Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the Mariners signing Yusei Kikuchi, Willians Astudillo’s last 10 days, and Oliver Drake’s latest designation for assignment, and then grade the Hall of Fame’s many choices of in-game artifacts from the 2018 season. After that (44:41), they bring on Kyodo News writer Jim Allen to talk about Kikuchi’s origin story, recent performance, balky shoulder, and comparable pitchers, plus the use of stats and technology in Japanese baseball, how the posting system has (and hasn’t) changed NPB, how Shohei Ohtani’s rookie MLB season was perceived in Japan, the greatness of potential future major leaguer Yuki Yanagita, and more. Audio intro: Superchunk, "Drool Collection" Audio interstitial: Legion of Mary, "Every Word You Say" Audio outro: The Undertones, "Save Me" Link to Drake interview episode Link to list of Hall of Fame artifacts Link to Jeff’s Kikuchi post Link to Jim’s Kikuchi primer Link to Jim’s story on Kikuchi’s use of technology Link to Jim’s story on Kikuchi’s evolving approach Link to Jim’s podcast  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Effectively Wild Wiki  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh, Jeff Sullivan, and ESPN’s Sam Miller review the top candidates for the most enduring baseball memory of 2018, then conduct the sixth annual Effectively Wild Minor League Free Agent Draft, selecting 11 minor league free agents each and competing to see whose roster will accumulate the most combined MLB playing time in 2019 (followed by a Nelson Cruz signing addendum). Audio intro: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, "Here We Go Again" Audio outro: Teal Wicks, "I Know He’s Out There" Link to Sam’s article about 2018 memories Link to video of Bregman play Link to MiLB FA list Link to Moreland video Link to EW competitions and drafts sheet  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Effectively Wild Wiki  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

In the second of two themed episodes, Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan review one aspect of each National League team’s year that they overlooked on earlier episodes, touching on stories involving the Baby Braves, Charlie Culberson, and Dansby Swanson, Brent Suter vs. Corey Kluber, Jack Flaherty vs. Walker Buehler, Willson Contreras‘s wedding, Archie Bradley, Yasiel Puig, Dereck Rodriguez and Gorkys Hernandez, Wei-Yin Chen’s record split, Zach Wheeler and the Mets, Dave Martinez and camels, the Padres’ bullpen, Jorge Alfaro, Trevor Williams, Jesse Winker, D.J. Johnson, and more. Audio intro: Kim Wilde, "The Second Time" Audio outro: Bryan Adams, "We Did it All" Link to article about Baby Braves Link to Swanberson photo 1 Link to Swanberson photo 2 Link to Suter homer Link to Meg on Bradley Link to Chen’s record split Link to Williams turnaround article Link to Johnson origin story  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Effectively Wild Wiki  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

In the first of two themed episodes, Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan review one aspect of each American League team’s year that they overlooked on earlier episodes, touching on stories involving Mike Scioscia, Myles Straw, Stephen Piscotty, Rowdy Tellez, Jose Ramirez, Mike Marjama, Richard Bleier, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, a stathead in uniform, Tony Renda, Brad Keller, a fight between broadcasters, Byron Buxton, Yolmer Sanchez, Gary Sanchez, and more. Audio intro: John Cale, "You Know More Than I Know" Audio outro: Neko Case, "I Missed the Point" Link to Straw article Link to Straw spray chart Link to Piscotty post Link to Ramirez Mario Kart article Link to Bleier post Link to Erlichman article Link to innovative walkoffs Link to wild pitch caught stealing  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Effectively Wild Wiki  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the Daniel Murphy, Trevor Cahill, Anibal Sanchez, and Andrew Miller signings, react in real time to the three-team Jurickson Profar trade, and answer listener emails about signing Bryce Harper for one year, signing Harper as a catcher, choosing between watching games and having access to all other information, rebuilding by collecting exorbitant contracts, an NBA case of mistaken identity, and the offseason if teams were in the dark about transactions, plus a Stat Blast about one-year wonders. Then (54:38) Ben talks to The Ringer’s Katie Baker about the greatness of the late Penny Marshall’s A League of Their Own, its casting and most quotable lines, the best what-ifs from the film, what the movie missed, and what it means to many women. Lastly (1:21:36), Ben brings on another Ringer colleague, Zach Kram, to talk about the Dodgers-Reds blockbuster involving Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, and Alex Wood, the Mariners’ trade for Domingo Santana, and his research about why trading for prospects often doesn’t pan out. Audio intro: Willie Nelson, "So Much to Do" Audio interstitial 1: Guided By Voices, "The Littlest League Possible" Audio interstitial 2: Koufax, "Work Will Never End" Audio outro: Pixies, "The Holiday Song" Link to Travis on the slow free-agent market Link to Jeff on the Murphy signing Link to Jeff on Cahill Link to Russell on the defense of emergency catchers Link to Katie on A League of Their Own Link to Britni on A League of Their Own Link to Zach on trading top prospects  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Effectively Wild Wiki  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the Royals signing Terrance Gore and turning themselves into