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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
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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

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 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
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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

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 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
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