Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Willians Astudillo, Shohei Ohtani’s true two-way prospects (look, there’s no other news), MLB’s extraordinarily slow November, and trampoline pitching, then talk to volcanologist Erik Klemetti about how baseball would weather volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and other fascinating but terrifying geologic events. Audio intro : Miniature Tigers, " Tell it to the Volcano " Audio interstitial : Eleanor Friedberger, " Early Earthquake " Audio outro : Elf Po...
Dec 01, 2017•1 hr 3 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter, as always, about Shohei Ohtani and Giancarlo Stanton, as well as the slow start to the offseason and baseball takeaways from news about basketball and football. Then they look for players who performed better in team losses, talk about two twins, and answer listener emails about the most valuable memo writer, robot bloggers, Stanton’s opt-out clause, two Ohtani hypotheticals, Mike Trout’s defensive position and spot in the batting order, Steve Matz’s futur...
Nov 30, 2017•1 hr 18 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about a slow week in baseball and the likely effects of MLB’s impending pitch clock, then talk to former front-office executive (and former FanGraphs writer) Tony Blengino about how baseball brain trusts could and should be crafting their responses to the seven questions that Shohei Ohtani’s agent recently sent to teams. Audio intro : The Tokens, " Please Write " Audio interstitial : Randy Newman, " Memo to My Son " Audio outro : Fleetwood Mac, " Homework "...
Nov 28, 2017•52 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan profess their thanks for each other, answer listener emails about the 1890s Orioles’ field manipulations, the importance of Carlos Beltran to the 2017 Astros, and how free-agent auctions would work, then welcome researcher Peter Gorton and director Paul Irmiter to talk about little-known Negro Leagues legend and scouting pioneer John Donaldson, their efforts to uncover Donaldson’s stats, and their forthcoming Donaldson documentary, 39 Seconds . Audio intro : The A...
Nov 24, 2017•55 min
After an abnormally busy baseball news day, Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Aaron Judge’s shoulder surgery, Joe Morgan’s letter about steroids and the Hall of Fame, the Shohei Ohtani posting agreement, and MLB’s severe sanctions against the Atlanta Braves, then welcome listener Mike Juntunen to help them answer emails from other listeners about a Miguel Cabrera contract clause, the Hall of Fame cases of Omar Vizquel and Joey Votto, what would most amaze a time-traveling baseball fan...
Nov 22, 2017•1 hr 16 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about a Shohei Otani “deadline” and Braves prospect Ronald Acuna, then bring on FanGraphs managing editor Dave Cameron to discuss a dispute about WAR and valuing players between Bill James and sabermetric stat sites, the evolution of awards (and Hall of Fame) voting, why Dave expects certain teams to dictate the way the winter unfolds, and the free agents he sees as notable bargains or busts. Audio intro : Waxahatchee, " Misery Over Dispute " Audio intersti...
Nov 21, 2017•1 hr 10 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Gabe Kapler’s prospects as Phillies manager, Aaron Judge’s hard hitting, various end-of-season awards results, MLB’s baseball-studying committee, and Shohei Ohtani’s value to AL and NL teams and the difficulty of gaming the CBA to sign him, then answer listener emails about an Ohtani sign-and-trade, homegrown value vs. free-agent value, intentional walks in the automatic-IBB era, the best games to time travel to, and an odd three-way trade. Audio intr...
Nov 17, 2017•1 hr 6 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about pitcher Luis Perdomo’s unusual triples total, Carlos Beltran’s retirement, and Giancarlo Stanton’s trade value, then answer listener emails about Aaron Judge’s similarities to Ryan Howard, an automatic nine-inning, five-run pitcher, the difficulty of evaluating pitch-calling, and bathroom breaks in baseball. Audio intro : Beastie Boys, " Triple Trouble " Audio outro : The Strokes, " Meet Me in the Bathroom " Link to Jeff’s post about Luis Perdomo Link...
Nov 16, 2017•1 hr 2 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Mookie Betts’ bowling exploits and Jeff’s AL Rookie of the Year ballot, then predict and review the results of Jerry Crasnick’s annual insiders survey, draft winter World Series odds movers, and do another draft of free agents’ estimated earnings. Audio intro : Jale, " Double Edge " Audio outro : Camera Obscura, " Double Feature " Link to Jerry Crasnick’s 2017 survey Link to early-offseason World Series odds Link to MLBTR’s free-agent rankings Link to...
Nov 14, 2017•1 hr 10 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the latest Shohei Otani news, the contract requests of free agents J.D. Martinez and Jay Bruce, the Tigers’ MLB-worst World Series odds, and changes in catcher-framing stats, then review the results of Jeff’s survey on 2017 fan satisfaction. Audio intro : Colin Blunstone, " Pay Me Later " Audio outro : The Rolling Stones, " Happy " Link to Sam’s study on free-agent requests Link to Jeff’s article on 2017 framing stats Link to Jeff’s 2017 fan-satisfact...
