Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the qualifications for being a superstar, the Kyle Tucker trade from the Astros’ and Cubs’ perspectives, the Devin Williams trade from the Yankees’ and Brewers’ perspectives, and various other transactions, including the A’s trading for Jeffrey Springs and the Orioles signing Tomoyuki Sugano, plus thoughts on Caleb Durbin’s dimensions, the significance of financial terms in transaction analysis, a possible spending divide stemming from a disparity in TV revenue, and Rob Manfred on restoring the starter.

Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Joe Sheehan Newsletter
Link to FG post on Tucker trade
Link to Rome on Tucker
Link to FG post on Williams trade
Link to Durbin photo
Link to FG post on Springs trade
Link to Pride Night story
Link to FG payrolls page
Link to Patrick’s post
Link to Manfred’s comments
Link to trial balloon wiki
Link to Langs tweet
Link to “Cody’s Only”
Link to “Superstar”
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the end of the Winter Meetings, then discuss the rest of what down in Dallas: the Max Fried signing and where the Yankees roster stands, the Garrett Crochet trade, referring to a single player as a “Red Sox,” the Andrés Giménez (and Spencer Horwitz) trades, the Rangers re-signing Nathan Eovaldi and trading for Jake Burger, the Nationals landing the no. 1 overall pick in the draft lottery, Washington’s pitching development philosophy, the saga of Braggo Roth, and more, plus a few postscript updates.

Audio intro: Jimmy Kramer, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Dan S. on Fried
Link to Jaffe on Fried
Link to Clemens on Crochet
Link to Passan tweet
Link to Clemens on Giménez
Link to team DRS
Link to team FRV
Link to Longenhagen on Giménez
Link to Baumann on García
Link to Andrews on Eovaldi
Link to Baumann on Burger
Link to payrolls page
Link to Rule 5 reports
Link to Rizzo quote
Link to Nats spring sign
Link to Nats preview pod
Link to 2023 team Stuff+
Link to 2024 team Stuff+
Link to team fastball velo
Link to team pitching WAR
Link to Braggo bio
Link to Braggo wiki
Link to A’s and Fried
Link to Sheehan on Crochet
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Roki Sasaki’s destination, follow up on their previous discussion of the Juan Soto signing, and discuss several more transactions, including the Giants signing Willy Adames, multiple Dodgers and Orioles moves, and a trio of starting-pitcher signings, plus reactions to the Hall of Fame elections of Dick Allen and Dave Parker, and FanGraphs Walk-Off talk.

Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Wolfe’s comments
Link to seasons explainer
Link to FG post on Adames
Link to FG on Adames splits
Link to Passan on Adames
Link to over/under draft results
Link to Passan on Adames
Link to Keltner list
Link to Zaidi report
Link to Posey profile
Link to Ben on ex-player execs
Link to Posey hirings
Link to Melvin on bunting
Link to FG post on the Dodgers
Link to FG post on the Orioles
Link to FG post on Holmes
Link to Petriello on conversions
Link to FG post on Bieber
Link to FG post on Romano
Link to MLBTR on Cobb
Link to MLBTR on Baumann
Link to Baumann on EW
Link to MLBTR on Cobb
Link to Jay on Allen/Parker
Link to Allen shirt
Link to FG Walk-Off
Link to Ben on Piazza
Link to EW gift subscriptions

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss all the aspects of Juan Soto signing a record-breaking contract with the New York Mets. That’s it. That’s the episode.

Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)”
Audio outro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Dan S. on Soto
Link to Ben C. on Soto
Link to Kram on Soto
Link to Passan on Soto
Link to The Athletic on Soto
Link to Heyman on Soto
Link to MLBTR on Soto
Link to FG Soto stats post
Link to OBP+ leaders
Link to OBP+ through 26
Link to payrolls page
Link to Friedman quote
Link to EW gift subscriptions
Link to Secret Santa sign-up form

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a Tigers tweet about future first-pitch timing and other non-topical PSAs, provide a Secret Santa sign-up reminder, consider baseball authority figures who answer fan mail, discuss the impact that the changing economic landscape of college sports could have on MLB drafting and development, react to Danny Jansen’s deal with the Rays, and answer a question about defining “division rivals,” then (57:10) bring on Michael Mountain to Stat Blast about his new Wins Above Average-based Hall of Fame metric, BOOG, plus updates.

Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2”
Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Tigers tweet
Link to Monfort email 1
Link to Monfort email 2
Link to Manfred email
Link to Manfred autograph 1
Link to Manfred autograph 2
Link to Manfred autograph 3
Link to Manfred autograph 4
Link to Selig email quote
Link to Updike quote
Link to NIL Athletic article
Link to MLBTR on Jansen
Link to tweet about Jansen
Link to Tango Bluesky post
Link to Tango blog post
Link to Michael’s Stat Blast cover
Link to HoF pace for hitters
Link to HOF pace for pitchers
Link to tiered HOF by BOOG score
Link to BOOG graphs site
Link to MLBTR on Holmes
Link to MLBTR on Bieber
Link to MLBTR top 50 FA
Link to over/under draft score
Link to ABA article
Link to Manfred backtrack
Link to EW gift subscriptions
Link to Secret Santa sign-up form

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the A’s signing Luis Severino and year-end podcast-listening stats, follow up on the golden at-bat and Hall of Fame plaques, and (1:07:46) discuss the history of deferred payments in sports contracts.

Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG post on Severino
Link to over/under draft results
Link to Gonzalez A’s tweet
Link to Passan spending tweet
Link to FG payrolls page
Link to Pesäpallo episode
Link to The Athletic’s Soto report
Link to Manfred and Stugotz
Link to non-Gandhi quote
Link to Russell on the golden AB
Link to golden thong story
Link to listener emails database
Link to plaque variations
Link to story on Jackie’s plaque
Link to AP on the Dodgers
Link to Dolgoff plan info 1
Link to Dolgoff plan info 2
Link to Ard interview
Link to ABA article
Link to “Sutter Day” on EW
Link to Sutter article
Link to Turner censure article
Link to reaping/sowing tweet
Link to Hunter article 1
Link to Hunter article 2
Link to Hunter article 3
Link to Hunter article 4
Link to Hunter article 5
Link to Hunter article 6
Link to 1981 article
Link to Rice article
Link to 2013 deferrals story
Link to EW gift subscriptions
Link to Secret Santa sign-up form

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about their obliviousness to Juan Soto signing rumors, what should count as a team claiming to have tried to sign someone, a rash of recent real signings, the strength of the free agent market so far, the Dodgers’ accounting tactics and misperceptions about deferrals, the decline in therapeutic use exemptions to MLB’s joint drug policy, and (44:17) the pros and cons of the controversial “golden at-bat” idea that was recently mooted by Rob Manfred.

Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Passan’s Soto tweet
Link to MLBTR’s Soto stories
Link to The Athletic’s Soto report
Link to MLBTR’s top 50 FA
Link to FG’s top 50 FA
Link to We Tried Tracker post 1
Link to We Tried Tracker post 2
Link to We Tried Tracker
Link to FG post on Montas
Link to FG post on Boyd
Link to Cubs spending rumor
Link to FG post on Higashioka
Link to FG post on Edman
Link to Becker on Snell
Link to Becker on Edman
Link to 2009 TUE story
Link to 2016 TUE story
Link to Russell on TUEs
Link to 2024 testing stats
Link to Bluesky bot
Link to pudding expression
Link to Delilah wiki
Link to Manfred pod appearance
Link to Stark article
Link to Bananas rule
Link to EW gift subscriptions
Link to Secret Santa sign-up form

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a Nolan Arenado rumor, then (5:15) answer listener emails about fandoms that are overrepresented in baseball media, Formula 1-style “pay players” in MLB, whether players should be paid overtime for the postseason, whether MLB will ever classify foreign leagues as “major,” a Disney Channel baseball scene, fan-elected baseball executives, and (1:14:13) a player (Earl Pruess) with a mysterious nickname, followed by a bonus Stat Blast (1:24:02) about the typical tenures of sports leagues commissioners and Supreme Court justices.

Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to MLBTR on Arenado
Link to Arenado Athletic report
Link to Dave’s USSM letter
Link to MLBTR on the letter
Link to “pay drivers” article
Link to NBA prize money
Link to Dodgers postseason pool
Link to Ben on league reclassification 1
Link to Ben on league reclassification 2
Link to Suite Life scene
Link to Suite Life episode
Link to spectator interference rule
Link to Veeck’s fanagers
Link to “Gibby” nicknames
Link to Pruess post
Link to Pruess TSN card
Link to Pruess signing article
Link to Pruess gambling article
Link to Pruess documents
Link to Pruess autograph 1
Link to Pruess autograph 2
Link to Pruess autograph 3
Link to Pruess obit
Link to younger Pruess obit
Link to listener emails database
Link to EW commissioners discussion
Link to Stat Blast spreadsheet
Link to latest HUAL episode
Link to EW gift subscriptions
Link to Secret Santa sign-up form

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley begin with a cold-open reaction to late-breaking news about Blake Snell signing with the Dodgers, then (19:52) banter about gift subscriptions, the Angels signing Yusei Kikuchi, and the Brady Singer–Jonathan India trade, follow up (46:58) on the Rays stadium situation, and, in the Thanksgiving spirit, discuss (56:59) things about baseball that they’re thankful for.

Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Dan S. on the Snell signing
Link to MLBTR on Snell
Link to Dodgers depth chart
Link to team payroll page
Link to team attendance page
Link to FG gift subscriptions
Link to EW gift subscriptions
Link to FG on Kikuchi
Link to FG on Singer/India
Link to Royals lineup splits
Link to Rays update
Link to Rays ballpark letter
Link to article about players chewing
Link to fun things drafts
Link to Secret Santa sign-up form

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Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, Ben Clemens, Michael Baumann, and podcast scorekeeper Chris Hanel convene to play “College Baseball Player or Fictional Republican Politician?” and reveal the victors of the 2024 minor league free agent draft and bold preseason predictions game, including recaps of each prediction.

Audio intro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to minor league FA draft pod
Link to draft wiki
Link to past draft research
Link to 2024 bold predictions pod
Link to 2024 bold predictions wiki
Link to 2023 predictions recap
Link to preseason predictions wiki
Link to drafts/competitions sheet
Link to “WDJDD?” song
Link to Ohtani scrum count
Link to EW guests spreadsheet
Link to Baumann on 300 Ks
Link to Chris’s website
Link to Support Class
Link to Patreon gift subs
Link to Secret Santa sign-up form

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about how much Shohei Ohtani’s teammates helped him win his third MVP award, his incredible four-season stretch, whether Dekopin/Decoy is really his dog, the other MVP and Cy Young results, a Joey Meneses signing, Austin Slater and the virtues of being a team’s “top target,” the Rays’ confounding stadium […]