Author Archive

Effectively Wild Episode 2242: The 10th Annual Free Agent Contract Over/Under Draft

EWFI
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

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Effectively Wild Episode 2241: The Most Fascinating Free Agents and Offseason Storylines

EWFI
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

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Effectively Wild Episode 2240: We’ve Got Options

EWFI
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

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Effectively Wild Episode 2239: The Post-October Banter Backlog

EWFI
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”

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Effectively Wild Episode 2238: That’s a (World Series) Wrap

EWFI
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

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Effectively Wild Episode 2237: What a Difference Four Days Makes

EWFI
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

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Effectively Wild Episode 2234: Swing States

EWFI
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

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Effectively Wild Episode 2233: Cleveland Classics

EWFI
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

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Effectively Wild Episode 2232: Get Out the Vogt

EWFI
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

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Effectively Wild Episode 2231: Baseball Bothsidesism

EWFI
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

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