Nov 10, 2017•54 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan mourn the loss of (and celebrate the greatness of) Roy Halladay, then answer listener emails about Halladay’s career, what Aaron Judge and the Astros teach us about strikeouts, whether better pitchers are also better at hitting, the players with the wildest fluctuations in WAR, Eric Hosmer’s stats-defying Gold Glove, the ideal sequencing of 2017 World Series games, the difference between tanking and rebuilding, Yasmani Grandal, Austin Barnes, and the value of catc...
Nov 09, 2017•1 hr 13 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Shohei Otani, the Players Association, and a trio of opt-ins, then discuss whether tanking is bad for baseball and which conclusions can and can’t be drawn from the rebuilds, roster constructions, and in-game tactics of this season’s successful playoff teams. Audio intro : Neuseiland, " When You Get Back from the War " Audio outro : Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, " Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson " Link to Effectively Wild t-shirts iTunes Feed (Please r...
Nov 07, 2017•53 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan discuss the end of the season and the challenging (if somewhat merciful) transition to offseason mode, the resolution of the World Series and an underwhelming Game 7, the best and worst World Series performers, the significance of the Astros’ victory, the difficulty of repeating as champion, the outlooks for the Astros, Dodgers, and other 2017 playoff teams in 2018 and beyond, the uncertain status of Shohei Otani, new t-shirts for the show, and more. Audio intro :...
Nov 03, 2017•55 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the historic nature of the 2017 World Series and discuss World Series Game 6, including Josh Reddick’s record in clutch situations, David Roberts’ Rich Hill hook, a Justin Verlander decision, and the Astros’ and Dodgers’ different approaches to pitcher usage, then analyze Game 7’s pitching predicaments and the Clayton Kershaw question before answering listener emails about heavily used playoff relievers, starters pitching on short rest in the postseas...
Nov 01, 2017•1 hr 2 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the madness of World Series Game 5, including slick balls and home runs, Clayton Kershaw and Yuli Gurriel, and the many moments when the game appeared to be over but refused to end. Audio intro : Love, " Five String Serenade " Audio outro : The Jayhawks, " Five Cups of Coffee " iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!) Sponsor Us on Patreon Get Our Merch! Facebook Group Twitter Account Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Source...
Oct 31, 2017•52 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the all-time leaders in WAR for two teams, what Yu Darvish has done differently with the Dodgers, and whether Carlos Correa or Corey Seager will have the more valuable career, then answer listener emails about home-field advantage in the playoffs, projecting (and learning from) Charlie Morton’s breakout, why baseball is in a high-BABIP era, whether fielders are getting better or worse, the golden age of interleague play, what we mean when we say “shor...
Oct 27, 2017•55 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the thrills, surprises, and unlikely heroes of World Series Game 2, the ongoing home-run barrage this October, and where the World Series stands, then discuss the Yankees’ decision not to bring back Joe Girardi and whether we’ve learned anything from this month’s managerial moves before returning one more time to a controversial call from NLDS Game 5. Audio intro : Dinosaur Jr., " What Was That " Audio outro : The Kinks, " It’s Too Late " iTunes Feed ...
Oct 27, 2017•53 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Jeff’s weekend trip and discuss the end of the ALCS and the Astros’ crazy curveball reliance in ALCS Game 7, the Astros’ reluctance to use regular relievers, the Yankees’ outlook for 2018 and beyond, why this World Series isn’t easy to analyze, whether the Dodgers and Astros are evenly matched, what to make of the Nationals’ and Mets’ recent managerial moves, and more. Audio intro : The Black Keys, " Same Old Thing " Audio outro : Electric Light Orche...
Oct 24, 2017•48 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the home run’s postseason supremacy, Clayton Kershaw’s performance in NLCS Game 5 and the Dodgers’ World Series outlook, the Cubs’ upcoming offseason and long-term future, and the significance of the Tigers’ Ron Gardenhire hiring. Audio intro : Pernice Brothers, " Subject Drop " Audio outro : Lurleen Lumpkin, " Bagged Me a Homer " iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!) Sponsor Us on Patreon Get Our Merch! Facebook Group Twitter Account Email Us: pod...
Oct 21, 2017•53 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Jake Arrieta’s effective wildness (and free agency), the Astros’ offensive struggles, and Yu Darvish’s bases-loaded walk, then answer listener emails about sequencing wins in the playoffs, a Dodgers fun fact, postseason managerial specialists, why hitters telegraph taking all the way, whether hitters can read fielders to tell which pitch is coming, a curious commercial for the MLB shop, the lowest-scoring and highest-scoring postseason teams, games in...
