Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the yips, more ways in which baseball is different from other sports, big leaguers playing against kids, and Rogers Centre’s new dimensions, plus a Past Blast (36:49) from 1959. Then (41:54) they talk to Sam Blum and Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic and Pedro Moura of Fox Sports about how the Angels have neglected their Spanish-language broadcasts, the legacy of newly retired, legendary Dodgers broadcaster Jaime Jarrín, the difference in the ways in which MLB’s Los Angeles franchises have served (or underserved) their Spanish-speaking audiences, the impact those disparate efforts and investments have had on the two teams, what ails the Angels, the future of Shohei Ohtani, and much more, followed by an update (1:25:05) on the Angels’ surprising non-sale. Audio intro: Robyn Hitchcock, “The Yip Song” Audio interstitial: Ry Cooder (Feat. Lalo Guerrero), “Barrio Viejo” Audio outro: Pixies, “Jaime Bravo” Link to The Athletic on Maher Link to blocked kick Link to ESPN on Maher Link to baseball exceptionalism wiki Link to soccer video Link to other soccer video Link to Bonds trampoline video Link to Ohtani facing himself Link to article on new dimensions Link to Statcast park factors Link to article on Comiskey fences Link to 1957 story source Link to EW sign-stealing episode Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter Link to Fabian’s engagement post Link to Sam’s story on Tolentino Link to 2020 WS call Link to Dodgers video on Jarrín Link to Jarrín in the press box Link to L.A. Times video on Jarrín Link to L.A. Times feature on Jarrín Link to Dylan Hernández on Jarrín Link to NBC News on Jarrín Link to NPR on Jarrín Link to Chavez Ravine history Link to more on Chavez Ravine Link to OC Register on Fernandomania Link to L.A. Times on Fernandomania Link to Jay Jaffe on Fernandomania Link to Dodgers City Connect unis Link to article on Arte’s sombrero Link to article on Angels minor leaguers Link to Sam on Angels remote broadcasts Link to Pedro’s book Link to Sam on the non-sale Link to MLBTR on the non-sale Link to WaPo on the Nats’ non-sale  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about 53-year-old Dae-Sung Koo 구대성 pitching in Australia, provide a final(?) update on Brandon Belt’s beloved Toronto chicken tenders, discuss the invisible strike zone as a feature that sets baseball apart from other sports (along with listener responses to other differentiating factors), bemoan the results of a Reddit poll about what to call the extra-inning runner, and marvel at investigations into the effect of the orientation of the baseball on its path to the plate and the predictiveness of ERA vs. FIP. Then (47:25) they answer listener emails about home run robberies vs. home run larcenies, a wrinkle in the calculation of a contract’s competitive-balance-tax cost, the competitive impact of 2023’s balanced schedule (and the Orioles’ impressive prospect rankings), how many defenders a team of 15-year-olds would need to field to keep a game against big leaguers close, ways to make other sports more like baseball, why so many arbitration cases are still unsettled, Henry Rowengartner’s velo in Rookie of the Year, and the best forgettable players, plus a real-time reaction to the Luis Arraez–Pablo López trade, a Stat Blast (1:39:44) about Adam Duvall and the latest-career moves to a premium position, and a Past Blast (1:54:53) from 1958. Audio intro: Crosby, Stills & Nash, “Anything at All” Audio outro: Built to Spill, “Center of the Universe” Link to Twitter video of Koo Link to Koo on YouTube Link to article about Koo Link to Koo’s SABR bio Link to Koo vs. Johnson Link to Bois doc on Koo Link to Belt on chicken tenders Link to KNBR Belt interview Link to Ritz chef appearance Link to Ray/Friedman interview Link to ball orientation study Link to ERA/FIP study Link to BABIP/FIP study Link to Reddit poll Link to baseball exceptionalism wiki Link to Bo-taoshi wiki Link to EW emails database Link to Speier on Devers Link to robbery definition Link to larceny definition Link to Szymborski on the schedule Link to Petriello on the schedule Link to Guardians prospect list Link to article on O’s prospects Link to BP top 101 Link to BA top 100 Link to Sam on derby fielders Link to requested arb salaries Link to Ben on arb and extensions Link to Rookie of the Year wiki Link to Marlins ZiPS post Link to Duvall’s first CF game Link to Duvall’s first CF start Link to defensive spectrum wiki Link to Russell on the def. spectrum Link to 2022 age by