Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

By Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley

What's Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast about?

Daily baseball statistical analysis and commentary

4.8

2,157 ratings

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Effectively Wild Episode 18...

06.25.2022

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley answer listener emails about why players in the dugout seem so confident in pitch locations, whether it would ever help to wear two gloves, MLB Big Inning and other baseball equivalents of NFL RedZone, the ...

Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast episodes:

06.25.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1867: Defining Fun Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley answer listener emails about why players in the dugout seem so confident in pitch locations, whether it would ever help to wear two gloves, MLB Big Inning and other baseball equivalents of NFL RedZone, the ...
06.24.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1866: That Sinking Feeling Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about two spectacular games by Shohei Ohtani and Ohtani’s extraordinary playing-time pace and relay a sinker-iffic response from Michael Lorenzen to a previous discussion about baseball grip, then (24:22) answer listener emails about using ...
06.22.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1865: Slide Rule Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether changing managers is at all responsible for the Phillies’ recent success, the Yankees’ almost unparalleled winning-percentage pace, the Royals’ historically terrible pitching performance and the pressure on their pitching coach, another Taylor ...
06.17.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1864: One Giant Leap Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a broadcaster relatably mixing up Taylor Ward and Tyler Wade, the Dodgers “fixing” former Rockies pitcher Yency Almonte, a deep, perplexing rabbit hole (7:46) of baseball-themed CarShield commercials, the bat spike as the ...
06.15.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1863: Belly to Bellyache Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about what it means to be humbled, whether Joe Maddon’s mohawk could have caught on and caused a Shohawk had he not been fired, another point about Aaron Judge’s potentially historic home-run pace, a ...
06.14.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1862: Forbidden Ball Trick Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Joe Maddon’s mohawk, the latest details about Mike Trout’s (and Tommy Pham’s and Joc Pederson’s) legendary fantasy football league, a rash of hidden-ball-trick attempts, the “old guy’s still got it” resurgences of Nelson ...
06.11.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1861: I’m Not Maddon, I’m Just Disappointed Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Joe Maddon’s firing, the impact and end of the Angels’ 14-game losing streak, and whether the Angels or Phillies are in a worse position for the future, Tony La Russa’s intentional walk on ...
06.10.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1860: Start Them Young With Meg Rowley on the road, Ben Lindbergh talks to a trio of guests. First (4:10), he’s joined by Mr. King, the creator of Northwoods Baseball Sleep Radio, to talk about baseball as ASMR, crafting a fictional league, broadcaster, and ...
06.06.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1859: Three Strikes and Burnout Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Mike Yastrzemski trying the “KK play,” the distinctive smell of rat urine, Buck Showalter making a mid-PA pitching change, Dave Roberts running afoul of a position-player-pitcher rule, the wording of the zombie-runner rule, ...
06.04.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1858: The Fan Who Knew Too Much Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Joe Girardi’s firing and where the Phillies go from here, the Astros’ Yordan Alvarez extension, the dip in DH offense, and the trade deadline, then answer listener emails about MLB.TV highlights, the upside ...
06.03.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1857: Hit Me Right in the Phils Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley announce the availability of new Effectively Wild T-shirts, then follow up on the latest, Mike Trout-related developments in the Tommy Pham–Joc Pederson fantasy-football/slap story as well as Josh Donaldson’s comments about his teammates not supporting ...
06.01.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1856: Slapped Silly Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Nick Castellanos’s uncanny tater timing, and then (4:43) Ben attempts to explain the Joc Pederson–Tommy Pham fantasy-football dispute (and resulting slap) to Meg. After that (44:42), they discuss the Reds’ resurgence, an umpire’s ...
05.28.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1855: Glass Ass of Emotion Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley answer listener emails about why we don’t see more hidden-ball tricks in MLB, why big leaguers practice fielding grounders between innings, comparing the careers of Paul Goldschmidt and Freddie Freeman, how baseball broadcasts should discuss ...
05.27.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1854: Comedy of Errors Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the apparent end of Mike Trout’s long-lasting SuperPretzel sponsorship, Willians Astudillo’s return to the majors, the Phillies’ fielding and a seeming surfeit of amusingly bad defensive plays across the league, the arrival of ...
05.26.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1853: What Are the Odds? Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley talk to Kelly Pracht, the CEO and co-founder of predictive analytics startup nVenue, which has provided the real-time probabilities displayed on this season’s MLB Network-produced Friday Night Baseball broadcasts on Apple TV+. They discuss nVenue’s ...
05.21.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1852: Roger, Over and Out Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley pay tribute (for the umpteenth time) to the great Roger Angell, who died at 101 on Friday, then banter about which underperforming hitters are most in need of the kind of breakout game that slow-starting ...
