Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley review the most disappointing teams of 2023, ultimately anointing one team as the most disappointing and trying to identify which of the contenders for the “most disappointing” title is most likely to turn things around by the end of the season. Then (32:21) they discuss A’s fans’ reverse boycott, the seemingly sealed deal for the A’s to move to Las Vegas, the viability of Vegas as an MLB market, commissioner Rob Manfred’s maddening comments about all of the above, the 20th anniversary of Moneyball coinciding with the A’s ugly exit from Oakland, the legacy of the book, and more, plus a Past Blast (1:17:56) from 2020.

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

Link to preseason playoff odds
Link to preseason playoff odds changes
Link to Sheehan’s run differential tweet
Link to Sheehan on the Jays
Link to Petriello on Kiermaier
Link to A’s winning streak story
Link to MLBTR on Nevada votes
Link to FG on the reverse boycott
Link to The Athletic on the reverse boycott
Link to BP on the reverse boycott
Link to Manfred’s comments
Link to Oakland mayor’s response
Link to Tim Kawakami on Manfred
Link to Defector on Las Vegas
Link to Sheehan on Las Vegas
Link to Ken/Evan on front-office spending
Link to Sam Schultz thread
Link to Sam Schultz EW episode
Link to R.J. on front office unionization
Link to Ben/Rob’s 2016 study
Link to 2020 follow-up study
Link to Moneyball Act info
Link to info on Kotick cameo
Link to Michael Lewis on SABRcast
Link to 2020 Past Blast source
Link to David Lewis’s Twitter
Link to David Lewis’s Substack
Link to MLBTR on the governor signing
Link to Manfred’s Pride Night comments
Link to SABRcast book episode
Link to Ringer-Verse gaming episode

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Facebook Group
 Twitter Account
 EW Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)
 Get Our Merch!
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Shohei Ohtani leading MLB in WAR and the number of times his hitting has leapfrogged his pitching or vice versa, the EW audience’s verdict on who won the pod’s recent 26-under-25 draft, the suddenly-quite-competitive A’s-Royals race for the worst record in baseball, a painful ending to a college playoff game and the evolving conversation about pitch counts for college starters, the pitch clock’s impact on performance and injuries, one potential downside to the pitch clock reaching NPB, the Diamondbacks’ “victory vest,” and The Athletic’s layoffs and the state of sports media, plus a Past Blast from 2019.

Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Ohtani’s first homer
Link to Ohtani’s second homer
Link to MLB.com on tired Ohtani
Link to The Athletic on tired Ohtani
Link to FG WAR leaderboard
Link to B-Ref WAR leaderboard
Link to 26-under-25 draft
Link to draft voting results
Link to Carroll/Henderson awards
Link to Royals/A’s post
Link to Rob Mains on mobility
Link to tweet about college game ending
Link to college TOOTBLAN
Link to college dropped ball
Link to Cooper on pitch counts
Link to Jake on Mathews
Link to longer thread on Mathews
Link to Romano’s quote tweet
Link to 2016 study on college workloads
Link to 2018 college workloads study
Link to Dan S. on the pitch clock
Link to Jim Allen on the NPB clock
Link to report on the NPB clock
Link to victory vest story
Link to MLB’s Realmuto tweet
Link to “cyclone” tweet
Link to hockey’s “three stars”
Link to FG’s three players of the game
Link to WaPo’s The Athletic report
Link to FOS The Athletic report
Link to 2017 story about The Athletic
Link to Axios media newsletter
Link to 2019 Past Blast source
Link to 2015 robot-ump game
Link to David Lewis’s Twitter
Link to David Lewis’s Substack
Link to MLBTR on the Nevada vote
Link to Pujols hiring post

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Facebook Group
 Twitter Account
 EW Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)
 Get Our Merch!
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Patreon supporter Reggie Deal banter about Reggie’s background as a baseball fan and Effectively Wild listener, his email correspondence with MLB and Rob Manfred, accessibility issues he’s encountered while following baseball as a blind person, and A’s fans’ upcoming “reverse boycott” event, then (22:25) answer listener emails about angry Aaron Boone earning the Yankees more favorable calls, MLB players providing in-game entertainment, how different baseball would be if it were more like Wii Sports, Esteury Ruiz, Luis Arraez, and riding a single standout skill to award consideration, ridiculously large batting helmets, and which .500-ish team is most likely to make the playoffs. Then (1:19:51) they Stat Blast about players who hit home runs of dramatically differing lengths on the same day, the longest team streaks without a left-on-left homer, and Anthony Rendon and other players whose teams hit better with runners in scoring position when they were in the lineup, plus a Past Blast (1:40:44) from 2018.

Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to story about radio and Audacy
Link to Reggie’s Manfred letter
Link to National Beep Baseball Association
Link to EW Beep Baseball interview
Link to Rooted in Oakland website
Link to Rooted in Oakland tweet
Link to thread on Yankees calls
Link to story on Boone’s ejections
Link to ejection rates over time
Link to manager ejection totals
Link to manager ejection rates
Link to EW Episode 1855
Link to Wii Sports baseball footage
Link to Robert Orr on Arraez
Link to Arraez at Baseball Savant
Link to AVG+ leaders
Link to Sam on Hamilton
Link to FG playoff odds
Link to listener emails database
Link to FG playoff odds
Link to Topps Now Cards
Link to Zavala’s two homers
Link to Aquino’s three homers
Link to Jay Cuda tweet
Link to L-L/R-R HR spreadsheet
Link to Nevin/Rendon article
Link to BA w/RISP spreadsheet
Link to Hulse’s fouls
Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter
Link to 2018 Past Blast source
Link to Nathanson’s website
Link to David Lewis’s Twitter
Link to David Lewis’s Substack
Link to Billy Joel’s “Pressure”

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Facebook Group
 Twitter Account
 EW Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)
 Get Our Merch!
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Mets, the Padres, and the AL Central, Jacob deGrom’s UCL, Mike Trout’s slow (by his standards) start, and a Phillies pitch-clock controversy, then (23:32), in honor of Elly De La Cruz, draft the 26 best MLB players under 25 years old (see link below to vote!), followed by a Past Blast from 2017 (1:13:54), closing banter about the Blue Jays and Red Sox DFAing Anthony Bass and Matt Dermody, respectively (1:17:22), and updates.

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

Link to Rosenthal on the Mets
Link to story on Phillies pitch clock
Link to Sam Blum on Trout
Link to Jay on Trout
Link to Ben on deGrom
Link to Baby Gronk explainer
Link to giant baby meme
Link to Elly’s prediction
Link to Statcast on Elly
Link to EW drafts/competitions
Link to listener voting form
Link to MLBTR on Bass
Link to Toronto Star on Bass
Link to The Athletic on Dermody
Link to Bloom on Dermody
Link to Dermody’s Twitter likes
Link to 2017 Past Blast source
Link to other Past Blast source
Link to David Lewis’s Twitter
Link to David Lewis’s Substack
Link to Blaseball EW episode
Link to article on end of Blaseball
Link to Greinke EW episode
Link to new Greinke stories
Link to Diekman EW episode
Link to BP on Diekman
Link to Judge fence article
Link to Yankees super-error
Link to Ohtani vs. RHP sweepers
Link to Ohtani vs. LHP sweepers

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Facebook Group
 Twitter Account
 EW Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)
 Get Our Merch!
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s voice, the arrival of Elly De La Cruz, the similarities between the up-and-coming Reds and Pirates, whether we need a “super-error,” Aaron Judge’s ball- and wall-smashing abilities, the plights of Alek Manoah and Stephen Strasburg, the wonder of Luis Arraez, whether this year’s trade deadline will be dead, follow-ups on the Angels’ catchers, Ben Joyce’s fastball, and Albert Pujols’s employment, how the pitch clock could affect players’ stamina in the second half, and more, plus a Past Blast from 2016 (1:34:00) and a few updates (1:38:25), including thoughts on Jacob deGrom’s diagnosis.

Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Alex Eichler, “Wild Shift”

Link to MLBTR on Elly
Link to Rosenthal/Judge interview
Link to Red Sox/Rays play
Link to Sox errors montage
Link to FARTSLAM post
Link to Knoblauch FARTSLAM
Link to Stark on Judge
Link to story on Judge and the wall
Link to McCray catch video
Link to Judge dachshund video
Link to Judge/Rizzo doxie article
Link to Judge/Rizzo doxie shirt tweet
Link to Judge/Rizzo doxie shirt photo
Link to Manoah gamer
Link to MLBTR on Manoah
Link to Dan S. on Manoah
Link to Halladay’s rebuild
Link to Strasburg article
Link to Baumann on Arraez
Link to B-Ref baserunning page
Link to xWOBA overperformers
Link to xBA overperformers
Link to Arraez’s 2019-22 BA-xBA
Link to Arraez fun fact 1
Link to Arraez fun fact 2
Link to Arraez fun fact 3
Link to Arraez fun fact 4
Link to Young on the deadline
Link to MLB.com on the deadline
Link to team catcher offense
Link to highest-FA% pitchers
Link to BP on Joyce
Link to MLBTR on Pujols
Link to Blum on Pujols
Link to 2016 Past Blast source
Link to MLB committee report
Link to early-2016 Ben article
Link to mid-2016 Ben article
Link to baseball drag values
Link to De La Cruz gamer
Link to Clemens on HFA
Link to Judge fence article
Link to MLBTR on deGrom
Link to deGrom interview video

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Facebook Group
 Twitter Account
 EW Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)
 Get Our Merch!
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether Shohei Ohtani is throwing too many sweepers to opposite-handed hitters, the MLB debut of flamethrowing Ben Joyce, the extreme walk/strikeout stylings of George Kirby and Spencer Strider, the states of the Central divisions, the offense and defense of Ke’Bryan Hayes, the return of Jon Singleton, whether the pitch clock is responsible for this season’s uptick in attendance, and the taken-for-granted greatness of Mookie Betts, answer listener emails about baseball’s version of a hockey goon, players singing during the seventh-inning stretch, and whether it would make umpires more accurate to give them a PitchCom device, plus a Past Blast (1:18:33) from 2015.

Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Ohtani sweeper RV vs. RHB
Link to Ohtani sweeper RV vs. LHB
Link to sweeper leaderboard
Link to Ohtani pitch usage
Link to SP sweeper usage
Link to Ben C. on sweepers
Link to Ohtani sweeper HR vs. LHB
Link to Joyce’s debut
Link to Joyce pitch speeds
Link to story on Joyce’s record pitch
Link to Strider/Kirby spreadsheet
Link to Kirby command plot
Link to Kirby fun fact
Link to Strider fun fact
Link to Herbstreit Reds Twitter war
Link to Hayes’s defensive ratings
Link to MLBTR on Singleton
Link to annual attendance
Link to 2023 team attendance
Link to spring ratings story
Link to early-season ratings story
Link to Ben on the pitch clock
Link to Mookie gamer
Link to FG WAR leaderboard
Link to hockey enforcer wiki
Link to Brault EW episode
Link to Jeff on Brault
Link to Brault’s album
Link to Brault’s OF conversion
Link to Alberto singing
Link to EW emails database
Link to 2015 Past Blast source
Link to other 2015 source
Link to TORIIHTW book website
Link to David Lewis’s Twitter
Link to David Lewis’s Substack
Link to Dan S. on pitcher zStats

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Facebook Group
 Twitter Account
 EW Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)
 Get Our Merch!
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s 500th EW episode, the architectural concept of the “Thomasson,” a forthcoming HBO documentary about Barry Bonds, the rebound of Juan Soto, common misconceptions about WAR, the declines of Noah Syndergaard and Kris Bryant, the NL West, MLB broadcasting Padres games, an MLB-MLBPA ad deal, a rules update, Francisco Álvarez’s defense, the return of Jordan Walker, Shohei Ohtani’s bat grip, a slowdown in injuries, and a D-III team that wins with HBPs, plus a Past Blast from 2014 (1:32:52), player responses to the Dodgers’ Pride Night, and follow-ups.

Audio intro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Thomasson thread
Link to Thomasson wiki
Link to Thomasson at B-Ref Bullpen
Link to Thomasson podcast episode
Link to Bonds doc info
Link to A-Rod doc story
Link to A-Rod gum disease segment
Link to Trout/Griffey FB thread
Link to FG’s WAR explainer
Link to Syndergaard quote
Link to Syndergaard hypnosis story
Link to December Syndergaard story
Link to FG on Syndergaard’s 2022
Link to Rumpelstiltskin wiki
Link to MLBTR on Bryant
Link to Ben C. on MLB/DSG
Link to Sheehan on MLB/DSG
Link to Ginny Searle on MLB/DSG
Link to MLB-MLBPA partnership
Link to more info on partnership
Link to Ben C. on new rules
Link to Sheehan on new rules
Link to Jay on Álvarez
Link to MLBTR on Walker
Link to Ohtani tweet
Link to injuries tweet
Link to Jake on Misericordia
Link to 2014 Past Blast source
Link to other 2014 source
Link to David Lewis’s Twitter
Link to David Lewis’s Substack
Link to story about Pride Night
Link to story about player comments
Link to Buckley column
Link to “allies” lineup
Link to Abreu/Acton tweet
Link to hot mic video

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Facebook Group
 Twitter Account
 EW Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)
 Get Our Merch!
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Pete Alonso‘s, um, emergency swing, the activations (6:25) of four players (Liam Hendriks, Michael Soroka, Paul Blackburn, and Royce Lewis), the small leads in most divisions (12:03) and the leveling out of the league (A’s aside), José Abreu‘s first homer “trot” of the season, and an umpire comment caught on a hot mic. Then (40:15) they answer a listener email about the ball’s liveliness and follow up on a few other email answers, bring on Rob Mains (57:35) of Baseball Prospectus to Stat Blast about the zombie runner’s impact on home field advantage and discuss the origins of the DL’s rechristening to “injured list” (1:18:45), and follow a Past Blast from 2013 (1:27:27) with banter about Andrew McCutchen’s request for a new rule, plus a postscript (1:37:58).

Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Alonso clip
Link to Meg on Bradley
Link to Meg on Lind
Link to EW on Hernández
Link to Passan on Hendriks
Link to MLBTR on McCullers
Link to Rob Mains on 2022 inequality
Link to Rob Arthur on 2022 balance
Link to story on the Reds
Link to EW Wiki on the Reds
Link to FG playoff odds
Link to preseason predictions pod
Link to Abreu’s “trot”
Link to ump video
Link to ump post
Link to Marte’s homer
Link to HR/Contact graph
Link to ball-drag dashboard
Link to last email show
Link to Lemon on “prime”
Link to listener emails database
Link to Topps Now cards
Link to Rob on HFA
Link to HFA across sports
Link to HFA research
Link to more HFA research
Link to Ben on HFA
Link to Rob on the DL/IL
Link to 2013 Past Blast source
Link to another 2013 source
Link to Grant on catcher collisions
Link to EW Stanky Draft
Link to McCutchen article
Link to positional aging curves
Link to David Lewis’s Twitter
Link to David Lewis’s Substack
Link to 2016 sliding changes
Link to Hendriks gamer
Link to Soroka gamer
Link to Lewis gamer
Link to EW on TV exit speeds
Link to Fatsis on Wambsgans(s)
Link to Sam on Succession

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Facebook Group
 Twitter Account
 EW Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)
 Get Our Merch!
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s prediction concerning the Padres’ and Rangers’ rest-of-season performance with runners in scoring position, then (14:08) answer listener emails about the ultimate Quadruple-A player, leaving runners on base for the opposing team, immaculate-inning edge cases, tanking for Shohei Ohtani, setting up a lifelong Google Alert for a player, the 2020 season’s impact on Hall of Fame cases, and Barry Bonds with an extra-short bat, followed by (1:12:43) Stat Blasts about the frequency of in-game position switches and the most players on a team who had previously played on the same former team, plus (1:40:06) a Past Blast from 2012 and a few follow-ups.

Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to lowest tOPS+ w/RISP
Link to lowest OPS w/RISP
Link to highest tOPS+ w/RISP
Link to highest OPS w/RISP
Link to OPS w/bases empty
Link to Petriello on the Rangers
Link to Odor HR
Link to preseason predictions pod
Link to latest MiLB FA draft
Link to Gonny Jomes wiki
Link to old EW on immaculate innings
Link to Oviedo’s inning
Link to info on Mavs tanking
Link to article on Wemby tanking
Link to Waddell SABR bio
Link to McLaughlin wiki
Link to McLaughlin feature
Link to Posnanski on DiMaggio
Link to Jay on missed time
Link to Jay on missed time again
Link to Bois on Bonds
Link to listener emails database
Link to Topps Now cards
Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter
Link to positional permutations
Link to position-switch sheet
Link to second Stat Blast doc
Link to 2012 Past Blast source
Link to David Lewis’s Twitter
Link to David Lewis’s Substack
Link to America Magazine article
Link to other Dodgers/SPI links
Link to Calcaterra newsletter
Link to Alonso clip
Link to Sabathia periods source
Link to more on C.C./CC

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Facebook Group
 Twitter Account
 EW Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)
 Get Our Merch!
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the major leagues’ sudden influx of 24-year-old right-handed pitchers with the surname “Miller,” the Rays’ surprisingly precarious position in the AL East (7:48), and the Cubs, the Brewers, and the state of the NL Central (12:45), before focusing their bat-resuscitating powers on Trea Turner (17:22), with almost immediate effect. Then they talk to David Raymond, the original Phillie Phanatic performer, Gritty co-conceiver, frequent team mascot consultant, and founder of the Mascot Boot Camp and Mascot Hall of Fame, about all of their mascot questions, the mascot design process, and what it’s like to be inside a mascot costume, plus updates and a Past Blast from 2011 (1:26:54).

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

Link to FG preseason top prospects
Link to The Board
Link to article about Bryce Miller
Link to LPGA naming convention
Link to FG playoff odds
Link to BP on the Rays-Jays blowout
Link to BaseRuns standings
Link to high-leverage pitching splits
Link to FG pitching clutch
Link to pitching LOB%
Link to Turner quote
Link to Meg’s mascot rant
Link to NYTM on Raymond
Link to Gritty on Twitter
Link to info on Slider
Link to Dinger assault story
Link to Dandy wiki
Link to Mascot HoF wiki
Link to Mascot HoF ballot
Link to Raymond Entertainment site
Link to David’s speaking site
Link to David’s book
Link to 2011 Past Blast source
Link to 2012 HS bat change
Link to more info on bat change
Link to latest college HR uptick
Link to David Lewis’s Twitter
Link to David Lewis’s Substack
Link to Turner’s homer

 Sponsor Us on Patreon
 Facebook Group
 Twitter Account
 EW Subreddit
 Effectively Wild Wiki
 iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)
 Get Our Merch!
 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com

Podcast (effectively-wild): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS