Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the new spring training camp for free agents, return to the topic of why so many high-profile free agents remain unsigned, discuss Todd Frazier’s contract with the Mets, and talk about whether a proposed “Tank Tax” is a solution in search of a problem. Then they preview the 2018 Dodgers (19:54) with LA Times Dodgers beat writer Andy McCullough, and the 2018 Marlins (1:02:11) with Miami Herald reporter Barry Jackson. 2018 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG Audio intro: The High Water Marks, "Second Time" Audio interstitial 1: The Rolling Stones, "Luxury" Audio interstitial 2: The Left Banke, "Men Are Building Sand" Audio outro: MGMT, "Weekend Wars" Link to “Tank Tax” article Link to Banished To The Pen season preview posts Link to Effectively Wild Wiki Link to Effectively Wild Wiki crowdsourcing sign-up sheet  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Effectively Wild Wiki  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about two reports citing anonymous sources, Scott Boras’ boat metaphor, “Memento Mori” as a motivational tool, a John Jaso update, and a Patreon plug, then bring on the FanGraphs prospect team (Kiley McDaniel, Eric Longenhagen, and Chris Mitchell) to talk prospect-ranking philosophies, scouting-the-stat-line successes, how record home run rates affect scouting, the Ronald Acuna consensus and the Brendan McKay controversy, and the 10 biggest disagreements between FanGraphs’ stats-based and scouting-based prospect lists. Audio intro: John Frusciante, "The Will to Death" Audio interstitial: The Tragically Hip, "Inevitability of Death" Audio outro: The Kinks, "Till Death Us Do Part" Link to “reminders of death” study Link to Fernando Perez John Jaso tweet Link to scouting-based top 100 prospects list Link to stats-based top 100 prospects list Link to Effectively Wild Wiki Link to Effectively Wild Wiki crowdsourcing sign-up sheet Link to SABR Analytics Awards voting page  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Effectively Wild Wiki  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about February rituals and the start and format of the sixth annual EW season preview series, as well as transaction inactivity and another player trampoline sighting. Then they preview the 2018 Astros (9:43) with The Ringer’s Michael Baumann, and the 2018 White Sox (40:45) with White Sox and ESPN broadcaster Jason Benetti. 2018 EW Season Preview Series ALBALCHWATHBOSCLEHOUNYYDETLAATBRKCRSEATORMINTEX NLATLCHCARIMIACINCOLNYMMILLADPHIPITSDPWSNSTLSFG Audio intro: Big Star, "February’s Quiet" Audio interstitial 1: Wire, "Champs" Audio interstitial 2: Boat, "(I’m a) Donkey for Your Love" Audio outro: The Avett Brothers, "February Seven" Link to Banished To The Pen season preview posts Link to Effectively Wild Wiki Link to Effectively Wild Wiki crowdsourcing sign-up sheet Link to Effectively Wild Wiki crowdsourcing Facebook thread  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Effectively Wild Wiki  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about bullpen-cart feasibility, a listener crowdsourcing project to fill out the Effectively Wild Wiki, and the effect of starting an inning with a runner on second, then follow up on player volatility and knuckleball hits and answer listener emails about the historical significance of the Marlins’ latest firesale, the respective offensive ceilings of Didi Gregorius and Andrelton Simmons, the effect of this winter’s slow market on future extensions and high-profile free agents, the “Steroid Era” and aging patterns, and optimizing a legendary lineup. Plus a Stat Blast on low payrolls and a teaser for the sixth annual EW season preview series. Audio intro: Eric B. & Rakim, "Move the Crowd" Audio outro: The Jam, "In the Crowd" Link to Effectively Wild Wiki Link to Effectively Wild Wiki crowdsourcing sign-up sheet Link to Effectively Wild Wiki crowdsourcing Facebook thread Link to Mark’s extra-inning probabilities spreadsheet Link to Kevin’s thesis on player volatility Link to Ben’s article on the history of firesales  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Effectively Wild Wiki  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Nori Aoki’s return to Japan, Vladimir Guerrero’s swing rate, Franchy Cordero’s power/speed skills, spring training for free agents (again), and Melky Cabrera, then bring on Baseball Prospectus Director of Technology Harry Pavlidis to explain BP’s latest pitching-themed analysis, featuring robot umpires’ feasibility, desirability, and potential effects on offense; classifying pitchers and measuring stamina and command; and tunneling and deception. Audio intro: Unlikely Friends, "All the Cameras in Japan" Audio interstitial: Andrew Bird, "Not a Robot, But a Ghost" Audio interstitial 2: Damon Albarn, "Everyday Robots" Audio outro: Super Furry Animals, "Sex, War, and Robots" Link to Jeff’s Vladimir Guerrero Post Link to Jeff’s Franchy Cordero post Link to BP’s robot umps article Link to BP’s pitcher-classification article Link to BP’s pitch-tunneling article  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Get Our Merch!  