PODCAST · sports
Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast
by Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley
Daily baseball statistical analysis and commentary
Episodes
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Effectively Wild Episode 2544: Just Wait Till Next Year
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about ALCS Game 3, nominate (13:52) the five Rays-iest players on the current Rays roster, discuss the Dodgers’ decision to start Shohei Ohtani in NLCS Game 3 (and the matchup between the Brewers and Blake Snell), react (57:00) to news about the Phillies’,...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2543: Lost Angeles
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the end of the all-AL-Central ALDS, what the future holds for the White Sox, the ALCS opener, the Brewers’ 2-0 NLCS lead, the contrast between postseason Shohei Ohtani and José Ramírez, the difference between the Rays and Guardians, and more, plus...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2542: C U in the CS
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Game 4 of the White Sox-Guardians ALDS, playoff pitching chaos, and “rest vs. rust” revisited, then preview the Dodgers-Brewers NLCS rematch, react to MLB’s proposed changes...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2541: Division Series Theories
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a few days’ worth of Division Series action, including three series outcomes. Among other topics, they discuss clutchness, low scoring, scant starting pitching, paternity timing, pant tightness, fan interference, Yankees-fan frustration, postgame-panelist...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2540: The Fly Test
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Cal Raleigh and Josh Naylor and whether end-of-season surgeries for disappointing players are encouraging or frustrating, then share their takeaways from the first six Division Series games, including thoughts on Drew Rasmussen, an Austin Wells mistake,...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2539: BAC in Action
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley tease their first playoff livestream and banter about a listener suggestion for how to refer to a postseason that spans multiple months, Jason Benetti’s relationship with Liberty Biberty...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2538: No Time Like Late September
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about “October” as a (somewhat imprecise) metonym for the playoffs and the popularity of postseason coverage, praise the Yankees’ pitcher-averse roster construction, recap the highlights and lowlights from the first wild card games, ponder the possibility of...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2537: The Playoff Parts Draft
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley wrap up the action from the end of the regular season, including the last starts of Justin Verlander and (maybe) Max Scherzer (with mini-Blasts about Verlander, Laz Diaz, Kirby Yates, and overshadowed career finales), the setting of the playoff field, the firing of…
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Effectively Wild Episode 2536: Wrong Division
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the heroics of Astros outfielder Lucas Spence and the potential for pennant races and postseasons to anoint unlikely heroes, then discuss whether the playoff format puts too...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2535: It’s Go Time
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Alex Bregman likening getting hit by a baseball to getting hit by a baseball bat, the latest Aaron Judge-Aaron Boone drama, which records to root for in the AL West, the Max Scherzer–Justin Verlander career strikeouts rivalry, the Marlins’ pattern of…
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Effectively Wild Episode 2534: Breg Sits
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s return from vacation and their podcast-producer search, then discuss the uncertain statuses of Aaron Judge, Alex Bregman, and Shohei Ohtani on the precipice of the playoffs, how similar finishes in consecutive seasons can produce extra-disappointing...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2533: You Win Some, You Lose 40 in a Row
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. With Meg Rowley on vacation, Ben Lindbergh goes long with a few guests and segments. First, Kiri Oler of FanGraphs and Bradley Woodrum of Baseball Prospectus join to banter about how Pete Crow-Armstrong and Jacob...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2532: Can the Public Still Teach Teams?
