Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the oddly timed end of Derek Falvey’s rein as POBOth for the Twins, Jacob Wilson’s extension and the promising but lopsided A’s, pillow contracts vs. trampoline contracts, which teams have had the most frustrating offseasons, dark-horse-candidate teams for 2026, and listener responses to their previous discussion of a Fellowship of the Ring baseball team.

Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to The Athletic on Falvey
Link to Favley Zoom meeting detail
Link to FG payrolls page
Link to MLBTR on Wilson
Link to 2025 team batting WAR
Link to 2025 team pitching WAR
Link to team WAR projections
Link to sowing/reaping meme
Link to team offseason spending
Link to FG offseason tracker
Link to Rooker on aliens
Link to Robertson retirement news
Link to Crizer on opt-outs
Link to EW wiki on trampolines
Link to BP on inactive teams
Link to Sheehan on inactive teams
Link to The Athletic on trying tiers
Link to projected team WAR
Link to “dark horse” wiki
Link to MLBTR on Evans
Link to Mount Doom scene
Link to Pasquantino news

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about their coming deliverance from a slow baseball news period, spring training as a spectator experience, and how the prelude to Opening Day has changed, then (12:43) answer emails about the many meanings of “back end” in baseball, an outfielder who repels batted balls, whether all rule violations constitute cheating, a playoff team composed of spoilers, and which positions the members of the Fellowship of the Ring would play, followed (1:16:01) by a Stat Blast about the Mets’ roster reconstruction and the history of high turnover.

Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2”

Link to back end definitions
Link to Magneto wiki
Link to Magnetokinesis wiki
Link to X-Men baseball history
Link to Ben’s Mets article
Link to Stat Blast data 1
Link to Stat Blast data 2
Link to Ben on turnover history
Link to more on turnover history
Link to Clemens on the Mets
Link to Sherman on the Mets
Link to Mets offseason history
Link to Mets depth chart
Link to projected pitcher playing time
Link to projected hitter playing time
Link to projected team WAR
Link to Ben on team complacency
Link to BaseRuns records
Link to listener emails database
Link to cloud seeding wiki
Link to weekend weather info
Link to “And my axe!” clip
Link to “One does not” clip

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley share their responses—and the baseball world’s response—to the events of this month in Minnesota. Then (17:26) they banter about deboned Carlos Rodón, the latest pseudoscientific pursuits of Bryce Harper (and Mike Trout?), and the Giants signing Harrison Bader, before (48:06) discussing José Ramírez’s new extension with the Guardians, Andrew McCutchen’s quarrel with the Pirates, and what teams and star players owe to each other, if anything. Finally (1:26:22), they bring on data scientist/writer Zach Gozlan to Stat Blast about whether baseball is overrrepresented among sports clues on Jeopardy!

Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Calhoun info 1
Link to Calhoun info 2
Link to Calhoun info 3
Link to Ben on Calhoun in 2018
Link to other athlete statements
Link to more athlete statements
Link to Wemby comments
Link to Ober post
Link to Strider post
Link to Woods Richardson post
Link to Klein repost
Link to political affiliation data
Link to Rodón interview clip
Link to Rodón interview article
Link to Harper post summary
Link to Harper clouds repost
Link to Harper’s TikTok
Link to Harper’s mat post
Link to Harper’s mat
Link to Harper and Dombrowski
Link to Trout’s reply to Rooker
Link to Trout’s sponsored post
Link to Trout’s “chamber”
Link to Goop article 1
Link to Goop article 2
Link to Goop article 3
Link to FG post on Bader
Link to BP post on the Giants
Link to FG post on Ramírez
Link to Ramírez interview
Link to Ramírez’s FA value
Link to McCutchen post
Link to Cherington comments
Link to McCutchen article 1
Link to McCutchen article 2
Link to Defector article
Link to Zach’s website
Link to Zach’s data
Link to baseball crosswords research
Link to crosswords wiki summary
Link to Jeopardy! football questions
Link to Jeopardy! Big Dumper question

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the MacKenzie Gore trade, the trajectories of the Rangers and Nationals since their respective World Series victories, and why the White Sox signed Seranthony Domínguez. Then (29:38) they bring on baseball buds Brent Rooker and Vinnie Pasquantino for a wide-ranging conversation about their scrapped podcasting plans, the Royals remodeling Kauffman Stadium, how Sutter Health Park played, the good and bad of bat-speed training, the challenge system, Brent’s sinking strikeout rate, the best breakfasts, the Pasqwich, A’s outfield defense, Nick Kurtz and Jac Caglianone, playing with Rich Hill, A’s extensions, playing 162 games, why they haven’t become 30-30 guys, arbitration, players’ pre-lockout messaging, an offseason signing deadline, Vinnie’s interactions with Shohei Ohtani, the WBC, the weather, and more. Finally (1:38:25), Ben shares listener responses about Andruw Jones and outfield diving.

Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG post on Gore trade
Link to FG post on traded prospects
Link to “jersey guy” discussion
Link to team losses post-2019
Link to team SP projections
Link to Ben on Sale in 2018
Link to Sox pen rank
Link to MLBTR on Domínguez
Link to first Rooker pod appearance
Link to second Rooker appearance
Link to Episode 1875
Link to Episode 1988
Link to lowest WARs in April
Link to Brent’s Twitter taunt
Link to Vinnie on the canceled podcast
Link to story on Vinnie’s slow start
Link to story on Muncy’s eyewear
Link to bat speed article
Link to Brent on bat speed
Link to bat speed data
Link to Vinnie on the fence changes
Link to Brent on breakfast
Link to Vinnie on Italian breakfast
Link to Pasqwich tweet
Link to Pasqwich article
Link to Baseball Savant park factors
Link to FG park factors
Link to Kauffman batter’s eye comments
Link to more Kauffman batter’s eye comments
Link to visibility by ballpark
Link to Brent’s lone Royals hit
Link to Lowe comments
Link to story on Vinnie and Jac
Link to MLBTR on Brent’s extension
Link to MLBTR on A’s extensions
Link to Vinnie on extensions
Link to Vinnie on arbitration
Link to iron man Rooker
Link to sprint speeds
Link to signing deadline tweet 1
Link to signing deadline tweet 2
Link to Soderstrom article
Link to Vinnie’s “WTF” tweet
Link to Vinnie and Ohtani
Link to Brent and Ohtani
Link to Team Italy WBC roster
Link to Brent’s weather tweet
Link to Trout’s response
Link to Brent’s “weather boy” tweet
Link to “weather boy” meme
Link to Bledsoe Agency
Link to Pham suspension story
Link to Pham Insta post
Link to Episode 2430
Link to Bloomquist on Ichiro
Link to Pillar/White article

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the best point in the podcast at which to talk transactions, how a salary cap would affect the kind of conversations we have about baseball (based on the way we discuss other sports), the notion that a particular signing would drive owners to pursue a salary cap, and (25:09) whether a fielder’s proclivity for diving catches tells us anything about how good he is (inspired by the belief that Andruw Jones never had to dive). Then (44:32) they break down the latest Mets moves (for Luis Robert Jr. and Freddy Peralta), the team’s extreme makeover, and why the Brewers dealt Peralta, plus (1:29:08) the Yankees’ Cody Bellinger deal, their lack of roster turnover, and Belli’s up-down-up career.

Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to MLBTR on Gore
Link to Young trade news
Link to Young trade rationale
Link to Rosenthal on the cap
Link to Drellich on the cap
Link to Calcaterra on Jones
Link to Sheehan on Jones
Link to Jones highlight reel
Link to possibility space wiki
Link to Ben on Harper’s dives
Link to Hannah on dives
Link to Rocky quote
Link to FG on Robert
Link to team CF projections
Link to Robert CF rank
Link to Robert’s sprint speeds
Link to 2017 story on Robert
Link to 2017 EW episode on Robert
Link to FG on Peralta
Link to FG on Peralta prospects
Link to Brewers defense ranking
Link to Peralta defenders ranking
Link to RA-9 WAR leaders
Link to team SP projections
Link to Tong’s grilled cheese
Link to BP on Peralta
Link to Brewers payroll story 1
Link to Brewers payroll story 2
Link to team payrolls page
Link to Mets team ZiPS post
Link to FG post on Bellinger
Link to Belli’s celebration injury
Link to Belli on changing his celebration
Link to team WAR projections
Link to Domínguez defensive stats
Link to team BaseRuns
Link to political registration research
Link to EW wiki on car recording

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ha-Seong Kim and the perils of slipping on ice, the contrasting retirement comments of Mookie Betts and Rich Hill, more on the Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette signings, Goodhart’s law and baseball stats, the late Wilbur Wood, and the latest trends in Hall of Fame voting.

Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)”
Audio outro: Sam Chess, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Kim story
Link to MLBTR on Kim
Link to Mateo signing
Link to team SS projection
Link to Cena/Mookie episode
Link to MLB.com on Mookie
Link to HUAL on Cena’s retirement
Link to Mookie’s other stream
Link to MLBTR on Hill
Link to “Retire” meme
Link to Hill on EW
Link to team LF projection
Link to team CF projection
Link to Dombrowski comment
Link to MLBTR on Jays offer
Link to Weaver’s Dodgers stat
Link to Clemens post
Link to barrels definition
Link to Andrews post
Link to Goodhart’s law wiki
Link to Baumann on nerdy players
Link to Wood obit
Link to Wood’s IP lead
Link to Sardell EW appearance
Link to Sardell’s penultimate projections
Link to Sardell’s final projections
Link to Jay’s results preview
Link to Jay on EW
Link to BBWAA announcement
Link to Jay on the results
Link to Jay’s Jones profile
Link to Jones battery report
Link to Jay’s Beltrán profile
Link to Felix leap stat
Link to Pettitte PEDs story
Link to Vizquel persuasion post
Link to Sam’s ballot
Link to Pollis on the results
Link to MLBTR on Robert

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a flurry of transactions and a three-team-trade dilemma, then break down the J.T. Realmuto, Bo Bichette, and Kyle Tucker deals, plus talk of baseball economics and Emmanuel Clase’s roosters.

