Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a silly kerfuffle involving Miles Mikolas, Willson Contreras, and Ian Happ, Triston Casas’s hot streak and previous unwritten-rules run-in, Bullet Rogan vs. Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge’s return and the Yankees’ underlying issues, the Mets trading David Robertson to the Marlins and the White Sox sending Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly to the Dodgers and Kendall Graveman to the Astros, White Sox historical franchise futility, which of this season’s most disappointing teams is most likely to bounce back in 2024, and Royals owner John Sherman’s claims about the economic impact of the team’s future ballpark, plus emails (1:19:45) about a homerless MVP and MLB ownership vs. NFL ownership, and a Future Blast (1:27:26) from 2039. Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to story about Cardinals kerfuffle Link to Cardinals broadcast commentary Link to broadcaster ratings Link to bottom-five broadcasters Link to post on lizard incident Link to Mikolas vs. Galvis Link to Mikolas vs. Soto Link to Ben on the Soto shuffle Link to Casas/clubhouse article Link to Cora on Casas Link to best hitters since 6/7 Link to best hitters since 5/23 Link to FG combined WAR leaderboard Link to FiveThirtyEight on Rogan Link to Rogan wiki Link to previous EW on Rogan Link to B-Ref Negro Leagues stats Link to FG Negro Leagues stats Link to Kram on Judge Link to Paine on Judge Link to FG on Kelly/Lynn Link to FG on the Graveman trade Link to 2021 Graveman trade article Link to White Sox playoff appearances Link to FG on the Robertson trade Link to FG post on the Cubs Link to John Sherman’s letter Link to BP on the Sherman letter Link to FB thread on MLB vs. NFL owners Link to EW emails database Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Twanisha Terry wiki Link to MLBTR on Cronin  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 watching Shohei Ohtani play while they podcast, the Angels’ decision not to trade Ohtani and subsequent trade for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López, whether the Cubs should buy or sell, the Guardians’ and Dodgers’ perplexing Amed Rosario-for-Noah Syndergaard swap, the Brewers acquiring Carlos Santana, and Rob Manfred’s extension. Then (45:05) they answer emails about dugout punching bags and whether the ABS system could help umps (and players) learn the strike zone, react (59:44) to the rest of Ohtani’s doubleheader exploits, Stat Blast (1:06:55) about the Orioles’ sweepless streak, the most hits recorded by the fewest batters when that number of hits is the team’s total, first career hits that are also first career hits allowed, player homerless streaks, the high-scoring fifth game after the All-Star break, and players being traded together twice, plus a Future Blast (1:27:39) from 2038 and a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Verducci’s Ohtani report Link to Minasian quote Link to Ben C. on the Giolito trade Link to FG staff Ohtani post Link to FG playoff odds Link to BP IL Ledger Link to Britton on buy/sell decisions Link to Shohei doubleheader story Link to Shohei doubleheader fun facts Link to Wise no-no Link to Wise second homer Link to FG on Dodgers-Guardians trade Link to FG on Hernández trade Link to team SS WAR leaders Link to Dodgers SS WAR leaders Link to Sheehan on the Cubs Link to Brewers 1B leaders Link to Manfred extension article Link to Athletic article on ABS Link to sweepless streaks tweet Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to most hits by fewest players Link to first-career-hits data Link to homerless streaks data Link to trade pairs list Link to 5th post-ASB game image Link to 5th post-ASB game image 2 Link to Craig Wright on 1894 Link to Ben on moving the mound Link to EW emails database Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to EW Ohtani trading game Link to Ohtani trading game responses  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 J.P. France postgame quote and ballplayer clichés, the death of first overall pick Mike Ivie, and how Masataka Yoshida’s debut season stacks up to the MLB rookie years of other ex-NPB stars, answer emails (36:57) about Mike Trout’s and Shohei Ohtani’s futures, a Trout/Hunter Renfroe trade deadline scheme (with a bonus Meg movie pitch), undoing pre-pitch-clock time-saving measures, and batters catching pitches to knock pitchers out of games, plus Stat Blasts (1:19:13) about robot umps in Triple-A, the most top 100 prospects to debut for one team in a season (or a two-season span), and Immaculate Grid efficiency, followed by a Future Blast (1:47:08) from 2037. Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to France quote Link to Ivie obit Link to other Ivie obit Link to Louise Levy obit Link to NYT on Levy Link to Ivie wiki Link to 1980 Ivie article Link to Athletic mental health article Link to more on mental health Link to Laurila on Yoshida Link to ex-NPB rookie batting leaders Link to Renfroe/Renfrow article Link to Seinfeld clip Link to Realmuto catch Link to EW emails database Link to ABS splits Link to ABS AP article Link to ABS Athletic article Link to Manfred on ABS Link to pitcher thread on ABS Link to one-season prospect debuts Link to two-season prospect debuts Link to Immaculate Grid Link to Chris’s Immaculate Grid sheet Link to travelling salesman problem Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Sasaki story Link to Maggi EW episode Link to MLBTR on Maggi Link to SAG-AFTRA podcast info Link to TV ratings info  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 21-guest salute to Shohei Ohtani trade hypotheticals, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley are joined by a multitude of friends for a role-playing exercise in convincing the Angels to trade Ohtani to the other 20 contending (or quasi-contending) teams. Ben and Meg begin by explaining how it will work, and then the game begins (14:22). After the resolution (1:09:04), Ben and Meg discuss the outcome, followed by a Future Blast from 2036 (1:23:41). Listeners: Please vote on the trade proposals! Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to vote on trade proposals! Link to first Morosi tweet Link to second Morosi tweet Link to Ben C.’s trade value ranking Link to old BP Price piece Link to Hannah on Perry/Brown/AA Link to trading game roster Link to Rick Wilber’s website Remember: Vote on trade proposals!  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 strategies for coping with record heat in Phoenix, revisit an earlier conversation about whether the pitch clock has boosted MLB attendance (and reminisce about when the cause of increased game times was still considered unclear), celebrate their recent wish about camera angles on broadcasts coming true, discuss the resurgences of Jason Heyward and Cody Bellinger, marvel at Mickey Moniak’s continued resistance to regression and the Orioles overtaking the Rays in the AL East, use Jarred Kelenic’s fractured foot to advocate for padded dugout surfaces, and try to determine whether Albert Pujols or Miguel Cabrera had the more surprising steep decline. Then (1:11:46) they answer listener emails about burnishing Shohei Ohtani’s legacy (and his likely career path), letting All-Star starters return to the game after being removed, Elly De La Cruz if he had to attempt steals, and the distance to bullpens, plus a Future Blast (1:42:20) from 2035 and a postscript on old-timer home run derbies. Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to info on Phoenix heat Link to Russell on attendance Link to earlier attendance convo Link to Grant on game times Link to attendance stats Link to Ben on predictable times Link to info on ticket-buyer age Link to Rangers relay broadcast Link to earlier episode on broadcasts Link to Dodgers preview episode Link to article on Heyward’s swing Link to FG post about Bellinger Link to Jay Jaffe on Moniak Link to earlier Moniak convo Link to info on Moniak’s name Link to Moniak’s rolling zone rate Link to ESPN RPI Link to FG playoff odds Link to Kelenic fracture article Link to Cabrera’s hit Link to FG post on Anderson Link to Sam on Ruth and Ohtani Link to Elly’s throw Link to Elly throwing stats Link to Elly’s earlier record throw Link to Vroom Vroom Guy wiki Link to info on Angels hammer Link to Harper homer article Link to Emma on bullpens/brawls Link to EW emails database Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Draper/Roberts hockey fight Link to Twins charity derby info Link to ex-Twins pickup hockey article Link to 2003 derby article  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 Christian Encarnacion-Strand and whether record compound names deserve an asterisk, the appeal of a Legends Home Run Derby, the origins of (and long-ago backlash to) the trade deadline, the greatness of NPB phenom Roki Sasaki, and the new balance of power among pitch types, then (1:03:41) answer listener emails about Shohei Ohtani trade returns, Ohtani’s 2024 salary if he signed a one-year contract, the Rays’ spending, and a change to All-Star Game player usage, plus a Future Blast (1:38:30) from 2034. Audio intro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to longest-name records Link to more on long names Link to Lukas on Woods Richardson Link to Lukas on Encarnacion-Strand Link to Encarnacion-Strand call-up info Link to original uni photo Link to Stark on the HRD Link to Weaver on the HRD Link to story on Appling’s homer Link to Home Run Derby X wiki Link to SPBA wiki Link to Craig Wright on the deadline Link to Wright’s story series Link to Ohtani bat flip Link to Ohtani in trade value series Link to Delta’s NPB stats Link to Ben on DeltaGraphs Link to info on Sasaki’s posting Link to MLB SP velo leaders Link to The Athletic on sliders Link to Tango on sliders Link to Justin Choi on sliders Link to seasonal pitch type % Link to vetoed Paul trade Link to FG post on $/WAR Link to Roster Resource payroll page Link to Sam’s Rays tweet Link to team wins since 2008 Link to team wins since 2019 Link to EW emails database Link to Turn Ahead the Clock wiki Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Ward mix-ups wiki Link to Mozeliak tweet Link to article about STL and the shift  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 2024 regular-season schedule, the baseball relevance of a study about humans’ hunger for useless information, and the storylines they’re most looking forward to following over the remainder of the season, then (35:58) answer emails about a total solar eclipse during a Guardians game, sliding into a base covered in dirt, why baseball broadcasts don’t do a better job of showing baserunners, same-named players playing the same position in the same game, defining a “comeback win,” the meaning of “retiring x in a row,” why pitchers are still listed as switch-hitters, a way to save time with pinch-hitter announcements, making it legal for multiple runners to occupy the same base, and going winless in extra-inning games, plus a Stat Blast (1:21:36) about managerial ejections, a Future Blast (1:51:20) from 2033, and a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Pedantic Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Horny Effectively Wild Theme” Link to 2024 schedule Link to study about pain and info Link to The Ringer’s MLB storylines Link to Rosenthal on buyers/sellers Link to MLBTR on Ohtani Link to Minasian on Ohtani Link to Hal Steinbrenner comments Link to milk cartons wiki Link to MLBTR on Mozeliak Link to EW Episode 1354 Link to list of rival-team streaks Link to Trent on “Billy runs” Link to Trent on HUaL Link to Rob Mains on the ALC Link to Ben on the eclipse game Link to EW volcano event Link to EW eclipse episode Link to Pickles sprinkler video Link to Pickles lights-out video Link to electron repulsion article Link to Mets “ghost runner” clip Link to The Bear transcript Link to Jones vs. Jones game Link to double-Gonzalez game Link to first “comeback win” episode Link to Robertson batting in 2022 Link to Stathead on winless extras teams Link to winless extras starts Link to EW emails database Link to Hyde ejection story Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to ejections data Link to 1998 Leyland article Link to 2006 Guillen article Link to other Guillen article Link to third Guillen article Link to 2008 La Russa article Link to 1973 Mathews article Link to 1974 Berra article Link to article on longest games Link to 1982 Lasorda article Link to other Lasorda article Link to ejection reasons 1 Link to ejection reasons 2 Link to Garver ejection article Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to Dahlen/Klem article Link to Jay on Dahlen Link to Dahlen SABR bio Link to MLBTR on Bieber Link to Judge-sighting story  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 spectator experience at the All-Star Game, whether it’s good or bad that the MVP was a player as obscure as Elias Díaz, the increase in the number of All-Stars per season, other All-Star highlights and lowlights, complaints about All-Star uniforms, perennial requests for a skills competition, Rob Manfred’s and Tony Clark’s comments about more lenient pitch clocks in the postseason and the ball-strike challenge system, more details about the Alabama baseball betting scandal, and more, plus a Future Blast from 2032. Then (59:10) they talk to Byron Motley, producer of the new Negro Leagues documentary The League, about the long road to making the movie, the recent increase in appreciation of the Negro Leagues, his father’s life and career as a Negro Leagues umpire, the challenge of finding archival footage of Negro Leagues games, meeting and interviewing former Negro Leagues stars, the Negro Leagues as a microcosm of 20th-century American history, the influence of Rube Foster, the film’s portrayal of Branch Rickey’s role in integration, and the legacy of the Negro Leagues. Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild theme” Link to Ringer ASG recap Link to Díaz dinger Link to Jordan on Díaz Link to number of All-Stars per game Link to Gurriel foul Link to Clark comments Link to Manfred comments Link to info on declining violations Link to Manfred re-election article Link to article on international games Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to gambling scandal article Link to The League website Link to Byron’s website Link to the Motleys’ book Link to NPR on Bob Motley Link to NPR on The League Link to The Athletic on The League Link to EW episode on Effa Link to Craig Wright on SB differences Link to Wright on Paige’s drawing power Link to Bananas catch Link to EW Episode 1426 Link to Berkman’s career