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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the semi-resurgence of Justin Verlander , Max Scherzer , and Clayton Kershaw , Nathan Eovaldi’ s injury and Patrick Corbin’ s climb to the top of the Rangers innings leaderboard, the great-but-forgotten Steve Rogers , the end of Andrew Heaney’ s Pirates tenure, Royce Lewis ’s focus on his stats, whether MLB’s strikeout rate has declined because teams are targeting higher-contact hitters, the promotion of whiff artist Jonah Tong , why hitters aren’t swing...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the early start to the 2026 regular season and MLB’s schedule in a warming world, tossing snacks after tossing a bat, this year’s potential trio of 50-homer hitters (including a Cal Raleigh update), the virtues of players who have high floors (with check-ins on Bobby Witt Jr. and Trea Turner ), the (dubious?) merits of the BBWAA’s new reliever of the year award, Tyler Phillips’ s anti-hitter mentality, new large relievers Zach Maxwell and Drew Sommers , ...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about sports equivalents to baseball’s bat crack, Colson Montgomery’ s torpedo bat, reserving judgement on the MVP race, Francisco Alvarez ’s minor league reset (and subsequent injury), a Kyle Tucker slump/injury update, the hot hitting of Giancarlo Stanton and Jakob Marsee , the Twins’ new knuckleballer, Pierson Ohl , and the ramifications of MLB’s impending deal with ESPN (and other broadcast partners), followed by (1:19:16) listener emails about a baserunne...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about torpedo bats (remember them?), Cody Bellinger ’s good year and confounding career, recent comments by Craig Counsell and Aaron Boone, the impending call-up of Bubba Chandler and the recent arrival of Owen Caissie , the weirdest things about being a pro baseball player, a zombie-runner-induced ending to a pitcher’s duel, and Alien: Earth as a baseball show. Audio intro : Philip Bergman, “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Audio outro : Alex Glossman and Ali Brenem...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the commissioner’s power to dictate conversations about baseball, realignment possibilities, whether league distinctions still matter, how much they have to banter about, Victor Robles’ s bat throw and suspension, the latest Tommy Pham flare-up, a Ketel Marte controversy, the Brewers, the Blue Jays, and what teams’ styles of play represent, a two-pitch inning, the promotion of Samuel Basallo and the Orioles’ future at catcher, Zack Wheeler’ s injury and ...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether any of the teams that sold at the trade deadline can make an improbable playoff run, whether the Dodgers’ position in the playoff race refutes or confirms preseason fears about their advantages, and the accelerating splintering of sports broadcasts (MLB on the Poob tube!), then answer emails (41:40) about Roman Anthony ’s OBP, driving/batting in runs with walks, and Juan Soto vs. players traded for him, before (1:03:34) talking to FanGraphs found...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the bounceback season of Trevor Rogers , the NL Cy Young race, career achievement awards, observations from a Shohei Ohtani start, the NL West race, and the significance of the Pohlads’ decision not to sell the Twins. Then (42:36) they answer listener emails about check-swing appeals, how the changing media landscape could affect fandom, streak freezes, when a game is tied, scattering hits, walk-away wins, Red Sox pain vs. Yankees pain, Toronto’s run dif...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a few of this year’s WAR leaders dropping off their previous paces, Dave Roberts’ critiques of Shohei Ohtani , the Dodgers’ playoff pitching, Clayton Kershaw vs. Max Scherzer , Justin Verlander’ s self-deception, the early hot streaks of Luke Keaschall and Warming Bernabel , Carlos Correa returning to form as an Astro, the AL West race, Brandon Woodruff and the Brewers, alumni home run derbies, Josh Naylor’ s low-speed stealing, Luis Arraez ’s batting av...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether Mike Trout has become a boring baseball player, Paul Skenes almost perfectly replicating his sensational rookie season, and recent trends in pre-arb extensions, answer a listener email (57:39) about becoming a fan of the whole league instead of (or in addition to) one team, and (1:14:49) meet major leaguers Josh Simpson and Dugan Darnell . Audio intro : Xavier LeBlanc, “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Audio outro : Justin Peters, “ Effectively Wild The...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Marlins’ winning record against the Yankees, Ty Cobb and Kyle Stowers , the Blue Jays’ demolition of the Rockies, pocket pancakes, and more. Then (38:19) they answer listener emails about a CBT exemption for World Series winners, celebrations in the pitch clock era, nonpartisan bullpens, a humorous shirsey, batter no-outers, and September roster expansion, plus Stat Blasts (1:26:50) about extreme ball/strike throwers, road-only HR hitters, no-walkoff...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about umpire Jen Pawol’s promotion to the majors, whether the MLB Speedway Classic lived up to its name, Nathan Eovaldi’ s Gibsonian season, another big blow to the practice of pitcher hitting, a “breakout” question, an optimistic Twins take, the Yankees’ concerning (to Yankees fans) slide, Roman Anthony’ s extension, whether MLB’s playoff picture is boring, Andrew Vaughn ’s hot hitting, and the accuracy of a baseball scene on The Gilded Age . Audio intro : Ia...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about where they stand on two competing perceptions of this year’s trade deadline activity and why it turned out not to be a dudline, then discuss all the major storylines—including A.J. Preller’s all-in antics, the Twins’ teardown, Carlos Correa ’s Houston reunion, and the closer carousel—before going through moves on a team-by-team basis to offer critiques and praise. Audio intro : Daniel Leckie, “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Audio outro : The Shirey Brothers, ...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about how the expanded playoffs may suppress trade activity and, prompted by the passing of Ryne Sandberg , the factors that can make a player punch above their weight from a popularity perspective. Then (31:47) they answer listener emails about triples hitting, Bryce Harper vs. José Ramírez , the effect of gray hairs on free agency, football body comps for baseball players, “first half” vs. “second half,” change-of-scenery candidates, perfection for hitters, ...
