Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a flurry of signings and other transactions, including the Tigers signing Eduardo Rodriguez, the Angels signing Noah Syndergaard, the Blue Jays extending José Berríos, and the Mets (finally) hiring a GM, Billy Eppler, plus musings on the Tigers and Mariners “turning the corner,” followups on player rankings, unorthodox trades, and the worst way to end a series, and a real-time reaction to some Shohei Ohtani sponsorship news. Then (43:47) they talk to Zack Frongillo, Director of Entertainment for the Savannah Bananas, about the team’s history, his history, the development of “Banana Ball” and its experimental rules, foul balls being in play, how a typical gameday goes, the team’s online and offline appeal, the tryout/audition process, what baseball could borrow from Banana Ball, the Bananas’ plans for the future, and much more.

Audio intro: Radiohead, “Banana Co.”
Audio interstitial: Arkells, “Savannah”
Audio outro: Matt Costa, “Savannah“

Link to Ben Clemens on the Rodriguez signing
Link to ICC cricket rankings
Link to ICC cricket rankings wiki
Link to story on the Guardians’ name
Link to Phanatic lawsuit story
Link to Harwell trade story
Link to story about Youppi! trade
Link to video of 2014 Japan Series ending
Link to story on 2014 Japan Series ending
Link to Twenty20 cricket wiki
Link to the Bananas’ “About” page
Link to Banana Ball explainer
Link to Banana Ball video
Link to Baseball America on the Bananas
Link to the Boston Globe on the Bananas
Link to the WSJ on the Bananas
Link to Max Patkin SABR bio
Link to Eddie Feigner obit
Link to the Bananas on TikTok
Link to Zack’s post in the EW Facebook group
Link to EW episode about Blaseball
Link to info on the Bananas’ 2022 tour
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the latest batch of silly Scott Boras quotes, featuring Meg’s real-time reactions to hearing them for the first time, a “fake quote or real quote?” quiz, and a discussion of the motivations behind the superagent’s annual stand-up routine, then discuss Boras’s comments about competitive integrity and try to identify the 13 (or more) teams that Boras says aren’t trying to win. Then (41:15) they examine the idea of an official MLB player ranking system, answer emails about Clayton Kershaw’s usage, the best type of routine out with which to end a postseason series, and the least valuable entity that teams would trade, and close (1:16:12) with Stat Blasts on the Braves as a Ship of Theseus and Pedro Feliciano vs. Chase Utley and the most prolific pitcher-batter matchups.

Audio intro: The Hives, "No Pun Intended"
Audio outro: Lilys, "Scott Free"

Link to “best” Boras quotes
Link to WaPo on Boras and competition
Link to CBS Sports on Boras and tanking
Link to video of Boras on Bryant
Link to video of Boras on Conforto
Link to video of Alderson on Boras
Link to Rob Mains on competitive inequality
Link to Bill James Handbook 2022
Link to Ben on peak Kershaw
Link to Ben on Kershaw’s adjustments
Link to final out of the 2016 World Series
Link to FanGraphs post on trading data
Link to Stat Blast data on postseason rosters
Link to Stat Blast data on common matchups
Link to Stat Blast data on Johnson vs. Cobb
Link to Stat Blast data on matchups over time
Link to study on batters learning over time
Link to Feliciano obit
Link to Feliciano vs. Utley matchup summary
Link to Feliciano vs. Utley matchup details
Link to The Athletic’s FanGaphs WAR report
Link to EW interview with Jonathan Judge
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley announce new perks available to their Patreon supporters, then (12:03) bring on Ben Clemens, the lead author of FanGraphs’ top 50 free agents ranking, to discuss qualifying offers, early transactions, and Wade Miley and size up this offseason’s free agent class, focusing on the strong selection of shortstops and starters, the players Ben is higher or lower on than the consensus, the most obvious fits for players and teams, the potential of Seiya Suzuki, how the CBA negotiations could affect the market, and more. Finally (51:10), Ben, Meg, and other Ben conduct the seventh annual EW free-agent-contract over/under draft.

Audio intro: The Stanley Brothers, "Rank Strangers"
Audio outro: Guided By Voices, "Free Agents"

Link to Effectively Wild’s Patreon page
Link to list of qualifying offer recipients
Link to FanGraphs’ top 50 free agents
Link to Ben’s top 50 free agents chat
Link to MLB Trade Rumors’ top 50 free agents
Link to Jake Mailhot on the Reds
Link to Krall’s comments about payroll
Link to MLBTR on the Athletics’ offseason
Link to Andrew Friedman’s Kershaw comments
Link to Suzuki’s B-Ref page
Link to EW competitions and drafts spreadsheet
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley talk to Evan Drellich, senior writer for The Athletic, about the state of labor negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA, the major issues separating the two sides, the odds of a work stoppage, how long a potential lockout could last, how the CBA talks may affect transaction activity, how previous rounds of bargaining led to this one, whether a salary cap and floor could work, transitioning from covering teams as a beat writer to covering the business of baseball, the future of minor league housing and local broadcast blackouts, breaking the Astros sign-stealing story, and collaborating on reporting with Ken Rosenthal.

Audio intro: Ian M Bailey, "Take it or Leave it"
Audio outro: Attic Lights, "Lock Me Out"

Link to Evan on how a lockout would work
Link to Evan on previous bargaining rounds
Link to Evan on latest MLBPA proposal
Link to Evan on Marvin Miller
Link to Ben on Lords of the Realm
Link to Morning Consult poll
Link to Greg Bouris EW interview
Link to Evan on blackouts and streaming
Link to report about future streaming service
Link to Evan on minor league housing
Link to The Athletic Baseball Show
Link to original sign-stealing report
Link to preorder Evan’s book
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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 Sponsor Us on Patreon
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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s return from podcast paternity leave, the quality of the 2021 postseason, whether the Braves were underrated or simply overperformed, what teams might learn from and emulate about Atlanta’s success, postseason pitcher usage and game length, the career and retirement of Buster Posey, their upcoming discussion of TV drama Stove League, and more.

Audio intro: Pavement, "Father to a Sister of Thought"
Audio outro: Bill Withers, "Wintertime"

Link to NL East playoff odds graph
Link to FanGraphs postseason staff predictions
Link to Mark Armour on parity
Link to Paul Hembekides on game ending times
Link to Theo Epstein on emulating champions
Link to Zach Kram on Atlanta’s win
Link to Michael Baumann on the Astros’ future
Link to Ben on Atlanta’s rebuild
Link to Zach on Atlanta’s bullpen
Link to Eno Sarris on learning from Atlanta
Link to Emma Baccellieri on Atlanta’s shifting
Link to Jay on playoff pitcher usage
Link to Jay on unlikely playoff pitchers
Link to Ben on bullpenning
Link to Ben on October baseball
Link to Ben on predicting postseason sweeps
Link to Maury Brown on playoff start times
Link to John Ourand on start times and ratings
Link to Ben on re-signing World Series winners
Link to Rob Mains on pitcher usage and payroll
Link to Terrance Gore EW episode
Link to Jay Jaffe on Posey
Link to Grant Brisbee on Posey
Link to Nichols Law of Catcher Defense
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki

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Meg Rowley and guest co-host Eric Longenhagen discuss the conclusion of the World Series, including how Brian Snitker and Dusty Baker managed their depleted pitching staffs, the future of postseason pitching, Jorge Soler’s pyrotechnics, when they realized Atlanta was going to win the Series, and what’s next for the Astros and the Braves. Then they turn their attention to winter ball, including the balance of talent between pitchers and hitters in the Arizona Fall League, the challenges the AFL presents as an evaluation environment, the players who have impressed Eric so far, including Curtis Mead, and finally, the prospects and playing environment in Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana. Read the rest of this entry »

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Meg Rowley and erstwhile Effectively Wild co-host and current Tampa Bay Rays employee Jeff Sullivan discuss World Series game start times, how Jeff’s job has changed compared to the 2020 season, Wander Franco, the Rays’ uniforms, what it is like to root (and work) for a team in the playoffs, the Rays’ ALDS against Boston, our emotional experience of momentum, and what it’s like to prepare for an uncertain offseason. Read the rest of this entry »

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Before Game 3 of the World Series, Meg Rowley and guest co-host Emma Baccellieri of Sports Illustrated discuss postseason travel for sportswriters, the forgotten virtues of suburban malls, Emma’s piece on how Atlanta shifted its stance on the shift midseason, and how the front office, Ron Washington, and the players came together to adopt the defensive strategy, as well as the length and pace of postseason games. Then at a listener’s suggestion, they draft replacement players for each World Series team from the clubs those teams have already vanquished before discussing what Bob Melvin’s hiring as the new manager of the San Diego Padres means for the Padres… and the Oakland A’s. Read the rest of this entry »

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In a crossover event Marvel would envy, Meg Rowley and guest co-host Michael Baumann of The Ringer discuss Games 1 and 2 of the World Series, what the loss of Charlie Morton means for Atlanta, the narrative role of the starter, how to navigate the moral conundrum that is fandom, the ever-growing length of postseason games, the conveyor-belt nature of Houston’s offense, Luis Garcia’s delivery, and what we might expect from both teams as the series shifts to Atlanta. Then they turn their attention to Rob Manfred’s comments on the chop before considering the CBA negotiations, the likelihood of a lockout (and a work stoppage), what will motivate both parties at the bargaining table, and the virtues of the pitch clock. Read the rest of this entry »

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Meg Rowley and guest co-host Sarah Langs of MLB.com banter about Sarah’s participation in MLB’s first game to feature an all-women broadcast crew, her research process, and what makes for a good fun fact. Then Sarah shares some Braves and Astros statistical oddities ahead of the World Series, including fun facts about Joc Pederson, Brian Snitker and Dusty Baker, Eddie Rosario, the Astros’ offense, Tyler Matzek, and more. Finally, Sarah offers what could make (and break) each team in the Fall Classic. Read the rest of this entry »

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