Podcast
Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast
Hosted by Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley · EN
Daily baseball statistical analysis and commentary
144episodes
Episodes
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Effectively Wild Episode 2486: Has the Clutch Code Been Cracked?
2d ago01:48:57Summary readyBen Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Fernando Tatis Jr.’s first home run of the season, injuries to Munetaka Murakami and Craig Kimbrel, a crotch-related suspension precedent, the mystery of Julio Rodriguez’s defense, Roki Sasaki’s surge, the phenomenon of National Anthem standoffs, Carmen Mlodzinski’s brief relief revolt, whether Victor Wembanyama would be a good pitcher, Aaron Ashby’s weirdly winning ways, (1:04:19) whether the Brewers have somehow solved clutch hitting, and the possibility of a Craig Breslow “interpreter.” Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Tatis HR Link to Tatis HR website Link to Kimbrel injury news Link to MLBTR on Murakami Link to Murakami injury play Link to BP on Gonzalez Link to Elly injury news Link to Pérez injury news Link to gracilis muscle wiki Link to Papelbon article 1 Link to Papelbon article 2 Link to Papelbon article 3 Link to Julio’s defense at Savant Link to Julio’s defense at FG Link to May leaders in pitcher WAR Link to Wrobleski spreadies article Link to standoff ejections article Link to standoff ejections article Link to Mlodzinski article 1 Link to Mlodzinski article 2 Link to Mlodzinski article 3 Link to team SP WAR Link to team RP WAR Link to Pirates pitcher WAR leaders Link to Jaso EW wiki Link to Jaso on EW Link to Wemby baseball photo post Link to Wemby baseball photo Link to Shelob wiki Link to Wemby’s Yankee Stadium visit Link to Wemby’s first pitch video Link to Wemby height article 1 Link to Wemby height article 2 Link to pitcher win leaders Link to Ashby’s game log Link to single-season RP leaders Link to Face obit Link to Sheehan on clutch Link to Episode 2263 wiki Link to Brewers clutch data Link to 2026 tOPS+ w/RISP Link to Brooklyn clutch streak Link to New York clutch streak Link to Philly clutch streak Link to Gumbel distribution wiki<br ...
SummaryEffectively Wild Episode 2485: Let’s Enhance?
4d ago00:35:28Summary readyThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Enhanced Games and whether they would watch a baseball league where PEDS were explicitly permitted, Abner Uribe’s crotch-chop suspension, and (34:40) the most disappointing and surprising (in a positive way) teams of 2026, then (55:37) answer emails about raising a girl who likes baseball, how a salary cap would affect prices for fans, home runs on the first pitch of the game, the Hall of Fame prospects of Kenley Jansen, Craig Kimbrel, and Aroldis Chapman, the most players appearing in a game against their former team, and how to evaluate whether a team’s player development was responsible for a player’s success or failure. Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to “Let’s enhance” meme Link to “Let’s enhance” montage Link to Enhanced Games wiki Link to Defector on the Enhanced Games Link to The Conversation on the Enhanced Games Link to NPR on the Enhanced Games Link to nostalgia study Link to Ben on the PED era Link to McGwire Simpsons clip Link to dinger distribution article 1 Link to dinger distribution article 2 Link to dinger distribution article 3 Link to Hill homer Link to Uribe post Link to MLB.com on Uribe Link to AP on Uribe Link to MLBTR on Uribe Link to Uribe/Marmol video Link to D-Generation X wiki Link to DX chop compilation Link to player names on Uribe Link to playoff odds changes Link to team wRC+ Link to SI on Rays hitting Link to Posnanski on Rays hitting Link to Garp quote Link to Owen Meany quote Link to Tatis HR website Link to MLBTR on Pérez injury Link to dynamic vs. static stretching Link to Goodnight Baseball Link to @dril tweet Link to BP on payrolls and prices 1 Link to BP on payrolls and prices 1 Link to BP on payrolls and prices 3 Link to first-pitch homers Link to Sam on first-pitch homers 1 Link to Sam on first-pitch homers 2 Link to Sam on first-pitch homers 3 Link to RP JAWS Link to player development study 1 Link to player development study 2 <...
