Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the anticlimactic approach of spring training and answer listener emails about baseball reductionism, investing in Little League, the Cardinals’ effect on the Cubs, transplanting Trout and Kershaw, and wearing out starters, with a statistical detour to talk about history’s most volatile hitters. Audio intro : Thrush Hermit, " We Are Being Reduced " Audio outro : Bob Dylan, " Gates of Eden " iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!) Sponsor Us on Patreo...
Feb 09, 2017•41 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan introduce the fifth annual Effectively Wild season-preview series and banter about the short life expectancy of front-office secrets. Then they preview the Dodgers’ 2017 season with Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times , and the Padres’ 2017 season with Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune . Audio intro : Spoon, " Take the Fifth " Audio interstitial : Tegan and Sara, " The First " Audio interstitial 2 : Jedi Mind Tricks, " The Worst " Audio outro : Frank ...
Feb 07, 2017•1 hr 13 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan fixate on their new baseball obsession, NPB shortstop (and offensive outlier) Takuya Nakashima. Then they discuss prospect terminology and the nebulous significance of the “ceiling.” Audio intro : Destroyer, " Strike " Audio outro : Wilco, " Taste the Ceiling " Link to Ben’s Nakashima 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...
Feb 04, 2017•48 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about how and why the Astros and Royals seem to have exchanged strategies and revisit champagne in the clubhouse and trampolines, then answer listener emails about what to hack if you were hacking, Statcast and baserunning, catcher framing, and Mike Trout. Audio intro : Death Cab for Cutie, " Champagne from a Paper Cup " Audio outro : Jason Isbell, " 24 Frames " iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!) Sponsor Us on Patreon Get Our Merch! Facebook Group Twi...
Feb 02, 2017•55 min
Ben Lindbergh, Jeff Sullivan, and Sports on Earth Senior Writer Will Leitch banter about the accuracy of a Jarrod Dyson declaration and the fairness of the penalty levied against St. Louis in the Cardinals-Astros hacking scandal. Audio intro : White Rabbits, " They Done Wrong / We Done Wrong " Audio outro : The Ramones, " Punishment Fits the Crime " iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!) Sponsor Us on Patreon Get Our Merch! Facebook Group Twitter Account Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source...
Jan 31, 2017•42 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about baseball’s trampoline problem and the future of Andrelton Simmons, then discuss and critique the crowdsourced organizational rankings produced by FanGraphs readers. Audio intro : Camera Obscura, " I Don’t Do Crowds " Audio outro : Smith Westerns, " Weekend " Link to crowdsourced organizational rankings iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!) Sponsor Us on Patreon Get Our Merch! Facebook Group Twitter Account Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source...
Jan 27, 2017•50 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan discuss their EclipseFest sellout and answer listener emails about Jae-gyun Hwang, Daniel Murphy, and power/contact reinventions; the most informative stats; the best way to split up seasons; drastic defensive changes; career cycles for pitchers; protecting the inside of the plate, and more. Audio intro : The Rolling Stones, " All Sold Out " Audio outro : Bahamas, " Hockey Teeth " iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!) Sponsor Us on Patreon Get Our Merch! Facebo...
Jan 25, 2017•56 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan discuss the brisk sales of tickets to their August “EclipseFest” outing and the strange saga of former major league reliever Jeff Manship. Then, on a much more somber note, they remember the late Yordano Ventura and Andy Marte and talk to Vice Sports editor-in-chief Jorge Arangure about the dangers many foreign players face when they spend their offseasons at home. Audio intro : Paul McCartney (with Michael Jackson), " The Man " Audio outro : The Bees, " Skill of ...
Jan 23, 2017•46 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan begin by bantering about tentative plans for an Effectively Wild event this summer. Then, prompted by Baltimore’s Mark Trumbo signing, they pit the perplexing Orioles against every other organization in a series of head-to-head matchups. Audio intro : The Band, " Volcano " Audio outro : Beck, " Volcano " iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!) Sponsor Us on Patreon Get Our Merch! Facebook Group Twitter Account Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source...
Jan 20, 2017•48 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan analyze the Hall of Fame voting results and extend their unlikely Lenny Harris discussion streak, then answer listener emails about restructuring the BBWAA ballot, restructuring Mike Trout, unbreakable records, eclipses, parity, and more. Audio intro : The Minus 5, " The Long Hall " Audio outro : Pink Floyd, " Eclipse " iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!) Sponsor Us on Patreon Get Our Merch! Facebook Group Twitter Account Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Sourc...
Jan 19, 2017•1 hr 2 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Lenny Harris and Jerry Dipoto, then celebrate the end of a long baseball news drought by discussing a few recent and imminent transactions, including the Jose Bautista signing and the Danny Duffy and Wil Myers extensions. Audio intro : Josh Ritter, " Harrisburg " Audio outro : Supergrass, " Lenny " iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!) Sponsor Us on Patreon Get Our Merch! Facebook Group Twitter Account Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source...
