Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Games 4 and 5 of the World Series, with an emphasis on Game 5’s error-plagued fifth inning, managerial moves and bullpen performance, the significance of the Dodgers’ victory and the future of the franchise, puzzling stats about sweeps and teams that fall behind 3-0 in best-of-seven series, cluttered fun facts, fan interference mishegoss, and much more.

Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Daniel Lewis, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG playoff coverage
Link to Ben on the Dodgers’ win
Link to Game 5 fun facts
Link to Kram on the fifth inning
Link to Will Smiths story
Link to Rogers tweet
Link to fan ban
Link to facial recognition story
Link to Gronk tweet
Link to 3-0 leads story
Link to Ben on predicting sweeps
Link to Paine on sweeps 1
Link to Paine on sweeps 2
Link to fun fact 1
Link to fun fact 2

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about and break down the lopsided first three games of the World Series: what went as expected, what was surprising, Aaron Judge’s postseason struggles, Freddie Freeman’s heroics, Shohei Ohtani’s injury, pivotal plays, Aaron Boone and Nestor Cortes, TV ratings, and much more, followed by (1:06:47) a brief, a not-about baseball voting PSA.

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

Link to FG playoff coverage
Link to Sterling call 1
Link to Sterling call 2
Link to Judge interview clip
Link to Stanton play
Link to Boone on the 2004 Red Sox
Link to Ben on Boone and Cortes
Link to Ben on team health
Link to Will Carroll on Ohtani
Link to Jeff Passan on Ohtani
Link to TV ratings info
Link to Langs slams stat
Link to Langs 3-0 stat
Link to Ice Cube video
Link to Fat Joe video
Link to Vote.gov

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Meg Rowley and guest co-host Craig Goldstein, editor-in-chief of Baseball Prospectus, discuss the passing of Fernando Valenzuela, and his importance to both the Dodgers and baseball more generally. Then they preview the 2024 World Series between the Dodgers and the Yankees. They detail the relative strengths and weaknesses of both teams, breaking down the lineups, rotations, and bullpens, and discuss the players who might make the difference, from big stars like Ohtani, Betts, Judge and Soto, to lesser-known arms like Luke Weaver and Brent Honeywell.

Audio intro: Benny and A Million Shetland Ponies, “Benny and A Million Shetland Ponies – Horny EW Theme”
Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FanGraphs’ postseason coverage
Link to Eric Nusbaum’s book “Stealing Home: Los Angeles, the Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between”
Link to Andy McCullough on Fernando Valenzuela
Link to Craig on how the Dodgers should bullpen Game 1
Link to Craig’s podcast, Five and Dive
Link to Rob Arthur on Ohtani’s effect on attendance
Link to Ben Clemens’ World Series Preview
Link to Mike Petriello on the reliever familiarity effectLink to Michael Baumann on Giancarlo Stanton
Link to Davy Andrews on Aaron Judge
Link to Dan Szymborski on home field advantage in the playoffs
Link to Davy Andrews on the stars of the World Series
Link to Michael Baumann on postseason relievers
Link to Judge and Ohtani in the postseason

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Meg Rowley and guest co-host Eric Longenhagen, FanGraphs’ lead prospect analyst, discuss some of the eliminated playoff teams, Meg’s grand unified theory of Grimace, and a few of the things they are looking forward to in the coming Dodgers-Yankees World Series. Then they discuss what Eric does and doesn’t look for in his Arizona Fall League looks, and how things are going for a few of the Fall League’s big prospects, including Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter, Braves catcher Drake Baldwin, Dodgers outfielder Zyhir Hope, and Padres catcher Ethan Salas. Plus, Eric offers a few tips for those hoping to visit the AFL this year.

Audio intro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG playoff coverage
Link to Eric’s first Fall League dispatch (Andrew Painter, Ethan Salas, Zyhir Hope)
Link to Eric’s second Fall League dispatch (Tre’ Morgan, Kemp Alderman)
Link to the Fall League section of The Board
Link to Jay Jaffe on Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge in the postseason
Link to Jay Jaffe on starting pitching in the postseason
Link to FanGraphs 2024 staff predictions
FanGraphs 2024 staff playoff predictions
Link to ZiPS game-by-game World Series Odds
Link to the FanGraphs Playoff Odds
Link to the FanGraphs Playoff Batting and Pitching Leaderboards

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s surprise presence and PitchCom conspiracies, recap the big moments (and big swings) from the end of the ALCS and NLCS, compare and contrast Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton, consider the 2025 outlooks for the Guardians and Mets, discuss the implications of a World Series matchup between big spenders, preview the Series, and share stats about Emmanuel Clase’s postseason implosion, the meeting of Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, and the star-studded-ness of the Yankees’ and Dodgers’ rosters.

