Archive for Effectively Wild

Effectively Wild Episode 1079: The Most and Least Satisfying First Halves

EWFI

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Jeff’s latest hiking expedition, then try to determine which teams had the most and least satisfying first halves. Lastly, they talk to Brian Lacusky, who reminisces about about his role in the construction of Coors Field.

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Effectively Wild Episode 1078: Bring on the Banter

EWFI

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan do an all-banter episode about Takuya Nakashima, Dustin Fowler, the latest on home runs and the baseball, an Aaron Judge intentional walk, too many Tylers, the significance of baseball’s lowest-ever average Leverage Index, the Reds’ still-disastrous pitching staff, and more.

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Effectively Wild Episode 1077: Strangely Slanting Fields

EWFI

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about (and/or follow up on) Miguel Montero’s Cubs demise, philosophical Pirates quotes, Carter Capps, unusual ballpark constructions, jams and rallies, and target-based hitting competitions, then answer listener emails about extra-inning wins by wide margins, Jake Arrieta’s career vs. Brad Radke’s career, David Ortiz’s value, rampant base-stealing in single games, Theo Epstein’s workload, catcher interference, and the latest lexicon questions, including inside-the-park homering, working walks, comebacks, breaking the game wide open, and insurance runs.

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Effectively Wild Episode 1076: Undoing the Dodgers

EWFI

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about high fastballs and the Red Sox, Carter Capps, the Nationals bullpen, the Giants’ clubhouse chemistry with Mark Melancon (and without Ángel Pagán), then discuss the Dodgers’ enviable present and future and whether anything can end their NL West hegemony. After that, they close with some episode-ending banter about the Adeiny Hechavarria trade and the official start of trading season.

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Effectively Wild Episode 1075: Baseball Will Be Fine

EWFI

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about a non-revelatory tweet, cycles, Bryce Harper vs. Aaron Judge (and also vs. expectations), Jarrod Dyson’s homers and bunts, and Ben Davis’ 2001 bunt against Curt Schilling, then respond to Tom Verducci’s articles about baseball trends and explain why they aren’t worried about rising strikeout or home-run rates.

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Effectively Wild Episode 1074: Time is a Flat Cycle

EWFI

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan have an only slightly outdated discussion of Freddie Freeman’s potential position change and a Coors Field scoreboard message, then answer listener emails about a ground-rule-double derby, an amateur GM taking over a team, where pitcher mechanics come from, what writers root for, how to tell when a new metric makes sense, Jake Arrieta’s free agency, hitters who get plunked more often than they walk, a different way to charge the mound, the predictive power of foul balls, how to pick a favorite team, whether Aaron Judge will be a trailblazer, the relationship between jams and rallies, and more.

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Effectively Wild Episode 1073: The Plus-Plus Podcast

EWFI

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the results of Jeff’s survey about what constitutes a “jam,” Justin Verlander’s comments about the height of baseball seams, and a Mike Chernoff quote about working in baseball, then talk to writer Joe Lemire about his glossary of scouting terminology, the evolution of scouting, and the unbreakable link between baseball and Marriott hotels.

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Effectively Wild Episode 1072: Over the Hill

EWFI

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the Diamondbacks’ baserunning, Rich Hill’s struggles, regrets about writing, reading the comments, and the prospect of an automated strike zone.

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Effectively Wild Episode 1071: I Would’ve Felt Silly Saying Boo

EWFI

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about position players pitching, another non-catcher catching, a Zack Cozart quote, and Ben’s latest home-runs research, then answer listener emails about Hunter Pence, better ways to make boundary calls, the number of plays at the plate, managerial aging curves, playing all nine positions in a game, the worst times to boo, the Freeze vs. Emilio Bonifacio, defining “moonshots,” MLB expansion, evaluating scouts and drafting, and more.

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Effectively Wild Episode 1070: What Winning the Draft Looks Like

EWFI

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Aaron Judge’s latest home runs, Terrance Gore’s first home run, the Angels without Mike Trout, and a Mets precedent for the odd Neifi Perez appearance discussed on the previous episode, then talk to listener Ryan Nelson about his research into which teams have had the most and least recent success in the amateur draft and what fans should expect from a typical team’s draft class.

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