<img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" src="http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ewlogofi.png" alt="EWFI" width="590" height="206" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-242076" srcset="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ewlogofi.png 590w, https://blogs.fangraphs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ewlogofi-300x105.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px" />
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a player with legs like a centaur, a knuckleballer&#8217;s sore subject, Arte Moreno&#8217;s thoughts on whether winning matters to fans, a response from the barback who gave free drinks to a fellow listener, and a new perspective on Tony Clark&#8217;s reportedly inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law. Then (45:17) they talk to Maxfield Lane and Owen Riley of <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/oysteranalytics.bsky.social" target="_blank">Oyster Analytics</a> about the challenge system&#8217;s tactical considerations and when it does and doesn&#8217;t make sense to second-guess the ump (and also, some slightly scary mascots).
Audio&nbsp;intro: Jonathan Crymes, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/17xCKWhVd_jYCsHmnzYS21kpPsWJ2zj73/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme 2</a>&#8221;
Audio&nbsp;outro: Jimmy Kramer, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OsA2tZMe8hrgFONo1iYv7od0ZFea8mpx/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;

<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/kade-anderson-ryan-sloan-mariners-spring-training" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to story about Sloan</a>
<a href="https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/image/upload/c_fill,g_auto/w_540/v1/people/815549/headshot/milb/current" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sloan headshot</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/cut4/a-rod-denies-existence-of-self-as-a-minotaur-painting-doesnt-address-centaur-rumors/c-40595786" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to A-Rod centaur story</a>
<a href="https://sporthorsechiropractic.com/do-horses-actually-have-knees/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to horse anatomy info</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Shoot_Horses,_Don%27t_They%3F_(film)" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to They Shoot Horses, Don&#8217;t They?</a>
<a href="http://kaplifestyle.com/2014/07/skinny-calves/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Kapler/calves post 1</a>
<a href="http://kaplifestyle.com/2014/08/confidence-and-the-calf-challenge/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Kapler/calves post 2</a>
<a href="https://x.com/sdutKevinAcee/status/2026342038845927717" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to tweets about Waldron</a>
<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/02/padres-matt-waldron-shut-down-hemorrhoid-surgery.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLBTR on Waldron</a>
<a href="https://www.brondell.com/healthy-living-blog/can-bidet-washing-help-with-hemorrhoids/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to info on bidets and hemorrhoids</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rURYmdmUwYY" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Breaking Bad scene</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/effectively-wild-episode-1880-the-10th-anniversary-interview/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Hill EW interview</a>
<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2026/02/20/angels-owner-arte-moreno-tv-ordeal-hasnt-been-easy/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Moreno comments</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7063931/2026/02/22/arte-moreno-comments-winning-angels-players-union/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLBPA response</a>
<a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/majors/2025-misc.shtml" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to team attendance data</a>
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/3zJLkHYBUvXpEPhsLC4kUQ" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to &#8220;Macavity&#8221;</a>
<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1r82xux/comment/o620cnj/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Reddit comment</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nO0uJenOgw&t=45s" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Obi-Wan quote</a>
<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1rad2m0/earlier_today_the_yankees_ran_out_of_their_abs/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Wells video</a>
<a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/yankees/austin-wells-quickly-lost-all-yankees-abs-challenges-first-spring-training-game" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to post on Wells 1</a>
<a href="https://yanksgoyard.com/austin-wells-getting-cooked-for-ridiculous-abs-challenge-during-yankees-spring-opener" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to post on Wells 2</a>
<a href="https://downonthefarm.substack.com/about" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Down on the Farm</a>
<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/oysteranalytics.bsky.social" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Oyster Analytics on Bluesky</a>
<a href="https://oysteranalytics.shinyapps.io/HitterProjections/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Oyster rankings</a>
<a href="https://oysteranalytics.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Oyster challenge dashboard</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/20/sports/baseball/yankees-replay-guru-ensures-umps-call-em-as-cameras-see-em.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to 2016 article on Yankees challenges</a>
<a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/22676/throw-the-flag-challenges-and-the-replay-review-system/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to BP on replay reviews</a>
<a href="https://tangotiger.com/index.php/site/comments/abs-challenge-considerations" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Tango on challenges</a>
<a href="https://tangotiger.com/index.php/site/comments/cost-benefit-analysis-of-making-an-abs-challenge" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Tango on challenges 2</a>
<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/tangotiger.com/post/3mfmchelqpk2v" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Tango on challenges 3</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7064808/2026/02/23/mlb-abs-spring-training/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Stark on challenges</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7055392/2026/02/20/mlb-abs-team-challenge-pitchers/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Blum/Lin on challenges</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/chris-sale-says-he-will-not-challenge-any-ball-strike-calls" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sale on challenging</a>
<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/chris-sale-avoids-data-and-video-never-shakes-off-catcher/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sale on calling pitches</a>
<a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/the-unreal-story-of-chris-sale-cutting-up-his-white-sox-uniform-041326686.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sale jersey story</a>
<a href="https://clip.cafe/bull-durham-1988/and-just-got-lesson-number-one-dont-think/?srsltid=AfmBOoossDtnFUPWRw_ePzbqg_uBIXsL8-ZB4IsCsR6bMFBXtiK6GkJc" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Bull Durham quote</a>
<a href="https://www.thebiglead.com/minor-league-baseball-team-removes-female-anatomy-conjuring-logo-from-website/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Baysox story 1</a>
<a href="https://www.thebanner.com/sports/orioles-mlb/chesapeake-baysox-oyster-catchers-viral-logo-charitable-donations-JEDMWJOMAVHKZFUW56XWUQK6WI/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Baysox story 2</a>
<a href="https://www.milb.com/reno/community/about-archie" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Archie info</a>
<a href="https://www.milb.com/reno/community/about-archie" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Archie/Truckee photo</a>

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<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/effectively-wild-daily-baseball/id545919715" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="18" src="https://i.imgur.com/n16jO21.png" style="width: 18px;height: 18px" width="18" />&nbsp;Apple Podcasts Feed</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/18kbXy9p0jHw3o8f2cQlCj" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="18" src="https://i.imgur.com/fQfPcpV.png" style="width: 18px;height: 18px" width="18" />&nbsp;Spotify Feed</a>
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Effectively Wild Episode 2444: To Challenge, or Not to Challenge?

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