Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about MLB’s semi-transparent-pants problem and the Nike/Fanatics uniform mess that’s swallowed spring training, a “down the dick” etymology follow-up, Kodai Senga’s injury, Mitch Keller’s extension, the Marlins signing Tim Anderson, and a minor league free agent draft update. Then they preview the 2024 Arizona Diamondbacks (38:13) with The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro and the 2024 Milwaukee Brewers (1:10:18) with The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Curt Hogg. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Audio interstitial 1: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Lukas unis FAQ Link to Lukas on the pants Link to Lukas’s letter to Nike Link to player comments Link to Kepner on the unis Link to Clark’s comments Link to The Atlantic on the unis Link to ESPN on the pants Link to Zimmer’s WSJ archive Link to MLBTR on Senga Link to Sheehan on Senga Link to MLBTR on Keller Link to FG on Keller Link to The Athletic on Nutting Link to MLBTR on Anderson Link to MLBTR on Urshela Link to draft results Link to Diamondbacks offseason tracker Link to Diamondbacks depth chart Link to Kendrick/Hall comments Link to Nick’s azcentral.com archive Link to Brewers offseason tracker Link to Brewers depth chart Link to Brewers renovation details Link to Curt’s MJS archive Link to quiet NBA game  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 recent headline-generating comments by Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon, a Padres position change, and the possibility of another Ronald Acuña Jr. extension. Then (34:11) they bring on Patreon supporter Sean Saxe and answer listener emails (40:13) about the best substitute for Babe Ruth in a remake of The Sandlot, the expression “right down the dick,” elevated decibel levels at games, F1-style advance free-agent commitments for MLB players, and a leaguewide conspiracy to inflate one player’s performance, and then Stat Blast (1:17:14) about baseball teams in Midwestern cities, Corey Kluber and Opening Day starts in a pitcher’s final season, and whether switch-hitters and players who bat and throw from opposite sides age better than others. Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Trout comments Link to MLBTR on Trout Link to Rendon comments Link to previous Rendon pod Link to Padres switch Link to Merrill position article Link to Acuña article Link to FG on Sal Perez extension Link to article on Austin loyalties Link to Dickson definition Link to Google Trends data Link to NYT on loudness Link to more on loudness Link to Clair on walk-up songs Link to Lewis Hamilton news Link to listener emails database Link to Middle West survey 1 Link to Middle West survey 2 Link to WSJ article Link to Midwest map graphic Link to Tex’s GitHub Link to Tex’s Google Sheet Link to article on Midwest Colorado Link to Nevada pronunciation article Link to article on Kluber’s start Link to Opening Day starts data Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to 2018 Ohtani article Link to Stroman workout article Link to Judge on aging curves Link to Judge on Twitter Link to aging curve 1 Link to aging curve 2  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 Rob Manfred’s announcement that he’ll step down as commissioner after his current term. Then they preview the 2024 St. Louis Cardinals (26:01) with The Athletic’s Katie Woo and the 2024 Cleveland Guardians (1:09:24) with MLB.com’s Mandy Bell, plus a postscript (1:44:43). 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Drellich on Manfred 1 Link to Drellich on Manfred 2 Link to Drellich on Manfred 3 Link to Cardinals offseason tracker Link to Cardinals depth chart Link to Mozeliak on Ks Link to Katie’s Athletic archive Link to Guardians offseason tracker Link to Guardians depth chart Link to eclipse opener news Link to Mandy on the eclipse Link to Ben on the 2017 eclipse Link to Langs on Vogt Link to payrolls page Link to Mandy’s MLB.com archive Link to article on Cavnar Link to Ben on ex-player GMs Link to Toronto Fogo page Link to Toronto Fogo article Link to article on Escobar  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 injuries at spring training (specifically the Orioles’) and Jorge Soler and the Giants’ offseason, Stat Blast (21:04) about Kenley Jansen and the age of active career leaders in pitching appearances and recording five or six hits in a game against five or six different pitchers, and then talk to FanGraphs lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen about his ranking of the top 100 (or 101) prospects in baseball. Audio intro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to tweet about O’s injuries Link to Ben on spring injuries Link to FG post on Soler Link to Stat Blast sheet 1 Link to Stat Blast sheet 2 Link to Alou game Link to Oliver game Link to Johnson game Link to guest appearances sheet Link to 2024 top 100 Link to ZiPS top 100 Link to “how’s my driving?” post Link to Ben on prospect promotion Link to Ben on pitching prospects  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 a difference between baseball and football (as illustrated by the Super Bowl), the lowering of the limit on players per organization, and umpire Jen Pawol’s ascent toward the majors (and history). Then they preview the 2024 Texas Rangers (22:28) with MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry and the 2024 Chicago Cubs (56:31) with The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ben’s podcast on trailers Link to baseball exceptionalism wiki Link to Cooper on roster rules Link to Pawol article 1 Link to Pawol article 2 Link to Rangers offseason tracker Link to Rangers depth chart Link to Kennedi’s MLB.com archive Link to Cubs offseason tracker Link to Cubs depth chart Link to Sahadev on Kanzler Link to Sahadev’s The Athletic archive Link to Pham tweet  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 former Mets GM Billy Eppler’s suspension for fabricating injuries, then Stat Blast (15:25) about players who amassed the most WAR for their secondary, tertiary, quaternary (etc.) teams, Hall of Famers who played with their