Effectively Wild Episode 2388: May the Fastest Fish Win

Date: October 17, 2025
Hosts: Meg Rowley (FanGraphs), Ben Lindbergh (The Ringer)

Episode Overview

This episode of Effectively Wild is a classic postseason check-in, blending in-depth statistical analysis, playoff narrative debates, and the uniquely “Effectively Wild” penchant for baseball ephemera (fish mascots, broadcaster quirks, playoff myths). Ben and Meg review the MLB Playoff Championship Series to date, highlight incredible pitching performances (especially Yamamoto’s complete game), debate hot-button issues around team payroll and “buying championships,” take listener emails about playoff superstitions and quirks, and dive into weird postseason phenomena both on the field and in the stands.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Patreon Playoff Livestream & Personal Stakes [00:16–02:18]

• Ben promotes a Patreon-exclusive livestream for NLCS Game 4, promising “raw, uncut Ben Lindbergh” as Shohei Ohtani takes the mound for the Dodgers.
• Meg reveals her Mariners fandom is running high, with emotional stakes if the Mariners advance: "Either our listeners will get to hear me contemplate eating my own hair or probably cry, you know, because the Mariners would be advancing." [01:09]

2. Home-Field Advantage—or Lack Thereof [02:18–06:26]

• Observations on the oddity of road teams winning every game so far, and how it saps stadium atmosphere.
• Shout-out to Seattle fans sticking it out, creative rally caps, and “humpy” (the salmon mascot) moments.
• Meg expresses frustration with the national broadcast, and both hosts debate how crowd and broadcaster energy shape the postseason viewing experience.

3. Game Recaps: Yamamoto’s Dominance & Blue Jays' Resurgence [07:15–21:35]

• The focus turns to Yamamoto’s historic NLCS Game 2 complete game:
  • "Who knew that that was still possible, that that was still permissible under the current rules of managing in the playoffs… first time since 2017 ALCS…" [09:30]
  • Discussion of the rarity and management strategy for playoff complete games.
  • Both praise the Dodgers' workaround for bullpen weaknesses by maximizing starters’ innings.
  • Meg: “I want us to have the appropriate level of care while also understanding that ultimately each of these guys is an n of 1, and we can have some wiggle if it’s like, responsible. Wiggle. Wiggle responsibly, I guess, is what I’m trying to say.” [20:05]
• Quick hit on Blue Jays' offense coming alive, especially the resurgence of Vlad Jr. and their approach.

4. Wider Playoff/Narrative Concerns: Dodgers' Success, Payroll, & Baseball Parity [24:49–41:18]

• Debate on whether a Dodgers’ World Series win — especially if paired with a top-five-payroll Blue Jays opponent — will fuel “baseball is broken/bought” narratives in the offseason.
• Ben: “If the Dodgers repeat, which no one has done since the dynasty Yankees… if the Dodgers win and we’re in for… a long, cold winter. That’s what’s going to happen, I think.” [32:15]
• Meg pushes back on “payroll as inheritance”: “We act as if the TV deal and the payroll commitment is like eye color… it isn’t. It is an active choice and… not every team makes it.” [35:37]
• Both hosts bemoan but analyze the inevitability of payroll/CBT/cap discussions if the Dodgers win again.

5. Listener Email: Kike Hernández, Playoff Superpowers [41:18–55:42]

• Email prompts a deep-dive into Kike Hernández’s uncanny, outsized postseason performance compared to his regular-season stats:
  • “He has basically been the best postseason hitter of all time relative to his regular season output…” [44:48]
  • Comparison by OPS ratio to other playoff legends (Randy Arozarena, Carlos Beltrán, Pablo Sandoval, etc.)
• Ben: “Would I bet on it continuing? I’m starting to get to the point where I’ll at least allow for the possibility…” [49:28]
• Meg: “It can’t just be vibes, right?” [50:03]
• The hosts muse on playoff clutchness, player streakiness, and how much of it is real/cosmic luck vs. a mental edge.

6. More Listener Questions: Strategy & Semantics [59:23–97:03]

a. Managing Pitchers in Postseason Blowouts [59:23–66:32]

• Meg questions Mariners manager Dan Wilson’s choice to leave George Kirby in during Game 3’s bad inning, advocating for quicker hooks to preserve bullpen arms for winnable games:
  "I just would have liked a little more urgency out of Dan Wilson in that moment..." [61:55]
• The hosts expand on philosophies of aggressively managing pitching in October (using examples like Dave Roberts, Brian Snitker).

b. Mascot Mayhem: Humpy the Salmon [67:41–75:08]

• Discussion on the playful superstition and crowd energy attached to the salmon run mascot “Humpy” in Seattle.
• Meg: "I think Humpy's influence is ambiguous... I think Humpy's role in all of this is, well, like, obviously pretend. But beyond that, even if one wants to imbue real magic into the thing, a mixed record..." [69:47]
• Ben: "Humpy has happened already." [74:39]
• Lighthearted verdict: Let the salmon run play out unscripted and hold back manufactured magic unless the team truly needs a jolt.

