Effectively Wild Episode 1944: The Christmas Socks of Free Agents

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the differences, if any, between a two-year deal with an opt out after the first year and a one-year deal with a player option for a second year, then discuss the Dansby Swanson signing, the destinations of the winter’s top four shortstops, and the state of the Cubs, the spending of the White Sox, the AL Central, and the trajectories of Andrew Benintendi and Joey Gallo, Atlanta depending on Vaughn Grissom to replace Swanson at shortstop, the Dodgers and Red Sox essentially swapping DHs in J.D. Martinez and Justin Turner (and Boston’s confusing competitive stance), the Orioles’ unexciting signings and the Marlins’ lack of moves, the Padres and Mets continuing to add players and payroll and whether Seth Lugo is like socks, the Astros re-signing Michael Brantley, Kris Bryant being on the Rockies, and more, plus Stat Blasts about this winter’s unusually long contracts and Rich Hill’s gap between 30-start seasons (1:03:35), a Past Blast from 1944 (1:15:28), and a Hall-of-Fame follow-up.

Audio intro: ABBA, “Two for the Price of One”
Audio outro: JD McPherson, “Socks”

Link to Wendy on mutual options
Link to article on tweet length
Link to Ben Clemens on Swanson
Link to Dan Szymborski on the Cubs
Link to Laurila on Benintendi
Link to Baumann on Gallo
Link to Chris Gilligan on Lugo
Link to team payrolls
Link to SP depth charts
Link to Battery Power on Grissom
Link to Esteban Rivera on JDM
Link to Justin Choi on Turner
Link to Baumann on the Red Sox
Link to article on Bloom buying/selling
Link to article on Boston’s deadline
Link to Dan on the Orioles
Link to Hill Stat Blast data
Link to 1944 story source
Link to story on Phillies rebrand
Link to SABR on team nicknames
Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website
Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter
Link to latest Ringer-Verse episode
Link to first Ringer-Verse episode

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