Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Daniel Vogelbach becoming a Brewers hitting coach and coach-hiring trends, analyze and phact-check Tommy Pham’s pitch for “PhamGraphs,” react to the Kazuma Okamoto signing and the Blue Jays embracing their big-market potential (in contrast to the Giants), and take the temperature of the pretty tepid stove (phollowed by a phollow-up on Pham).

Audio outro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Vogelbach news

Link to Brewers coaching staff

Link to last year’s Vogelbach hiring

Link to Vogelbach promo

Link to article on PhamGraphs

Link to negativity bias wiki

Link to team batting LI

Link to batter opp_DRA-

Link to team batter opp_DRA-

Link to lineup construction study

Link to DRA- explainer

Link to DRC+ explainer

Link to Canha’s BP player card

Link to Pham’s BP player card

Link to August Pham incident

Link to EW Episode 2363

Link to PH PA leaders

Link to Eric on Okamoto

Link to NPB HR since 2019

Link to MLBTR on Okamoto

Link to MLBTR on Takahashi

Link to FG payroll page

Link to FG post on Mahle

Link to team SP projections

Link to FG top 50 FA

Link to Ben on pennant complacency

Link to Harbaugh firing

Link to latest Hang Up and Listen

Link to Albies TikTok

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Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Ben Clemens banter about the Astros signing Tatsuya Imai to a smaller-than-expected deal. Then (18:20) they continue a cherished podcast tradition by conducting the 13th annual Effectively Wild Minor League Free Agent Draft, in which they select 10 minor league free agents each and compete to see whose roster will accumulate the most combined MLB playing time in 2025 (followed by a postscript at 1:31:23).

Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to guest appearances sheet

Link to FG post on Imai

Link to MLBTR on Imai

Link to Feinsand tweet

Link to The Athletic on Imai

Link to minor league free agents

Link to MLBTR on MiLB FA

Link to last year’s draft

Link to MiLB FA draft wiki

Link to EWStats page

Link to dynasty FA draft sheet

Link to Brebbia on EW

Link to MLBTR on Baddoo

Link to 2025 MLB average SP

Link to MiLB IP leaders

Link to Can’t Hardly Wait scene

Link to this year’s draftees

Link to first Stathead query

Link to second Stathead query

Link to Boob McNutt

Link to Mutt and Jeff

Link to Gink and Boob

Link to Bucco Bricks tweet

Link to Lile’s Reddit response

Link to MLB.com on Lile

Link to car service jingles

Link to Conjunction Junction

Link to “certain point of view” scene

Link to “Old Ben” clip

Link to Slate on prediction markets

Link to Bloomberg on prediction markets

Link to Sporcle quiz

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the potential risk to sports prediction markets pose and then (24:00) discuss at least one listener-nominated topic about each American League team that wasn’t previously covered on the show in 2025.

Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to MLBTR on Rendon

Link to Bloomberg on prediction markets

Link to The Athletic on prediction markets

Link to FoS on the Blackhawks

Link to story about MLB memo

Link to Slate on prediction markets

Link to Slate on prediction markets 2

Link to Royals stadium story

Link to 1922 article on Fowler

Link to AL stories spreadsheet

Link to Ella Black series

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a smattering of recent transactions and then (20:17) discuss at least one listener-nominated topic about each National League team that wasn’t previously covered on the podcast in 2025.

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

Link to MLB.com on Soderstrom

Link to MLBTR on Soderstrom

Link to MLBTR on Refsnyder

Link to The Athletic on Refsnyder

Link to “the grink” tweet

Link to Fowler SABR bio

Link to 1925 article on Fowler

Link to NL stories spreadsheet

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Ben Lindbergh talks to two pitchers who topped out at Triple-A in 2025, which was a demotion for one and a promotion for the other. First, he brings back Rangers pitcher Declan Cronin, the only major leaguer alum of Ben’s high school, to discuss a setback of a season that included a mysterious hip injury, compromised mechanics, diminished stuff, a cutthroat release and, finally, Tommy John surgery. Along the way, they cover the urge to play through injuries, joining the Rangers after being unceremoniously jettisoned by the Marlins, what tearing a UCL feels like, the incentives that lead to elbow problems, Declan’s plan to bounce back from a challenging year, MLB-NWSL romances, and competing with other players for wedding dates. Then (1:05:45), Ben talks to White Sox pitcher/sportswriter Duncan Davitt about becoming a journalist on the side, being on both ends of interviews, being blacked out of baseball broadcasts, the plight and importance of local media, his deceptive delivery, being traded and making a 40-man for the first time, what he has to do to earn a call-up, whether pitchers wear protective cups, and much more.