a bad-but-entertaining team of stolen-base threats, the Angels signing Matt Harvey and how they stack up, the renaming of Safeco Field, and the new posting system for Cuban players. Then (28:18) they talk to left-hander Rick Teasley about becoming the first pitcher ever to strike out Willians Astudillo twice in one pro game, the significance of getting big leaguers out, his itinerant career, staying safe in Venezuela and the deaths of Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo, why fan participation in other countries kicks MLB’s butt, how he weighs where (and whether) to keep pitching, his time as a Tampa Bay farmhand, and more, followed by a few outro updates. Audio intro: Elliott Smith, "Speed Trials" Audio interstitial: Bob Marley, "Do it Twice" Audio outro: The Flashing Lights, "Same Thing Twice" Link to Ringer Royals article Link to Jeff’s Harvey post Link to Gore episode Link to Octavio’s brawl video Link to closeup video of brawl Link to summary of latest Russell revelations  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Effectively Wild Wiki  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the Astros’ signing of Michael Brantley, the curious cases of blocked prospects Kyle Tucker and Alex Verdugo, the Mets’ signing of Wilson Ramos, and the unique career of globe-trotting Trey Hillman. Then (20:49) they talk to Charlie Olson, co-founder and CEO of Pando Pooling, about his company’s plan to provide a security net for poorly paid minor-league players by pooling their future earnings, how they approach players and whether the service is an easy sell, how it works and where the concept came from, what type of players tend to take the company up on its offer, how Pando ensures that the terms are upheld, what might change in the future, other industries where pooling might make sense, and more. Audio intro: Tonedeff, "Safety First" Audio interstitial: Real Estate, "Pool Swimmers" Audio outro: Camera Obscura, "Swimming Pool" Link to Ben’s article about Hillman Link to Pando site Link to SI piece about Pando Link to Big League Advance episode Link to Agostinelli episode  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Effectively Wild Wiki  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about why there have been so many Noah Syndergaard trade rumors, then answer listener emails about whether Giancarlo Stanton would be better if he raised his launch angle, how and when a manager who kept intentionally walking hitters would be stopped, how and whether to debate saber skeptics (about Harold Baines, or anything else), Bryce Harper pulling a LeBron, how to identify pitches, and the definitions of “gas” and “inning,” plus a Stat Blast about J.T. Realmuto and the biggest career home/road splits. Audio intro: T. Rex, "Life’s a Gas" Audio outro: Saturday Looks Good to Me, "Keep Walking" Link to Ben’s article about Baines Link to guide to identifying pitches  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Effectively Wild Wiki  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Jeff’s sartorial choice during his MLB Network appearance at the Winter Meetings, Willians Astudillo striking out twice against the same pitcher in a pro game for (possibly) the first time, Scott Boras and Brian Cashman metaphors, big-picture takeaways from the Winter Meetings, the Phillies signing Andrew McCutchen, the Blue Jays releasing Troy Tulowitzki, Jerry Dipoto‘s hospital heroics and the three-way trade involving Yandy Diaz, Jake Bauers, Cole Sulser, Edwin Encarnacion, and Carlos Santana, the Jeurys Familia and Joe Kelly signings and the Alex Claudio trade, the Charlie Morton, Lance Lynn, and J.A. Happ signings, Justin Bour and Albert Pujols, Kaleb Cowart and Michael Lorenzen as two-way players, and Matt Harvey’s facial mask. Audio intro: Weezer, "Undone – The Sweater Song" Audio outro: Yo La Tengo, "Autumn Sweater" Link to video of Jeff on MLB Network Link to Jeff on the McCutchen signing Link to Jeff on the Morton move Link to Jeff on the three-way trade Link to Harvey’s Instagram photo  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Effectively Wild Wiki  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about expected activity at the Winter Meetings, the pointlessness of the Winter Meetings, and the Hall of Fame elections of Lee Smith and Harold Baines (yes, that Harold Baines). Then (23:04) they talk to FanGraphs prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen about the baseball and multi-sport future of Heisman Trophy winner and A’s first-round draftee Kyler Murray. Lastly (38:38), they bring on baseball executive and former journalist Octavio Hernández to discuss the killings of Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo, how Venezuelan Winter League teams arrange travel and security, how major leaguers deal with unrest at home, the state of baseball in Venezuela, the state of life in Venezuela, and why Octavio fled the country. Audio intro: Yes, "Harold Land" Audio interstitial 1: Dr. Dog, "Both Sides of the Line" Audio interstitial 2: Parquet Courts, "Violence" Audio outro: The Thrills, "Your Love is Like Las Vegas" Link to right field JAWS leaders Link to Jay’s pre-election post on Baines Link to Jay’s post-election post on Baines Link to Ben’s Hall of Baines Link to Eric’s post on Murray Link to Murray’s recreation of the Jackson photo Link to Kiley’s Murray video Link to story about Venezuelan MLB players who won’t go home Link to story about Venezuelan players speaking out Link to episode on Mexican League sabermetrics  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Effectively Wild Wiki  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source