Effectively Wild Episode 2370: "Generation Yay?"
FanGraphs Baseball Podcast
Hosts: Meg Rowley & Ben Lindbergh
Date: September 5, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into contemporary baseball nomenclature anxiety, the debut of promising young pitchers, notorious and quirky moments from the past week in MLB, and broader reflections on unwritten rules, player drama, and upcoming free agent market dynamics. Ben and Meg bring their characteristic wit, camaraderie, and thoughtful analysis to topics both statistical and delightfully offbeat.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Schlitler" Surname Saga: Broadcast Perils and Pronunciation

• Timestamps: [00:32]-[11:30]

• Topic: The hosts humorously discuss Yankees pitching prospect Cam Schlitler and the on-air anxiety his surname provokes for broadcasters. They recount a The Athletic article where Yankees announcers admit to feeling trepidation about saying his name live, due to potential accidental controversies.

• Quotes:

  • "There is a whole article… about their fears surrounding saying Schlitler." (Ben, [00:47])
  • "I'd almost rather… just get it out of the way, you know, mess up, say, on television." (Meg, [02:01])
  • "If you omit that first L, then you've gotten yourself into a world of trouble." (Ben, [03:49])
  • "Matt Blake, the Yankees pitching coach, calls him... slit dog." (Ben, [04:28])

• Key Insight: Announcers cope by minimizing how often they say 'Schlitler' or defaulting to nicknames or descriptors ('the big right hander').

• Tone: Amused, self-deprecating, slightly irreverent.

2. Metropolitans' Trio: Will "Generation Yay" Outdo Generation K?

• Timestamps: [11:44]-[28:32] & [82:55]-[89:00]

• Topic: With the Mets debuting yet another young pitcher—Brandon Sproat—Ben and Meg recall the ‘Generation K’ (Isringhausen, Pulsifer, Wilson) disappointment and speculate if the new trio (Sproat, Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong) can surpass the much-lamented 21.2 combined WAR of their 1990s counterparts.

• Quotes:

  • "All three of those guys got hurt in short order. None of them really lived up to expectations." (Ben, [13:44])
  • "I view that as optimistic, not pessimistic…" (Meg, [17:58])

• Key Insights:

  • Today's trio enters MLB a bit older, but Mets' pitching development has improved.
  • “Really it's just a question of how hurt. When, when do they get hurt and how hurt do they get?" (Meg, [19:55])
  • ZIPS projections (follow-up): Current Mets trio projected for 42.8 career WAR combined; 68% chance they'll surpass Generation K. (Ben, [86:30]-[88:48])

• Memorable Moment: Meg critiques lack of creativity in fan nicknaming/props for Jonah Tong’s debut: “Try harder, you guys.” ([23:26])

3. Nicknames & Fan Gimmicks: The Jonah Tong "Tongs" Phenomenon

• Timestamps: [22:07]-[28:04]

• Topic: A quick takedown (in affectionate, exasperated tone) of Mets fans who brought literal tongs to the ballpark for Jonah Tong’s debut.

• Quote: "Let it come to you, you know, like, let it wash over you. Get to know Jonah Tong's game..." (Meg, [26:21])

• Insight: Meg pushes for more creative, organic fan engagement rather than low-hanging fruit puns.

4. Longest Home Run Trot on Record: Devers vs. Freeland and Baseball’s Old-School Grievances

• Timestamps: [28:55]-[35:07]

• Topic: The benches-clearing incident between Rafael Devers (now with the Giants) and Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland, resulting in an “eight-minute home run trot” due to the fracas.

• Quote: "I was slightly surprised to be ejected. Freeland said, I understand that I was the one who instigated so that right there is grounds for ejection..." (Meg, [34:02])

• Insight: Despite perceptions that MLB has moved beyond such drama, “home run admiration” still touches nerves.

• Memorable Moment: Ben marvels at the commitment: "You have to complete your circuit of the bases for that to count... You probably feel bad because everyone else is defending you and you can't leave the baseline." ([31:35])

5. Astros Drama: Did Framber Valdez Intentionally Drill His Own Catcher?

• Timestamps: [35:07]-[56:08]

• Topic: The strange case of Astros pitcher Framber Valdez possibly crossing up and beaning his own catcher, Cesar Salazar, after a miscommunication over pitch selection. Suspicion abounded based on frosty reactions and Valdez’s lack of visible remorse.

• Quotes:

  • "He just kind of turned his back on Salazar and walked away... Salazar... took off his mask and just sort of stared." (Ben, [39:23])
  • "If he intentionally crossed up his own catcher, that's bonkers behavior." (Meg, [41:46])
  • "You wouldn't think kindly of it if he threw intentionally at an opposing player." (Meg, [42:28])
  • "If... he threw at his own guy, not only is that bonkers behavior, he was being a real butthead." (Meg, [51:06])

• Insight: The action, intentional or not, raises questions about team chemistry, player self-control, and implications for Valdez’s looming free agency.

• Memorable Moments:

  • Meg’s affectionate embrace of “butthead” as an underused, satisfying insult, and the notion that teams regularly tolerate problematic stars. ([50:11]-[54:41])
  • Discussion of Valdez’s work with a sports psychologist; his “turn and walk down the mound” tactic as a calming mechanism. ([48:20])

6. Team Chemistry and Clubhouse Discord: Can Teams Win Without Getting Along?

• Timestamps: [56:08]-[58:18]

• Topic: Ben reflects on the archetype of ultra-talented, internally combative teams (e.g., 1986 Mets), wondering if any modern equivalents exist.

