Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Effectively Wild Episode 2418: The Challenge System Challenge

8 snips
Dec 24, 2025
Guest
Craig Goldstein
Guest
Joe Sheehan
Craig Goldstein, an Editor at Baseball Prospectus, and Joe Sheehan, publisher of The Joe Sheehan Baseball Newsletter, dive into the latest baseball transactions, including the White Sox's intriguing signing of Munetaka Murakami and a three-team trade involving the Pirates. They passionately debate the merits of the challenge system versus full automated balls and strikes (ABS), with Joe advocating for ABS to promote offense while Craig finds value in the challenge system's compromise. The duo also discusses the implications of Emmanuel Clase's mid-game phone use.
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ANECDOTE

Murakami Signing As High-Upside, Low-Risk Bet

  • The hosts debate Murakami's two-year, $34M White Sox signing and its gamble on NPB translation.
  • Joe doubts the player will translate fully but praises the signing as low-risk for the rebuilding White Sox.
INSIGHT

Call Pitches Where They Cross The Plate

  • Joe Sheehan argues pitches should be called where they cross the plate, not by catcher reception or later events.
  • He says framing and umpire focus on receiving distort hitter fairness and skews game balance.
ANECDOTE

Padres Keep Competing Despite Ownership Questions

  • They discuss the Padres re-signing Michael King and adding Sung Moon Song amid ownership uncertainty.
  • Craig praises AJ Preller's willingness to keep competing despite constrained budget and potential sale.
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