Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s voice and the potential for an ambidextrous superstar who blends the skill sets of Shohei Ohtani and Pat Venditte , then discuss all the implications of the Angels (and a few other teams) placing prominent players on outright waivers right before the deadline for postseason eligibility. After that (44:43), they talk to Death Cab for Cutie and T...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about classifying throws by infielders that are actually made in the outfield, imagine a multi -sport two-way Shohei Ohtani , and belatedly acknowledge Scott Cooper’ s singular cycle, discuss Kyle Schwarber ’s possible sub-replacement-level 40-homer season, break down the NL MVP race featuring Ronald Acuña Jr. , Mookie Betts , and Freddie Freeman , p...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about how late it is in the season and a fan’s exuberant reaction to the only known unassisted outfield triple play in major or minor league history, answer listener emails (15:17) about Shohei Ohtani 2.0 and whether “bulk guys” could stave off extinction for 300-game winners, Stat Blast (38:11) about standings-related fun facts, precedents for...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley lament and discuss Shohei Ohtani’ s UCL injury and its ramifications for the rest of his season, his two-way future, his free agency, the Angels, and the continued happiness of baseball fans and podcast co-hosts, followed by conversations about Stephen Strasburg’ s retirement (59:17), Wander Franco ’s placement on administrative leave (1:11:30), and w...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s week away, Julio Rodríguez’ s hot streak and the Mariners’ surge, and the White Sox firing Kenny Williams and Rick Hahn, plus a grab bag of topics that caught Ben’s attention while he was in Sweden: the Dodgers signing Kolten Wong ; a Cubs adult-diaper ad; an oddly ricocheting Luke Raley home run; errors and official scoring,...

Baseball Prospectus’ editor-in-chief Craig Goldstein joins the show to discuss the surging Dodgers (5:26) and what led to their recently concluded win streak, the call-ups of Masyn Winn and Nolan Schanuel (28:07), and the optimal timing of the trade deadline and the draft (44:43), and why Craig doesn’t want to move it back. Plus, Meg and Craig answer emails on keeping relievers in the...

With Ben Lindbergh still in Sweden, FanGraphs’ Michael Baumann takes the co-host chair for a spin. He and Meg Rowley begin (2:10) by delighting in a picture of Lance Lynn and Enrique Hernández from Dodgers photo day, then take advantage of Ben’s absence to discuss (7:30) college baseball and how conference realignment might affect the sport (and the athletes who play it). They then tur...

With Ben Lindbergh in Sweden on Ringer business, FanGraphs’ Ben Clemens joins Meg Rowley for a turn in the co-host chair. Ben and Meg begin (1:40) by discussing the disturbing allegations made against Rays shortstop Wander Franco over the weekend. They then banter (5:00) about the experience of watching baseball while on vacation, before turning their attention to Ben’s Five Things ser...

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Patreon supporter Samuel Giddins banter about Samuel’s baseball background and history with Effectively Wild, before (9:52) discussing a Juan Soto quote and the type of disappointing team that’s most frustrating. Then (21:35) they answer listener emails about randomizing on-field decisions, the legibility of player autographs, whether teams should employ...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether the plight of running backs in the NFL is analogous to any data-driven developments in MLB, the benefits and drawbacks of more or fewer off days during postseason series (and the problem with pluralizing “series”), the White Sox going 0-11 in games when they’ve struck out 14 or more opposing batters, Cody Bellinger and the surging...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Tim Anderson – José Ramírez fight and White Sox clubhouse culture, John Angelos benching Orioles broadcaster Kevin Brown, the Angels’ post-deadline slump (and the Mariners’ rise), the return of Gary Sánchez ‘s power bat, updates on the MLB injury rate, the pitch clock, and the zombie runner, Charlie Culberson ’s re-reunion...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Robin Ventura truthers defending Ventura on the 30th anniversary of his brawl with Nolan Ryan , Shohei Ohtani ‘s 2023 WAR matching his full-season 2021 WAR and whether this Ohtani season would’ve won him an MVP award in 2022, the Yankees’ handling of Anthony Rizzo ’s belatedly diagnosed post-concussion syndrome, whether this year&#8...

