Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and FanGraphs authors Michael Baumann and Ben Clemens (accompanied by podcast scorekeeper Chris Hanel) play “College Baseball Player or Driver in a Formula 1 Support Series” (5:07), banter about an auction for Team Italy’s WBC espresso machine (10:09), explain the fourth annual preseason predictions game (19:20), and then make 10 bold predictions apiece (22:20) about baseball in 2026, to be voted on by listeners.

Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Horny)”

Audio outro: Kite Person, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to vote on predictions

Link to preseason predictions game wiki

Link to Anton’s mash-up song

Link to original song

Link to EW Episode 2383

Link to “College Baseball Player or” games

Link to Baumann on Herta

Link to espresso machine auction

Link to other Team Italy items

Link to Ohtani Cy Young story

Link to Ohtani email episode

Link to Sam on Gsellman

Link to For All Mankind

Link to FG playoff odds

Link to Artemis II story

Link to Perry/moon landing story

Link to Neckzilla

Link to Schulte’s SABR bio

Link to Manfred/Harper/DeRosa story

Link to AO3

Link to new managers story

Link to team WAR projections

Link to 2024 2B innings leaders

Link to active postseason droughts

Link to 2025 Royals WAR leaders

Link to Garcia breakout comment

Link to old-SP leaders

Link to Quinn’s SABR bio

Link to Verlander outing article

Link to young, homegrown SP leaders

Link to Pirates SP article

Link to Baumann on Mlodzinski

Link to MLB partnership announcement

Link to MLB partnership announcement info 1

Link to MLB partnership announcement info 2

Link to MLB partnership announcement info 3

Link to vote on predictions (do it!)

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Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and FanGraphs contributor Kiri Oler wrap up the World Baseball Classic, covering Venezuela’s triumph, Team USA’s slump and vibes, and the overall success of the tournament, plus thoughts on Mark DeRosa’s managing and Team USA’s future, the semifinal matchups, the bad calls against the Dominican Republic, the challenge system and pitches that are “too close to take,” the WBC vs. the World Series, when the next WBC should be, and much more.

Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme”

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

Link to Defector on Venezuela

Link to Harper on the outcome

Link to Posnanski on Team USA

Link to Manfred on WBC timing

Link to data on US-DR game

Link to data on Perdomo take

Link to Ben on fouling off pitches

Link to Harper on the Olympics

Link to McLean start story

Link to top SP projections

Link to USA anthem answers

Link to DeRosa on SEAL speaker

Link to Fox Rogers mix-up

Link to Julio’s WBC quote

Link to Judge’s WBC quote

Link to Hernández’s WBC quote

Link to Jeter on the WBC

Link to DeRosa/López relievers story

Link to next WBC timing

Link to Ben on more WBCs

Link to story on DeRosa’s future

Link to Charbonnet play

Link to Ben on “Strategy”

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about MLB’s new experimental minor league rules, and the potential downsides of trying to skip straight to a desired on-field result, then complete the 14th annual season preview series by previewing the 2026 Los Angeles Dodgers (35:35) with The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, and the 2026 Colorado Rockies (1:30:13) with Rockies Insider’s Patrick Lyons.


2026 EW Season Preview Series



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Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio interstitial 1: The Spaghettis, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio interstitial 2: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio outro: Ian H., “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Ward article 1

Link to Longenhagen on the new rules

Link to Stark on the new rules

Link to Stark on second base

Link to disengagement rules

Link to Bois on balks

Link to team payrolls page

Link to Dodgers offseason tracker

Link to Dodgers depth chart

Link to Baumann on Roki

Link to Fabian on Roki

Link to Dodgers first-rounders

Link to field-sponsorship story

Link to Fabian’s author archive

Link to Rockies offseason tracker

Link to Rockies depth chart

Link to Rockies team wRC+ by year

Link to article on Bryant’s back

Link to article on Vodnik’s family

Link to article on Vodnik at the WBC

Link to Brebbia on EW

Link to Patrick’s work

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about speedster Braiden Ward’s record spring, whether there’s a baseball equivalent of Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game, and Paradise being a baseball show, then preview the 2026 Atlanta Braves (38:00) with From the Diamond’s Grant McAuley, and the 2026 Chicago White Sox (1:29:45) with Sox Machine’s James Fegan.


