Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the latest batch of silly Scott Boras quotes, featuring Meg’s real-time reactions to hearing them for the first time, a “fake quote or real quote?” quiz, and a discussion of the motivations behind the superagent’s annual stand-up routine, then discuss Boras’s comments about competitive integrity and try to identify the 13 (or more) teams that Boras says aren’t trying to win. Then (41:15) they examine the idea of an official MLB player ranking system, answer emails about Clayton Kershaw’s usage, the best type of routine out with which to end a postseason series, and the least valuable entity that teams would trade, and close (1:16:12) with Stat Blasts on the Braves as a Ship of Theseus and Pedro Feliciano vs. Chase Utley and the most prolific pitcher-batter matchups.

Audio intro: The Hives, "No Pun Intended"
Audio outro: Lilys, "Scott Free"

Link to “best” Boras quotes
Link to WaPo on Boras and competition
Link to CBS Sports on Boras and tanking
Link to video of Boras on Bryant
Link to video of Boras on Conforto
Link to video of Alderson on Boras
Link to Rob Mains on competitive inequality
Link to Bill James Handbook 2022
Link to Ben on peak Kershaw
Link to Ben on Kershaw’s adjustments
Link to final out of the 2016 World Series
Link to FanGraphs post on trading data
Link to Stat Blast data on postseason rosters
Link to Stat Blast data on common matchups
Link to Stat Blast data on Johnson vs. Cobb
Link to Stat Blast data on matchups over time
Link to study on batters learning over time
Link to Feliciano obit
Link to Feliciano vs. Utley matchup summary
Link to Feliciano vs. Utley matchup details
Link to The Athletic’s FanGaphs WAR report
Link to EW interview with Jonathan Judge
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley announce new perks available to their Patreon supporters, then (12:03) bring on Ben Clemens, the lead author of FanGraphs’ top 50 free agents ranking, to discuss qualifying offers, early transactions, and Wade Miley and size up this offseason’s free agent class, focusing on the strong selection of shortstops and starters, the players Ben is higher or lower on than the consensus, the most obvious fits for players and teams, the potential of Seiya Suzuki, how the CBA negotiations could affect the market, and more. Finally (51:10), Ben, Meg, and other Ben conduct the seventh annual EW free-agent-contract over/under draft.

Audio intro: The Stanley Brothers, "Rank Strangers"
Audio outro: Guided By Voices, "Free Agents"

Link to Effectively Wild’s Patreon page
Link to list of qualifying offer recipients
Link to FanGraphs’ top 50 free agents
Link to Ben’s top 50 free agents chat
Link to MLB Trade Rumors’ top 50 free agents
Link to Jake Mailhot on the Reds
Link to Krall’s comments about payroll
Link to MLBTR on the Athletics’ offseason
Link to Andrew Friedman’s Kershaw comments
Link to Suzuki’s B-Ref page
Link to EW competitions and drafts spreadsheet
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley talk to Evan Drellich, senior writer for The Athletic, about the state of labor negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA, the major issues separating the two sides, the odds of a work stoppage, how long a potential lockout could last, how the CBA talks may affect transaction activity, how previous rounds of bargaining led to this one, whether a salary cap and floor could work, transitioning from covering teams as a beat writer to covering the business of baseball, the future of minor league housing and local broadcast blackouts, breaking the Astros sign-stealing story, and collaborating on reporting with Ken Rosenthal.

Audio intro: Ian M Bailey, "Take it or Leave it"
Audio outro: Attic Lights, "Lock Me Out"

Link to Evan on how a lockout would work
Link to Evan on previous bargaining rounds
Link to Evan on latest MLBPA proposal
Link to Evan on Marvin Miller
Link to Ben on Lords of the Realm
Link to Morning Consult poll
Link to Greg Bouris EW interview
Link to Evan on blackouts and streaming
Link to report about future streaming service
Link to Evan on minor league housing
Link to The Athletic Baseball Show
Link to original sign-stealing report
Link to preorder Evan’s book
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s return from podcast paternity leave, the quality of the 2021 postseason, whether the Braves were underrated or simply overperformed, what teams might learn from and emulate about Atlanta’s success, postseason pitcher usage and game length, the career and retirement of Buster Posey, their upcoming discussion of TV drama Stove League, and more.

