Effectively Wild Episode 2490: Hogging the Spotlight

by
June 12, 2026

EWFI
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon.

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the listener response to their conversation with Adrian Chiles, newly minted major leaguer LuJames Groover, and a big Giants comeback (in defiance of the team’s historically walk-averse ways), then (21:25) answer listener emails about how long-term team outlooks factor into present-day disappointment levels, spectacle vs. analysis in closer-entrance pageantry, whether umps should be able to challenge themselves, how future sub-Ohtani two-way players will be perceived, the entertainment value of human managers and hypothetical robo-managers, a pre-playoffs rest period, and stats used as verbs, plus Stat Blasts (1:27:23) about teams that turned deficits into large leads, Paul Skenes and glad-to-see-him-go games, and the Angels’ used-to-be-good guys.

Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Episode 2489
Link to Groover debut story
Link to 2025 Groover story
Link to 2025 Groover clip
Link to Groover shirt story
Link to Eldridge game story
Link to Eldridge game box score
Link to ultimate slams story
Link to Giants BB%+
Link to Krukow/Kuiper clip
Link to Knicks comeback story
Link to Ben on Larry David
Link to Burnes setback story
Link to Crochet setback story
Link to Crochet setback confusion
Link to Michael’s BOOG intro
Link to BOOG pod appearance
Link to Jay on the White Sox
Link to Duran entrance video
Link to story about ballpark loudness
Link to call on Contreras
Link to Miller hot-mic moment 1
Link to Miller hot-mic moment 2
Link to Miller hot-mic moments article
Link to Sam on the Umpire Manual
Link to info on umps and HFA
Link to Sam on the two-way balance
Link to two-way draft prospects story
Link to “obligate” definition
Link to Grandstand Managers Night
Link to Ballers’ AI manager
Link to Twitch Plays Pokémon
Link to moonwalking robot
Link to running robot
Link to kicking robot
Link to Laws of Robotics
Link to Deep Thought wiki
Link to Marvin robot
Link to Grant on mascot pants
Link to NBA Cup
Link to Paine on the NBA Cup
Link to more Paine on the NBA Cup
Link to Knicks banner news
Link to Schlittler quote
Link to Shakespeare usage shifts
Link to Bulls vs. Tides story
Link to big comebacks data
Link to harmonic mean wiki
Link to listener emails database
Link to Skenes game story
Link to more on Skenes game
Link to bullpen blowups data
Link to Mancini comeback story
Link to past Angels Blasts
Link to used-to-be-good guys data
Link to Boog/Mancini survival story

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