After the trade-deadline dust settles, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley break down the big deals from deadline eve and deadline day, starting with high-level trade-season takeaways (reunions, top prospects, hitters vs. pitchers, missing star power) and then zooming in on almost every team as they discuss the Justin Verlander trade, the AL West arms race, and Framber Valdez ’s no-hitter, the Mets...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Charlie Culberson’ s surprising staying power as a barely-playing big leaguer, then break down the first batch of trades preceding the trade deadline, including deals involving Max Scherzer , Jordan Montgomery , Chris Stratton , Jordan Hicks , Nicky Lopez , Randal Grichuk , and C.J. Cron . They also discuss the lack of impact hitters on the market, M...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a silly kerfuffle involving Miles Mikolas , Willson Contreras , and Ian Happ , Triston Casas’ s hot streak and previous unwritten-rules run-in, Bullet Rogan vs. Shohei Ohtani , Aaron Judge ’s return and the Yankees’ underlying issues, the Mets trading David Robertson to the Marlins and the White Sox sending Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly to the...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about watching Shohei Ohtani play while they podcast, the Angels’ decision not to trade Ohtani and subsequent trade for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López , whether the Cubs should buy or sell, the Guardians’ and Dodgers’ perplexing Amed Rosario -for- Noah Syndergaard swap, the Brewers acquiring Carlos Santana , and Rob Manfred’s extension....

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a J.P. France postgame quote and ballplayer clichés, the death of first overall pick Mike Ivie , and how Masataka Yoshida’ s debut season stacks up to the MLB rookie years of other ex-NPB stars, answer emails (36:57) about Mike Trout’ s and Shohei Ohtani’ s futures, a Trout/ Hunter Renfroe trade deadline scheme (with a bonus Meg movie pit...

In a 21-guest salute to Shohei Ohtani trade hypotheticals, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley are joined by a multitude of friends for a role-playing exercise in convincing the Angels to trade Ohtani to the other 20 contending (or quasi-contending) teams. Ben and Meg begin by explaining how it will work, and then the game begins (14:22). After the resolution (1:09:04), Ben and Meg discuss the outcome, f...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s strategies for coping with record heat in Phoenix, revisit an earlier conversation about whether the pitch clock has boosted MLB attendance (and reminisce about when the cause of increased game times was still considered unclear), celebrate their recent wish about camera angles on broadcasts coming true, discuss the resurgences of Jason Heyward...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Christian Encarnacion-Strand and whether record compound names deserve an asterisk, the appeal of a Legends Home Run Derby, the origins of (and long-ago backlash to) the trade deadline, the greatness of NPB phenom Roki Sasaki , and the new balance of power among pitch types, then (1:03:41) answer listener emails about Shohei Ohtani trade returns, Ohtani&#8...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the 2024 regular-season schedule, the baseball relevance of a study about humans’ hunger for useless information, and the storylines they’re most looking forward to following over the remainder of the season, then (35:58) answer emails about a total solar eclipse during a Guardians game, sliding into a base covered in dirt, why baseball broadca...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s spectator experience at the All-Star Game, whether it’s good or bad that the MVP was a player as obscure as Elias Díaz , the increase in the number of All-Stars per season, other All-Star highlights and lowlights, complaints about All-Star uniforms, perennial requests for a skills competition, Rob Manfred’s and Tony Clark’s co...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s experiences at the Futures Game, the draft, and the Home Run Derby, Derby highlights, the Derby on TV vs. in person, Elly De La Cruz ’s mad dash, and the Yankees switching hitting coaches, plus a Future Blast (49:12) from 2031. Then (54:25) Ben talks to FanGraphs lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen about the draft and other topics, inc...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s All-Star Week plans, play “Would you rather?” with the White Sox and Cardinals, the Padres and Mets, Carlos Rodón and Alek Manoah , and the Rangers and Diamondbacks, compare the values of Pablo López and Luis Arraez (26:25), discuss starting pitchers who might be available at the trade deadline (29:33), run down the dilemmas facing...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether Mike Trout ‘s injury makes the Angels more likely to trade birthday boy Shohei Ohtani , the Dodgers’ rotation depth without Dustin May and Clayton Kershaw , bad news for Thairo Estrada and oldsters Nelson Cruz and Adam Wainwright (and the Cruz/ Joe Ryan trade revisited), James Paxton ‘s comeback, Mariners All-Star additions, Jorda...