splits Link to Stathead on switch-hitter splits Link to Berkman’s switch-hitting origins Link to 2003 article about Berkman Link to Albies on switch-hitting  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 experiences at the Futures Game, the draft, and the Home Run Derby, Derby highlights, the Derby on TV vs. in person, Elly De La Cruz’s mad dash, and the Yankees switching hitting coaches, plus a Future Blast (49:12) from 2031. Then (54:25) Ben talks to FanGraphs lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen about the draft and other topics, including the strength of the draft pool, the Pirates picking a pitcher (Paul Skenes) first, the effect of the top two picks being LSU players, the mostly predictable top of the draft, the draft’s two-way prospects and the potential for more two-way players, the wisdom of drafting for need, the teams that had the most commendable and perplexing drafts, the Marlins demoting Eury Pérez, the Rockies’ sparsely populated draft room, how visual machine learning and artificial intelligence are affecting scouting, and more. Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild theme” Audio interstitial: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild theme” Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild theme” Link to article on Rutschman Link to 1960 Derby article Link to 1990 Derby retrospective Link to Derby homer totals Link to tweet about Derby spectating Link to more on Derby spectating Link to Elly’s steals Link to tweets about Elly/Carew/Faber Link to Elly’s Baseball Savant page Link to MLBTR on the Casey hiring Link to Jon Heyman on Casey Link to Lawson quote Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to MLB draft tracker Link to Eric’s last mock Link to Eric’s Day 1 recap Link to CBS on draft winners/losers Link to USA Today draft takeaways Link to Baumann on Waldrep Link to Ben on pitching prospects Link to Schifman on pitcher workloads Link to MLBTR on Pérez Link to Joe Sheehan on Pérez Link to Ben on draft rooms Link to Kyle’s Rockies tweet Link to KG on draft rooms Link to Tommy John spreadsheet Link to WSJ on scouting and AI Link to The Athletic on tech spending Link to BA on college offense Link to Stanton’s long homer Link to Stanton’s short homer  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 All-Star Week plans, play “Would you rather?” with the White Sox and Cardinals, the Padres and Mets, Carlos Rodón and Alek Manoah, and the Rangers and Diamondbacks, compare the values of Pablo López and Luis Arraez (26:25), discuss starting pitchers who might be available at the trade deadline (29:33), run down the dilemmas facing a few teams on the border between buying and selling, and use projections (44:06) to identify the positions on contending teams that are most in need of an upgrade. Then (1:05:15) they Stat Blast about the most baserunners allowed while facing the minimum, low-scoring division leaders, the Nationals’ odd home/away split, Chris Vallimont and players traded right after debuting, the all-time leaders in up-and-down seasons, pitchers’ error-prone throwing, whether an official-scoring conspiracy is boosting batting averages, and Shohei Ohtani with and without Mike Trout batting behind him, plus (1:50:21) a Future Blast from 2030 and a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild theme” Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild theme” Link to FG playoff odds Link to combined WAR leaderboard Link to team SP WAR leaders Link to team wRC+ leaderboard Link to BaseRuns standings Link to article on Carroll’s shoulder Link to Rosenthal on available SP Link to Rosenthal on Stroman Link to positional projections Link to contenders’ top needs Link to “facing the minimum” games Link to Nats split 1 Link to Nats split 2 Link to MLBTR on Vallimont Link to previous traded players Link to up-and-down leaders Link to Kenny Jackelen on Twitter Link to Ben on the fake to 3rd Link to Hicks walk-off Link to Woodpeckers game story Link to FB thread on game endings Link to 2005 K-Rod ending Link to 1995 Dodgers ending Link to Castillo pop-up play Link to error-rates-by-position sheet Link to pitcher-error data Link to Laurila on errors Link to yearly fielding per-game rates Link to yearly hitting per-game rates Link to error/BIP stats/graphs Link to Chow test wiki Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to Ben on Ohtani after 2021 Link to research on lineup protection Link to Ohtani with/without Trout Link to plate discipline with/without Link to hitters behind Ohtani Link to Lucas Apostoleris on Twitter Link to Sean Dolinar on Twitter Link to listener emails database Link to Rick Wilber’s website Link to 1978 Parker article Link to later 1978 Parker article Link to Parker’s SABR bio Link to 2009 Parker article Link to 2022 Parker post Link to MLBTR on Pérez  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