Audio intro: Pavement, "Father to a Sister of Thought"
Audio outro: Bill Withers, "Wintertime"

Link to NL East playoff odds graph
Link to FanGraphs postseason staff predictions
Link to Mark Armour on parity
Link to Paul Hembekides on game ending times
Link to Theo Epstein on emulating champions
Link to Zach Kram on Atlanta’s win
Link to Michael Baumann on the Astros’ future
Link to Ben on Atlanta’s rebuild
Link to Zach on Atlanta’s bullpen
Link to Eno Sarris on learning from Atlanta
Link to Emma Baccellieri on Atlanta’s shifting
Link to Jay on playoff pitcher usage
Link to Jay on unlikely playoff pitchers
Link to Ben on bullpenning
Link to Ben on October baseball
Link to Ben on predicting postseason sweeps
Link to Maury Brown on playoff start times
Link to John Ourand on start times and ratings
Link to Ben on re-signing World Series winners
Link to Rob Mains on pitcher usage and payroll
Link to Terrance Gore EW episode
Link to Jay Jaffe on Posey
Link to Grant Brisbee on Posey
Link to Nichols Law of Catcher Defense
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about what Shohei Ohtani might mean for the Mariners’ slight playoff chances and Riley O’Brien’s recent debut, before Ben shares some (good) personal news. Then (17:33) they bring on Will Leitch to discuss the St. Louis Cardinals. Will shares what it has been like to root for the team during its win streak, when he realized they were playoff bound, what has gone into this incredible run, and which Cardinals are candidates for some postseason devil magic. Plus, Will makes the case for this year’s version of the team actually being fun before predicting just how deep into October the Cardinals might play. Read the rest of this entry »

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Giancarlo Stanton’s awe-inspiring weekend at Fenway, the most aesthetically pleasing home run hitters, what the Cardinals’ 16-game winning streak portends (or doesn’t portend) for their playoff hopes, and the last week in the remaining playoff races. Then (26:32) they bring on Patreon supporter Dylan Buell to talk about his career as a professional sports photographer and answer listener emails about setting a winning-percentage cutoff for admission to the postseason, subtracting a strike for each pitch thrown outside the strike zone, a baseball equivalent of the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award, other baseball occupations that should be eligible for the Hall of Fame, how players’ appearances can affect fandom, baseball players sneaking onto Survivor, and the problems with plate-discipline highlights, plus Stat Blasts about precedents for the MVPs in both leagues coming from non-playoff teams, and the Rangers’ possibly unparalleled streak of innings without a lead.

Audio intro: The Glands, "So High"
Audio interstitial: The Pretty Things, "Photographer"
Audio outro: Bill Jr. Jr., "Run Home"

Link to Stanton homer against Chicago
Link to longest Stanton homer against Boston
Link to Ben on a Stanton homer from 2014
Link to video of that Stanton 2014 homer
Link to Strawberry dinger videos
Link to 1986 NLCS G3 homer
Link to 1986 World Series G7 homer
Link to Lindsey’s tweet about Stanton
Link to Lindsey on Stanton and Judge
Link to Glenallen Hill homer
Link to Sam on home run highlights
Link to Jay Jaffe on September records
Link to study on playoff randomness by sport
Link to Dylan Buell’s Instagram
Link to Nav Bhatia article
Link to 2016 article on Blue Jays scarf fan
Link to 2020 article on Blue Jays scarf fan
Link to article about Loretta’s Lounge
Link to article on Pros vs. Joes
Link to video of Jeff Kent on Survivor
Link to Ben on the Soto Shuffle
Link to article on the Rangers’ streak
Link to second article on the Rangers’ streak
Link to leadless streaks data
Link to 1916 Pirates/1932 Sox streaks data
Link to end-of-inning losing streaks data
Link to info on non-playoff MVPs

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about teams pitching around Shohei Ohtani and a second conspiracy theory about Rays/Jays Cardgate, then rank the fun quotient of potential playoff teams and draft their preferred playoff matchups.

Audio intro: Steve Gunn, "Protection"
Audio outro: Frankie Siragusa, "I Don’t Want to See You Again"

Link to article about Ohtani’s walks
Link to lineup protection explainer
Link to Tom Tango on lineup protection
Link to Davis-West card article
Link to current playoff bracket
Link to White Sox playoff rate
Link to Ben on Foundation
Link to past SP waiver acquisitions (before)
Link to past SP waiver acquisitions (after)

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Cardinals being unbeatable, the Giants setting a record for outperforming PECOTA, the Orioles’ and Diamondbacks’ race to MLB’s worst record, the White Sox and Yankees also having identical records (and the vagaries of unbalanced schedules and divisional assignments), the saga of Drew Maggi’s call-up and demotion and the phenomenon of “phantom ballplayers,” the Phillies’ weird ways of winning, and Shane Baz in the playoffs, then answer listener emails about a Jays and Rays Cardgate conspiracy, a team of Triple-A players vs. a team of inactive ex-MLB players, completing every long extra-inning game in an end-of-season marathon, what would happen if teams could literally refuse to lose, hitters gleaning pitch locations from where the catcher sets up, and MLB’s World Series rings vs. Australian rules football’s premiership medals.