position Link to oldest first-time CF/SS Link to late movers spreadsheet Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to Russell on position changing Link to Adam D. on position changing Link to Russell on emergency catchers Link to MLBTR on the MIA-MIN trade Link to Ben C. on the MIA-MIN trade Link to MLBTR on Chisholm Link to 1958 story source Link to Rosie Reds website Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about passing the halfway point of the offseason, another way in which baseball is unusual among team sports, a few minor transactions, and (11:15) recent PR missteps by the Reds and Orioles owners’ respective sons. Then (39:16) they talk to writer Dan Moore about his reporting on public stadium subsidies, the financial cost of keeping teams in a city and the intangible cost of letting them leave, the architectural and economic legacies of Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the soaring valuations of sports franchises, and the A’s ballpark situation, followed by (1:25:49) a Past Blast from 1957 and mascot banter. Audio intro: The Bootheels, “Halfway There” Audio interstitial: Television, “Elevation” Audio outro: Pit Pony, “Profit” Link to Kyle’s halfway-point post Link to Smyth’s halfway tweet Link to Sam on the pit Link to Castellini’s 2022 comments Link to new Castellini comments Link to projections fact-check Link to C. Trent on Castellini Link to Rosie Reds website Link to story on Orioles donation Link to Angelos lawsuit info Link to Connolly on Angelos Link to Angelos video Link to Angelos transcript Link to Forbes team valuations Link to Sportico team valuations Link to Dan on team moves Link to Dan on Camden Yards Link to Dan on team valuations Link to WaPo on the Nats’ sale Link to Will Carroll report Link to $1.2 billion Baltimore fund Link to more info on fund Link to Oakland grant news Link to A’s CBA deadline Link to latest on the Royals’ park Link to Missouri legislator comments Link to 2022 in stadium funding Link to Field of Schemes Link to Dan’s Oakland Roots article Link to Dan’s website Link to 1957 story source Link to Emmett Kelly wiki Link to Gritty wiki Link to Dandy article Link to other Dandy article Link to Bronxie article Link to Blooper and Duvall’s son Link to Buoy the Troll Link to post about Caillou Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about players snacking on the field and a baseball equivalent of the EGOT before (23:01) Ben brings on Ron Shelton, the Oscar-nominated writer and director of Bull Durham and the author of The Church of Baseball: The Making of Bull Durham, to reminisce about Shelton’s minor league career, how conditions in the minors have evolved, the future big leaguers he played with, why Crash Davis didn’t stick in the majors, sports-movie verisimilitude, how he wrote Annie Savoy, Kevin Costner and Susan Sarandon, why Bull Durham almost didn’t get made, the golden age of baseball movies, Bull Durham as a TV series, an MLB game in Durham, his other baseball projects, and more. Then (1:04:02), Ben and Meg talk to well-traveled 45-year-old pitcher Chris Oxspring of the Australian Baseball League’s Sydney Blue Sox about his baseball origin story, his path through indy ball, affiliated ball, Japan, South Korea, and the Olympics, culture shock and the language barrier, his cup of coffee with the Padres, the development of baseball in Australia, the knuckleball’s future, being a player-coach, the toll being a baseball player takes on one’s family, Australian slang, and how long he can keep pitching. Finally (1:50:04), they end with a Past Blast from 1956 and a few follow-ups. Audio intro: Fruit Bats, “The Ruminant Band” Audio interstitial 1: Concrete Blonde, “It’ll Chew You Up and Spit You Out” Audio interstitial 2: Toner, “Ox ’45” Audio outro: Frazey Ford, “One More Cup of Coffee” Link to EGOT Facebook thread Link to EGOT winners Link to Academy Juvenile Award Link to Historic Achievement Award Link to Lou Brock Award Link to The Church of Baseball Link to Shelton’s B-Ref page Link to Shelton’s IMDb page Link to ’69 Ports article 1 Link to ’69 Ports article 2 Link to ’69 Ports article 3 Link to Everybody Wants Some!! Link to Everybody Wants Some!! pod Link to Ben’s Remake Necessity Score Link to Ben on movie analytics Link to story on minor league owners Link to private equity minors story Link to players born in Australia Link to Joe Quinn’s SABR bio Link to Oxspring’s SABR bio Link to Oxspring’s B-Ref page Link to Oxspring’s Blue Sox page Link to Oxspring’s Instagram Link to Oxspring’s MLB clips Link to 2014 