05.20.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1851: You Say Tyler, I Say Taylor Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the rabidity of opossums and Eugenio Suárez‘s keepie-uppie skills, then discuss the White Sox offense and Tony La Russa’s rationale for batting Andrew Vaughn ninth, Max Scherzer’s oblique injury, and the possibility of ...
05.18.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1850: Don’t Squat So Close to Me Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about two of the worst defensive plays of the season, which came courtesy of the Tigers and Nationals, Albert Pujols pitching and walking, the Pirates winning without a hit (but with one correct prediction), ...
05.14.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1849: When the Whiff Hits the Fan Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a wave of baseball ads for cryptocurrencies and NFTs coinciding with crashes in the crypto and NFT markets, injuries to Bryce Harper and Clayton Kershaw, the dominance of the Dodgers, Yankees, and (especially ...
05.13.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1848: Shantz Encounter Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about which is more impressive, Reid Detmers throwing a two-strikeout no-hitter or right-handed hitter Anthony Rendon homering from the left side against a position-player pitcher, recount (11:50) the surprisingly long, largely forgotten history of ...
05.11.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1847: We Want a Catcher, Not a Belly-Scratcher Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Josh Naylor’s record eight RBI after the eighth inning and the hot-hitting Guardians, José Ramírez taking a hometown discount to stay in Cleveland, Rangers manager Chris Woodward’s seemingly misinterpreted joke about Yankee Stadium, ...
05.07.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1846: One-Night Standings Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the joys of a pitcher’s duel between Shohei Ohtani and Rich Hill, have a spoiler-free discussion about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness being a baseball movie, examine whether the historically hapless ...
05.05.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1845: Bang Bang, Maxwell’s Sunday Homers Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a Madison Bumgarner ejection, players having to be held back, and sensual sticky-stuff inspections, the historically slow start of the Reds and Joey Votto’s response to a FanGraphs article about his season-opening slump, ...
05.03.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1844: Grill the Umpire Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about April’s low offensive numbers and Zack Greinke’s deadball-style success, then (7:11) talk to 32-year MLB umpire Dale Scott and SABRcast host Rob Neyer, co-authors of Scott’s new memoir The Umpire is Out: Calling ...
04.30.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1843: I Think You Should Leave Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley react to MLB’s decision to suspend Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer for an unprecedented 324 games, then (22:25) discuss Justin Verlander and Ronald Acuña Jr. looking like their old selves and pitcher Tucker Davidson’s critiques of ...
04.29.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1842: Do Not Pass First, Do Not Collect a Run Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about MacKenzie Gore and how long a player’s career has to be for something he does to be described as a “career high,” Nick Senzel’s proclivity toward catcher’s interference and the Reds’ ice-cold start, ...
04.27.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1841: The Buxton Bops Here Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the unsealing of the so-called “Yankees Letter” and what, if anything, it revealed about the past prevalence of sign stealing, the end of NPB pitcher Roki Sasaki’s consecutive outs streak and Matt Shoemaker’s ...
04.23.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1840: How Can You Not Be Pedantic About Baseball? Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the reaction to and tactical underpinnings of the Yankees’ controversial decision to walk Miguel Cabrera, the balance between win expectancy and entertainment, and whether analytically-driven changes have hurt baseball as a spectator experience ...
04.22.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1839: Gas Rationing Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about exactly how many feral cats have infested the Oakland Coliseum and exactly how few fans have attended A’s games this season, Miguel Cabrera’s impending 3,000th hit and the potentially long time that may ...
04.20.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1838: Walk and Balk Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Angels manager Joe Maddon’s befuddling bases-loaded intentional walk to Corey Seager, NPB phenom Roki Sasaki’s perfect followup to his perfect game, Hunter Greene and velo-induced fear for young starters, injury close calls for ...
04.15.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1837: The Meatiest Meatball Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about an unlikely grand slam on a major meatball pitch and the hot start of Seiya Suzuki, then answer listener emails about how to make baseball sound most appealing, the effect of using different-colored ...
04.15.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1836: To Me, You Are Perfect Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley break down a watershed week in overturning traditions, discussing the Dodgers pulling Clayton Kershaw after seven perfect innings and provoking a “baseball is dying” debate, the Giants flouting the unwritten rules, Alyssa Nakken debuting as ...
04.13.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1835: Junk in the Plunk Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about NPB phenom Roki Sasaki’s 19-strikeout perfect game for the Chiba Lotte Marines, the historic crop of prospect debuts in the first week of this MLB season, the unprecedented career-starting hot streak of (and ...
