This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon.

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether Ben cursed Shohei Ohtani’s bat by predicting that Ohtani would win the Cy Young award but not the MVP award, whether Bobby Witt Jr. could win his first MVP award this season, the defensive transformation of Luis Arraez, and more, then (33:16) further interrogate what homoerotic celebrations say about baseball culture, discuss the latest ABS challenge mishaps, answer listener emails (54:30) about an ABS double-or-nothing idea, trading challenges for runs, purchasing challenges midgame, an upside of umpire rotation, boosting offense with double-barreled batters, and a baseball equivalent to the Kelce brothers, plus Stat Blasts (1:28:21) about players with the most inning-ending at-bats in a game, swing rates in debut plate appearances, grand-slam merchants, teams with many MVP vote-getters, and picked-off pinch runners.

Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to preseason predictions episode
Link to Ohtani slump story 1
Link to Ohtani slump story 2
Link to Ohtani slump story 3
Link to Ohtani slump story 4
Link to Ohtani slump story 5
Link to FG WAR leaders
Link to B-Ref WAR leaders
Link to FG post on Arraez
Link to MLB.com on Arraez
Link to FRV leaders
Link to Outsports post 1
Link to Outsports post 2
Link to Outsports post 3
Link to homosociality wiki
Link to Ross memoir
Link to Valentine/Baty incident
Link to Torres challenge denials
Link to Heim play
Link to Ben on accidental challenges
Link to Jake on accidental challenges
Link to Gausman quote
Link to batter challenge leaders
Link to Rumsfeld quote wiki
Link to catcher challenge leaders
Link to team challenge leaders
Link to Clemens on FA $/WAR
Link to Ortiz ump injury
Link to double-barreled BP article 1
Link to double-barreled BP article 2
Link to HUAL segment
Link to ex-athlete pods article 1
Link to ex-athlete pods article 2
Link to Tkachuks pod
Link to Harrisburg vs. Erie game
Link to 1977 Jays-Yanks game
Link to five-inning-ending players
Link to 2003 NL MVP voting
Link to teams with 8+ MVP vote-getters
Link to SABR on WAR and awards
Link to Baumann on WAR and awards
Link to Sam on downballot MVP votes
Link to debut-PA swing rates data
Link to innings 1-3 swing rate
Link to innings 4+ swing rate
Link to grand slams data
Link to listener emails database
Link to highest PR pickoff rates data
Link to Haggerty pickoff game
Link to SABR on PR specialists
Link to Wright on PR specialists 1
Link to Wright on PR specialists 2
Link to Langs Bell fun fact

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 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 latest lima-bean-related revelations about Tarik Skubal’s elbow surgery, the Giants’ censored synchronized thrust and the history of homoerotic celebrations in baseball, Coby Mayo’s dog’s devotion, the Orioles’ rotation issues (and a Rico Garcia update), Atlanta’s unexpectedly productive DHs, Ben’s invisible baseball neighbor, and Konnor Griffin’s glow-up, plus (1:12:33) a check-in on the hitters and pitchers who’ve over- or underperformed their projections the most through the first quarter of the regular season, and the players who’ve made cases to become new MLB main characters.

