Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Mike Trout’s hot start, Dub Gleed’s (nick)name, the challenge system as a mainstream sensation, several tactical considerations, listener emails, premature conclusions, and pedantic points after a weekend’s worth of ABS action, Munetaka Murakami’s early slugging, a Brewers call-up and extension, NBC’s broadcast crews, and more, plus a few follow-ups.

Audio intro: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to the other ABS

Link to Gleed trade story

Link to challenge system tweet 1

Link to challenge system tweet 2

Link to Ben on the challenge system

Link to Sam on the challenge system

Link to UmpScorecards data

Link to Rosenthal on the challenge system

Link to Passan on the challenge system

Link to ABS system wiki

Link to Petriello on 2025 ABS data

Link to team ABS leaderboard

Link to ABS dashboard

Link to ABS player leaderboard

Link to Crizer on the challenge system

Link to debutant dingers query

Link to 2026 debutant dingers

Link to Murakami NPB analysis

Link to Murakami fun fact

Link to Reds Opening Days story

Link to Shelton ejection clip

Link to Bucknor story

Link to Bucknor challenges

Link to Bucknor scorecard

Link to Bucknor story

Link to Cora ejection

Link to ABS and manager ejections info 1

Link to ABS and manager ejections info 2

Link to ABS and manager ejections info 3

Link to Quero call-up info

Link to MLBTR on Pratt

Link to FG Brewers list

Link to Sam on check swings

Link to AP on Benetti

Link to MLBTR on Pratt

Link to listener emails database

Link to “burn the ships” wiki

Link to article about Syracuse team

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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon.

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the pleasures of and precedents for the historic rookie performances on Opening Day, the pains of Netflix’s Opening Night broadcast, an Opening Day disaster for Paul Skenes, Oneil Cruz, and a bird near Carson Benge, Freddie Freeman’s gameday fit, a perplexing (un?)fun fact about the Phillies and Jhoan Duran, why players don’t always challenge when they “should,” Nico Hoerner and Shane Baz extensions, baseball movies being back (thanks to Tom Hanks), and more, plus a Stat Blast (1:28:40) about Black Ink streaks and a postscript (1:37:14) featuring a follow-up and a few bonus Blasts.

Audio intro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio outro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to freemium model announcement

Link to written explanation

Link to 2026 new debuts

Link to RE24 query

Link to 2026 RE24 players

Link to 1914 RE24 players

Link to 1938 RE24 players

Link to 1950 RE24 players

Link to RE24 glossary

Link to B-Ref RE24 leaders

Link to total bases query

Link to 2026 TB players

Link to 1938 TB players

Link to 1.000 OPS query

Link to 2026 1.000 OPS players

Link to 1901 1.000 OPS players

Link to 1938 1.000 OPS players

Link to Dick Crutcher bio

Link to Baumann on the rookies

Link to “Baseball’s Sad Lexicon”

Link to first White Sox game

Link to Marchand on the Netflix game

Link to Bonds story

Link to Bonds at Rickwood game

Link to 180-degree rule

Link to FG post on Skenes

Link to Ben on the Pirates and A’s

Link to Pirates HR celebration

Link to Benge on the bird

Link to Freeman post 1

Link to Freeman post 2

Link to Stark post

Link to Sam post

Link to Phillies home closers query

Link to Phillies road closers query

Link to Phillies OD home games

Link to Phillies OD road games

Link to home OD saves by team

Link to Kruk comment

Link to Tango on location uncertainty

Link to Petriello on catcher challenges

Link to Ben’s catcher research

Link to MLBTR on Hoerner

Link to MLBTR on Baz

Link to upcoming FA class

Link to Hanks movie announcement

Link to Hanks typewriter collection

Link to Night Swim wiki

Link to Caught Stealing wiki

Link to Eephus EW interview

Link to Ben on Rogue One and Andor

Link to Black Ink info

Link to Black Ink data 1

Link to Black Ink data 2

Link to Ben on Trout’s Black Ink

Link to blowout 1

Link to blowout 2

Link to blowout 3

Link to blowout 4

Link to blowout 5

Link to blowout 6

Link to blowout 7

Link to blowout 8

Link to Vinay’s data

Link to 1930 game

Link to Sam on record talent

Link to Davy on Mets basestealing

Link to Newsday on Mets basestealing

Link to story on Richardson and Riley

Link to listener emails database

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the number of Opening Days/Nights at the start of the regular-season schedule and how long they think the challenge system will last, review some of their favorite offseason transactions, and do their annual draft of all 30 MLB teams in order of how fun they’ll be to follow this season.

Audio intro: The Spaghettis, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio outro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Craig on Opening Days/Nights

Link to broadcast dilemma

Link to Ben on the challenge system

Link to Ben on the labor situation

Link to champing/chomping

Link to Rogers tattoo story

Link to Langs Giants stat

Link to pod duration calculator

Link to Adames challenge reaction

Link to EWStats site

Link to freemium model announcement

Link to written explanation

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Randy Arozarena making up with Cal Raleigh, the response to their announcement of the podcast’s new freemium model, whether they would try to issue the official first ball/strike challenge in MLB history, the challenge system vs. the pitch clock, several straggling WBC topics (the Team Italy espresso machine auction results, great TV ratings, a Team USA strawman, reframing the hierarchy of high-level baseball competition, projecting future WBCs, and a non-called shot, plus NPB “ghost wins”), how Ben’s anti on-field-front-office-meddling rant resonated with readers, why Kevin McGonigle and JJ Wetherholt made Opening Day rosters and Konnor Griffin (and John Brebbia) didn’t, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Cristopher Sánchez extensions, and how politicians should talk about sports fandom if they want to sound authentic.

Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to “hierarchy of power” supercut

Link to Arozarena statement

Link to freemium model announcement

Link to written explanation

Link to EWStats site

Link to espresso auction

Link to Jac jersey auction

Link to WBC TV ratings

Link to Rosenthal comments

Link to Webb quote

Link to Acuña quote

Link to Kay comments

Link to McLean/Holmes story

Link to NPB “ghost win” story

Link to NPB “ghost win” tweet

Link to NHL overtime rules

Link to Ben on front-office meddling

Link to Ben on the foul lines

Link to The Athletic on Griffin

Link to Pirates hitter projections

Link to MLBTR on Brebbia

Link to FG post on PCA

Link to profane PCA profile

Link to FG post on Sánchez

Link to FG post on Strider

Link to Mamdani quote

Link to Adams cap

Link to de Blasio cap

Link to Hillary caps story 1

Link to Hillary caps story 1

Link to “trash revolution” story

Link to HUAL on Mamdani

Link to statue prizes

Link to MLFAD picks

Link to Meg on HUAL

Link to observer effect wiki

Link to four playoff teams article

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley announce a new freemium model for the podcast: From now on, one of their three episodes a week will be available only to Patreon supporters. In this PSA, they lay out their reasons for making the change and explain how it will work. You can also read a written explanation here.

Link to subscribe via Patreon

Link to written announcement

Sponsor Us on Patreon

Give a Gift Subscription

Email Us: [email protected]

Effectively Wild Subreddit

Effectively Wild Wiki

Apple Podcasts Feed

Spotify Feed

YouTube Playlist

Facebook Group

Bluesky Account

Twitter Account

Get Our Merch!

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