Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the latest home run predictions (by Carlos Estévez and Lawrence Butler), top closers blowing leads, the compelling, competitive postseason, highlights of recent games, broadcasters invoking momentum, replay controversies, and Padres-Dodgers bad blood, plus follow-ups on green screens (or the lack thereof) on baseball broadcasts, fun-fact qualifiers, and the Reds and the Selig Rule, and closing banter about the Brewers and Willy Adames. Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG playoff coverage Link to Estévez prediction piece Link to his previous prediction Link to Estévez prediction pod 1 Link to Estévez prediction pod 2 Link to Estévez prediction pod 3 Link to Butler interview clip Link to story on Butler and Harris Link to player predictions wiki Link to Carpenter homer Link to hardest-hit balls vs. Clase Link to Clase 3-run HR fact Link to Carpenter leaderboard 1 Link to Carpenter leaderboard 2 Link to Carpenter career platoon splits Link to Rosen on Carpenter vs. Clase Link to Clase pitch-type splits Link to Sam on closer flops Link to FG reliever projections Link to SP cruising study 1 Link to SP cruising study 2 Link to momentum study 1 Link to momentum study 2 Link to momentum study 3 Link to momentum wiki Link to Sam on the 2014 Royals Link to Paine on 1-1 ties Link to ZiPS odds Link to Ben Clemens on weekend games Link to Nate Silver post Link to replay reviews breakdown Link to MLB quotes about replay Link to Dodgers-Padres Athletic recap Link to Dodgers-Padres breakdown video Link to Roberts quote Link to Machado video 1 Link to Machado video 2 Link to Rosenthal on Machado Link to dugout sides Link to Simpsons clip Link to Lux quote Link to green screen photo Link to Ortiz photo 1 Link to Ortiz photo 2 Link to virtual replacement ads info 1 Link to virtual replacement ads info 2 Link to virtual replacement ads info 3 Link to Alonso fun fact Link to Carpenter fun fact Link to Francona hiring article Link to Heyman tweet Link to Brewers postseason streak Link to Gandalf book quote Link to Gandalf movie quote Link to triple crown question 1 Link to triple crown question 2 Link to triple crown question 3  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Pete Alonso’s huge homer off of Devin Williams, the chaos and colorful characters surrounding the Mets, the difficulty of counting the qualifiers in an Alonso fun fact, Alonso’s free agency, the compelling nature of the Division Series matchups, previews of each series, the front-office shake-ups of the Cardinals and Giants, the Reds hiring Terry Francona and the state of the Selig Rule, Triple Tommy John surgery, how uncertainty about broadcast deals could affect free agency, heartening MLB attendance, TV ratings, and fan age info, and the origins, evolution, and import of the pitching triple crown. Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG playoff coverage Link to episode about Ben’s mom 1 Link to episode about Ben’s mom 2 Link to Alonso homer Link to Alonso fun fact Link to Howie Rose call Link to Citi Field crowd reaction Link to bar crowd reaction Link to Bowling Alone wiki Link to lowest career ERA- Link to lowest career FIP- Link to Williams injury article Link to MLBTR on Alonso 1 Link to MLBTR on Alonso 2 Link to Ben on post-pennant turnover 1 Link to Ben on post-pennant turnover 2 Link to Winker/Adames video Link to Winker helmet slam Link to Austin Powers mole scene Link to cWPA numbers Link to Mets good-luck-charm explainer Link to Mets and Hawk Tuah info Link to Pitbull remix info Link to info on Mendoza and Díaz Link to Division Series projections Link to Guardians-Tigers preview Link to Yankees-Royals preview Link to Phillies-Mets preview Link to Dodgers-Padres preview Link to MLBTR on Levine Link to Woo on Cardinals PD problems Link to Woo on Cardinals changes Link to Baggarly on Posey Link to MLBTR on Putila Link to Ben on ex-player GMs Link to Posey’s 2023 comments Link to Johnson Selig Rule comment Link to MLBTR on Francona Link to Wilson Selig Rule episode Link to MLB.com on the Selig Rule Link to Taylor on manager diversity Link to TJ3 introduction Link to TJ3 comparison Link to TJ3 tease tweet Link to The Onion blades article Link to ElAttrache New Yorker profile Link to Diamond Sports Group article Link to MLB attendance press release Link to Skubal triple crown article Link to triple crown wiki Link to triple crown dictionary definition Link to pitching triple crown article 1 Link to pitching triple crown article 2 Link to pitching triple crown article 3 Link to pitching triple crown article 4 Link to pitching triple crown article 5 Link to pitching triple crown article 6 Link to pitching triple crown article 