Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Effectively Wild Episode 2426: The Hot (Stove) Corner

11 snips
Jan 14, 2026
Dive into the excitement of the baseball offseason as bold moves unfold! The Cubs make waves with Alex Bregman's hefty contract, raising questions about roster fit and future trades. The Nolan Arenado trade to Arizona sparks discussions on team strategies and performance expectations. Meanwhile, Kauffman Stadium's layout is getting a facelift to boost home runs and fan experience. Plus, the age-old debate of analytics versus traditional stats is reignited with amusing takes from Ruben Amaro Jr. Get ready for a hot conversation!
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Bregman Improves Cubs But Raises Fit Questions

  • Alex Bregman is a very good player who will likely improve the Cubs in 2026 despite age and injury concerns.
  • Meg Rowley and Ben Lindbergh question whether his contract is the optimal allocation of Chicago's payroll given other roster needs.
INSIGHT

Spending Signal vs. Marginal Value

  • The Bregman deal signals the Cubs remember they can spend and adds positional stability to their lineup.
  • Ben doubts Bregman offers the largest marginal upgrade compared with spending on top rotation help or re-signing Kyle Tucker.
ADVICE

Prefer Depth Over Tax-Driven Cuts

  • Keep high-value depth like Nico Horner unless you can get an immediate roster upgrade in return.
  • Use financial flexibility to preserve redundancy rather than trimming simply to stay under tax thresholds.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app