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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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about how the on-ramp for learning about sports analytics has changed since they were students, follow up on players who unretired after becoming coaches, break down the Edward Cabrera trade (and the Michael Lorenzen signing), and then discuss the remaining top-10 free agents (Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Framber Valdez, Cody Bellinger, Bo Bichette, and Ranger Suárez) from three perspectives: where they’d have the biggest impact, where would be most fun for them to sign, and where they will sign.

Audio intro: Garrett Krohn, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Rice job listing
Link to Andres class article 1
Link to Andres class article 2
Link to Sabermetrics 101 MOOC
Link to Mota article
Link to Quirk bio
Link to Chambliss bio
Link to “Conformity Gate”
Link to Ben on Mass Effect 3
Link to Baumann on Cabrera
Link to Cabrera pitch values
Link to worst fastballs
Link to Andrews on Lorenzen
Link to FG top 50 FA
Link to Petriello on Tucker
Link to Gelb on Bichette
Link to IF fielding value
Link to team payrolls
Link to team SP depth charts
Link to team positional projections

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Daniel Vogelbach becoming a Brewers hitting coach and coach-hiring trends, analyze and phact-check Tommy Pham’s pitch for “PhamGraphs,” react to the Kazuma Okamoto signing and the Blue Jays embracing their big-market potential (in contrast to the Giants), and take the temperature of the pretty tepid stove (phollowed by a phollow-up on Pham).

Audio intro: The Spaghettis, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Vogelbach news
Link to Brewers coaching staff
Link to last year’s Vogelbach hiring
Link to Vogelbach promo
Link to article on PhamGraphs
Link to negativity bias wiki
Link to team batting LI
Link to batter opp_DRA-
Link to team batter opp_DRA-
Link to lineup construction study
Link to DRA- explainer
Link to DRC+ explainer
Link to Canha’s BP player card
Link to Pham’s BP player card
Link to August Pham incident
Link to EW Episode 2363
Link to PH PA leaders
Link to Eric on Okamoto
Link to NPB HR since 2019
Link to MLBTR on Okamoto
Link to MLBTR on Takahashi
Link to FG payroll page
Link to FG post on Mahle
Link to team SP projections
Link to FG top 50 FA
Link to Ben on pennant complacency
Link to Harbaugh firing
Link to latest Hang Up and Listen
Link to Albies TikTok

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Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Ben Clemens banter about the Astros signing Tatsuya Imai to a smaller-than-expected deal. Then (18:20) they continue a cherished podcast tradition by conducting the 13th annual Effectively Wild Minor League Free Agent Draft, in which they select 10 minor league free agents each and compete to see whose roster will accumulate the most combined MLB playing time in 2025 (followed by a postscript at 1:31:23).

Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to guest appearances sheet
Link to FG post on Imai
Link to MLBTR on Imai
Link to Feinsand tweet
Link to The Athletic on Imai
Link to minor league free agents
Link to MLBTR on MiLB FA
Link to last year’s draft
Link to MiLB FA draft wiki
Link to EWStats page
Link to dynasty FA draft sheet
Link to Brebbia on EW
Link to MLBTR on Baddoo
Link to 2025 MLB average SP
Link to MiLB IP leaders
Link to Can’t Hardly Wait scene
Link to this year’s draftees
Link to first Stathead query
Link to second Stathead query
Link to Boob McNutt
Link to Mutt and Jeff
Link to Gink and Boob
Link to Bucco Bricks tweet
Link to Lile’s Reddit response
Link to MLB.com on Lile
Link to car service jingles
Link to Conjunction Junction
Link to “certain point of view” scene
Link to “Old Ben” clip
Link to Slate on prediction markets
Link to Bloomberg on prediction markets
Link to Sporcle quiz

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the potential risk to sports prediction markets pose and then (24:00) discuss at least one listener-nominated topic about each American League team that wasn’t previously covered on the show in 2025.

Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to MLBTR on Rendon
Link to Bloomberg on prediction markets
Link to The Athletic on prediction markets
Link to FoS on the Blackhawks
Link to story about MLB memo
Link to Slate on prediction markets
Link to Slate on prediction markets 2
Link to Royals stadium story
Link to 1922 article on Fowler
Link to AL stories spreadsheet
Link to Ella Black series

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a smattering of recent transactions and then (20:17) discuss at least one listener-nominated topic about each National League team that wasn’t previously covered on the podcast in 2025.

Audio intro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Sean .P, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to MLB.com on Soderstrom
Link to MLBTR on Soderstrom
Link to MLBTR on Refsnyder
Link to The Athletic on Refsnyder
Link to “the grink” tweet
Link to Fowler SABR bio
Link to 1925 article on Fowler
Link to NL stories spreadsheet

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Ben Lindbergh talks to two pitchers who topped out at Triple-A in 2025, which was a demotion for one and a promotion for the other. First, he brings back Rangers pitcher Declan Cronin, the only major leaguer alum of Ben’s high school, to discuss a setback of a season that included a mysterious hip injury, compromised mechanics, diminished stuff, a cutthroat release and, finally, Tommy John surgery. Along the way, they cover the urge to play through injuries, joining the Rangers after being unceremoniously jettisoned by the Marlins, what tearing a UCL feels like, the incentives that lead to elbow problems, Declan’s plan to bounce back from a challenging year, MLB-NWSL romances, and competing with other players for wedding dates. Then (1:05:45), Ben talks to White Sox pitcher/sportswriter Duncan Davitt about becoming a journalist on the side, being on both ends of interviews, being blacked out of baseball broadcasts, the plight and importance of local media, his deceptive delivery, being traded and making a 40-man for the first time, what he has to do to earn a call-up, whether pitchers wear protective cups, and much more.

Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2”

Link to “TK” journalism term
Link to MLBTR on Soderstrom
Link to Regis High School wiki
Link to Declan’s first pod appearance
Link to Declan’s second pod appearance
Link to article about baseball weddings
Link to Declan t-shirt
Link to MLBTR on Declan’s TJ
Link to list of TJ surgeries
Link to cascade injury article
Link to MLBTR on Declan’s deal
Link to team RP WPA
Link to team RP WAR
Link to staff page at Tread
Link to Tyler Zombro wiki
Link to Paige Monaghan wiki
Link to Paige’s wedding post
Link to Dansby/Mallory article
Link to Peña/Grosso engagement
Link to Duncan strikeout reel
Link to Register feature on Duncan
Link to Sox Machine feature on Duncan
Link to Duncan’s wedding post
Link to Rays prospect ranking
Link to traded prospects ranking
Link to minor league IP leaders
Link to Ben on deception
Link to Indianola IA website
Link to Indianola wiki
Link to J.D. Scholten appearance
Link to Indianola IA sports page
Link to Duncan’s boys’ basketball article
Link to Duncan’s girls’ basketball article
Link to Duncan on the offseason
Link to Duncan on the trade
Link to Duncan on the 40-man
Link to Duncan on Triple-A
Link to Duncan on big league belief
Link to Laurila’s notes column
Link to Ben on the gap in 2025
Link to Ben on the gap in 2015
Link to Davenport on the gap
Link to MLB.com on Abbott Elementary
Link to Schwarber’s 4-HR game
Link to MLB survey question

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