Audio intro: Daniel Johnston, "Phantom of My Own Opera"
Audio outro: The Cars, "I Refuse"

Link to Kevin Goldstein on the Cardinals
Link to Rob Mains on PECOTA overperformers
Link to Patrick Dubuque on the Giants
Link to Jay Jaffe on Wade
Link to Jay on the Orioles
Link to Phil Miller on Maggi
Link to Do-Hyoung Park on Maggi
Link to phantom ballplayers wiki
Link to Craig Goldstein on Borucki
Link to “family portrait” tweet
Link to Carleton College softball game
Link to Ben on Kratz and catching
Link to 2021 peeking controversy
Link to Jason Turbow on peeking

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the unwritten rules controversy stemming from Kevin Kiermaier absconding with a Blue Jays scouting card, the Padres’ collapse, dysfunction, and outlook for 2022, the Cardinals’ surge and the Braves’ revamped outfield, Anthony Gose’s return to the majors as a pitcher, a number of injured arms making comebacks, the Pirates yet again failing to sweep, and the impact of depressed pitcher pay on team payrolls, then (41:43) talk to Jonathan Judge of Baseball Prospectus about his proposal to redistribute MLB revenue between the owners and players and to reapportion pay among the players.

Audio intro: The Clash, "The Card Cheat"
Audio interstitial: Laura Marling, "I Was Just a Card"
Audio outro: Kiwi Jr., "Salary Man"

Link to story on Kiermaier controversy
Link to story about Rays apology
Link to story about Mets-Dodgers dispute
Link to episode on banning in-game cards
Link to The Athletic on Padres dysfunction
Link to The Union-Tribune on the Padres
Link to story on Tatis and Machado
Link to Dan Szymborski on the Padres
Link to story on the Cardinals’ surge
Link to story on Atlanta’s outfield
Link to story on Gose’s comeback
Link to story on Syndergaard and deGrom
Link to story on Bieber
Link to story on Bassitt
Link to Rob Mains on pitcher pay
Link to Judge’s baseball economics article
Link to old EW episode about similar proposal
Link to story about minor league wristbands
Link to Angell watching the Mets
Link to Roger Angell EW episode

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the potential benefits of a 15-second pitch clock and the massive winning-percentage mismatch between the NL’s impending wild card winners, then answer listener emails about intentionally swinging at a wild pitch to reach base, the obsolescence of ERA, whether Statcast should be used instead of video to make fair-foul calls, and whether DJ LeMahieu is good, then meet major leaguers Kaleb Ort and Sammy Long and do Stat Blasts about whether relievers are really all failed starters and the Pirates’ historic failure to complete sweeps (plus a postscript about Austin Adams’ record-breaking HBP).

Audio intro: Remember Sports, "Clock"
Audio outro: The Scruffs, "I’m a Failure"

Link to Jayson Stark on the pitch clock
Link to Mike Sonne on pitch clocks and injuries
Link to J.J. Cooper on pitch clocks and game times
Link to MLB time of game by year
Link to Grant Brisbee on time between pitches
Link to David Smith on time between pitches
Link to Smith on why games get longer
Link to Rob Arthur on hitters’ time between pitches
Link to Rob on pitchers’ time between pitches
Link to EW episode about wild card game
Link to Travis Sawchik on the wild card round
Link to Griffin strikeout post
Link to Griffin strikeout video
Link to Griffin strikeout newspaper clipping
Link to Fuentes strikeout video
Link to Fuentes strikeout podcast
Link to Sandoval swing video
Link to Sam Miller on the ERA qualifier threshold
Link to J.J. on the ERA qualifier threshold
Link to story on Statcast’s margin of error
Link to story on Hawk-Eye in tennis
Link to Chet Gutwein on LeMahieu’s power outage
Link to Jeff Sullivan on LeMahieu’s power
Link to Kenny Kelly on LeMahieu and park effects
Link to story on Ort’s debut
Link to Oort cloud explainer
Link to Susan Slusser on Sammy Long
Link to story on Long’s debut
Link to Chafin’s “Failed Starter” shirt
Link to relievers Stat Blast data/graph
Link to Stat Blast sweeps data
Link to “Full Nelson” tweet
Link to current “Full Nelson” club
Link to Zach Kram on Adams
Link to Adams’ record HBP

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