Oct 20, 2017•1 hr 6 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Ben’s wedding weekend, the outfield-wall padding at Minute Maid Park, the rapid repair of a behind-home-plate sign, and a very long pause between pitches, then discuss the first four games of the championship series, including Joe Maddon’s decision-making in Game 2, the Cubs’ moribund offense, the pivotal plays of the first two games of the ALCS, the excellence of Dallas Keuchel and Justin Verlander, the rest of the Astros’ rotation, Aaron Judge’s str...
Oct 17, 2017•57 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Yellowstone-explosion sensationalism and discuss the improbability of the Cubs’ 277-minute NLDS Game 5 victory over the Nationals, the game’s umpiring oddities and errors, the Nationals’ and Cubs’ reputations and legacies in the wake of the series, and what to do about instant replay and slides. Audio intro : Thom Yorke, " Interference " Audio outro : Villagers, " Judgement Call " iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!) Sponsor Us on Patreon Get Our ...
Oct 14, 2017•55 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about John Farrell’s firing and the Nationals’ will-they-or-won’t-they pregame routine with Stephen Strasburg, then answer listener emails about the definition of “veteran,” projecting a team to win 116 games, looking up players’ stats, a pitcher getting both a blown save and a save in the same game, the career leaders in innings played exclusively at each position, David Price’s Hall of Fame case, a semi-nonsensical baseball commercial, the potentially und...
Oct 12, 2017•1 hr 10 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the inaccessibility of playoff stats and the average length of this year’s playoff games, then discuss whether we’re really witnessing a revolution in postseason pitcher usage before breaking down each of the division series, analyzing the latest controversial managerial decisions, and bidding farewell to two more eliminated teams. Audio intro : T. Rex, " Children of the Revolution " Audio outro : Built to Spill, " Revolution " iTunes Feed (Please rat...
Oct 11, 2017•55 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about the larger improbability and significance of Archie Bradley’s triple in the NL wild-card game, how to experience a four-playoff-game day, the first games of both AL division series, Chris Sale’s and Masahiro Tanaka’s semi-struggles and the vexing nature of pitcher home-run allowance, the danger of using home/road splits to set playoff rotations, things every fan base believes about its team, Jose Altuve’s unusual strike zone, and more. Audio intro : R...
Oct 06, 2017•50 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter one last time about the Glory Hole Recreation Area, as well as fading feelings of fandom, the circumstances that led to Braves GM John Coppolella’s resignation, and poor press-conference questions. Then they discuss their takeaways from the wild-card games and thoughts on the division series matchups before answering playoff-themed listener emails about Zack Granite missing first base, Craig Kimbrel’s exit velocity, team-level performance against particular...
Oct 06, 2017•1 hr 21 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about John Jaso’s possibly career-ending comments, the ends of the Dodgers’ and Tigers’ seasons and the teams that have never had a first-overall pick, the selling points of this postseason, the changing consensus about the best team in baseball, how to analyze the playoffs and manage playoff games, the respective strengths of the Indians and Yankees, the Yankees-Twins wild card game, the best and worst WARs of 2017, the crazy debate about Austin Romine vs....
Oct 03, 2017•57 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about Ben’s chat with Bill James, a fan who got ejected for giving Gary Sanchez pitch locations, a suggestion for tweaking the wild card game, and Sammy Sosa, then discuss the teams whose organizational stocks have risen or fallen the most this season and wrap up with brief banter about a Patreon perk, awards voting, and Jason Benetti. Audio intro : The Kinks, " On the Outside " Audio outro : The Turtles, " Outside Chance " iTunes Feed (Please rate and revi...
Sep 30, 2017•50 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about how one’s incentives alter one’s perception of a season, then answer listener emails about FanGraphs’ World Series odds, the mid-1990s Braves pitching staffs, the annual suggestion that a team start a reliever in the wild card game, a comeback for Tony La Russa’s pitching platoon system, Andrew McCutchen’s belated first grand slam, the shift and ground ball success, the value of better sleep, the significance of the absence of managerial firings in 20...
Sep 29, 2017•54 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan follow up on their Glory Hole Recreation Area discussion and banter about a Brandon Crawford bunt attempt, an Andrelton Simmons deke, Oakland catcher Bruce Maxwell’s decision to kneel during the National Anthem, whether the 2017 season has been bad, and how one would even decide such a thing. Audio intro : The Postal Service, " Natural Anthem " Audio outro : The Outlaws, " Ain’t So Bad " Link to video of Brandon Crawford bunt attempt Link to video of Andrelton Sim...
Sep 26, 2017•50 min
