Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the oddly timed end of Derek Falvey’s rein as POBOth for the Twins, Jacob Wilson’s extension and the promising but lopsided A’s, pillow contracts vs. trampoline contracts, which teams have had the most frustrating offseasons, dark-horse-candidate teams for 2026, and listener responses to their previous discussion of a Fellowship of the Ring baseball team. Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to The Athletic on Falvey Link to Favley Zoom meeting detail Link to FG payrolls page Link to MLBTR on Wilson Link to 2025 team batting WAR Link to 2025 team pitching WAR Link to team WAR projections Link to sowing/reaping meme Link to team offseason spending Link to FG offseason tracker Link to Rooker on aliens Link to Robertson retirement news Link to Crizer on opt-outs Link to EW wiki on trampolines Link to BP on inactive teams Link to Sheehan on inactive teams Link to The Athletic on trying tiers Link to projected team WAR Link to “dark horse” wiki Link to MLBTR on Evans Link to Mount Doom scene Link to Pasquantino news  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! Source

Two hosts debate spring training as a live spectacle and how Opening Day’s lead-up has changed. They unpack the many meanings of “back end” in baseball. They imagine an outfielder who repels batted balls and whether telekinetic tricks would count as cheating. They riff on superhero and Fellowship of the Ring position fits. A Stat Blast examines Mets roster turnover and historical extremes.

Zach Gozlan, data scientist and writer who analyzed Jeopardy! sports clues, joins to explore trivia bias. He explains whether sports — especially baseball — are overrepresented on Jeopardy! and which figures get asked about most. The conversation covers contestant prep, how well players answer sports clues, and why certain athletes dominate trivia.