2026 EW Season Preview Series



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

Audio interstitial 1: Liz Panella, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio interstitial 2: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio outro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Ward article 1

Link to Ward article 2

Link to Ward video

Link to Adebayo article 1

Link to Adebayo article 2

Link to Adebayo article 3

Link to Adebayo article 4

Link to SGA record article

Link to Adebayo Facebook thread

Link to stream Paradise

Link to Paradise clip

Link to Ben on the Castellanos meme

Link to Minor’s 200th K article

Link to Minor’s 200th K video

Link to team payrolls page

Link to Braves offseason tracker

Link to Braves depth chart

Link to spring standings

Link to Strider velo article

Link to 2025 team SS WAR

Link to BravesVision wiki

Link to From the Diamond site

Link to From the Diamond podcast

Link to Wax Packing Nostalgic

Link to White Sox offseason tracker

Link to White Sox depth chart

Link to 2025 team RP stats

Link to Reinsford/Ishbia article

Link to James at Sox Machine

Link to James at FanGraphs

Link to James at Baseball America

Link to Sox Machine podcast

Sponsor Us on Patreon

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Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Team Italy’s triumphs (and good vibes) at the WBC, a tumultuous week for Team USA and Mark DeRosa, and where the tournament stands entering the quarterfinals, then preview the 2026 Philadelphia Phillies (39:21) with The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, and the 2026 Los Angeles Angels (1:21:00) with The Athletic’s Sam Blum, plus a postscript (2:09:08).


2026 EW Season Preview Series



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Audio intro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio interstitial 1: Moon Hound, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Audio interstitial 2: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)”

Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to WBC standings

Link to WBC bracket

Link to “caffeine and kisses” story

Link to Pasquantino homers

Link to “beaned up” article

Link to “beaned up” clip

Link to DeRosa clip 1

Link to DeRosa clip 2

Link to DeRosa clip 3

Link to latest DeRosa comments

Link to clip removal

Link to article on DeRosa’s mistake

Link to Ghiroli on DeRosa

Link to Rosenthal on DeRosa 1

Link to Rosenthal on DeRosa 2

Link to article on DeRosa/Harper

Link to Disgrace of Gijón

Link to roster reconfigurations

Link to Raleigh shirt

Link to Team USA chemistry article

Link to Sopranos clip

Link to team payrolls page

Link to Phillies offseason tracker

Link to Phillies depth chart

Link to Harper EBOO article

Link to Matt on Harper

Link to Matt on Harper/Dombrowski

Link to Matt on Castellanos

Link to Castellanos Insta post

Link to Matt on Kerkering

Link to Phillies himbo article 1

Link to Phillies himbo article 2

Link to Stark on Phillies continuity

Link to Matt on Strahm

Link to Girl With a Pearl Earring

Link to team SP projections

Link to team RP projections

Link to Matt’s author archive

Link to Matt’s podcast

Link to TB12 update

Link to Angels offseason tracker

Link to Angels depth chart

Link to Sam’s Angels beat farewell

Link to Sam on Netflix in Japan

Link to Sam on Rendon

Link to Angels TV network story

Link to Trout sprint speed story

Link to article on fastest human

Link to pitching development survey

Link to Sam’s author archive

Link to Paxton/pitch limits article

Link to WBC rules

Link to Ben on “Strategy”

Link to Laureano post 1

Link to Laureano post 2

Sponsor Us on Patreon

Give a Gift Subscription

Email Us: [email protected]

Effectively Wild Subreddit

Effectively Wild Wiki

Apple Podcasts Feed

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YouTube Playlist

Facebook Group

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Twitter Account

Get Our Merch!

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