Effectively Wild Episode 2404: A (Bases) Loaded Question
Podcast: Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast
Hosts: Ben Lindbergh (A), Meg Rowley (B)
Date: November 22, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode is a quintessentially pedantic romp through baseball’s thorniest definitional and statistical questions. Ben and Meg tackle a series of listener emails (and one from a Baseball Reference friend) about player confusion, hidden injuries, double-barreled bullpens, what constitutes “loading the bases,” the true meaning of “baseball lifer,” and more. They explore recent news around hidden injuries and newly-revealed medical surprises, dissect a minor trade’s significance for multi-position value, and debate the boundaries of what makes someone a switch hitter, all while maintaining the wry, nerdy banter that has made the show a favorite.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Confusing Web of Tyler, Taylor, and Aaron Judge [01:14–09:03]
- Listener question (Dan Hirsch, Baseball Reference): Dan notes that Aaron Judge played with both Taylor Ward (Fresno State) and Tyler Wade (Yankees), suggesting ample opportunity for name confusion.
- Ben and Meg’s musings:
- They speculate on how Judge might handle the confusion, ultimately positing that “buddy,” “brother,” and “coach” are safe nicknames to avoid slip-ups.
- Quote [03:56, B]: “Baseball players love to call each other brother. They love to be like, hey, brother. That’s nice. Feels like a counter to the male loneliness epidemic, really is what it feels like.”
- The difference between media confusion (with thousands of names to remember) versus actual players is considered—“Judge knows these guys personally.”
- They wonder if Tyler and Taylor overlapped on the Angels and debate whether having a mutual friend smooths or complicates relationships.
- Conclusion: For us, Taylor Ward and Tyler Wade are “in the same bucket,” but for Judge, personal knowledge keeps things straight.
2. The Mysteries and Consequences of Hidden Injuries: The Elly De La Cruz Strain [09:39–22:54]
- Meg recounts the revelation that Elly De La Cruz played through a significant quad strain (partial tear) late in the 2024 season, explaining his rapid performance drop-off.
- Statistical context:
- Pre-injury (through July): 129 wRC+, 29 steals, 4.2 WAR
- Post-injury (final 2 months): 66 wRC+, 8 steals, 0.2 WAR
- Ben’s Meditations:
- The unknowability and unreportability of many injuries frustrates analysts and projection systems. If we only had perfect injury info, “a lot of...random variation in player performance would turn out to be pretty explicable.”
- There are two levels of injury secrecy: injuries teams know (but aren’t public) and injuries only the player knows.
- The struggle for teams: Is playing through an injury at “replacement level” actually helping?
- Quote [15:56, A]: “If we could perfectly account for the player's physical state at all times ... a lot of what looks like inexplicable or random variation in player performance would turn out to be pretty explicable.”
- They discuss similar cases (Anthony Volpe with a shoulder issue, Sean Murphy’s injury disclosure to the Braves) and why sometimes players—and teams—avoid going public about such issues.
3. The Angels’ Unusual Medical Due Diligence (or Lack Thereof) [23:06–29:11]
- Meg gleefully recounts Grayson Rodriguez’s statement on “Foul Territory” that the Angels did not require a pre-trade physical, despite his injury history.
- According to paraphrased sources: “The deal happened as is.”
- Laughter and skepticism ensue:
- They joke about the “as is” language, comparing it to buying a chipped vase at a thrift store.
- The Angels’ approach is contrasted with the Orioles’ famously picky medical staff.
- Quote [26:25, A]: “Or they were just like, well, we could have our own people check him out. But you know what, probably the other team's better than we are, so let's just defer to them.”
- Caveat:
- Both hosts acknowledge that some paperwork/records may have been exchanged, but they still savor the absurd possibility.
- Quote [28:23, B]: “I am not believing the funniest possible version of this story, but I am enjoying the funniest possible version of this story.”
4. Multi-Position Player Value: Mauricio Dubón & The Braves [29:16–36:42]
- Discussion of Atlanta’s trade for Mauricio Dubón:
- Alex Anthopoulos is quoted as valuing Dubón’s Swiss-army-knife flexibility more than his unclear offensive contributions.
- The value of “optionality” (buzzword!) in roster construction is debated, particularly how it’s not fully captured by WAR.
- Quote [30:37, A]: “There is value to that in that having a player like that gives you a bit of an edge...because you could slot him in in so many places.”
- Dubón’s strong defensive metrics across many positions are highlighted; the difficulties (and underappreciation) of switching gloves/positions frequently are discussed.
5. Pedantic Emails: “Bases Loaded,” “Baseball Lifer,” and “Double-Barrel Action” [37:43–56:02]
Email 1: Baseball Lifer Age Limits [37:43–47:55]
- Question: How old/experienced does someone need to be to be called a “baseball lifer”? Is 55 too young for Derek Shelton?
- Hosts’ consensus:
- In baseball years, 55 is plenty; it’s more about experience than literal age.
- “Lifer” status is about tenure, grizzledness, and living the game since youth.
- Quote [40:12, B]: “He is old in baseball terms. I mean, he’s not like an old person...But he is old in a baseball sense. When you’re like, ‘oh my god, this 34-year-old, they're probably going to fall apart rather than play another big league season.’”
Email 2: “Double-Barrel” Bullpens [48:01–55:43]
- Question: Does “double barrel action” in the bullpen require two pitchers of opposite handedness?
- Discussion:
- The phrase is most often used for opposites, but both think it could apply to two of the same if needed; in practice, it’s simply “two guys up.”
- Quote [52:21, A]: “To me, it’s still sort of double-barreled action. I’d be fine with that, really. Just to convey that you got more than one reliever warming.”
- A tangential, classic EW digression into gun, cannon, and baseball nomenclature.
Email 3: Counting “Loaded Bases” and Other Definitional Quandaries [55:46–70:11]
- Question: In complex innings featuring multiple loads/unloads of the bases, how do you count “times a team had the bases loaded”?
- Hosts’ rules:
- You only “reload” the bases if a base becomes vacant and is then occupied again (not simply runners advancing).
- For plate appearance splits, each instance with bases loaded for a new batter counts, but not every shuffle around the bases counts as a new “loading.”
- Similarly, whether a game went “nine innings” or “eight and a half” depends on context: for counting, nine innings is correct even if the home team skips the ninth inning or wins with a walk-off.
6. Beer League vs. MLB: The 5-4-5 Double Play [70:12–75:26]
- Listener shares a rare 5-4-5 double play from beer-league softball; is this rare in MLB?
- Michael Mountain finds only 25 such double plays recorded in MLB history, with only three in the Statcast era.
- In MLB, a runner going on contact usually prevents a double play from going 5-4-5; play-by-play differences between rec league and big leagues are dissected.
7. What Counts as a Switch Hitter? [75:26–81:58]
- Question: Does hitting even one HR from each side make you a “switch hitter” for record-keeping? What if a “real” switch hitter stops (cf. Shane Victorino)?
- Consensus:
- You need “some minimum” of PA’s from the other side to qualify.
- Occasional, whimsical reversals (e.g., Anthony Rendon’s lefty HR) do not make you a switch hitter.
- More likely confusion comes from failed transitions or players who give up switch-hitting mid-career.
- Quote [76:37, B]: “I think the more likely scenario where you’re sort of falsely classified that way is, you know, there are guys who give up switch hitting...But effectively be transitioning to being a one-side-of-the-plate guy.”
8. Should More Lopsided Hitters “Turn Around” and Try Switch Hitting? [81:58–85:54]
- Prompt: Are there ever players so bad from one side that they should try switch-hitting?
- Short answer: It’s rare and generally more likely a player would just be benched rather than learning a new skill as a big leaguer. The hosts discuss the immense learning curve and difficulties in transition.
9. Dodgers and Farm System Wealth: Is Money the Secret? [85:54–94:57]
- Listener asks if LA’s money directly breeds farm system quality.
- Meg and Ben:
- Their financial might helps, but it’s not the whole story.
- Richer teams can afford more coaches, technology, nutrition, and scouting investment—infrastructure more often than prospect-trading.
- Dodgers also excel at “player sorting”—knowing who to keep versus trade—but even smaller budget teams like the Brewers often invest in player development for ROI.
10. Notable Quotes and Moments
- [03:56, B]: “Baseball players love to call each other brother. They love to be like, hey, brother. That’s nice. Feels like a counter to the male loneliness epidemic, really is what it feels like.”
- [15:56, A]: “If we could perfectly account for the player's physical state at all times ... a lot of what looks like inexplicable or random variation in player performance would turn out to be pretty explicable.”
- [28:23, B]: “I am not believing the funniest possible version of this story, but I am enjoying the funniest possible version of this story.”
- [40:12, B]: “He is old in baseball terms. I mean, he's not like an old person...But he is old in a baseball sense.”
- [52:21, A]: “To me, it’s still sort of double-barreled action. I’d be fine with that, really.”
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Player/Name Confusion (Judge, Tyler, Taylor): 01:14–09:03
- Elly De La Cruz Hidden Injury & Impact: 09:39–22:54
- Angels’ (Non-)Physical for Grayson Rodriguez: 23:06–29:11
- Mauricio Dubón’s Value & Option-ality: 29:16–36:42
- “Baseball Lifer” Pedantry: 37:43–47:55
- “Double-Barrel Action” Bullpen Inquiry: 48:01–55:43
- Counting Loaded Bases & Inning Lengths: 55:46–70:11
- Rare 5-4-5 Double Play in Beer Softball/MLB: 70:12–75:26
- Defining Switch Hitters & Related Records: 75:26–81:58
- Should Lefty/Righty Specialists Switch Hit?: 81:58–85:54
- Dodgers’ Farm System and Money: 85:54–94:57
Final Notes
- Listener Participation:
- Many of the episodes' best segments stem from detailed, pedantic listener questions about definitions and rare scenarios—keep them coming!
- Upcoming Episode Tease:
- Next episode: Ben & Meg will discuss the Alex Rodriguez HBO documentary series.
- Classic EW banter & tone:
- Jokes about “double-barreled” relievers, as-is antiques/laughable trades, and philosophical asides about aging, teamwork, and baseball language pervade the whole recording.
- For new listeners:
- This is an episode heavy on inside-baseball statistical and semantic nuance, with many side-tangents but lots of laughs and useful answers for hardcore fans.