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the MacKenzie Gore trade, the trajectories of the Rangers and Nationals since their respective World Series victories, and why the White Sox signed Seranthony Domínguez. Then (29:38) they bring on baseball buds Brent Rooker and Vinnie Pasquantino for a wide-ranging conversation about their scrapped podcasting plans, the Royals remodeling Kauffman Stadium, how Sutter Health Park played, the good and bad of bat-speed training, the challenge system, Brent’s sinking strikeout rate, the best breakfasts, the Pasqwich, A’s outfield defense, Nick Kurtz and Jac Caglianone, playing with Rich Hill, A’s extensions, playing 162 games, why they haven’t become 30-30 guys, arbitration, players’ pre-lockout messaging, an offseason signing deadline, Vinnie’s interactions with Shohei Ohtani, the WBC, the weather, and more. Finally (1:38:25), Ben shares listener responses about Andruw Jones and outfield diving. Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG post on Gore trade Link to FG post on traded prospects Link to “jersey guy” discussion Link to team losses post-2019 Link to team SP projections Link to Ben on Sale in 2018 Link to Sox pen rank Link to MLBTR on Domínguez Link to first Rooker pod appearance Link to second Rooker appearance Link to Episode 1875 Link to Episode 1988 Link to lowest WARs in April Link to Brent’s Twitter taunt Link to Vinnie on the canceled podcast Link to story on Vinnie’s slow start Link to story on Muncy’s eyewear Link to bat speed article Link to Brent on bat speed Link to bat speed data Link to Vinnie on the fence changes Link to Brent on breakfast Link to Vinnie on Italian breakfast Link to Pasqwich tweet Link to Pasqwich article Link to Baseball Savant park factors Link to FG park factors Link to Kauffman batter’s eye comments Link to more Kauffman batter’s eye comments Link to visibility by ballpark Link to Brent’s lone Royals hit Link to Lowe comments Link to story on Vinnie and Jac Link to MLBTR on Brent’s extension Link to MLBTR on A’s extensions Link to Vinnie on extensions Link to Vinnie on arbitration Link to iron man Rooker Link to sprint speeds Link to signing deadline tweet 1 Link to signing deadline tweet 2 Link to Soderstrom article Link to Vinnie’s “WTF” tweet Link to Vinnie and Ohtani Link to Brent and Ohtani Link to Team Italy WBC roster Link to Brent’s weather tweet Link to Trout’s response Link to Brent’s “weather boy” tweet Link to “weather boy” meme Link to Bledsoe Agency Link to Pham suspension story Link to Pham Insta post Link to Episode 2430 Link to Bloomquist on Ichiro Link to Pillar/White article  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the best point in the podcast at which to talk transactions, how a salary cap would affect the kind of conversations we have about baseball (based on the way we discuss other sports), the notion that a particular signing would drive owners to pursue a salary cap, and (25:09) whether a fielder’s proclivity for diving catches tells us anything about how good he is (inspired by the belief that Andruw Jones never had to dive). Then (44:32) they break down the latest Mets moves (for Luis Robert Jr. and Freddy Peralta), the team’s extreme makeover, and why the Brewers dealt Peralta, plus (1:29:08) the Yankees’ Cody Bellinger deal, their lack of roster turnover, and Belli’s up-down-up career. Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Gore Link to Young trade news Link to Young trade rationale Link to Rosenthal on the cap Link to Drellich on the cap Link to Calcaterra on Jones Link to Sheehan on Jones Link to Jones highlight reel Link to possibility space wiki Link to Ben on Harper’s dives Link to Hannah on dives Link to Rocky quote Link to FG on Robert Link to team CF projections Link to Robert CF rank Link to Robert’s sprint speeds Link to 2017 story on Robert Link to 2017 EW episode on Robert Link to FG on Peralta Link to FG on Peralta prospects Link to Brewers defense ranking Link to Peralta defenders ranking Link to RA-9 WAR leaders Link to team SP projections Link to Tong’s grilled cheese Link to BP on Peralta Link to Brewers payroll story 1 Link to Brewers payroll story 2 Link to team payrolls page Link to Mets team ZiPS post Link to FG post on Bellinger Link to Belli’s celebration injury Link to Belli on changing his celebration Link to team WAR projections Link to Domínguez defensive stats Link to team BaseRuns Link to political registration research Link to EW wiki on car recording  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ha-Seong Kim and the perils of slipping on ice, the contrasting retirement comments of Mookie Betts and Rich Hill, more on the Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette signings, Goodhart’s law and baseball stats, the late Wilbur Wood, and the latest trends in Hall of Fame voting. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio outro: Sam Chess, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Kim story Link to MLBTR on Kim Link to Mateo signing Link to team SS projection Link to Cena/Mookie episode Link to MLB.com on Mookie Link to HUAL on Cena’s retirement Link to Mookie’s other stream Link to MLBTR on Hill Link to “Retire” meme Link to Hill on EW Link to team LF projection Link to team CF projection Link to Dombrowski comment Link to MLBTR on Jays offer Link to Weaver’s Dodgers stat Link to Clemens post Link to barrels definition Link to Andrews post Link to Goodhart’s law wiki Link to Baumann on nerdy players Link to Wood obit Link to Wood’s IP lead Link to Sardell EW appearance Link to Sardell’s penultimate projections Link to Sardell’s final projections Link to Jay’s results preview Link to Jay on EW Link to BBWAA announcement Link to Jay on the results Link to Jay’s Jones profile Link to Jones battery report Link to Jay’s Beltrán profile Link to Felix leap stat Link to Pettitte PEDs story Link to Vizquel persuasion post Link to Sam’s ballot Link to Pollis on the results Link to MLBTR on Robert  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! Source

Ben and Meg dive into a whirlwind of baseball transactions, analyzing the fascinating dynamics of a three-team trade involving Gavin Lux and others. They break down J.T. Realmuto's return to the Phillies amidst a thinning catching market and explore Bo Bichette's intriguing move to the Mets. The hosts discuss Kyle Tucker’s blockbuster deal with the Dodgers, celebrating its implications for Los Angeles' outfield and playoff strategy. They also tackle the economics of the league, questioning whether a salary cap could enhance competitive balance.

Join Jon Norton, a passionate Patreon supporter, as he dives into the world of baseball alongside hosts Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley. They tackle fascinating listener questions, such as the implications of one-year deals and the ethics of playing on a pro team. The trio also debates the merits of switch-hitting and explores the intriguing Star Trek character Buck Bockai's legacy. Whether discussing contract strategies or holodeck simulations, their lively conversation adds a fresh perspective to the baseball landscape.

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!

Tune in for a lively discussion on the intriguing breakup of baseball lookalikes and the complexities of minor league free agent eligibility. Delve into Rob Manfred's ambitious vow to step down in 2029 and his proposals for a free-agent signing deadline. The hosts tackle Tarik Skubal's groundbreaking arbitration case, revealing the staggering $13 million gap between filings. Plus, hear insights on why active MLB players hesitate to come out publicly and how the sensational series 'Heated Rivalry' may impact the sports world.