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

Link to The Athletic on Skubal’s surgery
Link to Seinfeld squirrel surgery scene
Link to Giants celebration clip
Link to Key & Peele sketch
Link to Baggarly post
Link to Baggarly article
Link to other article on the edict
Link to JHL’s possible smooch attempt
Link to new bow celebration
Link to Gilbert GIF
Link to Vitello thrust
Link to Posey ownership story
Link to Charles B. Johnson wiki
Link to Johnson donations article
Link to Mets outfield imitation
Link to 2022 Mookie celebration
Link to Mookie Twitch stream answer
Link to Mookie Twitch clip
Link to bukkake wiki
Link to Mookie’s Ohtani comment
Link to 2024 Dodgers crotch bump
Link to 2016 Cubs crotch bump
Link to 2014 Mariners celebration post 1
Link to 2014 Mariners celebration post 2
Link to 2019 Rangers crotch grab
Link to Red Sox celebration info
Link to Dodgers memorial announcement
Link to Collins obit
Link to MLBTR on Fried’s elbow
Link to Mayo game story
Link to Mayo quote clip
Link to Mayo quote text
Link to Argos wiki
Link to mid-March team SP projections
Link to team SP WAR to date
Link to Orioles SP stats so far
Link to team hitter WAR
Link to Elias’s Eflin/Rodriguez quote
Link to 2026 Elias SP quote 1
Link to 2026 Elias SP quote 2
Link to 2026 Elias SP quote 3
Link to team defense leaderboard
Link to .000 BABIP streaks
Link to MLB.com on Garcia
Link to Profar DH article
Link to team DH production
Link to team LF production
Link to 2026 Location+ leaders
Link to Link to 2024-26 Location+ leaders
Link to latest Skenes gem
Link to BP on Griffin’s rookie eligibility
Link to Griffin’s early-season sample
Link to Griffin’s second sample
Link to hitter leaderboard since Griffin’s birthday
Link to “quarter pole” definition
Link to preseason hitter projections
Link to preseason pitcher projections
Link to hitter pace leaderboard
Link to pitcher pace leaderboard
Link to hitter over/underperformers
Link to pitcher over/underperformers
Link to Hogg on Miz velo post
Link to Hogg on Miz velo article
Link to Jones on Miz velo
Link to Miz vs. Jones velo fun fact
Link to Crizer on April 2025 main characters
Link to Clemens on Walker
Link to Raleigh shower story
Link to BP on Turang
Link to Blue Jays IP leaders
Link to Orioles shutout gamer
Link to 2475 Podsednik Stat Blast wiki
Link to 1879 Podsednik Stat Blast
Link to 1885 Podsednik follow-up
Link to Podsednik walk-off
Link to corvids wiki
Link to icterids wiki
Link to Vandy video clip
Link to Vandy controversy summary
Link to Vandy-Mizzou gamer

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 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 Spencer Jones facing an overclocked Jacob Misiorowski in Jones’s MLB debut, the distance from the mound to home plate when Ryan Waldschmidt is batting, Gage Workman’s middle name, and Tarik Skubal’s loose lima bean, then discuss the surprising Patrick Bailey trade—including takes on Bailey’s bat and framing value in the ABS era, the leadership of Buster Posey and Tony Vitello, Cleveland doubling down on the Austin Hedges catching model, and the virtues of Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson—plus thoughts on the bouncebacks of Bryce Harper and Michael Conforto, the Pirates’ rotation, iron man Matt Olson, a Craig Kimbrel meltdown, and the death of Bobby Cox.