SummaryEffectively Wild Episode 2484: Buckle Up, It’s CBA Season
6d ago01:44:39Summary readyBen Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss the initial CBA proposals by the MLBPA and MLB: some specific points of departure and alignment, whether we really learned anything about what each side wants or the likelihood of lost games, and what the rhetoric and rebuttals say about the PR battle to come. Then (50:08) they banter about whether baseball broadcasts could ever get good enough to endanger attendance, why ABS challenge rates haven’t closely correlated with batter quality, a difference between what fans and neutral spectators tend to enjoy about teams, whether ace-type starting-pitcher seasons are making a partial comeback, a threat to baserunners and bat-dog employment, and a mid-start stretching-related mishap. Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Drellich on franchise values Link to MLBPA proposals Link to Drellich on the MLBPA proposals Link to Normandin on the MLBPA proposals Link to Mains on the MLBPA proposals Link to Drellich on the MLB proposals Link to Meyer statement Link to Caplin statement Link to CBA math post 1 Link to CBA math post 2 Link to Episode 1542 Link to Passan’s CBA proposals breakdown Link to Ben’s bargaining primer Link to Hershberger’s 1876 post Link to Sam on challenge rates Link to challenge leaderboard Link to Andrews on Wood’s challenges Link to pitcher-pace leaderboard Link to batter-pace leaderboard Link to George injury article Link to bat-dog suspension article 1 Link to bat-dog suspension article 2 Link to “Pups in the Park” page Link to 2025 bat-dog call-up Link to Pérez injury article Link to Reddit comment about Ben Link to MLBTR on Brebbia Link to MLBTR on Jones 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 <a href="https://breakingt.com/collections/f...
SummaryEffectively Wild Episode 2483: Brush It Off
1w ago02:07:39Summary readyBen Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Craig Kimbrel’s new home, Colton Cowser’s walk-offs, Chris Taylor’s rapid retirement, unretirement, and re-retirement, whether the Mets should sell (and whom they could deal), the relative improvement of MLB’s worst teams, the Blue Jays’ (and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s) punchless contact, the historic hitting of this season’s MLB debutants, Gage Jump and the best-ever early returns for a draft class, whether the Athletics’ and Pirates’ production has been as lopsided as expected, an Oneil Cruz update, a trio of teams that has benefited from stable rotations, the Astros’ combined no-hitter, the Cubs’ extreme streakiness (and nondescript roster), more Giants innovations in thrusting, and Bryce Harper’s toothpaste/toothbrush technique, plus postscript updates. Audio intro: Sean .P, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Kimbrel Link to post on Kimbrel’s destinations Link to team RP over prior 14 days Link to team RP over prior 30 days Link to Diekman predictions pod Link to final Diekman stats update Link to Cowser post Link to Cowser gamer Link to MLB.com on Taylor Link to MLBTR on Taylor Link to FG playoff odds Link to Mets impending free agents Link to article about 2025 Blue Jays hitting Link to 2026 team wRC+ Link to 2025 team ISO and K% Link to 2026 team ISO and K% Link to 2025 team Barrels/BBE% Link to 2026 team Barrels/BBE% Link to 2025 team hard-hit % Link to 2026 team hard-hit % Link to MLB debutants spreadsheet Link to B-Ref’s new debuts Link to Nishida debut story Link to MLB rookie offense <a href="https://x.com/JeffPassan/statu...
SummaryEffectively Wild Episode 2482: The Trade Not Taken
2w ago00:31:45Summary readyThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Mason Miller’s recent “struggles,” whether the Tigers will trade Tarik Skubal, and how different baseball would be if the Angels had traded Shohei Ohtani, plus (44:05) more than a dozen Stat Blasts. Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: PJ Harding, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to previous Miller banter 1 Link to previous Miller banter 2 Link to Miller sample 1 Link to Miller sample 2 Link to article about Grogu promo Link to Grogu promo Link to Triton Ballpark wiki Link to Yaddle at Wookieepedia Link to Ben on The Mandalorian and Grogu Link to Kimbrel blog post Link to MLBTR on Kimbrel Link to Heyman on a Skubal trade Link to Murray on a Skubal trade Link to Olney on a Skubal trade Link to Skubal bullpen sessions article Link to trade deadline date article Link to playoff odds Link to Clark quote about “the pant” Link to Rosenthal on 2023 Ohtani talks Link to Rosenthal on 2022 Ohtani talks Link to Seidler wiki Link to MLBTR on Boras/Seidler/Soto Link to Blum post about Johnson Link to team pitcher development rankings Link to “If baseball were different” wiki Link to Mains on regular-season splits Link to reverse records Link to post about three-team combos Link to Marlins/Cardinals/Twins candidates Link to Marlins/Cardinals players Link to Marlins/Twins players Link to Cardinals/Twins players Link to 2025 Sánchez game Link to 2003 Clement game Link to 2023 Thompson game Link to 1968 Roseboro game Link to all-hits-after-oh-fers list Link to McGwire Simpsons clip Link to Hill homer Link to Hill PED admission Link to Hill transactions Link to post-trade improvers Link to 2024 Ray slam game Link to 2025 NL Cy voting Link to 2021 AL Cy voting Link to 2011 NL Cy voting L...
SummaryEffectively Wild Episode 2481: Tarp Off the First
2w ago01:49:13Summary readyBen Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the “tarps off” fan-shirtlessness trend sweeping MLB ballparks, early grand slams, inside-the-park home runs, and “little league home runs,” more sources of baseball embarrassment, Blake Snell’s bone spurs (and the Dodgers’ perennial pitcher-injury issues), Gerrit Cole’s return to the Yankees, Gio Urshela and other players who excelled for one team but struggled for others, updates on early-season sensation Joey Wiemer, John Brebbia, and this season’s class of rookie hitters, and the league’s trend toward catcher challenges. Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to shirtless Rockies fans Link to Rockies fan photos Link to shirtless Cardinals fans Link to shirtless Mariners fans Link to shirtlessness trendpiece Link to AP piece on the trend Link to latest Giants thrust Link to Snell surgery update Link to MLBTR on Cole Link to MLBTR on Fried Link to MLBTR on Westburg Link to MLBTR on Berríos Link to Wiemer option news Link to Brebbia update Link to MLB rookie offense Link to FG post on Padres timeliness Link to Arenado grand slam Link to Arenado game play log Link to previous Slam Blast Link to Wood ITPGS Link to Lee’s ITPHR Link to Clemens LLHR Link to Ohtani LLHR Link to Sam on the LLHR Link to “Yakety Sax” Link to “Yakety Sax” wiki Link to Urshela retirement post Link to Urshela wRC stats Link to Small retrospective Link to Chavez Stat Blast Link to Mariners game story Link to Wilson pinch-hitting complaints Link to Sheehan on ABS Link to Sheehan Bluesky post Link to Trueblood on ABS Link to Tap to Challenge Link to MLBTR on Crawford Link to 2025 Cortes article Link to Kimbrough wiki Link to Kimbrough SABR bio Link to Kimbrough book excerpt 1 Link to Kimbrough book excerpt 2 Sponsor Us on Patreon Give a Gift Subscription Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Effectively Wild Subreddit <a href="http://ef...
SummaryEffectively Wild Episode 2480: The Most Embarrassing Baseball Play
2w ago01:45:47Summary readyBen Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether the Phillies’ surge would have happened the same way if Rob Thomson hadn’t been fired, discuss streaks that were snapped for the Mets and Rico Garcia, delight and dismay in John Kruk repeating a podcast talking point, try to determine the most embarrassing failure a player can suffer on the field, bemoan a missed opportunity for an ambidextrous pitching appearance, mark the promotion of Mariners prospect Colt Emerson, and then discuss which of this season’s most over- or underperforming teams will regress. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: The Spaghettis, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to team records since 4/28 Link to team run differentials since 4/28 Link to team records since 4/26 Link to Dan S. on managerial firings Link to Neil P. on managerial firings Link to Mets comeback game story Link to past Mets streak discussion Link to Holmes injury story Link to Davis call story Link to Garcia hit Link to .000 BABIP streaks Link to mound-charge strategy discussion Link to Kruk clip 1 Link to Kruk clip 2 Link to Phillies vs. Pirates game Link to Adolis arms Link to Reds walk streak Link to Cortes pitching play log Link to Cortes profile Link to 2025 Cortes switch-throwing game Link to Venditte glove article Link to Cortes pitching tweet Link to FG post on Emerson Link to MLBTR on Emerson Link to Crawford fielding stats Link to preseason playoff odds Link to BaseRuns standings Link to team performance vs. projections Link to Sheehan on the Rays Link to Sheehan on the Cardinals Link to Ben on playoff velo Link to updated PR pickoff data Link to team positioning runs Link to MLB.com Walls article Sponsor Us on Patreon Give a Gift Subscription Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Effectively Wild Subreddit Effectively Wild Wiki Apple Podcasts Feed <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="18" src="https:/...
SummaryEffectively Wild Episode 2479: Batters Up!
3w ago00:33:52Summary readyThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether Ben cursed Shohei Ohtani’s bat by predicting that Ohtani would win the Cy Young award but not the MVP award, whether Bobby Witt Jr. could win his first MVP award this season, the defensive transformation of Luis Arraez, and more, then (33:16) further interrogate what homoerotic celebrations say about baseball culture, discuss the latest ABS challenge mishaps, answer listener emails (54:30) about an ABS double-or-nothing idea, trading challenges for runs, purchasing challenges midgame, an upside of umpire rotation, boosting offense with double-barreled batters, and a baseball equivalent to the Kelce brothers, plus Stat Blasts (1:28:21) about players with the most inning-ending at-bats in a game, swing rates in debut plate appearances, grand-slam merchants, teams with many MVP vote-getters, and picked-off pinch runners. Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to preseason predictions episode Link to Ohtani slump story 1 Link to Ohtani slump story 2 Link to Ohtani slump story 3 Link to Ohtani slump story 4 Link to Ohtani slump story 5 Link to FG WAR leaders Link to B-Ref WAR leaders Link to FG post on Arraez Link to MLB.com on Arraez Link to FRV leaders Link to Outsports post 1 Link to Outsports post 2 Link to Outsports post 3 Link to homosociality wiki Link to Ross memoir Link to Valentine/Baty incident Link to Torres challenge denials Link to Heim play Link to Ben on accidental challenges Link to Jake on accidental challenges Link to Gausman quote Link to batter challenge leaders Link to Rumsfeld quote wiki Link to catcher challenge leaders Link to team challenge leaders Link to Clemens on FA $/WAR Link to Ortiz ump injury Link to double-barreled BP article 1 Link to double-barreled BP article 2 Link to HUAL segment Link to ex-athlete pods article 1 Link to ex-athlete pods article 2 Link to Tkachuks pod Link to Harrisburg vs. Erie game Link to 1977 Jays-Yanks game Link to five-inning-ending players Link to 2003 NL MVP voting Link to teams with 8+ MVP vote-getters Link to SABR on WAR and awards Link to Baumann on WAR and awards Link to Sam on downballot MVP votes <a href="https://docs.google.co...
