Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Effectively Wild Episode 2372: How Slow Can You Go?

14 snips
Sep 9, 2025
Yoshinobu Yamamoto's near no-hitter sparks a discussion about baseball's emotional rollercoaster. Shohei Ohtani's value as a two-way player versus a DH is debated while Cal Raleigh's clutch homers versus garbage time take center stage. The dynamics of position player pitching raise intriguing questions about speed and effectiveness. Additionally, left-handed pitchers are enjoying an unprecedented season, adding to the unpredictability of the game. The conversation is filled with humor and insightful stats that keep listeners engaged.
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ANECDOTE

Yamamoto's Near No-Hitter And Wild Finish

  • Ben and Meg describe Yamamoto's near no-hitter that Jackson Holliday broke with a 112th-pitch homer.
  • The Dodgers surrendered the lead in a wild comeback inning, turning euphoria into defeat for Yamamoto and fans.
INSIGHT

Two-Way Otani Still Adds Net Value

  • Ben compares Shohei Ohtani's one-way (hitting-only) span to his two-way (hitting+pitching) span this season.
  • Adding Ohtani's pitching value (~1.4 fWAR) offsets his modest offensive dip, making two-way use still valuable overall.
INSIGHT

Cal Raleigh's 'Garbage Time' Claim Fails

  • Ben tests the claim Cal Raleigh pads homers in garbage time and finds it untrue by league splits.
  • Eight of Raleigh's 53 homers (15.1%) occurred in >4-run margins, nearly matching the 15.7% league average.
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