Effectively Wild Episode 1823: Building Up, Tearing Down

March 15, 2022

EWFI
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a packed few days of post-lockout action, including news about the zombie runner and a ball-strike challenge system, Fernando Tatis Jr.’s fractured wrist and motorcycle mayhem, Pete Alonso‘s close call, Mike Trout’s vetoed position change, the Yankees and Mets potentially losing unvaxxed players in home games, and how nice it is to talk about non-lockout-related news. Then they discuss transactions, including the Braves’ bittersweet decision to move on from Freddie Freeman by acquiring and extending Matt Olson, the prospects the A’s got back, why Freeman’s departure isn’t like the Mookie Betts trade, the Reds’ trades with the Twins and Mariners, the difference (if any) between the Athletics’ and Reds’ teardowns, the Twins-Yankees trade involving Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Ben Rortvedt, Gary Sánchez, and Gio Urshela, a taxonomy of Yankees Beef Boys, and what the Twins are doing, as well as moves involving Chris Bassitt, Yusei Kikuchi, Nelson Cruz, Andrew McCutchen, Carlos Rodón, Clayton Kershaw, Kurt Suzuki, and Willians Astudillo.