Audio intro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG playoff coverage
Link to Clerks montage
Link to Ben on SP playoff familiarity
Link to Soto at-bat breakdown
Link to Stanton at-bat
Link to Soto at-bat
Link to Soto quote
Link to BaseRuns standings
Link to Clase query data
Link to listener emails database
Link to Verducci on Dodgers-Yankees
Link to ZiPS WS projections
Link to Sterling clip
Link to Langs stat 1
Link to Langs stat 2
Link to Langs stat 3
Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter
Link to MLBTR on the Mets
Link to series star data

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Game 3 of the ALCS and Game 4 of the NLCS, follow up (39:05) on replay review, fly-ball classifications, and executive titles, answer listener emails (53:22) about retiring numbers for both home and road teams and correctly labeling bat “flips,” and Stat Blast (1:03:46) about postseason despair, ball behavior, and roster turnover, plus (1:50:49) a postscript.

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

Link to FG playoff coverage
Link to Noel HR call
Link to triple HR prediction
Link to Giménez play
Link to 2016 NBA Finals wiki
Link to Jaffe on Smith
Link to Johansson hat
Link to xkcd comic
Link to listener emails database
Link to Bautista bat flip
Link to Playoff Despair Index data
Link to Sheehan on October offense
Link to Ben on the 2019 ball
Link to postseason SLG-xSLG
Link to lowest postseason SLGs
Link to Tango on re-centering 1
Link to Tango on re-centering 2
Link to Smith flyout
Link to Sheehan on roster turnover
Link to Ben on roster turnover
Link to roster turnover data
Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter
Link to Episode 1771 Stat Blast
Link to Episode 1586 Stat Blast
Link to hard-hit FB out %
Link to hard-hit LD out %
Link to Garcia nickname
Link to Sportico on sports betting
Link to Jeter clip

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a report that Jerry Reinsdorf might be willing to sell the White Sox, then (13:22) discuss the tactics and storylines of ALCS and NLCS Game 2, including controversial Vogt decisions, how Yankees fans would perceive a pennant or championship, the importance of Max Muncy, visualizing success, Shohei Ohtani’s small-sample splits and playoff history, and more. After that (1:08:02), they answer listener emails about people who don’t know Ohtani can pitch, why some plays aren’t reviewable via replay, expanding the three-batter-minimum rule, and pedantry concerning squaring up foul balls, “taking a souvenir away” when robbing a homer, flying out sharply, and Canadian baseball-executive titles, plus a postscript featuring Ben’s daughter’s Effectively Wild debut (1:39:06).

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

Link to Reinsdorf report
Link to MLBTR on Reinsdorf
Link to Clemens on Vogt
Link to recent franchise sales
Link to more on recent sales
Link to playoff batting leaders
Link to Baumann on Ohtani splits
Link to Ohtani on the postseason story
Link to Ohtani on the postseason video
Link to Ohtani NPB postseason stats
Link to Ohtani New Balance ad 1
Link to Ohtani New Balance ad 2
Link to xkcd comic
Link to Buehler game story
Link to neighborhood play explainer
Link to replay review explainer
Link to McTaggart tweet
Link to squared-up-barrels rate
Link to squared-up-rate explainer
Link to Greene robbery video
Link to listener emails database

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a mayoral Yankees/Mets cap and the history of politicians flubbing comments about baseball, tease their next playoff livestream, and discuss when it’s acceptable to call a game “winner take all,” the conclusion of the Division Series round, José Ramírez the motivator, the Tigers’ 2025 outlook, nobody believing in the Dodgers (supposedly), how Dave Roberts is doing, injury-compromised players, the first games of the NLCS and ALCS, the clutch hitting of Kiké Hernández, Giancarlo Stanton, and…Clayton Kershaw, misconceptions about one-knee-down catching, the 2025 Dodgers rotation, an uptick in October TV ratings, and the significance of the CS matchups.

Audio intro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Adams cap article
Link to NYT on the Adams cap
Link to Adams Mets fandom
Link to Adams 9/11 comment
Link to Clinton story 1
Link to Clinton story 2
Link to Clinton story 3
Link to Clinton New Yorker cover
Link to Giuliani story
Link to de Blasio story
Link to Obama story 1
Link to Obama story 2
Link to politicians story
Link to “no cap” definition
Link to Ramírez report
Link to Ramírez and Mario Kart
Link to Trueblood tweet
Link to Muncy clip
Link to Muncy/Hernández quotes
Link to Curtis on doubters
Link to Roberts confession
Link to original Roberts quote
Link to Dodgers streak story
Link to updated playoff hitting data
Link to postseason hitters, min. 50 PA
Link to FG payroll page
Link to one-knee-down story
Link to PB/WP rates
Link to Cooper thread
Link to Swanson EW episode
Link to BP fielding data on Naylor
Link to FG fielding data on Naylor
Link to MLB.com on Kershaw
Link to MLBTR on Kershaw
Link to MLBTR on Stone
Link to Maldonado surgery story
Link to Raleigh surgery story
Link to Sheehan on second chances
Link to Jay on the Yankees’ pen
Link to Langs on slams
Link to “must-win” quote
Link to Trop update
Link to Strike Four