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

Link to “POV” meme
Link to Jones debut
Link to Jones stance tweet
Link to Judge/Jones comparison
Link to first Jones vs. Miz PA
Link to 103 mph+ pitches
Link to fastest pitches of 2026
Link to top SP seasons by K%
Link to “Ballad of a Thin Man”
Link to Miz velo upticks article
Link to Miz Charizard pull
Link to tallest outfield
Link to Ben on big Yankees
Link to Waldschmidt quote
Link to Workman middle name info 1
Link to Workman middle name info 2
Link to “taters” Gollum clip
Link to Boras on the “Skubal scope”
Link to Boras/Olney podcast
Link to last year’s Boras/Skubal quote
Link to FG post on Bailey
Link to Dubuque on Bailey
Link to Baggarly on Bailey/Posey 1
Link to Baggarly on Bailey/Posey 2
Link to Rosenthal on Posey
Link to Bailey’s framing at FG
Link to 2026 FG framing leaders
Link to 2025 FG framing leaders
Link to Savant framing leaders
Link to top players since Bailey’s call-up
Link to top Giants since Bailey’s call-up
Link to top catchers since Bailey’s call-up
Link to Giants dugout pitch-calling article 1
Link to Giants dugout pitch-calling article 2
Link to Bailey wRC+ joke
Link to story about Hedges the hitter
Link to “framemog” at wiktionary
Link to framemogging meme
Link to NPR on framemogging
Link to Vitello quote about effort
Link to Vitello pitching change confusion
Link to Kapler pitching change confusion
Link to La Russa pitching change confusion
Link to Nightengale on the trade deadline
Link to MLBTR on the Giants’ outlook
Link to team run differentials
Link to Conforto wRC+ leaderboard
Link to top team SP by WAR
Link to Pirates SP production
Link to FG MLB WAR leaders
Link to longest consecutive games streaks
Link to Freeman vs. Olson WAR post-2022
Link to worst RP WPAs
Link to Kimbrel loss
Link to Kimbrel grand slam story
Link to Chavez’s Giants origin story
Link to “OTP” explainer
Link to Cox obit
Link to Atlanta championship expectations
Link to Cox research 1
Link to Cox research 2
Link to Cox research 3
Link to manager longevity article
Link to data on ejection causes
Link to CCS ejections posts
Link to 2026 manager ejection count
Link to 2025 manager ejections count
Link to 2024 manager ejections count
Link to manager ejections data over time
Link to 2016 THT article on Cox DV
Link to 1995 THT article on Cox DV
Link to Clevinger report 1
Link to Clevinger report 2
Link to Tigers Triple-A manager firing
Link to Mixtape wiki
Link to “bro explaining” meme
Link to Mixtape baseball quote 1
Link to Mixtape baseball quote 2
Link to Ben’s gaming podcast
Link to article on foul ball increases
Link to 2026 foul ball leaders
Link to 1988 foul ball data

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 Facebook Group
 Bluesky Account
 Twitter Account
 Get Our Merch!

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

Subscribe: RSS

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon.

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a report that Tarik Skubal’s surgically cleaned-up elbow contained only a solitary “loose body,” why the NL now has the upper hand over the AL and whether the latter’s lackluster win-loss records matter, Meg’s thrilling, frustrating in-person Paul Skenes spectator experience, Kazuma Okamoto’s move back in the box, and Rico Garcia’s impressive .000 BABIP streak, plus a follow-up on why good framers have struggled at challenging, listener emails (57:54) about making more knuckleballers, a popup that never comes down, retiring not just numbers, but names, rotating umpires within games, extra-inning non-scoring, and “extra bases,” followed by a bunch of postscript updates.

Audio intro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Heyman tweet
Link to “Torn and Frayed”
Link to Bodies Bodies Bodies
Link to Rodón quote
Link to Rodón EW discussion
Link to Sheehan on NL vs. AL
Link to team run differential data
Link to 2026 team run differentials
Link to winning records data 1
Link to winning records data 2
Link to AL vs. NL record by year
Link to Skenes start gamer
Link to Skenes TTOP
Link to 1-0 game at Coors
Link to Savantle
Link to Petriello’s Okamoto tweet
Link to Petriello’s Okamoto article
Link to Okamoto quesadilla article
Link to depth in box correlations
Link to .000 BABIP streaks
Link to Garcia profile
Link to fielder support for pitchers
Link to Voros BABIP article
Link to EW Episode 1399
Link to Ben’s article on knuckleballs
Link to Knuckleball Nation website
Link to Knuckleball Nation article
Link to knuckleball total by year
Link to pitcher knuckleball totals
Link to Jannis on EW
Link to Granderson popup clip
Link to Granderson popup post
Link to Orosco glove article 1
Link to Orosco glove article 2
Link to Orosco glove article 3
Link to Prince guitar toss article
Link to Lee6 article 1
Link to Lee6 article 2
Link to Lee6 article 3
Link to Baumann on the Muncys
Link to EW Episode 1700
Link to EW Episode 1715
Link to scoreless zombie-inning streaks
Link to listener emails database
Link to Domínguez injury story
Link to Jones call-up story
Link to Judge/Jones comparison
Link to 2026 TTO% leaders
Link to all-time single-season TTO% leaders
Link to Frazier’s sign-off
Link to Matthews SABR article
Link to Rushing feature
Link to Coaches4Hire LLC photo
Link to Coaches4Hire LLC info
Link to coaches4hire.com
Link to archived Coaches4Hire site
Link to Coaches4Hire Insta

