Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the end of a historic Clayton Kershaw streak, pitcher errors and unearned runs, the lack of top prospects traded at the deadline, the short-handed Marlins vs. the stripped-down Rays, the latest sign of the White Sox apocalypse, the resurgent Blake Snell, Brett Phillips the full-time pitcher, and whether the percentage of pulled homers is increasing. Then (52:11) they talk to Sports Reference software developer (and primary developer of Baseball-Reference.com) Kenny Jackelen about the possibility that catcher Danny Jansen could break B-Ref by having played for both the Blue Jays and Red Sox in a single game, how Kenny might prevent that problem, and other anomalies that B-Ref has had to adjust for, followed by (1:23:36) a few postscript updates. Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Kershaw K streak story 1 Link to Kershaw K streak story 2 Link to no-K Kershaw game Link to BA on traded prospects Link to Marlins salaries Link to Grifol tweet Link to Rub-a-dub-dub Link to lowest team OBPs Link to farm system rankings Link to Snell leaderboard Link to Kirby knuckler Link to Fletcher game log Link to Phillips clip Link to Phillips TikTok Link to Dubuque on homers Link to pulled FB % Link to pulled barreled FB% Link to FB HR pulled % Link to Ben Clemens on Paredes Link to Tango on spray angle Link to Sam on homer highlights Link to Ohtani Houston HR Link to Ohtani L.A. HR Link to ScoringChanges Jansen thread Link to Boston Herald on Jansen Link to suspended game story Link to 2024 MLB rules Link to reentry rule Link to post on Holman Link to AAA/NBA tweet Link to courtesy runners page Link to Ben on the 60-game season Link to Soto suspended game HR Link to JDM Silver Sluggers Link to B-Ref newsletter Link to B-Ref job listing 1 Link to B-Ref job listing 2 Link to Trout news story Link to Mauer plaque Link to plaque video 1 Link to plaque video 2 Link to plaque video 3 Link to Trout news story Link to Cruz play 1 Link to Cruz play 2 Link to EW 2145 Link to Grant’s Haas tweet Link to “Du Hast” Link to “Box Elder” Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  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 recap the 2024 MLB trade deadline, discussing their big-picture takeaways, breaking down individual deals they found impressive, surprising, or perplexing, and examining the actions of the teams that drove the deadline by adding or subtracting, and the inaction of teams that didn’t do much. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG deadline roundup Link to Ringer winners/losers Link to FG transaction tracker Link to Ben’s deadline spreadsheet Link to Neil Paine’s deadline data Link to Sheehan on early action Link to Rosenthal on the Rays Link to Kikuchi trade Link to Kikuchi sleep tweet Link to Fedde trade Link to White Sox report Link to Wash/Trout tweets Link to Trout update tweet 1 Link to Trout update tweet 2 Link to 2020 McGuire news Link to Sox-Rox brawl Link to postgame simmering Link to Jansen scoring issue Link to Mears tipping story Link to Yanks/Flaherty report Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  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, Meg Rowley, and Ben Clemens break down the Randy Arozarena, A.J. Puk, James Paxton, and Austin Hays trades (plus real-time reactions to the Yimi García and Zach Eflin deals), Stat Blast (29:21) about the most WAR ever dealt at a trade deadline, banter (54:45) about Garrett Crochet’s extension desire and the MVP cases of Francisco Lindor and Bobby Witt Jr. (and Witt’s/the Royals’ home-road splits), and discuss (1:12:27) the toughest calls, biggest snubs, and process changes in Other Ben’s annual Trade Value ranking. Audio intro: Michael Baumann, “What Did Jerry Dipoto Do?” Audio outro: Michael Baumann, “What Did Jerry Dipoto Do?” Link to FG on Arozarena Link to FG on the Phils-O’s trade Link to MLBTR on Paxton Link to MLBTR on Puk Link to MLBTR on García Link to MLBTR on Eflin Link to Arozarena’s splits Link to Puk’s splits Link to Lindor’s splits Link to leaders since 6/1 Link to FG WAR leaderboard Link to Stat Blast cover Link to Ben on the White Sox Link to trade deadline data Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to Updike quote Link to MLBTR on Crochet Link to Witt splits tweet Link to largest team splits Link to largest batter splits Link to park factors Link to Trade Value intro Link to Trade Value top 10 Link to Trade Value chat Link to Ben on pitching prospects Link to SP depth charts Link to RP depth charts Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  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 Mason Miller’s hand fracture, the extremely slow pitches of Ildemaro Vargas, a Dylan Cease no-hitter, the punchless Mariners, the impending return of Rich Hill, what the teams with the toughest decisions at the trade deadline should do, updates on Clayton Kershaw (good!) and Mike Trout (not good!), Christian Yelich’s back, the ageless Carlos Santana, Juan Yepez as the new Joey Meneses, follow-ups on Aaron Judge’s zone rate and Oneil Cruz, a CBA change to mitigate the effects of the cable bubble bursting, and more. Then (1:21:55) they talk to Richie Flores, second VP of the National Beep Baseball Association and player for the Bayou City Heat, about the development of the sport and the league, and the Beep Baseball World Series. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Kotsay quote Link to reporter clarification Link to ESPN on Miller Link to Ben’s song Link to MLBTR on Arozarena Link to Vargas pitches Link to Vargas clip Link to Holt’s slowest pitch Link to list of slowest pitches Link to Petriello tweet Link to Fast on slowest pitch Link to Simmons tweet Link to Tyson tweet Link to Quora on slowest pitch Link to Cease stats Link to highest pitch counts Link to MLBTR on Hill Link to Hill on EW Link to Hill Stat Blast Link to Trout story Link to Yelich story Link to Santana/Martinez story Link to previous Judge banter Link to Judge before Link to Judge after Link to previous Cruz banter Link to Drellich on TV revenue Link to previous beep episode Link to NBBA.org Link to World Series info Link to NBBA teams Link to NBBA board Link to NBBA on Twitter Link to NBBA on YouTube Link to NBBA on Facebook Link to Richie’s podcast Link to Beep book Link to Beep book Q&A Link to article on Richie Link to Texas Monthly on beep ball Link to news clip 1 Link to news clip 2 Link to MLBTR on Puk Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  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 likenesses, word counts, and stat citations on Hall of Fame plaques, what would happen if all past stats disappeared, the impending returns of Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw (and the recent return of J.T. Realmuto), the end of James Paxton’s time with the Dodgers, Jo Adell’s breakout fakeout and Jarren Duran’s belated breakout, Francisco Vicioso and Shaq Thompson, the morphing meme of Nick Castellanos, and the Brewers, the Mariners, and the challenge and payoff of rostering pretty good players. Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Mauer plaque Link to Mauer hair commercial Link to Beltré plaque Link to Helton plaque Link to McGriff plaque Link to Leyland plaque Link to Ruth plaque Link to DiMaggio plaque Link to Mantle plaque Link to Fingers plaque Link to FB post on plaques Link to botched fresco Link to article on Cobb’s hits Link to WAR through age 27 Link to stats on hitter plaques Link to stats on pitcher plaques Link to BP on rewriting plaques Link to Robinson statue article Link to rebuilt Robinson statue Link to The Onion stats article Link to CME wiki Link to MLB reboot episode Link to MLBTR on Realmuto Link to MLB.com on Realmuto’s return Link to MLBTR on Trout Link to MLB.com update on Trout Link to Jaffe on Adell Link to EW on Adell in May Link to Sam on Duran Link to Gomes on Dodgers pitching Link to Reddit post on Vicioso Link to Vicioso footage Link to Shaq Thompson wiki Link to Ben on Shaq in 2012 Link to Shusterman on Shaq Link to Ben on Castellanos Link to Apstein on playoff Castellanos Link to Petriello on playoff Castellanos Link to Levine on Castellanos Link to McCarthy on Castellanos Link to Levi on Castellanos Link to Castellanos incidents tweet Link to Castellanos incidents thread Link to Jeff on avoiding the awful 1 Link to Jeff on avoiding the awful 2 Link to leading Brewers by PA Link to Sheehan on the Brewers Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  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 BBWAA’s new sports gambling regulations, then (11:22) discuss the stories they’re most interested in following for the rest of the MLB season (plus, the implications of a bearded Aaron Judge). Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to tweets about BBWAA code Link to EW about journalist betting Link to Paine’s questions post Link to Kram’s power rankings Link to rookie pitcher leaderboard Link to rookie hitter leaderboard Link to Sheehan on Skenes Link to Ben’s preseason prediction Link to Yankees hair link 1 Link to Yankees hair link 2 Link to Yankees hair link 3 Link to Yankees hair link 4 Link to Yankees hair link 5 Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  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

Eric Longenhagen, FanGraphs lead prospect analyst, discusses standout trends in the amateur draft, demographics of amateur baseball, and trading draft picks. Ben and Meg cover highlights of the All-Star Game, a possible Evan Longoria return, and conspiracy theories about baseball movies.