story on Oxspring Link to Kent-Oxspring Cup story Link to story about leaving Lotte Link to Ben on the knuckleball Link to Australian slang Link to Ben on international The Bachelor Link to 1956 story source Link to EW on Mays documentary Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter Link to Belt on chicken tenders Link to Ritz opening story Link to Pirates job tweet Link to Pirates job posting Link to laser measurements story Link to LIDAR post  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a “Dear Abby” baseball column, Andrew McCutchen’s return to Pittsburgh, Nelson Cruz signing with San Diego, the Dodgers reacquiring Miguel Rojas, catcher deking and the ball-strike challenge system, and inaccurate outfield-fence distances, follow up on Toronto chicken tenders (and how a new Canadian law could affect the Blue Jays), the tendency for fans to view baseball from the batter’s perspective, and a few more ways in which baseball is unusual among sports, followed (57:04) by a Stat Blast update on Brandon Crawford, Brandon Belt, and prolific putout tandems, a new Stat Blast about J.J. Hardy, Scott Rolen, and players who only ever played one defensive position, and a Past Blast from 1955. Then (1:21:28) they talk to Mike Petriello of MLB.com about the effects he thinks MLB’s new positioning restrictions will have, how to determine whether the shift ban “worked,” how he thinks teams will play defense, whether hitters should adjust their approaches, which individual hitters and teams could be helped or hindered, and his thoughts on the other new rules changes. Audio intro: The Smithereens, “Dear Abby” Audio interstitial: Smith Westerns, “Only One” Audio outro: Lyres, “Swing Shift” Link to “Dear Abby” column Link to FG post on Cruz Link to LASIK study Link to FG post on Rojas Link to FG post on Fujinami Link to “gamer babe” discussion Link to The Classical on “gamer babe” Link to “gamer babe” name change Link to “gamer babe” Giants post Link to Cutch hype video Link to Cutch offers report Link to Defector on “furries” tweets Link to Anthrocon site Link to Céspedes BBQ tweet Link to LASIK study Link to Hannah Keyser on ABS Link to ESPN ABS report Link to Tango on deking Link to laser measurements story Link to Miggy reaction Link to Woodberry laser tweets Link to Comerica flies montage Link to Tango on Comerica barrels Link to Tango HR estimate Link to FG post on Tigers hitters Link to ballpark homogenization Link to Belt on chicken tenders Link to Toronto Ritz menu Link to “Avocado Factor” Link to Sportsnet article Link to baseball idioms wiki Link to idioms classification Link to preorder Russell’s book Link to Episode 1616 Stat Blast Link to Episode 1616 putout duos Link to Posnanski on Hardy Link to one-position-player data Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter Link to Kenny Jackelen’s Twitter Link to FG post on Andrus Link to 2002 Rollins game story Link to Rollins in 2017 ST Link to Snoopy’s Joe Cool Link to 1955 story source Link to SABR on Zimmer’s beaning Link to info on Peltzman Effect Link to Craig Wright on first helmets Link to Wright on modern helmets Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter Link to Mike on Seager Link to SIS on Seager Link to helped-hitters article Link to not-helped-hitters article Link to free agents and the shift Link to “pie slice” rule Link to Gleeman on Kepler Link to lowest-BABIP players Link to SNY on McNeil Link to FG post on righty shifts Link to Tango on spray angle Link to Tango on layered hit prob. Link to Ballpark Dimensions  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley recap the conclusion of the Carlos Correa free agency saga, breaking down his new, actually finalized contract with the Twins, reviewing his offseason odyssey, and trying to anticipate his future. Then (28:20) they banter about Trevor Story’s elbow surgery, the Blue Jays’ and Marlins’ signings of Brandon Belt and Johnny Cueto, respectively (and Belt’s thoughts on chicken tenders), the Tigers moving in and lowering the fences at Comerica Park, and ballplayers’ belts and their handedness (dis)advantages as characteristics that set baseball apart. After that (54:47), they talk to two professors from the University of Illinois, Daniel Eck and Adrian Burgos, Jr., about their research into fans’ inflated appraisals of players from the distant past, the changing caliber of play in the majors over time, and adjusting traditional and advanced stats for the expansion of the player pool, followed (1:35:19) by a few updates and a Past Blast from 1954. Audio