Well, almost nothin’. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ichiro Suzuki’ s Cooperstown induction, Nick Kurtz’ s four-homer game, Aaron Judge’ s injury (and Cal Raleigh’ s MVP candidacy), Bryce Harper’ s showdown with Rob Manfred, Emmanuel Clase ’s implication in baseball’s brewing pitch-fixing scandal, Royals, Tigers, Braves, and Yankees trades, and the unsettled standings. Audio intro : Jimmy Kramer, “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Audio outro : Philip Bergman, “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Link ...
Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Ben Clemens banter about the FanGraphs crowdsourced trade value tool, the Josh Naylor , Ryan McMahon , and Gregory Soto trades, the outlook for Eugenio Suárez , the fascinating Spencer Jones , and the lack of production by MLB rookies this season, then (58:30) discuss Other Ben’s player rankings for the fourth annual trade value series (plus a Nick Kurtz update). Audio intro : Cory Brent, “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Audio outro : Guy Russo, “ Effectively Wild Theme ...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the long-awaited baseball events that occurred during Ben’s brief vacation, highlighted by Rich Hill’ s return to the majors. They also discuss developments involving other quadragenarian pitchers, provide an update on their “2025 in 2025” Patreon campaign, and consider Bryan Woo ’s parents’ dedication to attending all of his starts, additional aspects of the Brewers’ success, the Angels’ lack of rotation turnover, Myles Straw vs. Roki Sasaki , and an es...
Meg Rowley and guest co-host Michael Baumann discuss the Brewers’ recent win streak, what’s contributing to their success, and the general state of the National League playoff field and what it might mean for the trade deadline. Then they consider the worst ways to lose (and win) a baseball game on the back of the Phillies’ walk-off no-swing catcher’s interference versus the Red Sox and discuss the merits of various sauces. Lastly, in response to a listener email, they contemplating what, if any...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a rare prediction by Ben, related to two players who were recently swapped by the Pirates and Royals, Adam Frazier and Cam Devanney . Then (13:52) they mark the podcast’s 13th birthday and launch a “2025 in 2025” plea for Patreon support before (24:19) discussing several of the most intriguing storylines of the rest of the season. After that (1:11:35), they wrap up with listener emails about non-MLB Home Run Derby prospects and the Royals’ perfect pitch-...
Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and FanGraphs lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen discuss the lows and highs of the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game and swing-off, plus banter about beef boys, Blooper, kissing, and the timing of the All-Star break, then (1:03:40) recap the amateur draft, touching on the selection of Eli Willits first overall, first-round risers/fallers, teams that had the best drafts, the latest Holliday (Ethan), the Twins’ extremely tall pitcher Jason Reitz , Boston’s Marcus ...
Ben Lindbergh and Davy Andrews banter about Meg’s absence, Byron Buxton , Kyle Stowers , and an Orioles/Marlins surprise, the backlash to Jacob Misiorowski’ s All-Star selection, the status of the All-Star game and whether All-Star designations need to change, All-Star/Home Run Derby excitement and the merits of several unsung (or undersung) All-Stars and non-All-Stars, a hypothetical about mystery All-Stars, Shohei Ohtani ’s pitching progression, and more. Audio intro : Liz Panella, “ Effective...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Blooper, the All-Star-Game-hosting Braves’ flagging fortunes, the pre-deadline trade market, the simultaneous surges of Ceddanne Rafaela and Pete Crow-Armstrong , the performances of old pitchers Charlie Morton , Clayton Kershaw , and Justin Verlander , and the death and legacy of Lee Elia , then (1:01:44) share several Stat Blasts about players who were All-Stars in their worst seasons, teams with reverse records against good/bad opponents, Billy McKinn...