Audio intro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG post on Castro
Link to MLBTR on three-team trade
Link to Passan on Tucker
Link to Passan on three-team trade
Link to two buttons meme
Link to Passan meme
Link to FG post on Realmuto
Link to FG post on Bichette
Link to FG post on Tucker
Link to Ben on Tucker
Link to Cohen tweet 1
Link to Cohen tweet 2
Link to FG quarter-zips
Link to over/under draft results
Link to Ben on free agency
Link to Passan on free agency
Link to offseason FA spending
Link to bad Tucker swing
Link to Ben on Yordan’s slump
Link to Roberts comments
Link to owner floor proposal
Link to floor proposal analysis
Link to Walker comment
Link to champion complacency
Link to FA fits episode
Link to team hitter age
Link to team OF WAR
Link to MLB execs poll
Link to Tucker persona story
Link to Tucker cWPA
Link to Teoscar in RF
Link to Teoscar in LF
Link to team depth chart projections
Link to team payrolls page
Link to Dodgers CBT tax spending
Link to 2006 team payrolls
Link to 2005 team payrolls
Link to 2003 Onion headline
Link to Kershaw WBC news
Link to Clase roosters story
Link to more on Clase roosters
Link to quotes about Clase

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley analyze the latest additions to the AL East: Ryan Weathers to the Yankees and Ranger Suárez to the Red Sox. Then (26:52) they bring on top-tier Patreon supporter Jon Norton to answer listener emails about players who’ve repeatedly signed one-year contracts, whether they would want to play in an MLB game, how impressive switch-hitting should be, WAR without players who took PEDs, and the all-time greatness of Star Trek legend Buck Bokai.

Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG post on Weathers
Link to FG post on Suárez
Link to team SP depth charts
Link to team depth charts WAR
Link to over/under draft standings
Link to Cot’s Contracts
Link to 2018 Passan tweet
Link to Sam on playing in a game
Link to decline of switch-hitting
Link to holodeck wiki
Link to holodeck malfunctions
Link to Buck Bokai at Memory Alpha
Link to WWIII at Memory Alpha
Link to Star Trek Ringer MLB Show
Link to listener emails database
Link to scientific method wiki
Link to MLBTR on Tucker

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley break down the Cubs’ big Alex Bregman signing, Nolan Arenado’s trade to Arizona, Kauffman Stadium’s soon-to-be-cozier confines, and a former GM’s dismissal of advanced stats, plus a few follow-ups.

Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Andrews on Bregman
Link to Baumann on Bregman
Link to Langs on draftees
Link to Montgomery on Boras
Link to Kennedy comments
Link to Sheehan on the Sox
Link to Tucker rumors
Link to team depth charts
Link to team payrolls
Link to Baumann on Arenado
Link to Passan on Kauffman
Link to Royals announcement tweet
Link to ballpark homogenization
Link to LA Memorial Coliseum info
Link to Statcast park factors
Link to Pasquantino take
Link to Rooker retort
Link to Mack piece at BP
Link to Sam on where to put a pit
Link to Amaro wiki
Link to Amaro tweet 1
Link to Amaro tweet 2
Link to Bichette report
Link to Collins report
Link to stream Stove League
Link to Stove League pods
Link to Sea Unicorns article

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a breakup of baseball lookalikes, minor league free agent draft eligibility, and more players who unretired after becoming coaches, then break down the latest baseball broadcasting developments, Rob Manfred’s recent comments (about his priorities and future, an offseason signing deadline, and regular-season structure), Tarik Skubal’s historic arbitration case, and, inspired by sensational hockey streaming series Heated Rivalry (which they discuss without spoilers), when an active MLB player might publicly come out.

Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)”
Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to MLBTR on Fitzgerald
Link to Sojo article
Link to Campbell hiring
Link to TV network news
Link to MLBTR on TV networks
Link to TV network news 2
Link to Entertainment Strategy Guy
Link to streaming revenue info
Link to more on streaming revenue
Link to Manfred on a signing deadline
Link to Rooker tweet
Link to Harper sales article 1
Link to Harper sales article 2
Link to Manfred’s tournament comments
Link to MLBTR on Skubal
Link to The Athletic on Skubal
Link to Passan on Skubal
Link to Ben on arbitration
Link to MLBTR on Kepler
Link to Heated Rivalry
Link to hockey culture article
Link to Outsports article
Link to Take Me Out wiki
Link to EW Episode 1776
Link to Unwritten Rules
Link to Manfred’s diversity comments
Link to Venezuela article

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