After a brief PSA about an open producer position (email [email protected] with the subject line “Podcast Editor 2026” to apply) Ben Lindbergh (kind of) continues his quest to temporarily resurrect a few dearly departed baseball podcasts by bringing on MLB.com’s Mike Petriello, former host of...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2531: The Regular-Season Two-Week Warning
With Meg Rowley on vacation, Ben Lindbergh continues his quest to (temporarily) resurrect a few dearly departed baseball podcasts. Next Up: The Baseball Show With Rany and Joe, featuring Ben, Rany Jazayerli, and Joe Sheehan of the Joe Sheehan Newsletter. With two weeks remaining in the regular...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2530: The Top 24 Players 24 or Younger
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. With Meg Rowley on vacation, Ben Lindbergh continues his quest to (temporarily) resurrect a few dearly departed baseball podcasts. Next Up: The Ringer MLB Show, featuring Ben, Michael Baumann of FanGraphs, and Bobby...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2529: The Bandwagon Re-Reunion
With Meg Rowley on vacation, Ben Lindbergh continues his quest to (temporarily) resurrect a few dearly departed baseball podcasts. Next Up: The Bandwagon, featuring Hannah Keyser of CNN and Zach Crizer of The Bandwagon (the ongoing newsletter). Ben, Hannah, and Zach discuss Hannah’s transition…
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Effectively Wild Episode 2528: The Roundtable Reunion
With Meg Rowley on vacation, Ben Lindbergh brings a few dearly departed baseball podcasts (briefly) back to life. First up: The Roundtable, featuring EW cofounder (and Pebble Hunting author) Sam Miller and The Athletic’s Grant Brisbee and Andy McCullough. Ben, Sam, Grant, and Andy discuss the…
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Effectively Wild Episode 2527: Feels Like the First Time
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about duplicate episode titles and the Angels being slightly less bad than previously indicated, Stat Blast about extended team droughts between multi-hit MLB debuts, and discuss...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2526: How Ballpark Sound Got Both Better and Worse
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley announce an upcoming livestream and then react to the semi-surprising sale of the Angels by Arte Moreno to Stan Kroenke, considering the significance of the sale price, the outlook for the franchise, the legacies of Moreno and Mike Trout, and what the sale might…
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Effectively Wild Episode 2525: Espresso Written Consent
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the research Meg saw on her trip to Saber Seminar, a vintage Max Scherzer start, Tarik Skubal’s espresso-machine maneuver, a Kevin McGonigle double and rule 9.06(f), an international signing scandal (or in truth, two), MLB’s proposals for reworking...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2524: Take This Cup From Me
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a baseball reference in summer sci-fi flick The End of Oak Street and new reporting on players’ unwillingness to wear cups, then (32:30) discuss career years for Pete Alonso...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2523: Upon Further Review
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about takeaways from ESPN’s 30 for 30 podcast on Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara, disappointing parity (46:41), the latest public-funding ballpark boondoggles in Kansas City and Tampa (52:22), and which AL wild card contender most deserves to squeak into…
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Effectively Wild Episode 2522: The New Funnest Fact
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about baseball’s new reigning fun fact (courtesy of Pete Crow-Armstrong and Randy Arozarena), Kade Anderson’s debut and Dan Wilson’s slow hook, a Cal Raleigh rally, and the firing of Astros GM Dana Brown, then Stat Blast (41:51) about a Phillies comeback, a...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2521: Keep Your Eye on the Small Ball
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a Chris Sale vs. Jacob Misiorowski matchup and how often anticipated pitching duels live up to the hype, a controversial fair/foul call and ball-tracking tech in baseball...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2520: Catch 22–0
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Brewers’ record-tying shutout/blowout of the Mariners (warning: profanity), Bryce Rainer and the continued absence of a post-Ohtani two-way wave, the latest manifestation of Paul Skenes’s protracted struggles, the tater turnaround of Fernando Tatis…
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Effectively Wild Episode 2519: The Secret Life of Walter
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the deepening monetary morass surrounding Mark Walter and whether it will eventually ensnare the Dodgers, the struggles of Edwin Díaz and Kyle Tucker, L.A.’s incentive to try for a bye, the Dodgers’ and Mets’ offseason oopsies, Pete Crow-Armstrong’s...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2518: Dear John
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the latest apparent change in the baseball’s behavior (this time it seems to be deader) and, in a tribute to Tommy John (11:35), retrace the timeline of his trailblazing...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2517: You Can’t Give Them Extra Outs
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about MLB franchise appreciation, Stat Blast about what the resurgence of three-inning saves and the expanding distribution of saves say about pitcher usage, and learn about a new baseball injury. Then (43:28) they bring on Lindsay Imber of Close Call Sports…
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Effectively Wild Episode 2516: Baseball Is So Back
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a quick hook for Keith Foulke in the WPBL and Stat Blast about the historic outcome of a series between two streaking teams before analyzing an update on Giancarlo Stanton’s status, the effect of era on Jacob Wilson’s errorless streak, the significance of...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2515: All Fun and Games
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the long-in-the-making major league debut of gravity-defying, strikeout-celebrating reliever Jefry Yan, Steven Kwan’s resurgence, a lineup with lots of Juniors, a scooter...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2514: The Deadline, From Adell to Zeferjahn
After talking Tarik Skubal and a few other early acquisitions in the preceding pod, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley recap the rest of the trade deadline in detail, from Adell to Zeferjahn (with many non-ex-Angels in between): the biggest surprises, the winners and losers, and the various reminders...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2513: Abandon Zyhir Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley break down the Dodgers’ trade for Tarik Skubal from multiple angles: the Tigers’ return, expectations for Skubal and the Dodgers, why other teams let the trade happen, and the significance for the sport. Then they discuss a smattering of other moves (including deals…
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Effectively Wild Episode 2512: The Superhero Baseball Draft
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh brings on baseball-loving comic-book experts David Harper (of SKTCHD and Off Panel: A Comics Interview Podcast) and Tiffany Babb (of The Comics Courier, The Comics Staple, The Fan Files, and…
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Effectively Wild Episode 2511: Will the WPBL Be a W?
