Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Pete Alonso’s huge homer off of Devin Williams, the chaos and colorful characters surrounding the Mets, the difficulty of counting the qualifiers in an Alonso fun fact, Alonso’s free agency, the compelling nature of the Division Series matchups, previews of each series, the front-office shake-ups of the Cardinals and Giants, the Reds hiring Terry Francona and the state of the Selig Rule, Triple Tommy John surgery, how uncertainty about broadcast deals could affect free agency, heartening MLB attendance, TV ratings, and fan age info, and the origins, evolution, and import of the pitching triple crown.

Audio intro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG playoff coverage
Link to episode about Ben’s mom 1
Link to episode about Ben’s mom 2
Link to Alonso homer
Link to Alonso fun fact
Link to Howie Rose call
Link to Citi Field crowd reaction
Link to bar crowd reaction
Link to Bowling Alone wiki
Link to lowest career ERA-
Link to lowest career FIP-
Link to Williams injury article
Link to MLBTR on Alonso 1
Link to MLBTR on Alonso 2
Link to Ben on post-pennant turnover 1
Link to Ben on post-pennant turnover 2
Link to Winker/Adames video
Link to Winker helmet slam
Link to Austin Powers mole scene
Link to cWPA numbers
Link to Mets good-luck-charm explainer
Link to Mets and Hawk Tuah info
Link to Pitbull remix info
Link to info on Mendoza and Díaz
Link to Division Series projections
Link to Guardians-Tigers preview
Link to Yankees-Royals preview
Link to Phillies-Mets preview
Link to Dodgers-Padres preview
Link to MLBTR on Levine
Link to Woo on Cardinals PD problems
Link to Woo on Cardinals changes
Link to Baggarly on Posey
Link to MLBTR on Putila
Link to Ben on ex-player GMs
Link to Posey’s 2023 comments
Link to Johnson Selig Rule comment
Link to MLBTR on Francona
Link to Wilson Selig Rule episode
Link to MLB.com on the Selig Rule
Link to Taylor on manager diversity
Link to TJ3 introduction
Link to TJ3 comparison
Link to TJ3 tease tweet
Link to The Onion blades article
Link to ElAttrache New Yorker profile
Link to Diamond Sports Group article
Link to MLB attendance press release
Link to Skubal triple crown article
Link to triple crown wiki
Link to triple crown dictionary definition
Link to pitching triple crown article 1
Link to pitching triple crown article 2
Link to pitching triple crown article 3
Link to pitching triple crown article 4
Link to pitching triple crown article 5
Link to pitching triple crown article 6
Link to pitching triple crown article 7
Link to pitching triple crown article 8
Link to pitching triple crown article 9
Link to pitching triple crown article 10
Link to pitching triple crown article 11

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about distracting digital and between-pitch ads and ever-present win probability graphs on playoff broadcasts, the concept of controlling your own destiny, Orlando Arcia hugging Manny Machado, consternation about postseason small samples, Monday’s memorable Mets-Braves doubleheader, Carlos Mendoza’s Edwin Díaz decision, the most compelling postseason storylines, the early exits of the Orioles, Astros, and Braves, the futures of the Orioles and Tigers, MLB’s uniform fixes, Ken Kendrick’s comments about Jordan Montgomery, and the legacy of Pete Rose, plus a postscript (1:49:38).

Audio intro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: The Gagnés, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to FG playoff coverage
Link to Arcia clip
Link to Arcia FB post
Link to Arcia tweets
Link to Ben on 2024 upsets
Link to Díaz quotes
Link to Harvey quotes
Link to September bullpen FIPs
Link to Ghiroli on the O’s
Link to Elias on the payroll
Link to bold preseason predictions
Link to Ben on Sale in 2018
Link to Hinch quote
Link to uniform news
Link to Kendrick/Hazen comments
Link to Just For Men ad
Link to Ben on Rose
Link to Jay on Rose
Link to Drellich on Rose statements
Link to Rose tributes
Link to Alonso fun fact
Link to Iglesias prediction
Link to d’Arnaud homer
Link to bouncing tweet 1
Link to bouncing tweet 2
Link to bouncing tweet 3
Link to bouncing tweet 4
Link to bouncing tweet 5
Link to baseball bouncing tweet
Link to mondegreen wiki
Link to eggcorn wiki
Link to eggcorn origin
Link to Zimmer on eggcorns
Link to eggcorn database

