Effectively Wild Episode 1698: The Smoking Theragun

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the scant separation between the top teams in each division and the division races they find the most intriguing, Buster Posey, Scott Kazmir, and other old Giants, Isiah Kiner-Falefa backing up his objection to coming in last on FanGraphs’ shortstop positional power ranking, Mariners catcher José Godoy becoming the 20,000th major leaguer (or not) and the factors that influence the way we remember history, Erik Kratz alleging that the Rockies and (seemingly) Dodgers stole signs illegally and whether the world needs another act to the sign-stealing saga, Joe West breaking the record for most games umpired and the Hall of Fame umpire drought, the motley roster of the U.S. Olympic baseball team, the latest in Oakland ballpark brinksmanship, the Hanshin Tigers’ “Curse of the Colonel,” Zach Plesac’s poor undressing skills, and a Stat Blast about new Brewers shortstop Willy Adames and extreme reverse home-road splits.

Audio intro: Ramones, "Don’t Come Close"
Audio outro: George Harrison, "Any Road"

Link to FanGraphs playoff odds
Link to Jay Jaffe on Kazmir
Link to story about Kiner-Falefa
Link to FanGraphs shortstop WAR leaders
Link to story about Godoy
Link to John Thorn on the National Association
Link to story about Kratz’s comments
Link to 2018 story about the Brewers and Dodgers
Link to Episode 1505 (on sign stealing)
Link to list of Hall of Fame umpires
Link to Adam Darowski on Hall of Fame umps
Link to AP story about West
Link to Kill the Umpire on YouTube
Link to Team USA roster
Link to list of winter/summer medalists
Link to story about Rays lawsuit
Link to Alex Coffey on Oakland’s ballpark
Link to A’s postgame show walkout
Link to Curse of the Colonel Wiki
Link to story about Adames at the Trop
Link to Stat Blast home/road splits data

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