<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 surprising playoff odds, the Astros extending <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/jose-altuve/5417/stats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jose Altuve</a> (26:40), the Brewers signing <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/gary-sanchez/11442/stats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gary Sánchez</a> (34:57), the forthcoming Netflix docuseries about the 2024 Red Sox (38:49), a baseball equivalent of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift (45:17), and how trailblazing former first-round draftee <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=stewar004car" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Carter Stewart</a> has fared in Japan (55:29). Then (1:03:25) they talk to <a href="https://twitter.com/pmfreedm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Paul Freedman</a>, co-founder and CEO of Pioneer League expansion teams the Oakland Ballers and the Yolo High Wheelers, about his efforts to ensure the survival of professional baseball in Oakland in the likely absence of the A&#8217;s. 
Audio&nbsp;intro: Ted O., &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gbPLdUli8iCoR0VI_Een0wsDnkm_n8i2/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;
Audio&nbsp;outro: Josh Busman, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SggB_cBRUvlpFnxY6mZRh4wXQ4AHj91K/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;


<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/standings/playoff-odds" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to FG&#8217;s playoff odds</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/six-takeaways-from-our-2024-playoff-odds-release/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ben Clemens on the odds</a>
<a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/standings/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to PECOTA&#8217;s projected standings</a>
<a href="https://www.theringer.com/mlb/2023/10/6/23906699/mlb-playoffs-baltimore-orioles-adley-rutschman-gunnar-henderson-jackson-holliday" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ben L. on the O&#8217;s</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/astro-for-life-altuve-signs-five-year-extension" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Baumann on Altuve</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/astros/status/1755009848935174553" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Astros Altuve tweet</a>
<a href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/2021/6/16/22531119/altuve-may-be-the-face-of-the-astros-but-hes-not-the-face-of-cheating" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to story on Altuve and cheating</a>
<a href="https://www.audacy.com/national/sports/book-on-astros-reveals-jose-altuve-didnt-want-the-pitches" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Martino Altuve report</a>
<a href="https://signstealingscandal.com/players/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to banging data</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-brewers-shop-in-the-backup-catcher-luxury-aisle/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Clemens on Sánchez</a>
<a href="https://about.netflix.com/en/news/netflix-greenlights-two-projects-with-mlb-featuring-the-boston-red-sox" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Netflix press release</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/netflix-will-follow-2024-red-sox-for-docuseries" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLB.com on the doc</a>
<a href="https://entertainment.substack.com/p/the-20-biggest-myths-in-hollywood" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Drive to Survive myth</a>
<a href="https://www.theringer.com/music/2024/2/5/24061480/taylor-swift-new-album-tortured-poets-department-grammys-winner-super-bowl-imperial-phase" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ben on Swift</a>
<a href="https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2024/2/7/24064908/taylor-swift-super-bowl-nfl-wag-era-brittany-mahomes-kristin-juszczyk" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Princiotti on Swift</a>
<a href="https://frontofficesports.com/viewership-records-and-crying-swifties-taylor-swift-and-the-nfls-budding-business-relationship/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Swift/NFL story 1</a>
<a href="https://pro.morningconsult.com/analysis/women-nfl-interest-2024" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Swift/NFL story 2</a>
<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/super-bowl-2024-taylor-swift-travis-kelce-super-bowl-ads/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Swift/NFL story 3</a>
<a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2024/01/the-nfls-taylor-swift-season-6-things-we-learned.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Swift/NFL story 4</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/how-scott-boras-got-carter-stewarts-groove-back/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Kiley on Stewart in 2019</a>
<a href="https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/01/2e43960e7720-baseball-hawks-stewart-reflects-on-unique-japan-journey.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Jim Allen on Stewart</a>
<a href="https://theathletic.com/5261044/2024/02/08/mlb-streaming-package-2025-target/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Manfred on streaming</a>
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-athletics-vegas-stadium-teachers-lawsuit-dfae2cc5f421a146b2a7de89262db639" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Nevada teacher lawsuit</a>
<a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39486009/manfred-disappointed-vegas-stadium-not-open-2028" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Manfred comments</a>
<a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39472102/las-vegas-mayor-says-athletics-pitch-new-plan-bay-area" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Las Vegas mayor comments</a>
<a href="https://theathletic.com/5262192/2024/02/08/oakland-mayor-athletics-las-vegas/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Oakland mayor comments</a>
<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/athletics-offer-bogo-tickets-to-opening-day-as-fans-plan-boycott-amid-relocation-plans-to-las-vegas/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to A&#8217;s Opening Day offer</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBEVebVcO4s" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ballers promo video</a>
<a href="https://www.oaklandballers.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ballers website</a>
<a href="https://highwheelers.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to High Wheelers website</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_League_(baseball)" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Pioneer League wiki</a>
<a href="https://oaklandside.org/2023/11/29/oakland-ballers-new-pioneer-league-baseball-team-community/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Oaklandside on the Ballers</a>
<a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/02/08/oakland-ballers-baseball-raimondi-park-laney-college/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Mercury News on the Ballers</a>
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ballers-minor-league-bs-oakland-as-a9053b3513d23a7be7f639bd723d56bb" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to A&#8217;s Coliseum veto</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_Roots_SC" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Oakland Roots SC wiki</a>

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Effectively Wild Episode 2122: Ballers Don’t Lie

Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast