Effectively Wild Episode 2455: The 2026 Preseason Predictions Game
Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast
Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley
4.7 • 2.7K Ratings
🗓️ 20 March 2026
⏱️ 128 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
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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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome. |
| 0:02.0 | What do I say next? |
| 0:04.0 | Too effectively wild. |
| 0:06.0 | I hope that's not what I say. |
| 0:08.0 | Leave it in. |
| 0:10.0 | Well, it's moments like these that make you ask, |
| 0:12.0 | how can you not be horny about baseball? |
| 0:16.0 | Every take hot and hotter, |
| 0:18.0 | entwining and a budding Watch them climb to mountain |
| 0:22.3 | Nothing's about nothing |
| 0:24.1 | Every stitch wet with sweat |
| 0:26.0 | Breaking balls back, dormy |
| 0:28.1 | On effectively wow, like can you not be horny |
| 0:32.1 | When it comes to podcasts |
| 0:35.7 | How can you not be horny? |
| 0:39.4 | Hello and welcome to episode 2455 of Effectively Wild, a baseball podcast from FanGraphs presented by our Patreon supporters. |
| 0:50.1 | I am Ben Lindbergh of the Ringer, joined as always by Meg Rally of Fangraphs. Hello, Meg. |
| 0:55.3 | Hello. |
| 0:56.2 | We are joined by a trio of guests who are not always with us, but we are always happy when they are. |
| 1:03.4 | A couple of your fan graphs colleagues, one Michael Baumann. Hello, Mr. Bowman. |
| 1:07.5 | I don't think you're always happy when I'm here. |
| 1:09.4 | I am. We might have this little combative dynamic going, but it's based on mutual affection and respect. |
... |
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