Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Cal Raleigh and Josh Naylor and whether end-of-season surgeries for disappointing players are encouraging or frustrating, then share their takeaways from the first six Division Series games, including thoughts on Drew Rasmussen, an Austin Wells mistake, Rays crowds, Aaron Judge’s role in Rich Platelet, Poor Platelet, Grant Taylor (and whether postseason teams are pushing high-leverage relievers too far), the Blake Snell spectator experience, the upside and drawback of Chris Sale, two tantalizing fly balls (and a Ty France roof-related “what if”), how to tackle Jacob Misiorowski and Mason Miller, the Padres’ star scrubs, Jackson Chourio, and much more.

Audio intro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio outro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to MLBTR on M’s injuries

Link to FG on Rasmussen

Link to RHP SP velo

Link to Rasmussen leaderboard

Link to Wells article

Link to Wells clip

Link to Wells quote

Link to Wells math 1

Link to Wells math 2

Link to Wells math 3

Link to stop sign

Link to Apes movie clip

Link to Ben C. on 3B outs

Link to Judge taunt

Link to Schlittler comment

Link to Rays attendance article

Link to PH penalty info

Link to Somehow, Tellez returned

Link to Judge therapy info

Link to PPP study

Link to BP on Taylor

Link to Taylor as SP note

Link to Langs Taylor note

Link to Ben on not enough pitchers

Link to Pham comment 1

Link to Pham comment 2

Link to post on Pham

Link to Pham fly article

Link to Pham and Manfred

Link to Ben on October 2019 balls

Link to Sam on October 2019 balls

Link to Miz fouls fact

Link to Cleveland tourism videos

Link to Ben L. on Sale in 2018

Link to Ben C. on Sale

Link to Pages ABS ban

Link to FG Atlanta-LA preview

Link to Miller tipping story

Link to Erickson comment

Link to France fly clip

Link to Tango on France’s fly

Link to Pelletier on France’s fly

Link to Leighton on France’s fly

Link to Sheehan on France’s fly

Link to Eno on France’s fly

Link to France fly data

Link to FG Brewers-Padres G1 recap

Link to FG Brewers-Padres G2 recap

Link to Chourio hit clip

Link to MLBTR on France

Link to AC joint info

Link to AC joint debridement info

Link to TFCC tear info

Link to wOBA-xwOBA leaderboard

Link to Harris transactions

Link to Salas history

Link to Merrill catch

Link to Díaz mechanical change

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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon.

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley tease their first playoff livestream and banter about a listener suggestion for how to refer to a postseason that spans multiple months, Jason Benetti’s relationship with Liberty Biberty (including a real-time text exchange), the true alcohol intoxication levels of Munetaka Murakami and other players in clubhouse clinching celebrations (BAC Blast?), and whether MLB should schedule overlapping playoff games, then (35:21) recap the end of the wild card round, opine on the futures of the eliminated teams, lament the latest recurrence of the annual anti-analytics October backlash, preview the various Division Series (1:13:07), discuss the World Series matchups they most want to see, and much more.

Audio intro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2”

Link to long 19 century wiki

Link to Bluey Long Dog

Link to “Dog Park” ad

Link to Biberty background

Link to Biberty/Benetti spot 1

Link to Biberty/Benetti spot 2

Link to Biberty/Benetti spot 3

Link to Benetti text exchange

Link to Vasil clip 1

Link to Murakami clip 1

Link to Murakami clip 2

Link to Murakami clip 3

Link to Murakami clip 4

Link to ABV by beverage

Link to Ben’s 2009 photos

Link to A-Rod/Hudson relationship

Link to Hudson family history

Link to attendance news

Link to wild card attendance

Link to The Simpsons clip

Link to anemoia definition

Link to My Fair Lady scene

Link to Gray comments

Link to Contreras comments

Link to Stark on the Phillies

Link to Sale update

Link to Judge quote

Link to Burke quote

Link to Burke follow-up

Link to Burke’s Insta

Link to Yankees fits

Link to Volpe suit

Link to Trueblood on the Cubs

Link to ZiPS probabilities

Link to roster breakdowns

Link to BP NLDS 1 preview

Link to FG NLDS 1 preview

Link to FG NLDS 2 preview

Link to FG ALDS 1 preview

Link to FG ALDS 2 preview

Link to MLBTR on Lovullo

Link to Grand Teton news 1

Link to Grand Teton news 2

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about “October” as a (somewhat imprecise) metonym for the playoffs and the popularity of postseason coverage, praise the Yankees’ pitcher-averse roster construction, recap the highlights and lowlights from the first wild card games, ponder the possibility of pushing relievers too far, answer a listener email about the impact of managers, sympathize with and criticize the Astros for complaining about being booed by their fans, and discuss MLB’s petition to play a game in a national park, Zack Gelof’s lawsuit against the Tigers, and more.

Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio outro: PJ Harding, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Episode 1753

Link to new MLB tagline

Link to Appelman post

Link to play-in tournament

Link to Baumann on the Yankees

Link to packing post

Link to Sheehan WC G1 recaps

Link to Riley homer

Link to Posnanski on Riley

Link to Turner non-play

Link to Miller AFL news

Link to Taylor outing

Link to Pope blessing

Link to Ben on innings shortfalls

Link to Tracy RP explanation

Link to Anthony update

Link to Musgrove fun fact 1

Link to Musgrove fun fact 2

Link to shutouts fun fact

Link to Astros booing story 1

Link to Astros booing story 2

Link to Astros booing story 3

Link to Burke quote

Link to Grand Teton story

Link to public lands story

Link to Craig on Gelof

Link to Greene quote

Link to lawyer explanation

Link to Ruf story

Link to Fowler story

Link to FG on Phillies-Braves G2

Link to Harper article

Link to Realmuto challenge

Link to Ruth exhibition

Link to Dihigo episode

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley wrap up the action from the end of the regular season, including the last starts of Justin Verlander and (maybe) Max Scherzer (with mini-Blasts about Verlander, Laz Diaz, Kirby Yates, and overshadowed career finales), the setting of the playoff field, the firing of Dan Wilson, a rained-out Game 162, several lackluster league leaders, and follow-ups about other stats and stories tracked on the show. Then (43:22), to preview the postseason, they do a draft of the offenses, fielders, starting rotations, and bullpens of all 12 playoff teams.

Audio intro: Sean .P, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to rainout news

Link to playoff field

Link to Verlander start story

Link to Verlander’s exit

Link to Diaz call tweet 1

Link to Diaz call tweet 2

Link to Diaz quotes

Link to Diaz salute

Link to Verlander on Diaz

Link to overshadowed-debuts pod

Link to overshadowed-finales sheet

Link to Yates story

Link to Scherzer start story

Link to Scherzer clip 1

Link to Scherzer clip 2

Link to career Ks leaderboard

Link to Springer update

Link to MLBTR on Wilson

Link to MLBTR on M’s coaches

Link to Dan S. on managerial firings

Link to Dipoto quote

Link to Lovullo status story

Link to Stearns quote

Link to Pouliot on league leaders

Link to Posnanski on league leaders

Link to Montgomery record

Link to Sam on Reynolds

Link to 2002 Hernandez article

Link to single-season K leaders

Link to yearly SB leaders

Link to three-inning saves by year

Link to 2026 three-inning saviors

Link to Ben on three-inning saves

Link to Alonso RBI feat

Link to Angels loss story

Link to PCA article

Link to FG WAR leaderboard

Link to WAR runners-up sheet

Link to Paine on lopsided contenders

Link to Paine on the playoff field

Link to Baumann on playoff offense

Link to Sheehan on playoff offense

Link to Bregman video

Link to Judge update

Link to article on Hedges hitting

Link to Hedges framing stats

Link to draft-prep sheet 1

Link to draft-prep sheet 2

Link to Green on Yan

Link to Lanterns recap

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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon.

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the heroics of Astros outfielder Lucas Spence and the potential for pennant races and postseasons to anoint unlikely heroes, then discuss whether the playoff format puts too much priority on divisions and should incorporate reseeding prior to and/or following the wild card round. They also follow up (28:42) on a few topics from the preceding episode (the Marlins putting starting pitchers in the pen, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s apology, Randy Johnson’s home-defense baseballs), Stat Blast (40:34) about teams improving their winning percentage in several consecutive seasons, hitters who were the worst hitter for one team and the best hitter for a different team in the same season, and franchises that have seen the most visiting teams clinch on their field, before examining (58:19) new baseball and softball TV series. Finally (1:10:51), they talk to Sam Nichols (aka “sportydolphin”) about his MLB/WPBL stats site, the challenges in bringing sabermetrics to a fledgling league and a small-sample season, the WPBL’s most valuable player, league tactics, the WPBL community, and more.

Audio intro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio interstitial: Ted Berg, “Small Sample Size Song”

Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Spence story

Link to Axisa on the playoffs

Link to Paine on the playoffs

Link to Normandin on the playoffs

Link to Manfred on the playoffs

Link to Paine on regular-season predictiveness

Link to Junk appearance

Link to latest Guerrero comments

Link to previous Guerrero comment

Link to 1995 RJ article 1

Link to 1995 RJ article 2

Link to RJ vs. Kruk

Link to RJ on EW

Link to Grichuk homer

Link to clinches spreadsheet

Link to 2009 draft first round

Link to Sam on Grichuk

Link to listener emails database

Link to Colin From Accounts wiki

Link to Team Moms: Baseball trailer

Link to THR on Team Moms: Baseball

Link to Team Moms: Baseball review

Link to Kim K. on baseball

Link to Slo Pitch trailer

Link to Slo Pitch wiki

Link to Slo Pitch interview

Link to Heated Rivalry wiki

Link to Farmer Wants a Wife wiki

Link to previous week’s WPBL segment

Link to sportydolphin.fun

Link to The New Yorker on AIM

Link to sportydolphin run values

Link to sportydolphin draft analysis

Link to sportydolphin Scorigami

Link to sportydolphin photos

Link to sportydolphin fan voting

Link to Bradley on the championship

Link to sportydolphin linked writing

Link to D.A. Espinoza newsletter

Link to Mary Mustard newsletter

Link to Sam on LinkedIn

Link to Ben on the pitching shortage

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