Jan 17, 2017•50 min
We’d like to welcome Effectively Wild to its new home on FanGraphs! Effectively Wild will continue to be hosted by The Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh, who is joined by his new co-host Jeff Sullivan. Fans of our existing podcasts need not worry, as Effectively Wild is an addition to our existing podcast offerings, all of which will continue to be produced. Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan talk about the Mariners' moves while Jeff was away, then answer listener emails about Mike Trout, Barry Bonds, the hom...
Jan 13, 2017•1 hr 4 min
Ben talks to former major league pitcher (and newly hired Diamondbacks Pitching Strategist) Dan Haren about his new job, how players handle the media, his struggles and success against Hall of Fame-caliber hitters, his own hitting skills, PEDs, trades and free agency, baseball’s salary structure, and more. Source
Jan 12, 2017•58 min
Ben talks to Joe Sheehan and Rany Jazayerli about unsigned free agents, baseball economics, trends to watch in 2017, and the perplexing Royals. Source
Jan 10, 2017
Ben and Slate’s Mike Pesca banter about incentive clauses, happiness, analogies, injuries, and the Mets, then discuss sabermetric thinking about non-baseball subjects, optimism, podcasting, and preparation. Source
Jan 06, 2017
Ben, Carson Cistulli, and Eric Longenhagen scrutinize an unearthed video of Mike Trout taking batting practice in high school from both sides of the plate. Then Ben and Carson discuss podcasting, umpiring, Jeff Sullivan and more. Source
Jan 05, 2017
Ben and SB Nation’s Grant Brisbee banter about baseball ads, then talk about last season’s forgettable baseball stories, Grant’s favorite writing of 2016, covering the playoffs in person, and Barry Bonds and the BBWAA. Source
Jan 03, 2017
In Sam’s last show as co-host, he and Ben talk to Astros pro scouting director Kevin Goldstein. Then, Ben talks to incoming co-host Jeff Sullivan before Jeff leaves on a fantastically timed vacation. Source
Dec 31, 2016
In their penultimate show as co-hosts, Ben and Sam answer listener emails about baseball amnesia, iconic photos, Mike Trout hitting lefty, designing ballparks, and more before reminiscing about how they almost didn’t do email episodes. Source
Dec 30, 2016
Ben and Sam announce Sam’s upcoming departure from the podcast and Effectively Wild’s future at FanGraphs with Ben and Jeff Sullivan, and then discuss several big questions about baseball’s next 50 years. Source
Dec 28, 2016
Ben and Sam discuss the seemingly aimless Oakland Athletics and bring on two unwitting contestants (Eric Roseberry and Steve Givarz) to play the first Effectively Wild game show, “Name that Oakland A’s Position Player.” Source
Dec 28, 2016
Ben, Sam, Grant Brisbee, and Jeff Sullivan produce a sequel to Episode 500 by drafting 12 more things about baseball. Source
Dec 24, 2016
Ben and Sam banter about Ivan Nova, early Hall of Fame voting, and a potential fat player, then answer listener emails about Mark Melancon and strikeouts, splitting the Rookie of the Year award, a renegade league, two-way players, CBA loopholes, changing the schedule, and the best possible highlights. Source
Dec 23, 2016
For the fourth consecutive year, Ben and Sam draft the 20 minor league free agents they hope will earn the most major league playing time next season. Source
Dec 21, 2016
Ben and Sam banter about good deeds by two podcast listeners, then discuss several topics inspired by a selection of baseball writers’ self-selected favorite stories from 2016, including pitcher abuse, fans running on the field, and the home run spike. Source
Dec 20, 2016
Ben and Sam talk to The Ringer’s Michael Baumann about his ranking of the 25 most underpaid players and how front-office salaries limit diversity. Source
Dec 18, 2016
Ben and Sam banter about Josh Harrison and old-timey pitch names, then answer listener emails about sabermetrics and fandom, baseball and birthdates, players’ phone numbers, managing bullpens, and more. Source
Dec 18, 2016
Ben and Sam talk to BP’s Meg Rowley about the downs and (mostly) ups of the recently finished first season of Fox drama Pitch (includes some spoilers). Source
Dec 13, 2016
Ben and Sam read a passage from The New Bill James New Historical Abstract and discuss whether contemporary observations of baseball players still have something to add to today’s closer-to-comprehensive statistical record. Source
Dec 12, 2016
Ben and Sam banter about Veeck As in Wreck and front offices hiring stat-savvy former players, then answer listener emails about the real Mike Trout, likeable teams, unwatchable players, and more. Source
Dec 10, 2016
