Effectively Wild Episode 2157: Sophomore Lumps

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether they believe the projections that peg the White Sox as merely a run-of-the-mill terrible team, this season’s sophomore slumps (so far), and more on ballplayer dirt consumption and replay review protocol, then (30:09) answer listener emails about promotion and relegation in professional baseball, the definition of “getaway day,” the value of pitcher fielding, how hard it would be for big leaguers to be bad intentionally, whether pitchers could give away pitch selection on a pickoff throw, and recent MLB rules changes that could or should be rolled back (plus additional discussion of some injury news).

Audio intro: Benny and a Million Shetland Ponies, “Effectively Wild Theme (Pedantic)”
Audio outro: Austin Klewan, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Dan S. on the White Sox
Link to Neil Paine on the Sox
Link to Dubuque on the Sox
Link to Dan S. on the 2023 A’s
Link to Tango on the 2023 A’s
Link to EW on the 2023 A’s
Link to MLBTR on Lee
Link to MLBTR on Pham
Link to BaseRuns standings
Link to Dubuque on sophomore slumps
Link to The Athletic on promotion/relegation
Link to ESPN on promotion/relegation
Link to NYT on the Super League
Link to Scherzer on ump relegation
Link to team P DRS range
Link to team P plays made range
Link to Episode 2030 Stat Blast
Link to Baumann on Ohtani
Link to MLB rules changes
Link to Ben on faking to third
Link to Ben on the Waxahachie Swap
Link to article on Rendon
Link to MLBTR on Rendon
Link to MLBTR on Miley
Link to MLBTR on Luzardo
Link to listener emails database
Link to ballpark meetup forms
Link to meetup organizer form