• Quote: "I like that archetype of a team where they hate each other but they're just good anyway..." (Ben, [56:08])

7. Unwritten Rules Showdown: Baseball vs. Tennis

• Timestamps: [82:55]-[84:45]

• Topic: Inspired by US Open tennis controversies, Ben briefly ponders which sport is “Unwritten Rulesiest.”

• Quote: "In tennis... you're supposed to apologize for [netcord winners]... In baseball, there's a bias against being apologetic, against fraternizing." (Ben, [83:52])

8. Immaculate Inning: Mason Miller's Nine Sliders

• Timestamps: [67:27]-[74:25]

• Topic: Discussion of Padres reliever Mason Miller's immaculate inning—nine pitches, all sliders, three strikeouts, no fastballs.

• Quotes:

  • "Oops, all sliders. And that is pretty impressive to me, more so than the standard immaculate inning." (Ben, [70:22])
  • "It does seem very cool to me because it's like, this is a hard thing... What if I cranked up the degree of difficulty for myself?" (Meg, [72:02])

• Insight: Unusual for an immaculate inning to feature nine sliders (only one thrown in the strike zone), making it perhaps rarer and more impressive than traditional versions.

9. Hidden Stats: Pirates Lead in Team Shutouts

• Timestamps: [74:25]-[81:29]

• Topic: Ben quizzes Meg on which team leads MLB in “times holding opponents scoreless.” Unexpected answer: Pittsburgh Pirates, not a top team.

• Memorable Moment: Meg’s disbelief: "No way." (Meg, [76:12])

• Insight: Despite mediocrity, a team with one ace can disproportionately rack up shutouts.

10. MLB Labor Anxiety: Free Agency and Looming CBA Expiration

• Timestamps: [59:56]-[67:27]

• Topic: Jeff Passan’s offseason preview raises concern that impending 2026-27 CBA expiration might suppress spending or contract length this winter.

• Quotes:

  • "You don't plan as a team... payroll like one year ahead, you're planning payroll multiple years ahead." (Meg, [63:20])
  • "If there's some possibility that there will be no next season... that's probably going to make you a bit more likely to sit on your hands or at least lower your offer." (Ben, [65:09])

• Insight: Both clubs and players could be skittish, favoring shorter, more flexible deals.

Notable Quotes By Timestamp

• “With more opportunity [for saying the name] comes greater chance of just goofing one.” — Meg, [01:33]
• “You have plausible deniability. Everyone misspeaks sometimes if you're on live TV for hours at a time…” — Ben, [04:56]
• “I think that there are times when we could yuck people's yum a little bit and it'd be fine and everyone would survive.” — Meg, [22:22]
• “A lot of our first thoughts are not good thoughts. You're like, oh, trust my gut. A lot of your guts are bad.” — Meg, [27:01]
• “If he intentionally crossed up his own catcher, that's bonkers behavior. That's like that. I would, I would say that that's behavior that merits some kind of disciplinary action...” — Meg, [41:46]
• “If... he threw at his own guy... he was being a real butthead.” — Meg, [51:06]
• “You know, here's what I'll say. If... he threw at his own guy, not only is that bonkers behavior, he was being a real butthead.” — Meg, [51:06]
• "I like that archetype of a team where they hate each other, but they're just good anyway." — Ben, [56:08]
• “Oops, all sliders. And that is pretty impressive to me, more so than the standard immaculate inning.” — Ben, [70:22]
• “No way.” — Meg, on learning the Pirates lead in shutouts ([76:12])
• "You probably just want to avoid the out end." — Meg, about Pirates fans and scoreless games ([82:52])

Important Segment Timestamps

• Pronunciation Fears: Cam Schlitler [00:32]-[11:30]
• Mets' Young Pitchers vs. Generation K [11:44]-[28:32]
• Home Run Admiration & Benches Clear [28:55]-[35:07]
• Astros Intra-team Drama (Valdez/Salazar) [35:07]-[56:08]
• Team Chemistry & Winning [56:08]-[58:18]
• Labor Market/CBA Anxiety [59:56]-[67:27]
• Mason Miller’s Immaculate Inning [67:27]-[74:25]
• Pirates Lead MLB in Team Shutouts [74:25]-[81:29]
• Unwritten Rules: Baseball vs. Tennis [82:55]-[84:45]
• Generation K vs. New Mets Projections [86:30]-[88:48]

Takeaways & Tone

• The episode is lively, self-aware, and blends rigorous baseball analysis with humor and a welcome dose of skepticism for conventional wisdom and lazy thinking (about names, nicknames, inferred intent, or team chemistry).
• Recurrent themes: The intersection of language and baseball, the unpredictability of pitcher development, when it's OK to be messy or improvise, and the enduring amusements (and frustrations) of fandom.

For listeners and non-listeners alike, this episode captures the ongoing joys, curiosities, and ambiguities of baseball—on the mound, behind the mic, and in the stands. Whether you care about Cam Schlitler’s name, Mason Miller’s sliders, or the labor landscape ahead, there’s wit and insight to spare.