Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a few more World Series subjects (TV ratings, Kyle Harrison’s non-use, the Brewers’ bullpen performance, an earlier EW discussion of ideal clinching plays, and more), and then (26:00) recap the first season […] Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the end of the World Series and 2026 season: the big moments of Games 4 and 5, the Brewers’ victory and overall October run, and what, if anything, other teams will take away from Milwaukee’s success. They also discuss the ideal last out of a World Series, how […] Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the history of teams that take 3-0 leads in best-of-seven series, the highlights and lowlights of the first three games of the World Series, the need for an objective check-swing standard, complaints about the broadcasting of John Smoltz, and Rob Manfred’s competitive-balance comments. Audio intro: Alex Ferrin, “Effectively Wild […] Source

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Ben Clemens banter about World Series roster and rotation decisions, the Fall Classic through a “styles make fights” lens, whether travel days are really rest days, and more. Then (31:50) Ben C. delivers a […] Source

It’s the World Series preview pod! Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a few intriguing factors that could affect the Fall Classic and then bring on two expert reporters to break down each team’s advantages, vulnerabilities, and overlooked storylines. Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel joins first (19:59) to talk about the Brewers, […] Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley tease their next playoff livestream and discuss “Chalktober,” the end of the ALCS, Chandler Simpson’s (and Ben’s) calves, Ben’s quickly defused feud with FanGraphs, and hirings/non-firings. Then (1:00:53) they bring back fan-favorite (and host-favorite) guest Adrian Chiles—BBC host, Guardian columnist, and Effectively Wild UK correspondent—to talk about his beloved Rays’ […] Source

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley talk primarily (though not exclusively) about the Brewers’ NLCS sweep of the Dodgers: how it happened, the highs and lows, and what the outcome of the rematch does and doesn’t mean for the perception […] Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about ALCS Game 2, nominate (13:52) the five Rays-iest players on the current Rays roster, discuss the Dodgers’ decision to start Shohei Ohtani in NLCS Game 3 (and the matchup between the Brewers and Blake Snell), react (57:00) to news about the Phillies’, Astros’, and (maybe?) Mariners’ managers, and […] Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the end of the all-AL-Central ALDS, what the future holds for the White Sox, the ALCS opener, the Brewers’ 2-0 NLCS lead, the contrast between postseason Shohei Ohtani and José Ramírez, the difference between the Rays and Guardians, and more, plus postscript follow-ups. Audio intro: Ian Phillips, “Effectively Wild […] Source

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Game 4 of the White Sox-Guardians ALDS, playoff pitching chaos, and “rest vs. rust” revisited, then preview the Dodgers-Brewers NLCS rematch, react to MLB’s proposed changes to the regular season and postseason, […] Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a few days’ worth of Division Series action, including three series outcomes. Among other topics, they discuss clutchness, low scoring, scant starting pitching, paternity timing, pant tightness, fan interference, Yankees-fan frustration, postgame-panelist star power, Championship Series sympathy points, and MLB’s experiment in restricting outfielder positioning. Audio intro: Moon Hound, […] Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Cal Raleigh and Josh Naylor and whether end-of-season surgeries for disappointing players are encouraging or frustrating, then share their takeaways from the first six Division Series games, including thoughts on Drew Rasmussen, an Austin Wells mistake, Rays crowds, Aaron Judge’s role in Rich Platelet, Poor Platelet, Grant Taylor […] Source

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley tease their first playoff livestream and banter about a listener suggestion for how to refer to a postseason that spans multiple months, Jason Benetti’s relationship with Liberty Biberty (including a real-time text exchange), the […] Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about “October” as a (somewhat imprecise) metonym for the playoffs and the popularity of postseason coverage, praise the Yankees’ pitcher-averse roster construction, recap the highlights and lowlights from the first wild card games, ponder the possibility of pushing relievers too far, answer a listener email about the impact of […] Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley wrap up the action from the end of the regular season, including the last starts of Justin Verlander and (maybe) Max Scherzer (with mini-Blasts about Verlander, Laz Diaz, Kirby Yates, and overshadowed career finales), the setting of the playoff field, the firing of Dan Wilson, a rained-out Game 162, several […] Source

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the heroics of Astros outfielder Lucas Spence and the potential for pennant races and postseasons to anoint unlikely heroes, then discuss whether the playoff format puts too much priority on divisions and […] Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Alex Bregman likening getting hit by a baseball to getting hit by a baseball bat, the latest Aaron Judge-Aaron Boone drama, which records to root for in the AL West, the Max Scherzer–Justin Verlander career strikeouts rivalry, the Marlins’ pattern of using starters in relief, how many players […] Source

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Meg’s return from vacation and their podcast-producer search, then discuss the uncertain statuses of Aaron Judge, Alex Bregman, and Shohei Ohtani on the precipice of the playoffs, how similar finishes in consecutive seasons can produce extra-disappointing or surprisingly uplifting results (featuring thoughts on the Astros, Diamondbacks, and Cardinals), […] Source

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. With Meg Rowley on vacation, Ben Lindbergh goes long with a few guests and segments. First, Kiri Oler of FanGraphs and Bradley Woodrum of Baseball Prospectus join to banter about how Pete Crow-Armstrong and Jacob Misiorowski illustrate the differences […] Source

After a brief PSA about an open producer position (email wanted@fangraphs.com with the subject line “Podcast Editor 2026” to apply) Ben Lindbergh (kind of) continues his quest to temporarily resurrect a few dearly departed baseball podcasts by bringing on MLB.com’s Mike Petriello, former host of Ballpark Dimensions, to banter about a record home run trot, […] Source