Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley rant about the practice of picking “breakout” players who have already broken out, react (22:20) to the Orioles’ Charlie Morton signing and discuss (38:24) Morton as one of the pitchers who best embodies his era, and answer listener emails (52:14) about whether the existence of the minor leagues suggests that baseball is the hardest sport to play and why MLB’s potential TV-driven decrease in revenue is worthy worrying about, plus a postscript (1:33:54).

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

Link to Rooker tweet
Link to pet peeve wiki
Link to breakout picks article
Link to R.J.’s 2024 picks
Link to R.J.’s picks revisited
Link to Ben’s tweet about R.J.
Link to MLBTR on Morton
Link to FG post on Morton
Link to McCarthy interview
Link to team SP projections
Link to individual SP projections
Link to team payrolls
Link to O’s payroll page
Link to McCarthy interview
Link to baseball exceptionalism wiki
Link to Ben on caliber of play
Link to Allegory of the Cave
Link to Seidler story 1
Link to Seidler story 2
Link to Seidler story 3
Link to Seidler story 4
Link to Chargers story
Link to neutral zone wiki
Link to listener emails database
Link to EW Episode 2104
Link to 2-strike tOPS+
Link to 2-strike sOPS+
Link to Schunk story
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Patreon supporter Jordan Smith banter about Jordan’s baseball background, the Tigers’ 2025 hopes, the Dodgers signing Hyeseong Kim, and more, then (30:48) answer listener emails about per-game stats, “advanced” stats, televised arbitration cases, an owner playing in games, pit stops on the basepaths, assorted variations on the Golden Batter (and the Golden Batter vs. the zombie runner), relaxing substitution rules, defining “changeup,” and $ per HR.

Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Seinfeld episode
Link to Seinfeld clip
Link to MLBTR on Kim
Link to Ted Turner story
Link to player/owner story
Link to player/owner post
Link to Ben on arbitration
Link to Sam on lineup resetting
Link to Sam on pits
Link to listener emails database
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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As the halfway point of the offseason approaches, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the relative merits of the first half of the offseason vs. the second half of the offseason, assess the weakest projected positions on contending teams and the best remaining free agents, and list MLB stories they’re looking forward to following.

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

Link to weak positions sheet
Link to FG team projections
Link to FA projections
Link to SP projections
Link to WAR leaders page
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the latest on Roki Sasaki’s posting process, the NL-AL imbalance, and why the active homer leader doesn’t have more homers, then (50:44) review the team goals from the 2024 season preview series.

Audio intro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Sasaki update
Link to Mains on NL vs. AL
Link to Posnanski post
Link to Jeremy Frank tweet
Link to B-Ref HR page
Link to active HR leaders
Link to season preview predictions
Link to Red Sox prospects
Link to Bryant car story
Link to crotch bump story
Link to crotch bump clip
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh, Lindsey Adler, and Hannah Keyser talk about Lindsey and Hannah’s evolving relationships to baseball writing, near-simultaneous Substack-starting, and (ongoing) pursuits of self-discovery and creative fulfillment. Then (45:27) Ben and Hannah analyze the Teoscar Hernández and Corbin Burnes signings and (1:05:49) discuss at least one listener-nominated topic about each National League team that wasn’t previously covered on the podcast in 2024 (plus a real-time reaction to Shohei Ohtani’s announcement that he’s going to be a dad).

Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)”

Link to Lindsey’s Substack
Link to Hannah’s Substack
Link to MLBTR on Teoscar
Link to Passan on Teoscar
Link to MLBTR on Burnes
Link to Ben C. on Burnes
Link to Gammons on Hazen
Link to Hannah on diving catches
Link to Ohtani’s Insta post
Link to Toglia’s Insta post
Link to Burnes’s Insta post
Link to Snow/Baker video
Link to Shaq meme
Link to MLBTR on Maxwell
Link to Maxwell on EW
Link to missed stories links
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Michael Baumann play “College Baseball Player or U.S. Army Air Forces Pilot Who Took Part in Operation Vengeance,” banter about Jake Burger’s three consecutive seasons with a .250 batting average, the Tigers signing Gleyber Torres, and how the ruling about Diego Pavia’s NCAA eligibility could affect college (and pro) baseball, then (26:59) discuss least one listener-nominated topic about each American League team that wasn’t previously covered on the podcast in 2024.

Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes 2, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Operation Vengeance
Link to MLBTR on Torres
Link to FG top 50 FA
Link to over/under draft
Link to AP on Pavia ruling
Link to BA on Pavia ruling
Link to Pavia wiki
Link to missed stories links
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss the career and life of Rickey Henderson, focusing on changes in public perceptions of his play and personality, how underrated he was (even though he was highly rated!), and his impact on the modern game and media, then (41:52) catch up on a flurry of transactions, including a run on first basemen, NL/AL East pitching moves, and predawn newsbreaking.

Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Ben on Rickey
Link to Bryant on EW
Link to Mays EW episode
Link to FG payrolls page
Link to MLBTR arb salaries
Link to FG SP projections
Link to Marlins revenue sharing
Link to Santana house sale
Link to Rooker tweet
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Pebble Hunting’s Sam Miller banter about Michael Lorenzen embracing an Effectively Wild hypothetical, Ben and Sam’s past predictions about baseball in the 2020s, and Paul Skenes and the ERA title, then discuss what will be remembered about baseball in 2024 (plus a postscript).

Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to EW Episode 2242
Link to Lorenzen article
Link to EW Episode 1512
Link to MLB Vault
Link to Stephen A. vs. Shaq
Link to Sam on qualifying
Link to Sam on 2024 1
Link to Sam on 2024 2
Link to Sam on 2024 3
Link to Sam on past years
Link to Sam on lineup resets
Link to Baumann on Walker
Link to Sosa letter
Link to Sosa story
Link to Newlywed Game clip
Link to Superman clip
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Cody Bellinger trade, the Yankees’ and Cubs’ next moves, Guaranteed Rate Field changing to Rate Field, and the results of MLB’s inquiry into pitcher injuries. Then (31:39) they bring back A’s slugger Brent Rooker to discuss his monster 2024, his work as a World Series correspondent, misconceptions about hitting, how Sutter Health Park will play, leaving the Coliseum, his future with the A’s, unreported injuries, ballplayer parental leave, his favorite meals of the year, learning chess, his 2025 goals, and much more.

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

Link to FG post on Bellinger
Link to Guaranteed Rate wiki
Link to Rate Field announcement
Link to ESPN on the MLB research
Link to Passan on the MLB research
Link to the AP on the MLB research
Link to The Athletic on the MLB research
Link to Ben on pitcher injuries
Link to Ben on too many pitchers
Link to Rooker’s first pod appearance
Link to FG post on Rooker
Link to correspondent announcement
Link to Annie Hall scene
Link to story on surgery
Link to “not trading” tweet
Link to extension story
Link to weddings story
Link to crosswords research
Link to Sutter Health story
Link to park factors
Link to Rooker’s TikTok
Link to Rooker’s Instagram
Link to Rooker’s Twitter
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the qualifications for being a superstar, the Kyle Tucker trade from the Astros’ and Cubs’ perspectives, the Devin Williams trade from the Yankees’ and Brewers’ perspectives, and various other transactions, including the A’s trading for Jeffrey Springs and the Orioles signing Tomoyuki Sugano, plus thoughts on Caleb Durbin’s dimensions, the significance of financial terms in transaction analysis, a possible spending divide stemming from a disparity in TV revenue, and Rob Manfred on restoring the starter.

Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Joe Sheehan Newsletter
Link to FG post on Tucker trade
Link to Rome on Tucker
Link to FG post on Williams trade
Link to Durbin photo
Link to FG post on Springs trade
Link to Pride Night story
Link to FG payrolls page
Link to Patrick’s post
Link to Manfred’s comments
Link to trial balloon wiki
Link to Langs tweet
Link to “Cody’s Only”
Link to “Superstar”
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com
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