Effectively Wild Episode 2505: Game Recognize (All-Star) Game

by
July 15, 2026

EWFI
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about all aspects of the Home Run Derby spectator experience, both in the ballpark and from afar: the new format, the Netflix broadcast, the Philly fans, Jordan Walker’s win, and more. Then (49:12) they discuss how All-Star selections increasingly reflect same-season performance, Bruce Meyer’s and Rob Manfred’s comments to the BBWAA, negotiations over MLB players’ participation in the 2028 Olympics, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Ceddanne Rafaela’s mutual lovefest, and the ice-cold A’s and red-hot Red Sox.

Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2”
Audio outro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG HRD recap
Link to LHB-heavy preview
Link to MLB HRD notes
Link to LHB park factors
Link to RHB park factors
Link to “Year of the LHH” post
Link to MLB.com on Walker
Link to list of youngest HRD winners
Link to Walker on inspirational value
Link to historical HRD results
Link to McGwire Simpsons scene
Link to Marchand on Netflix
Link to Sam on the Derby’s future
Link to HRD X wiki
Link to Meg’s Arozarena photo
Link to Posnanski on the HRD
Link to Philly Drew/batteries incident
Link to Philly Santa Claus incident
Link to Paine on All-Star selections
Link to past EW discussion on selections
Link to Manfred competitive balance quote
Link to Meyer on MLB.TV ads
Link to Meyer/Manfred messaging summary
Link to Passan on the Olympics
Link to Drellich on the Olympics
Link to The West Wing quote
Link to Rafaela/PCA article
Link to FG WAR leaderboard
Link to playoff odds changes
Link to A’s firing article
Link to team road FIP
Link to team home FIP
Link to team batting WAR
Link to Sheehan on the Sox
Link to conn wiki

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