Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Effectively Wild Episode 2382: The October Bandwagon

11 snips
Oct 2, 2025
Guest
Zach Kreiser
Guest
Hannah Keyser
Hannah Keyser and Zach Kreiser, co-founders of The Bandwagon Substack, dive into the excitement of playoff baseball. They discuss the Dodgers' swift victory over the Reds and debate Aaron Boone's controversial managerial choices. The duo shares insights on pitch strategies, including Mason Miller's record-breaking fastball. They weigh in on the challenges of managing teams with byes and the state of various managerial positions, all while identifying the most bandwagon-worthy teams this postseason.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Wildcard Series Are Fast And Unforgiving

  • Three-game wildcard series feel resolved before they start and can flip quickly the next day.
  • Covering them is tricky because trends from game one often become moot after game two.
INSIGHT

Mid-PA Pitching Changes Persist

  • Mid-plate-appearance pitching changes are legal and used tactically to disrupt hitters.
  • Dave Roberts revived the tactic with Alex Vesia, showing managers will keep experimenting in October.
INSIGHT

Bye Week Preparation Varies Widely

  • Teams with byes adopt varied strategies to stay sharp during the break.
  • Split-squad scrimmages and simulated game environments aim to mimic pressure without overdoing injury risk.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app