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 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 late Ted Turner’s explanation for firing Bobby Cox, how MVP-caliber Mike Trout returned and whether a Trout trade is too much to hope for, Carlos Correa’s season-ending injury and the outlook for the Astros, the offseason’s influx of free-agent retreads from NPB and/or the KBO, and a transparent plunking by Framber Valdez, then Stat Blast (1:25:43) about a Pirates scheduling quirk, an unlikely no. 9 batter, hitting-streak outliers, improbable power outages, identical beginnings to innings, and which events get starting pitchers pulled, plus reactions to the surprising starts of Ildemaro Vargas, Fernando Tatis Jr., Patrick Bailey, Austin Hedges, and Adley Rutschman.

Audio intro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to “The Tell-Tale Heart”
Link to actual Turner quote
Link to supposed Turner quote
Link to NYT Turner obit
Link to MLB.com Turner obit
Link to story on Turner the manager
Link to Turner wiki
Link to Cox wiki
Link to Cox pitching impact study 1
Link to Cox pitching impact study 2
Link to Cox study 3
Link to Law on Trout
Link to Olney on Trout
Link to Spy Kids Thumb-Thumbs
Link to Trout’s 2024 trade comments
Link to FG farm rankings
Link to FG on-pace leaderboard
Link to Trout’s Savant page
Link to EW episode 2218
Link to EW episode 2374
Link to Paine on Trout
Link to team OF WAR
Link to 2026 Angels preview
Link to Cobb/Speaker article
Link to Dan S. on Correa
Link to Dan S. on the Astros
Link to BP IL Ledger
Link to playoff odds changes
Link to Imai’a latest comments
Link to list of NPB/KBO imports
Link to Weiss demotion
Link to previous retread successes
Link to “joint mice” source 1
Link to “joint mice” source 2
Link to Skubal report
Link to The Witches scene
Link to The Witches retrospective
Link to BP on Framber
Link to Framber pitch usage
Link to Framber article
Link to MLBTR on Framber’s suspension
Link to preview-pod Framber talk
Link to Story HBP
Link to Rafaela HBP
Link to story about Hosmer
Link to Hosmer’s video
Link to Hedges 15-game stretches
Link to article on Hedges’ hitting
Link to Rockies batting orders
Link to Jay on Vargas
Link to Roth on Vargas
Link to Murphy quote about Vargas
Link to hitting-streaks data 1
Link to hitting-streaks data 2
Link to PA before first HR data
Link to mid-inning-hook data
Link to MLBTR on Tatis
Link to listener emails database

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 Facebook Group
 Bluesky Account
 Twitter Account
 Get Our Merch!

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

Subscribe: RSS

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss the late John Sterling, fan affection for local broadcasters, and whether any broadcast institutions don’t inspire such attachment, then banter about Anthony Volpe’s demotion, Tarik Skubal’s elbow injury, the Mets’ decision to stand by Carlos Mendoza, dramatically different results in back-to-back Reds-Pirates games, Riley O’Brien’s success, Nick Kurtz, Roy Cullenbine, and prolific walk-drawers with unimpressive power, whether framing and challenging skills are correlated for catchers, and a Baseball Savant-based guessing game, plus follow-ups on Mexico City’s elevation and Dalton Rushing.

