Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Ben Clemens banter about the Astros signing Tatsuya Imai to a smaller-than-expected deal. Then (18:20) they continue a cherished podcast tradition by conducting the 13th annual Effectively Wild Minor League Free Agent Draft, in which they select 10 minor league free agents each and compete to see whose roster will accumulate the most combined MLB playing time in 2025 (followed by a postscript at 1:31:23). Audio intro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Guy Russo, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to guest appearances sheet Link to FG post on Imai Link to MLBTR on Imai Link to Feinsand tweet Link to The Athletic on Imai Link to minor league free agents Link to MLBTR on MiLB FA Link to last year’s draft Link to MiLB FA draft wiki Link to EWStats page Link to dynasty FA draft sheet Link to Brebbia on EW Link to MLBTR on Baddoo Link to 2025 MLB average SP Link to MiLB IP leaders Link to Can’t Hardly Wait scene Link to this year’s draftees Link to first Stathead query Link to second Stathead query Link to Boob McNutt Link to Mutt and Jeff Link to Gink and Boob Link to Bucco Bricks tweet Link to Lile’s Reddit response Link to MLB.com on Lile Link to car service jingles Link to Conjunction Junction Link to “certain point of view” scene Link to “Old Ben” clip Link to Slate on prediction markets Link to Bloomberg on prediction markets Link to Sporcle quiz Sponsor Us on Patreon Give a Gift Subscription Email Us: [email protected] Effectively Wild Subreddit Effectively Wild Wiki Apple Podcasts Feed Spotify Feed YouTube Playlist Facebook Group Bluesky Account Twitter Account Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the potential risk to sports prediction markets pose and then (24:00) discuss at least one listener-nominated topic about each American League team that wasn’t previously covered on the show in 2025. Audio intro: Justin Peters, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Ted O., “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLBTR on Rendon Link to Bloomberg on prediction markets Link to The Athletic on prediction markets Link to FoS on the Blackhawks Link to story about MLB memo Link to Slate on prediction markets Link to Slate on prediction markets 2 Link to Royals stadium story Link to 1922 article on Fowler Link to AL stories spreadsheet Link to Ella Black series Sponsor Us on Patreon Give a Gift Subscription Email Us: [email protected] Effectively Wild Subreddit Effectively Wild Wiki Apple Podcasts Feed Spotify Feed YouTube Playlist Facebook Group Bluesky Account Twitter Account Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a smattering of recent transactions and then (20:17) discuss at least one listener-nominated topic about each National League team that wasn’t previously covered on the podcast in 2025. Audio intro: Luke Lillard, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Sean .P, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to MLB.com on Soderstrom Link to MLBTR on Soderstrom Link to MLBTR on Refsnyder Link to The Athletic on Refsnyder Link to “the grink” tweet Link to Fowler SABR bio Link to 1925 article on Fowler Link to NL stories spreadsheet Sponsor Us on Patreon Give a Gift Subscription Email Us: [email protected] Effectively Wild Subreddit Effectively Wild Wiki Apple Podcasts Feed Spotify Feed YouTube Playlist Facebook Group Bluesky Account Twitter Account Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh talks to two pitchers who topped out at Triple-A in 2025, which was a demotion for one and a promotion for the other. First, he brings back Rangers pitcher Declan Cronin, the only major leaguer alum of Ben’s high school, to discuss a setback of a season that included a mysterious hip injury, compromised mechanics, diminished stuff, a cutthroat release and, finally, Tommy John surgery. Along the way, they cover the urge to play through injuries, joining the Rangers after being unceremoniously jettisoned by the Marlins, what tearing a UCL feels like, the incentives that lead to elbow problems, Declan’s plan to bounce back from a challenging year, MLB-NWSL romances, and competing with other players for wedding dates. Then (1:05:45), Ben talks to White Sox pitcher/sportswriter Duncan Davitt about becoming a journalist on the side, being on both ends of interviews, being blacked out of baseball broadcasts, the plight and importance of local media, his deceptive delivery, being traded and making a 40-man for the first time, what he has to do to earn a call-up, whether pitchers wear protective cups, and much more. Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme 2” Link to “TK” journalism term Link to MLBTR on Soderstrom Link to Regis High School wiki Link to Declan’s first pod appearance Link to Declan’s second pod appearance Link to article about baseball weddings Link to Declan t-shirt Link to MLBTR on Declan’s TJ Link to list of TJ surgeries Link to cascade injury article Link to MLBTR on Declan’s deal Link to team RP WPA Link to team RP WAR Link to staff page at Tread Link to Tyler Zombro wiki Link to Paige Monaghan wiki Link to Paige’s wedding post Link to Dansby/Mallory article Link to Peña/Grosso engagement Link to Duncan strikeout reel Link to Register feature on Duncan Link to Sox Machine feature on Duncan Link to Duncan’s wedding post Link to Rays prospect ranking Link to traded prospects ranking Link to minor league IP leaders Link to Ben on deception Link to Indianola IA website Link to Indianola wiki Link to J.D. Scholten appearance Link to Indianola IA sports page Link to Duncan’s boys’ basketball article Link to Duncan’s girls’ basketball article Link to Duncan on the offseason Link to Duncan on the trade Link to Duncan on the 40-man Link to Duncan on Triple-A Link to Duncan on big league belief Link to Laurila’s notes column Link to Ben on the gap in 2025 Link to Ben on the gap in 2015 Link to Davenport on the gap Link to MLB.com on Abbott Elementary Link to Schwarber’s 4-HR game Link to MLB survey question Sponsor Us on Patreon Give a Gift Subscription Email Us: [email protected] Effectively Wild Subreddit Effectively Wild Wiki Apple Podcasts Feed Spotify Feed YouTube Playlist Facebook Group Bluesky Account Twitter Account Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source

Ben Lindbergh, Craig Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus, and Joe Sheehan of The Joe Sheehan Baseball Newsletter break down teams’ last-minute Christmas shopping—including the White Sox signing Munetaka Murakami, the Padres signing Michael King and Sung Mun Song, the Orioles trading for Shane Baz, the Red Sox trading for Willson Contreras, a three-team trade involving the Pirates, Rays, and Astros, Jeff McNeil and Matt Strahm swaps, and the Yankees’ hibernation—plus banter about the quasi-retirement of Craig’s nemesis, Joe Kelly, the future of NPB, a report about Emmanuel Clase’s mid-game phone use, and supporting independent media. Then (1:11:40) they conduct an in-depth debate about the respective merits of human umpiring, the challenge system, and full ABS. Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Kelly’s podcast Link to Dubuque on the challenge system Link to Craig on the challenge system Link to Joe on the challenge system Link to previous podcast discussion Link to Seitz decision wiki Link to Joe on the Seitz decision Link to over/under draft results Link to Baumann on Murakami Link to Rosenblum on Murakami Link to Longenhagen on Murakami Link to Craig on Murakami Link to Sarris on Murakami Link to Ben on Murakami in 2022 Link to Sato story Link to FG post on King Link to FG post on Song Link to FG post on Baz Link to Craig on Baz Link to team SP projections Link to Joe on three-team trade Link to FG post on three-team trade Link to FG post on Contreras Link to FG post on Strahm Link to Strahm’s beer stance Link to Bowlan info Link to FG post on McNeil Link to Lindor/McNeil drama Link to Clase report Link to Dylan phone ban Link to Molina framing montage Link to framing technique evolution Link to Molina on EW Link to Craig on the K-Zone Link to Tango on challenge tactics Link to Five and Dive Link to subscribe to BP Link to subscribe to Joe Link to MLBTR on O’Hearn Link to Posnanski MVP post Link to A’s ballpark update Link to Rian Johnson post Sponsor Us on Patreon Give a Gift Subscription Email Us: [email protected] Effectively Wild Subreddit Effectively Wild Wiki Apple Podcasts Feed Spotify Feed YouTube Playlist Facebook Group Bluesky Account Twitter Account Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source