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about not sleeping on the less star-studded but still exciting AL Central Division Series, a David Fry prediction, the reliever familiarity effect, an abhorrent TV shot, the Yankees’ ALDS victory, when the Royals will return to October, the Braves firing a few coaches, the future of Tropicana Field, and how MLB will weather climate change. Then (1:00:24) Ben clears out a backlog of seven Stat Blasts, on: Jon Berti and starting at a position for the first time in the playoffs; Beau Brieske and equal counts of games started and finished; the evolution of position-player pitching; Aaron Judge and the most- and least-clutch hitters in the postseason relative to the regular season; Luis Tiant, Pete Rose, and the hitters and pitchers who played the longest at the same time without ever facing each other in the regular season; the Trajekt effect and a century of the times-through-the-order penalty; and the average length of playoff series; plus a postscript.

Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Fry prediction report
Link to observer effect wiki
Link to reliever familiarity effect info
Link to Trueblood on the effect
Link to TBS screenshot
Link to Defector on broadcasts
Link to Sheehan on Fry and K.C.
Link to FG preseason playoff odds
Link to article on Mahomes at ALDS
Link to best team offenses
Link to MLBTR on Atlanta firings
Link to Seitzer wiki
Link to The Athletic on the Trop
Link to ESPN on the Rays
Link to DRaysBay on ballparks
Link to Keyser on climate change
Link to story about Berti
Link to 2003 Cabrera article
Link to Cabrera 2003 RF game log
Link to GS=GF leaders
Link to Rob Mains on PPP 1
Link to Rob Mains on PPP 2
Link to Rob on PPP in September
Link to PPP velo by year
Link to Jeff on PPP BABIP
Link to PPP stats since 2008
Link to all pitchers stats since 2008
Link to PPP stats 2008-17
Link to all pitchers stats 2008-17
Link to PPP stats 2018-24
Link to all pitchers stats 2018-24
Link to FG postseason leaderboards
Link to postseason hitters, min. 50 PA
Link to postseason hitters data
Link to Ben on Reddick
Link to Ben on Yordan
Link to Tiant NYT obit
Link to Angell on Tiant
Link to Savannah Tiant hiring news
Link to Ben on Rose
Link to Mutombo obit
Link to no-matchup players
Link to no-matchup players, interleague
Link to ESPN on Trajekt
Link to EW Trajekt discussion
Link to Ben on pitching machines
Link to TTOP graph 1
Link to TTOP graph 2
Link to TTOP graph 3
Link to TTOP data 1
Link to TTOP data 2
Link to Mains on Smoltz
Link to Mains on past TTOP
Link to Mains on first-inning HFA
Link to all DS
Link to all LCS
Link to all WS
Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter
Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter
Link to listener emails database
Link to Thomson and Thompson
Link to epenthesis wiki
Link to Wendy’s ad
Link to Lindbergh Burrito Method
Link to NJ/NY Gotham wiki
Link to NYCFC wiki
Link to first-night effect article

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the possibility of players predicting opponents’ home runs, the Mets’ NLDS victory, New York’s title drought, Padres-Dodgers Games 3 and 4, Walker Buehler’s “earned” runs, Manny Machado’s clever, controversial dash, ALDS updates, a green-screen response and broadcast nitpicks, the possibly impending sale of the Twins, whether the ’25 Angels can pull a ’24 Royals, TJ3 deets, and a drastic injury-prevention prescription, plus a postscript.

Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG playoff coverage
Link to NY title drought data
Link to “vintage Eric” quote
Link to FG playoff odds
Link to Emma’s Mets tweet
Link to Baker on the Mets
Link to Keyser on the Phillies
Link to Castellanos quote
Link to Grumkin wiki
Link to Padres-Dodgers Game 3 story
Link to skunk in the outfield
Link to Sheehan on Machado
Link to Calhoun play
Link to Judge play
Link to Judge play article
Link to Jazz boos story
Link to Jazz boos tweet
Link to Yankees travel tweet
Link to Trueblood on chaos
Link to Defector on radio issues
Link to Twins Daily on radio issues
Link to MLB/Audacy agreement
Link to Pohlad statement
Link to Twins Daily on Pohlads
Link to MLBTR on Pohlads
Link to Gleeman grilling
Link to Moreno story
Link to MLBTR on the Angels
Link to BaseRuns standings
Link to Ahmad interview
Link to Arthrex tape
Link to Arthrex kickback case
Link to Meister profile
Link to arm-stress article
Link to slider RPM/velo
Link to sweeper RPM/velo
Link to ZiPS odds
Link to foul strike rule
Link to Milton/Trop article
Link to Sterling call
Link to TBS screenshot
Link to standards of review info

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