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In (dis)honor of the 2024 White Sox displacing the 1962 Mets atop the modern-era single-season losses leaderboard, Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, FanGraphs’ Ben Clemens, and Yahoo Sports’s Jordan Shusterman conduct a draft of facts and stats about this record-setting Sox season, scored by Sox Machine White Sox reporter James Fegan, who also describes covering the team’s disastrous play.

Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to MLB.com on loss 121
Link to Reinsdorf letter
Link to EW Episode 762
Link to EW Episode 1730
Link to Sox season preview pod
Link to worst team hitter WAR
Link to CBS on Sox stats
Link to ESPN on Sox stats
Link to FG payroll page
Link to list of worst records
Link to Sox splits
Link to Getz on Sox last year
Link to Getz on Sox this year
Link to Sox WAR leaderboard
Link to Sox booing 1
Link to Sox booing 2
Link to Sox booing 3
Link to BaseRuns standings
Link to losing streak fact
Link to 2023 FG Sox post
Link to Baumann on 121
Link to The Athletic deep dive
Link to ESPN deep dive
Link to qualified Sox hitters
Link to worst qualified hitters
Link to team OBP laggards
Link to team OBP+ laggards
Link to MLBTR on Zaidi/Posey
Link to MLBTR on Mozeliak/Bloom
Link to uniforms changes
Link to ESPN Rose obit
Link to Washington comments
Link to EW preseason predictions
Link to EW 2163 Stat Blast
Link to Ruiz save game
Link to GF w/o a save leaders

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the 50th anniversary of the first Tommy John surgery and how baseball would be different if the procedure had never been pioneered, then (15:14) preview the 2024 postseason by pinpointing the biggest strength and weakness of each AL (21:40) and NL (1:00:17) playoff team.

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

Link to TJ 50th anniversary info
Link to John anniversary interview
Link to risk compensation wiki
Link to FG WS odds
Link to Ben C.’s AL difference makers
Link to Ben C.’s NL difference makers
Link to long Judge video
Link to team SP projections
Link to team RP projections
Link to Ben L. on Sale in 2018
Link to Sports Night clip

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about MLB’s oddly extended YouTube highlight videos, the league’s handling of a crucial, rained-out Mets/Brave series, the zombie runner rearing its ugly head in games with playoff implications, teams that are well-positioned for an especially free-for-all October, Emmanuel Clase’s Cy case, the value of top position players vs. top pitchers, and the Pirates’ suspiciously timed ta-ta to Rowdy Tellez. Then (1:02:42) they talk to The Athletic’s Melissa Lockard about the Athletics’ last series in Oakland, the future of the franchise and its fans, the Coliseum’s charms, John Fisher’s inflammatory letter, and much more.

Audio intro: Dave Armstrong and Mike Murray, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to MLB YouTube videos
Link to MLB YouTube Shorts
Link to long triple play video
Link to short triple play vid 1
Link to short triple play vid 2
Link to long Ohtani video
Link to long Judge video
Link to Harris quote
Link to NY Post on postponed series
Link to MLB.com on postponed series
Link to Royals zombie-runner win
Link to team offense in September
Link to Dan S. on playoff predictions
Link to Dan’s post last year
Link to Dan on playoffs crapshoots
Link to Ben on playoffs crapshoots
Link to team pitching WAR leaders
Link to team bullpen WPA leaders
Link to lowest RP ERAs
Link to Cleveland’s clinch
Link to Tango on reliever voting
Link to Epstein on reliever voting
Link to single-season pitcher WPA leaders
Link to pitcher cWPA
Link to hitter cWPA
Link to Ben on Britton
Link to top hitter/pitcher data
Link to MLBTR on Tellez
Link to Shelton quote
Link to Cherington quote
Link to Tellez incentives
Link to Tellez splits
Link to best Pirates hitters since June
Link to Defector on Tellez
Link to MLBTR on A’s and Andrus
Link to Allen’s Oakland WAR ranking
Link to best MLB hitters since June
Link to A’s preview episode
Link to Melissa on the A’s
Link to Melissa on the Roots
Link to Rooker rendering
Link to Portland ballpark news
Link to EW Ballers interview
Link to Dan Moore on the Ballers
Link to Fisher letter
Link to Moore on the A’s
Link to Moore on A’s fans
Link to Carig on the A’s
Link to Keown on the A’s

