Effectively Wild Episode 1407: How Much is That Wild Card in the Window?
Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast
Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley
4.7 • 2.7K Ratings
🗓️ 23 July 2019
⏱️ 80 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller banter about a bat in front of home plate that deflected a ball, the José Ramírez resurgence, the base stealer in a Statcast ad, an Andrelton Simmons shift that wasn’t, the Atlantic League, a viral Oliver Drake pitch, and a misguided (and unguided) bunt by Fernando Tatís, Jr., then discuss what a wild card is worth, how hard teams should pursue a spot in the play-in game, and what this year’s trade deadline will look like. Lastly (55:40), Ben talks to Rangers outfielder/DH and four-time all-star Hunter Pence about how and why he reinvented his swing, working with swing whisperer Doug Latta, playing in the Dominican Republic, and recent improvements in pitching and player development.
Audio intro: Peter Matthew Bauer, "Wild Light"
Audio interstitial: Everclear, "The Swing"
Audio outro: Laura Marling, "Master Hunter"
Link to GIF of bat deflection
Link to Sam on bat dropping
Link to picture of supposed Simmons shift
Link to Sam on the breakdown of traditional defense
Link to viral Drake splitter
Link to non-viral Drake splitter 1
Link to non-viral Drake splitter 2
Link to teaser for The Pence Method
Link to story on The Pence Method
Link to Ben on the trade deadline
Link to order The MVP Machine
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I said, I lose you, we never let's go. |
| 0:05.0 | Oh, I remember, I feel it in my bones. |
| 0:11.0 | It makes no difference. |
| 0:14.0 | It keeps my spirits high. |
| 0:18.0 | I'm gonna rise up, I can't help but, |
| 0:22.0 | it's I that I go on. |
| 0:25.0 | Good morning and welcome to episode 1407, |
| 0:28.0 | effectively wild, baseball podcast from Fangress.com, |
| 0:31.0 | brought to you by our Patreon supporters, |
| 0:34.0 | I'm Sam Miller of ESPN, along with Ben Lembert, |
| 0:37.0 | the bringer, hello Ben. |
| 0:39.0 | A ball hit the bat, throw, throw hit the bat. |
| 0:42.0 | Yeah, tell us about it. |
| 0:43.0 | This was a, well I've already already saw it. |
| 0:47.0 | This was, this was the moment when... |
| 0:50.0 | This was the moment when... |
| 0:51.0 | Leading Sports Center. |
| 0:52.0 | Yeah, this was the moment when bat dropping kind of moved |
| 0:56.0 | into the mainstream. |
| 0:57.0 | Charlie Blackman had a hit, he dropped the bat. |
| 1:00.0 | He did not, did not to me look like he dropped the bat strategically. |
| 1:04.0 | What happened is he dropped it right on the line |
... |
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