Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben and Sam discuss whether the second wild card has made the stretch run more exciting, then talk about why papers publish columns that criticize advanced stats without making an effort to understand them. Source

Ben and Sam discuss whether the A’s all-rookie rotation bodes well for their future, then talk about whether the average strikeout rate has risen too high. Source

Ben and Sam discuss the decline of Ubaldo Jimenez and whether the Rockies saw it coming when they sent him to Cleveland, then talk about the Angels’ off-season plans for Torii Hunter and Dan Haren. Source

Ben and Sam discuss what we can learn from Travis Snider’s revelations about his relationships with his former manager and hitting coach, then talk about whether they would bring Melky Cabrera back for the NLCS. Source

Ben and Sam revisit their discussion from last week on aces in October, talk about the new old Ichiro, and tell you more than you need to know about Orioles starter Steve Johnson. Source

Ben and Sam size up this winter’s free-agent first basemen and estimate how much money James Loney will make, then talk about whether the Dodgers’ pursuit of a playoff spot is leading to dangerous decisions. Source

Ben and Sam discuss whether Alex Anthopoulos is taking too long to turn around Toronto, then talk about why we can’t find the secret to success in October. Also, Sam drops his wedding ring. Source

Ben and Sam talk about how we talk about the AL MVP debate, then discuss Mike Trout’s ability to adjust from at-bat to at-bat. Source

Ben and Sam discuss whether teams will get creative with their Wild Card rosters, then talk about Miguel Cabrera’s Triple Crown chances and why we should care if he wins. Source

Ben and Sam discuss the Giants’ starting rotation and decide what it would take to trust Barry Zito, then talk about how they decide which teams to root for. Source