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Mike Trout’s trampoline encounter, a Matt Albers update, Ryan Braun’s rumored move to second base, the belated demise of Chief Wahoo, and Ben’s article about the 1995 Homestead spring training camp for free agents. Then they talk to Hardball Times author Stephanie Springer about cupping, magnetic chairs, cryotherapy, and other examples of baseball pseudoscience before bringing on listener Michael Mountain to discuss his planned 35-day, 30-ballpark baseball road trip. Audio intro: Neil Young, "The Old Homestead" Audio interstitial: Slothrust, "Pseudo Culture" Audio interstitial 2: Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Road Trippin’" Audio outro: The Sadies, "Song of the Chief Musician, Pt. 2" Link to Mike Trout trampoline photo Link to Ben’s Homestead spring training article Link to Stephanie’s baseball pseudoscience article Link to Michael’s road-trip Facebook group post  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Get Our Merch!  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan talk about the Brewers’ trade for Christian Yelich and signing of Lorenzo Cain, how the Brewers stack up in the NL Central, whether they’re the new model for a rebuilding team, how Yelich and Cain could perform in their new park, what the Cain contract says about the slow-moving market, and where the Yelich move leaves the Marlins. Then they talk to Patrick Dubuque of Baseball Prospectus about how moving away from a “winning is everything” mindset can make baseball better for fans. Audio intro: Flogging Molly, "What Made Milwaukee Famous (Made a Loser Out of Me)" Audio interstitial: The Avett Brothers, "My Losing Bet" Audio outro: John Lennon, "I’m Losing You" Link to Patrick’s article about fans not needing their teams to win Link to Short Relief archives at BP  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Get Our Merch!  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the Padres’ social-media accounts getting hacked, Scott Boras’ “volcano” comment, Hall of Fame voting results, and Jeff’s article about batting practice, then answer listener emails about team construction and the wild card, consistency and Carlos Santana, the baseball equivalents of football’s recent Super Bowl staples, the decline and comeback of four-man rotations, a knuckleball hitter, three Mike Trout hypotheticals, baseball owners opening their books, and a change to free-agent eligibility, plus a Stat Blast on teams that have been better or worse than their underlying stats. Audio intro: Sloan, "False Alarm" Audio outro: Waxahatchee, "No Question" Link to Jeff’s article about batting practice  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Get Our Merch!  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh, Jeff Sullivan, and ESPN’s Sam Miller conduct the fifth annual Effectively Wild Minor League Free Agent Draft, selecting 10 minor league free agents each and competing to see whose roster will accumulate the most combined major league playing time in 2018. Audio intro: Semisonic, "This Will Be My Year" Audio outro: Sloan, "Try to Make It" Link to MiLB FA list Link to EW contests and competitions spreadsheet  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Get Our Merch!  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about a few recent trade demands (or non-demands), then bring on Yahoo Sports MLB columnist Jeff Passan to talk about what’s behind baseball’s slow-moving labor market, who and/or what is to blame for the sport’s present economic stalemate, and what can be done to avert disaster. Lastly, Ben provides a brief addendum on baseball’s most and least productive names. Audio intro: Boat, "Jeff Fell Dream" Audio intro: The Simpsons, "Union Strike Song" Audio outro: The Raconteurs, "Salute Your Solution" Link to Jeff Passan’s article on baseball’s backward economics Link to baseball-name data  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Get Our Merch!  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source