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

Link to “TK” journalism term

Link to MLBTR on Soderstrom

Link to Regis High School wiki

Link to Declan’s first pod appearance

Link to Declan’s second pod appearance

Link to article about baseball weddings

Link to Declan t-shirt

Link to MLBTR on Declan’s TJ

Link to list of TJ surgeries

Link to cascade injury article

Link to MLBTR on Declan’s deal

Link to team RP WPA

Link to team RP WAR

Link to staff page at Tread

Link to Tyler Zombro wiki

Link to Paige Monaghan wiki

Link to Paige’s wedding post

Link to Dansby/Mallory article

Link to Peña/Grosso engagement

Link to Duncan strikeout reel

Link to Register feature on Duncan

Link to Sox Machine feature on Duncan

Link to Duncan’s wedding post

Link to Rays prospect ranking

Link to traded prospects ranking

Link to minor league IP leaders

Link to Ben on deception

Link to Indianola IA website

Link to Indianola wiki

Link to J.D. Scholten appearance

Link to Indianola IA sports page

Link to Duncan’s boys’ basketball article

Link to Duncan’s girls’ basketball article

Link to Duncan on the offseason

Link to Duncan on the trade

Link to Duncan on the 40-man

Link to Duncan on Triple-A

Link to Duncan on big league belief

Link to Laurila’s notes column

Link to Ben on the gap in 2025

Link to Ben on the gap in 2015

Link to Davenport on the gap

Link to MLB.com on Abbott Elementary

Link to Schwarber’s 4-HR game

Link to MLB survey question

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Ben Lindbergh, Craig Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus, and Joe Sheehan of The Joe Sheehan Baseball Newsletter break down teams’ last-minute Christmas shopping—including the White Sox signing Munetaka Murakami, the Padres signing Michael King and Sung Mun Song, the Orioles trading for Shane Baz, the Red Sox trading for Willson Contreras, a three-team trade involving the Pirates, Rays, and Astros, Jeff McNeil and Matt Strahm swaps, and the Yankees’ hibernation—plus banter about the quasi-retirement of Craig’s nemesis, Joe Kelly, the future of NPB, a report about Emmanuel Clase’s mid-game phone use, and supporting independent media. Then (1:11:40) they conduct an in-depth debate about the respective merits of human umpiring, the challenge system, and full ABS.

Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Kelly’s podcast

Link to Dubuque on the challenge system

Link to Craig on the challenge system

Link to Joe on the challenge system

Link to previous podcast discussion

Link to Seitz decision wiki

Link to Joe on the Seitz decision

Link to over/under draft results

Link to Baumann on Murakami

Link to Rosenblum on Murakami

Link to Longenhagen on Murakami

Link to Craig on Murakami

Link to Sarris on Murakami

Link to Ben on Murakami in 2022

Link to Sato story

Link to FG post on King

Link to FG post on Song

Link to FG post on Baz

Link to Craig on Baz

Link to team SP projections

Link to Joe on three-team trade

Link to FG post on three-team trade

Link to FG post on Contreras

Link to FG post on Strahm

Link to Strahm’s beer stance

Link to Bowlan info

Link to FG post on McNeil

Link to Lindor/McNeil drama

Link to Clase report

Link to Dylan phone ban

Link to Molina framing montage

Link to framing technique evolution

Link to Molina on EW

Link to Craig on the K-Zone

Link to Tango on challenge tactics

Link to Five and Dive

Link to subscribe to BP

Link to subscribe to Joe

Link to MLBTR on O’Hearn

Link to Posnanski MVP post

Link to A’s ballpark update

Link to Rian Johnson post

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Ben Lindbergh brings on ESPN senior MLB insider Jeff Passan to discuss the ins and outs of the newsbreaking business—how he reports and announces news, how newsbreaking in baseball differs from newsbreaking in other sports, conflicts of interest, the ills of social media, work-life balance, aging, his flirtation with switching to the basketball beat, and more—plus Jeff’s thoughts on ESPN’s relationship with MLB, the biggest surprises and questions of this hot stove season, and the outlook for a lockout. Then (1:06:55) Ben talks to The Athletic’s Sam Blum about what he learned from covering the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Tyler Skaggs against the Angels, which was settled just before the jury reached a verdict.

