Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about live shows, bounced throws, the spread of “such is life,” stats displayed on baseball broadcasts, more strange fields, a Dan Haren rules question, and the best non-All-Star seasons, then answer more listener emails about the Angels and Albert Pujols, an odd Brian Dozier game, crooked numbers, Chris Tillman’s first-inning problems, the Dodgers’ World Series odds, Corey Kluber’s breaking-ball usage, and more. Audio intro: Arcade Fire, "Empty Room" Audio outro: The Minus 5, "Empty Room" Link to bounced-throw presentation Link to broadcast-stats chart Link to Duncan Field photo  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Get Our Merch!  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

At the Bell House in Brooklyn for a Pitch Talks event, Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan talk to former major leaguer Fernando Perez about Mike Trout’s birthday pranking, the return of Carter Capps, Perez’s injury history, his late conversion to switch-hitting, what makes a pitcher deceptive, the problems with player development and batting practice, the evolution of the ex-athlete analyst, conformity in the clubhouse, Perez’s inclusion in the Chris Archer trade, and more. Audio intro: Jenny Lewis, "See Fernando" Audio outro: The Baseball Project, "Fernando" Link to Mike Trout birthday prank  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Get Our Merch!  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

In Effectively Wild’s second annual live recording at Saber Seminar, Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan talk to former major league pitcher (and current Red Sox pitching development analyst) Dave Bush about his new job in the Red Sox front office, how he’s using data to develop minor league pitchers, his experience coaching in China, and his success against Barry Bonds. Then they call up three current or former pitchers from the minors or high-level indy leagues (Dan Blewett, Dave Fischer, and Kevin Vance) to discuss how they will (or did) know when it’s time to stop playing, their experience in international leagues, pitching to (and being or not being bitter about) Tim Tebow, having Tommy John surgery, and the attitudes of the former major leaguers with whom they’ve played. Audio intro: Six Mix-A-Lot, "Seminar" Audio outro: Emmylou Harris, "Can You Hear Me Now" Link to tickets for Monday’s live podcast at Pitch Talks Link to Dan Blewett’s baseball podcast, Dear Baseball Gods  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 Salina, skateboarding, and Albert Pujols, then break down all the big (and modest) trade-deadline deals and non-deals, paying particular attention to the Dodgers, the Yankees, and the competitive landscape with two months remaining in the regular season. Audio intro: XV, "Boy From Kansas" Audio outro: Fabolous (Feat. Jagged Edge), "Trade it All" Link to Ben’s article on Adrián Beltré  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 humorless umpires and the on-deck circle, Michael Blazek and disaster starts, the MLB promotion of Aaron Bummer (and the nickname “Bummer” in baseball), the Brewers, Jaime Garcia and the Twins, the latest Mariners-Rays trade, Adrian Beltre’s book-worthy career, and David Price’s arm issues. Audio intro: Love, "Bummer in the Summer" Audio outro: Weezer, "Endless Bummer"  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 Shohei Otani, another strange stance, and Eduardo Nunez, then answer listener emails about players owning particular teams, a potential tagging-up loophole, the all-time record for grounding into double plays, the negative interpretation of the White Sox rebuild, trading for players who would have played one’s opponents, switch-hitters with big splits, a world in which the Astros are still in the NL Central, Mike Trout’s consistency, offering advice to players, Satchel Paige’s stats, Alex Verdugo’s off-the-head homer, and more. Audio intro: Chuck Berry, "You Can’t Catch Me" Audio outro: The Baseball Project, "Satchel Paige Said" Link to Shohei Otani home run Link to Adam Engel article Link to non-catch demonstration video Link to Alex Verdugo home run  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 Royals-Padres trade, Khris Davis’s arm, Keon Broxton’s demotion, Clayton Kershaw’s injury ,and the Dodgers’ degree of need for a starter, then talk to Shingo Murata, baseball strategy group manager for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (the team with the best record in Nippon Professional Baseball), about how he got a job in Japanese baseball, the resistance to sabermetrics in Japan, and Rakuten’s cutting-edge analytical efforts to optimize their in-game tactics and evaluate players both at home and abroad. Audio intro: Graham Parker, "Discovering Japan" Audio outro: The Spinto Band, "Japan is an Island" Link to Ben’s article about sabermetrics in Japan  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 Mariners’ and Marlins’ David Phelps trade, Sam Dyson’s bounceback, an eight-strikeout game, the Salina Stockade, Matt Davidson and Jeff Mathis, the first post-All Star Game weeks of Mike Trout and the Cubs, and early trade-deadline activity, then examine the results of a FiveThirtyEight survey about the most- and least-liked MLB teams. Audio intro: The Avett Brothers, "Salina" Audio outro: The Posies, "Like Me Too" Link to FiveThirtyEight survey results  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 why so many moves are being made in advance of the trade deadline, the Yankees-White Sox trade, the J.D. Martinez deal, and Yoan Moncada’s promotion, then follow up on previous topics including All-Star Game revisions, Matt Holliday’s odd slide, the Salina Stockade, strange batting stances, and unusual fields before answering listener emails about pitcher similarity, the underrated well-roundedness of Anthony Rendon, teams in difficult buying/selling spots, the most outs made in a single game, player emotions, an upcoming live podcast, and more. Audio intro: The Bees, "The Start" Audio outro: The Raspberries, "Come Around and See Me" Link to article about Mickey Mantle’s slide Link to Brooklyn event in August  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 return, the Nats-A’s trade, a Matt Holliday play, and a Jon Heyman tweet, then bring on Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press to talk about a borderline unbelievable independent league game and an even more beautifully fake-sounding indy league franchise. Audio intro: Oasis, "Slide Away" Audio interstitial: Real Estate, "It’s Real" Audio outro: Paul McCartney, "Unbelievable Experience" Link to Mike’s game story  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Get Our Merch!  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source