Effectively Wild Episode 2417: Just Passan Time

by
December 22, 2025

EWFI
Ben Lindbergh brings on ESPN senior MLB insider Jeff Passan to discuss the ins and outs of the newsbreaking business—how he reports and announces news, how newsbreaking in baseball differs from newsbreaking in other sports, conflicts of interest, the ills of social media, work-life balance, aging, his flirtation with switching to the basketball beat, and more—plus Jeff’s thoughts on ESPN’s relationship with MLB, the biggest surprises and questions of this hot stove season, and the outlook for a lockout. Then (1:06:55) Ben talks to The Athletic’s Sam Blum about what he learned from covering the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Tyler Skaggs against the Angels, which was settled just before the jury reached a verdict.

Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Jeff’s last EW appearance
Link to Jeff’s newsbreaking origins
Link to Jeff’s gravy tweet
Link to aging research
Link to article about aging
Link to Woj comments
Link to Schefter comments
Link to Shams comments
Link to Shams profile
Link to Shams vs. Woj feature
Link to Passan NBA report
Link to exhibit 49 info
Link to more exhibit 49 info
Link to ESPN-MLB deal
Link to ESPN-NFL deal
Link to ESPN evolution
Link to Jeff’s trade tweet
Link to news about Jeff’s son
Link to The LAT on the settlement
Link to Sam on the settlement
Link to Sam on Trout
Link to MLB testing change

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