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Home Run Derby, the Futures Game and skills competition, Globe Life Field, All-Star uniforms, and more reflections from All-Star Week, then (34:18) discuss a challenge-system-driven change to broadcast K-zone displays, Chris Sale’s aversion to pitch-calling, quantifying game-calling, David Fletcher’s latest knuckleballing, using a position-player pitcher against a hitter who’s going for homer history, the shorthanded Dodgers rotation, a prediction about Aaron Judge, and a strikeout-rate plateau. Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Manfred on the unis Link to K-zone story Link to K-zone tweet Link to Manfred ABS comments Link to Sale interview Link to EW on game-calling Link to Fletcher game log Link to Fletcher investigation Link to BP on Stubbs Link to Dodgers depth chart Link to MLBTR on May Link to Ryan call-up Link to Wells prediction Link to Wells tweet Link to Wells tweet 2 Link to non-pitcher K rates Link to Picard clip Link to preseason predictions update Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  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 talks to Sam Miller of Pebble Hunting about the increase in IL stints at the All-Star break and Sam’s obsession with the evolving strategy of first-and-third situations. Then (41:29) Ben talks to Iowa state representative and Sioux City Explorers pitcher J.D. Scholten about his incredible baseball comeback at age 44, his baseball background, balancing baseball and politics, and his efforts to end MLB blackouts. Finally (1:20:14), Ben and The Athletic’s Evan Drellich talk to former NBC Sports and The Baseball Network president Ken Schanzer about the 30th anniversary of TBN, the first U.S. TV network owned by a pro sports league. Audio intro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Calcaterra on Glasnow Link to Devers shoulder story Link to ASB IL placement data Link to Sam on first-and-third 1 Link to Sam on first-and-third 2 Link to Clemens clip Link to Clemens gamer Link to Manny’s cutoff Link to Russell on post-2013 changes Link to Pebble Hunting Link to Scholten call Link to Scholten clip Link to Scholten pitching Link to Scholten local news clip Link to Scholten’s B-Ref page Link to Scholten’s wiki Link to Gazette story on Scholten Link to WaPo on Scholten Link to SI on Scholten Link to Honkbal wiki Link to Congressional Baseball Game EW Link to The Gazette on the blackouts bill Link to Offerman on Field of Dreams Link to EW on Field of Dreams Link to canceled Field of Dreams series Link to Scholten’s Substack Link to Scholten’s campaign site Link to Evan on EW 2168 Link to Evan on a national TV deal Link to 1994 TBN theme song Link to 1994 ASG at B-Ref Link to The Baseball Network wiki Link to ’93 WaPo story on Ken Link to 1993 most powerful people Link to 1991 most powerful people Link to The Baseball Network sources Link to Schanzer retirement story Link to rookie All-Star SP Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  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 homerless White Sox second basemen, the recent history of teams with homerless positions, and the upsides and downsides of the trend toward focusing on present-season performance in All-Star selections, then (37:11) answer emails about an award for utility players, a player’s debut age matching his debut number, whether an infielder could rob a home run, whether fatigue would make a four-player batting order of stars worse than a regular, nine-player lineup, whether championships reside with a city or a franchise, whether umpires could wear shorts, the definition of a “clean inning,” what it means for a throw/tag to be “not in time,” and the requirements for breaking out of a slump, plus closing banter (1:33:23) about Paul Skenes as an All-Star starter. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to 2B HR leaderboard Link to White Sox 2B Link to 2B projections Link to White Sox 2B tweet Link to Neil Paine’s Substack Link to Neil on All-Stars Link to Neil graphic Link to ASG roster rules story Link to WAR and ASG story Link to 1989 Canseco/Schmidt story Link to Reddit post Link to Pujols/Miggy ASG Link to Castro selection story Link to Castro record tweet Link to debut age/number sheet Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to HR hang time comment Link to sprint speed leaderboard Link to Elly speed quote Link to 1917 Stanley Cup info Link to World Series doc thread 1 Link to World Series doc thread 2 Link to 2019 umpire manual Link to umpire shorts forum post Link to EW on pants-splitting Link to Dickson on “clean inning” Link to Pudge/Eno underwear ad Link to Julio power slump story Link to Friends hair scene Link to NL pitcher WAR Link to Skenes gamer Link to Jones max-effort story Link to listener emails database Link to ballpark meetup forms Link to meetup organizer form  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