Audio intro: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Brussels sprouts EW episode
Link to Sterling obit
Link to previous Sterling discussion
Link to Sterling on FanGraphs
Link to 2011 Sterling profile
Link to Sterling wiki
Link to Kay wiki
Link to Kay on Sterling
Link to Kay diet piece 1
Link to Kay diet piece 2
Link to Kay diet piece 3
Link to Baumann on Volpe
Link to Clemens on Skubal
Link to Passan post
Link to Tatiana Trumpet story
Link to MLB.com on Skubal
Link to CBS Sports on Skubal
Link to Dan S. on managerial firings
Link to Ball on managerial firings
Link to Stearns on Mendoza
Link to Mendoza’s reaction
Link to seven consecutive walks
Link to worst hitters 2023-26
Link to RP WAR leaders
Link to Clemens on O’Brien
Link to Johnny interview
Link to Johnny and Riley
Link to Mexico City sinking story
Link to status quo bias wiki
Link to 2025 run differentials
Link to 2026 run differentials
Link to Cashman comments
Link to Ben on team turnover
Link to Kurtz streak story 1
Link to Kurtz streak story 2
Link to Cullenbine post 1
Link to Cullenbine post 2
Link to Ben on pre-WAR valuations
Link to Roy Thomas SABR bio
Link to foul-strike rule
Link to Max Bishop SABR bio
Link to Eddie Yost SABR bio
Link to Eddie Joost SABR bio
Link to career + stats
Link to team framing leaderboard
Link to catcher challenges leaderboard
Link to batter challenges leaderboard
Link to Tango’s Soto/Bailey tweet
Link to framing/challenging correlations
Link to Ruiz on framing/challenging
Link to Millas on framing/challenging
Link to Petriello on 2025 challenges
Link to player survey on challenges
Link to Rushing on Lee 1
Link to Rushing on Lee 2
Link to Rushing’s timeout call
Link to Rushing’s challenge
Link to Tango on the challenge
Link to Savantle
Link to other Savant guessing games

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 Facebook Group
 Bluesky Account
 Twitter Account
 Get Our Merch!

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

Subscribe: RSS

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon.

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing is the new reigning redass of MLB, and the first in-depth he-said, they-said mud-slinging about Craig Breslow and Boston’s coaching cull. Then (35:19) they Stat Blast about the longest streaks of series wins and non-losses to start a season (or at any point in a season), lapping the league in run differential, and batterymates who were previously exchanged in a trade, before bringing on Ben Clemens of FanGraphs (49:36) to talk about whether Munetaka Murakami’s hot start is sustainable (and if so, why he was widely underestimated), how the strike zone has been shrunk and reshaped in the ABS era—somewhat counterintuitively, not just because of overturned calls—and the potential short/long-term effects on scoring.

Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2”

Link to “redass” definition
Link to Carig on “redass”
Link to Rushing timeline
Link to “fishy” comment clip
Link to “fishy” comment article
Link to Rockies celebration
Link to Lee incident clip
Link to Rushing denial
Link to Lee incident article
Link to Amaya incident clip
Link to Hoerner comments
Link to Rushing’s slide
Link to Arraez comments
Link to timeout request
Link to 2015 Williams feature
Link to Breslow/Boston report
Link to fatberg wiki
Link to streaks spreadsheet
Link to Columbus Solons wiki
Link to traded batterymates
Link to Ben’s catchers research
Link to Shackleton wiki
Link to Clemens on Murakami
Link to chase rate leaderboard
Link to Passan on Ohtani in 2018
Link to Passan’s follow-up
Link to Clemens on the strike zone
Link to strike zone definition
Link to Trueblood on the strike zone
Link to Trueblood on challenges
Link to Sam on 3-0 autostrikes
Link to 2025 buffer zone change
Link to ump accuracy over time
Link to Ben on umpire grading
Link to kernel regression wiki
Link to 2024-26 MLB rates
Link to 2025 MLB rates through same date
Link to 2024 MLB rates through same date
Link to highest full-season rates
Link to Federer Hawk-Eye stance 1
Link to Federer Hawk-Eye stance 2

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 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 Vinnie Pasquantino’s new espresso machine, how the Phillies’ firing of Rob Thomson compares to Boston’s coaching overhaul and how Thomson’s dismissal both does and doesn’t make sense, Mason Miller’s “slump,” Shohei Ohtani’s WAR distribution, Max Scherzer’s major league last gasp, Travis Bazzana’s debut, and how the Mexican League’s Diablos Rojos have handled high altitude. Then (55:48) they talk to Jason Benetti, TV voice of the Tigers and new lead MLB broadcaster for Sunday Night Baseball on NBC, about how he got his new gig, juggling jobs and employers, teaming up with different broadcast partners (including a besuited John Kruk) every week, how NBC approaches baseball, the AL Central’s mediocrity, Kevin McGonigle’s precocious success, Jason’s full-circle Bob Costas story, and Mr. Monopoly vs. Mr. Peanut.

Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to espresso machine post
Link to Nespresso wiki
Link to Baumann on Thomson
Link to MLBTR on Thomson
Link to Paine on Thomson
Link to Phillies’ record under Thomson
Link to batter WAR under Thomson
Link to pitcher WAR under Thomson
Link to team defense
Link to team run differentials
Link to playoff odds changes
Link to Gelb on Thomson
Link to Cora report 1
Link to Cora report 2
Link to MLBTR on Crochet
Link to Miller story
Link to Soriano story
Link to combined WAR leaderboard
Link to MLBTR on Scherzer
Link to Scherzer’s daughter’s letter
Link to Baumann on Bazzana
Link to MLBTR on Bazzana
Link to 2026 FG top 100
Link to Bazzana at Prospect Savant
Link to list of debut IBBs
Link to The Devil Wears Prada 2
Link to Patrick Brammall wiki
Link to Song Sung Blue
Link to Tenet dialogue story 1
Link to Tenet dialogue story 2
Link to Nolan dialogue explanation
Link to sound mixing story
Link to MLBTR on Bazzana
Link to Mexican League elevations
Link to Octavio Hernández
Link to Coors hangover article 1
Link to Coors hangover article 2
Link to Coors hangover article 3
Link to Benetti at Saberseminar
Link to SBJ profile
Link to NBC Sundays schedule
Link to this Sunday’s schedule
Link to Jason’s broadcast partners
Link to Walton-Benetti story
Link to Kruk’s suit
Link to Curb “middling” scene
Link to Ben on Albert/Stockton
Link to interdivision records
Link to bat weight research
Link to Mr. Monopoly wiki
Link to Mr. Peanut wiki
Link to Mr. Peanut tweet
Link to Benetti’s podcast

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 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 Red Sox suddenly sweeping their coaching staff clean, projected contenders off to even worse starts than the Sox, MLB offense in Mexico City, a double ball-strike challenge, Kyle Harrison as the new Quinn Priester, and Kevin McGonigle out-phenoming Konnor Griffin, then Stat Blast (38:37) about Brandon Phillips and major league afterlives, teams hitting for the homer cycle in a single inning, and individual net five-homer games. Then (53:38) they talk to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier about how and why the Red Sox fired Alex Cora and Co. and whether there’s more house-cleaning to come.

Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial: The Spaghettis, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG post on Sox firings
Link to MLBTR on Sox firings
Link to MLBTR on Sox hirings
Link to original Cronin wiki
Link to van photo
Link to Four Seasons Total Landscaping
Link to Whitlock quote
Link to Story quote
Link to player reactions round-up
Link to firing timing Stat Blast
Link to Sportradar firing fact
Link to “Chad” wiki
Link to Cora reactions story
Link to Cora text
Link to Cora tweet
Link to fired coaches photo 1
Link to fired coaches photo 2
Link to Paine’s Sox analysis 1
Link to Paine’s Sox analysis 2
Link to playoff odds changes
Link to Diamondbacks Mexico City win
Link to Mexico games
Link to Ben on Mexico City scoring
Link to Monterrey stadium
Link to Mexico City stadium
Link to run-scoring comparison
Link to Vancouver expansion story
Link to double challenge clip
Link to double challenge story
Link to Refsnyder challenge story
Link to Baty challenge story
Link to Harrison’s five-start averages
Link to FG on-pace leaders
Link to Griffin’s first dinger
Link to Phillips contract story
Link to EW on delayed retirements
Link to major league afterlives data
Link to Kenny Jackelen
Link to Phillips B-Ref page
Link to PCL wiki
Link to SIS Cameron story
Link to SIS Cameron post
Link to Red Sox preview pod
Link to team HR leaderboard
Link to team SP WAR
Link to Sheehan on the Sox offense
Link to Napoli photo
Link to Napoli story
Link to team payrolls page
Link to Rosenthal on Cora
Link to team payrolls page
Link to listener meetup tool (PW: EW2026)
Link to meetup tool Reddit post
Link to sub-two-hour-marathon story

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 Facebook Group
 Bluesky Account
 Twitter Account
 Get Our Merch!

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

Subscribe: RSS

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon.

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether JR Ritchie should want to keep the ball that was hit for a homer on his first major league pitch, José Soriano’s season-starting hot streak, and the Yankees’ new alternate uniforms, plus follow-ups on accidental challenges, player pecks on the cheek, jersey numbers, and Nolan McLean’s apology, and a mini-Blast about the Rockies’ historically hot start (compared to last year). Then (50:36) they take a break from interviewing octagenarian former players to interview a youthful, quadragenarian former player: former All-Star Brad Lidge. An infamous manager once proclaimed, “The closer is the closer because he’s the closer.” But what if the closer becomes an archaeologist? Ben and Meg talk to Lidge at length about his post-playing pivot to archaeology: what drew him to the field, how he’s pursued a second profession (and how it differs from his first one), ancient Etruscans, misconceptions about archaeology, what he could learn from excavating a ballpark, discovering dice (note: not a gambling ad), discussing his career reinvention at cocktail parties, the pleasures and procedures of communing with the past, archaeology’s moneyball, and much more, followed by his thoughts on fellow fastball-slider artist Mason Miller.

Audio intro: PJ Harding, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to The Only Rule closer line
Link to line’s EW wiki entry
Link to Lidge’s SABR bio
Link to postseason saves leaders
Link to best post-’88 RP seasons
Link to Pujols homer
Link to 2008 WS victory
Link to Episode 2323
Link to Wood’s HR
Link to Ritchie game story
Link to Yankees jerseys report 1
Link to Yankees jerseys report 2
Link to Yankees jerseys report 3
Link to jersey number history
Link to Gilbert “catch”
Link to Gilbert “catch” rules
Link to Vargas “accidental” challenge
Link to Gonzales “accidental” challenge
Link to Martin-Davis smooch
Link to Soriano’s six-start stretches
Link to Soriano’s 2025 stretch
Link to Soriano’s 2026 stretch
Link to exit velo responsibility
Link to Soriano article 1
Link to Betteridge’s law 1
Link to Soriano article 2
Link to follow-up McLean report
Link to fastest team improvements data
Link to 2018 archaeoLidgey article
Link to 2026 archaeoLidgey article
Link to Lidge Explorers Club
Link to Poggio Civitate wiki
Link to Under the Tuscan Sun wiki
Link to Etruscan civilization wiki
Link to Roman Empire meme
Link to Lidge’s publications
Link to Lidge’s dice paper
Link to North American dice article 1
Link to North American dice article 2
Link to Ben on Detectorists

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Give a Gift Subscription
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
 Effectively Wild Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 Apple Podcasts Feed 
 Spotify Feed
 YouTube Playlist
 Facebook Group
 Bluesky Account
 Twitter Account
 Get Our Merch!

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

Subscribe: RSS