Audio interstitial: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio outro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Jeff’s last EW appearance

Link to Jeff’s newsbreaking origins

Link to Jeff’s gravy tweet

Link to aging research

Link to article about aging

Link to Woj comments

Link to Schefter comments

Link to Shams comments

Link to Shams profile

Link to Shams vs. Woj feature

Link to Passan NBA report

Link to exhibit 49 info

Link to more exhibit 49 info

Link to ESPN-MLB deal

Link to ESPN-NFL deal

Link to ESPN evolution

Link to Jeff’s trade tweet

Link to news about Jeff’s son

Link to The LAT on the settlement

Link to Sam on the settlement

Link to Sam on Trout

Link to MLB testing change

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about an “oppo taco” mention in Wake Up Dead Man, a run on free-agent relievers and the lack of late-inning options remaining on the market, when big free agents actually tend to sign, the Nationals’ youth movement in the front office and on the coaching staff, and the stacked USA WBC pitching staff, plus follow-ups on several subjects.

Audio outro: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Rian Johnson clip

Link to MLB.com on Weaver

Link to Williams message

Link to FG post on Keller

Link to Arizona gulls

Link to MLBTR on May

Link to Jimmy trailer

Link to Buzzfeed post on Jimmy

Link to remaining FA RP

Link to Nats youth story

Link to Nats youth story 2

Link to Nats youth tweet

Link to MLBTR on DeBartolo

Link to Butera quote

Link to Nats ticket settlement

Link to scouts lawsuit

Link to ump age study

Link to Sheehan research

Link to Raleigh award tweet

Link to USA WBC roster

Link to 2023 roster

Link to Trout WBC story

Link to announced players post

Link to Ben on WBC injuries

Link to Ben on more WBCs

Link to Grinch oral history

Link to roast beast

Link to MLBTR on Kim’s offer

Link to “Big Smooth” article

Link to Pomeranz post

Link to Calcaterra on the HoF

Link to ineligible list wiki

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Ha-Seong Kim, Adrian Houser, and Foster Griffin signings, a prospect-for-prospect Red Sox and Nationals trade, and the Twins’ partial sale, then (34:00) answer emails about saying “pitchoff” instead of “first pitch,” the value of a cool nickname, a Hall of Fame reference in The Wizard of Oz, whether teams value batter performance against elite pitching, protesting ball/strike calls from the dugout, keeping Pete Rose out of the Hall, a running start for pitchers, and moving the catcher back instead of the mound.

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

Link to FG post on Kim

Link to Anthopoulos comments on Kim

Link to MLBTR on Houser

Link to MLBTR on Griffin

Link to FG post on pitching prospects trade

Link to Twins sale story

Link to $/WAR analysis

Link to $/WAR analysis 2

Link to ceremonial first puck wiki

Link to “baseball exceptionalism” series

Link to Sam’s hockey quote

Link to Raleigh “Beef Boys” story

Link to Sam on Trout in 2012

Link to The Wizard of Oz song

Link to halls of fame wiki

Link to Hall of Fame for Great Americans

Link to Schwarber’s postseason stats

Link to pitcher quality adjustment post

Link to Capps hop post

Link to Ben on moving the mound

Link to listener emails database

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a smattering of transactions, featuring (among others) Jorge Polanco, Tyler Rogers, Kenley Jansen, Isaac Collins, Angel Zerpa, Merrill Kelly, Josh Bell, and Adolis García. Then (49:03) they talk about MLB’s move to regulate and standardize the use of in-game technology across the minor leagues, baseball content (sans spoilers!) in new Netflix films Wake Up Dead Man and A House of Dynamite (1:04:50), and MLB players who could come out of retirement after long layoffs, à la Colts QB Philip Rivers (1:15:20).

Audio outro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG post on Polanco

Link to Petriello on Polanco

Link to FG post on Rogers

Link to team RP projections

Link to FG post on Brewers/Royals trade

Link to 2025 team OF stats

Link to FG post on Kelly

Link to FG post on Kenley

Link to R-JAWS leaders

Link to Ben on the Lester trade

Link to MLBTR on Bell

Link to Trueblood on Bell

Link to MLBTR on García

Link to new MLB regulations

Link to 2023 report on team spending

Link to report on Monfort’s spending

Link to EW Episode 1489

Link to EW Episode 1490

Link to Ben on Elementary

Link to baseball in Knives Out

Link to blog about baseball in WUDM

Link to Reddit on baseball in WUDM

Link 2 to Reddit on baseball in WUDM

Link to Lindor references

Link to Vonn’s win

Link to Rivers post in FB group

Link to Rivers game story

Link to Seahawks tweet

Link to Gainwell wiki

Link to EW Episode 1928

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