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!

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

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!

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

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!

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

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!

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

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!

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

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!

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

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!

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

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!

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

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!

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

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!

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS