Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the end of the Yankees’ beard ban, the potential end of MLB’s business relationship with ESPN, and whether the World Baseball Classic should imitate the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off. Then they preview the 2025 Texas Rangers (50:07) with MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry, and the 2025 Pittsburgh Pirates (1:27:23) with Pittsburgh Baseball Now’s John Perrotto, plus a postscript (2:03:57) about Ben’s growing affection for Tigers righty John Brebbia.

Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Yankees announcement
Link to story on policy change
Link to story on policy origins
Link to Simpsons clip
Link to Gleyber photo
Link to Castillo hair story
Link to Castro hair story
Link to McCutchen hair story
Link to Vlad/Yankees story
Link to Williams reaction
Link to ESPN opt-out story 1
Link to ESPN opt-out story 2
Link to Ben on the WBC
Link to Ben on Hang Up
Link to offseason spending
Link to FG payrolls page
Link to Rangers depth chart
Link to Rangers offseason tracker
Link to Kennedi’s author archive
Link to Pirates depth chart
Link to Pirates offseason tracker
Link to John’s author archive
Link to Brebbia links
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the start of spring training games, the charms of Tigers reliever John Brebbia, whether MLB’s uniform pants were always semi-transparent, and Shohei Ohtani’s parallel parking skills. Then they preview the 2025 Seattle Mariners (27:37) with Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times, and the 2025 Cincinnati Reds (1:12:53) with The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans.

Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Brebbia video
Link to Buffalo/buffalo sentence
Link to Brebbia’s college page
Link to Brebbia article 1
Link to Brebbia article 2
Link to Mandela effect wiki
Link to Ohtani video
Link to offseason spending
Link to FG payrolls page
Link to Mariners depth chart
Link to Mariners offseason tracker
Link to Ryan’s author archive
Link to Petriello on T-Mobile
Link to Reds depth chart
Link to Reds offseason tracker
Link to C. Trent’s author archive
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a player who signed an extension (Geraldo Perdomo), a player who didn’t sign an extension (Vladimir Guerrero Jr.), a player who’s switching positions (Mike Trout), and a player who’s not switching positions, at least for now (Rafael Devers), plus an update on Meg’s updated beliefs about Shohei Ohtani’s dog. Then (48:42) they talk to Eric Longenhagen about FanGraphs’ top 100 (well, 102) prospects list and much more.

Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)”
Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG post on Perdomo
Link to MLBTR on Vladito
Link to MLBTR on Trout
Link to MLBTR on Devers
Link to MLBTR on Stroman
Link to Ohtani/Decoy photo
Link to Eric’s top 100 list
Link to Dan’s top 100 list
Link to Alfaro story
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s new sound-dampening windows, listener defenses of MLB’s altered two-way-player rule, and the latest intolerable “breakout” pick, followed by Stat Blasts (15:49) about the teams with the most winless, non-lossless pitchers and the all-time past-their-prime/time-travel teams. Then they preview the 2025 Houston Astros (32:41) with The Athletic’s Chandler Rome, and the 2025 St. Louis Cardinals (1:25:07) with The Athletic’s Katie Woo.

Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to windows explainer
Link to breakout push notification
Link to Ragans article
Link to late-2023 pitcher WAR
Link to Stathead results
Link to Kram’s Stat Blast
Link to 2005 payrolls
Link to Ryan’s Stat Blast data
Link to Michael’s Stat Blast data
Link to offseason spending
Link to FG payrolls page
Link to Astros depth chart
Link to Astros offseason tracker
Link to Chandler’s author archive
Link to Chandler’s podcast
Link to Cardinals depth chart
Link to Cardinals offseason tracker
Link to 2024 attendance change
Link to Katie’s author archive
Link to Katie’s podcast
Link to MLBTR on Ragans
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Red Sox signing Alex Bregman, the Padres signing Nick Pivetta, and Anthony Rendon’s latest long-term injury. Then they preview the 2025 Chicago Cubs (29:35) with The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma, and the 2025 San Francisco Giants (1:14:41) with The Athletic’s Grant Brisbee.

Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG post on Bregman
Link to MLBTR on Bregman
Link to over/under draft results
Link to MLBTR on Pivetta
Link to Blum on Rendon
Link to EW episode on Rendon
Link to Cubs depth chart
Link to Cubs offseason tracker
Link to offseason spending
Link to FG payrolls page
Link to Sahadev’s author archive
Link to Sahadev’s podcast
Link to Giants depth chart
Link to Giants offseason tracker
Link to 2014 Giants preview
Link to Grant’s author archive
Link to Grant’s podcast
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Rob Manfred’s Super Bowl cameo, the return of not-terrible uniforms, a new finding in the “familiarity vs. fatigue” debate about the times through the order effect, two more Dodgers signings, and an intriguingly timed alteration to the criteria for two-way-player classification. Then they preview the 2025 Minnesota Twins (46:06) with The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman, and the 2025 Detroit Tigers (1:29:21) with The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen.

Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Manfred clip
Link to Fielder meme
Link to uniforms article
Link to BP TTOP study
Link to previous TTOP research
Link to MLBTR on Kershaw
Link to FG on Hernández
Link to 2024 major league rules
Link to 2021 major league rules
Link to 2019 rule announcement
Link to 2020 press release
Link to 2021 press release
Link to current glossary entry
Link to archived entry
Link to Twins depth chart
Link to Twins offseason tracker
Link to offseason FA spending
Link to FG payrolls page
Link to A-Rod arb news
Link to RP projections
Link to 2024 RP WAR
Link to SP projections
Link to Aaron on France
Link to Aaron’s author archive
Link to Aaron’s podcast
Link to Tigers depth chart
Link to Tigers offseason tracker
Link to farm system ranking
Link to Cody’s author archive
Link to Cody’s podcast
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Dodgers’ overstuffed 2025 bobblehead lineup, Ippei Mizuhara’s sentencing, and the Angels’ tireless pursuit of players who were good several seasons ago. Then they preview the 2025 Baltimore Orioles (35:55) with the Baltimore Banner’s Danielle Allentuck, and the 2025 Kansas City Royals (1:08:21) with the Kansas City Star’s Jaylon Thompson.

Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Jonathan Crymes 2, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)”
Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Dodgers promotions
Link to Dodgers bobbleheads post
Link to past bobbleheads
Link to giveaway conditions
Link to bobblehead data
Link to Rockies bobblehead post
Link to Angels bobbleheads
Link to Ippei sentencing 1
Link to Ippei sentencing 2
Link to Knight thread
Link to Angels additions
Link to Ben on the Orioyals
Link to Orioles depth chart
Link to Orioles offseason tracker
Link to offseason FA spending
Link to FG on O’s spending
Link to Camden Chat on O’s spending
Link to Danielle’s author archive
Link to Royals depth chart
Link to Royals offseason tracker
Link to Dan S. on the Royals
Link to KC stadiums update
Link to Moore for governor news
Link to Jaylon’s author archive
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Mets re-signing Pete Alonso, the Twins signing Harrison Bader, and the compressed standings in the newly released FanGraphs and Baseball Prospectus playoff odds. Then they preview the 2025 Tampa Bay Rays (31:35) with MLB.com’s Adam Berry, and the 2025 Milwaukee Brewers (1:09:55) with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Curt Hogg.

Audio intro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG post on Alonso
Link to 2021 Boras study
Link to FG post on Bader
Link to Byrd wiki
Link to FG playoff odds post
Link to FG playoff odds
Link to BP playoff odds
Link to Rays depth chart
Link to Rays offseason tracker
Link to Adam’s author archive
Link to Franco update 1
Link to Franco update 2
Link to Brewers depth chart
Link to Brewers offseason tracker
Link to Episode 2262
Link to Episode 2263
Link to MLBTR on Contreras
Link to Trueblood on Contreras
Link to Curt’s author archive
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley introduce the 13th annual Effectively Wild season preview series, then banter about the Tigers signing Jack Flaherty to a smaller-than-expected deal, a long-awaited explanation for the gambling-related firing of umpire Pat Hoberg, and the death and legacy of former commissioner Fay Vincent. Then they preview the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays (43:30) with the Toronto Sun’s Rob Longley, and the 2025 San Diego Padres (1:20:30) with MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell.

Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 1: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial 2: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to season preview series wiki
Link to projected standings page
Link to Silicon Valley clip
Link to Dan S. on Flaherty
Link to Petriello on Flaherty
Link to MLBTR on Flaherty
Link to over/under draft wiki
Link to Hobert press release
Link to EW on Hoberg’s ump perfecto
Link to Vincent’s NYT obit
Link to Vincent’s SABR obit
Link to Vincent’s SABR bio
Link to Manfred’s Vincent statement
Link to Sheehan on Vincent
Link to Vincent on gambling
Link to Posnanski on Vincent
Link to EW on commish tenures 1
Link to EW on commish tenures 2
Link to Law on farm systems
Link to McDaniel on farm systems
Link to Jays depth chart
Link to Jays offseason tracker
Link to Rogers Centre offense info
Link to Rob’s author archive
Link to Padres depth chart
Link to Padres offseason tracker
Link to black swan wiki
Link to Padres TV subs
Link to AJ’s author archive
Link to Topps Bunt 24 art
Link to Winfield game
Link to Canseco/Garvey game
Link to Ben’s Luka pod
Link to Memorial Cup wiki
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Max Scherzer and Jorge Polanco signings, Scherzer vs. Justin Verlander, and the changes in pitcher usage over the course of those pitchers’ careers. Then (20:17) they discuss stricter restrictions on the size of fielders’ gloves, and the merits of a tax in Meg’s county to help pay for the Diamondbacks’ ballpark renovations. Finally (55:54), they answer listener emails about designated “jersey guys,” rotating, pre-assigned pennant winners, and factors that could differentiate teams in their pursuits of free agents.

Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG post on Scherzer
Link to MLBTR on Polanco
Link to Ben on innings eaters
Link to article on headlights
Link to Patrick on gloves
Link to Ben on the foul lines
Link to Ben on pitcher limits
Link to Sam on errors
Link to AZ tax article
Link to deMause on the tax
Link to better-than-average effect
Link to franchise tag wiki
Link to Verducci on Burnes
Link to listener emails database
Link to Pete Rose Baseball
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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