Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about recent signings and injuries pertaining to teams whose seasons they’ve recently previewed, the Diamondbacks re-signing Zac Gallen and the thrilling resolution of the free-agent-contract over/under draft, the winter of Bryce Harper’s discontent, Harper and Manny Machado’s comments about the Dodgers’ spending, Max Muncy’s extension, the worsening of the allegations against Emmanuel Clase, new details about the challenge system, Mike Trout’s impending return to center field, and (44:33) the momentous, surprising resignation of Tony Clark as MLBPA executive director. Then (1:00:22) they bring on FanGraphs prospect writers Eric Longenhagen and Brendan Gawlowski to discuss their ranking of the sport’s top 100 (well, 110) prospects.

Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)”
Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to post on recent Padres signings
Link to Preller extension story
Link to MLBTR on López
Link to MLBTR on Rengifo
Link to post on Gallen signing
Link to EWStats site
Link to over/under draft history
Link to Harper video
Link to Harper article
Link to Harper t-shirt
Link to Happy Gilmore scene
Link to Harper/Machado comments
Link to Muncy extension story
Link to the latest on Clase
Link to Ben on Clase
Link to Manfred’s Clase comment
Link to Clase’s 2018 balk
Link to EW Episode 1269
Link to challenge system explainer
Link to broadcast details
Link to MLBTR on Trout
Link to The Athletic on Clark
Link to ESPN on Clark
Link to MLBTR on Clark
Link to Baumann on Clark
Link to 2024 whistleblower complaint
Link to federal probe report
Link to federal probe report 2
Link to federal probe report 3
Link to OneTeam Partners explainer
Link to NLFPA meltdown
Link to FG top prospects list
Link to Griffin’s Instagram
Link to ZiPS Top 100
Link to top 100 prospects chat
Link to piece on prospect debates
Link to Brendan’s return post
Link to Ben on pitching prospects
Link to latest Wade/Ward mix-up
Link to Wade/Ward history

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about hamate fractures and other deflating spring training injury announcements, Zack Wheeler’s preserved rib, Chris Getz and Luisangel Acuña, a profusion of salary cap coverage, and more, and then preview the 2026 Baltimore Orioles (38:50) with The Baltimore Banner’s Andy Kostka, and the 2026 San Diego Padres (1:27:28) with MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell.

Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to hamate injuries story
Link to “bird bones” wiki
Link to hamate research 1
Link to hamate research 2
Link to Walcott news
Link to Acuña 200% story
Link to >100% wiki entry
Link to Casas “dry swings” story
Link to rib story
Link to Castellanos post
Link to Gelb on Castellanos
Link to Castellanos release news
Link to Craig on Castellanos
Link to Stubbs milk post
Link to Kimbrel photo
Link to Kimbrel photo thread
Link to Tong photo
Link to Getz/Acuña montage
Link to Getz/Acuña story
Link to Sam on Getz/Acuña
Link to Murakami misspelling
Link to prediction markets story
Link to Passan cap story
Link to previous Passan cap story
Link to Drellich cap story
Link to previous Drellich cap story
Link to Rubenstein/Epstein story
Link to team payrolls page
Link to Orioles offseason tracker
Link to Orioles depth chart
Link to team SP projections
Link to team RP projections
Link to team offseason spending
Link to Elias quote
Link to O’s catchers
Link to Andy’s author archive
Link to Padres offseason tracker
Link to Padres depth chart
Link to AJ’s last 2025 post
Link to AJ’s first 2026 post
Link to Padres sale story 1
Link to Padres sale story 2
Link to Padres sale story 3
Link to Manfred quote
Link to team RP WAR
Link to team ISO
Link to ESPN farm rankings
Link to BP farm rankings
Link to BA on Padres prospects
Link to Shildt story
Link to AJ on Preller
Link to AJ’s author archive
Link to Stathead query 1
Link to Stathead query 2
Link to Stathead query 3

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about new (and encouraging) details about MLB.TV registration, Justin Verlander returning to the Tigers, the rites of spring training, and the Rafael Devers trade in retrospect, before previewing the 2026 Milwaukee Brewers (20:50) with The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Curt Hogg, and the 2026 Texas Rangers (1:08:28) with MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry.

Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Garrett Krohn, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to MLB.TV sign-up details
Link to in-market streaming details
Link to MLBTR on Verlander
Link to over/under draft
Link to EWStats post 1
Link to EWStats post 2
Link to late-signing pitchers post
Link to Casas post
Link to Lindor injury story
Link to Schwellenbach injury story
Link to Jays injuries story
Link to Ben on spring injuries
Link to Crochet announcement
Link to FG post on Durbin deal
Link to FG projected standings
Link to BP projected standings
Link to team payrolls
Link to Brewers offseason tracker
Link to Brewers depth chart
Link to team SS projections
Link to team 3B projections
Link to MLBTR on Contreras surgery
Link to 2025 catcher WAR leaderboard
Link to 2025 catcher IP leaderboard
Link to Sam on Brewers grounders
Link to NL RotY voting
Link to Curt’s author archive
Link to Curt’s podcast
Link to Rangers offseason tracker
Link to Rangers depth chart
Link to SP depth charts
Link to RP depth charts
Link to Burger article
Link to 2025 team batting age
Link to 2025 team pitching age
Link to Kennedi’s author archive

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Meg Rowley shares her euphoric reaction to the Seahawks’ Super Bowl win, while Ben Lindbergh largely listens and occasionally interjects with bits of baseball commentary. Then (29:14) they discuss Buck Martinez’s retirement, Terrance Gore’s untimely death, and a purported catching super-prospect, before previewing the 2026 Pittsburgh Pirates (44:23) with Roundtable Sports’ John Perrotto, and the 2026 Minnesota Twins (1:25:07) with The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman.

Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to HUAL Super Bowl episode
Link to Acuña Jr. at the halftime show
Link to Mercy wiki
Link to Pratt article
Link to Bad Bunny insurance article
Link to Ben on the KC OF
Link to Buck announcement
Link to Buck saying Schlittler
Link to Andy on Gore
Link to Woodrum on Gore
Link to Gore on EW
Link to catching prospect video
Link to scout quote about Robert
Link to baserunning leaderboard
Link to team payrolls
Link to Pirates offseason tracker
Link to Pirates depth chart
Link to FG playoff odds
Link to Post-Gazette closure
Link to MLB.com layoffs
Link to John’s author archive
Link to Twins offseason tracker
Link to Twins depth chart
Link to Trueblood on Bell
Link to Pohlad political comments
Link to player political comments
Link to Aaron’s author archive
Link to Aaron’s podcast
Link to Witherspoon post 1
Link to Witherspoon post 2
Link to Teasley obit
Link to Teasley on EW

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the new, ESPN-ified process for signing up for MLB.TV, Stat Blast (12:28) about the long-sought, newfound pitching prowess of the WBC’s Team USA superteam, and then (34:31) preview the 2026 San Francisco Giants with The Athletic’s Grant Brisbee, and the 2026 Kansas City Royals (1:20:20) with MLB.com’s Anne Rogers.

Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Labuza Bluesky post
Link to resulting Reddit thread
Link to Labuza web post
Link to Ben on the WBC
Link to team payrolls
Link to Giants offseason tracker
Link to Giants depth chart
Link to Grant on Vitello
Link to Grant on the Giants offseason
Link to Grant’s records account
Link to Grant on the “Posey Rule”
Link to last year’s Giants preview
Link to Bonds curses article
Link to Flores call article
Link to Bogaerts call article
Link to Grant’s author archive
Link to Omnibus podcast
Link to Royals offseason tracker
Link to Royals depth chart
Link to Vinnie on EW
Link to Anne on outfield fences
Link to team OF WAR
Link to Anne on Garcia’s extension
Link to Anne on Quatraro’s extension
Link to Anne on hitting coach changes
Link to Chiefs stadium move
Link to Royals move article
Link to Anne on Royals TV distribution

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about MLB player chatbots, an Addison Barger giveaway, Tarik Skubal’s big arbitration win, the Tigers signing Framber Valdez, and a rough week for sports media, then (36:29) begin the 14th annual EW season preview series by discussing the 2026 Houston Astros with The Athletic’s Chandler Rome, and the 2026 Arizona Diamondbacks (1:25:35) with The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro, followed (1:54:53) by a postscript.

Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Sean .P, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to chatbots story
Link to Barger story
Link to season preview series wiki
Link to Passan on Skubal
Link to Baumann on Skubal
Link to Dan S. on Framber
Link to Rosenthal on the Pirates
Link to Rosenthal on the Tigers
Link to Chandler on the cross-up
Link to team SP projections
Link to NPR on WaPo
Link to NYT on WaPo sports
Link to The Ringer on WaPo sports
Link to The New Yorker on WaPo
Link to The Atlantic on WaPo
Link to Silver on WaPo
Link to MLB.com layoffs
Link to Grant post
Link to team payrolls
Link to Astros offseason tracker
Link to Astros depth chart
Link to BP IL Ledger
Link to Dan S. on team injuries
Link to Chandler on Correa
Link to Chandler on Imai
Link to Chandler on the infield
Link to Chandler on Espada/Brown
Link to Trueblood on Peña
Link to Chandler’s author archive
Link to Crush City Territory
Link to Diamondbacks offseason tracker
Link to Diamondbacks depth chart
Link to team RP WAR
Link to team RP WPA
Link to ballpark funding deal info
Link to more funding deal info
Link to funding deal opinion piece
Link to renovations preview
Link to Nick on the Alexander trade
Link to FG post on Santana
Link to Nick’s author archive
Link to Boehly/Epstein article
Link to ESPN’s Clase report
Link to Ben on Clase
Link to EW episode on Clase
Link to SABR awards voting
Link to Wood/Lolich IP leaderboard
Link to Lolich obit

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about MLB owners avoiding the Epstein files, preview the season preview series, bemoan the insurance issues preventing some stars from playing in the WBC, and break down the Luis Arraez and Eugenio Suárez signings, the Brendan Donovan trade, the latest White Sox moves, and their major takeaways from the release of the 2026 playoff odds. Then (1:22:00) Ben brings on historian Richard Hershberger to discuss the 150th anniversary of the National League’s founding, followed by (1:41:02) a postscript.

Audio intro: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Epstein files sports roundup
Link to season preview series wiki
Link to insurance article
Link to Ben on WBC injuries
Link to Arraez signing FG post
Link to Dan S. on Arraez
Link to Sam on Arraez
Link to team 2B projections
Link to Arraez offers report
Link to Arraez defensive stats
Link to Moneyball quote
Link to Washington hiring
Link to Ben on Arraez
Link to “gotta hand it to them” tweet
Link to “It’s Been Awhile”
Link to Suárez signing FG post
Link to over/under draft tracker
Link to palindrome post
Link to Donovan trade post
Link to Dipoto trade story
Link to “WWJDD?”
Link to Dipoto hospital story
Link to Cijntje specialization story
Link to Cijntje splits
Link to Becker on three-team trades
Link to Rays ballpark funding info
Link to Sam’s trade post
Link to Sam’s original Rays post
Link to “White Soxer” post
Link to FG offseason tracker
Link to Baumann on the White Sox
Link to BP on the White Sox
Link to Slater “top target” quote
Link to Murakami bidets story
Link to Sasaki bidets story
Link to Mamdani bidets story
Link to Ben on bidets
Link to team payrolls
Link to Dan S. on beating the Dodgers
Link to Dan on the Pirates/A’s
Link to the playoff odds
Link to Clemens on the playoff odds
Link to projected team WAR
Link to Strike Four
Link to Richard’s SABR work
Link to projected team WAR
Link to Past Blast wiki
Link to Richard’s NL post 1
Link to Richard’s NL post 2
Link to Richard’s NL post 3
Link to 1876 NL
Link to prediction markets update
Link to team broadcasts update
Link to 2025 player earnings data
Link to original Stat Blast
Link to new Stat Blast data
Link to $/WAR by year

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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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