Archive for Effectively Wild

Effectively Wild Episode 32: Joe Mauer and his Contract Clear Waivers/The Demise of Erik Bedard

Ben and Sam discuss whether a team should have claimed Joe Mauer, what he’s worth, and what his future will look like, then talk about the end of Erik Bedard’s stay in Pittsburgh and how sad it is when a guy who’s always either good or injured goes bad.


Effectively Wild Episode 31: Davey Johnson, How Much Managers Matter, and the Ideal GM-Manager Relationship

Ben and Sam discuss sabermetric managerial favorite Davey Johnson’s impact on the Nationals, whether certain managers can make their players play better, and what the ideal relationship between a GM and manager might be.


Effectively Wild Episode 30: Is There Racial Bias in Baseball Broadcasting?/What to Make of Brian McCann

Ben and Sam question the conclusions of an article in The Atlantic about racial bias in baseball broadcasting, then talk about whether Brian McCann’s best is behind him and whether his down year is the result of bad hitting hitting or bad luck.


Effectively Wild Episode 29: The Future of the Red Sox and Dodgers, and Roger Clemens’ Comeback

Ben and Sam discuss the futures of the two teams involved in the weekend’s blockbuster trade, then talk about whether the Astros would benefit from signing Roger Clemens.


Effectively Wild Episode 28: Austin Jackson and Debating Defense/What Does the Mariners’ Winning Streak Mean?

Ben and Sam discuss Austin Jackson’s excellent catch, whether he’s the best defensive center fielder in baseball, and whether it’s even possible to decide one way or another, then dissect Seattle’s eight-game winning streak to see if it’s the start of something good or a fluke that will soon be forgotten.


Effectively Wild Episode 27: Revisiting the Dan Haren Trade/Derek Jeter Defies Dire Forecasts

Ben and Sam revisit the trade that sent Dan Haren to the Angels in light of Haren’s down year and Tyler Skaggs’ debut for the Diamondbacks, then talk about how Derek Jeter has remained productive at age 38 and examine whether the Yankees are in any trouble in the AL East.


Effectively Wild Episode 26: The Return of Brett Anderson, Oakland’s Playoff Rotation, and the Financial Future of Stephen Drew

Ben and Sam talk about Brett Anderson’s Tuesday return from Tommy John surgery and its impact on Oakland’s potential playoff rotation, then discuss whether Stephen Drew would be wise to test the free-agent market this winter in light of the other shortstops available.


Effectively Wild Episode 25: The Secretly Successful White Sox System?/Starlin Castro’s Makeup Concerns

Ben and Sam discuss Kenny Williams’ contention that the poorly rated White Sox farm system is just misunderstood, then consider whether the Cubs should be concerned about Starlin Castro’s makeup.


Effectively Wild Episode 24: The Rays Are Rolling/Assessing the Angels’ Strange Season

The Rays demolished the Angels in a four-game weekend sweep, which gives Ben and Sam the idea to discuss the two teams’ divergent directions since the deadline and reevaluate Anaheim’s offseason approach.


Effectively Wild Episode 23: Benching Bryce Harper/Why We Were Wrong About the White Sox

Ben and Sam discuss the possibility that the Nationals might enter the playoffs without either Bryce Harper or Stephen Strasburg, then talk about how the White Sox have defied injuries yet again and proved the pre-season predictions wrong.