7 Link to pitching triple crown article 8 Link to pitching triple crown article 9 Link to pitching triple crown article 10 Link to pitching triple crown article 11  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about distracting digital and between-pitch ads and ever-present win probability graphs on playoff broadcasts, the concept of controlling your own destiny, Orlando Arcia hugging Manny Machado, consternation about postseason small samples, Monday’s memorable Mets-Braves doubleheader, Carlos Mendoza’s Edwin Díaz decision, the most compelling postseason storylines, the early exits of the Orioles, Astros, and Braves, the futures of the Orioles and Tigers, MLB’s uniform fixes, Ken Kendrick’s comments about Jordan Montgomery, and the legacy of Pete Rose, plus a postscript (1:49:38). Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG playoff coverage Link to Arcia clip Link to Arcia FB post Link to Arcia tweets Link to Ben on 2024 upsets Link to Díaz quotes Link to Harvey quotes Link to September bullpen FIPs Link to Ghiroli on the O’s Link to Elias on the payroll Link to bold preseason predictions Link to Ben on Sale in 2018 Link to Hinch quote Link to uniform news Link to Kendrick/Hazen comments Link to Just For Men ad Link to Ben on Rose Link to Jay on Rose Link to Drellich on Rose statements Link to Rose tributes Link to Alonso fun fact Link to Iglesias prediction Link to d’Arnaud homer Link to bouncing tweet 1 Link to bouncing tweet 2 Link to bouncing tweet 3 Link to bouncing tweet 4 Link to bouncing tweet 5 Link to baseball bouncing tweet Link to mondegreen wiki Link to eggcorn wiki Link to eggcorn origin Link to Zimmer on eggcorns Link to eggcorn database  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

In (dis)honor of the 2024 White Sox displacing the 1962 Mets atop the modern-era single-season losses leaderboard, Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, FanGraphs’ Ben Clemens, and Yahoo Sports’s Jordan Shusterman conduct a draft of facts and stats about this record-setting Sox season, scored by Sox Machine White Sox reporter James Fegan, who also describes covering the team’s disastrous play. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLB.com on loss 121 Link to Reinsdorf letter Link to EW Episode 762 Link to EW Episode 1730 Link to Sox season preview pod Link to worst team hitter WAR Link to CBS on Sox stats Link to ESPN on Sox stats Link to FG payroll page Link to list of worst records Link to Sox splits Link to Getz on Sox last year Link to Getz on Sox this year Link to Sox WAR leaderboard Link to Sox booing 1 Link to Sox booing 2 Link to Sox booing 3 Link to BaseRuns standings Link to losing streak fact Link to 2023 FG Sox post Link to Baumann on 121 Link to The Athletic deep dive Link to ESPN deep dive Link to qualified Sox hitters Link to worst qualified hitters Link to team OBP laggards Link to team OBP+ laggards Link to MLBTR on Zaidi/Posey Link to MLBTR on Mozeliak/Bloom Link to uniforms changes Link to ESPN Rose obit Link to Washington comments Link to EW preseason predictions Link to EW 2163 Stat Blast Link to Ruiz save game Link to GF w/o a save leaders  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the 50th anniversary of the first Tommy John surgery and how baseball would be different if the procedure had never been pioneered, then (15:14) preview the 2024 postseason by pinpointing the biggest strength and weakness of each AL (21:40) and NL (1:00:17) playoff team. Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to TJ 50th anniversary info Link to John anniversary interview Link to risk compensation wiki Link to FG WS odds Link to Ben C.’s AL difference makers Link to Ben C.’s NL difference makers Link to long Judge video Link to team SP projections Link to team RP projections Link to Ben L. on Sale in 2018 Link to Sports Night clip  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about MLB’s oddly extended YouTube highlight videos, the league’s handling of a crucial, rained-out Mets/Brave series, the zombie runner rearing its ugly head in games with playoff implications, teams that are well-positioned for an especially free-for-all October, Emmanuel Clase’s Cy case, the value of top position players vs. top pitchers, and the Pirates’ suspiciously timed ta-ta to Rowdy Tellez. Then (1:02:42) they talk to The Athletic’s Melissa Lockard about the Athletics’ last series in Oakland, the future of the franchise and its fans, the Coliseum’s charms, John Fisher’s inflammatory letter, and much more. Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLB YouTube videos Link to MLB YouTube Shorts Link to long triple play video Link to short triple play vid 1 Link to short triple play vid 2 Link to long Ohtani video Link to long Judge video Link to Harris quote Link to NY Post on postponed series Link to MLB.com on postponed series Link to Royals zombie-runner win Link to team offense in September Link to Dan S. on playoff predictions Link to Dan’s post last year Link to Dan on playoffs crapshoots Link to Ben on playoffs crapshoots Link to team pitching WAR leaders Link to team bullpen WPA leaders Link to lowest RP ERAs Link to Cleveland’s clinch Link to Tango on reliever voting Link to Epstein on reliever voting Link to single-season pitcher WPA leaders Link to pitcher cWPA Link to hitter cWPA Link to Ben on Britton Link to top hitter/pitcher data Link to MLBTR on Tellez Link to Shelton quote Link to Cherington quote Link to Tellez incentives Link to Tellez splits Link to best Pirates hitters since June Link to Defector on Tellez Link to MLBTR on A’s and Andrus Link to Allen’s Oakland WAR ranking Link to best MLB hitters since June Link to A’s preview episode Link to Melissa on the A’s Link to Melissa on the Roots Link to Rooker rendering Link to Portland ballpark news Link to EW Ballers interview Link to Dan Moore on the Ballers Link to Fisher letter Link to Moore on the A’s Link to Moore on A’s fans Link to Carig on the A’s Link to Keown on the A’s  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s return from vacation, Corbin Burnes’s cutter comeback, the demotion of CJ Abrams, the no-longer-dynamic duo of Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, the firing of Reds manager David Bell, the Tigers promoting Jackson Jobe, Shota Imanaga’s post-NPB performance, teams refusing to use injuries as an excuse, Charlie Blackmon’s career and home-road splits, Matt Chapman’s long, non-homer hits, and whether to discount Shohei Ohtani’s power-speed exploits for 2024’s scoring environment. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Audio outro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Orr on Burnes Link to Kostka on Burnes Link to Burnes monthly splits Link to Burnes at Brooks Baseball Link to ESPN on Abrams Link to Abrams monthly splits Link to Verlander update Link to Scherzer update Link to 44/60 aging study Link to MLBTR on Bell Link to AP on Bell Link to FG on Bell Link to Bell ejections story Link to 2023 BaseRuns records Link to 2024 BaseRuns records Link to Reds offseason review Link to projected record changes Link to MLB.com on Jobe Link to BP on Jobe Link to Jobe/Price story Link to Sussman on Imanaga Link to DeltaGraphs Link to “no excuse” quote Link to BP IL Ledger Link to MLBTR on Blackmon Link to Blackmon home/road splits Link to biggest splits (OPS points) Link to biggest splits (%) Link to Coors hangover article 1 Link to Coors hangover article 2 Link to Coors hangover article 3 Link to Coors hangover article 4 Link to Coors hangover article 5 Link to Rockies road pre-2020 Link to Rockies home pre-2020 Link to Rockies road post-2020 Link to Rockies home post-2020 Link to non-Rockies road post-2020 Link to non-Rockies home post-2020 Link to Blackmon road pre-2020 Link to Blackmon home pre-2020 Link to Blackmon road post-2020 Link to Blackmon home post-2020 Link to Chapman homer Link to Chapman game story Link to non-HR distance leaderboard Link to Jason Bernard’s Twitter Link to latest HUAL Link to highest one-game RE24 Link to RE24 glossary Link to power-speed number wiki Link to power-speed number by year Link to adj. power-speed leaders 1 Link to adj. power-speed leaders 2 Link to adj. power-speed data 2 Link to adj. power-speed leaders 3 Link to adj. power-speed data 3 Link to Ken Williams history Link to 1920s hitter WAR leaders Link to Superman hair info Link to EW on sliding Link to SIS sliding story Link to 2018 Angels sliding story Link to Bud Black video  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and FanGraphs’ Ben Clemens dissect the glorious game in which Shohei Ohtani founded the 50-50 and 51-51 Clubs, Ohtani’s most awe-inspiring feats, and his future, followed (29:51) by banter about the state of defensive stats, the mystery of Salvador Perez’s swing decisions, questionable kudos for Bud Black, whether Victor Robles made the worst steal attempt of all time, and MLB’s Players of the Game. Then (1:19:55) Ben talks to trailblazing journalist Melissa Ludtke, author of Locker Room Talk: A Woman’s Struggle to Get Inside, about the landmark 1970s Ludtke v. Kuhn case that opened MLB team clubhouses to women. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes 2, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ben C. on Ohtani Link to Ohtani highlights Link to Ohtani single-game stats Link to Mookie quote Link to study on exit velo Link to Lebron tweet Link to power/speed number wiki Link to most Total Bases Link to 50-homer seasons Link to 70-steal seasons Link to Sheehan on Shohei Link to Ben C. on Ohtani odds Link to various Ohtani fun facts Link to OptaSTATS fun fact Link to Terminator 2 quote Link to Tango on defensive stats Link to Judge on defensive stats Link to BP DRP Link to previous Salvy EW discussion Link to Sarris on not swinging Link to Choi on not swinging Link to SEAGER explainer Link to latest SEAGER article Link to SEAGER leaderboards Link to SwRV explainer Link to more on SwRV Link to PLV explainer Link to PLV swing decisions Link to Robert Orr’s Twitter Link to Drew Haugen’s Twitter Link to Kyle Bland’s Twitter Link to Bud Black tweet Link to Black’s manager page Link to Rockies managers page Link to Leyland Rockies wiki Link to Ben on pitching coaches Link to Julio/Arozarena play Link to Julio/Arozarena article Link to Andrews on Robles Link to Baumann on Robles Link to AP on Robles Link to Robles video clip Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to Ryan’s stealing-home data Link to 2023 post on stealing home Link to 2020 “steal” Link to MLB Player of the Game Link to FG Player of the Game Link to Melissa and Cosell Link to Locker Room Talk Link to Constance Baker Motley wiki Link to Constance Baker Motley book Link to Ludtke v. Kuhn decision Link to Angell’s New Yorker feature Link to Angell centennial EW episode Link to Emma at SI on Melissa Link to Melissa on Melissa Link to Melissa’s TEDx talk Link to Melissa’s website  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

In a bonus EW episode, Ben Lindbergh talks to screenwriter and former editor-in-chief of The Onion Robert Siegel about his classic Onion opinion piece, “In My Day, Ballplayers Were For Shit,” how The Onion used to approach sports coverage, the importance of headlines and stock photos, satirizing baseball vs. satirizing other sports, why The Onion hasn’t lost its fastball, and more, plus (55:53) a postscript. Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to “In My Day” article Link to “Take Me Out” song Link to The Onion baseball archive Link to Siegel’s IMDb Link to Siegel’s wiki Link to 2003 Yankees story Link to Counsell story Link to Brock AB story Link to warehouse fire story Link to “No Way to Prevent This” Link to Congress/Capitol story Link to Ripken story 1 Link to Ripken story 2 Link to Little Leaguer story Link to T-ball headline Link to Onion popularity story Link to Our Dumb Century Link to ODC archive Link to “Heartbreaking” photo wiki Link to Ben on Sloan Link to Facebook favorites thread Link to Reddit favorites thread Link to NotGraphs favorites post Link to Angell’s boyhood memories Link to Ben on talent over time Link to Ottavino claim Link to Tungsten Arm article Link to Dunne at Fanatics Fest Link to Ben on Marvel stans Link to Grantland on dying baseball Link to SI on dying baseball Link to Ohtani futures bet photo Link to first-pitch injury Link to Chourio prediction Link to Holliday prediction Link to Shania song Link to Ryan’s Twitter thread Link to CV wiki  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Joe Sheehan banter about high school, the persistent, befuddling allure of Craig Kimbrel, the Orioles’ recent struggles, the playoff-fumble potential of four teams that previously possessed 90-plus-percent playoff odds, their prediction philosophies, the potential for legislation to curb the excesses of sports betting, and what the surprise “retirement” of Adrian Wojnarowski says about the difference between baseball’s biggest newsbreakers and those of other sports, plus a postscript (1:16:30) about the history of hating intentional walks. Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to JUG explainer 1 Link to JUG explainer 2 Link to Regis JUG Night Link to Joe Sheehan Newsletter Link to MLBTR on Kimbrel Link to Jaffe on Kimbrel Link to McCann clip Link to Ben C. on the odds 1 Link to Ben C. on the odds 2 Link to 538 predictions check Link to Silver on randomness Link to Birnbaum on randomness Link to Ben on postseason sweeps Link to Chass on “digital dandy” Link to Dan on “digital dandy” Link to MLBPA lawsuit Link to SAFE Bet Act info 1 Link to SAFE Bet Act info 2 Link to Slow Boring on sports betting Link to Premier League ad ban Link to Wrigley sportsbook article Link to UK celebrity ad ban Link to Craggs on sports betting Link to Woj retirement tweet Link to ESPN Woj news Link to The Ringer on Woj Link to Schefter quote Link to Ben on newsbreaking Link to insider scandals Link to Sharpe apology Link to Schumaker clip Link to Abe Simpson clip Link to A Game of Inches Link to Strike Four Link to Game of Inches on the IBB Link to Posnanski on the IBB  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source