Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

The discussion kicks off with Jen Pawol's historic promotion as the first female umpire in the majors, marking a significant milestone. They dive into Nathan Eovaldi's impressive season, comparing his stats to legends, and explore evolving strategies with the shift to designated hitters. The hosts also analyze the Yankees' recent struggles and the psychological toll on players. Plus, they assess the year’s playoff picture and critique the portrayal of baseball in 'The Gilded Age', merging humor with insightful analysis.

The hosts dive into the bustling trade deadline, debating whether it was thrilling or lackluster. They highlight A.J. Preller's bold moves and explore the Twins' rebuilding efforts. Carlos Correa's emotional return to Houston is a key highlight, alongside the quirks of player superstitions. The discussion reveals the complex dynamics of player trades, emphasizing the impact on team chemistry and fan sentiment. With a touch of humor, they also touch on the unpredictable nature of injuries and trades, making for an engaging and insightful listen.

The hosts discuss how expanded playoffs might dampen trade activity and pay tribute to the impactful legacy of Ryne Sandberg. They dive into listener questions about player fame, comparing Bryce Harper and José Ramírez, while humorously dissecting the effects of aging on player perceptions, like gray hair. The talk shifts to how 'change of scenery' can affect performance and touches on quirky player dynamics and statistics, including the nuances of BABIP and perfect nights at the plate.

Ichiro Suzuki's Hall of Fame induction takes center stage, celebrating his legendary impact on baseball. The hosts discuss Aaron Judge's injury and its implications for the MVP race, alongside rising stars like Cal Raleigh. They touch on the brewing pitch-fixing scandal and the evolving dynamics in player-management relations. With trades on the horizon, the fluctuating standings of various teams spark lively debate. The intricate relationship between sports and gambling is also explored, emphasizing the challenges of maintaining integrity in the game.

Engaging banter leads into a deep dive on a crowdsourced trade value tool, emphasizing fan participation. The hosts discuss recent trades involving players like Naylor and Suarez while humorously reflecting on the complexities of evaluating trade values. Rookie performance issues are examined, highlighting the surprising lack of production this season. Spencer Jones emerges as a fascinating prospect amidst the talk of player rankings, marketability, and the intricacies of batting order decisions.

Mark Armour, an author and SABR official celebrated for his work on the Satchel Paige Project, joins the discussion. He shares fascinating insights about documenting the legendary Satchel Paige's career, including the challenges of capturing his extensive legacy. The hosts also explore the emotional dynamics between athletes and their families, such as Bryan Woo’s supportive parents. They mix in humor while analyzing veteran pitchers like Rich Hill and engaging with the community's passion for preserving baseball history through crowdsourcing.

Michael Baumann, a writer at FanGraphs, joins the discussion with Meg Rowley. They dive into the Brewers' impressive win streak and its playoff implications. The duo explores the worst ways to lose a game, reflecting on the chaotic Phillies' no-swing incident. They entertain ideas for a salary cap in baseball, proposing bold changes to the economic landscape. The conversation wraps up with insights into the cycling world, touching on the effects of past doping scandals and the sport's ongoing evolution. Humor and critical analysis make for a captivating exchange.

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a rare prediction by Ben, related to two players who were recently swapped by the Pirates and Royals, Adam Frazier and Cam Devanney. Then (13:52) they mark the podcast’s 13th birthday and launch a “2025 in 2025” plea for Patreon support before (24:19) discussing several of the most intriguing storylines of the rest of the season. After that (1:11:35), they wrap up with listener emails about non-MLB Home Run Derby prospects and the Royals’ perfect pitch-clock management. Audio intro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Effectively Wild on Patreon Link to FG on the trade Link to MLBTR on the trade Link to Perrotto on Frazier Link to RoS ZiPS Link to IL DTs Link to MLB DTs Link to Royals depth chart Link to FG “first half” trends Link to The Athletic RoS stories Link to ESPN RoS stories Link to catcher fatigue research 1 Link to catcher fatigue research 2 Link to BaseRuns standings Link to playoff odds Link to K%+ leaders Link to Sam on Hill Link to violations leaderboard Link to listener emails database Link to Effectively Wild on Patreon  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and FanGraphs lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen discuss the lows and highs of the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game and swing-off, plus banter about beef boys, Blooper, kissing, and the timing of the All-Star break, then (1:03:40) recap the amateur draft, touching on the selection of Eli Willits first overall, first-round risers/fallers, teams that had the best drafts, the latest Holliday (Ethan), the Twins’ extremely tall pitcher Jason Reitz, Boston’s Marcus Phillips pick, and the predictability of the draft vs. international signings. Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Derby formats Link to Derby formats piece Link to Cal’s plunking Link to Derby robbery Link to one-inch difference Link to Cal/Skubal mic’d up Link to Schwarbombs Link to Posnanski on the ASG Link to Passan on the swing-off Link to swing-off surprise report Link to the Miz ASG story Link to ABS piece 1 Link to ABS piece 2 Link to Scully’s Aaron call Link to Aaron tribute Link to Roberts sidestep Link to beef boy story Link to Sam on the Dumper Link to Meg’s Blooper selfie Link to Mr. Met video Link to Vinnie/Cags kiss Link to Sheehan on the ASB Link to Olympics timing Link to Eric’s mock Link to Eric’s ranking Link to Eric’s recap Link to Bremner article Link to Reitz Reddit post Link to Down on the Farm study  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! Source

Ben Lindbergh and Davy Andrews banter about Meg’s absence, Byron Buxton, Kyle Stowers, and an Orioles/Marlins surprise, the backlash to Jacob Misiorowski’s All-Star selection, the status of the All-Star game and whether All-Star designations need to change, All-Star/Home Run Derby excitement and the merits of several unsung (or undersung) All-Stars and non-All-Stars, a hypothetical about mystery All-Stars, Shohei Ohtani’s pitching progression, and more. Audio intro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Meg’s Blooper selfie Link to Passan and Blooper Link to Vinnie/Cags kiss Link to Davy on PCA Link to 5 BB ≥ 100 mph Link to 5 hits ≥ 100 mph Link to Miz article 1 Link to Miz article 2 Link to Miz article 3 Link to Miz article 4 Link to BP on All-Stars Link to All-Star replacements Link to Neil on the HRD Link to Neil on All-Stars Link to Davy on the Derby Link to NHL ASG policy Link to Chapman velos Link to EW Episode 1 Link to listener emails database Link to pitchers vs. PPP Link to pitchers vs. non-PPP Link to rim height story 1 Link to rim height story 2 Link to rim height story 3  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Give a Gift Subscription  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com  Effectively Wild Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  Apple Podcasts Feed   Spotify Feed  YouTube Playlist  Facebook Group  Bluesky Account  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch! Source