c. Playoff Ethics: Should Wealthy Team Fans Feel Guilty? [76:18–81:19]

• Listener asks if it’s “ethically acceptable” for fans of powerhouses like the Dodgers to root for more titles given fairness/payroll discourse.
• Ben: “Fandom’s a selfish activity… you want the gratification of winning this World Series. That’s what fandom’s all about.” [78:45]
• Meg: "Fans give enough to the game. You don't have to be responsible for what your owner...does. You're giving your time, your treasure...you don't owe it anything more than that." [80:02]

d. Semantics Corner: Sweeps, Dustings, and the Tying Run [81:19–93:14]

• A listener proposes "dusting" as the term for a two-game sweep (not just a "sweep").
• Meg & Ben debate cleaning metaphors in baseball, with Meg ultimately rejecting "dusting" as an apt term (disagreement!).
• Further mini-segments on play-by-play language:
  • Should a runner on second “hold/carry the tying run,” or “represent” it? Ben and Meg agree “represent” is typical.
  • Can you have a “great take on a great pitch"? Both agree it's possible, but Smoltz’s surprise at such an event is likely a pitcher-centric view.

e. The Fragile Legacy of Playoff Heroes [93:14–98:29]

• Prompt: Can a player who once “never had to buy a drink” in town (i.e., beloved for a postseason moment) lose that status if they later disappoint, e.g., as a manager?
• Discussion of Aaron Boone, Craig Counsell, and how extended exposure or disappointing second acts can erode a hero’s luster.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Playoff Emotional Range:
  Meg: "Insane. You know, like...I'll be contemplating eating my hair or probably cry...Mariners would be advancing." [01:09]
• On Yamamoto’s Postseason Gem:
  Ben: "Who knew that that was still possible, that that was still permissible under the current rules of managing in the playoffs?" [09:30]
• On Team Construction and Payroll Choices:
  Meg: "We act as if the TV deal and the payroll commitment is like eye color...it is an active choice." [35:37]
• On Kike Hernández’s Postseason Aura:
  Ben: "He has basically been the best postseason hitter of all time relative to his regular season output..." [44:48] Meg: "It can’t just be vibes, right?" [50:03]
• On Fan Guilt and Team Success:
  Ben: “Fandom’s a selfish activity… you want the gratification of winning this World Series. That’s what fandom’s all about.” [78:45]
  Meg: “Fans give enough to the game. You don't have to be responsible for what your owner...does.” [80:02]
• On Salmon Mascot Superstitions:
  Meg: "I think Humpy's influence is ambiguous...I think Humpy's role in all of this is, well, like, obviously pretend." [69:47]
• On Vocabulary, Sweeps, and Dustings:
  Ben: “‘Dusting’… I like the idea of having something that conveys what happened but is less majestic than ‘sweep’.” [82:41]
  Meg: “A duster isn’t often an implement at all… I think it pushes it too far afield.” [82:41]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Patreon Livestream Plug & Stakes: [00:16–02:18]
• Home Team Losing Streak & Ballpark Vibes: [02:18–06:26]
• Game Recap – Yamamoto’s Complete Game/Blue Jays Offense: [09:30–21:35]
• Dodgers, Payroll, & Baseball’s Systemic Debates: [24:49–41:18]
• Kike Hernández’s Postseason Magic: [41:18–55:42]
• Managing Pitchers/Blowout Strategy: [59:23–66:32]
• Salmon Mascots, Superstition, and Fan Rituals: [67:41–75:08]
• Fan Guilt and Ethics: [76:18–81:19]
• Baseball Lexicon (Sweeps, Carries, Takes): [81:19–93:14]
• Legacy Lost (Never Buy a Drink Again?): [93:14–98:29]

In the Weeds: Playoff Trivia and Tangents

• Complete dissection of managing strategies for teams with bullpen concerns (Dodgers) and the pitching staff mentality in the postseason.
• Deep cut on the colloquial and technical language of the game—“dustings,” “mops,” and the semantics of run representation.
• Long-standing Effectively Wild tradition: mascots and crowd rituals as meaningful playoff “factors” (Humpy the Salmon’s playoff run).

Takeaways

• The postseason's magic is as unpredictable as ever—whether coming from the pitching mound, the batter’s box, or the stands.
• Statistical oddities (Kike Hernández's October heroics), evolving managerial philosophies, and payroll narratives intermingle, fueling both analysis and storytelling.
• Fan experience—emotions, superstition, and local culture—remains central to how playoffs are lived and remembered.
• With the Dodgers and Blue Jays flexing big-payroll muscle, and perennial questions about fairness, randomness, and championship “worthiness” looming, the postseason continues to provoke as much existential baseball hand-wringing as on-field drama.

For Further Reference

• Listeners can reference specific timestamps via this summary for segment recaps and notable quote locations.
• Further resources: Fangraphs for stat leaderboards and postseason tracking, Patreon for the Effectively Wild Discord/live events, and links in show notes for referenced columns and debated commercials (i.e., “The Whole Spread is a Good Lunch”).