Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about saying the wrong episode number in the intro to Episode 2077 and the definition of a title drought, then answer listener emails (18:45) about whether it would make sense to choose a bye in the playoffs if your opponent got to draft a player from the team it defeated, letting a non-playoff team into the playoffs via a lottery, a lineup set by the opposing team’s manager, a NOBLETIGER technicality, placing trampolines on the field, tagging a runner on an object you placed on them, a slugger setting a single-minded goal to break the single-season home run record, loving baseball but not MLB, international talent vs. minor league talent, and Clayton Kershaw playing a partial season à la Roger Clemens.

Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Temporal Loom explainer
Link to anniversary-gift explainer
Link to types of droughts
Link to lineup-optimization post
Link to more on lineup optimization
Link to EW wiki trampoline page
Link to NOBLETIGER thread
Link to Semien tag explainer
Link to Semien tag video
Link to EW episode on Rendon
Link to league-quality comparison
Link to 2007 article on Clemens
Link to Clemens announcing return
Link to MLBTR on Hill in 2024
Link to EW emails database
Link to Ben on Jagger
Link to Ben on Super Mario Bros. Wonder

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the end of the NLCS, discuss the discourse surrounding the improbability of and fallout from the Diamondbacks-Rangers World Series matchup, banter about the Brewers always losing in the playoffs to eventual pennant winners, preview the World Series, postulate a conspiracy surrounding this postseason’s lack of extra-inning games, and react to the Red Sox hiring ex-pitcher Craig Breslow as their new Chief Baseball Officer/POBO, then (54:14) Stat Blast about how the World Series and future postseasons might be swayed by a reliever familiarity effect that could counter the pitcher-usage changes caused by the times-through-the-order penalty and restore longer starts, including a chat (1:12:06) with reliever-familiarity-effect researcher Dr. David J. Gordon.

Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Baumann on NLCS G7
Link to Ben C.’s Series preview
Link to Ginny Searle’s Series preview
Link to Neil Paine’s Series preview
Link to MLB.com on Ginkel
Link to Jay Jaffe on Scherzer
Link to Leo Morgenstern on Semien
Link to tweet about Brewers losses
Link to MLBTR on Breslow
Link to 2017 Breslow article
Link to info on Eovaldi game
Link to Topps Now
Link to Cameron Grove EW episode
Link to Cameron Grove tweet
Link to Cameron Grove study
Link to David Gordon study
Link to Ben’s SP study
Link to Ben on reliever familiarity
Link to D-backs headlines wiki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss assorted ALCS and NLCS action and playoff takeaways and trends, with an emphasis on Adolis García’s heroics, the Rangers vanquishing the Astros, MLB’s handling of Bryan Abreu’s suspension, and Craig Kimbrel’s career (plus reactions to the Giants hiring Bob Melvin as their manager).

Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to García/Abreu video
Link to Garver/Abreu video
Link to Rosenthal on the suspension
Link to Sam on being plunked
Link to Gurriel suspension story
Link to Ben Clemens on Yordan
Link to Kelly exit video
Link to Dusty retirement article
Link to reliever JAWS leaders
Link to MLBTR on Melvin

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about ALCS and NLCS action, the definition of an “unanswered run,” and a forthcoming documentary about Shohei Ohtani, then (51:16) answer listener emails about a playoff hot-hand theory, how bad an underdog would have to be for a postseason upset to shock them, and a pitcher with two right hands, plus a Stat Blast (1:20:57) about the least and most exciting postseasons ever and a follow-up (1:38:42) about Friday’s games.

Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG post on NLCS Game 3
Link to FG post on ALCS Game 4
Link to John Middleton video
Link to Carleton on pulling pitchers
Link to LIDOM preview
Link to Ohtani documentary news
Link to Rob Mains on playoff upsets
Link to Dan S. on playoff success
Link to AI image of hands
Link to EW listener emails database
Link to Topps Now
Link to WPA/cWPA data
Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter
Link to series-length data
Link to Michael Mountain’s Twitter
Link to lead-change data
Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter
Link to FG post on ALCS Game 5
Link to FG post on NLCS Game 4

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the lack of pitch-clock violations in the postseason, an on-field Phillies smooch, the Phillies’ 2-0 lead on the Diamondbacks in the NLCS, a pivotal offseason for the Brewers, how MLB newsbreakers differ from NBA newsbreakers, the rising percentage of pitchers who’ve had Tommy John surgery, and how different baseball would be if regular-season series worked like postseason series, followed by (1:30:50) a radio-play-style Future Blast from 2074.

Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG clock violations
Link to MLBClockTracker on Twitter
Link to Phillies kiss tweet
Link to story on Yordan’s kisses
Link to FG post on Arizona’s bullpen
Link to Sheehan on lead changes
Link to drummer’s Phillies tweet
Link to “Jimmy Eat World” origin
Link to Neil Paine on the Phillies
Link to FG payrolls page
Link to story on Woodruff’s injury
Link to Arnold on Brewers decisions
Link to MLBTR on Woodruff
Link to Heyman on Counsell
Link to Brewers ballpark funding
Link to WaPo on Woj vs. Shams
Link to NY Mag on Shams
Link to The Arm
Link to Roegele’s TJ tweet
Link to Roegele’s TJ database
Link to Rick Wilber’s website
Link to Alan Smale’s website
Link to Future Blast wiki
Link to ʻOumuamua wiki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the abrupt end of Kim Ng’s tenure as the general manager of the Miami Marlins, Alyssa Nakken interviewing for the Giants’ manager job, the Rangers taking a 2-0 lead on the Astros in the ALCS, and the new Netflix documentary The Saint of Second Chances. Then (48:12) Ben talks to the documentary’s subject, baseball maverick Mike Veeck, about why he wanted to tell his up-and-down-and-up story, his legendary dad, Hall of Famer Bill Veeck, and the colorful Veeck clan, Disco Demolition Night, the origins of modern independent baseball, Darryl Strawberry’s season with the St. Paul Saints, the secret to a great baseball promotion, the Savannah Bananas, whether MLB could ever have a Veeck-ian owner again, MLB’s control (and contraction) of the minor leagues, and more.

Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Ghiroli on Ng
Link to Passan on Ng
Link to Kepner on Ng
Link to MLBTR on Nakken
Link to Ben Clemens on the Astros
Link to Ken Rosenthal on Yordan
Link to article on Jordan’s flu game
Link to exploding-scoreboard video
Link to The Saint of Second Chances
Link to documentary trailer
Link to MiLB.com on Mike Veeck
Link to list of Veeck’s promotions
Link to Vice on Disco Demolition Night
Link to Ben on Bill Veeck 1
Link to Ben on Veeck 2
Link to Ben on Veeck 3
Link to Ben on Veeck 4
Link to SABR on the ’43 Phillies
Link to BJO on book inaccuracies
Link to SABR’s Bill Veeck bio
Link to Craig Wright on Paige
Link to EW interview about the Bananas
Link to Veeck As in Wreck
Link to The Hustler’s Handbook
Link to Fun is Good
Link to Mike’s website
Link to playoff-stats spreadsheet
Link to The Ringer-Verse podcast
Link to House of R podcast

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the career of the incomparable Bryce Harper, more “Attaboy” blowback, the end of the Phillies-Braves NLDS, scoring and competitiveness in the postseason as a whole, a Phillies homer-prediction contest, the pitch clock in the postseason, the Championship Series matchups, their most desired World Series matchups, why we say “balls and strikes” instead of “strikes and balls,” and more. Then (1:16:44) The Ringer’s Zach Kram joins to Stat Blast about players who return from absences in October and how various rate stats differ between the regular season and postseason (plus an MLB/NBA playoff comp).

Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to The Onion on Mr. Autumn Man
Link to Verducci on Harper from 2009
Link to double-blow-dryer clip
Link to Harper on pandering
Link to Phillies as himbos
Link to 2014 Harper overrated
Link to 2015 Harper overrated
Link to 2019 Harper overrated
Link to Jake’s article
Link to Rizzo comments
Link to Rizzo apology
Link to BBWAA statement
Link to Jake’s thread
Link to Bissinger/Leitch article
Link to Baumann on NLDS Game 4
Link to Joe Sheehan on playoff scoring
Link to Joe Posnanski on playoff scoring
Link to Alex Eisert on playoff scoring
Link to Defector on the Braves
Link to Strider quote
Link to bullpen prediction game
Link to Dan S. on the ALCS
Link to Schoenfield on the pitch clock
Link to Petriello on the Phillies defense
Link to Kram on upsets
Link to article on balls/strikes in Japan
Link to 1887 umpire indicator
Link to 1886 umpire indicator
Link to Ngram viewer results
Link to paper on English binomials
Link to Topps Now
Link to Stubbs in overalls
Link to long-layoff-players sheet
Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter
Link to Pinch Thomas SABR bio
Link to FG regular-season stats
Link to FG postseason stats
Link to HR reliance study
Link to playoff randomness comparison
Link to another randomness comparison

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Diamondbacks’ victory and the Dodgers’ defeat, more musings on playoff randomness, Bryce Harper, Orlando Arcia, and the silliest sports/sports-media controversy of the year, the Astros advancing to the ALCS again (at the Twins’ expense), the all-Texas ALCS, and more.

Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Meg on NLDS Game 3
Link to Jay on the Dodgers
Link to Magic Johnson tweet
Link to Lynn quote about homers
Link to McCullough on Kershaw
Link to Facebook thread on Kershaw
Link to worst team postseason SP
Link to Jake’s article
Link to Chelsea’s thread
Link to d’Arnaud clip
Link to Arcia clip
Link to Clemens on Pressly
Link to Ben on the Astros
Link to story on Rangers and Creed
Link to “Marlins Will Soar”

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss some renewed fretting about playoff formats, long layoffs, and upsets, recap (31:44) Clayton Kershaw’s playoff career and consider how (if at all) it will affect his legacy, and then examine (55:25) the latest action in each Division Series, plus follow-ups (1:29:49) on multiple topics from the preceding episode (including postseason sweeps and conductors).

Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)”

Link to Rosenthal on the playoff format
Link to Ben Clemens on long layoffs
Link to Joe Sheehan on long layoffs
Link to Ben L. on playoff randomness
Link to FG postseason leaderboards
Link to playoff pitching decliners sheet
Link to Ben L. on the Dodgers
Link to MLB.com on Harris and Harper
Link to Sam on the Correa play
Link to Ben C. on the Wheeler decision
Link to Russell on removing the starter
Link to study on reliever familiarity
Link to Neil Paine on Yordan
Link to Langs Orioles tweet
Link to Paine on the O’s
Link to EW Episode 2069
Link to holds leaders
Link to 2012 Clippard article
Link to 2015 Clippard article
Link to Senators FB thread
Link to EW Episode 1217

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a failing effort to make peanuts a ballpark staple in Japan, preview the various Division Series (10:32), discuss the deep, enduring desire of former GM Paul Richards to trade his team for an entire other team (47:48), answer listener emails (1:06:50) about postseason “sweeps” and traitorous base coaches (and extraneous conductors?), and Stat Blast (1:22:21) about Tyler Clippard, Cam Gallagher, splitting the top 4 MVP finishers between two teams, the correlation between payroll and wins, and Orioles regression defiance.

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

Link to WSJ peanuts article
Link to Cracker Jack wiki
Link to FG on Braves-Phillies
Link to FG on Dodgers-Diamondbacks
Link to FG on Orioles-Rangers
Link to FG on Twins-Astros
Link to Ringer division series piece
Link to Richards articles
Link to Ben on the Waxahachie Swap
Link to story on Kekich and Peterson
Link to EW listener emails database
Link to Russell on the 3B coach
Link to Russell on trying to score
Link to Topps Now
Link to Clippard Stathead
Link to Gallagher leaderboard
Link to top 4 MVPs sheet
Link to Ben on spending
Link to Ben on the O’s

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