Effectively Wild Episode 2454: Be All You Can WBC

by
March 19, 2026

EWFI
Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and FanGraphs contributor Kiri Oler wrap up the World Baseball Classic, covering Venezuela’s triumph, Team USA’s slump and vibes, and the overall success of the tournament, plus thoughts on Mark DeRosa’s managing and Team USA’s future, the semifinal matchups, the bad calls against the Dominican Republic, the challenge system and pitches that are “too close to take,” the WBC vs. the World Series, when the next WBC should be, and much more.

Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2”

Link to Defector on Venezuela
Link to Harper on the outcome
Link to Posnanski on Team USA
Link to Manfred on WBC timing
Link to data on US-DR game
Link to data on Perdomo take
Link to Harper on the Olympics
Link to McLean start story
Link to top SP projections
Link to USA anthem answers
Link to DeRosa on SEAL speaker
Link to Fox Rogers mix-up
Link to Julio’s WBC quote
Link to Judge’s WBC quote
Link to Hernández’s WBC quote
Link to Jeter on the WBC
Link to DeRosa/López relievers story
Link to next WBC timing
Link to Ben on more WBCs
Link to story on DeRosa’s future
Link to Charbonnet play
Link to Ben on “Strategy”

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