Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a flurry of transactions and a three-team-trade dilemma, then break down the J.T. Realmuto , Bo Bichette , and Kyle Tucker deals, plus talk of baseball economics and Emmanuel Clase ’s roosters. Audio intro : Moon Hound, “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Audio outro : Nate Emerson, “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Link to FG post...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley analyze the latest additions to the AL East: Ryan Weathers to the Yankees and Ranger Suárez to the Red Sox. Then (26:52) they bring on top-tier Patreon supporter Jon Norton to answer listener emails about players who’ve repeatedly signed one-year contracts, whether they would want to play in an MLB game, how impressive switch-hitting should be, WAR without player...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley break down the Cubs’ big Alex Bregman signing, Nolan Arenado ’s trade to Arizona, Kauffman Stadium’s soon-to-be-cozier confines, and a former GM’s dismissal of advanced stats, plus a few follow-ups. Audio intro : Josh Busman, “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Audio outro : Ian H., “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Link to And...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a breakup of baseball lookalikes, minor league free agent draft eligibility, and more players who unretired after becoming coaches, then break down the latest baseball broadcasting developments, Rob Manfred’s recent comments (about his priorities and future, an offseason signing deadline, and regular-season structure), Tarik Skubal ’s historic...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about how the on-ramp for learning about sports analytics has changed since they were students, follow up on players who unretired after becoming coaches, break down the Edward Cabrera trade (and the Michael Lorenzen signing), and then discuss the remaining top-10 free agents ( Kyle Tucker , Alex Bregman , Framber Valdez , Cody Bellinger , Bo Bichette , and Rang...

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 Ph...

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...

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 intro : Justin Peters, “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Audio outro : Ted O., “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Link to MLBTR on Re...

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 intro : Luke Lillard, “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Audio outro : Sean .P, “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Link to MLB.com on Soderstrom Lin...

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...

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, an...

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&#82...

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&...

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 p...

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...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Garrett Stubbs and the latest example of eyebrow-raising off-the-field Phillies behavior (content warning: adult breast milk consumption), then (14:58) discuss the Pete Alonso signing from the Orioles’ and Mets’ perspectives, Stat Blast (47:09) about teams losing long-tenured/productive players and rapid roster turnover among title winners, and...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley break down Scott Boras’s Winter Meetings wordplay and discuss the Kyle Schwarber and Edwin Díaz deals, a smattering of starting-pitcher signings, the Pirates as supposed spenders, the latest on the Ippei Mizuhara TV series, a Lane Kiffin canine conspiracy, and a Johanfran Garcia nickname. Audio intro : El Warren, “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Audio&...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley deliver a correction to the preceding episode’s draft results, ponder the mystery of a bigger John Brebbia fan than Ben, remind listeners to sign up for EW Secret Santa, and banter about Sonny Gray , Brian Cashman, and gloriously nonsensical sports beefs, Bryce Harper’ s ozone therapy, two trades centered on blocked prospects, and Jeff Kent ’s Coopers...

Ben Lindbergh, Sam Miller, and podcast scorekeeper Chris Hanel review the results of an under-25-pitchers draft Ben and Sam conducted a decade ago. Then (13:38) Ben and Sam banter about Ben’s physique, answer listener emails about doing a The Only Rule -style experiment 10 years later, discuss Sam’s revamped, unique approach to writing about baseball this year, and consider some possib...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the John Brebbia and Devin Williams signings (in that order, obviously), share a few follow-ups, and (31:33) assess whether each team satisfied its season preview guest’s conditions for a successful year. Then (58:18) they answer emails about the origins of the concept of the “opposite field,” the meaning of the word “whiff,”...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley respond to the responses to their response to a recent listener email, discuss (14:38) the Blue Jays’ Dylan Cease deal (including a Stat Blast about pitchers with big ERA-FIP gaps at 34:11), Anthony Rendon ’s potential retirement (47:23), and the Orioles’ Ryan Helsley signing (1:05:37), before scrutinizing ESPN’s annual offseason survey of MLB e...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley bring on top-tier Patreon supporter Becca Balton to banter about Becca’s baseball background, her origins as a listener, and the Nationals’ new direction, then (17:51) answer emails about a team WAR cap, an extra-innings variant in which the team to score fastest wins, manager close-ups on postseason broadcasts, citing the stats of a particular pitch, a pit...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Red Sox-Cardinals trade involving Sonny Gray and take Hal Steinbrenner to task for his comments about the Yankees not being profitable, then (37:00) talk to Jay Jaffe about the big issues surrounding this year’s (and upcoming years’) BBWAA and Era Committee Hall of Fame ballots. Audio intro : Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “ E...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Warren Schaeffer staying on as Rockies manager, the Mets’ and Rangers’ Brandon Nimmo – Marcus Semien swap, and their memories, thoughts, and feelings concerning Alex Rodriguez , inspired by the new, three-part HBO docuseries Alex vs. A-Rod . Then (58:35) they talk to the co-directors/EPs of Alex vs. A-Rod , Gotham Chopra and Erik LeDrew,...

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Aaron Judge having been teammates with both Taylor Ward and Tyler Wade , a revelation about the late-season health of Elly De La Cruz , and the hidden value of multiposition players such as Mauricio Dubón , then (38:22) answer listener emails about the terms “baseball lifer” and “double-barrel action,” when bases-loaded situations a...