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the end of Ben’s jury duty and Meg’s first colonoscopy, then discuss an investigation into Dodgers owner Mark Walter’s finances, Roki Sasaki’s big glove, Munetaka Murakami’s performance against good velocity, a squirrel sighting (and top prospect Max...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2510: The Desire to Acquire
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s daughter’s first MLB game, and Ben briefly interviews the four-year-old Sloan about her spectator experience. Then they discuss the MVP races (with an emphasis on Pete Crow-Armstrong’s status as the NL frontrunner over Shohei Ohtani), the Nationals...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2509: Won’t Stand for It
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a Donald Trump claim about Shohei Ohtani, José Caballero’s battle with MLB about his pre-pitch routine, Yandy Díaz spurning ABS, James Wood’s impressive results with a...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2508: Deadline Deliberations
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s ongoing jury service and meet major leaguers Zac Thornton and Tyron Guerrero, who used to be—but also never really were?—named Zach Thornton and Tayron Guerrero, respectively. Then (35:29) they attempt to diagnose Cal Raleigh’s offensive ills, check...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2507: Nothing Ventured, Nothing Named
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s jury duty and his reaction to Meg and Craig’s pillow talk on the preceding episode. Then they discuss why All-Star Game pitching is overpowering, whether the Home Run Derby balls were juiced (and whether it matters), another earliest-ever Opening…
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Effectively Wild Episode 2506: All-Star Showers Bring Second-Half Flowers
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. With Ben Lindbergh serving jury duty, Meg Rowley is joined by Baseball Prospectus editor-in-chief Craig Goldstein. The pair discuss the perils of hotel pillows and showers, then turn their attention to the 2026...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2505: Game Recognize (All-Star) Game
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about all aspects of the Home Run Derby spectator experience, both in the ballpark and from afar: the new format, the Netflix broadcast, the Philly fans, Jordan Walker’s win, and more. Then (49:12) they discuss how All-Star selections increasingly reflect...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2504: I Choo-Choo-Choose You
Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and FanGraphs lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen banter about Zack Wheeler declining MLB’s last-minute All-Star invitation, JJ Wetherholt’s long-term contract extension, and how the Futures Game and amateur draft fell flat as spectator events, then discuss the top...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2503: Very Important Prey
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley share listener solutions to the mystery of why the 12-straight-hits club is such an undistinguished group, the Home Run Derby field, Bryce Harper’s video message (13:28) to a...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2502: The Cycle of Major League Life
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about failed former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt’s subsequent sports ownership endeavors, a claim about Jacob Misiorowski’s pitching improvement, Jackson Chourio (batting lefty) as “a baseball player,” the recent struggles of Paul Skenes and Steven Kwan, Justin...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2501: Stay on Target
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about two significant MLB debuts on NBC’s “Star-Spangled Sunday” (by Eddy Yean and Eliezer Alfonzo), the fallout from the Marlins pulling Eury Pérez mid-perfecto, a rare fog delay, the All-Star Game rosters (featuring a very normal number of Blue Jays, and also...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2500: Yet Another “Things We Like About Baseball” Draft
In the fifth incarnation of a time-honored tradition that recurs every 500-ish episodes, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley are joined by ex-co-host Sam Miller and The Athletic’s Grant Brisbee to draft assorted things that they like about baseball. Audio intro: Sam Miller, “Effectively Wild Theme (Ken...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2499: Sit-Down Meeting
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about tough times for a few EW favorites and Ben’s pre-podcast injury, then (15:00) discuss the response to Cade Cavalli telling Willson Contreras to “Sit down, boy.” After that...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2498: MLB’s Bully Pulpit
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the firing of Perry Minasian and the Angels’ outlook under John Mozeliak, Molly Jolly, and Arte Moreno, how MLB is using official channels to publicly promote its position in labor bargaining, whether the Mets’ disappointing season will influence other...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2497: Follow the Bouncing Ball
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Ben Clemens banter about some suspicious variability in the ball’s behavior and whether the low-drag, high-home-run-rate times of the late 2010s have returned, Carlos Mendoza’s “departure” from the...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2496: Our Daily Breb
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the rise and fall of Ildemaro Vargas, the Mets’ and Cubs’ David Peterson swap, Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s refusal to wear a cup, the Giants’ response to Pride Night fallout, and the owners’ CBA strategy. Then (56:41) Ben brings back John Brebbia to discuss the...
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Effectively Wild Episode 2495: Rank Amateurs
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Joey Meneses and John Brebbia being back in the big leagues, Mike Trout’s hamstring strain, Dillon Dingler’s dominance, a Blue Jays All-Star voting update, the latest Home Run Derby format change, MLB’s radical amateur drafts proposal, the DOJ’s MLB...
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