Episode Details

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a good time to be a Pirates fan, whether the red-hot Rays or the ice-cold A’s will regress more toward the mean over the rest of the season, Rob Manfred’s comments about A’s fans, Logan O’Hoppe’s injury and Brandon Marsh’s hot streak, whether Bryce Harper has Wolverine’s healing factor, a Byron Buxton catch-22, the Twins’ lack of stolen bases, rosin’s real effects, the early-season injury rate, and more. Then (1:00:20) they Stat Blast about the one pitcher who won’t let the pitch clock rush him, Mookie Betts and the latest-career starting-shortstop debuts, and MLB trends in paternity leave, plus (1:37:41) the surprising origin of “velocity” as an alternative term for “speed” in baseball, a Past Blast (1:45:22) from 1998, and a few follow-ups (1:48:42).

Audio intro: Andy Ellison, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to MLBTR on Reynolds
Link to MLBTR on Shelton
Link to FG playoff odds
Link to MLBTR on Maggi
Link to CNN on Maggi
Link to old EW episode on Maggi
Link to Maggi video
Link to worst season-starting run diff
Link to worst 23-game run diff
Link to best season-starting run diff
Link to best 23-game run diff
Link to Manfred on the A’s
Link to A’s attendance by year