This episode explores the Royals' rotation battle between veteran lefties Rich Hill and Dallas Keuchel, contemplating motivation and stagnation in minor league careers. The hosts then celebrate Jose Ramirez's underappreciated consistency and Hall of Fame trajectory, attributing his lower profile to his all-around skill rather than flashy stats. The mailbag segment covers a wide array of topics, including the optimal timing for GM firings, the intricacies of baseball operations hiring, the debate around All-Star recognition for elite defenders, and a humorous yet analytical discussion on hypothetical teams composed entirely of cloned star players like Aaron Judge or Zack Wheeler. Further listener questions delve into the subtle effects of moving the pitching mound, the semantic distinction between "counting" and "accumulating" stats, proposed MLB concussion protocol changes, and the rare but severe consequences of unsuccessful surgeries. The Stat Blast portion unpacks the history of multi-team trades, the rarity and effectiveness of left-handed position player pitchers, unusual home run plays, and the surprising financial impact of intentionally throwing a ball. The episode concludes with a heartwarming plea for kitten adoptions and a final statistical update.
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Brandon Woodruff and the minor medical miracle of players returning from significant injuries to be big leaguers again, the likelihood of players becoming or repeating as all-stars, Clayton Kershaw as an honorary all-star, the end (for now) of the Pete Alonso Home Run Derby era and the Derby’s new blood, the Nationals firing their POBO and manager a week before picking first in the draft, new Statcast catcher-stance data, and the Blue Jays unseating the ...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Paul Skenes ’s new interest, Clayton Kershaw and the evolution of 3,000-strikeout celebrations, and the deepening deadball era in Japan. After that (24:37), frequent Stat Blast Correspondent Ryan Nelson joins to discuss why there have been so many team shutouts this season and then deliver several Stat Blasts, followed (1:02:56) by postscript updates. Audio intro : Andy Ellison, “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Audio outro : Grant Brisbee, “ Effectively Wild T...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about how many members of the All-Star Celebrity Softball Game roster they have heard of, honorary all-stars, and velocity spikes preceding arm injuries, then discuss an investigation concerning possible pitch-fixing by Luis L. Ortiz , a federal civil rights complaint about the Dodgers’ DEI policies, and Rob Manfred’s pitch to players in advance of CBA discussions. Audio intro : Jonathan Crymes, “ Effectively Wild Theme ” Audio outro : Gabriel-Ernest, “ Effect...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the return of Richard Lovelady , the MLB season debut of knuckleballer Matt Waldron , the superlative Zack Wheeler , how other knuckleballers in baseball are faring, Rich Hill’ s wait for a call-up, Shohei Ohtani vs. Vinnie Pasquantino , Jacob Misiorowski and the leaguewide rise in pitcher extension, James Wood’ s four intentional walks in one game (and the Angels’ outlier IBB total), MLB’s strikeout plateau (or reversal), Luis Arraez ’s pursuit of conta...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Kutter Crawford’ s mysterious wrist accident, then discuss Wander Franco ’s conviction (14:58) and Walker Monfort’s promotion (19:57) before checking in (33:36) on the players and teams on pace to overperform or underperform their preseason projections the most at the precise halfway point of the season. Finally (1:12:44), they answer listener emails about “secret teams” in MLB, throwback, quiet games at the ballpark, and Denzel Clarke . Audio intro : Jo...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Dicky, er, Richard Lovelady’ s short tenure with the Mets, round one of Paul Skenes vs. Jacob Misiorowski , the nature of modern pitcher’s duels, a Jacob-related fun fact, updates on Juan Soto and Jo Adell , revisiting childhood favorites through the lens of advanced stats, and public funding for the Diamondbacks, then (47:14) discuss fans crossing the line, player reprisals, and (1:08:07) Fernando Tatis Jr. suing Big League Advance. Audio intro : The Ga...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Richard Lovelady’ s qualified embrace of the nickname “Dicky,” the return of players named “Otto” to the major leagues, Denzel Clarke’ s increasingly extreme offense-defense divide, Cal Raleigh’ s records (and MVP) pursuit, Bryan Woo as Seattle’s starting stalwart, the underrated Eugenio Suárez , Byron Buxton’ s success, the loudness of Yankee Stadium (and MLB ballparks in general), Jazz Chisholm Jr. ’s shoeless sprint, the Phillies’ tandem slide, the de...
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Tommy Kahnle’ s postgame shaving ritual, Hunter Bigge ’s close call and danger from foul balls, Padres vs. Dodgers as baseball’s best rivalry, and a lost opportunity for a Tarik Skubal vs. Paul Skenes matchup, then (58:23) answer listener emails about the most influential owner of the century, the definition of an inside pitch, full-count pickoff attempts with two outs, a possible sliding-mitt drawback, and real baseball with fantasy scoring. Audio intro...