SummaryEffectively Wild Episode 2478: MLB’s New Main Characters
3w ago01:46:52Summary readyBen Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the latest lima-bean-related revelations about Tarik Skubal’s elbow surgery, the Giants’ censored synchronized thrust and the history of homoerotic celebrations in baseball, Coby Mayo’s dog’s devotion, the Orioles’ rotation issues (and a Rico Garcia update), Atlanta’s unexpectedly productive DHs, Ben’s invisible baseball neighbor, and Konnor Griffin’s glow-up, plus (1:12:33) a check-in on the hitters and pitchers who’ve over- or underperformed their projections the most through the first quarter of the regular season, and the players who’ve made cases to become new MLB main characters. Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)” Audio outro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to The Athletic on Skubal’s surgery Link to Seinfeld squirrel surgery scene Link to Giants celebration clip Link to Key & Peele sketch Link to Baggarly post Link to Baggarly article Link to other article on the edict Link to JHL’s possible smooch attempt Link to new bow celebration Link to Gilbert GIF Link to Vitello thrust Link to Posey ownership story Link to Charles B. Johnson wiki Link to Johnson donations article Link to Mets outfield imitation Link to 2022 Mookie celebration Link to Mookie Twitch stream answer Link to Mookie Twitch clip Link to bukkake wiki Link to Mookie’s Ohtani comment Link to 2024 Dodgers crotch bump Link to 2016 Cubs crotch bump Link to 2014 Mariners celebration post 1 Link to 2014 Mariners celebration post 2 Link to 2019 Rangers crotch grab Link to Red Sox celebration info Link to Dodgers memorial announcement Link to Collins obit Link to MLBTR on Fried’s elbow Link to Mayo game story Link to Mayo quote clip Link to Mayo quote text Link to Argos wiki Link to mid-March team SP projections Link to team SP WAR to date Link to Orioles SP stats so far Link to team hitter WAR Link to Elias’s Eflin/Rodriguez quote Link to 2026 Elias SP quote 1 Link to 2026 Elias SP quote 2 Link to 2026 Elias SP quote 3 Link to team defense leaderboard Link to .000 BABIP streaks Link to MLB.com on Garcia <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/jurickson-profar-on-being-braves-dh-hernia-surgery" rel="noopener" target="_blank"...
SummaryEffectively Wild Episode 2477: Can Cleveland Framemog the Majors?
3w ago01:53:24Summary readyBen Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Spencer Jones facing an overclocked Jacob Misiorowski in Jones’s MLB debut, the distance from the mound to home plate when Ryan Waldschmidt is batting, Gage Workman’s middle name, and Tarik Skubal’s loose lima bean, then discuss the surprising Patrick Bailey trade—including takes on Bailey’s bat and framing value in the ABS era, the leadership of Buster Posey and Tony Vitello, Cleveland doubling down on the Austin Hedges catching model, and the virtues of Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson—plus thoughts on the bouncebacks of Bryce Harper and Michael Conforto, the Pirates’ rotation, iron man Matt Olson, a Craig Kimbrel meltdown, and the death of Bobby Cox. Audio intro: Garrett Krohn, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)” Link to “POV” meme Link to Jones debut Link to Jones stance tweet Link to Judge/Jones comparison Link to first Jones vs. Miz PA Link to 103 mph+ pitches Link to fastest pitches of 2026 Link to top SP seasons by K% Link to “Ballad of a Thin Man” Link to Miz velo upticks article Link to Miz Charizard pull Link to tallest outfield Link to Ben on big Yankees Link to Waldschmidt quote Link to Workman middle name info 1 Link to Workman middle name info 2 Link to “taters” Gollum clip Link to Boras on the “Skubal scope” Link to Boras/Olney podcast Link to last year’s Boras/Skubal quote Link to FG post on Bailey Link to Dubuque on Bailey Link to Baggarly on Bailey/Posey 1 Link to Baggarly on Bailey/Posey 2 Link to Rosenthal on Posey Link to Bailey’s framing at FG Link to 2026 FG framing leaders <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&st...
Summary