Effectively Wild Episode 1225: Such is This Game, and Such is John Jaso

June 2, 2018

EWFI
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Clayton Kershaw‘s latest back injury, the “opener” strategy spreading to L.A., and the unexpected sources of production that have helped keep the Dodgers in the race, as well as Kole Calhoun‘s historically slow offensive start to the season, Jaime Barria and record-setting pitch counts within innings, Indians rookie Shane Bieber as the successor to Josh Tomlin, baseball analogs to the J.R. Smith debacle in the NBA Finals, and two upcoming baseball events. Then (26:21) they talk to former major leaguer and EW folk hero John Jaso about his attempt to talk his way past an usher at Tropicana Field last week, his affinity for sailing, his laid-back, “Such is Life” philosophy, why he didn’t always fit in well within baseball clubhouses, the difficulty of being oneself within a hierarchical, regimented sport, his memories of catching Felix Hernandez’s perfect game and coming up with the 2008 Rays, his recovery from concussions, his opinion of hitting for the cycle, and more.