Effectively Wild Episode 1958: I Can Be Center Field?

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about 53-year-old Dae-Sung Koo 구대성 pitching in Australia, provide a final(?) update on Brandon Belt’s beloved Toronto chicken tenders, discuss the invisible strike zone as a feature that sets baseball apart from other sports (along with listener responses to other differentiating factors), bemoan the results of a Reddit poll about what to call the extra-inning runner, and marvel at investigations into the effect of the orientation of the baseball on its path to the plate and the predictiveness of ERA vs. FIP. Then (47:25) they answer listener emails about home run robberies vs. home run larcenies, a wrinkle in the calculation of a contract’s competitive-balance-tax cost, the competitive impact of 2023’s balanced schedule (and the Orioles’ impressive prospect rankings), how many defenders a team of 15-year-olds would need to field to keep a game against big leaguers close, ways to make other sports more like baseball, why so many arbitration cases are still unsettled, Henry Rowengartner’s velo in Rookie of the Year, and the best forgettable players, plus a real-time reaction to the Luis Arraez–Pablo López trade, a Stat Blast (1:39:44) about Adam Duvall and the latest-career moves to a premium position, and a Past Blast (1:54:53) from 1958. Audio intro: Crosby, Stills & Nash, “Anything at All” Audio outro: Built to Spill, “Center of the Universe” Link to Twitter video of Koo Link to Koo on YouTube Link to article about Koo Link to Koo’s SABR bio Link to Koo vs. Johnson Link to Bois doc on Koo Link to Belt on chicken tenders Link to KNBR Belt interview Link to Ritz chef appearance Link to Ray/Friedman interview Link to ball orientation study Link to ERA/FIP study Link to BABIP/FIP study Link to Reddit poll Link to baseball exceptionalism wiki Link to Bo-taoshi wiki Link to EW emails database Link to Speier on Devers Link to robbery definition Link to larceny definition Link to Szymborski on the schedule Link to Petriello on the schedule Link to Guardians prospect list Link to article on O’s prospects Link to BP top 101 Link to BA top 100 Link to Sam on derby fielders Link to requested arb salaries Link to Ben on arb and extensions Link to Rookie of the Year wiki Link to Marlins ZiPS post Link to Duvall’s first CF game Link to Duvall’s first CF start Link to defensive spectrum wiki Link to Russell on the def. spectrum Link to 2022 age by position Link to oldest first-time CF/SS Link to late movers spreadsheet Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to Russell on position changing Link to Adam D. on position changing Link to Russell on emergency catchers Link to MLBTR on the MIA-MIN trade Link to Ben C. on the MIA-MIN trade Link to MLBTR on Chisholm Link to 1958 story source Link to Rosie Reds website Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: [email protected] var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source