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s return from vacation, Corbin Burnes’s cutter comeback, the demotion of CJ Abrams, the no-longer-dynamic duo of Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, the firing of Reds manager David Bell, the Tigers promoting Jackson Jobe, Shota Imanaga’s post-NPB performance, teams refusing to use injuries as an excuse, Charlie Blackmon’s career and home-road splits, Matt Chapman’s long, non-homer hits, and whether to discount Shohei Ohtani’s power-speed exploits for 2024’s scoring environment.

Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)”
Audio outro: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Orr on Burnes
Link to Kostka on Burnes
Link to Burnes monthly splits
Link to Burnes at Brooks Baseball
Link to ESPN on Abrams
Link to Abrams monthly splits
Link to Verlander update
Link to Scherzer update
Link to 44/60 aging study
Link to MLBTR on Bell
Link to AP on Bell
Link to FG on Bell
Link to Bell ejections story
Link to 2023 BaseRuns records
Link to 2024 BaseRuns records
Link to Reds offseason review
Link to projected record changes
Link to MLB.com on Jobe
Link to BP on Jobe
Link to Jobe/Price story
Link to Sussman on Imanaga
Link to DeltaGraphs
Link to “no excuse” quote
Link to BP IL Ledger
Link to MLBTR on Blackmon
Link to Blackmon home/road splits
Link to biggest splits (OPS points)
Link to biggest splits (%)
Link to Coors hangover article 1
Link to Coors hangover article 2
Link to Coors hangover article 3
Link to Coors hangover article 4
Link to Coors hangover article 5
Link to Rockies road pre-2020
Link to Rockies home pre-2020
Link to Rockies road post-2020
Link to Rockies home post-2020
Link to non-Rockies road post-2020
Link to non-Rockies home post-2020
Link to Blackmon road pre-2020
Link to Blackmon home pre-2020
Link to Blackmon road post-2020
Link to Blackmon home post-2020
Link to Chapman homer
Link to Chapman game story
Link to non-HR distance leaderboard
Link to Jason Bernard’s Twitter
Link to latest HUAL
Link to highest one-game RE24
Link to RE24 glossary
Link to power-speed number wiki
Link to power-speed number by year
Link to adj. power-speed leaders 1
Link to adj. power-speed leaders 2
Link to adj. power-speed data 2
Link to adj. power-speed leaders 3
Link to adj. power-speed data 3
Link to Ken Williams history
Link to 1920s hitter WAR leaders
Link to Superman hair info
Link to EW on sliding
Link to SIS sliding story
Link to 2018 Angels sliding story
Link to Bud Black video

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Ben Lindbergh and FanGraphs’ Ben Clemens dissect the glorious game in which Shohei Ohtani founded the 50-50 and 51-51 Clubs, Ohtani’s most awe-inspiring feats, and his future, followed (29:51) by banter about the state of defensive stats, the mystery of Salvador Perez’s swing decisions, questionable kudos for Bud Black, whether Victor Robles made the worst steal attempt of all time, and MLB’s Players of the Game. Then (1:19:55) Ben talks to trailblazing journalist Melissa Ludtke, author of Locker Room Talk: A Woman’s Struggle to Get Inside, about the landmark 1970s Ludtke v. Kuhn case that opened MLB team clubhouses to women.

Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes 2, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Ben C. on Ohtani
Link to Ohtani highlights
Link to Ohtani single-game stats
Link to Mookie quote
Link to study on exit velo
Link to Lebron tweet
Link to power/speed number wiki
Link to most Total Bases
Link to 50-homer seasons
Link to 70-steal seasons
Link to Sheehan on Shohei
Link to Ben C. on Ohtani odds
Link to various Ohtani fun facts
Link to OptaSTATS fun fact
Link to Terminator 2 quote
Link to Tango on defensive stats
Link to Judge on defensive stats
Link to BP DRP
Link to previous Salvy EW discussion
Link to Sarris on not swinging
Link to Choi on not swinging
Link to SEAGER explainer
Link to latest SEAGER article
Link to SEAGER leaderboards
Link to SwRV explainer
Link to more on SwRV
Link to PLV explainer
Link to PLV swing decisions
Link to Robert Orr’s Twitter
Link to Drew Haugen’s Twitter
Link to Kyle Bland’s Twitter
Link to Bud Black tweet
Link to Black’s manager page
Link to Rockies managers page
Link to Leyland Rockies wiki
Link to Ben on pitching coaches
Link to Julio/Arozarena play
Link to Julio/Arozarena article
Link to Andrews on Robles
Link to Baumann on Robles
Link to AP on Robles
Link to Robles video clip
Link to Ryan Nelson’s Twitter
Link to Ryan’s stealing-home data
Link to 2023 post on stealing home
Link to 2020 “steal”
Link to MLB Player of the Game
Link to FG Player of the Game
Link to Melissa and Cosell
Link to Locker Room Talk
Link to Constance Baker Motley wiki
Link to Constance Baker Motley book
Link to Ludtke v. Kuhn decision
Link to Angell’s New Yorker feature
Link to Angell centennial EW episode
Link to Emma at SI on Melissa
Link to Melissa on Melissa
Link to Melissa’s TEDx talk
Link to Melissa’s website

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In a bonus EW episode, Ben Lindbergh talks to screenwriter and former editor-in-chief of The Onion Robert Siegel about his classic Onion opinion piece, “In My Day, Ballplayers Were For Shit,” how The Onion used to approach sports coverage, the importance of headlines and stock photos, satirizing baseball vs. satirizing other sports, why The Onion hasn’t lost its fastball, and more, plus (55:53) a postscript.

Audio intro: Josh Busman, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to “In My Day” article
Link to “Take Me Out” song
Link to The Onion baseball archive
Link to Siegel’s IMDb
Link to Siegel’s wiki
Link to 2003 Yankees story
Link to Counsell story
Link to Brock AB story
Link to warehouse fire story
Link to “No Way to Prevent This”
Link to Congress/Capitol story
Link to Ripken story 1
Link to Ripken story 2
Link to Little Leaguer story
Link to T-ball headline
Link to Onion popularity story
Link to Our Dumb Century
Link to ODC archive
Link to “Heartbreaking” photo wiki
Link to Ben on Sloan
Link to Facebook favorites thread
Link to Reddit favorites thread
Link to NotGraphs favorites post
Link to Angell’s boyhood memories
Link to Ben on talent over time
Link to Ottavino claim
Link to Tungsten Arm article
Link to Dunne at Fanatics Fest
Link to Ben on Marvel stans
Link to Grantland on dying baseball
Link to SI on dying baseball
Link to Ohtani futures bet photo
Link to first-pitch injury
Link to Chourio prediction
Link to Holliday prediction
Link to Shania song
Link to Ryan’s Twitter thread
Link to CV wiki

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Ben Lindbergh and Joe Sheehan banter about high school, the persistent, befuddling allure of Craig Kimbrel, the Orioles’ recent struggles, the playoff-fumble potential of four teams that previously possessed 90-plus-percent playoff odds, their prediction philosophies, the potential for legislation to curb the excesses of sports betting, and what the surprise “retirement” of Adrian Wojnarowski says about the difference between baseball’s biggest newsbreakers and those of other sports, plus a postscript (1:16:30) about the history of hating intentional walks.

Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Gabriel-Ernest, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to JUG explainer 1
Link to JUG explainer 2
Link to Regis JUG Night
Link to Joe Sheehan Newsletter
Link to MLBTR on Kimbrel
Link to Jaffe on Kimbrel
Link to McCann clip
Link to Ben C. on the odds 1
Link to Ben C. on the odds 2
Link to 538 predictions check
Link to Silver on randomness
Link to Birnbaum on randomness
Link to Ben on postseason sweeps
Link to Chass on “digital dandy”
Link to Dan on “digital dandy”
Link to MLBPA lawsuit
Link to SAFE Bet Act info 1
Link to SAFE Bet Act info 2
Link to Slow Boring on sports betting
Link to Premier League ad ban
Link to Wrigley sportsbook article
Link to UK celebrity ad ban
Link to Craggs on sports betting
Link to Woj retirement tweet
Link to ESPN Woj news
Link to The Ringer on Woj
Link to Schefter quote
Link to Ben on newsbreaking
Link to insider scandals
Link to Sharpe apology
Link to Schumaker clip
Link to Abe Simpson clip
Link to A Game of Inches
Link to Strike Four
Link to Game of Inches on the IBB
Link to Posnanski on the IBB

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Ben Lindbergh and FanGraphs’ Dan Szymborski banter about Ben’s timing in respect to Declan Cronin’s homerless streak, the perils of podcasts, predictions, and regression to the mean, the White Sox cutting payroll and their projections for the rest of this season, next season, and beyond, Gerrit Cole’s ignominious intentional walk, Alex Cora’s seeming admission that the Red Sox threw at Aaron Judge, Farhan Zaidi’s future in San Francisco, Heliot Ramos’s historic splash hit, Mike Trout’s possible position change, the Dodgers’ injury-plagued pitching staff, and the breakout of Bowden Francis. Then (1:21:27) Ben talks to Tigers TV voice Jason Benetti about how Detroit has made a late run despite selling at the trade deadline, the franchise’s outlook, and Jason’s job change, plus a postscript (1:58:10).

Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio interstitial: Philip Bergman, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Grant Brisbee, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Cronin on EW
Link to Wood’s homer
Link to text from Cronin
Link to Leo’s Declan post
Link to White Sox payroll report
Link to Sox payroll page
Link to MLB payrolls
Link to Getz quotes
Link to playoff odds page
Link to BaseRuns records
Link to thread on Sox simulations
Link to Dan on outlier teams
Link to Tango on outlier teams
Link to Sox losses update
Link to 1916 A’s page
Link to Cole IBB story
Link to Dubuque on Cole
Link to Bello ball 1 to Judge 1
Link to Bello ball 2 to Judge
Link to Cora comments
Link to Post report on Cora
Link to later Cora report
Link to The Athletic on Chapman deal
Link to The Chronicle on Chapman deal
Link to Rosenthal on Zaidi
Link to Ben on ex-player GMs
Link to splash hits list
Link to MLB.com on Ramos HR
Link to Ramos Savant page
Link to Sam on splash hits 1
Link to Sam on splash hits 2
Link to Trout quotes
Link to 2018 Trout workout
Link to full-time-DH penalty
Link to Rosenthal on the Dodgers
Link to TJS data
Link to pitcher injury totals
Link to Rhoads on Twitter
Link to Dodgers depth chart
Link to Friedman’s comments
Link to Daugherty’s tweet
Link to Dan on innings eating
Link to Ben on innings eating
Link to BP on Francis
Link to Francis fun fact
Link to Francis FIP-WAR leaderboard
Link to Francis RA9-WAR leaderboard
Link to Late Heavy Bombardment wiki
Link to Dan on the zombie runner
Link to Rocky IV montage
Link to Rocky IV quote
Link to team records since 7/1
Link to team records since 7/30
Link to team records since 8/1
Link to RP WAR since 8/1
Link to SP innings since 8/1
Link to “Gnomes” wiki
Link to Space Mountain wiki
Link to plane boarding article
Link to Tigers trade activity
Link to Tigers pitcher usage article
Link to McGwire’s comments
Link to Jason’s podcast
Link to framing/cheating post
Link to Tony the Tiger wiki
Link to The Ringer-Verse
Link to Hang Up and Listen

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Ben Lindbergh and R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports debate whether Jackson Holliday, Jackson Chourio, or Jackson Merrill will be the best player long term, discuss the addition of ads to batting helmets and continued MLB ad creep, and ponder the possibility of publicly owned ballclubs. Then (55:52) Ben talks to Mojo Hill about covering Derek […]