hometown teams, and uniform numbers assigned to different players with the same surname on the same team. Then they preview the 2024 Boston Red Sox (33:13) with The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier and the 2024 San Diego Padres (1:16:44) with MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Eppler press release Link to The Athletic on Eppler Link to Stat Blast sheet 1 Link to Stat Blast sheet 2 Link to Stat Blast sheet 3 Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to Red Sox offseason tracker Link to Red Sox depth chart Link to Alex’s Boston Globe archive Link to Padres offseason tracker Link to Padres depth chart Link to AJ’s MLB.com archive Link to Opening Day boycott  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 surprising playoff odds, the Astros extending Jose Altuve (26:40), the Brewers signing Gary Sánchez (34:57), the forthcoming Netflix docuseries about the 2024 Red Sox (38:49), a baseball equivalent of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift (45:17), and how trailblazing former first-round draftee Carter Stewart has fared in Japan (55:29). Then (1:03:25) they talk to Paul Freedman, co-founder and CEO of Pioneer League expansion teams the Oakland Ballers and the Yolo High Wheelers, about his efforts to ensure the survival of professional baseball in Oakland in the likely absence of the A’s. Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to FG’s playoff odds Link to Ben Clemens on the odds Link to PECOTA’s projected standings Link to Ben L. on the O’s Link to Baumann on Altuve Link to Astros Altuve tweet Link to story on Altuve and cheating Link to Martino Altuve report Link to banging data Link to Clemens on Sánchez Link to Netflix press release Link to MLB.com on the doc Link to Drive to Survive myth Link to Ben on Swift Link to Princiotti on Swift Link to Swift/NFL story 1 Link to Swift/NFL story 2 Link to Swift/NFL story 3 Link to Swift/NFL story 4 Link to Kiley on Stewart in 2019 Link to Jim Allen on Stewart Link to Manfred on streaming Link to Nevada teacher lawsuit Link to Manfred comments Link to Las Vegas mayor comments Link to Oakland mayor comments Link to A’s Opening Day offer Link to Ballers promo video Link to Ballers website Link to High Wheelers website Link to Pioneer League wiki Link to Oaklandside on the Ballers Link to Mercury News on the Ballers Link to A’s Coliseum veto Link to Oakland Roots SC 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 Meg Rowley introduce the 12th annual Effectively Wild season preview series, then banter about the Royals extending Bobby Witt Jr., the Dodgers reuniting with Clayton Kershaw (and Ryan Brasier), the Red Sox (sort of) reuniting with Theo Epstein, and the latest hitter who’s converting to pitching. Then they preview the 2024 Miami Marlins (33:33) with Fish on First’s Kevin Barral and the 2024 New York Mets (1:09:12) with The Athletic’s Tim Britton. 2024 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 1: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio interstitial 2: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Indoor Recess, “On-Field Mics” Link to preview series wiki Link to FG depth charts standings Link to Dan S. on Witt Link to MLBTR on Witt Link to Baumann on Peralta Link to MLBTR on Kershaw Link to FG on Brasier Link to info on Brasier’s cutter Link to MLBTR on Peters Link to Ben on Taylor Swift Link to Caribbean Series wiki Link to Marlins offseason tracker Link to Marlins depth chart Link to team SP projections Link to team RP projections Link to Fish on First Link to Fish on First podcast Link to Kevin’s Fish on First archive Link to Mets offseason tracker Link to Mets depth chart Link to Mauricio ACL news Link to 2023 framing leaders Link to “transitory” comment Link to Mets fan survey Link to Tim’s The Athletic archive Link to MLBTR on Altuve  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 break down the Corbin Burnes trade between the Orioles and Brewers, then (23:19) talk to 81-year-old Don Kessinger, former six-time All-Star shortstop for the Cubs, about being an amateur multi-sport star, learning to switch-hit after making the majors, playing in Sandy Koufax’s perfect game, hitting in the low-offense 1960s, facing Nolan Ryan and Bob Gibson, doing Derek Jeter’s jump throw before Jeter did, being the American League’s last player-manager, the 1969 Cubs, his memories of Leo Durocher and Bill Veeck, Disco Demolition Night, being the father and grandfather, respectively, of big leaguers Keith Kessinger and Grae Kessinger, how pitching today compares to pitching during his era, and much more, plus (1:11:59) a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Ben Clemens on Burnes Link to Logenhagen on Milwaukee Link to FG SP depth charts Link to Kessinger SABR bio Link to more from SABR Link to Prospect League page Link to CICL wiki Link to 1963 article Link to Episode 1963 Link to perfect game call Link to perfect game log Link to perfect game wiki Link to Kessinger vs. pitchers Link to Cardboard Gods on Don Link to retirement TV clip Link to 1969 Cubs clip Link to lowest K rates vs. Ryan Link to Disco Demolition clip Link to Mike Veeck on EW Link to article on Don and Grae Link to Grae highlights Link to lowest-WAR 6-time AS Link to MLBTR on Diekman Link to Episode 2005 Link to MLBTR on Paxton  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 Baseball Prospectus editor-in-chief Craig Goldstein and managing editor Patrick Dubuque banter about editing, discuss the Orioles’ impending change in ownership (10:25), examine the newly released Baseball Prospectus 2024 (22:01), and then play a guessing/Remembering Some Guys game in which they each read aloud book comments about six unidentified players apiece, pulled from the full 29-year run of BP Annuals (39:20). Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Baseball Prospectus 2024 Link to FG SP depth charts Link to FG post on Burnes Link to MLBTR on Rubenstein Link to The Carlyle Group wiki Link to Rob Mains on the sale Link to The Athletic on the sale Link to Tsao’s Wikipedia page Link to Ben on bidets  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