intro: The Decemberists, “Red Right Ankle” Audio interstitial: Uncle Tupelo, “Factory Belt” Audio outro: Frank Sinatra, “I Don’t Believe in Rumors” Link to Ben Clemens on Correa again Link to Heyman on Correa Link to Rosenthal on Correa Link to Correa’s comments Link to Mets’ Correa statement Link to over/under draft results Link to story on Story Link to internal brace info Link to Story’s arm strength Link to Justin Choi on Belt Link to Belt on chicken tenders Link to Leo Morgenstern on Cueto Link to Comerica alterations Link to Miggy reaction Link to HR park factors Link to info on Miggy at Comerica Link to long outs at Comerica Link to more long outs at Comerica Link to ballpark homogenization study Link to lefty advantage research Link to more on lefty advantages Link to NYT on lefties and sports Link to FG on the lefty pitcher edge Link to Eck’s professor page Link to Burgos’s professor page Link to previous Burgos appearance Link to adjusted WAR leaderboard Link to technical model details Link to Eck on era adjustments Link to results part I Link to results part II Link to results part III Link to MLB-eligible population Link to Ben on quality of play Link to 1954 story source Link to article on baseball-fan age Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter Link to Nightengale on the Braves Link to 2012 Anthopoulous article Link to MLBTR on Vogt Link to typesetting characters info  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a Roger Angell-identified way in which baseball is different from other sports, discuss the Mariners signing AJ Pollock and the Phillies trading for Gregory Soto, and respond to the Dodgers cutting ties with Trevor Bauer, MLB reinstating former Braves GM John Coppolella, and KBO ace An Woo-jin not being rostered on South Korea’s WBC squad, plus musings on the competitive advantage of preventing leaks and a Past Blast from 1953. Then (42:42) they talk to FanGraphs senior writer and ZiPS creator Dan Szymborski about the weakest projected positions on contending teams, along with detours into Shohei Ohtani’s WAR projection, whether salaries for starting pitchers have declined along with innings totals, the linear relationship between dollars and WAR, the deflation of center-field offense, the pace of free-agent signings, whether AI will be the downfall of humanity, and more, followed by a postscript with a few notes and updates. Audio intro: Trampled By Turtles, “A Lifetime to Find” Audio interstitial: Margo Price, “That’s How Rumors Get Started” Audio outro: Jason Isbell, “If it Takes a Lifetime” Link to Angell’s “On the Ball” Link to MLBTR on Pollock Link to Longenhagen on Soto Link to Sands photo Link to Dipoto on M’s spending Link to Rosenthal on Bauer Link to Nightengale on Bauer Link to MLBTR on Coppolella Link to An Woo-Jin article Link to more on An Woo-Jin Link to more on KBO bullying Link to An Woo-Jin scouting report Link to article on volleyball bullying Link to Nightengale on the Braves Link to 1953 story source Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter Link to article on Rose’s bet Link to zombie runner coinage Link to Ben C. on FA movement Link to Ben’s FA retrospective Link to Dan’s ZiPS pieces Link to FG depth charts Link to best remaining FA Link to Dodgers payroll post Link to Rob on pitchers/payroll Link to Dan on paying for wins Link to Rob on CF offense Link to Posnanski on chess bots Link to Dan’s Gronk tweets Link to Dan’s weapons tweet Link to chatbots EW episode Link to MLBTR on Hendriks Link to MLB.com on Hendriks Link to All-CarShield team Link to EW on CarShield sponsors Link to Andújar trade request Link to tennis baseball video Link to Colbert/Musial story  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and longtime listener and Patreon supporter Jacob Barak banter about Jacob’s baseball-fan background, EW origin story, and much-discussed post about a Shohei Ohtani conundrum in the podcast’s Facebook group, then (10:35) answer listener emails about why we use dashes instead of slashes in displaying hitter’s hits and at-bats, unorthodox infield designs, where the money from competitive balance tax penalties goes, an Aaron Boone quote about “a championship and then some,” playing baseball with balls from other sports, teams tailoring the baseball to their pitchers’ strengths, the fewest games in a -1.0 WAR season and demanding a trade in the minors, the best teams from other leagues beating the worst teams from MLB, whether baseball is bad or good for the world, and the prospect of an MLB player coming out as