Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben and Sam discuss Jeff Luhnow’s plan to interview his players at the end of each season, then talk about why players and front-office executives are backing different candidates for AL MVP. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam discuss whether the second wild card has made the stretch run more exciting, then talk about why papers publish columns that criticize advanced stats without making an effort to understand them. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam discuss whether the A’s all-rookie rotation bodes well for their future, then talk about whether the average strikeout rate has risen too high. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam discuss the decline of Ubaldo Jimenez and whether the Rockies saw it coming when they sent him to Cleveland, then talk about the Angels’ off-season plans for Torii Hunter and Dan Haren. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam discuss what we can learn from Travis Snider’s revelations about his relationships with his former manager and hitting coach, then talk about whether they would bring Melky Cabrera back for the NLCS. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam revisit their discussion from last week on aces in October, talk about the new old Ichiro, and tell you more than you need to know about Orioles starter Steve Johnson. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam size up this winter’s free-agent first basemen and estimate how much money James Loney will make, then talk about whether the Dodgers’ pursuit of a playoff spot is leading to dangerous decisions. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam discuss whether Alex Anthopoulos is taking too long to turn around Toronto, then talk about why we can’t find the secret to success in October. Also, Sam drops his wedding ring. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam talk about how we talk about the AL MVP debate, then discuss Mike Trout’s ability to adjust from at-bat to at-bat. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam discuss whether teams will get creative with their Wild Card rosters, then talk about Miguel Cabrera’s Triple Crown chances and why we should care if he wins. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam discuss the Giants’ starting rotation and decide what it would take to trust Barry Zito, then talk about how they decide which teams to root for. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam talk about why they haven’t talked about the Reds more often, then discuss whether Anthony Rizzo has proved his critics wrong. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam discuss the Orioles’ exciting 14-inning victory over Tampa Bay, then break down Rafael Soriano’s season and his upcoming opt-out decision. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam discuss the state of the Brewers, which is a lot like the state of the Phillies, then talk about Max Scherzer’s long-awaited improvement and which team won the 2009 trade that brought him to Detroit. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam discuss whether the Phillies’ recent run of success should affect our expectations for the team in 2013, then talk about a potential scheme to get drafted pitchers into big-league bullpens quickly. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam thank their listeners for being more numerous than Astros fans who watch the team on TV, dissect Wilin Rosario’s defense, and pick the most likely candidates for 2013 Comeback Player of the Year. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam discuss Yadier Molina’s career year, catcher defense, and catcher aging, then talk about Omar Vizquel and the point at which clubhouse chemistry can’t cancel out poor on-field production. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam discuss the Tigers’ predictably bad defense and the unpredictably bad Brandon Wood. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

It’s an all-AL East episode, as Ben and substitute co-host Jason Wojciechowski discuss a counterproductive proposal to fix what ails the Yankees, then talk about the latest Bobby Valentine controversy. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam consider whether the ballpark might be to blame for the Rockies’ lackluster first two decades, then discuss the annual phenomenon of attendance shaming. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam discuss two baseball mysteries: the Orioles’ success in 2012, and MLB’s blackout policy. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam slum it with a bunch of bad teams from baseball’s underclass and speculate about which has the least hope of going all the way before 2022, then discuss Jimmy Rollins’ benching and how much running out a popup really matters. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam discuss whether a team should have claimed Joe Mauer, what he’s worth, and what his future will look like, then talk about the end of Erik Bedard’s stay in Pittsburgh and how sad it is when a guy who’s always either good or injured goes bad. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam discuss sabermetric managerial favorite Davey Johnson’s impact on the Nationals, whether certain managers can make their players play better, and what the ideal relationship between a GM and manager might be. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben and Sam question the conclusions of an article in The Atlantic about racial bias in baseball broadcasting, then talk about whether Brian McCann’s best is behind him and whether his down year is the result of bad hitting hitting or bad luck. var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source