04.09.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1834: Your Moment of Zen Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about their impressions of Opening Day, the “baseball zen” interludes on MLB.TV and Apple’s proposed broadcast innovations, Joey Votto’s in-game interview (and in-game interviews in general), a tasty new MLB sponsorship, PitchCom and pace ...
04.06.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1833: 2022 Division Preview Series: NL East Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Sports Illustrated writer Emma Baccellieri banter about the contrast between March Madness and early-season baseball, the Rays-Tigers trade involving Austin Meadows and Isaac Paredes, and the challenge of evaluating Rays transactions in general, then complete ...
04.05.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1832: 2022 Division Preview Series: AL East Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about top prospects making Opening Day rosters, the Padres’ Sean Manaea trade and Eric Hosmer almost-trade, the A’s firesale and accurate and inaccurate payroll figures, Joe Davis replacing Joe Buck in the World Series ...
04.02.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1831: Where the Rubber Meets the Mound Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Jacob deGrom’s latest injury, the White Sox-Dodgers trade involving Craig Kimbrel and AJ Pollock, umpires explaining replay reviews, “Home Run Derby X,” a lousy likeness of Derek Jeter, Yankees games on Amazon Prime ...
04.01.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1830: 2022 Division Preview Series: AL West Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Fox Sports national writer Pedro Moura discuss Pedro’s new book How to Beat a Broken Game: The Rise of the Dodgers in a League on the Brink, then (18:54) preview the 2022 season in the ...
03.30.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1829: 2022 Division Preview Series: NL Central Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and FanGraphs writer Ben Clemens banter about an MLB beer/cerveza sponsorship, upcoming updates to sticky stuff inspections, the position of second base, and humidor use, the Twins signing Chris Archer and the Diamondbacks extending Ketel Marte, ...
03.25.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1828: 2022 Division Preview Series: NL West Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Baseball Prospectus editor-in-chief Craig Goldstein banter about a contentious Baseball Prospectus headline and an overlooked Scott Boras quote, then preview the 2022 season in the National League West, team by team (plus closing banter about ...
03.24.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1827: 2022 Division Preview Series: AL Central Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the beginning of the 2022 division series preview series, rant about the reinstitution of the zombie runner, applaud the advent of the Ohtani Rule, follow up on a previous Stat Blast by recounting ...
03.22.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1826: Last Call for Free Agency Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a Reddit description of the podcast, the pleasures of watching spring training games, and the possibly excessive coffee consumption of White Sox DH Gavin Sheets, before discussing the last burst of big free-agent ...
03.19.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1825: Boom, Ghosted Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about new details about Freddie Freeman and Kris Bryant’s contracts, Stat Blast about players not touching the ball, and then (18:59) bring on Effectively Wild listener and Patreon supporter Kevin Brotzman to discuss being ...
03.18.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1824: Who, What, When, Where, Why Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley continue to break down a busy, chaotic week in MLB by bantering about which was wilder, this week or the week leading up to the lockout, then breaking down the Rockies signing Kris Bryant, the ...
03.16.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1823: Building Up, Tearing Down Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a packed few days of post-lockout action, including news about the zombie runner and a ball-strike challenge system, Fernando Tatis Jr.’s fractured wrist and motorcycle mayhem, Pete Alonso‘s close call, Mike Trout’s vetoed ...
03.11.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1822: Nutting Doing Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Cardinals breaking the post-lockout free-agent signing seal, what the pre-Opening Day market will look like, day-after reflections on the new CBA (including an alternative term for tanking), the benefits and drawbacks of ...
03.11.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1821: Lockout Lifted, Spirits Lifted After 99 days of lockout, the voice of the turtle speaks up, and the season is saved. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley exuberantly respond to the news of a new CBA, breaking down the major on-field and off-field provisions in ...
03.09.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1820: Ban the Grift Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and FanGraphs author Dan Szymborski discuss the drawbacks and virtues of expanded playoffs, the ideal expanded-playoff format, and the biggest beneficiaries of playoff expansion in 2022, why the competitive balance tax functions as a soft cap ...
03.05.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1819: The Underground Baserunner Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley answer listener emails about shortening the regular season, whether baserunners could tunnel under the basepaths, creating a fictional top prospect, whether umpires expanding and contracting the strike zone lengthens games, where the Hall of Fame ...
03.04.2022 Effectively Wild Episode 1818: Smile, You’re on Manfred Camera Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley are joined by Evan Drellich, senior writer for The Athletic, to talk about the benefits and drawbacks of reporting from the scene of the CBA negotiations, the proper composition of photos of executives walking to ...

