Effectively Wild Episode 1695: The Better Angels of Our Nature fangraphs.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from fangraphs.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
May 15, 2021
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the same-day debuts of Jarred Kelenic and Logan Gilbert, the future of the Mariners, and whether Mariners fans have actually had it so bad, another distinction between framing and flopping, the retirement of Tyler Flowers and the impact he had on catching technique, the resurgence of Rich Hill, the state of the AL Central and whether it’s too soon to stick a fork in the unfortunate Twins, how the controversy surrounding the NBA play-in tournament mirrors the reaction to MLB’s wild card games, and the bogus revenue numbers attached to the All-Star Game, then end with a Meet a Major Leaguer segment on the Mets’ Patrick Mazeika and the Marlins’ Cody Poteet.
May 13, 2021
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Mariners calling up pitching prospect Logan Gilbert, the late-inning dominance of Aroldis Chapman and (more unexpectedly) Kendall Graveman, Shohei Ohtani’s best start of the season, and the Astros providing housing for their minor leaguers, then answer listener emails about their favorite baseball seasons, how long it will take for 2020 footage of fan-free ballparks to seem surprising, MLB shifting to a six-game-a-week schedule, framing vs. flopping, pitchers protesting having to hit by striking out on purpose, ordering ballpark food from home, and the culture of intentional plunkings.
Audio outro: Paul and Linda McCartney, Eat at Home
May 12, 2021
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Mariners’ impending call-up of top prospect Jarred Kelenic, the Dodgers’ recent slump, the Oakland A’s threatening to relocate, Wade Miley’s no-hitter and how long it takes for no-no fatigue to set in, whether MLB’s offensive downturn will force the league to take action, the role of hitters in the hit-by-pitch spike, a near-umpire perfect game and the unparalleled pitch-calling accuracy of unsung umpire John Libka, the Mets’ mysterious rat/raccoon fiasco, the return of Luke Voit, zombie runners, and players and staff testing positive post-vaccine, plus a PSA about broadcasters saying “effectively wild.”
May 7, 2021
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Byron Buxton and the Twins, discuss the Angels designating Albert Pujols for assignment, and answer listener emails about whether to accept a scenario where one’s team always finishes .500 but one also gets to enjoy the career of a generational player, pitchers accepting automatic strikeouts, the best way for catchers to call for appeals on check swings, and appreciating the community of baseball as much as or more so than the sport itself, plus a Stat Blast about Glenn Davis and the most lopsided trades of all time.