We'll pop over together, let's see this mistrust of the demise.

We'll romance on Jupiter, and then love our mother's side.

Hey, there's this girl, let's face the universe in there.

Hey, there's this girl, let's face the universe in there.

Hello and welcome to episode 1846 in Effective Wild, a fan-graphed baseball podcast

brought to you by our Patreon supporters, I'm Meg Rallye of FanGrafts, and I'm joined

as always by Ben Limberg of The Ringer.

Ben, how are you?

Well, I am not someone who has a high degree of confidence in the existence of an afterlife,

though I'd certainly like there to be one.

What a start!

Is this not how you were expecting me to answer that question?

No, but I can't wait to see where it's going.

Well, even if the various religions are right, and some part of us doesn't just turn to dust,

I have no idea what that afterlife might look like, I wouldn't presume to say.

But if it exists, and if I were there, and if I could choose the setting, I think it would be a sunny afternoon at Fenway Park,

featuring a pictures duel between Shohei Otani and Rich Hill.

Because that was Nirvana for me.

That was baseball Nirvana.

Both of those guys dealing, matching zeros, Otani was awesome, of course, but Rich Hill was wonderful too,

for as long as he lasted. That was just like vintage, Otani, vintage Hill going head to head.

The most effectively wild matchup I could conceive of, and it delivered.

...