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Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

What's Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast episodes:

Effectively Wild Episode 1867: Defining Fun

Effectively Wild Episode 1866: That Sinking Feeling

Effectively Wild Episode 1865: Slide Rule

Effectively Wild Episode 1864: One Giant Leap

Effectively Wild Episode 1863: Belly to Bellyache

Effectively Wild Episode 1862: Forbidden Ball Trick

Effectively Wild Episode 1861: I’m Not Maddon, I’m Just Disappointed

Effectively Wild Episode 1860: Start Them Young

Effectively Wild Episode 1859: Three Strikes and Burnout

Effectively Wild Episode 1858: The Fan Who Knew Too Much

Effectively Wild Episode 1857: Hit Me Right in the Phils

Effectively Wild Episode 1856: Slapped Silly

Effectively Wild Episode 1855: Glass Ass of Emotion

Effectively Wild Episode 1854: Comedy of Errors

Effectively Wild Episode 1853: What Are the Odds?

Effectively Wild Episode 1852: Roger, Over and Out

Effectively Wild Episode 1851: You Say Tyler, I Say Taylor

Effectively Wild Episode 1850: Don’t Squat So Close to Me

Effectively Wild Episode 1849: When the Whiff Hits the Fan

Effectively Wild Episode 1848: Shantz Encounter

Effectively Wild Episode 1847: We Want a Catcher, Not a Belly-Scratcher

Effectively Wild Episode 1846: One-Night Standings

Effectively Wild Episode 1845: Bang Bang, Maxwell’s Sunday Homers

Effectively Wild Episode 1844: Grill the Umpire

Effectively Wild Episode 1843: I Think You Should Leave

Effectively Wild Episode 1842: Do Not Pass First, Do Not Collect a Run

Effectively Wild Episode 1841: The Buxton Bops Here

Effectively Wild Episode 1840: How Can You Not Be Pedantic About Baseball?

Effectively Wild Episode 1839: Gas Rationing

Effectively Wild Episode 1838: Walk and Balk

Effectively Wild Episode 1837: The Meatiest Meatball

Effectively Wild Episode 1836: To Me, You Are Perfect

Effectively Wild Episode 1835: Junk in the Plunk

Effectively Wild Episode 1834: Your Moment of Zen

Effectively Wild Episode 1833: 2022 Division Preview Series: NL East

Effectively Wild Episode 1832: 2022 Division Preview Series: AL East

Effectively Wild Episode 1831: Where the Rubber Meets the Mound

Effectively Wild Episode 1830: 2022 Division Preview Series: AL West

Effectively Wild Episode 1829: 2022 Division Preview Series: NL Central

Effectively Wild Episode 1828: 2022 Division Preview Series: NL West

Effectively Wild Episode 1827: 2022 Division Preview Series: AL Central

Effectively Wild Episode 1826: Last Call for Free Agency

Effectively Wild Episode 1825: Boom, Ghosted

Effectively Wild Episode 1824: Who, What, When, Where, Why

Effectively Wild Episode 1823: Building Up, Tearing Down

Effectively Wild Episode 1822: Nutting Doing

Effectively Wild Episode 1821: Lockout Lifted, Spirits Lifted

Effectively Wild Episode 1820: Ban the Grift

Effectively Wild Episode 1819: The Underground Baserunner

Effectively Wild Episode 1818: Smile, You’re on Manfred Camera

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