qualified Sox hitters Link to worst qualified hitters Link to team OBP laggards Link to team OBP+ laggards Link to MLBTR on Zaidi/Posey Link to MLBTR on Mozeliak/Bloom Link to uniforms changes Link to ESPN Rose obit Link to Washington comments Link to EW preseason predictions Link to EW 2163 Stat Blast Link to Ruiz save game Link to GF w/o a save leaders  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the 50th anniversary of the first Tommy John surgery and how baseball would be different if the procedure had never been pioneered, then (15:14) preview the 2024 postseason by pinpointing the biggest strength and weakness of each AL (21:40) and NL (1:00:17) playoff team. Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to TJ 50th anniversary info Link to John anniversary interview Link to risk compensation wiki Link to FG WS odds Link to Ben C.’s AL difference makers Link to Ben C.’s NL difference makers Link to long Judge video Link to team SP projections Link to team RP projections Link to Ben L. on Sale in 2018 Link to Sports Night clip  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about MLB’s oddly extended YouTube highlight videos, the league’s handling of a crucial, rained-out Mets/Brave series, the zombie runner rearing its ugly head in games with playoff implications, teams that are well-positioned for an especially free-for-all October, Emmanuel Clase’s Cy case, the value of top position players vs. top pitchers, and the Pirates’ suspiciously timed ta-ta to Rowdy Tellez. Then (1:02:42) they talk to The Athletic’s Melissa Lockard about the Athletics’ last series in Oakland, the future of the franchise and its fans, the Coliseum’s charms, John Fisher’s inflammatory letter, and much more. Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLB YouTube videos Link to MLB YouTube Shorts Link to long triple play video Link to short triple play vid 1 Link to short triple play vid 2 Link to long Ohtani video Link to long Judge video Link to Harris quote Link to NY Post on postponed series Link to MLB.com on postponed series Link to Royals zombie-runner win Link to team offense in September Link to Dan S. on playoff predictions Link to Dan’s post last year Link to Dan on playoffs crapshoots Link to Ben on playoffs crapshoots Link to team pitching WAR leaders Link to team bullpen WPA leaders Link to lowest RP ERAs Link to Cleveland’s clinch Link to Tango on reliever voting Link to Epstein on reliever voting Link to single-season pitcher WPA leaders Link to pitcher cWPA Link to hitter cWPA Link to Ben on Britton Link to top hitter/pitcher data Link to MLBTR on Tellez Link to Shelton quote Link to Cherington quote Link to Tellez incentives Link to Tellez splits Link to best Pirates hitters since June Link to Defector on Tellez Link to MLBTR on A’s and Andrus Link to Allen’s Oakland WAR ranking Link to best MLB hitters since June Link to A’s preview episode Link to Melissa on the A’s Link to Melissa on the Roots Link to Rooker rendering Link to Portland ballpark news Link to EW Ballers interview Link to Dan Moore on the Ballers Link to Fisher letter Link to Moore on the A’s Link to Moore on A’s fans Link to Carig on the A’s Link to Keown on the A’s  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s return from vacation, Corbin Burnes’s cutter comeback, the demotion of CJ Abrams, the no-longer-dynamic duo of Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, the firing of Reds manager David Bell, the Tigers promoting Jackson Jobe, Shota Imanaga’s post-NPB performance, teams refusing to use injuries as an excuse, Charlie Blackmon’s career and home-road splits, Matt Chapman’s long, non-homer hits, and whether to discount Shohei Ohtani’s power-speed exploits for 2024’s scoring environment. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio outro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Orr on Burnes Link to Kostka on Burnes Link to Burnes monthly splits Link to Burnes at Brooks Baseball Link to ESPN on Abrams Link to Abrams monthly splits Link to Verlander update Link to Scherzer update Link to 44/60 aging study Link to MLBTR on Bell Link to AP on Bell Link to FG on Bell Link to Bell ejections story Link to 2023 BaseRuns records Link to 2024 BaseRuns records Link to Reds offseason review Link to projected record changes Link to MLB.com on Jobe Link to BP on Jobe Link to Jobe/Price story Link to Sussman on Imanaga Link to DeltaGraphs Link to “no excuse” quote Link to BP IL Ledger Link to MLBTR on Blackmon Link to Blackmon home/road splits Link to biggest splits (OPS points) Link to biggest splits (%) Link to Coors hangover article 1 Link to Coors hangover article 2 Link to Coors hangover article 3 Link to Coors hangover article 4 Link to Coors hangover article 5 Link to Rockies road pre-2020 Link to Rockies home pre-2020 Link to Rockies road post-2020 Link to Rockies home post-2020 Link to non-Rockies road post-2020 Link to non-Rockies home post-2020 Link to Blackmon road pre-2020 Link to Blackmon home pre-2020 Link to Blackmon road post-2020 Link to Blackmon home post-2020 Link to Chapman homer Link to Chapman game story Link to non-HR distance leaderboard Link to Jason Bernard’s Twitter Link to latest HUAL Link to highest one-game RE24 Link to RE24 glossary Link to power-speed number wiki Link to power-speed number by year Link to adj. power-speed leaders 1 Link to adj. power-speed leaders 2 Link to adj. power-speed data 2 Link to adj. power-speed leaders 3 Link to adj. power-speed data 3 Link to Ken Williams history Link to 1920s hitter WAR leaders Link to Superman hair info Link to EW on sliding Link to SIS sliding story Link to 2018 Angels sliding story Link to Bud Black video  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and FanGraphs’ Ben Clemens dissect the glorious game in which Shohei Ohtani founded the 50-50 and 51-51 Clubs, Ohtani’s most awe-inspiring feats, and his future, followed (29:51) by banter about the state of defensive stats, the mystery of Salvador Perez’s swing decisions, questionable kudos for Bud Black, whether Victor Robles made the worst steal attempt of all time, and MLB’s Players of the Game. Then (1:19:55) Ben talks to trailblazing journalist Melissa Ludtke, author of Locker Room Talk: A Woman’s Struggle to Get Inside, about the landmark 1970s Ludtke v. Kuhn case that opened MLB team clubhouses to women. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes 2, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ben C. on Ohtani Link to Ohtani highlights Link to Ohtani single-game stats Link to Mookie quote Link to study on exit velo Link to Lebron tweet Link to power/speed number wiki Link to most Total Bases Link to 50-homer seasons Link to 70-steal seasons Link to Sheehan on Shohei Link to Ben C. on Ohtani odds Link to various Ohtani fun facts Link to OptaSTATS fun fact Link to Terminator 2 quote Link to Tango on defensive stats Link to Judge on defensive stats Link to BP DRP Link to previous Salvy EW discussion Link to Sarris on not swinging Link to Choi on not swinging Link to SEAGER explainer Link to latest SEAGER article Link to SEAGER leaderboards Link to SwRV explainer Link to more on SwRV Link to PLV explainer Link to PLV swing decisions Link to Robert Orr’s Twitter Link to Drew Haugen’s Twitter Link to Kyle Bland’s Twitter Link to Bud Black tweet Link to Black’s manager page Link to Rockies managers page Link to Leyland Rockies wiki Link to Ben on pitching coaches Link to Julio/Arozarena play Link to Julio/Arozarena article Link to Andrews on Robles Link to Baumann on Robles Link to AP on Robles Link to Robles video clip Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to Ryan’s stealing-home data Link to 2023 post on stealing home Link to 2020 “steal” Link to MLB Player of the Game Link to FG Player of the Game Link to Melissa and Cosell Link to Locker Room Talk Link to Constance Baker Motley wiki Link to Constance Baker Motley book Link to Ludtke v. Kuhn decision Link to Angell’s New Yorker feature Link to Angell centennial EW episode Link to Emma at SI on Melissa Link to Melissa on Melissa Link to Melissa’s TEDx talk Link to Melissa’s website  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

In a bonus EW episode, Ben Lindbergh talks to screenwriter and former editor-in-chief of The Onion Robert Siegel about his classic Onion opinion piece, “In My Day, Ballplayers Were For Shit,” how The Onion used to approach sports coverage, the importance of headlines and stock photos, satirizing baseball vs. satirizing other sports, why The Onion hasn’t lost its fastball, and more, plus (55:53) a postscript. Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to “In My Day” article Link to “Take Me Out” song Link to The Onion baseball archive Link to Siegel’s IMDb Link to Siegel’s wiki Link to 2003 Yankees story Link to Counsell story Link to Brock AB story Link to warehouse fire story Link to “No Way to Prevent This” Link to Congress/Capitol story Link to Ripken story 1 Link to Ripken story 2 Link to Little Leaguer story Link to T-ball headline Link to Onion popularity story Link to Our Dumb Century Link to ODC archive Link to “Heartbreaking” photo wiki Link to Ben on Sloan Link to Facebook favorites thread Link to Reddit favorites thread Link to NotGraphs favorites post Link to Angell’s boyhood memories Link to Ben on talent over time Link to Ottavino claim Link to Tungsten Arm article Link to Dunne at Fanatics Fest Link to Ben on Marvel stans Link to Grantland on dying baseball Link to SI on dying baseball Link to Ohtani futures bet photo Link to first-pitch injury Link to Chourio prediction Link to Holliday prediction Link to Shania song Link to Ryan’s Twitter thread Link to CV wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Joe Sheehan banter about high school, the persistent, befuddling allure of Craig Kimbrel, the Orioles’ recent struggles, the playoff-fumble potential of four teams that previously possessed 90-plus-percent playoff odds, their prediction philosophies, the potential for legislation to curb the excesses of sports betting, and what the surprise “retirement” of Adrian Wojnarowski says about the difference between baseball’s biggest newsbreakers and those of other sports, plus a postscript (1:16:30) about the history of hating intentional walks. Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to JUG explainer 1 Link to JUG explainer 2 Link to Regis JUG Night Link to Joe Sheehan Newsletter Link to MLBTR on Kimbrel Link to Jaffe on Kimbrel Link to McCann clip Link to Ben C. on the odds 1 Link to Ben C. on the odds 2 Link to 538 predictions check Link to Silver on randomness Link to Birnbaum on randomness Link to Ben on postseason sweeps Link to Chass on “digital dandy” Link to Dan on “digital dandy” Link to MLBPA lawsuit Link to SAFE Bet Act info 1 Link to SAFE Bet Act info 2 Link to Slow Boring on sports betting Link to Premier League ad ban Link to Wrigley sportsbook article Link to UK celebrity ad ban Link to Craggs on sports betting Link to Woj retirement tweet Link to ESPN Woj news Link to The Ringer on Woj Link to Schefter quote Link to Ben on newsbreaking Link to insider scandals Link to Sharpe apology Link to Schumaker clip Link to Abe Simpson clip Link to A Game of Inches Link to Strike Four Link to Game of Inches on the IBB Link to Posnanski on the IBB  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and FanGraphs’ Dan Szymborski banter about Ben’s timing in respect to Declan Cronin’s homerless streak, the perils of podcasts, predictions, and regression to the mean, the White Sox cutting payroll and their projections for the rest of this season, next season, and beyond, Gerrit Cole’s ignominious intentional walk, Alex Cora’s seeming admission that the Red Sox threw at Aaron Judge, Farhan Zaidi’s future in San Francisco, Heliot Ramos’s historic splash hit, Mike Trout’s possible position change, the Dodgers’ injury-plagued pitching staff, and the breakout of Bowden Francis. Then (1:21:27) Ben talks to Tigers TV voice Jason Benetti about how Detroit has made a late run despite selling at the trade deadline, the franchise’s outlook, and Jason’s job change, plus a postscript (1:58:10). Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Cronin on EW Link to Wood’s homer Link to text from Cronin Link to Leo’s Declan post Link to White Sox payroll report Link to Sox payroll page Link to MLB payrolls Link to Getz quotes Link to playoff odds page Link to BaseRuns records Link to thread on Sox simulations Link to Dan on outlier teams Link to Tango on outlier teams Link to Sox losses update Link to 1916 A’s page Link to Cole IBB story Link to Dubuque on Cole Link to Bello ball 1 to Judge 1 Link to Bello ball 2 to Judge Link to Cora comments Link to Post report on Cora Link to later Cora report Link to The Athletic on Chapman deal Link to The Chronicle on Chapman deal Link to Rosenthal on Zaidi Link to Ben on ex-player GMs Link to splash hits list Link to MLB.com on Ramos HR Link to Ramos Savant page Link to Sam on splash hits 1 Link to Sam on splash hits 2 Link to Trout quotes Link to 2018 Trout workout Link to full-time-DH penalty Link to Rosenthal on the Dodgers Link to TJS data Link to pitcher injury totals Link to Rhoads on Twitter Link to Dodgers depth chart Link to Friedman’s comments Link to Daugherty’s tweet Link to Dan on innings eating Link to Ben on innings eating Link to BP on Francis Link to Francis fun fact Link to Francis FIP-WAR leaderboard Link to Francis RA9-WAR leaderboard Link to Late Heavy Bombardment wiki Link to Dan on the zombie runner Link to Rocky IV montage Link to Rocky IV quote Link to team records since 7/1 Link to team records since 7/30 Link to team records since 8/1 Link to RP WAR since 8/1 Link to SP innings since 8/1 Link to “Gnomes” wiki Link to Space Mountain wiki Link to plane boarding article Link to Tigers trade activity Link to Tigers pitcher usage article Link to McGwire’s comments Link to Jason’s podcast Link to framing/cheating post Link to Tony the Tiger wiki Link to The Ringer-Verse Link to Hang Up and Listen  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports debate whether Jackson Holliday, Jackson Chourio, or Jackson Merrill will be the best player long term, discuss the addition of ads to batting helmets and continued MLB ad creep, and ponder the possibility of publicly owned ballclubs. Then (55:52) Ben talks to Mojo Hill about covering Derek Bender, the Twins minor league catcher who was released for telling opposing hitters which pitches were coming. Finally (1:27:09), Ben brings on Frequent Stat Blast Correspondent Ryan Nelson for Blasts about runs scoring on three consecutive wild pitches, players who faced the same opponent with the most teams in a single season, the most and least consistent start lengths, team games with the same number of hits, walks, and runs, and bad bullpen support. Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Link to FG paywall post Link to CBS Jacksons debate Link to FG preseason top 100 Link to FG Trade Value ranking Link to Dan S. on sophomore slumps Link to Dubuque on sophomore slumps Link to 21-and-under hitter WAR Link to Jacksons projections Link to Jacksons listener poll Link to Ben on minors/majors gap Link to new minors/majors gap story 1 Link to new minors/majors gap story 2 Link to MLB helmets release Link to AP on the helmets Link to Clemente Award release Link to Craig’s ads thread Link to Kepner on helmet ads Link to sponsor revenue story Link to jersey ad revenue Link to patch revenue info Link to R.J.’s public ownership feature Link to previous public ownership story Link to BP on Atlanta’s finances Link to ESPN’s Bender report Link to BA on Bender Link to Cooper tweet about Bender Link to McDaniel tweet about Bender Link to Bull Durham clip Link to Mojo’s Bender thread Link to Mojo’s @UnfortunateMLB tweet Link to Mojo’s Bender feature Link to Mojo’s hiring announcement Link to article on grooving pitches Link to wild pitches list Link to Baumann game log Link to The Athletic on Hawk Link to Skenes game log Link to pitcher start length data Link to Cooney SABR bio Link to Stathead query 1 Link to Stathead query 2 Link to Stathead query 3 Link to Stathead query 4 Link to relief stats by starter data Link to Episode 1852 Stat Blast wiki Link to listener emails database Link to Roberts interview clip Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and FanGraphs’ Michael Baumann play a game of “College Baseball Player or Vuelta a España Stage Winner?”, discuss Kumar Rocker’s potential and path to the majors, and (17:38) meet major leaguers Tyler Jay and Richard Fitts, before talking (39:33) to *checks notes* Marlins reliever Big Mike Baumann about becoming the second major leaguer ever to play for five teams in one season. After that (1:05:10), Ben chats with Baumann’s teammate Declan Cronin about how he’s held hitters homerless all season, the high-BABIP blues, the latest trends in pitching development, player paperwork, and more. Then (1:39:52) Ben brings on writer Lakshmi Gandhi to discuss Rocker’s significance as the first MLB player of Indian descent, before finishing (1:55:39) with several follow-ups. Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 3: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Vuelta a España wiki Link to Wheelysports Link to Baumann on Rocker Link to MLBTR on Rocker Link to MLB on Rocker Link to BP on Rocker Link to Rocker/Leiter Vandy doc Link to Rocker MiLB highlights Link to MLB Pipeline Top 100 Link to B-Ref new debuts Link to post-ASB team pitching WAR Link to Fitts story 1 Link to Fitts story 2 Link to Fitts story 3 Link to Fitts interview Link to Red Sox top prospects Link to 2024 White Sox splits Link to Baumann’s White Sox post Link to The Athletic on Baumann Link to Drake on EW Link to MLBTR on Gose Link to Suits: L.A. wiki Link to first Cronin pod appearance Link to FG RP WAR Link to ERA-FIP leaders Link to pitcher defensive support Link to highest BABIP allowed Link to post on homerless Cronin Link to Tread Athletics Link to MLBTR on Marlins moves Link to Buck’s Big Mac call Link to Laschmi’s 2021 article Link to NPR’s 2021 article Link to Texas South Asians site Link to MLB on Rocker’s background Link to Dallas News on Rocker Link to Lakshmi’s website Link to Rocker debut Ks Link to Doris Day article 1 Link to Doris Day article 2 Link to 50-homer SB leaders Link to The Athletic on Sacramento Link to Chronicle on Sacramento Link to BA MiLB park factors Link to velo/K leaderboards Link to EW Episode 2213 Link to updated Stat Blast spreadsheet Link to EW listener emails database Link to EW Episode 2215 Link to September 2021 screenshot Link to zoomed-in screenshot Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss the solution to a Carlos Estévez prediction cold case, share a baseball-sicko experience prompted by the band Hinds’s new single, put actors on baseball-movie Mount Rushmore (in honor of the late, great, James Earl Jones), scrutinize two suggestions for HBP policing, assess the risks and history of ceremonial first pitches, Nora Ephron’s fandom, and the “first ball” in the movie My Blue Heaven, and banter about a White Sox ad for MLB.TV, the call-up of Jasson Domínguez, Gerrit Cole’s return to form, whether Corbin Burnes’s free agency could play out like Blake Snell’s and Jordan Montgomery’s, the Mets-Braves wild card race, Francisco Lindor, Trea Turner, and fan ovations, the unsung A’s offense, Jerry DiPOBO’s Seattle staying power, and more. Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to player predictions EW wiki Link to Estévez story Link to Estévez game Link to Estévez radio call Link to McMahon homer Link to Aaron Muñoz Insta Link to Dollar Dogs article 1 Link to Dollar Dogs article 2 Link to Dollar Dogs article 3 Link to “Boom Boom Back” Link to Viva Hinds album Link to Hinds wiki Link to 1933 Elmer the Great nickname Link to Boom-Boom Beck SABR bio Link to Elmer, the Great wiki Link to Time on Elmer, the Great Link to NYT on Elmer, the Great Link to JEJ NYT obit Link to Joe E. Brown wiki Link to Ken Medlock wiki Link to Baseball: The Movie Link to Gittell on EW Link to The Sandlot scene Link to Merrifield Athletic article 2 Link to FB ABS HBP post Link to HBP replay review rules Link to Bethune first pitch report Link to Koike injury report Link to Baylor injury report Link to My Blue Heaven first ball clip Link to My Blue Heaven Padres scene Link to Sleepless in Seattle scene Link to My Blue Heaven wiki Link to info president pitches Link to The Winning Team wiki Link to first pitches wiki Link to first pitch/ball history Link to Ephron on Tekulve Link to story on Robinson Link to The Naked Gun clip Link to White Sox ad Link to MLBTR on Domínguez Link to pitcher WAR since 8/1 Link to Ben C. on Braves-Mets Link to FG playoff odds Link to FG SP projections Link to team SP WAR Link to Megill velo story 1 Link to Megill velo story 2 Link to Megill velo story 3 Link to Lindor ovation story Link to Turner doc story Link to team batting post-ASB Link to squandered GSc>= 50 Link to squandered GSc>= 60 Link to squandered GSc>= 65 Link to squandered GSc>= 75 Link to M’s starts of GSc>= 75 Link to MLBTR on Dipoto report Link to BP on Dipoto Link to Mariners playoff appearances Link to Hyden’s five-albums test Link to listener emails database Link to Machado homer story Link to Banda punch story Link to Bird Bones song Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the impressiveness of a prediction by Carlos Estévez, how to say the score from the losing team’s perspective, and getting hit in the head by a hot dog. Then (23:13) they discuss getting hit in the head (or the hands) by a baseball: how often it happens, how dangerous it is, and whether (as Whit Merrifield argues) MLB must act to discourage it. Then (58:28) they brainstorm about visiting teams’ first-inning disadvantage and answer listener emails (1:08:42) about Triple-A teams as playoff warm-up acts, an obscure Rich Hill record, post-PitchCom performance in past sign-stealing situations, headfirst sliding vs. feet-first sliding (and whether running more can cause one to slump at the plate), the concept of a “natural position,” and the ethics of a UCL exclusivity deal. Audio intro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Estévez story Link to Estévez game Link to Estévez game highlights Link to McMahon homer Link to Estévez game story Link to 2022 Merrifield HBP Link to Merrifield Athletic article 1 Link to Merrifield Athletic article 2 Link to Ben on HBP in 2021 Link to Mains on HBP in 2021 Link to Arthur on HBP and batters 1 Link to Arthur on HBP and batters 2 Link to FG on HBP in 2022 Link to HBP per PA by year Link to HBP per pitch by year Link to avg. HBP velo Link to avg. FB HBP velo Link to HBP FB% by year Link to avg. HBP height Link to avg. FB HBP height Link to HBP in danger zones by year Link to Shadow Zone HBP by year Link to HBP in the strike zone by year Link to BP Recovery Dashboard Link to Rosenthal on command Link to Sarris on command Link to BP on hitter injuries Link to Mains on HFA by inning Link to Smith on first-inning HFA 1 Link to Smith on first-inning HFA 2 Link to Japanese baseball rules Link to 2015 Japan Times column Link to Ben C. on playoffs layoffs Link to Hill Stathead query Link to MLBTR on Hill’s DFA Link to Hill’s 2024 game log Link to B-Ref bases-occupied splits Link to runner-on-second offense Link to no-runner-on-second offense Link to sliding mitts blog Link to Mark Simon’s Twitter Link to SIS Twitter Link to injury rates on slides Link to Andrews on Cruz Link to Benz on Cruz Link to info on lefty defenders Link to Buck on butts Link to mindset explainer Link to listener emails database Link to gunk story 1 Link to gunk story 2 Link to gunk story 3 Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Giants extending Matt Chapman and Manny Machado’s pursuit of Nate Colbert’s Padres home run record, Stat Blast (20:42) about Luis Arraez’s extreme three-true-outcome avoidance, Ben Joyce’s potentially unprecedented pitch speeds, and whiff-averse flamethrowers, and then discuss (54:31) the Yankees’ left-field dilemma(?) involving Alex Verdugo and Jasson Domínguez, the Brewers’ expectations-surpassing success, and NPB’s suspicious power outage, before finishing with several follow-ups (1:33:35). Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Chapman Link to Rosenthal on Chapman/Boras Link to Dan S. on Chapman in 2022 Link to 3B defense leaders Link to Colbert Stat Blast Link to Stat Blast song cover Link to Levitt Arraez tweet Link to Ben on Arraez Link to Arraez batting title article Link to FG + stats Link to Arraez IBB game Link to Madlock trivia Link to TTO%+ sheet Link to TTO% by season Link to TTO% leaders Link to MLB.com on Joyce Link to ESPN on Joyce Link to Joyce pitch-type splits Link to Chapman pitch-type splits Link to 2024 FAv leaders Link to FBv and K%+ at FG Link to Ben on Joyce in 2012 Link to velo sheet 1 Link to velo sheet w/xK% Link to velo sheet (95+ mph) Link to Jeff on Capps 1 Link to Jeff on Capps 2 Link to Verdugo/Domínguez article 1 Link to Verdugo/Domínguez article 2 Link to Verdugo/Domínguez article 3 Link to Verdugo/Domínguez article 4 Link to LF defense leaders Link to BaseRuns/Pythag page Link to Jeff on team depth Link to NEIFI on team depth Link to team Def Eff Link to team defense at FG Link to Petriello team projections Link to Pacific League at B-Ref Link to Central League at B-Ref Link to MLB velo by year Link to DeltaGraphs Link to Ben on DeltaGraphs Link to Jim Allen’s Twitter Link to Jason Coskrey’s Twitter Link to Jim on small ball Link to Tony Adams tweet Link to Swanson on EW Link to WP+PB data Link to 2013 NPB ball change Link to 2B team offense Link to monthly power/speed data Link to EW wiki Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuña Jr., and quantifying power/speed excellence and the White Sox somehow playing way worse under Grady Sizemore, follow up on hippos, A-Rod’s relationships, double plates/bases, 40-something hitters, player predictions, and one-pitch first strikeouts, and react to a new kind of bases-loaded walk and private equity’s incursion into youth sports. Then (52:12) they talk to Matthew DeSantis and Ramon Riesgo of the Bhutan Baseball & Softball Association about the origins, development, and future of baseball in Bhutan and the Hudson Valley Renegades’ recent Bhutan Night. Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to power-speed number wiki Link to EW Episode 2057 Link to MUTO wiki Link to Cranston promo 1 Link to Cranston promo 2 Link to article on Angels and Ohtani Link to Ohtani/Dekopin first pitch Link to on-pace projections Link to FG playoff odds Link to Grant’s White Sox tweet Link to hippo etymology Link to quotes about A-Rod Link to PA by 40+ hitters Link to Chourio video Link to Adames video Link to Adames article Link to Seitzer game account Link to Seitzer game at Retrosheet Link to Seitzer game at B-Ref Link to MiLB IBB game Link to IBB list Link to Seager IBB details Link to Bloomberg on youth sports Link to EW Episode 2168 Link to Drellich on MiLB PE Link to EW Episode 1860 Link to Renegades wiki Link to 2023 MLB.com Bhutan story Link to 2024 MLB.com Bhutan story Link to Bhutan Baseball website Link to Bhutan Night video Link to more Bhutan Night video Link to Yankee Stadium video Link to Bhutan wiki Link to country elevations Link to Buddha statue wiki Link to Baseball5 wiki Link to Darwin’s finches wiki Link to Angels Ohtani graphic Link to Sox losing streak tweet Link to Swanson quote Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Juan Soto’s free agency and Aaron Judge’s ego, follow up on in-season exhibition games, and (18:51) answer listener emails about the possibility of adding games to the baseball season, bullpen pitchers robbing a home run robbery, redrawing (or enforcing) coach’s boxes, pronouncing “wRC+,” programming ABS to help starters go deeper into games, Joey Votto vs. Lance Berkman, boycotting A’s games on the road, installing a second home plate (and/or double bases), replacing “bullets in the arm” with “throws of the dice,” using pitch counts instead of innings counts, and player development during suspensions. Audio intro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Passan’s FA preview Link to Judge/Soto story Link to highest player AAVs Link to longest contracts Link to extension rejection story Link to radio host on Judge Link to laser pointers story Link to Sosa 1998 exhibition Link to new UEFA format Link to story on shortening season Link to Jankowski robbery Link to Jankowski waiver news Link to coach’s box wiki Link to coach’s box rule Link to MLB rules Link to Yanks/Jays incident Link to Yanks/Jays video Link to Ben on the strike zone Link to 1B JAWS Link to LF JAWS Link to double 1B story 1 Link to double 1B story 2 Link to double 1B story 3 Link to innings vs. pitches data Link to Orelvis suspension Link to suspended player rules Link to rehab rules Link to listener emails database Link to MLBTR on Pasquantino Link to Picollo quote Link to hippos article 1 Link to hippos article 2 Link to hippos article 3 Link to hippos article 4 Link to hippos article 5 Link to hippos article 6 Link to hippos article 7 Link to hippos article 8 Link to hippos article 9 Link to hippos article 10 Link to hippos documentary Link to hippogriff wiki Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about ad proliferation on podcasts and make a sheepish plea for listener support, then discuss the reversal of offensive fortunes for first basemen and shortstops and Oneil Cruz’s move to center field before following up (35:33) on the Mariners’ managerial hiring and the Selig Rule, a Rich Hill record (and dueling Hill fun facts), the effect of equidistant fences, Carlos Santana’s milestone ball, single-organization Futures Games, and broadcaster BSing, and then Stat Blasting (1:11:40) about Félix Hernández and high HR:hit ratios by bad hitters, Ernie Clement and high-pitch homers, mid-plate-appearance big-league debuts, and small-sample, leaguewide scoring fluctuations (and also semi-meeting major leaguers Ryan Zeferjahn, Jeff Criswell, and Brady Feigl). Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to EW’s Patreon Link to WSJ on pod ads Link to Patreon iOS app news Link to McCartney lyrics pod Link to Ben on HUAL Link to bonus Ben on HUAL Link to Kirschner on 1B Link to Sherman on 1B Link to Epstein on 1B Link to Verducci on 1B Link to Jaffe on 1B Link to Keyser on DHs Link to 1B/SS data Link to B-Ref positional splits Link to Dan S. on awards voting Link to Haywood clip Link to Andrews on Cruz Link to MLB.com on Cruz Link to Benz on Cruz Link to Cruz defensive stats Link to tallest shortstops Link to MLB.com on the Selig Rule Link to Taylor on manager diversity Link to Ben C. on the fences Link to EW Episode 2201 Link to EW Episode 2030 Link to Becker’s Hill tweet Link to Browne’s Hill tweet Link to Ben on ex-player GMs Link to MLB.com Santana story Link to follow-up Santana report Link to Futures at Fenway wiki Link to Sox Prospects Link to Royals-Chasers story Link to Mays at Norfolk Link to 2001 NYT story Link to Tides-O’s exhibition Link to Tides history Link to Nats Futures Game news Link to Nats Futures Game gamer Link to Cruz fly ball Link to Pirates radio clip Link to Stat Blast song cover Link to Félix slam video Link to Félix Stathead query Link to Gant article Link to Gant/McDonald query Link to high-pitch homers Link to Kubel homer Link to Higashioka homer Link to Clement homer Link to Zeferjahn debut clip Link to Zeferjahn story 1 Link to Zeferjahn story 2 Link to Zeferjahn story 3 Link to Red Sox prospect rankings Link to 1-pitch Ks Link to EW Episode 2187 Link to Lovelace debut clip Link to listener emails database Link to official baseball rules Link to Rule 9.16(h) 1 Link to Rule 9.16(h) 2 Link to at-bat rule Link to MLBTR on Criswell Link to Criswell game logs Link to first Criswell game Link to second Criswell game Link to Rockies prospect ranking Link to Feigl debut clip Link to AP on Feigl’s debut Link to Feigl wiki Link to Lexington Legends wiki Link to Legends rebranding story Link to Legends re-rebranding story Link to other Feigl retirement post Link to Sheehan’s “Collapse” post Link to offense fluctuations data Link to latest six-day period Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to Hill 2024 debut clip Link to Rule 5.10(f) Link to Rule 7.02(c) comment Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Derek Jeter‘s (and Aaron Judge’s) championship-or-bust rhetoric, Alex Rodriguez’s date night, Judge’s home-run robberies, Judge’s offensive prowess compared to Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds, how clutchness (or the lack thereof) could affect the AL MVP race, Juan Soto’s defense, how the trajectory of Seattle’s season may have sealed Scott Servais’s fate, the Royals’ valuable durability, Michael Kopech as a Dodger, Dallas Keuchel’s latest destination, the new, old Jacob deGrom, and Jordan Montgomery’s and Blake Snell’s contrasting takes on Scott Boras. Then (1:14:39) they bring back Sports Reference software developer (and primary developer of Baseball-Reference.com) Kenny Jackelen to describe the work that went into ensuring that Danny Jansen’s unique two-teams-in-one-game performance diddn’t break B-Ref. Audio intro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Jeter quote Link to 2019 Judge quote Link to 2023 Judge quote Link to 2023 Judge quote 2 Link to story on 2009 reunion Link to duck tour incidents Link to A-Rod date night 1 Link to A-Rod date night 2 Link to Babe Ruth Award wiki Link to FG batting paces Link to FG WAR leaderboard Link to single-season wRC+ leaders Link to single-season batting leaders Link to hitting leaders since 5/1 Link to SIS Judge stat Link to Judge robbery article Link to “locked in” quote Link to “locked in” quote 2 Link to Judge’s splits Link to Tango on Judge’s clutchness Link to FG Clutch leaderboard Link to batting WPA leaders Link to pitching WPA leaders Link to batting cWPA leaders Link to pitching cWPA leaders Link to spring Soto play Link to EW on Soto’s play Link to Bradley/Soto article Link to Soto’s defensive history Link to Ben on Harper’s defense Link to Selig Rule article Link to Wilson wiki Link to Sheehan on the Royals Link to BP IL Ledger Link to 2024 team batting age Link to Jaffe on Kopech Link to Sox Machine on Kopech Link to Keuchel signing article Link to Carmen Sandiego theme song Link to deGrom rehab article 1 Link to deGrom rehab article 2 Link to deGrom rehab article 3 Link to Montgomery comments Link to Snell comments Link to MLBTR on Montgomery/Snell Link to MLBTR on Montgomery’s agent Link to Jaffe on the Boras Four Link to @mattomic tweet Link to Kenny’s first EW appearance Link to Cora on Jansen Link to B-Ref game page Link to Jansen game log Link to Forman tweet Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Mariners firing Scott Servais, the Angels not firing Perry Minasian, Joey Votto’s career and retirement, the continued collapse of Craig Kimbrel, NPB players pushing for a faster path to domestic and international free agency, and the NWSL abolishing its draft. Then (42:45) they’re joined by Patreon supporter Sam Horton to answer listener emails about active future Hall of Fame pitchers, Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, major and minor leaguers swapping parks, a desperate outfield tactic, penalizing catcher glove movement, and the ethics of returning milestone homers to hitters, followed (1:48:30) by a postscript Stat Blast about scoring at least 11 unanswered runs. Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Link to MLBTR on Servais Link to The Athletic on Servais Link to MLBTR on Minasian Link to MLBTR on Votto Link to Dan S. on Votto Link to C. Trent on Votto Link to Votto’s retirement post Link to McGrath on Votto Link to Votto quotes Link to Buchanan on Votto Link to 2016 Votto story Link to Votto in the booth Link to Votto on media offers Link to Baltimore Sun on Kimbrel Link to post-ASB RP WAR Link to post-ASB RP WPA Link to RP WPA since 2019 Link to Drellich on NPB players Link to NWSL news Link to Sam on HoF players Link to Petriello on HoF pitchers Link to Jaffe on HoF pitchers Link to SP JAWS Link to highest career K rates Link to EW Episode 282 Link to EW Episode 771 Link to EW Episode 867 Link to EW Episode 2159 Link to Kiermaier deke play Link to Tango on glove movement 1 Link to Tango on glove movement 2 Link to Tango on glove movement 3 Link to story on Santana’s HR Link to tweet about Santana’s HR Link to listener emails database Link to story on Ohtani HR ball Link to Ohtani bobblehead Link to MLBTR on Waldron Link to Reds-Jays game Link to Stephenson quote Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to 2006 game Link to 1922 game Link to Stat Blast data 1 Link to Stat Blast data 2 Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the stretch run, the “championship season,” the surprising solidity of the playoff picture, and how the playoff field could change before the end of the season. They also discuss the turnarounds of Jeff McNeil and Corbin Carroll, the return on the Rangers’ pitching blueprint, and whether A’s fans should consider supporting other MLB teams. Then (1:02:30) they Stat Blast about hitters who hogged pitches in an inning, Kris Bryant’s Colorado decline, and a claim about catchers and infield hits, with diversions into whether HR-reliant lineups are inconsistent scorers, whether Bryant or Anthony Rendon has been the bigger disappointment, and why broadcasters say the darndest things. Audio intro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to “championship season” Link to FG playoff odds Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Baumann on the M’s Link to O’s hydration station Link to Clemens on Carroll Link to JJH episode Link to Stat Blast song cover Link to Russell on HR reliance Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to pitch-count % data Link to Rockies/Bryant data Link to Blum on Bryant Link to FB Bryant/Rendon post Link to Sam’s Bryant tweet Link to Casali play Link to Krukow clip Link to Jason Bernard’s Twitter Link to sprint speed table Link to study on bad-team hitters Link to Ben on hustle singles Link to Ben on catcher fatigue Link to Tim Kniker on catcher fatigue Link to 2023 C IFH total Link to all IFH% early Link to all IFH% late Link to C IFH% early Link to C IFH% late Link to non-C IFH% early Link to non-C IFH% late Link to Casali IFH% early Link to Casali IFH% late Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether the custom-painted bats featured during Players’ Weekend should be usable all season, Alex Verdugo’s batting-glove allergy, Rich Hill’s predictable-yet-curious choice of team, where the Rookie of the Year races stand, how the Pirates should handle Paul Skenes down the stretch, the magnitude of the Skenes Day attendance boost, the active player who possibly best embodies replacement level, a (slightly) better proposal to promote pitcher’s duels, the unsung skills of Carlos Santana and José Soriano, the pros and cons of this season’s post-superteam standings, and more, plus a postscript. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to custom bats roundup Link to another bats roundup Link to bat company article Link to Players’ Weekend explainer Link to Players’ Weekend wiki Link to Verdugo article Link to compression neuropathy Link to Trumbo bathtub post Link to Ringer on Caped Crusader Link to MLBTR on Hill Link to Episode 1780 Stat Blast Link to rookie hitter WAR leaders Link to rookie pitcher WAR leaders Link to pitcher WAR since 5/11 Link to Dunne’s Skenes cosplay Link to Rosenthal on Skenes Link to Skubal usage info Link to team SP WAR Link to Ben on pitcher draws Link to FG on Merrill Link to MLBTR on McKinney Link to Tango on Bloomquist Link to Jeff on Bloomquist Link to ESPN on six-inning starts Link to Sheehan on six-inning starts Link to Sheehan on pitcher’s duels Link to Santana’s Savant page Link to 1B OAA leaders Link to end of end of Pujols SB streak Link to projected team wins Link to Neil’s Substack Link to Passan’s tweet Link to Jaffe on struggling top teams Link to MLBTR on Freeman Link to MLBTR on Riley Link to prior plaque talk Link to Beltré Rangers event Link to Wade/Ward wiki Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the White Sox walking Juan Soto to face Aaron Judge, how Judge’s season could’ve been even better, the world’s untapped baseball talent, Shohei Ohtani’s run at a 50-50 season, ways to discourage intentional walks, a proposal to mandate six-inning outings for starting pitchers, a changing of the guard atop the FanGraphs farm system rankings, the extraordinary defense of Austin Hedges, and the nature vs. nurture debate about MLB fathers and sons. Then (1:10:07) they meet major leaguers Daniel Robert, Yilber Diaz, and Michael Petersen, plus (1:34:35) several postscript updates. Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Judge/Soto article 1 Link to Judge/Soto article 2 Link to Judge/Soto article 3 Link to Davy Andrews on the IBB Link to Judge mechanical changes Link to Ben/Sam on global talent Link to Ohtani splits by month Link to Ohtani pitching progress Link to listener emails database Link to six-inning-starts article Link to tweet about six-inning starts Link to would-be-disqualified starts Link to Ben on bullpenning Link to Ben on pitcher roster limits Link to FG farm rankings Link to Pipeline farm rankings Link to Baez homer Link to Trueblood on Hedges Link to Hedges BP player card Link to BP catcher defense leaderboard Link to “framing chances” definition Link to Hedges PitchCom article Link to Ben on Hedges in 2015 Link to BP C defense since 2015 Link to Molina framing montage Link to Yadi running-game graph Link to Ben on framing improvements Link to fathers/sons data Link to LaRoche retrospective Link to B-Ref new debuts Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to Robert article 1 Link to Robert article 2 Link to Diaz article 1 Link to Diaz article 2 Link to Diaz strawberries photo Link to Petersen article 1 Link to Petersen article 2 Link to Petersen debut game log Link to Petersen interview clip Link to Petersen UK tweet Link to MLBTR on Hill Link to EW 1780 Stat Blast Link to Hill on EW Link to Hill/Anthony tweet Link to Fitzgerald play Link to Fitzgerald/Bonds stat Link to Fitzgerald article 1 Link to Fitzgerald article 2 Link to Fitzgerald plays data Link to RE charts Link to Melvin clip Link to Ben C. on the play Link to Ben C. on bunt math Link to Rob Mains on zombie bunts Link to Rob on bunts again Link to The Sandlot audio clip Link to The Sandlot video clip Link to Space Jam clip Link to The Benchwarmers video clip Link to 1955 newspaper clip Link to Torgeson vs. Spahn Link to Wade/Ward wiki Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about how Jorge López has done since his release from the Mets, Juan Soto‘s underrated dominance, George Springer’s post-replay rage, whether the Rangers are a candidate for Angels-esque August waiver shenanigans, whether Dodgers pitchers are particularly prone to Tommy John surgeries, and the divisive value of Salvador Perez. Then (41:56) they welcome high-school student Bailey Hall, who won an award for the best poster presentation at SABR 52, for a guest Stat Blast about scoring after leadoff walks vs. leadoff singles, followed by (1:10:19) a postscript on recent team TJ totals. Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Lopez EW episode Link to Lopez ERA leaderboard Link to team RP WAR Link to Judge on Soto Link to best post-Bonds seasons Link to WAR through age 25 Link to Springer clip Link to MLB.com on Springer Link to BP piece on HBP replays Link to Becker on the Rangers Link to Rosenthal on the Rangers Link to MLBTR on Ryan Link to Dodgers thread Link to TJ data Link to Baumann on Perez Link to Jaffe on Perez Link to Perez Reddit post Link to Ben on HoF framing Link to Stat Blast song cover Link to SABR 52 info Link to SABR post on Bailey Link to Bailey’s poster Link to tweet about Bailey Link to Tango on Bailey Link to past research 1 Link to past research 2 Link to past research 3 Link to past research 4 Link to past research 5 Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the 30th anniversary of the 1994 strike and how nice it is not to have the season end in August, the unusual extension of Victor Robles, Tanner Rainey, Patrick Corbin, and the remnants of the 2019 Nationals, Will Wagner and whether the debuts of sons of big leaguers make us feel old partly because big leaguers have kids earlier than average, how MLB could accommodate the 2028 Olympics, changes in BBWAA awards voting patterns and the suddenly competitive MVP races, the return of Mookie Betts, whether the end of pitcher hitting affects pitcher pitching, Seth Lugo vs. Tarik Skubal, Jarren Duran’s suspension, his heckler, and how well one could hit a baseball with a tennis racket, and listener-suggested additions to the Hierarchy of Versatility. Audio intro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Craig C. on the strike Link to Rosenthal on Robles Link to MLBTR on Robles Link to Robles mic’d up Link to FG on Rainey Link to Sam on Corbin Link to Wagner debut video Link to Craig on Wagner Link to MLB father/son data Link to story on eldest sons Link to dad age 1 Link to dad age 2 Link to dad age 3 Link to dad age 4 Link to dad age 5 Link to dad age 6 Link to dad age 7 Link to dad age 8 Link to ESPN on the Olympics Link to Passan tweet Link to WNBA break Link to NHL break Link to World Cup of Hockey Link to Olympics transportation Link to Ben on the WBC Link to Mookie HR Link to Dan S. on MVP races Link to FIP-based WAR leaderboard Link to RA/9-based WAR leaderboard Link to Lugo comments Link to DH and HBP research Link to Duran story Link to more on Duran Link to heckle Link to Heart & Hustle Award Link to tennis racket question Link to tennis baseball video Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the appeal of deflected balls caught on the fly, the lack of variety in MLB.TV highlights, Aaron Judge’s bases-empty intentional walks, the Braves falling out of playoff position (for now), and the surprising team with a trio of young, above-average, qualified hitters. Then (40:44) they rank the types of baseball versatility and Stat Blast (56:18) about the decline of switch-hitting, Maury Wills and switch-hitter slumps, how often managers are fired following a loss, and whether intra-division trades are getting more common. Audio intro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Rockies-Mets play Link to Bogaerts/Kelly play Link to Stark on Judge Link to Tango on Judge Link to Jaffe on the Braves Link to Ben C. on depth Link to Ben C. on depth 2 Link to Ben C. on depth on EW Link to preseason playoff odds Link to BP IL Ledger Link to young hitters query Link to query without minimums Link to Ben on Twins.com Link to Twins.com sale news Link to Venditte rule article Link to Mike Temple Stat Blast cover Link to Athletic SH article Link to Fox Sports SH article Link to WSJ SH article Link to LAT SH article Link to youth sports specialization Link to switch-hitting data Link to SH graph 1 Link to SH graph 2 Link to Ben on bad switch-hitters Link to FG on bad switch-hitters Link to Mullins article 1 Link to Mullins article 2 Link to Mullins article 3 Link to Victorino article 1 Link to Victorino article 2 Link to Victorino article 3 Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to Steiner/Wills clip Link to Wills SH OPS graph Link to switch-hitter correlations Link to stat stabilization points Link to Dr. Dog album Link to Ferguson SABR bio Link to Ferguson wiki Link to “Death to Flying Things” Link to “Death to Flying Things” 2 Link to SH origin story 1 Link to SH origin story 2 Link to previous SH Stat Blast Link to 2024 switch-hitters Link to Twins Daily on SH Link to Crashfish Boxes on SH Link to 1985 LAT article on SH Link to Year of the Balk article Link to Berkman/Jones SH quotes Link to MLB Showalter ad Link to Ben on caliber of play Link to managerial firings data Link to manager data by decade Link to managers fired after Ws Link to trades data Link to interleague trades data Link to interleague trading history Link to trades graph 1 Link to trades graph 2 Link to Betances injury article Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the White Sox and the etiquette and timing of firing the manager of one of the worst teams of all time, Logan O’Hoppe and performance anxiety, Brusdar Graterol and the most demoralizing kind of injury, the return of Anthony Gose, next season’s scheduled game at Bristol Motor Speedway, other unorthodox potential locations for MLB games, and why baseball fields are deepest in center, Aroldis Chapman’s freakish velocity and durability, Craig Kimbrel, Grayson Rodriguez, and the outlook for the Orioles’ rotation, the recent performances of Jackson Holliday, Jackson Chourio, and Jackson Merrill, what Bobby Witt Jr.’s progression says about the aging curve, and more. Audio intro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Fegan on the Grifol firing Link to MLBTR on the firing Link to Grifol record tweet Link to McCloskey wiki Link to O’Hoppe tweet Link to O’Hoppe article Link to Abreu article Link to Graterol injury story Link to Senga injury story Link to MLBTR on Marquez Link to Fowler injury article Link to Yount wiki Link to BP IL Ledger Link to article on Gose’s return Link to Motor Speedway game Link to aircraft carrier HR derby Link to Carrier Classic wiki Link to outdoor NHL games Link to Reddit thread on deeper CF Link to sidespin/spray graph Link to Polo Grounds wiki Link to track cycling wiki Link to velodrome wiki Link to Chapman velo article Link to pitcher aging curves Link to Sheehan on Kimbrel Link to MLBTR on Rodriguez Link to Holliday leaderboard Link to Sawchik on Holliday Link to EW preseason predictions Link to leaderboard since 6/1 Link to Holliday HR streak Link to B-Ref Jacksons tweet Link to Jacksons HR highlights Link to best age-20 seasons Link to best rookie age-20 seasons Link to FG combined WAR leaderboard Link to aging curve article Link to aging curve article 2 Link to Ohio Cup wiki Link to Be the Match website Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Jesús Sánchez and the (perhaps) surprising longest-homer hitters of the Statcast era, the hot hitting of Victor Robles, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Tyler Fitzgerald, the competitive race for the (nonexistent) utility player of the year award, what lessons should be learned from the 2024 Padres’ clutchness correction, whether the Guardians have a clutchness correction coming too, whether we could have seen this White Sox season coming (and the mood of Miguel Vargas), follow-ups on team rivalry trophies and Mike Trout’s durability, and a question about ways to disrupt a Patreon pattern. Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Sánchez homer Link to Marlins salaries Link to HR distance leaderboard Link to Mazara record HR Link to signature significance article Link to study on single batted ball Link to Statcast park factors Link to BP piece on Robles Link to wRC+ since 6/5 Link to wRC+ since 6/20 Link to Kikuchi changes article Link to Rogers O’s tweet Link to Castro positions tweet Link to Rafaela positions tweet Link to Ben on positional versatility Link to Russell on switching positions Link to wRC+ since 5/1 Link to wOBA-xWOBA since 6/20 Link to team wRC+ since 7/1 Link to World Series odds Link to BaseRuns records Link to Ben on the 2023 Padres Link to EW on Padres postmortems Link to Padres postmortem 1 Link to Padres postmortem 2 Link to FG Clutch stat Link to Russell on one-run records Link to Rob on one-run records Link to Rob on one-run records 2 Link to Neil on the Guardians Link to Vargas clip Link to preseason win projections Link to EW Sox team preview Link to playoff odds changes Link to Dan S. on the Sox Link to Lone Star Series wiki Link to Silver Boot press release Link to Crosstown Cup Trophy wiki Link to Pearson Cup wiki Link to more on Pearson Cup Link to Bay Bridge Series wiki Link to MLBTR on Bean Link to Bean EW episode Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Mike Trout’s latest season-ending injury, the Orioles’ latest top-prospect promotion, and a tweak to the postseason schedule, and answer listener emails (24:20) about ex-player umpires, eavesdropping on pitchers’ thoughts between pitches, whether and how they’d reintroduce baseball to a world without it, awarding belts or trophies for team rivalries, the viability of a pitcher who can’t field, how a player could win MVP in both leagues in the same season, how MLB would work if it were Patreon-supported, how international soccer’s transfer system would apply to MLB, and referring to a type of player by saying “a [player name]”, plus (1:29:48) a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Jim Downey meme Link to The Athletic on Trout Link to MLB.com on Trout Link to Trout’s tweet Link to SuperPretzel EW episode Link to EW Trout hypotheticals Link to MLBTR on Mayo Link to postseason schedule Link to ex-player umps Link to Scully movie clip Link to mic’d up Manoah Link to Ben on Yesterday Link to Vedder Cup article Link to Mayor’s Trophy wiki Link to Babe Ruth Award wiki Link to Gary’s Old Towne Tavern Link to Sam on playing in a game Link to listener emails database Link to Snell quote Link to White Sox streak tweet Link to playoff ratios tweet Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the end of a historic Clayton Kershaw streak, pitcher errors and unearned runs, the lack of top prospects traded at the deadline, the short-handed Marlins vs. the stripped-down Rays, the latest sign of the White Sox apocalypse, the resurgent Blake Snell, Brett Phillips the full-time pitcher, and whether the percentage of pulled homers is increasing. Then (52:11) they talk to Sports Reference software developer (and primary developer of Baseball-Reference.com) Kenny Jackelen about the possibility that catcher Danny Jansen could break B-Ref by having played for both the Blue Jays and Red Sox in a single game, how Kenny might prevent that problem, and other anomalies that B-Ref has had to adjust for, followed by (1:23:36) a few postscript updates. Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Kershaw K streak story 1 Link to Kershaw K streak story 2 Link to no-K Kershaw game Link to BA on traded prospects Link to Marlins salaries Link to Grifol tweet Link to Rub-a-dub-dub Link to lowest team OBPs Link to farm system rankings Link to Snell leaderboard Link to Kirby knuckler Link to Fletcher game log Link to Phillips clip Link to Phillips TikTok Link to Dubuque on homers Link to pulled FB % Link to pulled barreled FB% Link to FB HR pulled % Link to Ben Clemens on Paredes Link to Tango on spray angle Link to Sam on homer highlights Link to Ohtani Houston HR Link to Ohtani L.A. HR Link to ScoringChanges Jansen thread Link to Boston Herald on Jansen Link to suspended game story Link to 2024 MLB rules Link to reentry rule Link to post on Holman Link to AAA/NBA tweet Link to courtesy runners page Link to Ben on the 60-game season Link to Soto suspended game HR Link to JDM Silver Sluggers Link to B-Ref newsletter Link to B-Ref job listing 1 Link to B-Ref job listing 2 Link to Trout news story Link to Mauer plaque Link to plaque video 1 Link to plaque video 2 Link to plaque video 3 Link to Trout news story Link to Cruz play 1 Link to Cruz play 2 Link to EW 2145 Link to Grant’s Haas tweet Link to “Du Hast” Link to “Box Elder” Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley recap the 2024 MLB trade deadline, discussing their big-picture takeaways, breaking down individual deals they found impressive, surprising, or perplexing, and examining the actions of the teams that drove the deadline by adding or subtracting, and the inaction of teams that didn’t do much. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG deadline roundup Link to Ringer winners/losers Link to FG transaction tracker Link to Ben’s deadline spreadsheet Link to Neil Paine’s deadline data Link to Sheehan on early action Link to Rosenthal on the Rays Link to Kikuchi trade Link to Kikuchi sleep tweet Link to Fedde trade Link to White Sox report Link to Wash/Trout tweets Link to Trout update tweet 1 Link to Trout update tweet 2 Link to 2020 McGuire news Link to Sox-Rox brawl Link to postgame simmering Link to Jansen scoring issue Link to Mears tipping story Link to Yanks/Flaherty report Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Ben Clemens break down the Randy Arozarena, A.J. Puk, James Paxton, and Austin Hays trades (plus real-time reactions to the Yimi García and Zach Eflin deals), Stat Blast (29:21) about the most WAR ever dealt at a trade deadline, banter (54:45) about Garrett Crochet’s extension desire and the MVP cases of Francisco Lindor and Bobby Witt Jr. (and Witt’s/the Royals’ home-road splits), and discuss (1:12:27) the toughest calls, biggest snubs, and process changes in Other Ben’s annual Trade Value ranking. Audio intro: Michael Baumann, “What Did Jerry Dipoto Do?” Audio outro: Michael Baumann, “What Did Jerry Dipoto Do?” Link to FG on Arozarena Link to FG on the Phils-O’s trade Link to MLBTR on Paxton Link to MLBTR on Puk Link to MLBTR on García Link to MLBTR on Eflin Link to Arozarena’s splits Link to Puk’s splits Link to Lindor’s splits Link to leaders since 6/1 Link to FG WAR leaderboard Link to Stat Blast cover Link to Ben on the White Sox Link to trade deadline data Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to Updike quote Link to MLBTR on Crochet Link to Witt splits tweet Link to largest team splits Link to largest batter splits Link to park factors Link to Trade Value intro Link to Trade Value top 10 Link to Trade Value chat Link to Ben on pitching prospects Link to SP depth charts Link to RP depth charts Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Mason Miller’s hand fracture, the extremely slow pitches of Ildemaro Vargas, a Dylan Cease no-hitter, the punchless Mariners, the impending return of Rich Hill, what the teams with the toughest decisions at the trade deadline should do, updates on Clayton Kershaw (good!) and Mike Trout (not good!), Christian Yelich’s back, the ageless Carlos Santana, Juan Yepez as the new Joey Meneses, follow-ups on Aaron Judge’s zone rate and Oneil Cruz, a CBA change to mitigate the effects of the cable bubble bursting, and more. Then (1:21:55) they talk to Richie Flores, second VP of the National Beep Baseball Association and player for the Bayou City Heat, about the development of the sport and the league, and the Beep Baseball World Series. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Kotsay quote Link to reporter clarification Link to ESPN on Miller Link to Ben’s song Link to MLBTR on Arozarena Link to Vargas pitches Link to Vargas clip Link to Holt’s slowest pitch Link to list of slowest pitches Link to Petriello tweet Link to Fast on slowest pitch Link to Simmons tweet Link to Tyson tweet Link to Quora on slowest pitch Link to Cease stats Link to highest pitch counts Link to MLBTR on Hill Link to Hill on EW Link to Hill Stat Blast Link to Trout story Link to Yelich story Link to Santana/Martinez story Link to previous Judge banter Link to Judge before Link to Judge after Link to previous Cruz banter Link to Drellich on TV revenue Link to previous beep episode Link to NBBA.org Link to World Series info Link to NBBA teams Link to NBBA board Link to NBBA on Twitter Link to NBBA on YouTube Link to NBBA on Facebook Link to Richie’s podcast Link to Beep book Link to Beep book Q&A Link to article on Richie Link to Texas Monthly on beep ball Link to news clip 1 Link to news clip 2 Link to MLBTR on Puk Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the likenesses, word counts, and stat citations on Hall of Fame plaques, what would happen if all past stats disappeared, the impending returns of Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw (and the recent return of J.T. Realmuto), the end of James Paxton’s time with the Dodgers, Jo Adell’s breakout fakeout and Jarren Duran’s belated breakout, Francisco Vicioso and Shaq Thompson, the morphing meme of Nick Castellanos, and the Brewers, the Mariners, and the challenge and payoff of rostering pretty good players. Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Mauer plaque Link to Mauer hair commercial Link to Beltré plaque Link to Helton plaque Link to McGriff plaque Link to Leyland plaque Link to Ruth plaque Link to DiMaggio plaque Link to Mantle plaque Link to Fingers plaque Link to FB post on plaques Link to botched fresco Link to article on Cobb’s hits Link to WAR through age 27 Link to stats on hitter plaques Link to stats on pitcher plaques Link to BP on rewriting plaques Link to Robinson statue article Link to rebuilt Robinson statue Link to The Onion stats article Link to CME wiki Link to MLB reboot episode Link to MLBTR on Realmuto Link to MLB.com on Realmuto’s return Link to MLBTR on Trout Link to MLB.com update on Trout Link to Jaffe on Adell Link to EW on Adell in May Link to Sam on Duran Link to Gomes on Dodgers pitching Link to Reddit post on Vicioso Link to Vicioso footage Link to Shaq Thompson wiki Link to Ben on Shaq in 2012 Link to Shusterman on Shaq Link to Ben on Castellanos Link to Apstein on playoff Castellanos Link to Petriello on playoff Castellanos Link to Levine on Castellanos Link to McCarthy on Castellanos Link to Levi on Castellanos Link to Castellanos incidents tweet Link to Castellanos incidents thread Link to Jeff on avoiding the awful 1 Link to Jeff on avoiding the awful 2 Link to leading Brewers by PA Link to Sheehan on the Brewers Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the BBWAA’s new sports gambling regulations, then (11:22) discuss the stories they’re most interested in following for the rest of the MLB season (plus, the implications of a bearded Aaron Judge). Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to tweets about BBWAA code Link to EW about journalist betting Link to Paine’s questions post Link to Kram’s power rankings Link to rookie pitcher leaderboard Link to rookie hitter leaderboard Link to Sheehan on Skenes Link to Ben’s preseason prediction Link to Yankees hair link 1 Link to Yankees hair link 2 Link to Yankees hair link 3 Link to Yankees hair link 4 Link to Yankees hair link 5 Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the highlights of the All-Star Game, a hypothetical Evan Longoria unretirement scenario, the newly announced 2025 regular-season schedule (featuring Tokyo contests and a “Rivalry Weekend”), a baseball movie-mention conspiracy theory, players possessed by Gameday 3D, the timing of Martín Maldonado’s DFA, and the potential effect of moving the foul lines. Then (36:54) they bring on FanGraphs lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen to break down the standout trends, teams, and players of the amateur draft, the demographics of amateur baseball, trading draft picks, and more. Audio intro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio outro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Skenes ASG highlights Link to Ohtani ASG highlights Link to 2025 schedule Link to featured rivalries Link to Cubs promo video Link to Longoria quote Link to Superman news Link to Caught Stealing Link to Ben on movie sequels Link to Gittell on EW Link to Gittell’s book Link to A Quiet Place scene Link to Gameday 3D explainer Link to possessed player clip 1 Link to possessed player clip 2 Link to Maldonado leaderboard Link to MLBTR on Maldonado Link to Ben on the foul lines Link to Eric’s Day 1 recap Link to Eric’s Day 2 recap Link to Condor HR record Link to college offense article 1 Link to college offense article 2 Link to Nightengale tweet Link to ESPN top 100 athletes Link to Manfred on draft picks Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Home Run Derby, the Futures Game and skills competition, Globe Life Field, All-Star uniforms, and more reflections from All-Star Week, then (34:18) discuss a challenge-system-driven change to broadcast K-zone displays, Chris Sale’s aversion to pitch-calling, quantifying game-calling, David Fletcher’s latest knuckleballing, using a position-player pitcher against a hitter who’s going for homer history, the shorthanded Dodgers rotation, a prediction about Aaron Judge, and a strikeout-rate plateau. Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Manfred on the unis Link to K-zone story Link to K-zone tweet Link to Manfred ABS comments Link to Sale interview Link to EW on game-calling Link to Fletcher game log Link to Fletcher investigation Link to BP on Stubbs Link to Dodgers depth chart Link to MLBTR on May Link to Ryan call-up Link to Wells prediction Link to Wells tweet Link to Wells tweet 2 Link to non-pitcher K rates Link to Picard clip Link to preseason predictions update Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh talks to Sam Miller of Pebble Hunting about the increase in IL stints at the All-Star break and Sam’s obsession with the evolving strategy of first-and-third situations. Then (41:29) Ben talks to Iowa state representative and Sioux City Explorers pitcher J.D. Scholten about his incredible baseball comeback at age 44, his baseball background, balancing baseball and politics, and his efforts to end MLB blackouts. Finally (1:20:14), Ben and The Athletic’s Evan Drellich talk to former NBC Sports and The Baseball Network president Ken Schanzer about the 30th anniversary of TBN, the first U.S. TV network owned by a pro sports league. Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Calcaterra on Glasnow Link to Devers shoulder story Link to ASB IL placement data Link to Sam on first-and-third 1 Link to Sam on first-and-third 2 Link to Clemens clip Link to Clemens gamer Link to Manny’s cutoff Link to Russell on post-2013 changes Link to Pebble Hunting Link to Scholten call Link to Scholten clip Link to Scholten pitching Link to Scholten local news clip Link to Scholten’s B-Ref page Link to Scholten’s wiki Link to Gazette story on Scholten Link to WaPo on Scholten Link to SI on Scholten Link to Honkbal wiki Link to Congressional Baseball Game EW Link to The Gazette on the blackouts bill Link to Offerman on Field of Dreams Link to EW on Field of Dreams Link to canceled Field of Dreams series Link to Scholten’s Substack Link to Scholten’s campaign site Link to Evan on EW 2168 Link to Evan on a national TV deal Link to 1994 TBN theme song Link to 1994 ASG at B-Ref Link to The Baseball Network wiki Link to ’93 WaPo story on Ken Link to 1993 most powerful people Link to 1991 most powerful people Link to The Baseball Network sources Link to Schanzer retirement story Link to rookie All-Star SP Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about homerless White Sox second basemen, the recent history of teams with homerless positions, and the upsides and downsides of the trend toward focusing on present-season performance in All-Star selections, then (37:11) answer emails about an award for utility players, a player’s debut age matching his debut number, whether an infielder could rob a home run, whether fatigue would make a four-player batting order of stars worse than a regular, nine-player lineup, whether championships reside with a city or a franchise, whether umpires could wear shorts, the definition of a “clean inning,” what it means for a throw/tag to be “not in time,” and the requirements for breaking out of a slump, plus closing banter (1:33:23) about Paul Skenes as an All-Star starter. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to 2B HR leaderboard Link to White Sox 2B Link to 2B projections Link to White Sox 2B tweet Link to Neil Paine’s Substack Link to Neil on All-Stars Link to Neil graphic Link to ASG roster rules story Link to WAR and ASG story Link to 1989 Canseco/Schmidt story Link to Reddit post Link to Pujols/Miggy ASG Link to Castro selection story Link to Castro record tweet Link to debut age/number sheet Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to HR hang time comment Link to sprint speed leaderboard Link to Elly speed quote Link to 1917 Stanley Cup info Link to World Series doc thread 1 Link to World Series doc thread 2 Link to 2019 umpire manual Link to umpire shorts forum post Link to EW on pants-splitting Link to Dickson on “clean inning” Link to Pudge/Eno underwear ad Link to Julio power slump story Link to Friends hair scene Link to NL pitcher WAR Link to Skenes gamer Link to Jones max-effort story Link to listener emails database Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s daughter coining a baseball term, how the on-screen strike-zone plot (slightly) delays the rest of the broadcast, Jose Miranda and the surprising 12-consecutive-hits club, David Robertson’s elite relief career, whether Shohei Ohtani should stop pitching, an attempt to quantify players’ smiles, how this season stacks up in terms of total team days at .500, and the latest player to break a bone punching a wall, followed (1:31:24) by Ben and Jessie Barbour performing the song, “Will the Bird Bones Be Unbroken?” Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to DeMarsico episode Link to DeMarsico episode wiki Link to pickoff attempt 1 Link to pickoff attempt 2 Link to Miranda hit Link to MLB.com on Miranda Link to Episode 1964 wiki Link to Dropo SABR bio Link to Higgins SABR bio Link to SABR on Higgins streak Link to streaks wiki Link to Twins Miranda tweet Link to FG Plus stats Link to Robertson ERA+ Link to reliever FIP- Link to Lindsey on Ohtani Link to Betteridge’s Law Link to smiles study Link to SMILE+ leaderboard Link to facial-recognition bias Link to .500 percentage graph Link to story about Brewer Link to Brewer photo Link to list of fractures Link to Ben and Jessie’s song Link to song lyrics Link to original song wiki Link to Carter Family variant Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a genuine, no-foolin’ instance of “Strategy” (aka a mid-PA pitching change), Christian Walker’s affinity for Dodger Stadium, a Triple-A Waxahachie Swap, the Nationals optioning EW legend Joey Meneses, the Marlins DFA’ing Tim Anderson, and the latest Royce Lewis injury, plus follow-ups about bullpen-cart-driver tipping and fan catches. Then (36:10) they bring on Patreon supporter Wayne Teeger to discuss responses to recent discussions about K-Zone, ABS, and the challenge system and answer emails about ABS at lower levels, broadcasts missing pickoff attempts, green-screen issues (and other ad problems) on broadcasts, whether the path a champion takes through the playoffs matters to fans, pinch-hitting to negate a mound visit, and tracking 10K games for pitchers. Next, they Stat Blast (1:41:13) about the most major leaguers ever to play for a non-major-league team, followed by (1:48:53) a Future Blast from 2187. Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to “Strategy” game Link to Banda pitch Link to Lovullo clip Link to Ben on “Strategy” Link to Girardi on “Strategy” Link to Walker article Link to Twins Triple-A Swap Link to Ben on the Swap Link to MLBTR on Meneses Link to Ben on Meneses Link to Wood’s number tweet Link to MLBTR on Anderson Link to lowest wRC+ since 2023 Link to Ottavino video Link to bullpen-cart driver EW Link to O’s fan catch Link to O’s fan pitch Link to Lewis clip Link to Lewis quote Link to MLBTR on Lewis/Lee Link to Twins prospect list Link to Wayne’s LinkedIn Link to KBO ABS article Link to baserunning leaderboard Link to Giamatti Rhino scene Link to pitcher wins article Link to Stat Blast cover Link to 2024 Mexican League Link to 2024 Diablos Rojos Link to 2022 River Cats Link to 2013-14 Tigres del Licey Link to 2009 Bears Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to listener emails database Link to Future Blast wiki Link to Future Blast text Link to Rick Wilber’s site Link to Alan Smale’s site Link to Episode 2074 Future Blast Link to Episode 2093 Future Blast Link to Updike article Link to Williams HR video 1 Link to Williams HR video 2 Link to Gowdy call Link to Mays catch video Link to Future Blast sound samples Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Phillies reliever José Ruiz threatening Ryan Webb’s career record for games finished without a save, Aaron Judge’s Hall of Fame case, the Mariners having a .540 winning percentage, just as Jerry Dipoto foretold (sort of), Dallas Keuchel being back in the big leagues, the White Sox, weirdly, dictating the trade deadline, and the collective performance of the Boras Four (or Five), then (54:27) answer a listener email about catchers fooling pitchers into issuing bad challenges under the challenge system, and (1:01:13) meet major leaguers Spencer Bivens, Jake Bloss, and Jacob Bosiokovic. Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to GF with no saves leaders Link to Webb/Albers wiki Link to Ben on Webb/Albers Link to Webb/Albers on EW Link to Triple Crown redundancy EW Link to EW on Dipoto and .540 Link to Dipoto clip Link to Dipoto follow-up Link to .540 spreadsheet Link to MLBTR on Montgomery Link to MLBTR on Luzardo Link to MLBTR on Flaherty Link to 2023 ABS article 1 Link to 2023 ABS article 2 Link to 2024 ABS article Link to MaML wiki Link to B-Ref’s new debuts Link to Buchanan on Bivens Link to Bivens on Twitter Link to Bivens on Insta Link to Bloss call-up article Link to Eric’s Astros prospects Link to Georgetown major leaguers Link to “The” OSU explainer Link to “Hoya Saxa” explainer Link to Cronin on EW Link to MLBTR on Bosiokovic Link to MLB.com on Bosiokovic Link to Dispatch on Bosiokovic Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the one (and only one) case where the zombie runner was warranted, why pitchers throw strikes to Aaron Judge (10:00), and MLB’s new Home Run Derby rules (21:11), then answer listener emails about how different baseball would be if runners didn’t have to tag up (34:49), the best arguments for full ABS over the challenge system (49:56), and what would happen if ejected players couldn’t be replaced (1:11:16), plus a few follow-ups (1:22:57). Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Rockies-Sox game Link to Doyle’s catch Link to zone rate leaderboard Link to Judge’s zone rates Link to Petriello on Judge Link to Judge’s 40-game streak Link to Judge’s 50-game streak Link to lineup-protection explainer Link to new Derby rules Link to Calcaterra on the HRD Link to Levi on the HRD Link to Judge’s Derby victory Link to Strike Four Link to Sheehan on ABS 1 Link to Sheehan on ABS 2 Link to strike zone changes Link to Triple-A ABS change Link to Ben on ABS Link to Meg on the penalty box Link to listener emails database Link to John Poff’s fundraiser Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a player/league/umpire spat over on-screen strike-zone plots, whether “K-Zone” and its ilk have had a harmful effect on the game, where they stand on a hitter vs. pitcher dispute about the mid-game use of advanced pitching machines, the promotion of Nationals top prospect James Wood (and the future of Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday), and Byron Buxton’s recent success. Then (59:08) they identify and discuss the teams, hitters, and pitchers that have most surpassed or fallen short of their preseason projections halfway through the regular season. Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Drellich on zone plots Link to Reddit thread on plots Link to BP piece on plots Link to ESPN on pitching machines Link to Ben on pitching machines Link to Ben on moving the mound Link to Ben on roster limits Link to MLBTR on Wood Link to Nationals depth chart Link to FG’s The Board Link to MLB Pipeline top 100 Link to AAA wRC+ leaders Link to Holliday’s game logs Link to O’s prospect list Link to Orioles depth chart Link to Buxton’s sprint speeds Link to sprint speed leaderboard Link to team projections sheets Link to hitter projections sheets Link to pitcher projections sheets Link to preseason team projections Link to preseason hitter projections Link to preseason pitcher projections Link to MLBTR on Phils injuries Link to Sam on Duran Link to Laurila on Hauck Link to Sox pitching piece 1 Link to Sox pitching piece 2 Link to Sox pitching piece 3 Link to Sox pitching piece 4 Link to team DRS leaderboard Link to Paine on the Cubs Link to McKenzie feature Link to Peña interview clip Link to Ben on in-game interviews Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Nolan Schanuel’s aversion to day games, the Astros reaching .500 and coming for the Mariners, Houston’s weekend opponent (the Mets) making it back to .500 and nearing a playoff spot, the success (and good fortune) of Reynaldo López, the bad fortune of Adam Duvall, and how “expected” stats have changed perceptions of performance, Hunter Greene and vomiting on the mound, a Dodgers bat…man’s clutch catch, Shohei Ohtani’s RBI streak, Ohtani’s dog’s backpack, and pedantic questions (1:20:55) about leaving the bases loaded, when a game is “all” one team, and how umpires signal a full count. Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Washington quote Link to Schanuel splits Link to Sam on Schanuel power Link to FG playoff odds Link to ESPN SoS Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Winker video Link to BP on Brown’s sinker Link to Mets Grimace story Link to McDonald’s wiki Link to Grimace wiki Link to pitcher wOBA-xWOBA Link to hitter wOBA-xWOBA Link to lowest ERAs Link to xERA-ERA sheet Link to xHR-HR Link to Duvall on cans of poop Link to CBS on Greene Link to Reynolds video Link to BP on Reynolds Link to Greene water tweets Link to Ben on sick starters Link to Herrera’s play Link to Dodgers batmen story Link to Ohtani RBI story Link to SABR on longest streaks Link to longest streaks wiki Link to Ohtani and dog pic Link to pet Randoseru Link to Randoseru video Link to Randoseru article Link to Randoseru Reddit thread Link to listener emails database Link to Montgomery PitchCom clip Link to O’s fan interview Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Edwin Díaz’s sticky-stuff suspension, a new name for the internal brace alternative to Tommy John surgery, Blake Snell’s latest setback, the success and extension of Cristopher Sánchez (and the Phillies’ excellence), Shota Imanaga’s regression and Meg’s preseason prediction about Imanaga vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Kyle Finnegan’s first-of-its-kind clockoff, the respective impressiveness of starts by Bailey Ober and Pablo López, a follow-up Steven Kwan-versation, the much-improved Guardians offense, an incredible catch by a Baltimore fan, the latest slow start by Julio Rodríguez, and (1:27:17) Ben’s pedantic report about brand-new baseball movie Ultraman: Rising. Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Díaz incident Link to X-Files episode Link to UCL surgery sheet Link to internal brace explainer Link to Snell comments Link to “slapdick” story Link to Giants depth chart Link to P fWAR since 5/11 Link to Dombrowski comments Link to Dan S. on the extension Link to MLBTR on the extension Link to preseason predictions pods Link to Finnegan play Link to Finnegans Wake wiki Link to violations leaderboard Link to clockoff game log Link to clockoff gamer Link to shrimp post Link to Sam on walk-off errors Link to Sam on walk-off strikeouts Link to Langs pitch-count stat Link to Stathead on Ober games Link to first Kwanconversation Link to article on Guardians whiffs Link to recent Kwan profile Link to Cleveland wind tunnel Link to fan’s catch Link to Julio’s splits Link to Julio’s swing changes Link to Neil on Julio’s starts Link to wOBA-xWOBA Link to Ultraman wiki Link to Ultraman: Rising wiki Link to Ken’s stats screenshot Link to 400+ HR sheet Link to .500-est teams Link to Turner’s helmet play Link to Sam on helmets Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the highlights of the MLB at Rickwood Field game and broadcast, Mike Trout’s unsurprisingly slow return from knee surgery, Matt Waldron’s sustained success, the incredible Royce Lewis, the challenge system’s continued ascendance over full ABS, Barry Bonds as a baseball ambassador, Elly De La Cruz’s stolen-base slump, the Yankees-Orioles AL East race, Michael Jordan and subjective stats, Buck Showalter’s scouting criteria at the MLB Draft Combine, and Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge as MVP candidates. Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Jackson clip Link to full Jackson appearance Link to retro broadcast clip Link to Smoltz-Alexander trade Link to Trout update Link to EW 2158 Trout intro Link to BP IL Ledger Link to Waldron leaderboard Link to Lewis leaderboard Link to Lewis WAR/600 Link to ABS/challenge story Link to Bonds/Griffey clip Link to Bonds allegations Link to EW 2165 on Elly Link to Sam on Elly Link to Trueblood on Elly Link to Becker on the Reds Link to Becker on Yanks-Orioles Link to FG playoff odds Link to team SP projections Link to Haberstroh on Jordan Link to DiMaggio streak scoring Link to HR rules changes Link to book on Babe’s HR Link to errors/scoring Stat Blast Link to Draft Combine page Link to Showalter clip Link to Jim’s Dwight impression Link to FG WAR leaders Link to Petriello on Judge Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Rany Jazayerli, and Neil Paine discuss the death of Willie Mays, Mays as the last legendary link to an earlier era, the statistical cases for Mays as the greatest all-around player and greatest player, period in major league history, and (36:45) baseball’s new greatest living player, plus (46:02) banter about Kansas courting the Royals with public funding and (50:38) the competitive trajectories of the Royals and Mets. Then (1:01:08) Ben brings on frequent Stat Blast correspondent Ryan Nelson for Blasts about teams that hover near .500, pitchers replacing same-surnamed pitchers, prolific umpire-player ejection combos, the most players with the same first name in the same game, and Alex Verdugo’s grounders. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Rany’s Mays article Link to Neil’s Mays article Link to FG’s Mays obit Link to Mays statement Link to Manfred statement on Mays Link to Carig on Mays Link to Mays fielding slump Link to EW 1927 on Mays Link to Mays stumble story 1 Link to Mays stumble story 2 Link to B-Ref career WAR leaders Link to Ben on quality of competition Link to Posnanski on the GLP Link to EW 2161 on public funding Link to Kansas funding details Link to deMause on Kansas funding Link to race to the bottom wiki Link to FG playoff odds Link to BP playoff odds Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Grimace explainer Link to Neil on team true talent Link to Neil on Witt and Brett Link to Neil’s Substack Link to Podracing podcast Link to Kauffman Corner podcast Link to Mike Conte’s Stat Blast cover Link to Wolf of Wall Street quote Link to Langs on .500 teams Link to Ben on .500 teams Link to .500 teams/Ryne Stat Blast Link to Kelly/Alexander game Link to Retrosheet ejections data Link to ejections Stat Blast data Link to ejections-per-G graph Link to SABR on ejections Link to Evers wiki Link to “Baseball’s Sad Lexicon” Link to “Luis” game Link to The Bob Emergency Link to same-names data Link to swimmer David Young Link to 2024 grounder leaders Link to 2021-4 grounder leaders Link to 2019-24 grounder leaders Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether Nike’s City Connect uniforms have run their course, the Dodgers’ double whammy of injuries to Mookie Betts and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (and Kyle Bradish going back on the IL), the approaching returns of Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer, and Clayton Kershaw, Carlos Correa’s hot streak, Elly De La Cruz and the excitement of scoring unexpectedly, a better way to handle a hypothetical hitter who only hits grand slams, David Fletcher’s strange season and transition to true two-way play, the potential fallout from umpire Pat Hoberg’s gambling scandal, a dead ball in NPB, and how pitching phenom Roki Sasaki’s lack of durability could affect his future free agency. Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Meg’s tweet Link to Facebook post Link to Dodgers uni Link to Mets uni explainer Link to City Connect wiki Link to new FG player pages Link to FG post on the Dodgers Link to MLBTR on Mookie Link to combined WAR leaders Link to hamate study 1 Link to hamate study 2 Link to MLBTR on Yamamoto Link to Passan on Yamamoto Link to MLBTR on Bradish Link to MLBTR on Cole Link to MLBTR on Scherzer Link to MLBTR on Miller/Kershaw Link to EW on Kershaw book Link to Elly play Link to slams hypothetical Link to Vieira intentional balk Link to Jansen intentional balk Link to Sam on balks Link to Bois on balks Link to WaPo on Fletcher Link to Fletcher batting game log Link to Fletcher pitching game log Link to Cosart fine info Link to MLBTR on Waldrep Link to MLBTR on Hoberg Link to EW episode on Hoberg Link to NPB ball scandal Link to Allen on old ball scandal Link to Allen on Sasaki Link to Allen’s tweet Link to Ben on NPB pitchers Link to WaPo on Sasaki Link to MLBTR on Sasaki Link to JPPL offense Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley answer listener emails about Kyle Schwarber batting leadoff, teams paying their players not to do in-game, on-field interviews, the phrase “potential World Series preview,” a team purchasing and privatizing a valuable public baseball website, a player who can’t hit anything except grand slams, a player who homers in every game he plays but is usually injured, Justin Verlander’s Hall of Fame plaque cap, and what constitutes a “teammate” (plus a real-time reaction to the Astros releasing José Abreu). Then (1:06:33) Ben meets major leaguers Daniel Schneemann and Jamie Westbrook and (1:17:58) briefly reacts to news about MLB disciplining “perfect” umpire Pat Hoberg for gambling. Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Jake on Schwarber Link to MLB.com on Schwarber Link to NBCS on Schwarber Link to Inquirer on Schwarber Link to Reddit on Schwarber Link to Phillies batting orders Link to Schwarber splits Link to most HR since 2022 Link to 2023 P/PA leaderboard Link to 2024 P/PA leaderboard Link to Ben on interviews Link to mic’d-up Maldonado Link to FG WS odds Link to MLBTR on Ramírez Link to CapFriendly Link to Sportico on CapFriendly Link to RMNB on CapFriendly Link to Athletic on CapFriendly Link to ESPN on CapFriendly Link to THN on CapFriendly Link to PuckPedia Link to Texas Leaguers Link to Hit Tracker Link to Chamberlain’s stats Link to Orr’s stats Link to Christopher book Link to Posnanski on Christopher Link to bases-loaded splits Link to Tabler Stathead Link to SI on Tabler Link to NYT on Tabler Link to Tabler blog post Link to McCartney clip Link to MLBTR on Abreu Link to Verlander option info Link to A-Rod/Judge post Link to listener emails database Link to B-Ref new debuts Link to MLBTR on Schneemann Link to Forbes on Schneemann Link to MLB.com on Schneemann Link to Deseret on Schneemann Link to Triple-A wRC+ leadersr Link to Triple-A xWOBA leaders Link to Guardians prospects list Link to Elias stat Link to MLBTR on Westbrook Link to MLB.com on Westbrook Link to MLB.com on Westbrook 2 Link to Westbrook’s Insta Link to Constellation Energy League Link to Athletic on Hoberg Link to ESPN on Hoberg Link to MLBTR on Hoberg Link to EW episode on Hoberg Link to Ump Scorecards ranking Link to perfect game tweet Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about this season’s giant cluster of wild card contenders, the potential for an inactive trade deadline, the role the White Sox will play, whether the compression of the standings is good or bad for baseball, and expanded-playoffs incentives. Then (33:46) they talk to NPR producer Alana Schreiber, creator and executive producer of the NPR/MLB podcast Road to Rickwood, about the history of the park that’s hosting its first MLB game this month, plus a postscript (1:17:48) about a postseason mid-PA pitching change. Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on the Biggio trade Link to Ben on preseason projections Link to Sheehan on parity Link to FG playoff odds Link to MLB standings Link to Road to Rickwood Link to Road to Rickwood site Link to MLB on RtR Link to NPR on RtR Link to HoF on Rickwood Link to Wickwood wiki Link to MLB at Rickwood wiki Link to MLB’s Rickwood page Link to Bull Durham anecdote Link to Shelton on EW Link to EW Episode 1887 Link to 1991 ALCS game Link to ALCS game log Link to 1991 article page 1 Link to 1991 article page 2 Link to Ben on mid-PA changes Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Bryce Harper pandering to Londoners, Kiké Hernández booting a ball during an in-game interview, banning player scouting cards to lower BABIP, the effect on home runs of widening the foul lines, Yusei Kikuchi, Tyler Soderstrom, and a foul-territory hypothetical, crediting managers for sacrificial ejections, Aaron Judge’s scalding hot streak, Luis Gil performing like Gerrit Cole, the Yankees’ candlelit clubhouse, Matt Waldron as the small-sample best pitcher in baseball, the dynamic duo of Tarik Skubal and Cole Ragans, follow-ups about non-hated dynasties, the Angels’ resilient attendance, a mid-PA pitching change, and pterodactyls and dinosaurs, plus closing banter about Buster Olney’s hacked-Twitter Luis Robert Jr. trade rumors. Audio intro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Harper pandering article Link to Harper’s slide Link to Harper’s bat Link to AP on Kiké’s interview Link to Roberts on the error Link to video of error Link to Ben on in-game interviews Link to Kikuchi collision Link to Servais ejection Link to Raley’s bunt Link to Raleigh’s slam Link to Episode 2033 Stat Blast Link to Judge leaderboard Link to rained-out stats Link to BP on Gil Link to Apstein on candles Link to Waldron leaderboard Link to pitching fWAR leaders Link to tweet about Boone mixup Link to Ben on mid-PA changes Link to pterosaur wiki Link to pterodacytl wiki Link to quetzalcoatlus wiki Link to grackle wiki Link to cassowary wiki Link to Olney article 1 Link to Olney article 2 Link to Olney article 3 Link to OF leaderboard Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s recent resurgence, then answer listener emails about what a dynastic team could do to avoid being widely hated, a mid-plate-appearance batting change, widening the foul lines to increase offense, whether reducing pitcher injuries would be worth bringing back pitcher hitting, the popularity of a perfect ump, the fairness of unintentional foul tips, and which Mario Kart power-up would be best in baseball, plus additional banter about the Angels’ surprisingly small post-Ohtani attendance drop and ((1:09:51) a Stat Blast (with Michael Mountain) about championship win probability MVPs, combining regular-season and postseason stats, and more. Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Vlad leaderboard Link to Ben on the Dodgers Link to Paine on the Giants Link to Ben on mid-PA changes Link to PH penalty post Link to foul lines article 1 Link to foul lines article 2 Link to foul lines article 3 Link to foul lines article 4 Link to foul lines article 5 Link to foul lines article 6 Link to foul lines article 7 Link to Ben on pitcher hitting 1 Link to Ben on pitcher hitting 2 Link to Hoberg EW segment Link to Mario Kart items Link to previous Mario question Link to Caldwell article 1 Link to Caldwell article 2 Link to listener emails database Link to Sam’s Angels tweets Link to team attendance changes Link to ESPN strength of schedule Link to Michael’s Stat Blast cover Link to Sam on postseason stats Link to Michael’s cWPA spreadsheet Link to yearly cWPA leaders Link to Kiner and Rickey article Link to Ben on Britton Link to Ben on pitch-clock history Link to 1970 GCL batting Link to 1970 GCL Pirates Link to Andino headshots Link to Curse of the Andino Link to Sam on single-play WAR Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the showdowns between Paul Skenes and Shohei Ohtani, Skenes’s strengths and weaknesses as a pitcher and an entertainer, the least and most exciting types of strikes, and more. They then discuss the improbable longevity of Aroldis Chapman’s triple-digit pitch speeds, whether the risk of losing the most games ever should stop the White Sox from selling, whether outfield positioning is suppressing offense more than the shift ever did, the less lively but far-from-dead ball, the end of Atlanta’s shutout streak, Adam Duvall’s beer-cup throw as proof of concept for a skills competition, MLB’s latest curious sponsor, an unsightly London Series shirt, and a potential Kyle Tucker nickname. They also assess bears, sharks, pterodactyls, and other natural predators. Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ohtani-Skenes video Link to “Paulk” Skenes video Link to Sam on Skenes Link to Bonds vs. Gagne Link to R.J. on Skenes Link to Skenes postgame interview Link to Skenes HR reaction Link to Ohtani-Skenes-Chapman game Link to Skenes Baseball Savant page Link to Heart zone data Link to Chase zone data Link to article on Skenes fastball Link to info on foul-ball rates Link to Longenhagen on Skenes Link to Woodward on Skenes Link to Chapman max speeds Link to Cooper on Chapman Link to Chapman Instagram story Link to EW Episode 1 Link to MLBTR on the Sox Link to Passan on the Sox Link to FG playoff odds Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Russell on OF defense Link to Rob on playing deeper Link to Rob on OF defense Link to Episode 1907 wiki Link to 1907 Unglaub arc article Link to Ben on moving the mound Link to EW on time-traveling GM Link to Teoscar batted ball tweet Link to Chapman reaction Link to longest no-shutout streaks Link to Duvall video Link to Paine on Duvall Link to buildsubmarines.com Link to buildsubmarines.com release Link to Good Sam Club release Link to Camping World release Link to Doosan release Link to EW on beer/cerveza Link to beer/cerveza follow-up Link to London shirt tweet Link to London shirt tweet 2 Link to Reed tweet Link to split scarves tweet Link to Reed/shirt post Link to Dan Flashes meme Link to mother is mothering meme Link to shark-punching article Link to lowest team OBPs Link to lowest team wRC+ Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss MLB’s clearing of Shohei Ohtani and banning of five other players for betting on baseball (including Tucupita Marcano’s permaban), touching on MLB’s culpability (or lack thereof), gambling ads, the future, and more. Then (39:32) they banter about the latest instance of Tommy Pham going aggro, which demotion is more surprising, Spencer Torkelson’s or Edouard Julien’s, leaguewide parity and a purported lack of good teams, a Garrett Crochet trade rumor, a memorable Brewers-Phillies game, a skills competition at the Futures Game, the Rangers’ resistance to Pride Night (1:16:18), a suggested Kyle Tucker nickname, a Reed Garrett update, a decrease in position-player pitching, why mid-PA pitching changes haven’t caught on, and SABR’s new determination about which Negro Leagues were major-league quality. Audio intro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Davy Andrews, “Edouard Julien, Are You Gonna Rule Again?” Link to MLBTR on Ohtani Link to MLB bans press release Link to Marcano MaML Link to Baumann on the ban Link to 2015 Cosart story Link to naming rights story Link to regulation article 1 Link to regulation article 2 Link to regulation article 3 Link to regulation article 4 Link to regulation article 5 Link to Weaver on Pham Link to latest Pham play Link to Statcast on the send Link to 2022 Pham play Link to Pham-Pederson dispute Link to Pham wiki Link to Pham tweet Link to Pham on the Mets Link to Pham in AZ info 1 Link to Pham in AZ info 2 Link to Dan S. on Tork/Julien Link to preseason Julien post Link to preseason projections Link to MLBTR on Suwinski Link to Sam tweet Link to Sheehan on the ALC Link to end of Pac-12 baseball Link to indy Oregon team Link to Ben on team mediocrity Link to EW on team mediocrity Link to Ben on Morgan quotes Link to FJM Link to Crochet rumor Link to Hoskins/Dahl game Link to skills comp info Link to KBO bunt derby clip Link to Levi on the website slogan Link to Levi on Pride Night Link to Ghiroli on Pride Night Link to AP on Pride Night Link to LAT on Pride Night Link to Rob Mains on PPP Link to article on Tucker Link to Clemens on mid-PA changes Link to Ben L. on mid-PA changes Link to SABR on the Negro Leagues Link to Lester/Thorn on EW Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley bring on FanGraphs associate editor Matt Martell to discuss the scenes at Citi Field that kicked off the Mets’ Jorge López saga, the resulting DFA and fallout, and what this silly/sad sequence of events suggests about the potential for player intent to be lost in translation, how off-the-field issues can manifest on the field, and the line between LOLMets and more serious situations. Then (42:00) Ben and Meg are joined by Trout-tier Patreon supporter Andrew Simard to explore the podcast as a sleep aid and answer listener emails about a jack-of-all-trades team vs. a specialist team, learning baseball lingo and the “double out,” the need for a nickname for Kyle Tucker, Anthony Rizzo and batter’s-box mobility, strike-zone multipliers, and spending surplus wins on playoff power-ups. Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to López comments Link to López glove throw Link to Matt’s thread Link to DiComo tweet Link to DiComo thread Link to Beverley ball throw Link to Beverley pod incident Link to Mintz López column Link to López Insta Story Link to López Insta post Link to MLBTR on López Link to MLBTR on Díaz Link to 2023 López IL stint Link to Mets Reddit thread Link to Mrs. Met story Link to Hechavarría video Link to Hechavarría story Link to Becker on the Mets Link to Baseball Sleep Radio Link to Sleep Baseball host on EW Link to lineup makeup research Link to Ben on Trial By Content Link to Ben on House of R Link to Tucker HR robbery Link to King Tuck’s Court video Link to King Tuck’s Court Twitter Link to King Felix’s Court Link to recent EW on Tucker Link to darts “double out” Link to B-Ref career WAR leaders Link to new Rizzo adjustment Link to previous Rizzo adjustment Link to Ben on moving the mound Link to HBP penalty email Link to Golden Batter rule Link to Cosmic Baseball story Link to listener emails database Link to Ben on Button Mash Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Simeon Woods Richardson’s podcast-approved use of written notes, whether David Fry or Jurickson Profar has the most delightfully surprising stats, Kevin Pillar’s post-White Sox hot streak, MLB’s offensive outage in May, Blake Snell and other slow-starting late-starting starters, Matt Waldron’s knuckleball usage and Jeremiah Estrada’s strikeout streak, and the worst way for the zombie runner to end a game. Then (45:35) they talk to Keith Morrisroe, Nationals bullpen cart driver, about the finer points of bullpen-cart operation and receiving a tip from reliever (and rider) Steven Okert. Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Philips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to notes tweet Link to FG Profar post Link to FG Fry post Link to Fry faceplant tweet Link to preseason projections Link to top wRC+, min. 120 PA Link to top May wRC+, min. 60 PA Link to MLBTR on Sox and Pillar Link to MLBTR on Angels and Pillar Link to Sheehan on May offense Link to Savant drag dashboard Link to Baumann on late-signing SP Link to AP Snell gamer Link to MLBTR on Clevinger Link to Waldron knuckler usage Link to MLB.com on Estrada Link to Phillies-Giants game Link to walk-off sac flies Link to previous Okert tip pod Link to Okert article 1 Link to Okert article 2 Link to Keith’s GMU page Link to Keith’s LinkedIn Link to Okert ballpark splits Link to Twins Daily on Keith Link to previous Fletcher pod Link to Fletcher investigation news Link to Fletcher box score Link to Fletcher line Link to Fletcher pitch data Link to Fletcher K pitch Link to Kieschnick Jr. news Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the career and competitive implications of Ronald Acuña Jr.’s latest season-ending injury, the retirement of infamous ump Angel Hernandez, the aesthetics of umps issuing warnings, the Brewers’ success sans Craig Counsell and David Stearns, a new unwritten rule against any(?) bunting, White Sox players vs. White Sox skipper Pedro Grifol, Tim Anderson’s offense, Aaron Judge’s defense, and team meetings prior to Patrick Corbin starts. Then (1:02:12) they talk to official MLB historian John Thorn and Negro Leagues researcher Larry Lester about MLB adding Negro Leagues stats to its official major league historical record, pensions for surviving Negro Leagues players, the East-West Classic, and more, plus a few follow-ups (1:43:07). Audio intro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG on Acuña Link to Dan S. on Atlanta Link to EW on modeling depth Link to Acuña injury video Link to MLB.com on Acuña injury Link to MLB.com on ATL returns Link to MLBTR on ATL OF help Link to The Athletic on Hernandez Link to USA Today on Hernandez Link to Athletic Hernandez profile Link to BP on Hernandez Link to ump pointing pre-PCA HR Link to Counsell boos Link to BP on Counsell homecoming Link to Lindor chants tweet Link to Lindor boos tweet Link to more Lindor Link to Smith Berry beef Link to bunting Stat Blast Link to Sam on unwritten rules Link to FG on the Guardians Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Grifol story Link to Anderson errors video Link to Anderson errors story Link to BP on Judge Link to Judge barrels Link to Judge’s 20 games Link to Janes tweet Link to 2023 meeting story Link to Sam on Corbin Link to MLBTR on Robles Link to MLB news story Link to Negro Leagues hub Link to hitting leaderboards Link to pitching leaderboards Link to John’s website Link to Larry’s website Link to AP on stat integration Link to Seamheads database Link to Retrosheet data Link to Athletic stats story Link to MLB.com stats story Link to pensions story Link to East-West story Link to MLB at Rickwood Field Link to Ben’s 2020 report 1 Link to Ben’s 2020 report 2 Link to shift violation Link to shift violation rule Link to Cueto Windbigler video Link to Cueto Windbigler story Link to Moon Hound on Bandcamp Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about which slow-starting 2023 pennant winner (Diamondbacks or Rangers) is more likely to get back on track to return to October, explain (9:37) the saga of Dick Windbigler, the rare pitcher who actually hurt himself by pausing mid-delivery (featuring an appearance by Dick’s widow, Melba Windbigler), then (30:04) answer listener emails about the requirements for claiming to have seen a game played in every MLB ballpark, the funniest MVP chant alternatives, changing the penalty for shift violations, and clustering hits and outs, meet major leaguers (1:01:44) Ryan Loutos and Jacob Hurtubise, and Stat Blast (1:14:50) about the least productive hitting streaks and more (plus a postscript). Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to playoff odds changes Link to 1973 Windbigler article Link to Windbigler HoF page Link to induction story Link to obit Link to UT Martin baseball alumni Link to delayed Mets game Link to phantom players wiki Link to Sam on NoPAPH Link to EW on obscure awards Link to shift violation Link to interference call play Link to Close Call Sports post Link to Rogers tweet Link to story on MLB response Link to listener emails database Link to B-Ref new debuts Link to WashU baseball alumni Link to Loutos on FGA Link to MLB.com on Loutos Link to MLBTR on Loutos Link to Student Life on Loutos Link to BA on Loutos Link to West Point baseball alumni Link to Hurtubise FG interview Link to Hurtubise article 1 Link to Hurtubise article 2 Link to Hurtubise article 3 Link to Hurtubise article 4 Link to Hurtubise article 5 Link to Cards prospect list Link to Reds prospect list Link to Kyle Cripps Stat Blast cover Link to lowest-OPS hitting streaks Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to triples-only games Link to longest walk-less streaks Link to longest ND streaks Link to longest BB + ND streaks Link to Verdugo clip 1 Link to Verdugo clip 2 Link to Verdugo clip 3 Link to Elly clip Link to Adolis clip Link to one-team-players post Link to one-team-players data Link to Paine on revolving-door teams Link to TCU highlight Link to Ben on mid-PA changes Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the end of the Orioles’ sweep-less streak, Oneil Cruz’s mismatch between top-tier tools and pedestrian production, the Phillies’ strength of schedule, Steven Okert and the etiquette of tipping one’s bullpen-cart driver, Kyle Hendricks and the decline of the 2016 Cubs’ core, and some Shohei Ohtani real-estate news. Then (47:14) they talk to The Athletic senior writer Evan Drellich about Rob Manfred’s press conference on Thursday, the uncertainty surrounding MLB’s broadcast/streaming future, the possibility (and potential ramifications) of nationalizing the sport’s media rights, a private-equity takeover of the minor leagues, and more, plus (1:27:57) several postscript follow-ups. Audio intro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to O’s sweep story Link to team records during streak Link to Cruz tweet 1 Link to Cruz tweet 2 Link to Cruz tweet 3 Link to Cruz’s Savant page Link to ESPN SoS Link to Defector on SoS Link to FG projected SoS Link to Okert article 1 Link to Okert article 2 Link to MLBTR on Hendricks Link to 2016 team batting age Link to 2016 team pitching age Link to Paine on the Cubs Link to Russell article 1 Link to Russell article 2 Link to L.A. Ohtani house Link to L.A. house 2 Link to Hawaii Ohtani house Link to Hawaii house 2 Link to Evan on Manfred comments Link to sickos meme Link to Evan on national TV Link to broadcast/streaming split Link to article on churn Link to Evan on Diamond Sports Link to Evan on the other Diamond Link to Steinbrenner comments Link to Sheehan on Steinbrenner Link to Winning Fixes Everything Link to Manfred on framing Link to first Ballers win Link to EW Ballers episode Link to GF w/o save leaders Link to Ben on mid-PA changes Link to Shildt game Link to MLBTR on Baumann trade Link to WDJDD song Link to Phiten tweet Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the hype surrounding Paul Skenes starts and how Skenes has leveled up since he was drafted, whether Kyle Tucker could finally shed his “most underrated player” label, Gunnar Henderson vs. Bobby Witt Jr. (and the Orioles’ infield/outfield future), the resurgent Royals, Jo Adell’s (maybe?) breakout, Joey Gallo’s ever-stranger stats, the Yankees’ success without Gerrit Cole, the powerhouse Phillies, Chris Sale’s bounceback, Ketel Marte’s unspectacular hitting streak (and Orlando Cabrera’s unspectacular on-base streak), disputes about pitch usage featuring Framber Valdez and Jhoan Duran, Alek Manoah’s strong starts, pitchers facing themselves via advanced pitching machines, Javy Báez tags, stripping out luck from batter WAR, and more. Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Longenhagen on Skenes Link to Woodward on Skenes Link to top 100 prospects update Link to Baumann on Tucker Link to combined WAR leaderboard Link to Rome on Tucker Link to Rosenthal on Witt/Gunnar Link to Sheehan on shortstops Link to Sheehan on shortstops 2 Link to Ben on Machado/Arenado Link to EW on Freeman/Goldschmidt Link to Holliday CF rumor Link to Clemens on Ortiz Link to Sheehan on the Royals Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Sheehan on the Phils Link to Phillies smooches Link to Tango on net FA spending Link to Jaffe on Sale Link to Jaffe on Adell Link to Adell wall ball Link to Cole update Link to team framing Link to Ben on Gallo in 2014 Link to Gallo’s Savant page Link to Marte streak story Link to longest 1-hit streaks Link to Cabrera streak post Link to tweets about Valdez Link to story on Duran Link to blog about Duran Link to Duran curve xWOBA Link to Duran pitch values Link to team fastball % Link to pitch sequencing post Link to Rob Arthur on pitch usage Link to Rob on pitch usage 2 Link to Angels pitching machines Link to Ben on pitching machines Link to BABIP explainer Link to Tango on xWOBA Link to Richard on “on deck” Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Rays running out of mound visits and various visit-related hypotheticals, then (21:00) answer listener emails about “due up” vs. “on deck,” strikes vs. pitches in the strike zone, whether focusing on wins instead of runs makes WAR less intuitive, Quinn Priester and FIP-based pitcher WAR, Ronald Acuña Jr.’s ping-ponging strikeout rate, whether the ball-strike challenge system hampers strikeout celebrations, how much infielders help control the running game, advanced pitching machines and the minors-to-majors transition, why there aren’t more major league trick plays, cathartic uniform-burning, and timeout-induced injuries. Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Rays mound visit story Link to mound visits rule Link to story on get-back coaches Link to OnDeck Capital wiki Link to Birnbaum on runs vs. wins Link to lowest K-BB% Link to highest HR/9 Link to defense behind pitcher Link to FG RA/9 WAR Link to Jaffe on Acuña Link to Dan S. on zStats Link to Petriello on Acuña’s Ks Link to ESPN on Báez tags Link to BP on tags Link to Ben on pitching machines Link to Rosenthal on MiLB-MLB gap Link to Ben on MLB-MiLB in 2015 Link to Skunk in the Outfield Link to Grand Illusion play Link to KK play Link to Skenes gamer Link to Fletcher story Link to EW on equipment destruction Link to uni-burning story Link to listener emails database Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a fake Ronel Blanco tweet about a fake Ronel Blanco quote, Meryl Streep’s sports apps, how four expected-to-contend teams’ injury-depleted rotations are faring so far, Josh Hader’s multi-inning outings, fêting Erick Fedde, Elly De La Cruz’s pursuit of 100 stolen bases, an Austin Hedges bruise, a possible benefit of catchers crouching close to hitters, players reinjuring themselves right after returning from injury, Kyle Bradish’s non-surgical comeback, whether a Ted Williams blast really reached the red seat at Fenway, a fatal catch(?) from 1906, Connor Joe and cheat-sheet creep, Ron Washington passing the buck on a bunt, and David Fletcher’s floater future. Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to “Mother’s Little Helper” Link to fake Blanco tweet Link to MLBTR on Blanco Link to Streep photo Link to FG team SP WAR Link to Hader’s game log Link to Pillar tweet Link to active SB leaderboard Link to Sam on Elly Link to Passan on Elly Link to EW on Wills Link to Elly’s 4 SBs Link to Hedges bruise Link to catcher bruises story Link to Tanner Swanson tweet Link to Swanson on EW Link to MLBTR on Friedl Link to MLBTR on Manning Link to tweet about Soler Link to Soler video Link to FG on Giants injuries Link to MLBTR on Bradish Link to story on Bradish PRP Link to Petriello on Williams Link to Rybarcyzk on Williams Link to Hagerty’s Hicks tweet Link to Hicks report 1 Link to Hicks report 2 Link to Hicks report 3 Link to Hicks report 4 Link to Hicks report 5 Link to Pitcairn wiki Link to Pitcairn doc Link to Davis/West story Link to West on EW Link to Connor Joe’s card Link to C wristbands video Link to Kiermaier card story Link to Washington’s comments Link to failed squeeze video Link to Washington’s presser Link to Guillorme bunts Link to Guillorme failed bunts Link to Tango on the squeeze play Link to Moneyball clip Link to Moniak’s failed squeeze Link to Fletcher knuckler video Link to Fletcher knuckler stats Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the “effectively wild” debut of Paul Skenes and the Pirates’ bases-loaded walkathon, an in-development TV series about Ippei Mizuhara, the demotion of Craig Kimbrel and possible trade dangling of Mason Miller, the continued success of Davis Schneider, the impact of replay review on the increase in catcher’s interference calls, and whether teams should go back to rearranging their rotations based on opponent quality, then (39:14) bring on Mike Petriello of MLB.com to explain and discuss the present and future of MLB’s new Statcast-based bat-tracking metrics, plus (1:27:51) a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Grandal interview Link to Skenes gamer Link to Skenes game box score Link to 1959 game box score Link to Ippei show story Link to Uncut Gems wiki Link to Kimbrel story 1 Link to Kimbrel story 2 Link to Sheehan on Kimbrel Link to Rosenthal on Miller Link to Schneider Reddit post Link to Schneider article Link to SIS on CI calls Link to Craig Wright on SP opponents Link to EW Episode 812 Link to Darius Austin on SP opponents Link to Matt Berry saying “bat” Link to Mike on EW in 2022 Link to Mike on new metrics Link to bat-tracking leaderboard Link to fastest bats Link to team leaders Link to Contreras story Link to Yankees slugger stats Link to Ohtani bat stats Link to Passan on bat stats Link to Eno on bat stats Link to Matan on bat stats Link to Ben C. on bat stats Link to Ben C. on bat stats 2 Link to Ben on second-guessing Link to Tango on switch-hitters Link to Tango on predictiveness Link to Paine on bat stats Link to Woodward on bat stats Link to Russell on shortening up Link to Dril tweet Link to KK play story Link to EW on the KK play Link to new fake-out catch Link to Ryan Nelson tweet 1 Link to Ryan Nelson tweet 2 Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh talks to Rays pitcher Zack Littell (4:33) about his expectation-surpassing conversion from relieving to starting and his affinity for cruise ships. Then (23:33) Ben brings on author and film critic Noah Gittell to discuss his new book about baseball movies and American culture, Baseball: The Movie, followed by six Stat Blasts with frequent Stat Blast correspondent Ryan Nelson (1:16:14). Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Link to Ben Clemens on Littell Link to MLBTR on Littell Link to underrated-Rays post Link to Rays WAR leaders Link to Littell pitch usage Link to Littell cruises article Link to Rays pitcher dev info Link to more on Rays pitcher dev Link to even more on Rays dev Link to down-the-middle pitching Link to Rays catching technique Link to Orioles catching technique Link to Royals catching technique Link to Little Big League scene Link to Little Big League wiki Link to Baseball: The Movie Link to Noah’s website Link to Noah’s Substack Link to Brad Lesley tweet Link to Passion baseball article Link to more Ben on baseball movies Link to Guy Russo’s Stat Blast cover Link to ballpark cycles sheet Link to 1-0 losses sheet Link to Mets perspective gamer Link to Pirates perspective gamer Link to Breslin’s Mets book Link to Ks plus ER sheet Link to post on Feller start Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to cLI explainer Link to cLI sheet Link to Kenny Jackelen on Twitter Link to first hits allowed sheet Link to Cox MLB.com story Link to Cox post 1 Link to Cox post 2 Link to Blanco stat Link to Michael Eisen on Twitter Link to listener emails database Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Pirates calling up top pitching prospect Paul Skenes, Mookie Betts’s shortstop defense, Willson Contreras, the causes of increasingly common catcher’s interference calls, and catcher technique in an ABS world, rampant reliever shuffling, Chase Anderson as a Phiten necklace “endling,” two ways in which amateur prospects are possibly being exploited or disrupted, Ippei Mizuhara’s guilty plea, Shohei Ohtani’s WAR and two-way future, and a momentous mid-plate-appearance pitching change that never was. Then (1:16:53) they talk to The Athletic writer Andy McCullough about his new book, The Last of His Kind: Clayton Kershaw and the Burden of Greatness. Audio intro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Skenes Link to SS DRS leaders Link to BP fielding leaderboard Link to Petriello on Mookie’s defense Link to Hankook commercial 1 Link to Hankook commercial 2 Link to Pedroia commercial Link to Contreras injury video Link to tweet about Contreras move Link to The Athletic on Contreras catching Link to Woodward on Contreras catching Link to Sam on CI last year Link to Sam on CI this year Link to CI totals Link to old EW on CI 1 Link to old EW on CI 2 Link to Tanner Swanson on EW Link to Ben on moving the mound Link to BP on disposable pitchers Link to Russell on disposable players Link to Ben on pitcher limits Link to latest MiLB FA draft Link to endling wiki Link to story on Anderson’s Phiten Link to Sam on Phiten Link to escaped zebra story Link to EW on youth baseball expense Link to The Athletic on Perfect Game Link to ESPN on draft evasion Link to MLBTR on Ippei’s plea Link to combined WAR leaderboard Link to FG hitter projections Link to Savant trending players image Link to Kershaw pen session Link to The Last of His Kind Link to book excerpt 1 Link to book excerpt 2 Link to Woodward/Trump story Link to Sam on Kershaw mistakes Link to Ben on Kersh in 2013 Link to Ben on Kersh in 2020 Link to Ben on pitcher deception Link to MLBTR on Hill Link to Ben’s Hill cover mockup Link to Kershaw career pitch usage Link to Ward/Wade wiki Link to The Atlantic on stadium subsidies Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Riley Greene’s latest pants-related wardrobe malfunction, the Padres-Marlins Luis Arraez trade, the continued scuffling of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a C.B. Bucknor bit, and more. Then (52:30) they’re joined by Neil deMause, author of Field of Schemes, and J.C. Bradbury, author, stadium-funding researcher, and professor of economics, finance, and quantitative analysis at Kennesaw State University, to discuss the latest wave of attempts by teams to obtain public funding for ballpark projects and whether the public is belatedly pushing back, plus a follow-up postscript (1:28:29) Audio intro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Link to first Greene pants tear Link to latest pants tear Link to Greene’s mom’s quote Link to uniforms press release Link to Other Ben on Arraez trade Link to DotF on the trade Link to Rosenthal on the trade Link to KLaw on the trade Link to pulled prospect story Link to Bendix on the trade Link to Ben on Arraez Link to Bucknor call/story Link to EW on ump decisions Link to Stroman and strikes story Link to Manfred comments Link to Neil’s first appearance Link to Neil on Manfred’s comments Link to Field of Schemes blog Link to Field of Schemes book Link to J.C.’s professor page Link to J.C.’s social channels Link to J.C.’s books Link to J.C.’s research Link to ProPublica story Link to Guardians team shop story Link to EW Episode 2160 Link to Ben’s House of R appearance Link to Button Mash episodes Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a recent uptick in base stealing and why Mike Trout’s loyalty to the Angels is criticized more than it’s celebrated. Then (16:39) they’re joined by Patreon supporter Alex Levy to discuss Alex’s background as a podcast listener, baseball fan, and mail carrier and answer emails (43:49) about a Mario approach to chemistry in baseball, back-to-back homers, providing players with a destructible piece of equipment, probabilistic robo umps, umps as neutral (but not infallible) arbiters, and the correct pronunciation of “summer sausage.” Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Woodward on SBs Link to Jaffe on home runs Link to first SB conversation Link to Ben’s preseason predictions Link to Rosenthal on Trout Link to Calcaterra on Trout Link to February EW on Trout Link to MLBTR on Buxton Link to Mario baseball game 1 Link to Mario baseball game 2 Link to “back-to-back” definition Link to Mackenzie tweets Link to Zimmer’s website Link to Zimmer’s WSJ column Link to compound stress rule Link to Youglish clips Link to compound stress PDF 1 Link to compound stress PDF 2 Link to Simpsons clip Link to listener emails database Link to Thistl Link to MLBTR on Arraez Link to MLBTR on Ruiz Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s unexpected experience at the bee-delayed Diamondbacks game, Shota Imanaga’s hot start, Reed Garrett and the phenomenon of pop-up relievers, Steven Kwan appreciation, how Mike Trout’s and Bryce Harper’s careers will be remembered, José Abreu being optioned to the minors, and a declined penalty in baseball, plus follow-ups about convoluted fun facts, promotion/relegation, and alternatives to “group Maddux.” Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Chase fitness club info Link to Bee Guy article 1 Link to Bee Guy article 2 Link to Bee Guy article 3 Link to bee delay announcement Link to Bee Guy ovation Link to Bee Guy on scoreboard Link to Bee Guy’s card Link to Bailey’s Imanaga tweet Link to Meg’s preseason projections Link to Clemens on Garrett Link to Kwan’s Savant page Link to story about Guardians power Link to Ben on Arraez Link to MLBTR on Trout’s injury Link to EW on Trout/Griffey Link to Paine on Trout’s legacy Link to B-Ref career WAR leaders Link to MLBTR on Abreu Link to Shildt game story Link to Tango on Shildt Link to Williams fun fact Link to NOBLETIGER reddit post Link to County Championship wiki Link to Audubon story 1 Link to Audubon story 2 Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

After a podcast preface by Ben Lindbergh about Mike Trout’s knee injury (sigh), Ben and Meg Rowley banter (4:19) about a weekend White Sox sweep, the overdue news that Nike is supposedly fixing the much-maligned MLB uniforms, follow-ups about rule rollbacks, ballplayer dirt ingestion, the “group Maddux,” and promotion/relegation, and the Twins’ summer sausage. Then (50:37) they talk to FanGraphs’ Ben Clemens about when it’s safe to evaluate changes in player performance and which hitters and pitchers have changed his mind the most (either positively or negatively) so far this season, plus a postscript (1:45:05). Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Ted Berg, “Small Sample Size Song” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Trout’s knee Link to BP Recovery Dashboard Link to Trout baby announcement Link to Trout hypotheticals Link to Trout video Link to uniform memo report Link to The Athletic on unis Link to Greene pants tear Link to Drellich on MLBPA/Fanatics Link to Ben on pitcher limits Link to group Maddux response Link to summer sausage wiki Link to AP on the sausage Link to Athletic on the sausage Link to EW guest leaderboard Link to signature significance info Link to batted-ball predictiveness info Link to Russell on hitter stats Link to Russell on pitcher stats Link to Carty on hitter stats Link to Carty on pitcher stats Link to Dolinar on sample size Link to Russell on stability 1 Link to Russell on stability 2 Link to Ben C.’s riser picks Link to Ben C.’s faller picks Link to Orr on Abrams Link to Ringer preseason predictions Link to FG preseason top 100 Link to Clemens on Littell Link to Clemens on Musgrove Link to FG on Realmuto Link to Tango on Realmuto Link to Flaherty strikeouts story Link to outfielder box article Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether they believe the projections that peg the White Sox as merely a run-of-the-mill terrible team, this season’s sophomore slumps (so far), and more on ballplayer dirt consumption and replay review protocol, then (30:09) answer listener emails about promotion and relegation in professional baseball, the definition of “getaway day,” the value of pitcher fielding, how hard it would be for big leaguers to be bad intentionally, whether pitchers could give away pitch selection on a pickoff throw, and recent MLB rules changes that could or should be rolled back (plus additional discussion of some injury news). Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio outro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Dan S. on the White Sox Link to Neil Paine on the Sox Link to Dubuque on the Sox Link to Dan S. on the 2023 A’s Link to Tango on the 2023 A’s Link to EW on the 2023 A’s Link to MLBTR on Lee Link to MLBTR on Pham Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Dubuque on sophomore slumps Link to The Athletic on promotion/relegation Link to ESPN on promotion/relegation Link to NYT on the Super League Link to Dan S. on Tides vs. Rockies Link to Scherzer on ump relegation Link to team P DRS range Link to team P plays made range Link to Episode 2030 Stat Blast Link to Baumann on Ohtani Link to MLB rules changes Link to Ben on faking to third Link to Ben on the Waxahachie Swap Link to article on Rendon Link to MLBTR on Rendon Link to MLBTR on Miley Link to MLBTR on Luzardo Link to listener emails database Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about how much dirt MLB players ingest in a season, the second-most-encouraging stat about Mike Trout’s season, Shohei Ohtani, Earl Webb, and the single-season doubles record, Cody Bellinger and whether the Cubs should pad the walls at Wrigley Field, whether replay review should privilege the call on the field, Matt Waldron’s knuckleball, the disparate seasons of Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz, Francisco Lindor’s superstar status, José Ruiz’s pursuit of Ryan Webb’s record for games finished without a save, and Tigers broadcaster Jason Benetti’s request for a baseball plus/minus stat (and whether baseball would be better with more player-interaction effects). Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to dirt-consumption info Link to FG post on Trout’s running Link to BP on Trout’s swings Link to Trout’s pitch-type performance Link to Trout’s plate-discipline stats Link to Trout’s sprint speeds Link to Posnanski on Ohtani Link to Webb SABR bio Link to Maris Jr. article 1 Link to Maris Jr. article 2 Link to Bellinger play Link to Bellinger quote Link to Bellinger IL news Link to MLBTR on Bellinger Link to 1991 Wrigley padding article Link to info on the ivy Link to info on Veeck’s role Link to article on Reiser Link to second Reiser article Link to ballpark homogenization info Link to Adell play Link to Sheehan on replay Link to replay review rules Link to Waldron article Link to BP on Waldron’s latest Link to Waldron game highlights Link to Thrice band wiki Link to Ben on knuckleballs Link to Jannis EW appearance Link to Lindor’s big game Link to post-2020 hitter WAR Link to Webb/Albers wiki Link to Webb/Ruiz leaderboard Link to plus/minus wiki Link to MLB defense plus/minus Link to hockey plus/minus problems Link to NBA plus/minus problems Link to Russell on lineups Link to Ben on batter vs. pitcher stats Link to catcher ERA article Link to more on catcher impact Link to article on Jeter studies Link to all-22 film info Link to Jeff on time of possession Link to Trial By Content pod Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Rockies (and their charter pilots) running afoul of the FAA, Jackson Holliday’s slow start, whether the Astros or Twins has hurt their division-title chances more, two embarrassing umpire incidents, offense being down relative to last season, the concept of a “combined Maddux,” Shohei Ohtani’s WAR as a DH, the Blue Jays’ self-funded ballpark renovations, new research on Tommy John surgeries in Japan, and more. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Audio outro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Rockies plane video Link to AP on the Rockies Link to new flight deck rule Link to Blum on Holliday Link to O’s prospects joke Link to Animorphs meme Link to white guys selfie meme Link to article on Scott Link to story on Mays start Link to story on Mantle start Link to change in division odds Link to García injury update Link to RP fWAR Link to Dan S. on the Astros Link to Boone ejection video Link to EW on ump-heckling Link to CNN on Boone ejection Link to SI on Boone ejection Link to KBO ABS incident Link to offense through 4/22 Link to Joe Sheehan on offense Link to BallparkPal thread Link to “Maddux” glossary entry Link to “combined Maddux” mention Link to WAR leaderboard Link to Jaffe on the Dodgers Link to Cardinals funding post Link to more on Cards request Link to article on Jays funding Link to Diamondbacks statement Link to Jim Allen TJ research Link to archived version Link to SABR on Tippy’s pickoffs Link to Tippy video Link to Tippy call Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Amid a wave of pitcher injuries, Ben Lindbergh talks to Dr. Rich Nye (4:20), a former major leaguer whose career-ending injury became a career-beginning injury when he decided to become an exotic-animal veterinarian (among other occupations). Then (1:07:09) Ben talks to prolific TV creators/writers/producers Tom Fontana and Julie Martin about what might have been for Baseball Wives, a long-lost HBO baseball drama that was canceled after its pilot episode was produced in 2002. Lastly (1:43:25), Ben brings on Frequent Stat Blast Correspondent Ryan Nelson to deliver eight Stat Blasts, plus (2:23:13) follow-ups. Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLB.com on Freeland Link to Freeland on EW Link to Rockies airline story Link to Meulens video Link to The Athletic on McKenzie Link to MLBTR on Stephenson Link to MLBTR on Hurt Link to MLBTR on Tiedemann Link to The Athletic on Suárez Link to 1969 Cubs-Giants broadcast Link to Nye’s SABR bio Link to 1967 rookie pitcher WAR Link to Nye’s vet bio Link to Nye wiki Link to Nye’s debut game Link to Nye’s 1970 game Link to 1976 Nye Tribune article Link to Seinfeld squirrel clip Link to Nye’s woodturning site Link to Kessinger on EW Link to Hands on EW Link to Ben’s Olerud interview Link to The Wire Triandos clips Link to SatC Yankee Stadium clip Link to Ben on media exclusivity Link to 2002 HBO AP article Link to Race for the Pennant promo Link to Fontana on IMDb Link to Martin on IMDb Link to Fontana WaPo profile Link to Fontana Buffalo archive Link to Baseball Wives wiki Link to Baseball Wives article 1 Link to Baseball Wives article 2 Link to Baseball Wives article 3 Link to Baseball Wives article 4 Link to Baseball Wives article 5 Link to more info on Baseball Wives Link to 2011 Baseball Wives Link to Footballers’ Wives Link to Ben on unaired pilots Link to Stat Blast song cover Link to Ryan’s previous appearance Link to Stat Blast wiki Link to article on Day no-no Link to HoF on Feller no-no Link to team BA spreadsheet Link to lineup names sheet Link to outs on bases sheet Link to SABR on Tippy’s pickoffs Link to Tippy pickoffs video Link to lefty-starters sheet Link to Russell on SP order Link to Rockies lefties record Link to “Darvishes” spreadsheet Link to first BF screenshot Link to first BF spreadsheet Link to games played spreadsheet Link to Calcaterra quote Link to McCutchen steal Link to Craig Wright on stealing home Link to stealing home sheet Link to listener emails database Link to Bellinger on Boras Link to Boras facility brag Link to Sterling HR call ranking Link to Yakkertech tweet Link to Neil Paine on the White Sox Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Carlos Correa’s nerdiness, the Pirates pulling phenom Jared Jones after 59 effective pitches, the zombie runner, what Jontay Porter’s lifetime NBA ban portends for MLB, Shohei/Ippei conspiracy theories and Shohei Ohtani’s hitting and tax loophole, Michael Busch and the Dodgers’ outfield offense, the legacy of Whitey Herzog’s “Whiteyball,” and the power and prospects of two-way college star Jac Caglianone, plus follow-ups on MLB Blazes, IMG Academy, and Reynaldo López, then (1:13:48) answer listener emails about unsigned pitchers ramping up for the start of the season, whether all of the A’s could be traded to other teams, pitcher arm injuries in Japan, foul tips with fewer than two strikes, and MLB attendance/finances vs. NFL attendance/finances. Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and the Jeffs, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Correa on Dune: Part Two Link to Correa Marvel post Link to Correa Star Wars post Link to article on Correa’s dogs Link to Correa the stathead Link to Correa wRC+ video Link to Reylo wiki Link to BP on Jones Link to Jones Strike % stat Link to Mikolas start Link to Jones game story Link to Pirates pitching plan Link to Ben on workloads Link to velo leaders Link to Miller injury info Link to NBA Porter announcement Link to The Athletic on Porter Link to Ohtani taxes article Link to political baseball language Link to team OF wRC+ Link to FG Dodgers OF post Link to FG Busch post Link to NYT Erskine obit Link to NYT Herzog obit Link to Whiteyball wiki Link to Posnanski on Whiteyball Link to Miklasz on Whiteyball Link to Cranston MLB promo Link to Caglianone article Link to Gators Statcast tweet Link to top MLB draft prospects Link to longest MLB homers Link to Mazara HR Link to Boras facilities article Link to Finley/Kuhn article Link to EW Episode 1621 Link to Japan/U.S. pitchers study Link to Richard Hershberger’s book Link to EW Episode 627 Link to listener emails database Link to IMG Academy wiki Link to most-streamed 2023 shows Link to Vulture on Bluey Link to Slate on Bluey Link to John/Jack explainer Link to Caillou explainer Link to Oops! All Berries explainer Link to tick-tock explainer Link to “Am I so out of touch?” meme Link to Catherine Lowe wiki Link to Wade/Ward wiki Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about MLB jerseys as Fremen stillsuits, an update on Blake Snell the self-perceived strike-thrower, Brent Suter and being the “best teammate,” which MLB team is last in the league in vibes, the struggling Marlins demoting the not-struggling Max Meyer, whether teams are working minor league pitchers (such as Paul Skenes) too lightly, and (1:02:49) the career and retirement of Yankees radio voice John Sterling and fan affection for long-lasting local broadcasters, then (1:29:31) meet major leaguers Spencer Arrighetti, Blaze Alexander, and Jorge Barrosa, plus postscript follow-ups (1:51:25). Audio intro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLB stillsuit article Link to sweat stains quote Link to sweaty Yankees jerseys Link to Snell quote Link to Elly’s catch Link to Suter article Link to article on eco-conscious Suter Link to Suter’s impressions Link to 2016 LaRoche article Link to 2021 LaRoche retrospective Link to Freeland play Link to article on Meyer demotion Link to McCarthy tweet Link to Sheehan on pitcher usage Link to BP on Skenes in college Link to Ben on TNSTAAPP Link to MLB.com on Sterling Link to The Athletic on Sterling Link to Brosius call Link to Camp call Link to BP on the Camp game Link to list of Sterling calls Link to Sterling “fangraph” comment Link to flubbed Sterling call Link to last Sterling HR call Link to “Something Sort of Grandish” Link to 2011 Sterling NYT profile Link to Warner Wolf wiki Link to Meet a Major Leaguer wiki Link to B-Ref new debuts page Link to The Athletic on Arrighetti Link to Longenhagen on Arrighetti Link to MLB.com on Arrighetti Link to Blazes on B-Ref Link to 2018 Alexanders article Link to 2019 Alexander article Link to Barrosa call-up article Link to March Barrosa article Link to Longenhagen on player heights Link to non-pitcher height query Link to pitcher height query Link to Burke break article Link to EPL history wiki Link to 1884 World Series wiki Link to Saber Seminar Link to Kite Person on Bandcamp Link to Kite Person on SoundCloud Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the lack of an uptick in stolen bases this season, which of the teams that are off to surprisingly hot or cold starts has changed their minds the most, analogs to baseball’s epidemic of UCL tears in tennis and women’s soccer, whether MLB would/should allow a hypothetical UCL-strengthening steroid, and whether MLB will ever reboot its continuity, then Stat Blast (1:02:31) about players with inside-the-park homers and over-the-fence homers in the same game, games in which one team threw many pitches faster than its opponent’s fastest pitch, and the highest player winning percentages in starts. Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ben C. on stolen bases Link to birds and bees study Link to playoff odds changes Link to BaseRuns standings Link to MLBTR on Schumaker option Link to team defense projections Link to Jontay Porter story Link to NPR on tennis injuries Link to WaPo on soccer injuries Link to NYT on soccer injuries Link to article on soccer cleats Link to UEFA initiative Link to artificial ligament wiki Link to Mark McGwire comments Link to Andy Pettitte comments Link to EW on sports history authority Link to comic-book reboots wiki Link to EW on “modern era” Link to AFI movies list wiki Link to tweet about Babe Ruth’s wife Link to EW listener emails database Link to Garrett Krohn’s Stat Blast cover Link to Langs tweet about Elly Link to OptaSTATS tweet about Elly Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to inside-the-park graph 1 Link to inside-the-park graph 2 Link to Statcast Era both HR list Link to both HR, both sides list Link to story on Nimmo game Link to inside-the-parker data Link to both HR types leaderboard Link to Lucas Apostoleris on Twitter Link to Foley tweet Link to lopsided team velos sheet Link to player winning percentage sheet Link to Craig Wright on Lou Klein Link to Moonfall wiki Link to add EW on YouTube Music Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley react to news about Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara being charged with bank fraud, discuss the revelations in the government’s stunning, detailed complaint, and assess the implications for Ohtani and MLB. Then (1:06:58) they banter about Jordan Montgomery changing agencies after his offseason Boras debacle, a Juan Soto fan-pandering update, Jackson Holliday’s Orioles debut, Tyler Glasnow and the allure of a 21-strikeout game, a Driveline quote about training for velocity, and an A’s giveaway (and dubious pledge to spend more on players), plus (1:35:15) a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Greene pants seam tear Link to U.S. Attorney’s Office press release Link to criminal complaint Link to NYT report Link to MLB statement Link to @Yankees betting tweet Link to Ippei surrendering tweet Link to Baumann on gambling scandals Link to MLBTR on Montgomery Link to Soto spikes Link to Glasnow game Link to Sam on a 21-strikeout game Link to MLBTR on Holliday Link to Dan S. on the Tides Link to Olney tweet story Link to video of young Holliday Link to Twins kiss Link to 2023 Albies/Arcia kiss Link to 2024 Albies/Arcia kiss Link to Adler pitcher injuries article Link to A’s giveaway tweet Link to Rosenthal on A’s spending Link to ESPN on the A’s move Link to Belt on chicken tenders Link to hitting at Rogers Centre Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about White Sox manager Pedro Grifol’s anti-eclipse eyewash, the shrinking moon, an eyebrow-raising quote by Blake Snell, the latest signature Elly De La Cruz game, the hot starts of Mike Trout, Anthony Volpe, and Tyler O’Neill, how this season’s converted relievers (including Garrett Crochet and Jordan Hicks) are faring, and more, then (38:57) discuss and debate the latest rash of pitcher injuries, the pitch clock as a culprit or a scapegoat, and possible solutions to the injury problem, plus (1:27:32) an 1892 complaint about position-player pitchers and a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Grifol quote Link to Sox Machine on Grifol Link to Ben on the 2017 eclipse Link to tweet about eclipse coincidence Link to story on shrinking moon Link to story on end of eclipses Link to more on moon shrinking Link to Nick Gordon comment Link to Adler on eyewash Link to Snell quote Link to zone rate stats Link to Elly homers Link to Elly fun fact 1 Link to Elly fun fact 2 Link to article on Volpe swing Link to Sox pitch usage story Link to Sox Run Prevention Unit Link to FG post on Sox pitching Link to FG post on Rafaela Link to FG post on Hicks Link to Ben on pitcher injuries Link to MLBTR top stories screenshot Link to MLBPA statement Link to MLB statement Link to Cole comments Link to Verlander comments Link to Taillon/Wood comments Link to Scherzer comments Link to Passan on pitcher injuries Link to Sawchik tweet Link to Dan S. on the clock Link to BP on the clock Link to story on Bieber’s offseason Link to cricket bowling rules Link to cricket and TJS Link to EW on speed limits Link to mound height study Link to Ben on pitcher roster limits Link to Rich Hill surgeries Link to 1892 article Link to Bookforum Oyler review Link to Imanaga presser Link to The Athletic on Imanaga Link to Imanaga song Link to Kelenic comment Link to Ontario cursive story Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the earthquake in the Northeast, Juan Soto’s choice of walk-up song, J.J. Hardy building a ballpark in his Arizona backyard, the pluses and minuses of living in or near a ballpark, and how Shohei Ohtani relates to the Tower of Babel, then (1:04:21) answer listener emails about the Moneyball A’s vs. the 116-win Mariners, Joey Votto and players’ skill with cursive script, how long a ceremonial first pitch thrower could potentially delay a game, the value of consistently throwing from multiple arm slots, and how much better a team would be if its opponents knew nothing about it in advance. Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to NYT on the earthquake Link to Gleyber’s BP Link to Soto song tweet Link to “Empire State of Mind” Link to Correa Dior store quote Link to Hardy yardwork report Link to Olerud tree story Link to Target Field view Link to Minneapolis apartment building Link to converted Indianapolis ballpark Link to Indy stadium lofts Link to converted Osaka Stadium Link to The Athletic on the Dodgers ball Link to Dodgers follow-up article Link to Ohtani video clip Link to Ireton profile Link to Tower of Babel wiki Link to Votto tweet Link to NPR on cursive Link to The Atlantic on cursive Link to NYT on cursive Link to Rangers first pitch Link to Padres exhibition game Link to Ben on rookie pitcher comments Link to research on MLB debuts Link to listener emails database Link to Strider article Link to Ben on pitcher injuries Link to info on “misles” Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Athletics’ intermediate move to Sacramento, the Royals’ failed public funding referendum, a Davis Schneider self scouting report, a wild Diamondbacks-Yankees game that ended with a pitcher at the plate, whether a DH day is really like a partial day off, whether the Triple-A Norfolk Tides are better than the Colorado Rockies, Josh Jung and when to classify a player as “injury-prone,” Eury Pérez’s Tommy John surgery and MLB’s study on pitcher injuries, and an incandescent start by Mookie Betts, plus a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on the A’s move Link to Sutter Health Park Link to Olney tweet Link to Hildenberger tweet Link to Baumann on the A’s Link to Field of Schemes on the A’s Link to Simpsons quote Link to Cora quote Link to MLBTR on KC referendum Link to FoS on the Royals Link to Schneider homer Link to Schneider quote Link to McGough game article Link to McGough video Link to Hannah on DHs Link to Russell on DHs Link to Russell on days off Link to Tides game Link to Rockies game Link to Tides ZiPS Link to Ben’s Tides sheet Link to Clemens on Holliday Link to MLBTR on Jung Link to CBS on Jung Link to MLBTR on Eury Link to Ben on pitcher injuries Link to Manfred quote Link to The Athletic jerseys story Link to Fegan tweet Link to Weaver on wristbands Link to Chaquetas story Link to Salmon Run site Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a grab of topics, including a team meeting after two games, early bad blood and benches-clearing incidents, the continued terribleness of the new uniforms, a Bryce Harper blooper, a missing first-base coach, an A’s conspiracy, Juan Soto as instant True Yankee, new lights at Chase Field, the Dairy Daddies and marketing, a Nelson Cruz one-day-contract comp, Oswaldo Cabrera’s selective switch-hitting, and more, followed by a Stat Blast (1:14:22) about first-time Opening Day starters, Jesse Chavez and pitchers who were much better with one team than they were overall, games in which both teams scored more runs than they had hits, and the lowest-WAR three-team trades. Audio intro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to team meeting story Link to Hoskins slide Link to Hoskins taunt Link to throw behind Hoskins Link to story on Royals unis Link to sweaty Yankees jerseys Link to Ben on pitcher injuries Link to Harper play Link to A’s conspiracy Link to Jaffe on the Yankees Link to MLB.com Soto story Link to Soto throw Link to Ben on the Shuffle Link to Sterling call Link to FiveThirtyEight on NYC Link to New Yorker cover Link to EW on Gallo Link to White Sox delay Link to EW episode 2069 Link to lights at Chase Link to THT on day/night splits Link to BA on minor league lights Link to Meg’s salmon run tweet Link to salmon run wiki Link to Dairy Daddies Link to Oatly Malmö team Link to EW on team names Link to EW on Colon’s retirement Link to BP on Cabrera Link to NY Post on Cabrera Link to EW on Edman Link to EW on Edman again Link to Stat Blast song cover Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to Opening Day starter data Link to old SB on re-acquiring players Link to MLBTR on Chavez Link to Chavez comps data Link to Tex Pasley’s Twitter Link to Jay Cuda tweet Link to games with R>H data Link to 1953 game log Link to 1953 game article Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to MLBTR on the Berti trade Link to 3-team-trade data Link to Seattle ballpark meetup Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Opening Day naps, a Bryce Harper pandering update, Nelson Cruz’s Mariners retirement and the one-day-contract tradition, and Yusei Kikuchi’s latest intriguing revelation, then (21:16) share some highlights and lowlights of Opening Day action, report the results of listener voting on the preseason predictions game, analyze Will Smith’s extension, marvel at this season’s compressed projections, and (1:05:27) conduct the fourth annual Team Fun Draft, in which they draft all 30 teams in order of how fun they are to follow in 2024. Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG staff predictions Link to Ringer staff predictions Link to Ramírez Opening Day quote Link to Harper jacket Link to Cruz Mariners tweet Link to Levine on one-day contracts Link to one-day-contracts thread Link to Kikuchi on sleeping Link to Kikuchi on reading Link to Soto throw Link to Ichiro throw Link to Cespedes throw Link to Mays catch Link to Mariners salmon run Link to salmon run video Link to preseason predictions pod Link to listener voting results Link to MLBTR on Lewin Díaz Link to MLBTR on Smith Link to Jaffe on Smith Link to FG playoff odds Link to payroll disparities Link to Paine on net WAR Link to load management info Link to Ben on Arraez Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley remind people to vote in their preseason predictions game, discuss the completion of the season preview series, and then (10:15) analyze Shohei Ohtani’s remarks from Monday and preview the rest of the 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers season with The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, followed (1:15:31) by a 2024 Colorado Rockies preview with The Denver Gazette’s Luke Zahlmann, plus a postscript on the Diamondbacks signing Jordan Montgomery (1:55:50) and a recap of preview guests’ goals for each team this year (2:01:25). 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Tom Rhoads, “What Did Shohei Ohtani Know?” Audio interstitial 2: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” LINK TO VOTE ON PREDICTIONS Link to Capistrano swallows story Link to swallows story 2 Link to swallows story 3 Link to Ohtani video Link to Ohtani transcript Link to other Ohtani translation Link to Kim tweet Link to Kojima video Link to Ben on Ohtani Link to Blum on Ippei’s bio Link to NBA betting scandal Link to Haberstroh on Porter Link to Dodgers offseason tracker Link to Dodgers depth chart Link to Fabian on the Seoul series Link to more on Seoul Link to ESPN Friedman report Link to Ben on the Dodgers Link to Friedman on failure Link to Dodgers TV deal Link to Ben on the Dodgers Link to Fabian’s Athletic archive Link to Rockies offseason tracker Link to Rockies depth chart Link to SP projections Link to RP projections Link to FG playoff odds Link to FG on Tovar’s extension Link to Baumann on Straw Link to Blum on Bryant Link to Statcast defense projections Link to Rockies pitching lab Link to Rockies player projections Link to Coors hangover effect Link to Rockies R&D story Link to MLB attendance ranks Link to P GB% leaderboard Link to P K% leaderboard Link to Andrew’s Gazette archive Link to MLBTR on Montgomery Link to MLBTR on the QO Link to Operation Market Garden Link to over/under draft results Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form LINK TO VOTE ON PREDICTIONS  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and FanGraphs authors Michael Baumann and Ben Clemens play “Character Who Appears in Shōgun the Novel (but Not the TV Series) or International Amateur Baseball Player” (3:13), banter about an MLBPA power struggle (8:37) and the life of late Orioles owner Peter Angelos (16:51), and then explain the second annual preseason predictions game (22:38) and make 10 bold predictions apiece (29:00) about baseball in 2024, to be voted on by listeners. Audio intro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” LINK TO VOTE ON PREDICTIONS Link to Sasaki article Link to Jarvis singing video Link to Passan on the MLBPA Link to Drellich on Flaherty Link to latest on the MLBPA Link to Drellich on McHugh Link to Meyer letter Link to MLBTR on Angelos Link to Angelos wiki Link to Rubenstein story Link to last year’s predictions pod Link to predictions recap pod Link to last year’s results Link to wiki on last year Link to combined WAR leaderboard Link to Ben on 2022 Pujols Link to jacked players list Link to slim Stanton video Link to FG top 100 Link to 2024 oldest players Link to 40+ PA by year Link to batter age by year Link to multi-year RoY vote-getters Link to tiebreaker rules Link to FG playoff odds Link to Bananas cruise Link to total SB by year Link to Sam on SB Link to Russell on pickoffs Link to obstruction enforcement Link to enforcement explainer Link to obstruction call video Link to Lindor play piece 1 Link to Lindor play piece 2 Link to MiLB FA draft projections Link to Thames GIF Link to Ben on Shohei Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form LINK TO VOTE ON PREDICTIONS  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the J.D. Martinez and Michael Lorenzen signings, Eury Pérez‘s elbow, Jackson Holliday not making the O’s Opening Day roster, and MLB’s crowded, mediocre middle, then preview the 2024 New York Yankees (16:49) with The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner, and the 2024 Washington Nationals (1:14:13) with The Washington Post’s Andrew Golden. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG post on JDM Link to JDM deferral info Link to FG post on Lorenzen Link to MLBTR on Pérez Link to MLBTR on O’s roster Link to prospect promotion incentive Link to FG playoff odds Link to Yankees offseason tracker Link to Yankees depth chart Link to Chris on Volpe Link to Chris on Verdugo Link to Yankees wifi story Link to Stro/Cash story Link to SP projections Link to RP projections Link to Cashman on Stanton Link to Leanhardt article Link to 2019 Judge comment Link to Judge toe story Link to Cole option story Link to Bellinger on Seinfeld Link to Chris’s sitcoms tweet Link to Chris’s Athletic archive Link to Nationals offseason tracker Link to Nationals depth chart Link to Rizzo offseason quote Link to Andrew’s viral photo Link to Mintz on the photo Link to FG post on the photo Link to Stuff+ rankings Link to scouting changes Link to Orr on Abrams Link to Andrew on Abrams Link to SB leaders after 7/6 Link to Andrew on García Jr. Link to Andrew on Robles Link to Strasburg story Link to Lerner sale story Link to BP catcher defense Link to Andrew’s WaPo archive Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

In an in-depth discussion that became a bonus episode, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley explore the state of the sports-betting scandal surrounding Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, breaking down the stakes, the most pressing sources of uncertainty, and the many possible outcomes and consequences. Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLB statement Link to Wednesday ESPN report Link to Thursday ESPN report Link to Friday ESPN report Link to T.J. Quinn report Link to MLB Rule 21 Link to rules explainer Link to other leagues’ rules Link to NFL gambling policy Link to Rosenthal/McCullough Link to IRS report Link to Fletcher tweet Link to LeBron story Link to Jaguars employee story Link to Jaguars story 2 Link to Calcaterra newsletter Link to Ben on Shohei Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

After a brief preamble about the betting scandal surrounding Shohei Ohtani and interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the first game of the regular season, whether gloves have gotten more permeable, the odds of a DH-only Ohtani MVP season, Ohtani’s lucrative endorsements, whether the addition of in-app gambling info to NBA League Pass portends a similar future for MLB.TV, the pitfalls of pervasive sports-betting ads, the implications of Eury Pérez’s elbow injury, the chances that Pérez will win multiple Cy Young awards, and the decimated Marlins rotation. Then (34:39) they answer listener emails about what makes pitchers aesthetically pleasing, whether Blake Snell is effectively wild, whether coaches spend more time on stars or scrubs, moving the bullpen beneath the mound, whether MLB has too many multi-team markets, and joint broadcast booths, plus Stat Blasts (1:12:04) on the Dodgers’ daunting top of the order and the Padres’ profusion of shortstops, followed by (1:37:49) a real-time reaction to the Ohtani-Mizuhara news and a postscript with additional details and thoughts. Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to shortstop PPR Link to Gromit GIF Link to Cronenworth play Link to opener box score Link to Duffy glove fail Link to Vlad glove fail Link to The Atlantic on flying Link to Ohtani MVP odds Link to DH MVP article Link to NL WAR projections Link to 2023 AL WAR leaders Link to endorsement leaders Link to MLBTR on Eury Link to Baumann on Marlins SP Link to article on Sixto Link to Cy Youngs quote Link to non-Cy winners Link to Stuff+ ranking Link to League Pass article Link to Manfred-Silver story Link to Hefner article Link to moving mound EW episode Link to Emma on bullpen brawlers Link to two-team cities wiki Link to MLB Sunday Leadoff wiki Link to MASN booth article Link to Sterling-Castiglione swap Link to 1953 Scully story Link to listener emails database Link to Cory Brent’s Stat Blast cover Link to Ben’s Dodgers-Padres article Link to highest leadoff OPS Link to leadoff power article Link to Stat Blast sheet 1 Link to Stat Blast image 1 Link to Stat Blast image 2 Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to Cooper on the Padres Link to Stat Blast sheet 2 Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to Ron Swanson clip Link to Shohei couples photo Link to L.A. Times Ohtani report Link to ESPN Ohtani report Link to The Athletic Ohtani report Link to Jaguars story Link to Jaguars story 2 Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Giants signing Blake Snell, whether Snell is now underrated, San Francisco’s offseason, Scott Boras’s offseason, leaguewide spending, an MLBPA power struggle, and (39:03) a 150-year-old message about baseball players in spring, then preview the 2024 Atlanta Braves (45:42) with 92.9 The Game’s Grant McAuley, and the 2024 Chicago White Sox (1:24:54) with Sox Machine’s James Fegan. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to positional power rankings Link to Baumann on Snell Link to MLBTR on Snell Link to Anderson on Snell Link to Nightengale on Snell Link to Feinsand on Snell Link to Snell sim game Link to Farhan tweet Link to Giants PR problems Link to Grant on Brooks-Moon Link to MLBTR on Felipe Link to Rosenthal on Boras Link to Dan S. thread Link to Drellich on MLBPA Link to MLBTR on MLBPA Link to Giamatti essay Link to Harwell recording Link to 1874 column 1 Link to 1874 column 2 Link to reading soundtrack Link to November trade Link to Braves offseason tracker Link to Braves depth chart Link to Strider curve article Link to AA extension article Link to Ryan Nelson tweet Link to SP projections Link to RP projections Link to From the Diamond site Link to From the Diamond podcast Link to White Sox offseason tracker Link to White Sox depth chart Link to Crochet precursors Link to Ben on ex-player GMs Link to November Getz quote Link to February Getz quote Link to Battlestar quote Link to Sox ballpark coverage Link to team defense projections Link to James’s Sox Machine archive Link to Sox Machine Patreon Link to Sox Machine podcast Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Dylan Cease trade, the post-trade outlooks for the Padres and White Sox, and the incomparably chaotic Padres POBO A.J. Preller, then (31:22) discuss who the best pitcher in baseball is with Gerrit Cole on the shelf, Shohei Ohtani’s wife reveal (41:33), and (49:34) ESPN’s planned on-screen win probability graphic on Sunday Night Baseball. Finally (1:01:58), they draft (or at least list) their favorite trades and signings of the winter. Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Clemens on Cease Link to Rosenthal on Cease Link to Getz quote about Cease Link to DotF on the Cease trade Link to BA on Preller’s prospect trades Link to Padres farm rankings Link to Kram on trading prospects Link to Eric on Sox prospects Link to team SP projections Link to MLBTR on Kopech Link to payrolls page Link to Langs tweet Link to Sam on best pitchers Link to Ben on innings eaters Link to non-pitcher projections Link to pitcher projections Link to Strider’s curve Link to Shohei photo Link to ESPN win probability tweet Link to “calculating win probability” Link to EW nVenue episode Link to story on Toles Link to story on Blooper Link to Blooper wiki Link to Longenhagen on Fedde Link to MLBTR’s Cole update Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the latest on Gerrit Cole’s elbow and how his uncertain status might affect free agents Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, then preview the 2024 Houston Astros (23:42) with The Athletic’s Chandler Rome, and the 2024 Oakland (for now?) Athletics (1:12:15) with The Athletic’s Melissa Lockard. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Post report on Cole Link to MLBTR on Cole Link to MLBTR on Cease Link to Astros offseason tracker Link to Astros depth chart Link to Dusty’s comments Link to Ruby’s website Link to BP on Framber Link to Chandler on McCormick Link to Chandler’s Athletic archive Link to A’s offseason tracker Link to A’s depth chart Link to Gelof leaderboard Link to Miller’s velo Link to BA farm rankings Link to BP farm rankings Link to KLaw farm rankings Link to A’s ballpark coverage Link to Rooker EW episode Link to Ballers EW episode Link to Melissa’s Athletic archive Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the uncertain state of Gerrit Cole’s elbow (and the larger UCL scourge), the Giants controversially releasing J.D. Davis, and the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts/Gavin Lux infield switcheroo, then preview the 2024 Seattle Mariners (29:12) with The Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish, and the 2024 Kansas City Royals (1:08:53) with The Kansas City Star’s Jaylon Thompson. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes 2, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Michael Baumann, “What Would Jerry Dipoto Do?” Audio interstitial 2: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Cole Link to MLBTR on Cease Link to Ben on roster limits Link to Bill James pitcher study Link to EW Episode 2055 Link to max-effort-injuries article Link to The Athletic on injuries Link to Ben on spring TJs Link to Russell on roster shuffling Link to Ben on pitching prospects Link to IP since 2018 Link to Baggarly on Davis Link to MLBTR on Davis Link to Ardaya on Mookie’s move Link to Petriello on Mookie at SS Link to Mariners offseason tracker Link to Mariners depth chart Link to Divish on the offseason Link to Divish on Julio Link to Kirby’s knuckleball Link to MLBTR on M’s injuries Link to Ryan’s Times archive Link to Royals offseason tracker Link to Royals depth chart Link to Ragans breakout feature Link to Ben C. on Ragans Link to Ragans leaderboard Link to “Raid the Zone” Link to “Reign the Zone” Link to Jaylon on the slogan Link to Jaylon on Royals P dev Link to Jaylon on Melendez Link to Jaylon on Salvy’s goal Link to Salvy deadline story Link to Royals lettering story Link to “Jr.” jersey story Link to Royals stadium coverage Link to FG Top 100 prospects Link to Jaylon’s Star archive Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the retirement of Meg favorite Mike Zunino, some teams’ mismatched gray jerseys and pants, whether Blake Snell is still unsigned in part because his pitching isn’t fun to watch (and whether he walks batters by accident or on purpose), and Joey Votto’s minor league deal with the Blue Jays, then preview the 2024 Tampa Bay Rays (36:14) with MLB.com’s Adam Berry, and the 2024 Pittsburgh Pirates (1:09:21) with MLB.com’s Alex Stumpf. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Zunino Link to Meg on Zunino Link to “sad Zunino” Link to highest-K hitters Link to lowest-average hitters Link to Zunino HRD tweet Link to mismatched-grays report Link to FG on Snell Link to BP on Snell Link to PL on Snell Link to PL on Snell 2 Link to LOB% definition Link to LOB% since 2016 Link to LOB% leaders Link to “greatest thread” meme Link to Votto Insta post Link to MLBTR on Votto Link to Votto Jays interview Link to Rays offseason tracker Link to Rays depth chart Link to Jennings on the Rays Link to Verducci on the Rays Link to Clemens on the Rays Link to Rays pen improvement Link to Uwasawa story Link to Adam’s MLB.com archive Link to Ben on the Archer trade Link to Pirates offseason tracker Link to Pirates depth chart Link to Hayes breakout piece 1 Link to Hayes breakout piece 2 Link to Athletic Pirates article Link to team SS WAR Link to Skenes news Link to DotF on Jones Link to largest FA contracts Link to Alex’s MLB.com archive Link to MLBTR on Betts Link to MLBTR on Marte Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the A’s Las Vegas ballpark renderings, Brayan Bello’s extension with the Red Sox, and MLB’s Spring Breakout games, provide an update on EW listeners’ MLB ballpark meetup events, then preview the 2024 Baltimore Orioles (28:59) with The Baltimore Banner’s Danielle Allentuck, and the 2024 San Francisco Giants (1:04:38) with The Athletic’s Grant Brisbee. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” A’s ballpark link 1 A’s ballpark link 2 A’s ballpark link 3 A’s ballpark link 4 A’s ballpark link 5 A’s ballpark link 6 A’s ballpark link 7 A’s ballpark link 8 Link to past renderings Link to Rooker tweet Link to Sphere story Link to MLBTR on Bello Link to MLBTR on Giolito Link to Spring Breakout site Link to Spring Breakout promo Link to EW Episode 2111 Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form Link to non-socializing Link to Orioles offseason tracker Link to Orioles depth chart Link to MASN story Link to Angelos story Link to Sheehan on Kimbrel Link to team injury days Link to Ben on the O’s Link to Danielle’s Banner archive Link to Giants offseason tracker Link to Giants depth chart Link to Neil Paine post Link to Baumann’s OF blog Link to Kyle’s IF blog Link to Kapler and Hoby Link to story on Giants coaches Link to Baggarly on the anthem Link to post-Bonds LF streak Link to Grant on trades Link to story on Crawford Link to Farhan story Link to Grant’s record collection Link to Grant’s Athletic archive  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Phillies’ Zack Wheeler extension, the Giants’ Matt Chapman signing, and a Scott Boras quote about free agency, then (17:35) bring on Patreon supporter Jay Wade Edwards to answer listener emails (26:41) about see-through players (and see-through pants), how different baseball would be if instead of a lineup of batters facing a single pitcher it featured a lineup of pitchers facing a single batter, rooting for a minor league team, formal “rest” stints on the injured list, the value of pulled fly balls, and an Armando Galarraga redo, and then Stat Blast (1:16:50) about high-WAR baseball cemeteries. Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Dan on Wheeler Link to Jay on Chapman Link to Boras quote Link to Newman Q&A Link to MLB’s pants PDF Link to Snell pants photo Link to Defector piece Link to Ben C. on pulled FB 1 Link to Ben C. on pulled FB 2 Link to Ben C. on pulled FB 3 Link to Chamberlain on pulled FB Link to PL on pulled FB Link to DotF on Paredes Link to DotF on spray angle Link to article on Guardians whiffs Link to NBA protest Link to Galarraga game wiki Link to NYT on Galarraga Link to Galarraga in 2020 Link to 2022 Galarraga petition Link to listener emails database Link to abominable Stat Blast song Link to EW cemeteries guest Link to Stat Blast spreadsheet Link to cemetery research intro Link to Cypress Hills Cemetery Link to Green-Wood Cemetery Link to NINE Conference Link to Jay’s Substack Link to Jay’s website  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley talk to FanGraphs writer Ben Clemens about the site’s ongoing efforts to model team depth and factor it into projections, then preview the 2024 Toronto Blue Jays (30:46) with The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath, and the 2024 Cincinnati Reds (1:16:31) with The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: MulderBatFlip, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Other Ben’s blog about depth Link to Ben’s depth tables Link to bullpen chaining explainer Link to projection limitations Link to Ben on odds calibration Link to Ben on odds calibration 2 Link to “model talk” pods Link to Jays offseason tracker Link to Jays depth chart Link to Stark on Ohtani’s flight Link to Sheehan on Rogers Centre Link to Kaitlyn on Varsho Link to Statcast park factors Link to OF OAA leaderboard Link to OF DRS leaderboard Link to Kaitlyn on Berríos Link to 2019 FG cutter post Link to cutter tweet Link to Ben on new pitches Link to Kaitlyn’s fan survey Link to Mattingly beard Link to Kaitlyn’s Athletic archive Link to Reds offseason tracker Link to Reds depth chart Link to FG payrolls leaderboard Link to 2023 Senzel article Link to team SP projections Link to team RP projections Link to story about Reds bunting Link to 2023 bunt hit leaders Link to BP on Friedl Link to bunting Stat Blast Link to story about bench coaches Link to Reds bench coach story Link to conservation of matter Link to C. Trent’s Athletic archive  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Shohei Ohtani’s surprise marriage announcement (5:15), and Portia of Ohtani fan account @shoheisaveus returns (18:13) to tell Ben how the news was received by the Shobae community. Then Ben and Meg Stat Blast (36:49) about the biggest year-to-year changes in WAR produced by different players who wore the same uniform number for the same team, preview the 2024 Philadelphia Phillies (44:20) with The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, and preview the 2024 Los Angeles Angels (1:21:51) with The Athletic’s Sam Blum. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny Version)” Audio interstitial 2: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to thread on Cal’s stats Link to anti-Streak take Link to owner Cal article Link to Ohtani’s Insta post Link to Portia’s first appearance Link to Ohtani comments Link to Ichiro dog secrecy Link to Matsui marriage Link to Matsui wife drawing Link to “Ohtani loss” tweet Link to other Ohtani tweet Link to John on Ed Sullivan Link to Dozier tweet Link to Stat Blast data Link to Stat Blast song cover Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to Phillies offseason tracker Link to Phillies depth chart Link to Matt’s Athletic archive Link to himbo article 1 Link to himbo article 2 Link to Harper offer report Link to Harper extension article Link to Matt on Realmuto Link to Tango on Realmuto’s framing Link to Eno on Dombrowski pens Link to Laurila on Dombrowski pens Link to Sam on Bryant Link to Moreno report Link to Angels offseason tracker Link to Angels depth chart Link to Sam on Percival Link to Sam on Rendon Link to EW on Rendon Link to Sam’s Athletic archive Link to Sam on broadcasts Link to Sam on Schanuel Link to FG top 100 Link to MLB top 100 Link to BP farm rankings Link to Soto/Bradley report  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Cubs signing Cody Bellinger, Scott Boras’s offseason, and what Bryce Harper’s walk year could portend for Juan Soto’s. Then (33:27) Ben and Meg talk to Ben Kramer and Robert Toner of the Anchorage Sports Association about the Fur Rendezvous Festival snowshoe softball tournament and the finer points of playing softball in several feet of Alaskan snow. Finally (1:00:16), Ben talks to former teammates, rivals, and big league backup-catching journeymen Ryan Lavarnway and Tim Federowicz about their uncannily parallel playing careers and the evolution and future of catching. Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Jaffe on Bellinger Link to over/under draft results Link to Nightengale on Boras Link to FG playoff odds Link to quotes about Bellinger Link to Boras study Link to Boras on EW Link to Soto play Link to Ben on Harper Link to Anchorage Sports Association Link to Fur Rendezvous wiki Link to snowshoe softball rules Link to snowshoe baseball article Link to clone post Link to Lavarnway Stat Blast Link to Federowicz highlight Link to Lavarnway highlight Link to Federowicz book Link to Lavarnway book Link to Lavarnway podcast Link to Tanner Swanson on EW Link to Maness interview  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Boras Four behind the scenes, Hyun Jin Ryu’s salary-cap-skirting KBO contract, and a study on the effectiveness of complaining about umps, plus a Stat Blast (22:51) about an inaccurate, unkillable Greg Maddux fun fact and more musings (34:52) on transparent pants. Then they preview the 2024 Minnesota Twins (41:02) with The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman, and the 2024 Detroit Tigers (1:12:50) with The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Davy Andrews, “Edouard Julien, Are You Gonna Rule Again?” Audio interstitial 2: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on the Boras Four Link to article about Boras Link to Boras facilities Link to Ryu tweet Link to Ryu article Link to MLBTR on Judge offer Link to Harper offer report Link to Kovalchuk veto Link to Yoo’s EW appearance Link to umpire study Link to EW on ump decision fatigue Link to Boone EW hypothetical Link to Ryan’s Maddux fact thread Link to Maddux’s count splits Link to Maddux Stat Blast data Link to Maddux scouting reports Link to Maddux 93 mph claim Link to MLB pants statement Link to Twins offseason tracker Link to Diamondbacks depth chart Link to Pohlad comments Link to Aaron’s Athletic archive Link to Gleeman and the Geek Link to Tigers offseason tracker Link to Tigers depth chart Link to Cody on engagements Link to Cody’s Athletic archive Link to Skubal fWAR leaderboard Link to article on MLB exec fashion Link to Turning the Corner  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about MLB’s semi-transparent-pants problem and the Nike/Fanatics uniform mess that’s swallowed spring training, a “down the dick” etymology follow-up, Kodai Senga’s injury, Mitch Keller’s extension, the Marlins signing Tim Anderson, and a minor league free agent draft update. Then they preview the 2024 Arizona Diamondbacks (38:13) with The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro and the 2024 Milwaukee Brewers (1:10:18) with The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Curt Hogg. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Audio interstitial 1: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Lukas unis FAQ Link to Lukas on the pants Link to Lukas’s letter to Nike Link to player comments Link to Kepner on the unis Link to Clark’s comments Link to The Atlantic on the unis Link to ESPN on the pants Link to Zimmer’s WSJ archive Link to MLBTR on Senga Link to Sheehan on Senga Link to MLBTR on Keller Link to FG on Keller Link to The Athletic on Nutting Link to MLBTR on Anderson Link to MLBTR on Urshela Link to draft results Link to Diamondbacks offseason tracker Link to Diamondbacks depth chart Link to Kendrick/Hall comments Link to Nick’s azcentral.com archive Link to Brewers offseason tracker Link to Brewers depth chart Link to Brewers renovation details Link to Curt’s MJS archive Link to quiet NBA game  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about recent headline-generating comments by Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon, a Padres position change, and the possibility of another Ronald Acuña Jr. extension. Then (34:11) they bring on Patreon supporter Sean Saxe and answer listener emails (40:13) about the best substitute for Babe Ruth in a remake of The Sandlot, the expression “right down the dick,” elevated decibel levels at games, F1-style advance free-agent commitments for MLB players, and a leaguewide conspiracy to inflate one player’s performance, and then Stat Blast (1:17:14) about baseball teams in Midwestern cities, Corey Kluber and Opening Day starts in a pitcher’s final season, and whether switch-hitters and players who bat and throw from opposite sides age better than others. Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Trout comments Link to MLBTR on Trout Link to Rendon comments Link to previous Rendon pod Link to Padres switch Link to Merrill position article Link to Acuña article Link to FG on Sal Perez extension Link to article on Austin loyalties Link to Dickson definition Link to Google Trends data Link to NYT on loudness Link to more on loudness Link to Clair on walk-up songs Link to Lewis Hamilton news Link to listener emails database Link to Middle West survey 1 Link to Middle West survey 2 Link to WSJ article Link to Midwest map graphic Link to Tex’s GitHub Link to Tex’s Google Sheet Link to article on Midwest Colorado Link to Nevada pronunciation article Link to article on Kluber’s start Link to Opening Day starts data Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to 2018 Ohtani article Link to Stroman workout article Link to Judge on aging curves Link to Judge on Twitter Link to aging curve 1 Link to aging curve 2  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Rob Manfred’s announcement that he’ll step down as commissioner after his current term. Then they preview the 2024 St. Louis Cardinals (26:01) with The Athletic’s Katie Woo and the 2024 Cleveland Guardians (1:09:24) with MLB.com’s Mandy Bell, plus a postscript (1:44:43). 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Drellich on Manfred 1 Link to Drellich on Manfred 2 Link to Drellich on Manfred 3 Link to Cardinals offseason tracker Link to Cardinals depth chart Link to Mozeliak on Ks Link to Katie’s Athletic archive Link to Guardians offseason tracker Link to Guardians depth chart Link to eclipse opener news Link to Mandy on the eclipse Link to Ben on the 2017 eclipse Link to Langs on Vogt Link to payrolls page Link to Mandy’s MLB.com archive Link to article on Cavnar Link to Ben on ex-player GMs Link to Toronto Fogo page Link to Toronto Fogo article Link to article on Escobar  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about injuries at spring training (specifically the Orioles’) and Jorge Soler and the Giants’ offseason, Stat Blast (21:04) about Kenley Jansen and the age of active career leaders in pitching appearances and recording five or six hits in a game against five or six different pitchers, and then talk to FanGraphs lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen about his ranking of the top 100 (or 101) prospects in baseball. Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to tweet about O’s injuries Link to Ben on spring injuries Link to FG post on Soler Link to Stat Blast sheet 1 Link to Stat Blast sheet 2 Link to Alou game Link to Oliver game Link to Johnson game Link to guest appearances sheet Link to 2024 top 100 Link to ZiPS top 100 Link to “how’s my driving?” post Link to Ben on prospect promotion Link to Ben on pitching prospects  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a difference between baseball and football (as illustrated by the Super Bowl), the lowering of the limit on players per organization, and umpire Jen Pawol’s ascent toward the majors (and history). Then they preview the 2024 Texas Rangers (22:28) with MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry and the 2024 Chicago Cubs (56:31) with The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ben’s podcast on trailers Link to baseball exceptionalism wiki Link to Cooper on roster rules Link to Pawol article 1 Link to Pawol article 2 Link to Rangers offseason tracker Link to Rangers depth chart Link to Kennedi’s MLB.com archive Link to Cubs offseason tracker Link to Cubs depth chart Link to Sahadev on Kanzler Link to Sahadev’s The Athletic archive Link to Pham tweet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about former Mets GM Billy Eppler’s suspension for fabricating injuries, then Stat Blast (15:25) about players who amassed the most WAR for their secondary, tertiary, quaternary (etc.) teams, Hall of Famers who played with their hometown teams, and uniform numbers assigned to different players with the same surname on the same team. Then they preview the 2024 Boston Red Sox (33:13) with The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier and the 2024 San Diego Padres (1:16:44) with MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Eppler press release Link to The Athletic on Eppler Link to Stat Blast sheet 1 Link to Stat Blast sheet 2 Link to Stat Blast sheet 3 Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to Red Sox offseason tracker Link to Red Sox depth chart Link to Alex’s Boston Globe archive Link to Padres offseason tracker Link to Padres depth chart Link to AJ’s MLB.com archive Link to Opening Day boycott  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about surprising playoff odds, the Astros extending Jose Altuve (26:40), the Brewers signing Gary Sánchez (34:57), the forthcoming Netflix docuseries about the 2024 Red Sox (38:49), a baseball equivalent of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift (45:17), and how trailblazing former first-round draftee Carter Stewart has fared in Japan (55:29). Then (1:03:25) they talk to Paul Freedman, co-founder and CEO of Pioneer League expansion teams the Oakland Ballers and the Yolo High Wheelers, about his efforts to ensure the survival of professional baseball in Oakland in the likely absence of the A’s. Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG’s playoff odds Link to Ben Clemens on the odds Link to PECOTA’s projected standings Link to Ben L. on the O’s Link to Baumann on Altuve Link to Astros Altuve tweet Link to story on Altuve and cheating Link to Martino Altuve report Link to banging data Link to Clemens on Sánchez Link to Netflix press release Link to MLB.com on the doc Link to Drive to Survive myth Link to Ben on Swift Link to Princiotti on Swift Link to Swift/NFL story 1 Link to Swift/NFL story 2 Link to Swift/NFL story 3 Link to Swift/NFL story 4 Link to Kiley on Stewart in 2019 Link to Jim Allen on Stewart Link to Manfred on streaming Link to Nevada teacher lawsuit Link to Manfred comments Link to Las Vegas mayor comments Link to Oakland mayor comments Link to A’s Opening Day offer Link to Ballers promo video Link to Ballers website Link to High Wheelers website Link to Pioneer League wiki Link to Oaklandside on the Ballers Link to Mercury News on the Ballers Link to A’s Coliseum veto Link to Oakland Roots SC wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley introduce the 12th annual Effectively Wild season preview series, then banter about the Royals extending Bobby Witt Jr., the Dodgers reuniting with Clayton Kershaw (and Ryan Brasier), the Red Sox (sort of) reuniting with Theo Epstein, and the latest hitter who’s converting to pitching. Then they preview the 2024 Miami Marlins (33:33) with Fish on First’s Kevin Barral and the 2024 New York Mets (1:09:12) with The Athletic’s Tim Britton. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG .intro-team, .intro-team td { font-family: lato, Arial, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .intro-team .intro-header { /*display: none;*/ text-align: center; } .team-lg { text-align: center; width: 100%; } /* [class^="team-box-"] > div { display: inline-block; width: 48%; } [class^="team-box-"] > div table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; } [class^="team-box-"] > div td { background-color: #efefef; border: 1px solid #ccc; line-height: 2; text-align: center; cursor: default; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a { color: #000; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 100% } [class^="team-box-"] > div a:hover { color: #50ae26; } [class^="team-box-"] > div a.link-inactive { color: #aaa; } */ Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Indoor Recess, “On-Field Mics” Link to preview series wiki Link to FG depth charts standings Link to Dan S. on Witt Link to MLBTR on Witt Link to Baumann on Peralta Link to MLBTR on Kershaw Link to FG on Brasier Link to info on Brasier’s cutter Link to MLBTR on Peters Link to Ben on Taylor Swift Link to Caribbean Series wiki Link to Marlins offseason tracker Link to Marlins depth chart Link to team SP projections Link to team RP projections Link to Fish on First Link to Fish on First podcast Link to Kevin’s Fish on First archive Link to Mets offseason tracker Link to Mets depth chart Link to Mauricio ACL news Link to 2023 framing leaders Link to “transitory” comment Link to Mets fan survey Link to Tim’s The Athletic archive Link to MLBTR on Altuve  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley break down the Corbin Burnes trade between the Orioles and Brewers, then (23:19) talk to 81-year-old Don Kessinger, former six-time All-Star shortstop for the Cubs, about being an amateur multi-sport star, learning to switch-hit after making the majors, playing in Sandy Koufax’s perfect game, hitting in the low-offense 1960s, facing Nolan Ryan and Bob Gibson, doing Derek Jeter’s jump throw before Jeter did, being the American League’s last player-manager, the 1969 Cubs, his memories of Leo Durocher and Bill Veeck, Disco Demolition Night, being the father and grandfather, respectively, of big leaguers Keith Kessinger and Grae Kessinger, how pitching today compares to pitching during his era, and much more, plus (1:11:59) a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ben Clemens on Burnes Link to Logenhagen on Milwaukee Link to FG SP depth charts Link to Kessinger SABR bio Link to more from SABR Link to Prospect League page Link to CICL wiki Link to 1963 article Link to Episode 1963 Link to perfect game call Link to perfect game log Link to perfect game wiki Link to Kessinger vs. pitchers Link to Cardboard Gods on Don Link to retirement TV clip Link to 1969 Cubs clip Link to lowest K rates vs. Ryan Link to Disco Demolition clip Link to Mike Veeck on EW Link to article on Don and Grae Link to Grae highlights Link to lowest-WAR 6-time AS Link to MLBTR on Diekman Link to Episode 2005 Link to MLBTR on Paxton  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Baseball Prospectus editor-in-chief Craig Goldstein and managing editor Patrick Dubuque banter about editing, discuss the Orioles’ impending change in ownership (10:25), examine the newly released Baseball Prospectus 2024 (22:01), and then play a guessing/Remembering Some Guys game in which they each read aloud book comments about six unidentified players apiece, pulled from the full 29-year run of BP Annuals (39:20). Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Baseball Prospectus 2024 Link to FG SP depth charts Link to FG post on Burnes Link to MLBTR on Rubenstein Link to The Carlyle Group wiki Link to Rob Mains on the sale Link to The Athletic on the sale Link to Tsao’s Wikipedia page Link to Ben on bidets  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about what would happen if top prospects could promote themselves, the Mariners-Twins trade involving Jorge Polanco, Photoshop mockups of players in their new teams’ uniforms, Byron Buxton returning to center field, the Blue Jays signing Justin Turner, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as an MLB The Show cover model, the surprising aspects of the Hector Neris and Adam Ottavino signings, the Tigers’ Colt Keith extension, follow-ups on the death ball and a Dick Monfort body swap, and whether we need a central sports history authority to provide perspective on every sports controversy. Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Morosi tweet Link to marshmallow test article 1 Link to marshmallow test article 2 Link to marshmallow test article 2 Link to FG on the Polanco trade Link to Twins depth chart Link to Mariners depth chart Link to Mariners’ Polanco tweet Link to Mariners’ Taylor tweet Link to Mariners’ Voth tweet Link to Twins’ trade tweet Link to Rosenthal on the Mariners Link to airbrushed baseball cards Link to Gleeman on the trade Link to Falvey comments Link to FG post on Julien Link to Davy’s Julien song Link to MLBTR on Buxton Link to FG post on Turner Link to ESPN on Vlad’s cover Link to Sportsnet Vlad story Link to FG post on Keith Link to Tigers’ Keith tweet Link to Sam on “seeking” Link to tweet about Neris Link to FG post on Neris Link to Rosenthal on Neris Link to MLBTR on Ottavino Link to Becker tweet about Ottavino Link to Seidler tweet about Ottavino Link to Monfort email episode Link to Barnwell on Campbell Link to Florio on Campbell Link to Kram on NBA scoring Link to EW on running backs Link to “arrow in the knee” Link to Ben’s TLOU podcast Link to Ben’s Palworld podcast Link to MLBTR on the Orioles Link to Rosenthal on the Orioles  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley unleash another rant about the Orioles’ inaction (prompted by Mike Elias quotes about their aggressiveness) and banter about the David Robertson and Joc Pederson signings and baseball in Masters of the Air, then (33:51) answer listener emails about whether the Diamondbacks still qualify as a young franchise, injury stoppage time in baseball, director’s cuts of baseball broadcasts, how baseball would be different if teams had to leave a player with the other team at the end of each series, and fixing the Rockies (plus a few follow-ups). Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Elias quotes Link to FG SP projections Link to Roster Resource payrolls Link to earlier Orioles rant Link to 30 Rock Sports Shouting clip Link to Costanza clip Link to MLBTR on Robertson Link to MLBTR on Pederson Link to EW Episode 2105 Link to Pederson poker article Link to EW Episode 1856 Link to slap explainer Link to Ben on Masters of the Air Link to bowhead whale wiki Link to Yankees on Kissinger Link to EW Episode 2108 Link to EW Episode 2097 Link to Little Free Library Link to Sam on the Rockies Link to listener emails database Link to Solak Stathead Link to Orr on Abrams Link to Abrams SB leaderboard Link to EW Episode 1397 Link to Stripling clip Link to Battleground wiki Link to Ben on Palworld  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley follow up on the contract over/unders draft and the “death ball,” banter about the signings of Rhys Hoskins and Matt Moore, weigh their current confidence levels in the A’s actually moving to Las Vegas, and consider a suggestion for a “pulling the goalie”-style tweak to baseball. Then (35:44) they talk to leading Hall of Fame election forecaster Jason Sardell about how and why he developed his probabilistic Cooperstown projection model, how it works, this year’s results and surprises, the public-private ballot split, the toughest players to project, his Hall of Fame philosophy, the shrinking of the Hall of Fame backlog, upcoming candidates and ballots, his non-baseball scientific pursuits, and much more. Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to over/under draft results Link to MLBTR FA top 50 Link to death ball BP article Link to Leo on average fastballs Link to post on unique pitches Link to Dead Man’s Curve wiki Link to Davy Andrews on Hoskins Link to Brewers offseason additions Link to MLBTR on Moore Link to BP’s 2012 Top 101 Link to Ben on pitching prospects Link to 2023 team RP ranks Link to A’s update Link to A’s payments Link to Vegas event video Link to MLBTR on the A’s ballpark Link to “consequences” tweet Link to Meg on the penalty box Link to Beltré video Link to Mauer video Link to Helton video Link to Jason’s final projections Link to 2024 projections roundup Link to 2023 projections roundup Link to voting results Link to Jay’s ballot breakdown Link to Lewie Pollis on the voting Link to Wagner interview Link to Stark on Wright Link to Posnanski suggestion Link to SIS on Sabathia Link to ballot tracker Link to Thibodaux on EW Link to Jason on MLB Network Link to Ben on Mauer in 2018 Link to Ben on Beltré in 2017 Link to Ben on Hall of Framers  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the “death ball,” a curveball variant that could be baseball’s next sweeper-esque pitch-design innovation, and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of separate classifications for “new” pitches that are subsets of other pitches, and the importance of continuing education among fans and media members. Then (39:23) they talk about the Aroldis Chapman, John Brebbia, James Paxton, and Joey Gallo signings (with another contract over/unders draft update and a Clayton Kershaw check-in), the possibility that NPB phenom Roki Sasaki will come to MLB next offseason, Alex Blandino’s knuckleball conversion, a Willians Astudillo lowlight, and a player mercenary follow-up. Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme (“We Looked Like Giants” cover) Link to death ball BP article Link to sweeper definition Link to Passan on the death ball Link to Tread video Link to “Public Enemy No. 1” Link to Ben on young newsbreakers Link to Cotillo on EW Link to FG on Chapman and Brebbia Link to over/under draft results Link to Pirates payroll page Link to MLBTR on Paxton Link to story on Paxton’s knee Link to Paxton eagle incident Link to MLBTR on Gallo Link to Ben on Gallo in 2014 Link to “genericization” article Link to Sasaki article Link to MLBTR on Blandino Link to Blandino knuckler Link to Blandino throwing 90 Link to Jannis EW interview Link to Ben on knuckleballs Link to Astudillo drop Link to game outcome Link to Astudillo HR robbery Link to Astudillo in center Link to Astudillo draft article Link to other Astudillo draft article Link to Farnsworth revenge article Link to HoF voting results  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the offseason doldrums and this winter’s free-agent activity compared to last year’s, the Josh Hader and Robert Stephenson signings (with a contract over/under draft update), a bleak week in sports (and non-sports) media, pitcher/catcher technique and the automated strike zone, and the invasion of players named Jackson, followed by Stat Blasts (1:14:48) about Hader’s strikeout splits by out count, “minimum journeymen,” the longest palindromic win-loss sequences, and the most consecutive games started at catcher. Audio intro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Lobner Facebook post Link to Jake/Jordan FA tweet Link to MLBTR on Graveman Link to MLBTR on Hader Link to MLBTR on Uwasawa Link to MLBTR on Stephenson Link to RP K% post-6/2 Link to over/under draft results Link to The Ringer on SI Link to apocalypse sign article Link to The Atlantic on Pitchfork Link to L.A. Times layoffs story Link to Axios on media layoffs Link to Defector on VC greed Link to The Nation on ESPN/NFL Link to Tango on intended location Link to Ben on Lincecum in 2014 Link to Eno on command in 2018 Link to Tango on catcher location Link to Tango on catcher lunges Link to Tango on framing Link to EW Episode 2054 Link to EW Episode 1851 Link to BA on Jacksons Link to Jackson baby name data Link to strikeout splits Stathead Link to leaguewide strikeout splits Link to minimum journeymen sheet Link to palindrome Reddit question Link to palindromic records sheet Link to C start streak sheet Link to C start % averages Link to catcher ironmen page Link to FG post on qualified catchers Link to Ben on catcher fatigue Link to study on player rest Link to FG post on qualified catchers Link to Stat Blast on qualified hitters Link to Frankie Hayes SABR bio Link to Young Sheldon spinoff story Link to Stat Blast song cover Link to all Stat Blast covers  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Patreon supporter Nick Taber banter about Nick’s baseball background and MLB’s most hated teams, then (19:41) answer listener emails about baseball’s newsbreakers as secret newsmakers, a baseball mercenary who plays for multiple teams in the same city (or who has it out for one particular opponent), whether we would remember the year with the last perfect game, making early playoff rounds longer than late rounds, a player whose stats improve depending on how much money he’s paid, allowing teams to choose the number of defenders in the field, picking the preferred way for Shohei Ohtani to specialize (if he had to choose one), a super-philanthropic free agent, and more. Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Cowboys collapse article Link to Coover book wiki Link to “sports are rigged” account Link to Shams/Woj moves Link to EW Episode 2109 Link to Germán perfecto wiki Link to more on Germán Link to EW Episode 2108 Link to Neil Paine research Link to Ben on innings eating Link to Kershaw perfecto game Link to Boras World Series proposal Link to Jeff on baseball LeBron Link to 1892 pitching proposal Link to Ohtani donation Link to 2020 donations article 1 Link to 2020 donations article 2 Link to 2020 donations article 3 Link to 2020 donations article 4 Link to 2020 donations article 5 Link to listener emails database Link to Mario Superstar Baseball info Link to Mario Superstar Baseball Discord  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about where Blake Snell and Cody Bellinger should/will sign, excoriate the Orioles for their offseason inaction, marvel at Alex Anthopoulos’s lengthy extension, discuss the Giants’ Jordan Hicks signing as part of a trend toward reliever-starter reverse conversions, consider the etymology of “innings eater” and how pitcher usage is like scripted TV, and reflect on the decline of foreign hitters in NPB, Naoyuki Uwasawa and the recruiting advantage of teams that excel at player development, and a quirk of contract milestones. Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Geddy Lee baseball wiki Link to 2112 wiki Link to MLBTR on Snell Link to over/under draft results Link to Sam on contract-seeking Link to Heyman report Link to MLBTR on the O’s Link to Roster Resource payrolls Link to team SP projections Link to O’s lease extension Link to O’s contract commitments Link to Angelos/MLK Day post Link to O’s DR academy Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Anthopolous extension news Link to Atlanta’s long-term contracts Link to MLBTR on Rodríguez Link to Stat Blast on innings eating Link to Ben’s article on innings eating Link to Young Sheldon ratings Link to Suits article Link to TV procedurals article Link to Daniel Okrent wiki Link to Okrent EW appearance Link to 1884 article Link to Lucas Borja tweet Link to Yakyu Cosmopolitan tweet Link to Ben on NPB import scouting Link to MLBTR on Uwasawa signing Link to Uwasawa report Link to Ben on the Dodgers advantage Link to Dodgers pitching lab article Link to Trueblood tweet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and listener Michael Mountain banter about Michael’s proposal for Effectively Wild listener ballpark meetups during the 2024 MLB season, followed by (7:24) Michael’s guest Stat Blasts about the best non-award-winning players, his all-time player tiers, and Hall of Famers (and HoF candidates) who excelled or flopped at leading their leagues at their respective positions. Then (36:17) Ben and Meg talk to Brian Moritz about his prediction/warning that a major sports-betting journalism scandal could be coming. Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to listener-meetup form Link to Michael on Episode 1263 Link to undecorated players sheet Link to EW Episode 964 Link to Bill James proposal Link to reworked tiers Link to league leaders sheet Link to Hall of Stats shutdown Link to Eight Men Out wiki Link to Brian’s Nieman Lab piece Link to Brian’s 2022 piece Link to Brian at St. Bonaventure Link to Sports Media Guy Link to WSJ on journalist inside info Link to story on BBWAA rules Link to story on ESPN rules Link to story on Chams Link to newsroom betting policies Link to tweet about Curb betting Link to “fading” definition Link to MLBTR on Stroman Link to over/under draft results Link to Ben on arbitration Link to Stat Blast song cover Link to all Stat Blast covers  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s unlikely recovery in the contracts over/under draft, the Cubs signing Shota Imanaga, the trailblazing Rachel Balkovec moving from the dugout to the Marlins’ front office, and (18:37) whether the new horror film Night Swim is a baseball movie. Then (35:53) they talk to Oakland A’s All-Star Brent Rooker about breakfast foods, a potential new nickname, Night Swim, embracing advanced stats, player perceptions of luck, looking at his exit velo instead of his batted balls, whether he had help in homering off of Shohei Ohtani, underrated teammates, his breakouts in college and the majors, shedding the “Quadruple-A” label, DH penalties, being funny and informative on Twitter, fans complaining about losing bets, self-deprecating athletes, unusual meals, recalling pitch sequences, crossword puzzles, kids’ movies, and more. Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to over/under draft results Link to MLBTR on Imanaga Link to Baumann on Imanaga Link to Longenhagen on Imanaga Link to FG FA Top 50 Link to Ben on festival posters Link to MLB.com on Balkovec Link to article on Goodrum Link to story on female ump Link to Baseball: The Movie Link to Surrey on Night Swim Link to Polygon on Night Swim Link to Night Swim Reddit post Link to May’s insurance video Link to Night Swim trailer Link to Rooker’s Twitter Link to Rooker’s breakfast thread Link to Rooker breakfast interview Link to Skalka menu Link to khachapuri wiki Link to “Country Breakfast” story Link to Rooker and Zach Bryan Link to homer off of Ohtani Link to Renfroe assist comment Link to DH penalty research Link to Defector on 2020 debuts Link to “random at-bats” tweet Link to the random at-bat Link to Rooker’s single Link to favorite metrics tweet Link to sweepers tweet 1 Link to sweepers tweet 2 Link to velo vs. location tweet Link to dad tweet Link to parlay-complaint tweet Link to thread on data Link to TTO% leaderboard Link to May on Fisher Link to Gauci hiring story Link to Gauci EW episode Link to vertical baseball details Link to Interstellar clip  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Teoscar Hernández signing with the Dodgers, how other teams can compete with L.A., and the Mets signing Sean Manaea. Then (33:07) they answer listener emails about whether the Royals or Tigers will win more games in 2024, the basis for believing the Cardinals will bounce back from their last-place finish, a Tom Brady baseball commercial, whether Shohei Ohtani could have resurrected the Expos, whether a free agent could sign with a different team every game, the perfect mistake hitter, a baseball version of K-pop communication, and two games played on top of each other. Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Teoscar’s signing Link to over/under draft results Link to Statcast park factors Link to Dodgers ZiPS Link to Clemens on Manaea Link to MLB.com on Manaea Link to MLBTR on the Mets Link to FG depth charts projections Link to SP depth charts projections Link to MLBTR on Bloom Link to Brady ad Link to article on Brady and baseball Link to Orr on crushing pitches Link to baseball on Cameo Link to K-pop fan apps guide Link to vertical baseball diagram Link to EW emails database Link to tax loophole article  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about multiple Mariners trades and follow up on a previous conversation about teams with the most work to do before Opening Day, then (21:07) talk to Pebble Hunting author (and former host) Sam Miller about what (if anything!) will be best remembered about the 2023 baseball season. Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to first Mariners trade Link to second Mariners trade Link to WWJDD song (short) Link to WWJDD song (long) Link to Pebble Hunting Link to Sam on 2023 Link to Sam on past years Link to Sam on 2017 Link to New Yorker cover Link to New Yorker yips story Link to HUaL on 2023 Link to Paul vs. Diaz wiki Link to Sam on Turner Link to FG on October SB Link to Lewie Pollis on Counsell Link to Dolly wiki Link to Renfroe catch Link to Sam on that catch Link to Sam on the Mitchell catch Link to Giants-Dodgers play Link to Raley play Link to Trout hypotheticals  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the cruelty of the gift Ben gave his Effectively Wild Secret Santa recipient, which MLB team has the most pressure on it to finish the offseason strong (15:23), Chris Sale’s extension, and the Mets signing Harrison Bader. Then (36:36) they answer listener emails about which mascots would be the tastiest to eat, the NPB spectator experience, whether Shohei Ohtani could get hurt in a way that would prevent him from hitting but not from pitching, eliminating guaranteed playoff berths for division winners, and removing fielders as a penalty for pulling starting pitchers. Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to gift Ben received Link to gift Ben gave Link to N616RH story Link to Imanaga rumors Link to Snell rumor Link to Atkins comments Link to Baumann on the Cubs Link to Red Sox offseason story Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Eric André meme Link to Sale extension details Link to Bader signing details Link to FanGraphs editor listing Link to MLB mascots page Link to mascots wiki Link to Pop-Tarts Bowl meme Link to Seinfeld clip Link to NPB fan cheering Link to Sam on Gsellman Link to EW Episode 2093 Link to Sheehan on the AL Central Link to Ben on pitcher roster limits Link to listener emails database  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley recap news and transactions from over the holidays, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s thoughts on San Francisco and Yu Darvish’s thoughts on the Dodgers signing his WBC teammates, the Mariners signing Mitch Garver, the Reds signing Frankie Montas, a smattering of Blue Jays and White Sox signings, the Estevan Florial trade, and the retirement of Andrelton Simmons. Then (49:19) they discuss the Lucas Giolito signing and the Chris Sale trade before segueing into a Stat Blast (1:07:05) about the evolution of starting-pitcher workloads, volume vs. efficiency, and what an “innings eater” is in 2024. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to EW Episode 2102 Link to Yamamoto comment Link to story about sad Darvish Link to Garver FG post Link to Krall comment Link to offseason spending leaders Link to Jays signings FG post Link to Florial FG post Link to Simmons Stathead query Link to Simmons highlights video Link to DRS leaders Link to Sale FG post Link to Sale BP post Link to Baumann on Braves trades Link to Nightengale tweet Link to FG SP depth charts Link to Cora on Sale Link to Sox spending report Link to Ben on Sale in 2018 Link to 2023 IP leaders Link to Passan Civale tweet Link to Dan S. tweet Link to Trueblood on volume Link to Tango on quantity/quality Link to Mains on pitching/payrolls Link to Jennings on innings eaters Link to Ben’s Stat Blast exhibits Link to Ben on pitcher roster limits Link to Sale 2022 meltdown Link to punching bag video Link to Sale scissors incident Link to 1996 Park story Link to EW Episode 2104 Link to Stat Blast song cover Link to all Stat Blast covers  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh is joined by Hannah Keyser and Zach Crizer, formerly of Yahoo Sports and the Bandwagon podcast, to discuss at least one listener-nominated, previously overlooked topic from 2023 about each MLB team. Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to The Bandwagon Link to Hannah’s Yahoo archive Link to Zach’s Yahoo archive Link to Zach’s website Link to Votto tweet Link to Yamamoto comment Link to links/notes spreadsheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

With this year’s MLB free agent market enlivened by international players, Ben Lindbergh talks to three guests about three baseball-rich countries. First, Jeeho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency joins to discuss the response in South Korea to Jung Hoo Lee 이정후’s signing, Shin-Soo Choo 추신수’s forthcoming retirement, the legendary career of Choi Dong-won, and the ongoing reckoning with bullying in the KBO and Korean culture at large. Then (44:21) Ben talks to NPB historian Rob Fitts about trailblazing Japanese pitchers Eiji Sawamura and Masanori Murakami, and how baseball would be different if Japanese players had entered MLB earlier. Lastly (1:12:02), Ben brings on Sami Khan, co-director of The Last Out, a documentary about three Cuban players who hoped to make the majors, to discuss their harrowing defections and how a talent exodus affected Cuban baseball. Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Yoo on Lee Link to Yoo on Lee 2 Link to Yoo on Lee 3 Link to Yoo on Lee 4 Link to Yoo on Choo Link to Yoo on Fedde Link to other Fedde article Link to Choi Dong-won wiki Link to Choi Dong-won Award wiki Link to Yoo on An’s bullying Link to Yoo on An 2 Link to An scouting report Link to info on Babcock firing Link to info on Peters firing Link to volleyball twins article Link to K-pop bullies Link to Mel Hall article Link to Mel Hall wiki Link to Rakuten bullying Link to Stove League EW wiki Link to stream Stove League Link to translators EW episode Link to baseball deadening article Link to KBO rules changes Link to Yomiuri baseball cheers Link to Rob’s website Link to Rob’s SABR page Link to Sawamura wiki Link to Sawamura Award wiki Link to posting system explainer Link to EW Episode 1311 Link to EW Episode 1621 Link to EW Episode 1816 Link to Sugar wiki Link to Ballplayer: Pelotero wiki Link to Cuba-NPB/KBO article Link to post on Rodríguez defection Link to article on Rodríguez FA Link to article on Arocha Link to The Last Out trailer Link to The Last Out website Link to Q&A with the doc stars Link to ESPN on Dominguez Link to article on Cuban baseball decline Link to ESPN on Cuba and the WBC Link to wet feet, dry feet wiki Link to 2018 MLB deal Link to scuttled MLB deal  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and FanGraphs’ Ben Clemens continue a cherished podcast tradition by conducting the 11th annual Effectively Wild Minor League Free Agent Draft, in which they select 10 minor league free agents each and compete to see whose roster will accumulate the most combined MLB playing time in 2024. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to list of minor league FA Link to Down on the Farm explainer Link to BA on MiLB FA hitters Link to last year’s draft Link to competitions/drafts sheets Link to EW wiki on draft history Link to this draft’s results  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Baseball Prospectus editor-in-chief Craig Goldstein discuss all the fallout from the Dodgers’ record-breaking signing of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, including how it affects fan perceptions of the Dodgers, whether it’s good for MLB to have a heel, whether there’s a more virtuous way to win, the terms of the contract and their expectations for Yamamoto, whether the Dodgers will make even more moves, the impact on the teams that missed out on Yamamoto, and much more. Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to “most important signing” Link to Craig on Yamamoto Link to Craig on Glasnow Link to Eric on Yamamoto Link to previous EW on Yamamoto Link to FG payroll page Link to Dodgers depth chart Link to Dodgers contracts list Link to Eno on Yamamoto Link to Rosenthal on Yamamoto Link to Rosenthal on other offers Link to Harris on Ohtani’s deal Link to story on Dodgers spending Link to Passan on Yamamoto Link to criminals spreadsheet Link to Ben on Japanese pitchers Link to Ben on Mookie Link to Ben on October Dodgers Link to Kram on October Dodgers Link to Ben on spending/winning Link to Ardaya on Syndergaard Link to Sam on sad Kershaw Link to Zimmerman on pitcher height Link to Grant on Yamamoto Link to Berman tweet Link to Giants’ Ohtani offer Link to article on Red Sox Link to Five and Dive Link to PECOTA release Link to Baseball Byways blog Link to Arenado article  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether MLB should implement an NHL-esque holiday transaction freeze, then (5:53) answer listener emails about Bryce Harper, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, and tampering, abandoning the Angels, what to do after visiting every MLB and MiLB ballpark, when the last-place finishers of 2023 will be 90-win true-talent teams, “prep” prospects, valuing a player with a knack for inspirational speeches, and applying a college-football-style playoff-selection process to MLB, followed by Stat Blasts (1:12:29) about Bobo Newsom and the most inveterate team-changers, a 13-year-old Ben’s all-time Yankees lineup, and whether the balanced schedule contributed to 2023’s MLB attendance boost. Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to tweet about transaction freeze Link to Harper/Trout tampering Link to Major League Rules Link to Ortiz tampering Link to Judge/Machado tampering Link to FG on legalizing tampering Link to Harper/Stanton tweets Link to EW Episode 1053 Link to EW on abandoning the A’s Link to Negro Leagues parks Link to EW Episode 419 Link to BaseRuns records Link to You’re Wrong About pod Link to Decoder Ring pod Link to Heyward speech info Link to Ohtani speech info Link to CFB selection explainer Link to Florida State snub explainer Link to listener emails database Link to EW Episode 1780 Link to Bobo SABR bio Link to Bobo book bio Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to team-changing leaderboard Link to 2009 study on turnover rates Link to Ben on turnover rates Link to Ben’s pottery plaque Link to Yankees 1B WAR leaders Link to Yankees 2B WAR leaders Link to Yankees SS WAR leaders Link to Yankees 3B WAR leaders Link to Yankees C WAR leaders Link to Yankees LF WAR leaders Link to Yankees CF WAR leaders Link to Yankees RF WAR leaders Link to Yankees P WAR leaders Link to Crosetti SABR bio Link to Meusel SABR bio Link to Mary Miner obit Link to July attendance convo Link to attendance data Link to Chris Hanel tweets  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, FanGraphs’ Michael Baumann and Ben Clemens, and Chris Hanel play a quick round of “College Baseball Player or U.S. Space Shuttle Astronaut,” banter about the Braves’ series of recent, red-paper-clip-style trades (5:21) and the Diamondbacks re-signing Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (14:13), and then revisit, dissect, and score their bold preseason predictions from March (16:22). Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to “I’m Just Ken” Link to Atlanta’s transaction tracker Link to Atlanta’s offseason tracker Link to payrolls page Link to Dan S. on Gurriel Link to predictions episode Link to predictions and scoring Link to prediction success rate Link to Vogelbach ad Link to story on media gambling Link to story on BBWAA/betting Link to story on Gallen bird Link to story on Brennan bird Link to story on media gambling Link to Volpe parm story Link to Stigler’s law wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Shohei Ohtani’s introductory press conference and getting closure on contract/canine questions, the audience verdict on how to handle Ohtani in the free-agent-contract over/under draft (20:22), the Dodgers-Rays Tyler Glasnow trade (32:09), the latest Royals signings (Michael Wacha, Hunter Renfroe), the Tigers adding Jack Flaherty, and the AL Central, Max Scherzer, Tyler Mahle, and the Rangers rotation, and Buster Posey’s comments about free agents being wary of San Francisco (1:01:30), plus a Stat Blast (1:09:49) about the longest gap between being minor league teammates and becoming big league teammates, and an Andre Braugher baseball rec (1:27:31). Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to article on Ohtani’s elbow Link to article on Ohtani’s dog Link to Ohtani’s dog answer Link to Portia EW interview Link to info on negotiations Link to “key man” clause Link to Lindsey on the dog Link to Ohtani on SNLA Link to over/under draft wiki Link to Rosenthal/Drellich article Link to Sam Blum on Ohtani/Angels Link to article on Ohtani/Glasnow Link to Clemens on Glasnow Link to Sam on the trade tree Link to Laurila on Picollo Link to Baumann on Mahle Link to Posey’s comments Link to Morgan/Burgmeier article Link to Phillips/Raines article Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to Robinson in the Army Link to Robinson movie on YouTube Link to Robinson movie on IMDb Link to Robinson book  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley call for a listener referendum on how to treat Shohei Ohtani’s unprecedented contract in the EW free-agent-contract over/under draft, then (20:43) banter about the Royals’ recent pitching additions and a wizardly Will Smith. After that (33:32), they talk to FanGraphs lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen about the players from Asian leagues who have enlivened the MLB free-agent market (including reports on new Giants addition Jung Hoo Lee 이정후, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shota Imanaga, Yuki Matsui, and Yariel Rodríguez), Eric’s process for evaluating international players, how perceptions of Asian leagues’ strengths and top talents have evolved, Erick Fedde and other players who’ve improved after going overseas, the best Asian players who are still years away from MLB, stylistic differences among leagues, and more. Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to vote on the Ohtani contract Link to latest over/under draft Link to over/under draft wiki Link to EW drafts/competitions sheet Link to AP on Ohtani’s deal Link to L.A. Times on Ohtani’s deal Link to Sportico on Ohtani’s deal Link to Clemens on Ohtani’s deal Link to Zaidi on Ohtani Link to FG post on Royals signings Link to FG SP depth charts Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Gonny Jomes wiki Link to article on Smith’s streak Link to article on Hinske’s streak Link to article on swimming witches Link to wizard vs. warlock Link to Lee cheer song Link to EW guest appearance data Link to DeltaGraphs Link to Ben on DeltaGraphs Link to Synergy Sports Link to Eric on Lee Link to SIS on Lee Link to study on velocity splits Link to SIS on Yamamoto Link to info on Yamamoto meeting Link to Eric on Fedde Link to Bannister on Fedde Link to Jyun Yue Tseng news Link to Davenport on league strength Link to Ben on NPB teams’ scouting Link to Eric’s Board update  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the implications of Shohei Ohtani’s unprecedentedly deferred contract structure, whether the Ohtani signing and Juan Soto trade portend MLB imbalance driven by the bursting cable bundle (21:42), whether the Dodgers will ever be bad again (28:06), media hang-wringing over Friday’s false reports (35:58), and the Tyler O’Neill trade (42:57). Then they talk to John DeMarsico, SNY Mets game director and cinephile, about how he’s applied his affinity for film to baseball, the behind-the-scenes mechanics and rhythms of baseball broadcasts, what makes baseball so tough to televise, innovative technology and techniques, showing more of exciting plays, copying and being copied, Gary, Keith, and Ron, the use of stats and graphics, baseball movies, and more (47:45). Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Fabian’s Ohtani report Link to more from Fabian Link to Ben on Ohtani’s deal Link to Lindsey on Ohtani’s deal Link to Baumann on Ohtani’s deal Link to Becker on Ohtani’s deal Link to Becker’s contract math Link to Tim Dierkes on Ohtani’s deal Link to Rob Mains on Ohtani’s deal Link to Tom Verducci on Ohtani’s deal Link to Adam Morris on Ohtani’s deal Link to FG MLB payroll page Link to L.A. Times on Ohtani Link to Jack Harris tweet Link to Clemens on the cable bubble Link to Sheehan on the cable bubble Link to info on Dodgers RSN Link to Ben on L.A. in 2015 Link to Nightengale on the media Link to “Vivaldi” tweet Link to Dodgers Nation post Link to flight-tracking info Link to Wired on flight-tracking Link to Baumann on O’Neill Link to EW Episode 2033 Link to EW Episode 2035 Link to Rangers-Rays play Link to Sam on the play Link to Díaz entrance video Link to Showalter/Tarantino video Link to SNY pitch clock video Link to SNY “ghost runner” video Link to SNY BTS “ghost runner” video Link to NYT on DeMarsico Link to Newsday on DeMarsico Link to NY Mag on DeMarsico Link to DeMarsico on Letterboxd  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley react to Shohei Ohtani signing a titanic 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers, covering every aspect of the news. Then (57:07) they recount the even-funnier-in-retrospect rumor-related frothing on Friday, when it briefly looked like Ohtani was en route to Toronto to become a Blue Jay. Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Link to Ohtani’s Insta post Link to Dodgers payroll page Link to MLB payroll page Link to Dodgers depth chart Link to Dan S. on Ohtani Link to Baumann on Ohtani Link to Ben on Ohtani Link to LHB park factors Link to Angels mural photo Link to The Athletic on Ohtani Link to Passan on the dollar value Link to Becker on the dollar value Link to article on endorsements Link to article on Japanese media Link to Mintz’s Friday recap Link to Morosi’s morning tweet Link to N616RH shirt Link to opera singer tweet Link to reply to singer Link to story on Drake Link to Bowden tweet 1 Link to Bowden tweet 2 Link to Bowden tweet 3 Link to Bowden “Ralph” story Link to Domi tweet Link to Dodgers Nation report Link to Bemboom tweet Link to flight tweet Link to Morosi plane tweet Link to Nightengale tweet Link to Herjavec photo Link to Secret Santa sign-up sheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a lackluster punning performance by Scott Boras at the Winter Meetings, then (12:03) dissect the momentous trade of a big Boras client, Juan Soto, from both the Yankees’ and Padres’ perspectives. After that (1:04:00), they discuss Eduardo Rodríguez bolstering the Diamondbacks’ rotation, Jeimer Candelario joining the Reds’ overcrowded infield (1:10:00), how worried Cardinals manager Oli Marmol should be about Yadier Molina‘s new job (1:20:18), and Bryce Harper’s extremely farsighted extension request (1:25:45). Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “What Did Jerry Dipoto Do?” Link to AP Snell/Belli quotes Link to birdfeeder quote Link to Boras scrum photo 1 Link to Boras scrum photo 2 Link to Martino tweet Link to Morosi tweet Link to Clemens on Soto Link to Kram on Soto Link to Petriello on Soto in NY Link to Petriello on Soto comps Link to Ben on the Betts trade Link to Ben on the Soto Shuffle Link to Craig on the Soto trade Link to Kiley on Yankees pitchers Link to FG SP depth charts Link to Sheehan on the trade Link to Dan S. on ERod Link to Clemens on Candelario Link to Cards’ Molina tweet Link to article on Molina Link to story on Harper extension Link to Mahomes restructuring Link to Salvy renegotiation Link to MLBTR on O’s suitor Link to Secret Santa sign-up sheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley (at the Winter Meetings in Nashville) banter about how the secrecy surrounding Shohei Ohtani’s free agency is breaking baseball media members’ brains, what makes free agency fun for fans, the advisability of a winter transaction deadline and whether it’s OK for baseball to just be boring sometimes, and the latest ridiculous dot-connecting about Ohtani’s destination, plus (41:50) discussion of the Winter Meetings milieu, the Jarred Kelenic swap (43:55) and what it means for the Mariners, the Yankees’ Alex Verdugo deal (1:00:30), the Orioles’ Craig Kimbrel signing (1:06:05), Erick Fedde joining the White Sox (1:15:24), and a smattering of minor news and transactions, followed (1:18:08) by a conclusive solution to a recent Stat Blast mystery and an outro rendition (1:24:43) of the classic Michael Baumann baseball ditty “What Did Jerry Dipoto Do?” Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Michael Baumann, “What Did Jerry Dipoto Do?” Link to Olney column Link to Rosenthal column Link to Mintz column Link to O’Brien tweet Link to Janes tweet Link to Janes column Link to article on Ohtani’s agent Link to article on Jays meeting Link to article on Giants meeting Link to flight-tracking tweet Link to Washington quotes Link to quote about Boone’s face Link to Nightengale on Roberts Link to article on Roberts/Gomes Link to tweet about Friedman Link to EW branzino wiki Link to Opryland photos Link to Hollander’s quote Link to Dipoto quotes Link to Baumann on Kelenic Link to Dubuque on Kelenic Link to Clemens on Brewers SPs Link to Gilligan on Kelly Link to Roberts on Betts Link to Roberts on Kershaw Link to Blum on Trout Link to Baumann on Yates Link to Clemens on Verdugo Link to Baumann on Kimbrel Link to Longenhagen on Fedde Link to tweet about Fedde Link to Verdugo benching info Link to Verdugo Dodgers incident Link to EW episode 2093 Link to 1998 Baseball Weekly article Link to 1998 Ocker article Link to 1998 AP article Link to 1998 game’s play log Link to 2000 game’s play log Link to latest-first-whiff data Link to longest whiff-less stretches Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to Nightengale “two sides” tweet Link to 1998 clip 1 Link to 1998 clip 2 Link to 1998 clip 3 Link to Secret Santa sign-up sheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and top-tier Patreon supporter Kevin Peskuric banter about and quantify the difference between the receptions to an @MLB tweet about a Shohei Ohtani cat encounter and an @Yankees tweet about Henry Kissinger. Then (18:48) they talk about Kevin’s background as a baseball fan and EW listener, answer listener emails (32:13) about whether facing only bad hitters could get a pitcher to the Hall of Fame, activating a five-second pitch clock once per game, a team-wide Freaky Friday-esque body swap, and describing players’ bodies in scouting reports, and Stat Blast (1:07:39) about players with more WAR than HR, interdivision records and the AL Central, and the most pitches thrown in a game before the first whiff, followed by a radio-play-style Future Blast (1:33:31) from 2093. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Twitter ratio explanation Link to Ohtani cat tweet Link to Yankees Kissinger tweet Link to Biden’s Kissinger statement Link to Rolling Stone Kissinger obit Link to “Nobody:” meme Link to info on view counts Link to info on Twain misquotation Link to Jeff on opponent quality Link to BP team opponent quality Link to EW Episode 2089 Link to hurry-up offense wiki Link to Trout hypotheticals wiki Link to Ben on Reds scouting reports Link to Ben on Scout School Link to scouting glossary Link to Rob on MLB handsomeness Link to Rob on MiLB handsomeness Link to halo effect wiki Link to Colon’s nickname info Link to Stathead on WAR>HR Link to Rob on division records Link to Rob’s interdivision data Link to Rob on Twitter Link to 1998 Baseball Weekly article Link to 1998 Ocker article Link to 1998 AP article Link to 1998 game’s play log Link to 2000 game’s play log Link to 2007 game’s play log Link to latest-first-whiff data Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to 1985 Mantle/Radatz article Link to Mantle/Radatz H2H record Link to Sam on Musial/Labine Link to listener emails database Link to Future Blast text Link to Rick Wilber’s site Link to Alan Smale’s site Link to 1932 WS clip Link to The Naked Gun clip Link to O’Neill cylinder wiki Link to Ami Li on Twitter Link to Chris Hanel on Twitter Link to Shane McKeon on Twitter Link to Dan Szymborski on Twitter Link to Secret Santa sign-up sheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about listeners’ end-of-year podcast stats, the reported “progress” in Padres-Yankees trade talks concerning Juan Soto, some recent Reds and Mets moves, a possible extension for Brewers prospect Jackson Chourio and the track record of extensions signed before a player’s MLB debut, and several end-of-season MLB awards (past and present) that you may not have heard of. Then (50:07) they talk to FanGraphs senior writer and The Cooperstown Casebook author Jay Jaffe about this year’s Era Committee and BBWAA Hall of Fame candidates, recent voting trends, the 20th anniversary of JAWS, adjustments for framing and decreasing pitcher workloads, the shrinking electorate, and more. Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Vulture on Elemental Link to first report about Soto Link to second report about Soto Link to FG post on Severino Link to FG post on Pagán Link to FG post on Martinez Link to Ben C. on TV contracts Link to RosterResource payroll page Link to FG SP projections Link to 2023 FG SP WAR Link to MLBTR on Chourio Link to list of pre-debut deals Link to Sam on extensions Link to baseball awards wiki Link to awards named after players Link to Canadian Baseball HoF episode Link to The Cooperstown Casebook Link to JAWS wiki Link to JAWS at B-Ref Link to EW guests spreadsheet Link to Jay on managers, umps, execs Link to Joe West on EW Link to Pollis on secret ballots Link to Jay’s profiles schedule Link to Jay on the BBWAA ballot Link to Stark on Wright Link to Max Marchi on framing Link to Jay on framing Link to Ben on framing Link to Dan Hayes interview Link to Ben on Piazza’s defense Link to Max Marchi on framing Link to Jay on S-JAWS Link to HoF Ballot Tracker Link to Thibodaux on EW Link to crowdsourced FG ballots Link to Ben’s voting explanation Link to Secret Santa sign-up sheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Eugenio Suárez trade and the Mariners’ payroll, the Cardinals signing Sonny Gray, the Tigers signing Kenta Maeda, the Dodgers re-signing Jason Heyward, and whether an outfielder can be said to “pick it.” Then (50:07) they follow up on listener responses to their latest email episode, focusing on suggestions for introducing turnovers to baseball. Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to article on Havens hiring Link to Suárez FG post Link to Mariners ticket prices Link to Diamondbacks ticket prices Link to Gray FG post Link to Hence nickname info Link to Maeda FG post Link to Maeda’s Dodgers deal Link to FG SP projections Link to Twins payroll article Link to Heyward FG post Link to EW Episode 2089 Link to Ben on HR robberies Link to Stanky maneuver info Link to fourth out wiki Link to Sam on fourth outs Link to baseball exceptionalism wiki Link to Secret Santa sign-up sheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh talks to Portia, proprietor of super-popular Shohei Ohtani fan account @shoheisaveus, about her Ohtani superfan origin story, life as a self-described “Shobae,” Ohtani’s popularity compared to other athletes and celebrities, following Ohtani from 15 time zones away, stanning a private person, the many mysteries of Ohtani, where the Shobaes would prefer for Ohtani to sign, and more. Then (1:09:03) Ben brings on baseball researcher and writer Sam Gazdziak of RIP Baseball to discuss monitoring baseball players’ passings, writing an obituary for every big leaguer, and finding and restoring baseball figures’ neglected gravesites. Audio intro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Rose tweets Link to Portia’s Twitter account Link to info on Ohtani Insta followers Link to Ben’s article on Portia Link to Ohtani’s first MLB hit Link to Smith on Ohtani Link to “Fletchtani” tweet Link to Ohtani-Sandoval video Link to Equinox photo Link to Ohtani’s beach trip Link to Ohtani’s Hawaii trip Link to Ohtani/Ippei Hawaii photo Link to 2018 NHK doc Link to 2021 NHK doc Link to 2021 NHK doc (alt link) Link to Ohtani’s dog Link to Ohtani’s high school friends Link to shirtless Shohei tweet Link to recommended Twitter follow Link to recommended Twitter follow 2 Link to recommended YouTube follow Link to recommended YouTube follow 2 Link to recommended TikTok follow Link to Ohtani’s “Despacito” video Link to RIP Baseball Link to Stenhouse obit Link to Aaron obit Link to Woods obit Link to SABR Baseball Graves Map Link to Baseball Player Passings group Link to 19th Century Grave Marker Project Link to Negro Leagues Grave Marker Project Link to Green-Wood Cemetery article Link to Cobb memorial Link to Banks memorial Link to “rigor mortis” quote Link to John Glenn SABR bio Link to Ed Williamson grave marker project Link to B-Ref place of death index Link to support Portia Link to support Sam Link to Secret Santa sign-up sheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the proper pluralization of “POBO,” then (7:12) answer listener emails about baseball with a five-second pitch clock, how long fans will continue to boo pickoff attempts, what it would take for a team to pay a particular fan to attend (or not attend) its games, Freddie Freeman’s base stealing, bringing turnovers to baseball, clubs that could achieve “perfectly average success” in the 30-team era, the limits of fan tolerance for playoff expansion, a proposal for the postseason to be like college bowl season, boosting starting pitchers with a “bullpen bank,” whether Harold Baines would’ve been better off declining Cooperstown induction, Adam Wainwright and the Hall of Fame, and fan voting on Hall of Famers, plus a Stat Blast (1:30:13) about whether awards voting has gotten more homogen(e)ous and more closely correlated with WAR. Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to POBO pluralization exchange Link to info on forming plurals Link to pitch tempo leaderboard Link to speed chess wiki Link to Episode 1453 Link to Tango on pickoff attempts Link to Bruce Chen’s pickoff attempts Link to Gonny Jomes wiki Link to MLB Ballpark Pass-Port Link to MLB Ballpark app Link to Stathead on 1B SB Link to FG post on Freeman’s steals Link to L.A. Times on Freeman’s 20–20 Link to graphic on Freeman’s 20–20–200 Link to Sam on Freeman’s improvements Link to NYT on O’Neill’s 20–20 Link to Stathead on oldest 20–20 guys Link to Pujols steal streak video Link to H-E-B wiki Link to baseball exceptionalism wiki Link to EW on batters catching pitches Link to The Athletic fan survey results Link to NHL playoff format wiki Link to playoff randomness by sport Link to “paper champions” study Link to Ben on the SP protagonist Link to Ben on pitcher limits Link to @dril “turning a big dial” tweet Link to latest Hall of Fame ballot Link to HoF tiers EW discussion Link to article on Baines induction Link to Ben on Baines Link to Jay Jaffe on Wainwright’s 200th Link to Jay on HoF SP standards Link to EW episode 114 Link to HoF by election method Link to Ben on Mauer’s candidacy Link to EW emails database Link to homogenous vs. homogeneous Link to Kenny Jackelen on Twitter Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to B-Ref awards voting results Link to awards data, all years, with WAR Link to awards data with calculations Link to Ryan’s Stat Blast graphs Link to concentration ratio explainer Link to HHI explainer Link to SABR study on WAR and awards Link to win probability of scoring team Link to Secret Santa sign-up sheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Phillies re-signing Aaron Nola, the Braves signing Reynaldo López, trading for Aaron Bummer, and rearranging their roster, the Cardinals signing Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson, the Padres hiring Mike Shildt, Shohei Ohtani swearing teams to secrecy about his free-agent visits, and NHK’s Ohtani documentaries. Then (53:16) they talk to Vanessa Ivy Rose, host of six-part podcast Reclaimed: The Forgotten League and author of Hall of Fame DNA: The Legacy of Norman “Turkey” Stearnes, about the underappreciated greatness of her grandfather, Turkey Stearnes, telling the story of the Negro Leagues, and the past, present, and future of Black baseball. Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to InstaGraphs post on Nola Link to FG post on Nola Link to FG post on López Link to FG post on the Bummer trade Link to FG post on the Wright trade Link to team 40-man counts Link to FG post on Lynn Link to MLBTR on three Cards starters Link to Mozeliak’s strikeouts quote Link to defensive efficiency ranking Link to MLBTR on Shildt’s firing Link to MLBTR on Shildt’s hiring Link to Passan’s Ohtani report Link to Ohtani dog info Link to dog breed details Link to 2018 NHK doc Link to 2021 NHK doc Link to 2021 NHK doc (alt link) Link to EW on youth baseball Link to Teasley EW episode Link to Nettie Stearnes clips Link to The Forgotten League feed 1 Link to The Forgotten League feed 2 Link to Vanessa’s website Link to Turkey history Link to more Turkey history Link to Vanessa on Turkey Link to Turkey photo Link to info on Turkey plaque Link to FG Negro Leagues leaderboard Link to Hall of Stats ranking Link to B-Ref Negro Leagues stats Link to Turkey at Seamheads Link to Turkey at the NLBM Link to HR/3B leaders Link to The Athletic on stat integration Link to MLB.com on stat integration Link to MLB The Show mode Link to Secret Santa sign-up sheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the possible significance of this year’s unanimous award votes, the public unveiling of Shohei Ohtani’s dog, what they learned (and didn’t learn) from the new ESPN documentary Shohei Ohtani: Beyond the Dream (21:42), and where they’d prefer for Ohtani to sign (1:01:16). Then (1:10:42) they conduct the ninth EW free-agent-contract over/under draft. Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to AL MVP voting Link to NL MVP voting Link to Posnanski on unanimity Link to Ohtani dog video Link to refurbished Furby Link to dog diving and fetching Link to 2017 Ohtani finalists Link to Ohtani destination ranking Link to Beyond the Dream trailer Link to Beyond the Dream info Link to “and I took that personally” Link to Sabathia doc Link to story on Ohtani and M’s Link to MLBTR top 50 list Link to FG top 50 list Link to drafts/competitions sheet Link to over/under draft wiki Link to Petriello on Bellinger Link to Sheehan on Bellinger Link to draft results Link to Secret Santa sign-up sheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss MLB owners unanimously approving the Athletics’ move to Las Vegas, new time-saving measures slated for 2024, the respective salaries of David Stearns and Craig Counsell, and private flights as a potential perk to entice MLB free agents, then examine an upstart Dubai-based baseball league called Baseball United (55:07) and bring on Washington Post sportswriter Rick Maese (1:05:46) to explain how the league is the latest reflection of a massive Middle Eastern infusion of funds that’s reshaping global sports. Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Drellich on the owners’ vote Link to Keown on the owners’ vote Link to Nightengale on the owners’ vote Link to Nightengale again Link to Sheehan on Fisher/Seidler Link to ESPN on the clock Link to % of pitches with runners on Link to The Athletic on the clock Link to Stearns salary story Link to Epstein salary story Link to Counsell salary story Link to Pollis on executive pay Link to Boras on Soto’s flight Link to Lester-deal details Link to story about Brown’s deal Link to Plaschke on Brown Link to Brown luxury tax info Link to Ohtani jet info Link to Tanaka jet info Link to article on private-jet emissions Link to Swift’s response Link to info on sports and climate Link to story on MLB emissions Link to more on MLB emissions Link to Baseball United site Link to Baseball United info Link to Baseball United draft Link to Pujols interview Link to Sandoval promo Link to thread of WaPo stories Link to WaPo story 1 Link to WaPo story 2 Link to WaPo story 3 Link to WaPo story 4 Link to MLB sportswashing post Link to story on Trujillo’s team Link to story on Mexican League Link to story about fossil-fuel lobby Link to Secret Santa sign-up sheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a low-suspense awards week, the vastly varying paths to being a major league manager, the latest sign of the Angels player-development apocalypse, Brian Cashman on Giancarlo Stanton, the death of Padres owner Peter Seidler, Michael Jordan’s baseball career on For All Mankind, how much holding runners matters, and how to judge how many championships a franchise “should” have won, then Stat Blast (1:08:56) about postseason baserunning, scoring first in October, winning rings without playing a lot, and players who lost a lot of WAR, plus a PSA (1:31:02) about EW Secret Santa. Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Posnanski on unanimous awards Link to Meg’s preseason predictions Link to “Imperial phase” wiki Link to Sheehan on managers Link to story on college-coach managers Link to Blum on Percival Link to Cashman’s comments Link to Stanton’s agent’s response Link to NYT Seidler obit Link to FAM Jordan image Link to Petriello on running prevention Link to the EW wiki on Lester Link to running prevention leaderboards Link to BP piece on championships Link to Topps Now Link to Rob Mains on October baserunning Link to Rob on comebacks Link to “scoring first” sheet Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to low-playing-time-rings sheet Link to Bellinger on EW Link to Gore on EW Link to “lost WAR” sheet Link to FG on Doumit’s framing Link to Secret Santa sign-up sheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about norovirus derailing the GM meetings, leftover Boras quotes, and the baseball players deemed sexiest by People magazine, Stat Blast (18:47) about a possible bunting comeback and whether age is correlated with pitch-clock violations, and then (43:39) talk to FanGraphs writer Ben Clemens about the free-agent market and his ranking of the top 50 free agents. Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Apstein report Link to Passan typo Link to Park video Link to Boras on Cohen Link to Yogi Aflac ad Link to Boras on Boston Link to Baumann’s predictions Link to People on Dempsey Link to People on athletes Link to People on reader poll Link to Ohtani’s gloves post Link to Hal on Boone’s bunts Link to Thames quote Link to Dipoto’s comments Link to Petriello tweet Link to Orr tweet Link to playoff bunt hits Link to playoff sacrifices Link to regular-season bunts Link to bunting wRC+ Link to non-pitcher bunting wRC+ Link to pre-extras, non-pitcher wRC+ Link to Rob Mains on bunting Link to Tango thread about bunting Link to sac/non-sac data Link to Lucas Apostoleris on Twitter Link to Episode 2051 wiki Link to Epstein quote Link to Topps Now Link to Players Choice awards Link to violations question Link to violations leaderboard Link to Episode 1991 wiki Link to team violation correlations Link to player violation correlations Link to Rob on age and pace Link to Moneyball clip Link to handwashing PSA Link to top 50 FA ranking Link to top 50 FA chat Link to Sam on Ohtani and Ruth Link to article about Benetti Link to article on Harper and 1B  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s experience covering the GM meetings and broadcasting an AFL game, with an emphasis on Brian Cashman’s testy exchanges with reporters, Meg’s interaction with Jerry Dipoto, and Scott Boras’s wordplay, plus listener emails (1:01:04) about “electing” free agency, whether the pitch clock has lowered the average age of baseball spectators, when fans started wearing sports jerseys, and possible successors to Baseball Twitter. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic Version)” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Cashman quotes Link to Drellich on Cashman Link to article on Yankees analytics Link to Cashman analytics answer Link to Judge quote Link to tweet about Getz Link to Getz quotes Link to EW Boras episode Link to Boras backdrop photo Link to other Boras backdrop photo Link to Boras FAA quote Link to thread of Boras quotes Link to Boras Trump quote Link to Boras Alonso quote Link to Boras Bellinger video Link to story about average age Link to story about jerseys Link to Baseball Twitter draft Link to EW emails database  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether whether they’d watch the winning team celebrate if they lost the World Series, then (17:09) discuss a trio of managerial moves (the Cubs poaching Craig Counsell from the Brewers, the Guardians hiring Stephen Vogt, and the Mets hiring Carlos Mendoza), the Marlins hiring the Rays’ GM, and what the Padres declining Michael Wacha’s option says about a Juan Soto trade, plus (1:04:30) some consideration of whether an-season tournament like the NBA’s makes sense for MLB and (1:23:27) a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FB thread Link to Patek photo Link to Sam on Kershaw Link to Sad Keanu meme Link to MLBTR on Counsell Link to story about Cubs tampering Link to story on Selig Rule Link to ESPN on Vogt Link to Aaron on journeymanagers Link to ESPN on Mendoza Link to Passan tweet about salaries Link to MLBTR on Wacha’s option Link to Becker’s tweet about Wacha Link to MLBTR on Bendix Link to Bendix at SB Nation Link to in-season tournament wiki Link to in-season tournament explainer Link to story on load management Link to Attanasio comment Link to Vogt’s wiki Link to EW on Vogt’s wiki Link to Correa on Maldonado Link to Ben on player-value estimates Link to qualifying offers Link to qualifying-offer history  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the difficulty of watching Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the Japan Series, the last time an MLB pitcher threw as many as 138 pitches in a game, their hopes for Joey Votto’s next act, and the Brewers trading Mark Canha to the Tigers, then (32:13) answer listener emails about Silver Slugging Gold Glovers, pitching a perfect game in a time loop, whether the Rockies will win a championship before one of the next expansion teams does, a playoff lottery system, and how players could convince owners to let them hold trophies first, plus Stat Blasts (1:22:25) about Jose Altuve and the best pound-for-pound (and inch-for-inch) players and Frank Howard-esque all-offense players. Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Yamamoto game story Link to Yamamoto K montage Link to info on Japan Series streaming Link to info on the Curse of the Colonel Link to EW on the Curse of the Colonel Link to Jack Moore’s tweet Link to 138-pitch regular-season starts Link to 138-pitch postseason starts Link to MLBTR on Votto Link to 2016 Votto quote Link to 2023 Votto profile Link to MLBTR on Canha Link to MLBTR on Rodriguez Link to Silver Slugger/Gold Glove list Link to Silver Slugger/Gold Glove sheet Link to Chris Gilligan’s FG post Link to Sam on expansion teams Link to Manfred on expansion Link to story on owners and trophies Link to Commissioner’s Trophy wiki Link to Topps Now Link to Altuve/Bregman photo Link to heights/weights sheet Link to Frank Howard obit Link to Howard +200/-200 club Link to listener emails database  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about which MLB franchise will win its first championship next, the postseason “second-chance issue,” Clayton Kershaw’s shoulder surgery and other Dodgers decisions, a change in Astros primary catchers, the Braves re-signing Joe Jiménez, and Nelson Cruz’s career and retirement, then (1:05:20) discuss the stories they’re most interested in following this winter. Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Chris Gilligan’s FG post Link to preseason prediction scores Link to Sheehan on second chances Link to MLBTR on Kershaw Link to MLBTR on Jiménez Link to Jiménez press release Link to MLBTR on Lynn Link to MLBTR on Muncy Link to Jay Jaffe on Muncy Link to MLBTR on Diaz Link to MLBTR on Cruz Link to 2020 EW episode on Cruz Link to Cruz retirement tour tweet Link to WAR from age 28 on Link to HoF WAR from age 28 on Link to offseason schedule FG post Link to MLBTR on Counsell Link to Law’s top 50 FA list Link to Sam on pitch-clock exceptions Link to pitch-clock-exceptions rule Link to postseason time of game Link to article on streaming NPB Link to article on Yamamoto Link to info on the Curse of the Colonel Link to EW on the Curse of the Colonel  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s experience covering the World Series in Arizona, then discuss the most interesting aspects of the series, what (if anything) teams could learn from the Rangers’ success, the futures of the Rangers and Diamondbacks, the entertainment value of the 2023 playoffs, and much more. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Eovaldi interview transcript Link to Seinfeld car smell Link to Ben on the Rangers Link to Baumann on bullpen games Link to preseason playoff odds Link to Epstein quote Link to postseason spreadsheet 1 Link to postseason spreadsheet 2  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about saying the wrong episode number in the intro to Episode 2077 and the definition of a title drought, then answer listener emails (18:45) about whether it would make sense to choose a bye in the playoffs if your opponent got to draft a player from the team it defeated, letting a non-playoff team into the playoffs via a lottery, a lineup set by the opposing team’s manager, a NOBLETIGER technicality, placing trampolines on the field, tagging a runner on an object you placed on them, a slugger setting a single-minded goal to break the single-season home run record, loving baseball but not MLB, international talent vs. minor league talent, and Clayton Kershaw playing a partial season à la Roger Clemens. Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Temporal Loom explainer Link to anniversary-gift explainer Link to types of droughts Link to lineup-optimization post Link to more on lineup optimization Link to EW wiki trampoline page Link to NOBLETIGER thread Link to Semien tag explainer Link to Semien tag video Link to EW episode on Rendon Link to league-quality comparison Link to 2007 article on Clemens Link to Clemens announcing return Link to MLBTR on Hill in 2024 Link to EW emails database Link to Ben on Jagger Link to Ben on Super Mario Bros. Wonder  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the end of the NLCS, discuss the discourse surrounding the improbability of and fallout from the Diamondbacks-Rangers World Series matchup, banter about the Brewers always losing in the playoffs to eventual pennant winners, preview the World Series, postulate a conspiracy surrounding this postseason’s lack of extra-inning games, and react to the Red Sox hiring ex-pitcher Craig Breslow as their new Chief Baseball Officer/POBO, then (54:14) Stat Blast about how the World Series and future postseasons might be swayed by a reliever familiarity effect that could counter the pitcher-usage changes caused by the times-through-the-order penalty and restore longer starts, including a chat (1:12:06) with reliever-familiarity-effect researcher Dr. David J. Gordon. Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Baumann on NLCS G7 Link to Ben C.’s Series preview Link to Ginny Searle’s Series preview Link to Neil Paine’s Series preview Link to MLB.com on Ginkel Link to Jay Jaffe on Scherzer Link to Leo Morgenstern on Semien Link to tweet about Brewers losses Link to MLBTR on Breslow Link to 2017 Breslow article Link to info on Eovaldi game Link to Topps Now Link to Cameron Grove EW episode Link to Cameron Grove tweet Link to Cameron Grove study Link to David Gordon study Link to Ben’s SP study Link to Ben on reliever familiarity Link to D-backs headlines wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss assorted ALCS and NLCS action and playoff takeaways and trends, with an emphasis on Adolis García’s heroics, the Rangers vanquishing the Astros, MLB’s handling of Bryan Abreu’s suspension, and Craig Kimbrel’s career (plus reactions to the Giants hiring Bob Melvin as their manager). Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to García/Abreu video Link to Garver/Abreu video Link to Rosenthal on the suspension Link to Sam on being plunked Link to Gurriel suspension story Link to Ben Clemens on Yordan Link to Kelly exit video Link to Dusty retirement article Link to reliever JAWS leaders Link to MLBTR on Melvin  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about ALCS and NLCS action, the definition of an “unanswered run,” and a forthcoming documentary about Shohei Ohtani, then (51:16) answer listener emails about a playoff hot-hand theory, how bad an underdog would have to be for a postseason upset to shock them, and a pitcher with two right hands, plus a Stat Blast (1:20:57) about the least and most exciting postseasons ever and a follow-up (1:38:42) about Friday’s games. Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG post on NLCS Game 3 Link to FG post on ALCS Game 4 Link to John Middleton video Link to Carleton on pulling pitchers Link to LIDOM preview Link to Ohtani documentary news Link to Rob Mains on playoff upsets Link to Dan S. on playoff success Link to AI image of hands Link to EW listener emails database Link to Topps Now Link to WPA/cWPA data Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to series-length data Link to Michael Mountain’s Twitter Link to lead-change data Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to FG post on ALCS Game 5 Link to FG post on NLCS Game 4  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the lack of pitch-clock violations in the postseason, an on-field Phillies smooch, the Phillies’ 2-0 lead on the Diamondbacks in the NLCS, a pivotal offseason for the Brewers, how MLB newsbreakers differ from NBA newsbreakers, the rising percentage of pitchers who’ve had Tommy John surgery, and how different baseball would be if regular-season series worked like postseason series, followed by (1:30:50) a radio-play-style Future Blast from 2074. Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG clock violations Link to MLBClockTracker on Twitter Link to Phillies kiss tweet Link to story on Yordan’s kisses Link to FG post on Arizona’s bullpen Link to Sheehan on lead changes Link to drummer’s Phillies tweet Link to “Jimmy Eat World” origin Link to Neil Paine on the Phillies Link to FG payrolls page Link to story on Woodruff’s injury Link to Arnold on Brewers decisions Link to MLBTR on Woodruff Link to Heyman on Counsell Link to Brewers ballpark funding Link to WaPo on Woj vs. Shams Link to NY Mag on Shams Link to The Arm Link to Roegele’s TJ tweet Link to Roegele’s TJ database Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Alan Smale’s website Link to Future Blast wiki Link to ʻOumuamua wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the abrupt end of Kim Ng’s tenure as the general manager of the Miami Marlins, Alyssa Nakken interviewing for the Giants’ manager job, the Rangers taking a 2-0 lead on the Astros in the ALCS, and the new Netflix documentary The Saint of Second Chances. Then (48:12) Ben talks to the documentary’s subject, baseball maverick Mike Veeck, about why he wanted to tell his up-and-down-and-up story, his legendary dad, Hall of Famer Bill Veeck, and the colorful Veeck clan, Disco Demolition Night, the origins of modern independent baseball, Darryl Strawberry’s season with the St. Paul Saints, the secret to a great baseball promotion, the Savannah Bananas, whether MLB could ever have a Veeck-ian owner again, MLB’s control (and contraction) of the minor leagues, and more. Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ghiroli on Ng Link to Passan on Ng Link to Kepner on Ng Link to MLBTR on Nakken Link to Ben Clemens on the Astros Link to Ken Rosenthal on Yordan Link to article on Jordan’s flu game Link to exploding-scoreboard video Link to The Saint of Second Chances Link to documentary trailer Link to MiLB.com on Mike Veeck Link to list of Veeck’s promotions Link to Vice on Disco Demolition Night Link to Ben on Bill Veeck 1 Link to Ben on Veeck 2 Link to Ben on Veeck 3 Link to Ben on Veeck 4 Link to SABR on the ’43 Phillies Link to BJO on book inaccuracies Link to SABR’s Bill Veeck bio Link to Craig Wright on Paige Link to EW interview about the Bananas Link to Veeck As in Wreck Link to The Hustler’s Handbook Link to Fun is Good Link to Mike’s website Link to playoff-stats spreadsheet Link to The Ringer-Verse podcast Link to House of R podcast  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the career of the incomparable Bryce Harper, more “Attaboy” blowback, the end of the Phillies-Braves NLDS, scoring and competitiveness in the postseason as a whole, a Phillies homer-prediction contest, the pitch clock in the postseason, the Championship Series matchups, their most desired World Series matchups, why we say “balls and strikes” instead of “strikes and balls,” and more. Then (1:16:44) The Ringer’s Zach Kram joins to Stat Blast about players who return from absences in October and how various rate stats differ between the regular season and postseason (plus an MLB/NBA playoff comp). Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to The Onion on Mr. Autumn Man Link to Verducci on Harper from 2009 Link to double-blow-dryer clip Link to Harper on pandering Link to Phillies as himbos Link to 2014 Harper overrated Link to 2015 Harper overrated Link to 2019 Harper overrated Link to Jake’s article Link to Rizzo comments Link to Rizzo apology Link to BBWAA statement Link to Jake’s thread Link to Bissinger/Leitch article Link to Baumann on NLDS Game 4 Link to Joe Sheehan on playoff scoring Link to Joe Posnanski on playoff scoring Link to Alex Eisert on playoff scoring Link to Defector on the Braves Link to Strider quote Link to bullpen prediction game Link to Dan S. on the ALCS Link to Schoenfield on the pitch clock Link to Petriello on the Phillies defense Link to Kram on upsets Link to article on balls/strikes in Japan Link to 1887 umpire indicator Link to 1886 umpire indicator Link to Ngram viewer results Link to paper on English binomials Link to Topps Now Link to Stubbs in overalls Link to long-layoff-players sheet Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to Pinch Thomas SABR bio Link to FG regular-season stats Link to FG postseason stats Link to HR reliance study Link to playoff randomness comparison Link to another randomness comparison  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Diamondbacks’ victory and the Dodgers’ defeat, more musings on playoff randomness, Bryce Harper, Orlando Arcia, and the silliest sports/sports-media controversy of the year, the Astros advancing to the ALCS again (at the Twins’ expense), the all-Texas ALCS, and more. Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Meg on NLDS Game 3 Link to Jay on the Dodgers Link to Magic Johnson tweet Link to Lynn quote about homers Link to McCullough on Kershaw Link to Facebook thread on Kershaw Link to worst team postseason SP Link to Jake’s article Link to Chelsea’s thread Link to d’Arnaud clip Link to Arcia clip Link to Clemens on Pressly Link to Ben on the Astros Link to story on Rangers and Creed Link to “Marlins Will Soar”  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss some renewed fretting about playoff formats, long layoffs, and upsets, recap (31:44) Clayton Kershaw’s playoff career and consider how (if at all) it will affect his legacy, and then examine (55:25) the latest action in each Division Series, plus follow-ups (1:29:49) on multiple topics from the preceding episode (including postseason sweeps and conductors). Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Link to Rosenthal on the playoff format Link to Ben Clemens on long layoffs Link to Joe Sheehan on long layoffs Link to Ben L. on playoff randomness Link to FG postseason leaderboards Link to playoff pitching decliners sheet Link to Ben L. on the Dodgers Link to MLB.com on Harris and Harper Link to Sam on the Correa play Link to Ben C. on the Wheeler decision Link to Russell on removing the starter Link to study on reliever familiarity Link to Neil Paine on Yordan Link to Langs Orioles tweet Link to Paine on the O’s Link to EW Episode 2069 Link to holds leaders Link to 2012 Clippard article Link to 2015 Clippard article Link to Senators FB thread Link to EW Episode 1217  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a failing effort to make peanuts a ballpark staple in Japan, preview the various Division Series (10:32), discuss the deep, enduring desire of former GM Paul Richards to trade his team for an entire other team (47:48), answer listener emails (1:06:50) about postseason “sweeps” and traitorous base coaches (and extraneous conductors?), and Stat Blast (1:22:21) about Tyler Clippard, Cam Gallagher, splitting the top 4 MVP finishers between two teams, the correlation between payroll and wins, and Orioles regression defiance. Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and A Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Link to WSJ peanuts article Link to Cracker Jack wiki Link to FG on Braves-Phillies Link to FG on Dodgers-Diamondbacks Link to FG on Orioles-Rangers Link to FG on Twins-Astros Link to Ringer division series piece Link to Richards articles Link to Ben on the Waxahachie Swap Link to story on Kekich and Peterson Link to EW listener emails database Link to Russell on the 3B coach Link to Russell on trying to score Link to Topps Now Link to Clippard Stathead Link to Gallagher leaderboard Link to top 4 MVPs sheet Link to Ben on spending Link to Ben on the O’s  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about their takeaways from sweeps week in the wild card round (how sweep it is!) and pick the division series they’re most excited about, then examine Mariners POBO Jerry Dipoto’s comments about aspiring to win 54 percent of games over a decade (46:04) and provide updates on the results of two Effectively Wild drafts (1:23:37). Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Kram on Atlanta’s offense Link to Clemens on clean innings Link to Tango on lineups vs. Montgomery Link to Canha HR quote Link to ESPN comments about Rays Link to Clemens on Schneider Link to Dipoto clip Link to Dipoto follow-up Link to .540 spreadsheet Link to Drellich on Dipoto Link to Drellich on candid quotes Link to Logan Davis on Twitter Link to EW competitions/drafts Link to MLBTR on Eppler  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Mariners, the Cubs, and other teams that just missed the playoffs, discuss the firings of Giants manager Gabe Kapler and Mets manager Buck Showalter (19:21), and then (32:51) bring on FanGraphs writers Michael Baumann and Ben Clemens to assemble an ultimate playoff team by drafting components of existing playoff teams: hitting, baserunning, defense, starting pitching, relief pitching, and managing. Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Raleigh comments Link to Raleigh apology Link to Woodruff update Link to FG playoff predictions Link to BP on Framber Link to study on waiting in line Link to Petriello on the Rays pen Link to Petriello on playoff Castellanos Link to more on playoff Castellanos Link to even more on playoff Castellanos Link to preseason predictions pod Link to preseason predictions standings  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Shohei Ohtani’s (finally) leagues-leading jersey sales, Mets grounds crew shenanigans, and shrinking minor leaguers, then (28:18) answer listener emails about restructured pitching staffs on which everyone would throw 3-to-4 innings at a time, a speed limit for pitches, displaying error bars for WAR, allowing outfielders only a certain number of catches per game (plus info on secret natural lefties), and a pitcher who reliably gets stronger as the game goes on, followed (1:20:03) by a guest Stat Blast on the not-nice improbability of the Twins’ playoff losing streak by Chris Hanel, maker of the new YouTube documentary “The Minnesota Twins and the Cruelest Streak in Sports.” Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to 2023 jersey-sales ranking Link to 2021 jersey-sales ranking Link to 2018 jersey-sales ranking Link to grounds crew story Link to Schumaker video Link to Longenhagen on heights Link to shrunk/shrank pedantry thread Link to Laurila on the Rays Link to Petriello on the Rays Link to restrictor plate article Link to Ben on smaller pitching staffs Link to EW Episode 449 Link to BP DRC+ SDs Link to info on natural lefties Link to baseball bounce catches Link to EW emails database Link to Topps Now cards Link to Twins Topps Now archive Link to EW guests archive Link to Chris on score bugs Link to Twins playoff results Link to Chris’s Twins doc Link to Chris’s Twins blog post  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether Ronald Acuña Jr.’s historic strikeout-rate reduction is as impressive as his historic power-speed combination, the Acuña-Mookie Betts NL MVP race, the enduring defensive excellence of the late Brooks Robinson, Josh Hader’s insistence on one-inning outings and the degree to which players should dictate their own usage, the Rockies’ first-ever 100-loss season, Rob Manfred’s comments about broadcasts and betting, and the somewhat-improved probabilities on Apple TV+ telecasts. Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to article on power-speed seasons Link to article on Acuña’s Ks Link to Acuña’s 70th steal Link to Tango on Acuña/Betts Link to xWOBA minus wOBA Link to Robinson’s fielding stats Link to Total Zone Runs leaders Link to 1960 fielding leaders Link to 1975 fielding leaders Link to old Gold Glovers Link to Robinson defensive montage Link to Goldman on Robinson Link to Robinson obit Link to story on Hader Link to Hader arbitration story Link to 2021 Hader story Link to Union-Tribune on Hader Link to more Union-Tribune on Hader Link to Cup of Coffee on Hader Link to BP on Hader Link to reliever leverage leaderboard Link to story on first Padres extras W Link to yearly Rockies wRC+ Link to Manfred interview Link to sports-gambling explainer Link to Bloomberg on betting effects Link to 2022 odds interview Link to nVenue partnership links Link to Ben Clemens on the 2022 odds Link to Ben C. on the 2023 odds Link to Holy Hand Grenade scene  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about The Rolling Stones’ credentials as a baseball band, Mike Trout’s slow healing, more Padres reporting and one-run-game whiplash, the Mariners’ rough stretch, how well this year’s playoff teams are built for October, and the most bonkers stats of the season, plus a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Stones tweet Link to Stones/MLB shop Link to new Stones single Link to info on the Stones at Shea Link to article about Trout Link to Liver King info Link to Padres payroll article Link to Rob Mains on the Padres Link to RosterResource payroll page Link to Dan S. on playoff factors Link to Dan on 2023 playoff teams Link to Jay on the Astros Link to bonkers stats article Link to Looney Tunes characters Link to Galvis sleep article Link to Boggs boat article  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Yusei Kikuchi’s (and other players’) sleep habits and the possibility of a three-way AL West tie with no tiebreaker game, then (28:28) answer listener emails about surprising team assignments in Baseball-Reference headshots, a player who replicates the talent of the player who started in the same lineup spot the previous game, making mound visits to the opposing pitcher, a GM who can predict UCL tears and call up a replacement for the pitcher who’s going to get hurt, whether prospect-promotion incentives could delay the call-ups of the top two prospects in baseball, and retirement-tour qualifications, plus Stat Blasts (1:16:53) about on-base streaks to start a career, all-sweep season series, the best leaguewide power-speed seasons, pitchers who make switch-hitters sacrifice the platoon advantage, and José Abreu and the biggest year-to-year offensive changes. Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to first McGrath thread Link to second McGrath thread Link to Apstein article Link to info on Ohtani’s sleep Link to more on Ohtani’s sleep Link to even more on Ohtani’s sleep Link to Nootbaar on Ohtani’s sleep Link to article on Trout’s sleep Link to article on Verlander’s sleep Link to article on Cruz’s naps Link to article on Smith’s naps Link to article on Casas’s naps Link to Russell on sleep hygiene Link to article on nap rooms Link to article on Phillies’ sleep Link to article on Federer’s sleep Link to article on LeBron’s sleep Link to Sheehan on tiebreakers Link to Anderson’s B-Ref page Link to Valverde’s B-Ref page Link to tweet about Valverde Link to Andino headshots Link to study on icing the kicker Link to article on Cabrera’s tour Link to more on Cabrera’s tour Link to article about A’s Miggy gift Link to article on Yadi/Pujols Link to Rolling Stone on Jeter Link to more on Jeter and tours Link to listener emails database Link to Topps Now Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to on-base-streaks sheet Link to Langs tweet Link to season-sweeps sheet Link to power-speed sheet Link to power-speed wiki Link to article on Edman Link to wrong-side sheet Link to detailed wrong-side sheet Link to Tango on pitch-type splits Link to year-to-year wRC+ sheet Link to Burger helmet video Link to ESPN’s A’s article  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the five-year anniversary of a Twitter wager about Adalberto Mondesi and Shohei Ohtani, then compare and contrast two in-depth articles about the problems supposedly plaguing the Padres and discuss how convincing they find those reports’ explanations for the team’s disappointing season (plus additional banter about the possible reasons for recently successful former Padre Mike Clevinger going unclaimed on waivers, and a few follow-ups). Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Bill James tweet Link to Union-Tribune on the Padres Link to The Athletic on the Padres Link to Rob Mains on the Padres Link to Ginny Searle on the Padres Link to Pythag record wiki Link to story on Machado’s elbow Link to FG hitting clutch Link to FG pitching clutch Link to Ben’s RISP prediction episode Link to RISP through 5/25 Link to RISP since 5/25 Link to info on Padres in extras Link to Soto quote Link to Soto follow-up quote Link to BaseRuns records Link to article on Anthony Young Link to payroll-record correlation info Link to pitcher WAR since 7/29 Link to MLBTR on Clevinger Link to Clevinger/Smith kerfuffle Link to statement on Ohtani Link to Ohtani’s insta post Link to tweet about Ohtani Link to first Moyer statement Link to second Moyer statement Link to article on Gas Plant District  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about precedents for 50-year-old Bartolo Colon retiring as a Met, whether it’s better for a player to go out on top or be humbled a bit before the end, the ramifications of the Rays’ deal for a new ballpark in St. Petersburg, whether each team is on track to have a successful season by the standard set on the podcast’s season preview series, the likely end of Shohei Ohtani’s time with the Angels, and the curious career of Anthony Rendon. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to story about Colon Link to Colon’s flip play Link to Colon’s homer Link to story about Bernie’s retirement Link to story about Franco’s retirement Link to story about Jones’s retirement Link to story about Bautista’s retirement Link to Ben on Pujols’s 2022 Link to Ben’s story on Chipper’s gifts Link to Stark on the oldster derby Link to EW episode on the derby idea Link to Romney bio excerpt Link to info on thinking things are worse Link to story about Rays’ ballpark Link to Drellich on public funding Link to Manfred on expansion Link to preview-pod team goals Link to Gilligan on the Brewers Link to Blum on Ohtani and the Angels Link to Blum on Rendon Link to EW episode on King Link to EW episode on Ivie Link to article on Rendon’s suspension Link to video of Rendon altercation Link to list of old Rendon articles  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Patreon supporter Max Harris banter about Ben’s problems remembering Orioles rookie Heston Kjerstad’s name, Baltimore’s lookalike offensive core, and Max’s history with the podcast and baseball, then (18:22) answer listener emails about seat fillers at MLB games, hypothetical players “Mr. Repeat” and “Mr. First Time,” centralizing MLB R&D, systemic vs. individual explanations for changes in the game, instituting minimum and maximum pitch counts, Kyle Schwarber vs. Nick Ahmed, the good-but-disappointing Blue Jays, the Mariners’ streak of not losing by a lot, and Theo Epstein pedantry, plus a Future Blast (1:27:39) from 2059 and a follow-up (1:30:31) about a tiered Hall of Fame. Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to first tweet about Orioles Link to second tweet about Orioles Link to Swanson/Culberson story Link to The Athletic on tech spending Link to Scouting Bureau story Link to Ben on Scout School Link to Swanson interview episode Link to Ben on Dunn and Pierre Link to Ben on defense vs. offense Link to offense vs. defense spending Link to Ben on pitcher limits Link to no-blowouts streaks Link to Sam Kennedy quote Link to listener emails database Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki Link to Kjerstad homer Link to Bill James proposal Link to Hall of Stats Link to career tiers sheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the firing of Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and the extension of Nationals president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo, injuries to Max Scherzer and Sandy Alcantara and MLB’s UCL scourge, and a proposed tier system for the Hall of Fame and single-season awards, then Stat Blast (1:08:33) about Zack Greinke’s win-loss record, Matt Olson and players with more homers than their team has losses, the most team innings with a homer to start a game, two players 40 or older homering in the same game, walk-off balks, high-WAR seasons for multiple teams, and Ian Happ and the longest on-base streaks against a team, plus a Future Blast (1:38:32) from 2059 and a follow-up. Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Sox press release Link to MLBTR on Bloom Link to Alex Speier on Bloom Link to Speier on Boston’s ’22 deadline Link to story on Bloom and Dermody Link to FG farm rankings Link to FG payroll rankings Link to MLBTR on Rizzo Link to CBS Sports on Rizzo Link to Rizzo on Strasburg Link to Lerner’s Stras statement Link to MASN agreement Link to DiPuglia resignation story Link to scout firings story Link to Alcantara UCL story Link to story on velo and UCLs Link to Sam on UCLs Link to Ben on pitcher limits Link to Bill James answer Link to Posnanski on James Link to Topps Now Link to Greinke W-L spreadsheet Link to Paine on Greinke Link to Jaffe/Laurila on Greinke Link to starter run support Link to EW 1855 Stat Blast Link to Olson club sheet Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to team innings w/HR doc Link to Ryan on 40+ HR hitters Link to walk-off-balks sheet Link to story on second WO balk Link to Stat Blast on balks Link to high-WAR multi-team seasons Link to Drake EW interview Link to story on Happ’s streak Link to tweet about Happ’s streak Link to info on DiMaggio scoring Link to Sam on on-base streaks Link to on-base-streak sheet Link to on-base-in-starts streaks Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki Link to Edman article Link to switch-SH sheet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about baseball comps for the season-ending injury of quarterback Aaron Rodgers four snaps into his New York Jets career, the Rip Van Winkle-esque return of Orioles starter John Means after Tommy John surgery, the Mariners’ rough stretch, Meg’s pennant-race anxiety, and George Kirby’s comments about not being pulled earlier from a start, the Yankees’ unlikely extra-innings win and loss of Jasson Domínguez, the Mets finally hiring David Stearns to run their baseball operations department, the promotion of Pete Crow-Armstrong and why so many top prospects are coming up late in the season, what Mike Trout would bring back (if anything) on the trade market, and more, plus a few follow-ups from last week and a Future Blast (1:36:43) from 2058. Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to The Ringer on Rodgers Link to The Ringer on Rodgers again Link to FB thread of baseball comps Link to MLBTR on Means Link to 30/30 fun fact Link to Kirby video Link to story on Kirby Link to Divish tweet about Kirby Link to Clemens tweet about Kirby Link to Mulder tweet about Kirby Link to McCarthy tweet about Kirby Link to Weaver tweet about Kirby Link to 2014 Weaver story Link to Rob Mains on the TTOP Link to Mains on the TTOP again Link to Jay on Domínguez Link to story on Yankees’ 13-inning win Link to MLBTR on Stearns Link to Crow-Armstrong call-up piece Link to Sheehan on prospect promotions Link to aging-curves research Link to Nightengale on Trout Link to Yamamoto no-hitter story Link to Ben Clemens on Suzuki Link to Lee Maye wiki Link to Scott Radinsky wiki Link to Edman story Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the NL wild card race and Dodgers starting pitching, then (17:24) answer listener emails about league-sanctioned spies, the best second jobs for an MLB player, a clairvoyant catcher, celebrating obscure records, switch-hitters and pitchers with reverse splits, existential fandom crises, selective fun-fact framing, oddly aligned MLB logos on a Dairy Queen cup, and an incredibly durable but otherwise unremarkable player, plus Stat Blasts (1:22:00) about quantifying “compilers,” superlative power-speed seasons, and long streaks of different team WAR leaders, a Future Blast (1:41:48) from 2057, and follow-ups. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG playoff odds Link to story on Lawlar’s debut Link to MLBTR on Alcantara/Soler Link to MLBTR on Buehler Link to Jay on Gonsolin and TJ Link to report about Urías Link to Ben on MLB trade secrets Link to Cronin podcast interview Link to Loutos podcast interview Link to story on mound visits Link to story on Stallings record Link to story about Maddon and splits Link to more on Maddon and splits Link to THT on pitcher-split forecasts Link to FG info on splits Link to Ben on matchup decisions Link to Jay Cuda tweet Link to Dairy Queen photo 1 Link to DQ photo 2 Link to MLB/DQ partnership Link to Votto’s tweet Link to Sam on Votto’s tweet Link to listener emails database Link to compilers spreadsheet Link to Kenny Jackelen on Twitter Link to power/speed spreadsheet Link to Power/Speed Number wiki Link to post on team WAR leaders Link to team WAR leaders sheet Link to Shantz EW interview Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki Link to Machado throw  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss listener responses to their banter about surprising Statcast throwing speeds, then (12:42) discuss Nick Ahmed’s unsung great glovework, the A’s turning out to be (slightly) less historically terrible than they initially seemed, the AL West race, and how the Rangers missing the playoffs would reinforce conflicting narratives about baseball. After that (57:24), they answer listener emails about Mookie Betts overtaking Mike Trout in career WAR, how to tell when a team gets good at player development, and where it would be easiest to hide a smaller base among bigger bases, plus a Future Blast (1:32:26) from 2056. Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to just-noticeable difference Link to Ahmed DFA story Link to FG WAR change post Link to Lawlar call-up story Link to study on Gold Gloves Link to DRS leaderboard Link to OAA leaderboard Link to Fielding RV leaderboard Link to Nichols’ Law Link to Dan S. on the A’s in May Link to Tango on the A’s in May Link to EW on the A’s in May Link to The Athletic on the Tigers Link to CBS Sports on the Tigers Link to worst run differentials Link to BaseRuns records Link to Fisher interview Link to Fisher’s notepad Link to FG playoff odds Link to Kram on the AL West Link to Astros HR fact 1 Link to Astros HR fact 2 Link to FG payroll ranking Link to Ben on spending and wins Link to highest WARs through 30 Link to those players post-30 Link to Driveline dev study 1 Link to Driveline dev study 2 Link to story on Benoit’s slider Link to pitching lab story 1 Link to pitching lab story 2 Link to pitching lab story 3 Link to pitching lab story 4 Link to listener emails database Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki Link to visual acuity research Link to Sam on Hamilton  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a Statcast-standout throw by Brenton Doyle, a Statcast-standout homer by Ronald Acuña Jr., and how closely Statcast data matches the eye test in various aspects of performance, the surges or resurgences of Cole Ragans, Blake Snell, and Trea Turner, a Julio Rodríguez fun fact, Royce Lewis’s grand slam streak, David Fry’s ironman position-player-pitching appearance, Kodai Senga’s strong season and Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s free agency, the second arrest (and possible second suspension) of Julio Urías (55:43), updates on Jake Diekman and Kolten Wong (1:06:06), a name for Gunnar Henderson’s non-cycle, the end of a Terrance Gore era, a study on the decreasing durability of pitchers, and more, plus (1:27:05) a Future Blast from 2055. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic Version)” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to story on Doyle’s throw Link to García throw Link to story on Acuña’s homer Link to FG post on Ragans Link to MLB Network video on Ragans Link to best pitchers since 7/15 Link to Eno on Ragans Link to best pitchers since 5/25 Link to Joe Sheehan on Snell Link to highest single-season LOB% Link to best hitters since 8/5 Link to pitch-type performance since 8/5 Link to BP on Turner’s fan reception Link to ESPN on Turner’s leave Link to story on 25-25 Julio Link to BP on Lewis’s slams Link to MLB.com on Lewis’s slams Link to Lewis fun fact 1 Link to Lewis fun fact 2 Link to Lewis fun fact 3 Link to story on Fry’s outing Link to FG post on the rookie class Link to rookie pitcher WAR leaders Link to MLBTR on Urías Link to story on Wong’s changes Link to Wong’s Triple-A homer Link to Wong’s MLB homer Link to Gore’s EW interview Link to Rays signing Hamilton Link to BJOL closing announcement Link to Bill James pitching study Link to FG post on Hendricks Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a new browser game called Homer Hindsight, where all the players placed on waivers ended up, the White Sox promoting Chris Getz and the continued comeback of the ex-player GM, Brandon Lowe’s Yankees trash talk, whether load management has diminished the grind, updates to the strike zone and pitch clock in Triple-A, and Bernie Williams’s comments about Shohei Ohtani. Then (42:42) they talk to FanGraphs lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen about the wave of top prospects that crested in August (including Noelvi Marte, Ronny Mauricio, Jordan Wicks, Masyn Winn, Jasson Domínguez, Ceddanne Rafaela, Curtis Mead, and Kyle Harrison), the Angels’ and Padres’ aggressive promotions of Nolan Schanuel and Ethan Salas, respectively, prospects who might still debut this season, and the number of prospects named Jackson, followed by (1:31:54) a Future Blast from 2054. Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Homer Hindsight Link to Dan S. on the waiver outcomes Link to Craig Goldstein on the Angels Link to Patrick Dubuque on the Angels Link to tweet about Angels payroll Link to MLBTR on Getz Link to Sox Machine on Getz Link to 2017 Getz podcast Link to Getz on Vizquel in 2019 Link to Getz on Vizquel in 2023 Link to Defector on Reinsdorf Link to Reinsdorf Ohtani quote Link to Lowe trash talk Link to Russell on the grind Link to Triple-A rules tweaks Link to Passan’s pitch-clock tweet Link to Bernie on Shohei Link to Rosenthal on Ohtani’s TJ decision Link to FG top-prospect rankings Link to story on Mead’s background Link to Waldrep’s Gators page Link to story on Salas promotion Link to Baumann on Schanuel Link to BA on Schanuel Link to Domínguez baseball cards story Link to Mauricio’s first hit Link to Domínguez’s first homer Link to Domínguez’s number quote Link to Yankees uni numbers story Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki Link to One Year Link to Sports Explains the World  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s voice and the potential for an ambidextrous superstar who blends the skill sets of Shohei Ohtani and Pat Venditte, then discuss all the implications of the Angels (and a few other teams) placing prominent players on outright waivers right before the deadline for postseason eligibility. After that (44:43), they talk to Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service frontman Ben Gibbard about his beloved Mariners’ surge into first place, his relationship with this Mariners team, his thoughts on the postseason field and the new rules, his upcoming two-way-player tour featuring full performances of Transatlanticism and Give Up, and more, plus (1:31:29) a Future Blast from 2053. Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Jon Becker’s waiver FAQ Link to Ben Clemens on the Angels Link to Zach Kram on the Angels Link to outright waivers explainer Link to The Athletic on the waiver moves Link to The Athletic on waivers again Link to MLBTR on the Angels Link to Craig Goldstein on the Angels Link to FG handedness filter Link to “Ichiro’s Theme” Link to Death Cabby for Cutie Day Link to “An Arrow in the Wall” Link to period/quarter mix-up Link to Larry Stone article Link to Transatlanticism Link to Give Up Link to Asphalt Meadows Link to Gibbard’s album ranking Link to “Mary Anne With the Shaky Hand” Link to Gibbard’s two-way tour Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about classifying throws by infielders that are actually made in the outfield, imagine a multi-sport two-way Shohei Ohtani, and belatedly acknowledge Scott Cooper’s singular cycle, discuss Kyle Schwarber’s possible sub-replacement-level 40-homer season, break down the NL MVP race featuring Ronald Acuña Jr., Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, pat Kyle Barraclough on the back for wearing one, note that regression has come for Mickey Moniak, and offer another hosana to Julio Rodríguez. Then they follow up on the previous episode’s mystery about why wild pitches and passed balls have declined, first (1:06:51) by interviewing Yankees quality control and catching coach Tanner Swanson about improvements in catching technique and the evolution of catcher defense, and then (1:37:13) by presenting additional data and theorizing, followed by (1:47:29) a Future Blast from 2052. Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Elly’s 99.8 mph throw Link to Elly’s 99.7 mph throw Link to Elly’s 97.9 mph throw Link to infield-throws leaderboard Link to infield-throwers leaderboard Link to Winn’s 100.5 mph throw Link to Winn’s 99.9 mph throw Link to arm strength leaderboard Link to Haberstroh on two-sport players Link to post on Cooper’s cycle Link to Cooper’s cycle game Link to Cooper’s cycle video Link to Schwarber tweet Link to sub-replacement sluggers Link to Eli Ben-Porat on batting average Link to Tom Tango on batting average Link to Tango on batting average again Link to Ben Clemens on batting average Link to FG WAR leaders Link to B-Ref WAR leaders Link to Mike Petriello on MVP Mookie Link to SB leaderboard Link to FG post on Freeman’s baserunning Link to story on fans and Acuña Link to video of fans and Acuña Link to Moniak slump stretch Link to Posnanski on the Stargell Award Link to MVPs w/multiple teams Link to Mearns on Barraclough Link to Stathead on Barraclough Link to EW Stat Blast about WP/PB Link to team catcher defense Link to story on Swanson and Garver Link to story about catching’s future Link to Swanson MVP Machine reference Link to story on Swanson and the Yankees Link to Ben on Flowers Link to Franke/Rogers catcher slides Link to Kai Franke on Twitter Link to Jack Rogers on Twitter Link to team CI leaderboard Link to EW on the CI surge Link to Tango on interference and framing Link to WP/PB totals Link to Cooper on one-knee catching Link to Cooper on one-knee catching 2 Link to Cooper on one-knee catching 3 Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki Link to Tango on errors/hits Link to Cooper on errors/hits  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about how late it is in the season and a fan’s exuberant reaction to the only known unassisted outfield triple play in major or minor league history, answer listener emails (15:17) about Shohei Ohtani 2.0 and whether “bulk guys” could stave off extinction for 300-game winners, Stat Blast (38:11) about standings-related fun facts, precedents for the Mariners rapidly erasing a 10-game deficit in the AL West, team droughts in back-to-back-to-belly homers, non-All-Star MVPs, bunting by count, this season’s uptick in balks, Gunnar Henderson and the passing-up-the-cycle club, and a wild pitch/passed ball mystery, plus a Future Blast from 2051 (1:49:48) and a few follow-ups (1:52:30). Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Brentz Link to Craig on the triple play Link to Pages From Baseball’s Past Link to ITYSL Link to Ringer ITYSL ranking Link to listener emails database Link to Sam on Ruth/Ohtani Link to story on Ohtani MRI Link to Ben on Yarbrough Link to “bulk guy” origin story Link to story on Verlander and 300 Link to Evan’s team streaks data Link to last-place NYY/NYM Link to thread on Yanks 10-loss streak Link to Ben on competitive balance Link to EW Episode 1354 Link to ALW division odds graph Link to 1982 Braves doc Link to team HR streaks data Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to Marlins 3-HR game Link to team 4-HR streaks Link to Ben on Padres stars Link to non-All-Star MVPs Link to bunt data Link to Belt bunt attempt Link to McGuire bunt Link to Grisham bunt attempt Link to Rojas bunt Link to team balk leaders Link to league balk totals Link to WP/PB/balks data Link to Rob Mains on ’88 balks Link to ’88 article on balks Link to 2023 article on balks Link to skipped cycles data Link to Henderson post Link to Henderson video Link to Henderson game story Link to story on Fuld Link to list of Gunnar games Link to 2001 Frye story Link to Frye tweet Link to Foxx’s cycle game Link to 1933 cycle citation Link to Ben on sticky stuff Link to WP/PB totals Link to Cooper on one-knee catching Link to Cooper on one-knee catching 2 Link to Cooper on one-knee catching 3 Link to WaPo on the 2022 ball Link to game-reenactment EW email Link to Russ Hodges call Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki Link to Strasburg salary report Link to Passan violations tweet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley lament and discuss Shohei Ohtani’s UCL injury and its ramifications for the rest of his season, his two-way future, his free agency, the Angels, and the continued happiness of baseball fans and podcast co-hosts, followed by conversations about Stephen Strasburg’s retirement (59:17), Wander Franco’s placement on administrative leave (1:11:30), and whether players are required to wear pants (1:21:06), plus a Future Blast from 2050 (1:31:37). Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ben’s Ohtani article Link to Evan Drellich on Ohtani Link to Jay Jaffe on the Angels Link to Sam on the Angels Link to FA class Link to Ohtani and Elly Link to TJS study Link to Stat Blast on max-effort pitching Link to Ben on pitcher roster limits Link to WaPo report on Strasburg Link to Drellich on Franco Link to Jeff Passan on Franco Link to Jay Cuda pants tweet Link to CBA Link to high-socks study Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s week away, Julio Rodríguez’s hot streak and the Mariners’ surge, and the White Sox firing Kenny Williams and Rick Hahn, plus a grab bag of topics that caught Ben’s attention while he was in Sweden: the Dodgers signing Kolten Wong; a Cubs adult-diaper ad; an oddly ricocheting Luke Raley home run; errors and official scoring, another incident that made Miles Mikolas mad; Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, and the Tigers’ rebuild; Bobby Witt Jr.’s sophomore breakout; Nationals extensions, CJ Abrams, and Joey Meneses; the similar seasons of J.D. Martinez and Justin Turner; the potential for good teams to miss the playoffs, and radical realignment; Jon Singleton returning to the Astros; Dallas Keuchel continuing to pitch; a nifty Brewers trade revisited (and Christian Yelich’s bounceback); the sale of Fogo de Chão; John Angelos’s latest groaners; preseason prediction philosophies, and more, plus a Future Blast (1:32:04) from 2049 and a few follow-ups (1:33:37). Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Jay on Julio Link to mlb.com on Julio Link to Stark on Julio Link to info on latest M’s win Link to “Here Come the Warm Jets” Link to MLBTR on White Sox firings Link to The Athletic on Sox firings Link to article on Sox relocation Link to tweet about Cubs ad Link to Reddit thread on Cubs ad Link to Raley HR video Link to Defector on Raley’s homer Link to Kevin Cash quote Link to ballpark homogenization info Link to Stat Blast on official scoring Link to The Athletic on official scoring Link to Russell on official scoring Link to story on Mikolas/Alonso/Winn Link to more on Alonso/Winn Link to FG post on Witt Link to FG post on Abrams Link to MLBTR on Greene moving Link to MLBTR on Nats extensions Link to FG post on Yelich Link to Keuchel article Link to other Keuchel article Link to Singleton dingers Link to Bain buying Fogo Link to article on Escobar and Fogo Link to Angelos interview Link to Rob Mains on Angelos Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Baseball Prospectus’ editor-in-chief Craig Goldstein joins the show to discuss the surging Dodgers (5:26) and what led to their recently concluded win streak, the call-ups of Masyn Winn and Nolan Schanuel (28:07), and the optimal timing of the trade deadline and the draft (44:43), and why Craig doesn’t want to move it back. Plus, Meg and Craig answer emails on keeping relievers in the dark about the score before they enter the game (58:00), how teams might have changed their approach to the offseason and the deadline if they knew that winning the World Series would guarantee that Shohei Ohtani would sign with them (1:03:04), and whether the Padres are trying to save the world by finishing under .500 (1:11:09). Plus, a Future Blast from 2048 (1:22:56). Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Craig’s podcast Five and Dive Link to Michael Baumann on the Marlins, Orioles, and Brewers Link to the FanGraphs playoff odds Link to Jeffrey Paternostro and Timothy Jackson’s Masyn Winn Call-Up piece Link to Eric Longenhagen’s Day One Draft recap Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

With Ben Lindbergh still in Sweden, FanGraphs’ Michael Baumann takes the co-host chair for a spin. He and Meg Rowley begin (2:10) by delighting in a picture of Lance Lynn and Enrique Hernández from Dodgers photo day, then take advantage of Ben’s absence to discuss (7:30) college baseball and how conference realignment might affect the sport (and the athletes who play it). They then turn their attention (32:13) to Cole Hamels, who recently retired, and Félix Hernández, who was recently inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame. Meg and Michael discuss what Hernández and Hamels meant to each of them, the similarities (and important differences) that marked their respective Hall of the Very Good careers, and what it’s like to have a pitcher ruin a pitch for you. Meg and Michael also discuss (51:00) the most impressive players and tools they’ve seen in person, including Fernando Tatis Jr., Corbin Carroll, and Aaron Judge, plus center field defense and big power. Finally, they close with a Future Blast from 2047 (1 hr 06 min). Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Dodgers photo day photos Link to Michael on Lance Lynn’s first Dodgers start Link to Michael on conference realignment Link to Teddy Cahill on conference realignment Link to Michael on Cole Hamels’ retirement Link to Meg on Félix Hernández’s final Mariners start Link to Hamels and Hernández’s career stats Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

With Ben Lindbergh in Sweden on Ringer business, FanGraphs’ Ben Clemens joins Meg Rowley for a turn in the co-host chair. Ben and Meg begin (1:40) by discussing the disturbing allegations made against Rays shortstop Wander Franco over the weekend. They then banter (5:00) about the experience of watching baseball while on vacation, before turning their attention to Ben’s Five Things series, the sneaky delights of mid-sized Midwestern cities, the Braves scoring big against Danny Mendick, chalk preseason predictions (and Ben’s beef with Other Ben’s prognostication choices), which teams’ World Series odds might be too light (or too heavy), a milestone Juan Soto walk, players being over and underrated, announcers’ refusal to discuss no-hitters, the joy of local commercials on baseball broadcasts, the Cardinals’ and Pirates’ recent runs of relative success and futility, and who might shake up the standings down the stretch. They close with a Future Blast from 2046 (55:20) and an invitation to play Magic: The Gathering, if you’re into that sort of thing. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Evan Drellich and Brittany Ghiroli on the likely next steps in MLB’s investigation into Franco Link to Ben’s Five Things I Liked (And Didn’t Like) Archive Link to 21-3 Braves/Mets Box Score Link to the FanGraphs Playoff Odds Link to the FanGraphs 2023 staff predictions Link to Chris Gilligan on shifting playoff odds Link to Ben’s piece on Michael Lorenzen’s no-hitter Link to Ben’s (latest) Lars Nootbaar piece Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Patreon supporter Samuel Giddins banter about Samuel’s baseball background and history with Effectively Wild, before (9:52) discussing a Juan Soto quote and the type of disappointing team that’s most frustrating. Then (21:35) they answer listener emails about randomizing on-field decisions, the legibility of player autographs, whether teams should employ designated huggers, whether veterans are more clutch, whether we’re misusing the phrase “heating up,” what would happen if Shohei Ohtani asked the Angels to release him, whether teams in a robo-umps world should alternate tall and short hitters in the lineup, offering Ohtani an ownership stake, why we use miles per hour for pitch speeds instead of feet per second, using a matching process in the amateur draft, whether anyone could make a trade if they found a GM’s unlocked phone, mascots as zombie runners, and playoff teams without .300 hitters, plus a Future Blast (1:41:34) from 2045 and a follow-up postscript on a White Sox (un)fun fact. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Samuel’s website Link to Soto quote Link to Soto quote source Link to Neil Paine on the unlucky Padres Link to The Athletic on autographs Link to Russell on postseason experience Link to Russell on pennant-race experience Link to tweet about Judge/Altuve zones Link to tweet about Judge’s zone Link to article about Judge/Altuve zones Link to old FG post on Judge’s zone Link to older FG post on Judge’s zone Link to old FG post on Altuve’s zone Link to older FG post on Altuve’s zone Link to EW Stanky Draft Link to KG on player owners Link to Goold on player owners Link to details about Beckham’s contract Link to list of MLB mascots Link to data on teams without .300 hitters Link to graph of teams without .300 hitters Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to EW listener emails database Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki Link to Ben Clemens on Littell Link to tweet about the Sox Link to Sox high-K games Link to worst WP w/13+ K Link to worst WP w/12+ K  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether the plight of running backs in the NFL is analogous to any data-driven developments in MLB, the benefits and drawbacks of more or fewer off days during postseason series (and the problem with pluralizing “series”), the White Sox going 0-11 in games when they’ve struck out 14 or more opposing batters, Cody Bellinger and the surging Cubs, the flailing Diamondbacks and how the sequencing of slumps and hot streaks affects the perception of seasons, and more. Then (1:16:05) they meet major leaguers Slade Cecconi and Davis Schneider, followed by (1:36:45) a Future Blast from 2044. Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Neil Paine on running backs Link to HUaL on running backs Link to Ben on the SP protagonist Link to Rob on pitching and payrolls Link to story on reliever awards Link to Ben C. on the postseason schedule Link to story on reliever familiarity Link to story on SP familiarity Link to tweet about the Sox Link to losing 14+ K Sox games Link to worst record in 14+ K games Link to 2023 teams w/most such games Link to MaML wiki Link to MLBTR on Cecconi Link to Cecconi call-up story Link to video of first K Link to Davy Andrews FG post Link to Cecconi prospect ranking Link to postgame quotes Link to tweet about Schneider Link to other tweet about Schneider Link to article on Schneider’s glove Link to other story on Schneider Link to BaseRuns standings Link to Paine on the unlucky Padres Link to FG playoff odds Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki Link to Ben C. on Lorenzen Link to Lorenzen’s last inning Link to tweet about Lorenzen post-ASB Link to Fullerton fun fact Link to fun fact reply Link to Verducci on the Rays  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Tim Anderson–José Ramírez fight and White Sox clubhouse culture, John Angelos benching Orioles broadcaster Kevin Brown, the Angels’ post-deadline slump (and the Mariners’ rise), the return of Gary Sánchez‘s power bat, updates on the MLB injury rate, the pitch clock, and the zombie runner, Charlie Culberson’s re-reunion with Atlanta, the Rays’ latest unlikely starting pitcher, the Yankees’ ambidextrous catching prospect (and the dream of a left-handed catcher), and more, plus (1:21:55) a Future Blast from 2043. Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to video of punches Link to ESPN White Sox story Link to Ramírez comments Link to Hamilton call Link to story on Hamilton call Link to Kopech quote Link to Grandal/Anderson report Link to Hahn comments Link to video of prior 2B tag play Link to The Athletic column on Anderson Link to The Athletic column on the Sox Link to Anderson on personal struggles Link to AA’s Brown report Link to Brown broadcast clip Link to Ghiroli on Brown Link to Rosenthal on Brown Link to other announcers on Angelos Link to Angelos’s spring comments Link to Adley with puppies Link to catcher HR leaders Link to team catcher WAR Link to May episode on Sánchez Link to Rob Mains on July Link to MLBTR on Jung’s injury Link to MLBTR on Culberson Link to Littell cruise ship story Link to Stat Blast on Springs Link to ambidextrous fielder story Link to story on LH catchers Link to LH catcher EW episode Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki Link to McClanahan update Link to Cronin chess story Link to The Matrix Revolutions scene  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Robin Ventura truthers defending Ventura on the 30th anniversary of his brawl with Nolan Ryan, Shohei Ohtani‘s 2023 WAR matching his full-season 2021 WAR and whether this Ohtani season would’ve won him an MVP award in 2022, the Yankees’ handling of Anthony Rizzo’s belatedly diagnosed post-concussion syndrome, whether this year’s shift restrictions are leading to more pitchers being hit by baseballs, and what winning or losing the trade deadline is actually worth, then (52:44) Stat Blast about players with the highest and lowest percentages of pulled homers (and the longest streaks of pulled homers), players who bat righty and throw lefty, the most matching pitch counts and speeds in one game, a record date for MLB birthdays, and the players traded the most times at the trade deadline, followed by (1:11:54) a conversation with former major leaguer J.A. Happ (and FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen) about what it’s like to be dealt at the deadline, Happ’s extensive trade history, the retirement of Cole Hamels, and more, plus (1:51:26) a Future Blast from 2042. Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ventura/Ryan video Link to Ventura/Ryan story Link to Drellich’s Ventura tweet Link to Langs on Ohtani’s game Link to FG WAR leaderboard Link to B-Ref WAR leaderboard Link to Fletcher’s EW interview Link to Ben on Ohtani and Judge Link to The Athletic on Rizzo Link to Rosenthal on Rizzo Link to Lindsey on Germán Link to Jay on Rizzo and Germán Link to Rizzo fatigue quote Link to other Rizzo quote Link to MLB.com story on Rizzo Link to SIS comebackers tweet Link to Pudge cheek story 1 Link to Pudge cheek story 2 Link to Down on the Farm post Link to Dan S. on the 2023 deadline Link to Dan S. on the 2022 deadline Link to Dan S. on the 2021 deadline Link to career pulled HR rates Link to pulled HR streaks Link to Russell Carleton’s Twitter Link to weird-ass starter record Link to weird-ass starter record (no P) Link to weird-ass player record Link to weird-ass player record (no P) Link to all AL/NL weird-ass hitters Link to pitch speed/count sheet Link to Lucas Apostoleris’s Twitter Link to MLB birthdays bar chart Link to MLB birthdays heat map Link to MLB relative age effect Link to relative age effect wiki Link to listener emails database Link to trades on deadline day Link to trades within 3 days Link to trades within 1 week Link to trades within 2 weeks Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to Happ’s wiki Link to “J Day” story Link to Happ’s transactions Link to Hamels retirement info Link to IronPigs wiki Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

After the trade-deadline dust settles, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley break down the big deals from deadline eve and deadline day, starting with high-level trade-season takeaways (reunions, top prospects, hitters vs. pitchers, missing star power) and then zooming in on almost every team as they discuss the Justin Verlander trade, the AL West arms race, and Framber Valdez’s no-hitter, the Mets’ sell-off, the Padres’ non-sell-off (and the itinerant Rich Hill), the Mariners’ middle course, the Orioles’ prospect-hugging, a number of contending teams’ lack of activity, and more, plus pedantry, follow-ups, and a Future Blast (1:21:57) from 2041. Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG trade-post roundup Link to FG post on unmade trades Link to Langs on division leads Link to Jay on the Valdez no-no Link to BP on Valdez Link to tweet about Hill in 2024 Link to February Angelos comments Link to Elias quote 1 Link to Elias quote 2 Link to Elias quote 3 Link to Boone deadline quote Link to Bloom comment Link to Rodriguez veto explanation Link to Kram on deadline W+L Link to Clemens on deadline W+L Link to FG farm rankings Link to Elks record story Link to Milwaukee punching bag Link to Mikolas EW episode Link to Josh Beck EW episode Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Charlie Culberson’s surprising staying power as a barely-playing big leaguer, then break down the first batch of trades preceding the trade deadline, including deals involving Max Scherzer, Jordan Montgomery, Chris Stratton, Jordan Hicks, Nicky Lopez, Randal Grichuk, and C.J. Cron. They also discuss the lack of impact hitters on the market, Matt Chapman dissing the Angels’ offense, how intentional walks affect Shohei Ohtani’s WAR, and how a misaligned strike-zone graphic may have angered Phil Nevin. Then (1:08:34) Ben brings on White Sox pitcher Declan Cronin, the first major leaguer from Ben’s alma mater, Regis High School, for an in-person Meet a Major Leaguer segment with a player promoted thanks to deadline deals. They talk about Declan’s underdog career path as a Regis Raider, Holy Cross Crusader, and 36th-round draftee, his call-up and debut, his data-driven development, his second job at Tread Athletics, and more, followed (1:52:33) by a Future Blast from 2040. Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Petriello on Culberson Link to MLBTR on Culberson Link to Culberson/Swanson story Link to Rany on the Lopez trade Link to MLBTR on Lopez/Hearn Link to FG post on Scherzer deal Link to FG post on Cardinals trades Link to FG post on Cardinals prospects Link to FG post on Angels trade Link to Eppler comments Link to Rosenthal on the Mets trades Link to defense behind pitcher Link to Eovaldi IL news Link to Ronald Acuña comments Link to story on lack of hitters Link to Sam on Grichuk/Trout Link to Chapman video Link to Chapman game story Link to tweet about Chapman/Nevin Link to story on Nevin suspension Link to story on Nevin ejections Link to Apple strike zone graphic Link to EW Episode 2030 Link to Rob Arthur on umps Link to Meet a Major Leaguer wiki Link to Regis alma mater video Link to Regis notable alumni Link to Declan’s first out Link to Passan tweet about Declan Link to Declan velo video Link to Declan sinker video Link to EW on seam-shifted wake Link to Declan stuff video Link to Ramírez HR video Link to Ramírez HR data Link to Holy Cross call-up story Link to Holy Cross roster page Link to Declan’s LinkedIn page Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Future Blast wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a silly kerfuffle involving Miles Mikolas, Willson Contreras, and Ian Happ, Triston Casas’s hot streak and previous unwritten-rules run-in, Bullet Rogan vs. Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge’s return and the Yankees’ underlying issues, the Mets trading David Robertson to the Marlins and the White Sox sending Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly to the Dodgers and Kendall Graveman to the Astros, White Sox historical franchise futility, which of this season’s most disappointing teams is most likely to bounce back in 2024, and Royals owner John Sherman’s claims about the economic impact of the team’s future ballpark, plus emails (1:19:45) about a homerless MVP and MLB ownership vs. NFL ownership, and a Future Blast (1:27:26) from 2039. Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to story about Cardinals kerfuffle Link to Cardinals broadcast commentary Link to broadcaster ratings Link to bottom-five broadcasters Link to post on lizard incident Link to Mikolas vs. Galvis Link to Mikolas vs. Soto Link to Ben on the Soto shuffle Link to Casas/clubhouse article Link to Cora on Casas Link to best hitters since 6/7 Link to best hitters since 5/23 Link to FG combined WAR leaderboard Link to FiveThirtyEight on Rogan Link to Rogan wiki Link to previous EW on Rogan Link to B-Ref Negro Leagues stats Link to FG Negro Leagues stats Link to Kram on Judge Link to Paine on Judge Link to FG on Kelly/Lynn Link to FG on the Graveman trade Link to 2021 Graveman trade article Link to White Sox playoff appearances Link to FG on the Robertson trade Link to FG post on the Cubs Link to John Sherman’s letter Link to BP on the Sherman letter Link to FB thread on MLB vs. NFL owners Link to EW emails database Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Twanisha Terry wiki Link to MLBTR on Cronin  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about watching Shohei Ohtani play while they podcast, the Angels’ decision not to trade Ohtani and subsequent trade for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López, whether the Cubs should buy or sell, the Guardians’ and Dodgers’ perplexing Amed Rosario-for-Noah Syndergaard swap, the Brewers acquiring Carlos Santana, and Rob Manfred’s extension. Then (45:05) they answer emails about dugout punching bags and whether the ABS system could help umps (and players) learn the strike zone, react (59:44) to the rest of Ohtani’s doubleheader exploits, Stat Blast (1:06:55) about the Orioles’ sweepless streak, the most hits recorded by the fewest batters when that number of hits is the team’s total, first career hits that are also first career hits allowed, player homerless streaks, the high-scoring fifth game after the All-Star break, and players being traded together twice, plus a Future Blast (1:27:39) from 2038 and a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Verducci’s Ohtani report Link to Minasian quote Link to Ben C. on the Giolito trade Link to FG staff Ohtani post Link to FG playoff odds Link to BP IL Ledger Link to Britton on buy/sell decisions Link to Shohei doubleheader story Link to Shohei doubleheader fun facts Link to Wise no-no Link to Wise second homer Link to FG on Dodgers-Guardians trade Link to FG on Hernández trade Link to team SS WAR leaders Link to Dodgers SS WAR leaders Link to Sheehan on the Cubs Link to Brewers 1B leaders Link to Manfred extension article Link to Athletic article on ABS Link to sweepless streaks tweet Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to most hits by fewest players Link to first-career-hits data Link to homerless streaks data Link to trade pairs list Link to 5th post-ASB game image Link to 5th post-ASB game image 2 Link to Craig Wright on 1894 Link to Ben on moving the mound Link to EW emails database Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to EW Ohtani trading game Link to Ohtani trading game responses  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a J.P. France postgame quote and ballplayer clichés, the death of first overall pick Mike Ivie, and how Masataka Yoshida’s debut season stacks up to the MLB rookie years of other ex-NPB stars, answer emails (36:57) about Mike Trout’s and Shohei Ohtani’s futures, a Trout/Hunter Renfroe trade deadline scheme (with a bonus Meg movie pitch), undoing pre-pitch-clock time-saving measures, and batters catching pitches to knock pitchers out of games, plus Stat Blasts (1:19:13) about robot umps in Triple-A, the most top 100 prospects to debut for one team in a season (or a two-season span), and Immaculate Grid efficiency, followed by a Future Blast (1:47:08) from 2037. Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to France quote Link to Ivie obit Link to other Ivie obit Link to Louise Levy obit Link to NYT on Levy Link to Ivie wiki Link to 1980 Ivie article Link to Athletic mental health article Link to more on mental health Link to Laurila on Yoshida Link to ex-NPB rookie batting leaders Link to Renfroe/Renfrow article Link to Seinfeld clip Link to Realmuto catch Link to EW emails database Link to ABS splits Link to ABS AP article Link to ABS Athletic article Link to Manfred on ABS Link to pitcher thread on ABS Link to one-season prospect debuts Link to two-season prospect debuts Link to Immaculate Grid Link to Chris’s Immaculate Grid sheet Link to travelling salesman problem Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Sasaki story Link to Maggi EW episode Link to MLBTR on Maggi Link to SAG-AFTRA podcast info Link to TV ratings info  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

In a 21-guest salute to Shohei Ohtani trade hypotheticals, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley are joined by a multitude of friends for a role-playing exercise in convincing the Angels to trade Ohtani to the other 20 contending (or quasi-contending) teams. Ben and Meg begin by explaining how it will work, and then the game begins (14:22). After the resolution (1:09:04), Ben and Meg discuss the outcome, followed by a Future Blast from 2036 (1:23:41). Listeners: Please vote on the trade proposals! Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to vote on trade proposals! Link to first Morosi tweet Link to second Morosi tweet Link to Ben C.’s trade value ranking Link to old BP Price piece Link to Hannah on Perry/Brown/AA Link to trading game roster Link to Rick Wilber’s website Remember: Vote on trade proposals!  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s strategies for coping with record heat in Phoenix, revisit an earlier conversation about whether the pitch clock has boosted MLB attendance (and reminisce about when the cause of increased game times was still considered unclear), celebrate their recent wish about camera angles on broadcasts coming true, discuss the resurgences of Jason Heyward and Cody Bellinger, marvel at Mickey Moniak’s continued resistance to regression and the Orioles overtaking the Rays in the AL East, use Jarred Kelenic’s fractured foot to advocate for padded dugout surfaces, and try to determine whether Albert Pujols or Miguel Cabrera had the more surprising steep decline. Then (1:11:46) they answer listener emails about burnishing Shohei Ohtani’s legacy (and his likely career path), letting All-Star starters return to the game after being removed, Elly De La Cruz if he had to attempt steals, and the distance to bullpens, plus a Future Blast (1:42:20) from 2035 and a postscript on old-timer home run derbies. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to info on Phoenix heat Link to Russell on attendance Link to earlier attendance convo Link to Grant on game times Link to attendance stats Link to Ben on predictable times Link to info on ticket-buyer age Link to Rangers relay broadcast Link to earlier episode on broadcasts Link to Dodgers preview episode Link to article on Heyward’s swing Link to FG post about Bellinger Link to Jay Jaffe on Moniak Link to earlier Moniak convo Link to info on Moniak’s name Link to Moniak’s rolling zone rate Link to ESPN RPI Link to FG playoff odds Link to Kelenic fracture article Link to Cabrera’s hit Link to FG post on Anderson Link to Sam on Ruth and Ohtani Link to Elly’s throw Link to Elly throwing stats Link to Elly’s earlier record throw Link to Vroom Vroom Guy wiki Link to info on Angels hammer Link to Harper homer article Link to Emma on bullpens/brawls Link to EW emails database Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Draper/Roberts hockey fight Link to Twins charity derby info Link to ex-Twins pickup hockey article Link to 2003 derby article  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Christian Encarnacion-Strand and whether record compound names deserve an asterisk, the appeal of a Legends Home Run Derby, the origins of (and long-ago backlash to) the trade deadline, the greatness of NPB phenom Roki Sasaki, and the new balance of power among pitch types, then (1:03:41) answer listener emails about Shohei Ohtani trade returns, Ohtani’s 2024 salary if he signed a one-year contract, the Rays’ spending, and a change to All-Star Game player usage, plus a Future Blast (1:38:30) from 2034. Audio intro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to longest-name records Link to more on long names Link to Lukas on Woods Richardson Link to Lukas on Encarnacion-Strand Link to Encarnacion-Strand call-up info Link to original uni photo Link to Stark on the HRD Link to Weaver on the HRD Link to story on Appling’s homer Link to Home Run Derby X wiki Link to SPBA wiki Link to Craig Wright on the deadline Link to Wright’s story series Link to Ohtani bat flip Link to Ohtani in trade value series Link to Delta’s NPB stats Link to Ben on DeltaGraphs Link to info on Sasaki’s posting Link to MLB SP velo leaders Link to The Athletic on sliders Link to Tango on sliders Link to Justin Choi on sliders Link to seasonal pitch type % Link to vetoed Paul trade Link to FG post on $/WAR Link to Roster Resource payroll page Link to Sam’s Rays tweet Link to team wins since 2008 Link to team wins since 2019 Link to EW emails database Link to Turn Ahead the Clock wiki Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Ward mix-ups wiki Link to Mozeliak tweet Link to article about STL and the shift  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the 2024 regular-season schedule, the baseball relevance of a study about humans’ hunger for useless information, and the storylines they’re most looking forward to following over the remainder of the season, then (35:58) answer emails about a total solar eclipse during a Guardians game, sliding into a base covered in dirt, why baseball broadcasts don’t do a better job of showing baserunners, same-named players playing the same position in the same game, defining a “comeback win,” the meaning of “retiring x in a row,” why pitchers are still listed as switch-hitters, a way to save time with pinch-hitter announcements, making it legal for multiple runners to occupy the same base, and going winless in extra-inning games, plus a Stat Blast (1:21:36) about managerial ejections, a Future Blast (1:51:20) from 2033, and a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Pedantic Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Horny Effectively Wild Theme” Link to 2024 schedule Link to study about pain and info Link to The Ringer’s MLB storylines Link to Rosenthal on buyers/sellers Link to MLBTR on Ohtani Link to Minasian on Ohtani Link to Hal Steinbrenner comments Link to milk cartons wiki Link to MLBTR on Mozeliak Link to EW Episode 1354 Link to list of rival-team streaks Link to Trent on “Billy runs” Link to Trent on HUaL Link to Rob Mains on the ALC Link to Ben on the eclipse game Link to EW volcano event Link to EW eclipse episode Link to Pickles sprinkler video Link to Pickles lights-out video Link to electron repulsion article Link to Mets “ghost runner” clip Link to The Bear transcript Link to Jones vs. Jones game Link to double-Gonzalez game Link to first “comeback win” episode Link to Robertson batting in 2022 Link to Stathead on winless extras teams Link to winless extras starts Link to EW emails database Link to Hyde ejection story Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to ejections data Link to 1998 Leyland article Link to 2006 Guillen article Link to other Guillen article Link to third Guillen article Link to 2008 La Russa article Link to 1973 Mathews article Link to 1974 Berra article Link to article on longest games Link to 1982 Lasorda article Link to other Lasorda article Link to ejection reasons 1 Link to ejection reasons 2 Link to Garver ejection article Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Dahlen/Klem article Link to Jay on Dahlen Link to Dahlen SABR bio Link to MLBTR on Bieber Link to Judge-sighting story  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s spectator experience at the All-Star Game, whether it’s good or bad that the MVP was a player as obscure as Elias Díaz, the increase in the number of All-Stars per season, other All-Star highlights and lowlights, complaints about All-Star uniforms, perennial requests for a skills competition, Rob Manfred’s and Tony Clark’s comments about more lenient pitch clocks in the postseason and the ball-strike challenge system, more details about the Alabama baseball betting scandal, and more, plus a Future Blast from 2032. Then (59:10) they talk to Byron Motley, producer of the new Negro Leagues documentary The League, about the long road to making the movie, the recent increase in appreciation of the Negro Leagues, his father’s life and career as a Negro Leagues umpire, the challenge of finding archival footage of Negro Leagues games, meeting and interviewing former Negro Leagues stars, the Negro Leagues as a microcosm of 20th-century American history, the influence of Rube Foster, the film’s portrayal of Branch Rickey’s role in integration, and the legacy of the Negro Leagues. Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild theme” Link to Ringer ASG recap Link to Díaz dinger Link to Jordan on Díaz Link to number of All-Stars per game Link to Gurriel foul Link to Clark comments Link to Manfred comments Link to info on declining violations Link to Manfred re-election article Link to article on international games Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to gambling scandal article Link to The League website Link to Byron’s website Link to the Motleys’ book Link to NPR on Bob Motley Link to NPR on The League Link to The Athletic on The League Link to EW episode on Effa Link to Craig Wright on SB differences Link to Wright on Paige’s drawing power Link to Bananas catch Link to EW Episode 1426 Link to Berkman’s career splits Link to Stathead on switch-hitter splits Link to Berkman’s switch-hitting origins Link to 2003 article about Berkman Link to Albies on switch-hitting  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s experiences at the Futures Game, the draft, and the Home Run Derby, Derby highlights, the Derby on TV vs. in person, Elly De La Cruz’s mad dash, and the Yankees switching hitting coaches, plus a Future Blast (49:12) from 2031. Then (54:25) Ben talks to FanGraphs lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen about the draft and other topics, including the strength of the draft pool, the Pirates picking a pitcher (Paul Skenes) first, the effect of the top two picks being LSU players, the mostly predictable top of the draft, the draft’s two-way prospects and the potential for more two-way players, the wisdom of drafting for need, the teams that had the most commendable and perplexing drafts, the Marlins demoting Eury Pérez, the Rockies’ sparsely populated draft room, how visual machine learning and artificial intelligence are affecting scouting, and more. Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild theme” Audio interstitial: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild theme” Link to article on Rutschman Link to 1960 Derby article Link to 1990 Derby retrospective Link to Derby homer totals Link to tweet about Derby spectating Link to more on Derby spectating Link to Elly’s steals Link to tweets about Elly/Carew/Faber Link to Elly’s Baseball Savant page Link to MLBTR on the Casey hiring Link to Jon Heyman on Casey Link to Lawson quote Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to MLB draft tracker Link to Eric’s last mock Link to Eric’s Day 1 recap Link to CBS on draft winners/losers Link to USA Today draft takeaways Link to Baumann on Waldrep Link to Ben on pitching prospects Link to Schifman on pitcher workloads Link to MLBTR on Pérez Link to Joe Sheehan on Pérez Link to Ben on draft rooms Link to Kyle’s Rockies tweet Link to KG on draft rooms Link to Tommy John spreadsheet Link to WSJ on scouting and AI Link to The Athletic on tech spending Link to BA on college offense Link to Stanton’s long homer Link to Stanton’s short homer  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s All-Star Week plans, play “Would you rather?” with the White Sox and Cardinals, the Padres and Mets, Carlos Rodón and Alek Manoah, and the Rangers and Diamondbacks, compare the values of Pablo López and Luis Arraez (26:25), discuss starting pitchers who might be available at the trade deadline (29:33), run down the dilemmas facing a few teams on the border between buying and selling, and use projections (44:06) to identify the positions on contending teams that are most in need of an upgrade. Then (1:05:15) they Stat Blast about the most baserunners allowed while facing the minimum, low-scoring division leaders, the Nationals’ odd home/away split, Chris Vallimont and players traded right after debuting, the all-time leaders in up-and-down seasons, pitchers’ error-prone throwing, whether an official-scoring conspiracy is boosting batting averages, and Shohei Ohtani with and without Mike Trout batting behind him, plus (1:50:21) a Future Blast from 2030 and a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild theme” Link to FG playoff odds Link to combined WAR leaderboard Link to team SP WAR leaders Link to team wRC+ leaderboard Link to BaseRuns standings Link to article on Carroll’s shoulder Link to Rosenthal on available SP Link to Rosenthal on Stroman Link to positional projections Link to contenders’ top needs Link to “facing the minimum” games Link to Nats split 1 Link to Nats split 2 Link to MLBTR on Vallimont Link to previous traded players Link to up-and-down leaders Link to Kenny Jackelen on Twitter Link to Ben on the fake to 3rd Link to Hicks walk-off Link to Woodpeckers game story Link to FB thread on game endings Link to 2005 K-Rod ending Link to 1995 Dodgers ending Link to Castillo pop-up play Link to error-rates-by-position sheet Link to pitcher-error data Link to Laurila on errors Link to yearly fielding per-game rates Link to yearly hitting per-game rates Link to error/BIP stats/graphs Link to Chow test wiki Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to Ben on Ohtani after 2021 Link to research on lineup protection Link to Ohtani with/without Trout Link to plate discipline with/without Link to hitters behind Ohtani Link to Lucas Apostoleris on Twitter Link to Sean Dolinar on Twitter Link to listener emails database Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to 1978 Parker article Link to later 1978 Parker article Link to Parker’s SABR bio Link to 2009 Parker article Link to 2022 Parker post Link to MLBTR on Pérez  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether Mike Trout‘s injury makes the Angels more likely to trade birthday boy Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers’ rotation depth without Dustin May and Clayton Kershaw, bad news for Thairo Estrada and oldsters Nelson Cruz and Adam Wainwright (and the Cruz/Joe Ryan trade revisited), James Paxton‘s comeback, Mariners All-Star additions, Jordan Walker’s strange season, the arrival of the latest Orioles prospect, Colton Cowser, and more. Then (47:53) they answer listener emails about Triston Casas and assessing player development, a Jack in the Box baseball offer, a silly ending to a minor league game, baseball references (or the lack thereof) in Fall Out Boy’s version of “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” a ball that would be conducive to singles, a genie that grants baseball wishes, a simultaneous doubleheader, Ohtani fun facts, and softball-style helmets, plus a Future Blast (1:45:15) from 2029 and postscript follow-ups. Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild theme” Link to Dan S. on the Angels Link to hamate study 1 Link to hamate study 2 Link to hamate study 3 Link to Rosenthal on an Ohtani trade Link to FG playoff odds Link to Angels depth chart Link to Dan’s Adell MLE Link to Clay Davenport’s Adell MLE Link to Hill EW episode Link to Ben C. on the Dodgers Link to Dodgers depth chart Link to BP IL Ledger Link to Fabian on Kershaw Link to Fabian on May Link to MLBTR on Estrada Link to MLBTR on Cruz Link to FG on Cruz/Ryan trade Link to FG Ryan interview Link to Ryan deception article Link to other Ryan deception article Link to info on Cruz’s eyes Link to LASIK/baseball study Link to MLBTR on Wainwright Link to K-BB% leaderboard Link to Mariners WAR leaderboard Link to Jay Jaffe on Walker Link to MLBTR on Cowser Link to Down on the Farm Substack Link to Jack in the Box offer Link to Woodpeckers game story Link to THT on worst endings Link to THT on worst playoff endings Link to high school game ending Link to Fall Out Boy song Link to Fall Out Boy lyrics Link to Billy Joel lyrics Link to thread on Joel’s fandom Link to L.A. Times on Fall Out Boy Link to Pesca on Fall Out Boy Link to Bad Bunny song Link to The Bear episode transcript Link to Power Rankings leaderboard Link to FG’s The Board Link to The Bear episode transcript Link to mitt in Catcher in the Rye Link to Red Sox prospect list Link to Schumaker/Arraez clip Link to Ben on Ohtani Link to softball mask EW episode Link to listener emails database Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Derby field Link to Odor profile Link to Ross complaint Link to Schifman on shadows Link to Schifman on EW Link to La Russa complaint Link to 2003 Metrodome story Link to 2004 Metrodome story  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about All-Star-roster minimums and maximums, what the Aroldis Chapman trade tells us about the how teams value prospects, Jake Diekman’s exploits with the Rays, Evan Longoria’s late-career contributions, and the same-named siblings of Carlos Pérez, Carlos Pérez, Wilmer Flores, Wilmer Flores, Wander Franco, Wander Franco, and Wander Franco. Then (45:59) they talk to Steve Wynn and Linda Pitmon of The Baseball Project about the band’s origins and longevity, its new album, the inspiration for its songs, its songwriting and recording process, its historical accuracy, ensuring that multiple eras are represented, being musical super-utility players, the band’s audience and place in its members’ musical careers, the musicians they’d want to recruit, and more, plus a Future Blast (1:35:36) from 2028. Audio intro: The Baseball Project, “New Oh in Town” Audio interstitial: The Baseball Project, “The All or Nothings” Audio outro: The Baseball Project, “Screwball” Link to All-Star rosters Link to All-Star-selection fun facts Link to Jay Jaffe on the Chapman trade Link to Sheehan on the Chapman trade Link to Meg on Chapman in 2015 Link to FG’s 2016 Chapman breakdown Link to Diekman projection episode Link to Ben on Longoria in 2015 Link to 2021-23 3B offense leaderboard Link to Octavio Hernández Pernía Link to FG name-linker pop-up Link to story on Flores brothers Link to Franco family photo Link to Franco profile Link to other Franco profile Link to story on Pérez brothers Link to Foreman quote Link to stream Grand Salami Time! Link to buy Grand Salami Time! Link to The Baseball Project website Link to upcoming tour dates Link to Steve Wynn’s website Link to Spin musician baseball preview Link to The Dream Syndicate reissue Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Ellis LSD no-no video Link to Emma B. on Ohtani’s June Link to Dan S. on Ohtani projections  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley attempt to create a hierarchy of highlights, then (21:36) mark the midpoint of the regular season by reviewing the most salient storylines of the first half, the teams and players who’ve most underperformed or overperformed their preseason projections, and what they’re most looking forward to in the second half, plus a follow-up (1:12:25) on the evolution of official scoring and a Future Blast (1:23:00) from 2026. Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ramírez steal Link to Vierling slide Link to Naylor throw Link to Ben Clemens on those plays Link to Sam on HR highlights Link to preseason player projections Link to projected-wins changes Link to Chris Gilligan on the second half Link to Paine on payroll and wins Link to FG playoff odds Link to FG combined WAR leaderboard Link to under/overperformers sheet Link to Ben on Ohtani Link to Robert Orr on Acuña Link to story on Carroll’s shoulder Link to All-Star starters Link to Kimbrel violations Link to violations leaderboard Link to MLB.com on first-half highlights Link to Leitch on first-half surprises Link to 2012 scoring appeals process Link to scoring changes website Link to listener emails database Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to MLBTR on the Chapman trade Link to info on new uniforms  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Andrew McCutchen’s latest “furries” tweet, the Pirates playing through a high AQI and the need for a safety standard, Domingo Germán’s perfect game and the state of the Yankees, Yandy Díaz turning back into Ground Beef, Shohei Ohtani lapping his league and strangely struggling at the plate with two strikes, and the Orioles’ Pride Night, then (1:02:25) answer listener emails about pointing giant fans at the field, an official scoring decision on a Luis Arraez single, whether the Reds should have called up Elly De La Cruz sooner, whether contending teams should aim for playoff matchups with the Central division winners, and whether playing MLB The Show could affect a player’s IRL performance, plus (1:34:46) a Future Blast from 2026. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to latest “furries” tweet Link to McCutchen “furries” explainer Link to info on fursuit protectiveness Link to AQI concerns Link to Pirates’ game-delay tweet Link to Sheehan on Germán Link to Paine on the perfecto Link to “Her?” montage Link to Yankees offense post-Judge Link to FG playoff odds Link to xBAs from the perfecto Link to longest sub-100-pitch-GS streaks Link to list of perfectos Link to perfecto pitch counts Link to Félix-meme tweet Link to Germán apology article Link to other Germán apology article Link to MLBTR on O’Hearn Link to story about O’s Pride Night Link to O’s Pride Night tweet Link to O’s Pride Night montage Link to The Athletic on the Rangers Link to Yandy’s monthy splits Link to Ben’s Ohtani article Link to MLBTR’s Ohtani job listing Link to combined WAR leaderboard Link to wOBA with Link to wOBA with 2 strikes Link to story about Cameron and Félix Link to info on Félix and fastballs Link to more on Félix and fastballs Link to even more on Félix and fastballs Link to Passan on Pedro and Elly Link to story about Metrodome fans Link to Arraez play Link to info on DiMaggio streak scoring Link to MLB.com on Elly’s call-up Link to MLBTR on Elly’s call-up Link to Harris II’s Real 99 card Link to listener emails database Link to Rick Wilber’s website  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the three Taylor Wards, the truth and multiple untruths about Elly De La Cruz’s twin brother, the dominance of 20-year-old Eury Pérez and the Marlins’ usage dilemma, Luis Arraez’s plate predictions, MVP odds, and underestimation as a prospect, the Mets’ struggles and Buck Showalter’s morbid mind, the Orioles’ prospect cornucopia, the debut of part-time knuckleballer Matt Waldron, the Angels’ odd series loss and infield trades, how Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani are like Woody and Buzz from Toy Story, why the anti-shift rules are increasing strikeouts, whether it’s bad for baseball that Rob Manfred acknowledged regret about his handling of the sign-stealing scandal, and the latest sign of the sports-betting apocalypse, plus a Future Blast from 2025. Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ward scoreboard image Link to Ward/Wade wiki Link to tweet about Elly’s brother Link to photo of Elly’s brother Link to misinfo about Elly’s brother Link to Elly’s “fastest man” quote Link to Sam on Hamilton’s speed Link to Ben Clemens on Pérez Link to best 9-start starts Link to clip of Schumaker Link to player predictions wiki Link to 2019 Twins top prospects Link to Ben on HUaL Link to Showalter quote Link to rigor mortis quote Link to Cohen tweet Link to playoff odds Link to tweet about Orioles prospects Link to Jay on Waldron Link to Waldron GIF Link to Jannis on EW Link to Ben on the knuckleball Link to Langs tweet Link to Dan S. on Angels trades Link to Escobar citizenship Link to episode on Escobar and Fogo Link to Rob on the shift ban Link to Lewie on the shift ban Link to Manfred’s Time interview Link to the WSJ on Shams Link to Awful Announcing on Shams Link to WaPo on gambling/sports media Link to stretching article Link to other stretching article Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Sam on single-game WAR  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley are joined by FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen and Michael Baumann to banter about the Phillies’ outlier legal name, Dave Martinez and the dying art of the theatrical managerial ejection, the benching of Wander Franco, whether the Diamondbacks’, Reds’, and Orioles’ surprising seasons are attributable to MLB’s new rules, and whether bad bullpens are good for baseball, then (59:48) discuss a classic College World Series pitcher’s duel, the College World Series final, whether the Shohei Ohtani comps for Florida’s Jac Caglianone are warranted, college pitch-count controversies, Eric and Michael’s takeaways from the MLB Draft Combine, whether there are indications of a baseball bounceback among young Black athletes, whether the scouts suing MLB over age discrimination are likely to succeed (1:40:57), and more, plus (1:54:05) a Future Blast from 2024. Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Cuda tweet Link to latest Martinez ejection Link to Martinez photo printout Link to Martinez World Series ejection Link to Wellman ejection Link to NYT on ejections Link to article on Nevin ejections Link to article on Boone ejection Link to article on Franco benching Link to Freeman/Acuña comments Link to story on Franco’s safe Link to Stark on surprise teams Link to FG BsR data Link to BP BRR data Link to BP BRR allowed data Link to Patrick on bad bullpens Link to Sam on the Royals’ pen Link to BP on the Mariners’ pen Link to Paine on payroll and standings Link to Paine’s MANFRED scores Link to pre-Skenes/Lowder story Link to post-Skenes/Lowder story Link to Betteridge’s law Link to more on Skenes/Lowder Link to Passan on Caglianone Link to WSJ pitch-counts article Link to Eric’s latest draft rankings Link to ESPN on Black amateur players Link to Eric’s Draft Combine footage Link to scout lawsuit article Link to other scout lawsuit article Link to Regan lawsuit article Link to squatting article Link to stretching article Link to other stretching article Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to article on Elly’s cycle Link to MLBTR on Waldron Link to article on qualified catchers  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh addresses an interview upgrade on the preceding episode, chats with FanGraphs’ Dan Szymborski about Luis Arraez’s chances of batting .400, Stat Blasts (22:36) about extremes in team winning and losing streaks, welcomes in David Lewis (28:00) for the final Past Blast, and talks to prolific science fiction (and baseball science fiction) author Rick Wilber (44:48) about being the son of big leaguer Del Wilber, his career and love for baseball and sci-fi, and the podcast’s forthcoming Future Blast series, plus a postscript (1:26:00) about Tyler Wells and Taylor Walls, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, Rob Manfred and public ballpark funding, contentious plays at the plate, and a new walk-up-music database. Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Carleton interview episode Link to MLB.com on Arraez Link to Dan on Arraez Link to Statcast park factors Link to Foolish thread on AVG+ Link to AVG+ leaderboard Link to story about Reds’ latest win Link to Reds streak fun fact Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to longest in-season-streaks sheet Link to more streaks data Link to Past Blast EW wiki page Link to 2023 Past Blast source Link to Ben on the pitch clock Link to Ben on the pitch clock again Link to B-Ref’s new rules page Link to Rickwood Field story Link to Hinchliffe Stadium story Link to first Dick Trueman episode Link to second Dick Trueman episode Link to David Lewis’s Twitter Link to David Lewis’s Substack Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Wilber’s baseball works Link to My Father’s Game Link to Del Wilber’s SABR bio Link to Lucky Starr wiki Link to Wade/Ward wiki Link to Trout/Betts interview Link to Trout/Ohtani at-bat Link to Bochy ejection video Link to Melvin ejection video Link to the NYT on plate-blocking Link to Heim’s replay-review gesture Link to Manfred’s Time interview Link to scholars survey on funding Link to story on the Astros comment Link to trade trees site Link to trade values site Link to thread on walk-up-songs site Link to MLB walk-up-songs site Link to The Walk-Up Database Link to walk-up-site requests thread  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Russell Carleton of Baseball Prospectus banter about the return of Joey Votto, the suddenly exciting Cincinnati Reds, the NL Central and NL West races, and more, then (25:45) discuss several of the developments chronicled in Russell’s new book, The New Ballgame: The Not-So-Hidden Forces Shaping Modern Baseball, including the impact of the one-inning reliever, the expansion of baseball’s talent pool, the redefinition of positions, the strikeout conundrum, and the role of analytics in shaping the sport. After that (1:23:27), Ben honors the promotions of Votto and Bo Naylor by talking to Scott Crawford, director of operations for the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, about the Hall’s latest induction weekend, its election process and criteria, the history of the Hall and baseball in Canada, the Hall’s collection and relationships with other Halls of Fame, the baseball landscape in Canada, and more, followed by a Past Blast (1:54:16) from 2022. Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to record of EW guests Link to video of Votto’s return Link to Votto’s postgame interview Link to MLBTR on Votto Link to Krall comment Link to Reds playoff appearances Link to Reds depth chart Link to team batting ages Link to team pitching ages Link to BaseRuns standings Link to FG playoff odds Link to Russell’s book Link to Arraez/Nomar fun fact Link to Freeway Series fun fact Link to Verducci on pitch-tipping Link to Ben on bullpenning Link to Ben on mid-PA pitching changes Link to Ben on strikeouts Link to Russell on strikeouts Link to Eno Sarris on strikeouts Link to Bill James on strikeouts Link to Lewie Pollis on strikeouts Link to Ben on super-utility players Link to Ben on Dodgers positional fluidity Link to Russell on position switches Link to Russell on the invasive reliever Link to Russell on reliever-like starters Link to Ben on pitcher roster limits Link to The Athletic player survey Link to Dan S. on Naylor Link to Canadian Baseball HoF website Link to Canadian Baseball HoF wiki Link to Walker’s photos Link to Jenkins tweet about Votto Link to French baseball glossary Link to 2005 article on Doucet Link to info on Chatham team Link to info on class of 2023 Link to induction weekend account Link to 2022 Past Blast source Link to David Lewis’s Twitter Link to David Lewis’s Substack Link to Rickwood Field story  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Shohei Ohtani’s latest exploits and career-best WAR pace, the Angels’ playoff hopes, Corbin Carroll’s physique, and Mickey Moniak’s fluky-but-fun hot streak, then (20:55) answer listener emails about how big a scandal it would be if Ohtani turned out to be two twins, when managers would choose to take in-game mulligans, and which stat should replace errors in the traditional line score, followed by a Meet a Major Leaguer segment (54:00) featuring Keaton Winn and Ricky Karcher (as well as Joe Jacques and Stan Musial), Stat Blasts (1:18:45) about Zack Greinke and the widest pitch-speed spreads and Jo Adell and the players with the biggest career gaps between their Triple-A and MLB production, plus a Past Blast (1:39:30) from 2021. Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ohtani’s oppo homers Link to Ohtani oppo graphic Link to Ohtani’s Statcast record Link to story on Ohtani’s series Link to Ohtani’s HR lead Link to Blum’s bat tweet Link to Ohtani’s streak Link to Neil Paine on Ohtani Link to Ohtani sweepers by start Link to Ohtani sweepers vs. LHB Link to FG playoff odds Link to Angels wRC+ leaders Link to The Athletic on Moniak Link to minor league chase leaders Link to MLB swing-rate leaders Link to article on Carroll Link to Dan Bern’s Ohtani song Link to Canseco conspiracy Link to Atlantic League EW episode Link to Craig/Báez play Link to Minor’s 200th strikeout story Link to other Ben on line scores Link to modern box score story Link to EW emails database Link to list of saves in debuts Link to MLB.com on Winn’s debut Link to McCovey Chronicles on Winn Link to story on Giants bullpen WAR Link to toothpaste/Sriracha tweet Link to Karcher interview Link to Karcher pitch plot Link to Karcher article 1 Link to Karcher article 2 Link to Karcher article 3 Link to Karcher article 4 Link to Jacques call-up article 1 Link to Jacques call-up article 2 Link to Jacques debut play Link to Jacques interview Link to Jacques other interview Link to Musial/Jacques query Link to Musial story Link to 2023 new debuts Link to Topps Now cards Link to pitch-speed-spread leaders Link to new Greinke stories article Link to EW episode on Greinke stories Link to active-pitcher spreads Link to Simon pitch spreads Link to Padilla pitch spreads Link to consecutive-pitches Stat Blast Link to Lucas Apostoleris on Twitter Link to Triple-A/MLB gaps spreadsheet Link to Triple-A/MLB hypothetical email Link to intra-season AAA/MLB gap Blast Link to Ben on the majors/minors gap Link to Kenny Jackelen on Twitter Link to Home Run Challenge press release Link to Home Run Challenge leaderboard Link to donate to Home Run Challenge Link to 2021 Past Blast source Link to Ben on moving the mound Link to Ben/Rob on the results Link to David Lewis’s Twitter Link to David Lewis’s Substack  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley review the most disappointing teams of 2023, ultimately anointing one team as the most disappointing and trying to identify which of the contenders for the “most disappointing” title is most likely to turn things around by the end of the season. Then (32:21) they discuss A’s fans’ reverse boycott, the seemingly sealed deal for the A’s to move to Las Vegas, the viability of Vegas as an MLB market, commissioner Rob Manfred’s maddening comments about all of the above, the 20th anniversary of Moneyball coinciding with the A’s ugly exit from Oakland, the legacy of the book, and more, plus a Past Blast (1:17:56) from 2020. Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to preseason playoff odds Link to preseason playoff odds changes Link to Sheehan’s run differential tweet Link to Sheehan on the Jays Link to Petriello on Kiermaier Link to A’s winning streak story Link to MLBTR on Nevada votes Link to FG on the reverse boycott Link to The Athletic on the reverse boycott Link to BP on the reverse boycott Link to Manfred’s comments Link to Oakland mayor’s response Link to Tim Kawakami on Manfred Link to Defector on Las Vegas Link to Sheehan on Las Vegas Link to Ken/Evan on front-office spending Link to Sam Schultz thread Link to Sam Schultz EW episode Link to R.J. on front office unionization Link to Ben/Rob’s 2016 study Link to 2020 follow-up study Link to Moneyball Act info Link to info on Kotick cameo Link to Michael Lewis on SABRcast Link to 2020 Past Blast source Link to David Lewis’s Twitter Link to David Lewis’s Substack Link to MLBTR on the governor signing Link to Manfred’s Pride Night comments Link to SABRcast book episode Link to Ringer-Verse gaming episode  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Shohei Ohtani leading MLB in WAR and the number of times his hitting has leapfrogged his pitching or vice versa, the EW audience’s verdict on who won the pod’s recent 26-under-25 draft, the suddenly-quite-competitive A’s-Royals race for the worst record in baseball, a painful ending to a college playoff game and the evolving conversation about pitch counts for college starters, the pitch clock’s impact on performance and injuries, one potential downside to the pitch clock reaching NPB, the Diamondbacks’ “victory vest,” and The Athletic’s layoffs and the state of sports media, plus a Past Blast from 2019. Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ohtani’s first homer Link to Ohtani’s second homer Link to MLB.com on tired Ohtani Link to The Athletic on tired Ohtani Link to FG WAR leaderboard Link to B-Ref WAR leaderboard Link to 26-under-25 draft Link to draft voting results Link to Carroll/Henderson awards Link to Royals/A’s post Link to Rob Mains on mobility Link to tweet about college game ending Link to college TOOTBLAN Link to college dropped ball Link to Cooper on pitch counts Link to Jake on Mathews Link to longer thread on Mathews Link to Romano’s quote tweet Link to 2016 study on college workloads Link to 2018 college workloads study Link to Dan S. on the pitch clock Link to Jim Allen on the NPB clock Link to report on the NPB clock Link to victory vest story Link to MLB’s Realmuto tweet Link to “cyclone” tweet Link to hockey’s “three stars” Link to FG’s three players of the game Link to WaPo’s The Athletic report Link to FOS The Athletic report Link to 2017 story about The Athletic Link to Axios media newsletter Link to 2019 Past Blast source Link to 2015 robot-ump game Link to David Lewis’s Twitter Link to David Lewis’s Substack Link to MLBTR on the Nevada vote Link to Pujols hiring post  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Patreon supporter Reggie Deal banter about Reggie’s background as a baseball fan and Effectively Wild listener, his email correspondence with MLB and Rob Manfred, accessibility issues he’s encountered while following baseball as a blind person, and A’s fans’ upcoming “reverse boycott” event, then (22:25) answer listener emails about angry Aaron Boone earning the Yankees more favorable calls, MLB players providing in-game entertainment, how different baseball would be if it were more like Wii Sports, Esteury Ruiz, Luis Arraez, and riding a single standout skill to award consideration, ridiculously large batting helmets, and which .500-ish team is most likely to make the playoffs. Then (1:19:51) they Stat Blast about players who hit home runs of dramatically differing lengths on the same day, the longest team streaks without a left-on-left homer, and Anthony Rendon and other players whose teams hit better with runners in scoring position when they were in the lineup, plus a Past Blast (1:40:44) from 2018. Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to story about radio and Audacy Link to Reggie’s Manfred letter Link to National Beep Baseball Association Link to EW Beep Baseball interview Link to Rooted in Oakland website Link to Rooted in Oakland tweet Link to thread on Yankees calls Link to story on Boone’s ejections Link to ejection rates over time Link to manager ejection totals Link to manager ejection rates Link to EW Episode 1855 Link to Wii Sports baseball footage Link to Robert Orr on Arraez Link to Arraez at Baseball Savant Link to AVG+ leaders Link to Sam on Hamilton Link to FG playoff odds Link to listener emails database Link to FG playoff odds Link to Topps Now Cards Link to Zavala’s two homers Link to Aquino’s three homers Link to Jay Cuda tweet Link to L-L/R-R HR spreadsheet Link to Nevin/Rendon article Link to BA w/RISP spreadsheet Link to Hulse’s fouls Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to 2018 Past Blast source Link to Nathanson’s website Link to David Lewis’s Twitter Link to David Lewis’s Substack Link to Billy Joel’s “Pressure”  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Mets, the Padres, and the AL Central, Jacob deGrom’s UCL, Mike Trout’s slow (by his standards) start, and a Phillies pitch-clock controversy, then (23:32), in honor of Elly De La Cruz, draft the 26 best MLB players under 25 years old (see link below to vote!), followed by a Past Blast from 2017 (1:13:54), closing banter about the Blue Jays and Red Sox DFAing Anthony Bass and Matt Dermody, respectively (1:17:22), and updates. Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Rosenthal on the Mets Link to story on Phillies pitch clock Link to Sam Blum on Trout Link to Jay on Trout Link to Ben on deGrom Link to Baby Gronk explainer Link to giant baby meme Link to Elly’s prediction Link to Statcast on Elly Link to EW drafts/competitions Link to listener voting form Link to MLBTR on Bass Link to Toronto Star on Bass Link to The Athletic on Dermody Link to Bloom on Dermody Link to Dermody’s Twitter likes Link to 2017 Past Blast source Link to other Past Blast source Link to David Lewis’s Twitter Link to David Lewis’s Substack Link to Blaseball EW episode Link to article on end of Blaseball Link to Greinke EW episode Link to new Greinke stories Link to Diekman EW episode Link to BP on Diekman Link to Judge fence article Link to Yankees super-error Link to Ohtani vs. RHP sweepers Link to Ohtani vs. LHP sweepers  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s voice, the arrival of Elly De La Cruz, the similarities between the up-and-coming Reds and Pirates, whether we need a “super-error,” Aaron Judge’s ball- and wall-smashing abilities, the plights of Alek Manoah and Stephen Strasburg, the wonder of Luis Arraez, whether this year’s trade deadline will be dead, follow-ups on the Angels’ catchers, Ben Joyce’s fastball, and Albert Pujols’s employment, how the pitch clock could affect players’ stamina in the second half, and more, plus a Past Blast from 2016 (1:34:00) and a few updates (1:38:25), including thoughts on Jacob deGrom’s diagnosis. Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Eichler, “Wild Shift” Link to MLBTR on Elly Link to Rosenthal/Judge interview Link to Red Sox/Rays play Link to Sox errors montage Link to FARTSLAM post Link to Knoblauch FARTSLAM Link to Stark on Judge Link to story on Judge and the wall Link to McCray catch video Link to Judge dachshund video Link to Judge/Rizzo doxie article Link to Judge/Rizzo doxie shirt tweet Link to Judge/Rizzo doxie shirt photo Link to Manoah gamer Link to MLBTR on Manoah Link to Dan S. on Manoah Link to Halladay’s rebuild Link to Strasburg article Link to Baumann on Arraez Link to B-Ref baserunning page Link to xWOBA overperformers Link to xBA overperformers Link to Arraez’s 2019-22 BA-xBA Link to Arraez fun fact 1 Link to Arraez fun fact 2 Link to Arraez fun fact 3 Link to Arraez fun fact 4 Link to Young on the deadline Link to MLB.com on the deadline Link to team catcher offense Link to highest-FA% pitchers Link to BP on Joyce Link to MLBTR on Pujols Link to Blum on Pujols Link to 2016 Past Blast source Link to MLB committee report Link to early-2016 Ben article Link to mid-2016 Ben article Link to baseball drag values Link to De La Cruz gamer Link to Clemens on HFA Link to Judge fence article Link to MLBTR on deGrom Link to deGrom interview video  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether Shohei Ohtani is throwing too many sweepers to opposite-handed hitters, the MLB debut of flamethrowing Ben Joyce, the extreme walk/strikeout stylings of George Kirby and Spencer Strider, the states of the Central divisions, the offense and defense of Ke’Bryan Hayes, the return of Jon Singleton, whether the pitch clock is responsible for this season’s uptick in attendance, and the taken-for-granted greatness of Mookie Betts, answer listener emails about baseball’s version of a hockey goon, players singing during the seventh-inning stretch, and whether it would make umpires more accurate to give them a PitchCom device, plus a Past Blast (1:18:33) from 2015. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ohtani sweeper RV vs. RHB Link to Ohtani sweeper RV vs. LHB Link to sweeper leaderboard Link to Ohtani pitch usage Link to SP sweeper usage Link to Ben C. on sweepers Link to Ohtani sweeper HR vs. LHB Link to Joyce’s debut Link to Joyce pitch speeds Link to story on Joyce’s record pitch Link to Strider/Kirby spreadsheet Link to Kirby command plot Link to Kirby fun fact Link to Strider fun fact Link to Herbstreit Reds Twitter war Link to Hayes’s defensive ratings Link to MLBTR on Singleton Link to annual attendance Link to 2023 team attendance Link to spring ratings story Link to early-season ratings story Link to Ben on the pitch clock Link to Mookie gamer Link to FG WAR leaderboard Link to hockey enforcer wiki Link to Brault EW episode Link to Jeff on Brault Link to Brault’s album Link to Brault’s OF conversion Link to Alberto singing Link to EW emails database Link to 2015 Past Blast source Link to other 2015 source Link to TORIIHTW book website Link to David Lewis’s Twitter Link to David Lewis’s Substack Link to Dan S. on pitcher zStats  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s 500th EW episode, the architectural concept of the “Thomasson,” a forthcoming HBO documentary about Barry Bonds, the rebound of Juan Soto, common misconceptions about WAR, the declines of Noah Syndergaard and Kris Bryant, the NL West, MLB broadcasting Padres games, an MLB-MLBPA ad deal, a rules update, Francisco Álvarez’s defense, the return of Jordan Walker, Shohei Ohtani’s bat grip, a slowdown in injuries, and a D-III team that wins with HBPs, plus a Past Blast from 2014 (1:32:52), player responses to the Dodgers’ Pride Night, and follow-ups. Audio intro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Thomasson thread Link to Thomasson wiki Link to Thomasson at B-Ref Bullpen Link to Thomasson podcast episode Link to Bonds doc info Link to A-Rod doc story Link to A-Rod gum disease segment Link to Trout/Griffey FB thread Link to FG’s WAR explainer Link to Syndergaard quote Link to Syndergaard hypnosis story Link to December Syndergaard story Link to FG on Syndergaard’s 2022 Link to Rumpelstiltskin wiki Link to MLBTR on Bryant Link to Ben C. on MLB/DSG Link to Sheehan on MLB/DSG Link to Ginny Searle on MLB/DSG Link to MLB-MLBPA partnership Link to more info on partnership Link to Ben C. on new rules Link to Sheehan on new rules Link to Jay on Álvarez Link to MLBTR on Walker Link to Ohtani tweet Link to injuries tweet Link to Jake on Misericordia Link to 2014 Past Blast source Link to other 2014 source Link to David Lewis’s Twitter Link to David Lewis’s Substack Link to story about Pride Night Link to story about player comments Link to Buckley column Link to “allies” lineup Link to Abreu/Acton tweet Link to hot mic video  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Pete Alonso‘s, um, emergency swing, the activations (6:25) of four players (Liam Hendriks, Michael Soroka, Paul Blackburn, and Royce Lewis), the small leads in most divisions (12:03) and the leveling out of the league (A’s aside), José Abreu‘s first homer “trot” of the season, and an umpire comment caught on a hot mic. Then (40:15) they answer a listener email about the ball’s liveliness and follow up on a few other email answers, bring on Rob Mains (57:35) of Baseball Prospectus to Stat Blast about the zombie runner’s impact on home field advantage and discuss the origins of the DL’s rechristening to “injured list” (1:18:45), and follow a Past Blast from 2013 (1:27:27) with banter about Andrew McCutchen’s request for a new rule, plus a postscript (1:37:58). Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Alonso clip Link to Meg on Bradley Link to Meg on Lind Link to EW on Hernández Link to Passan on Hendriks Link to MLBTR on McCullers Link to Rob Mains on 2022 inequality Link to Rob Arthur on 2022 balance Link to story on the Reds Link to EW Wiki on the Reds Link to FG playoff odds Link to preseason predictions pod Link to Abreu’s “trot” Link to ump video Link to ump post Link to Marte’s homer Link to HR/Contact graph Link to ball-drag dashboard Link to last email show Link to Lemon on “prime” Link to listener emails database Link to Topps Now cards Link to Rob on HFA Link to HFA across sports Link to HFA research Link to more HFA research Link to Ben on HFA Link to Rob on the DL/IL Link to 2013 Past Blast source Link to another 2013 source Link to Grant on catcher collisions Link to EW Stanky Draft Link to McCutchen article Link to positional aging curves Link to David Lewis’s Twitter Link to David Lewis’s Substack Link to 2016 sliding changes Link to Hendriks gamer Link to Soroka gamer Link to Lewis gamer Link to EW on TV exit speeds Link to Fatsis on Wambsgans(s) Link to Sam on Succession  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s prediction concerning the Padres’ and Rangers’ rest-of-season performance with runners in scoring position, then (14:08) answer listener emails about the ultimate Quadruple-A player, leaving runners on base for the opposing team, immaculate-inning edge cases, tanking for Shohei Ohtani, setting up a lifelong Google Alert for a player, the 2020 season’s impact on Hall of Fame cases, and Barry Bonds with an extra-short bat, followed by (1:12:43) Stat Blasts about the frequency of in-game position switches and the most players on a team who had previously played on the same former team, plus (1:40:06) a Past Blast from 2012 and a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to lowest tOPS+ w/RISP Link to lowest OPS w/RISP Link to highest tOPS+ w/RISP Link to highest OPS w/RISP Link to OPS w/bases empty Link to Petriello on the Rangers Link to Odor HR Link to preseason predictions pod Link to latest MiLB FA draft Link to Gonny Jomes wiki Link to old EW on immaculate innings Link to Oviedo’s inning Link to info on Mavs tanking Link to article on Wemby tanking Link to Waddell SABR bio Link to McLaughlin wiki Link to McLaughlin feature Link to Posnanski on DiMaggio Link to Jay on missed time Link to Jay on missed time again Link to Bois on Bonds Link to listener emails database Link to Topps Now cards Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to positional permutations Link to position-switch sheet Link to second Stat Blast doc Link to 2012 Past Blast source Link to David Lewis’s Twitter Link to David Lewis’s Substack Link to America Magazine article Link to other Dodgers/SPI links Link to Calcaterra newsletter Link to Alonso clip Link to Sabathia periods source Link to more on C.C./CC  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the major leagues’ sudden influx of 24-year-old right-handed pitchers with the surname “Miller,” the Rays’ surprisingly precarious position in the AL East (7:48), and the Cubs, the Brewers, and the state of the NL Central (12:45), before focusing their bat-resuscitating powers on Trea Turner (17:22), with almost immediate effect. Then they talk to David Raymond, the original Phillie Phanatic performer, Gritty co-conceiver, frequent team mascot consultant, and founder of the Mascot Boot Camp and Mascot Hall of Fame, about all of their mascot questions, the mascot design process, and what it’s like to be inside a mascot costume, plus updates and a Past Blast from 2011 (1:26:54). Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG preseason top prospects Link to The Board Link to article about Bryce Miller Link to LPGA naming convention Link to FG playoff odds Link to BP on the Rays-Jays blowout Link to BaseRuns standings Link to high-leverage pitching splits Link to FG pitching clutch Link to pitching LOB% Link to Turner quote Link to Meg’s mascot rant Link to NYTM on Raymond Link to Gritty on Twitter Link to info on Slider Link to Dinger assault story Link to Dandy wiki Link to Mascot HoF wiki Link to Mascot HoF ballot Link to Raymond Entertainment site Link to David’s speaking site Link to David’s book Link to 2011 Past Blast source Link to 2012 HS bat change Link to more info on bat change Link to latest college HR uptick Link to David Lewis’s Twitter Link to David Lewis’s Substack Link to Turner’s homer  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Yordan Alvarez kissing Martín Maldonado, Will Brennan’s birdslaughter (12:33), the Guardians’ slow start (23:12), Madison Bumgarner’s reported reluctance to alter his pitching approach (32:49), Mike Trout passing Ken Griffey Jr. in career Baseball-Reference WAR (45:56), whether the A’s will end up historically bad or rebound to being merely abysmal (1:03:38), the firing of A’s broadcaster Glen Kuiper (1:21:17), and the Dodgers’ Pride Night debacle (1:40:34), plus a Past Blast from 2010 (1:48:05). Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Yordan kiss image Link to Yordan kiss video Link to Pudge kiss image Link to Brennan bird video Link to other Brennan bird clip Link to Brennan tweet Link to baby pigeons info Link to Gomes story Link to playoff odds changes Link to Buchanan on Bumgarner Link to Mason Saunders story Link to Trout/Griffey thread Link to B-Ref career WAR leaders Link to Dan S. on the A’s Link to Tango on the A’s Link to Sheehan on the A’s Link to tremendous content meme Link to Kuiper firing story Link to other Kuiper story Link to 2023 Kuiper clip Link to 2020 Kuiper clip Link to first Kuiper apology Link to Braden explanation Link to Pride Night story Link to 2010 Past Blast source Link to David Lewis’s Twitter Link to David Lewis’s Substack Link to Mets lasagna story Link to Brennan’s bird gesture Link to Brennan press conference Link to A’s stadium update  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley follow up with additional details about the Cardinals’ cheeseburger phone, banter about the hot hitting of Ronald Acuña Jr. and Aaron Judge, answer listener emails (31:13) about home run rituals and the unwritten rules, a prophylactic procedure to prevent Tommy John surgery, whether a runner could be safe because of his beard, the percentage of players who could be on the same statistical list as a Hall of Famer, whether pitchers fan batters or vice versa, a rapid player promotion, and making fan interference part of the game, react to a Luke Voit “beef” reference, meet Major Leaguers Josh Walker and Garrett Acton (1:13:46), Stat Blast about entire divisions being better than entire other divisions, players batting without a position, and streaks of starting pitchers with the same handedness (1:27:39), plus follow-ups and a Past Blast from 2009 (1:42:22). Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Goold on phone details Link to burger image Link to burger GIF Link to home run rituals Link to Lawless bat flip Link to “beanball” wiki Link to FG WAR leaderboard Link to xWOBA leaderboard Link to other Ben on Acuña Link to Sheehan on Acuña/Judge Link to story about prophylactic TJ Link to more on TJ Link to even more on TJ Link to bearded Napoli slide Link to Speier tweet Link to Episode 1426 Link to spirit week explainer Link to listener emails database Link to story on Walker Link to more on Walker Link to even more on Walker Link to MLBTR on Walker Link to Walker interview Link to Acton debut story Link to Acton’s first K Link to BA on Acton Link to FG on Acton Link to background on Acton Link to Ben on pitcher deception Link to new MLB debuts Link to Voit video Link to Topps Now cards Link to ALE/ALC standings Link to tweet about “nothings” Link to SABR on “nothings” Link to most “nothing” PA Link to most “nothing” runs created Link to Russell on SP handedness Link to 2009 Past Blast source Link to more on Ripken’s site Link to even more on the site Link to video on the site Link to David Lewis’s Twitter Link to David Lewis’s Substack Link to long hair article  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the sesame-seer Cardinals using a cheeseburger phone to predict home buns (er, runs) by hitters who are dialed in, the varying fortunes of three offseason big spenders (the Mets, Padres, and Rangers) and the stakes of their success, Kumar Rocker’s Tommy John surgery, Dustin May’s flexor strain, the proliferation of ranked prospects, Jackson Holliday, the Orioles’ infield future, and what it takes for tanking to be justified, the need for a Lab League to test the pre-tacked ball, José Abreu’s power outage, Zac Gallen’s bird omen, and more, plus a Past Blast (1:38:22) from 2008 and a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Wainwright interview Link to burger image Link to burger GIF Link to home run rituals Link to Mets celebration article Link to Mets comeback homers Link to Machado injury info Link to FG post on Heim Link to Rocker Pipeline thread Link to SAL leaderboard Link to article on pre-tacked ball Link to Bird Bath Splash Zone info Link to Gallen bird video Link to asterisk-ball display Link to 2008 Past Blast source Link to MLB replay wiki Link to article on David’s catch Link to David Lewis’s Twitter Link to David Lewis’s Substack Link to competitions/drafts sheet Link to Episode 201 draft Link to Modesto game box score Link to Modesto game thread  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source