Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Effectively Wild Episode 2379: October Came Early

14 snips
Sep 25, 2025
In a lively discussion, the hosts dive into the chaotic last week of baseball, spotlighting the Dodgers' bullpen troubles and thrilling playoff races. They explore the implications of the new ABS challenge system, weighing its benefits against traditional strategies. Listener questions spark debates about odd scenarios, like a player who hits one single per game and whether MLB front offices lean more toward Bayesian or frequentist methods. Tensions rise over ticky-tack tag calls, with insights on league strength and the challenges of late-season dynamics.
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ANECDOTE

99-MPH Fastball And A Chaotic Inning

  • Ben and Meg recount the chaotic Tigers–Guardians game with David Fry hit in the face and Cleveland manufacturing runs without typical hitting.
  • They describe how Scooble was visibly rattled, visited Fry in hospital, and the inning exemplified Cleveland's season traits.
INSIGHT

Dodgers: Too Many Starters, Weak Finishers

  • The Dodgers reversed their 2023 pitching problem: starters are plentiful but their late-inning bullpen is unreliable this year.
  • That mismatch forces choices like moving starters to bullpen roles or reshuffling the late-inning pecking order.
INSIGHT

Challenge System As A Purposeful Compromise

  • The new ABS via a challenge system is a deliberate half measure balancing human discretion and technological correctness.
  • Meg and Ben argue it preserves catcher framing and strategic choices while fixing many egregious missed calls.
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