trans or non-binary, plus Carlos Correa banter, a Stat Blast (1:21:41) about the late Nate Colbert and Padres home run hitters, a Past Blast (1:42:53) from 1952, and a few postscript updates. Audio intro: Wire, “Dot Dash” Audio outro: Jethro Tull, “Jacob’s Tales” Link to Jacob’s Facebook post Link to latest on Correa Link to Ben C. on FA movement Link to history of fraction slashes Link to Stark on second base Link to Stark on infield dirt Link to EW Pesäpallo episode Link to Evan’s first tweet Link to Evan’s second tweet Link to Boone video Link to Yankees captains Link to fewest G, -1 WAR hitters Link to fewest G, -1 WAR pitchers Link to Clay’s league strengths Link to Rays Pride Night story Link to Canha interview Link to EW Brennaman episode Link to EW emails database Link to previous Colbert banter Link to Padres HR leaderboard Link to Stat Blast data Link to Ryan Nelson on Twitter Link to players w/164+ HR since ’75 Link to Padres ’69-’74 WAR leaders Link to ’69-’74 team wins Link to Colbert’s SABR bio Link to Colbert’s RBI record Link to more on the record Link to ’69-’73 HR leaders Link to Ben on Padres stars Link to first Padres cycle Link to first Padres no-hitter Link to 1952 story source Link to SABR on the ’52 Meetings Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter Link to MLBTR on Bauer Link to Twins “DFA” tweet Link to Hill hype video Link to SABR on 3-team DHs Link to Turner’s Vassegh tweet  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss the Red Sox signing Rafael Devers to a lengthy extension, the state of the Sox, the next two free-agent classes, and Carlos Baerga the newsbreaker, then banter about bad news for Charles Leblanc, a Congressional baseball analogy, the Sears/Willis Tower, a painful slide by a broadcaster, the Dodgers’ offseason, and redefining the pitcher win, plus a Past Blast from 1951. Audio intro: Greg Camp, “The Armageddon Slide” Audio outro: Bobby Thomson, “Because of You” Link to Baumann on Devers Link to Dubuque on Devers Link to Gilligan on Boston’s SP Link to story about booing Henry Link to team WAR projections Link to Baerga’s Devers report Link to Baerga on Judge/Correa Link to info on free-agent classes Link to MLBTR on Leblanc Link to Marlins WAR leaders Link to no-hitter analogy Link to Curtis on baseball analogies Link to Willis Tower wiki Link to Manning on SNL Link to tweet about Vassegh Link to Vassegh YouTube video Link to story on Vassegh Link to grape stomp meme Link to Ben Clemens on the Dodgers Link to Russell on wins Link to EW on baseball uniqueness Link to 1951 story source Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Hall of Famer Jim Palmer‘s endorsement of Netflix series Emily in Paris, a questionable Cubs-related baseball scene in the EiP series premiere, a Royals rookie record and a follow-up on Harold Ramírez’s hair, Ben’s latest former major leaguer Facebook friend recommendations, another way in which baseball is unique (or at least highly unusual) among major sports, defenders “taking away” hits from batters, the plateau in MLB’s percentage of international players, alternative baseball halls of fame, the Tigers trying and failing to sign Jean Segura, “purchasing” players vs. trading players, and more, plus a Past Blast from 1950. Audio intro: Smoking Popes, “Letter to Emily” Audio outro: Silver Jews, “Strange Victory, Strange Defeat” Link to Palmer’s tweet Link to second Palmer tweet Link to Roeper tweet Link to sports bar scene Link to Gallagher tweet Link to Bote homer Link to Hudgens/Tucker info Link to 25 Days of Bingemas Link to SATC scene Link to EW SATC mention Link to KY3 on Royals rookies Link to AP on Royals rookies Link to story on Royals rookie duo Link to team rookie homers Link to Stathead on rookie homers Link to Ramírez hair story Link to preorder The New Ballgame Link to Russell’s first book Link to info on courtesy runners Link to Retrosheet courtesy runners Link to EW on baseball uniqueness Link to info on international players Link to HoF ballot tracker Link to latest Rolen projection Link to Hall of Stats Link to Darowski EW episode Link to Shrine of the Eternals Link to Hall of Merit Link to O.J. HoF info Link to character clause info Link to Passan on the character clause Link to Ben’s 2021 ballot explanation Link to Ben’s earlier ballot mention Link to MLBTR on the Tigers Link to 1950 story source Link to SABR on psychologists Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Twitter Account  EW Subreddit  Effectively Wild Wiki  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source