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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please <a href="https://www.patreon.com/effectivelywild/membership" target="_blank">visit our Patreon</a>.
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the listener response to their conversation with Adrian Chiles, newly minted major leaguer <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/lujames-groover/33552/stats/batting" target="_blank">LuJames Groover</a>, and a big Giants comeback (in defiance of the team&#8217;s historically walk-averse ways), then (21:25) answer listener emails about how long-term team outlooks factor into present-day disappointment levels, spectacle vs. analysis in closer-entrance pageantry, whether umps should be able to challenge themselves, how future sub-Ohtani two-way players will be perceived, the entertainment value of human managers and hypothetical robo-managers, a pre-playoffs rest period, and stats used as verbs, plus Stat Blasts (1:27:23) about teams that turned deficits into large leads, <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/paul-skenes/33677/stats/pitching" target="_blank">Paul Skenes</a> and glad-to-see-him-go games, and the Angels&#8217; used-to-be-good guys.
Audio&nbsp;intro: 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;
Audio&nbsp;outro: Harold Walker, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_u1OHC8kumMkTfl2QWSo4FRlkFWvOcHB/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;

<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/effectively-wild-episode-2489-baseball-better-late-than-never/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Episode 2489</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/d-backs-prospect-lujames-groover-makes-mlb-debut" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Groover debut story</a>
<a href="https://www.newschannel10.com/2025/07/14/stories-soddies-lujames-groover-iii/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to 2025 Groover story</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/reels/DMGUL_DqjCu/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to 2025 Groover clip</a>
<a href="https://www.sidelinesports.news/post/his-name-is-lujames-groover" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Groover shirt story</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/giants-bryce-eldridge-hits-walk-off-grand-slam" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Eldridge game story</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/nationals-vs-giants/2026/06/10/823215/final" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Eldridge game box score</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/all-time-ultimate-grand-slams-c290137154" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to ultimate slams story</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=al%2Cnl&qual=0&type=23&month=0&ind=1&team=0%2Cts&rost=&age=&filter=&players=0&sortcol=3&sortdir=asc&startdate=&enddate=&season1=1901&season=2026" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Giants BB%+</a>
<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/giantbot.bsky.social/post/3mo2b5lrlxt2x" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Krukow/Kuiper clip</a>
<a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/49025502/knicks-brink-title-historic-comeback-vs-spurs" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Knicks comeback story</a>
<a href="https://www.theringer.com/2024/04/11/tv/curb-your-enthusiasm-series-finale-seinfeld-larry-david-legacy" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ben on Larry David</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/corbin-burnes-suffers-setback-with-teres-strain" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Burnes setback story</a>
<a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/06/10/sports/garrett-crochet-update-red-sox/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Crochet setback story</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/garrett-crochet-update-on-lat-injury" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Crochet setback confusion</a>
<a href="https://community.fangraphs.com/boog-and-the-hall-of-fame-part-1-introduction/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Michael&#8217;s BOOG intro</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/effectively-wild-episode-2254-gods-do-not-answer-letters/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to BOOG pod appearance</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-white-sox-are-in-the-midst-of-an-impressive-turnaround/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Jay on the White Sox</a>
<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1o01tvj/boos_rained_down_as_jhoan_duran_got_a_closers/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Duran entrance video</a>
<a href="https://frontofficesports.com/newsletter/how-ballparks-got-so-loud/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to story about ballpark loudness</a>
<a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/sporty-videos?playId=21481ec2-c91e-3d7b-8243-e40a9a418048" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to call on Contreras</a>
<a href="https://x.com/IcyVert/status/2035465318806499330" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Miller hot-mic moment 1</a>
<a href="https://x.com/JomboyMedia/status/1918483627710500895" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Miller hot-mic moment 2</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7137192/2026/03/21/hot-mic-umpire-bill-miller-sf-giants-guardians-abs/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Miller hot-mic moments article</a>
<a href="https://pebblehunting.substack.com/p/august-and-the-umpire-manual" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sam on the Umpire Manual</a>
<a href="https://tht.fangraphs.com/tht-live/the-ump-in-the-home-field-advantage/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to info on umps and HFA</a>
<a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23561838/los-angeles-angels-shohei-ohtani-experiment-just-working-perfect" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sam on the two-way balance</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/best-two-way-prospects-in-mlb-draft-history-c233425760" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to two-way draft prospects story</a>
<a href="https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/stories/inside-pitch/grandstand-managers-night" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Grandstand Managers Night</a>
<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/22/the-oakland-ballers-let-an-ai-manage-the-team-what-could-go-wrong/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ballers&#8217; AI manager</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitch_Plays_Pok%C3%A9mon" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Twitch Plays Pokémon</a>
<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/shittyrobots/comments/1tinihs/robot_moonwalks_its_way_to_death/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to moonwalking robot</a>
<a href="https://kotaku.com/robot-runner-crashes-and-burns-before-even-starting-race-china-marathon-2000688571" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to running robot</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BojeUP0_m_w" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to kicking robot</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Laws_of_Robotics" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Laws of Robotics</a>
<a href="https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Deep_Thought" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Deep Thought wiki</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_the_Paranoid_Android" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Marvin robot</a>
<a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2014/1/14/5305960/clark-cubs-mascot-pantsless" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Grant on mascot pants</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_Cup" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to NBA Cup</a>
<a href="https://neilpaine.substack.com/p/the-thunder-might-finally-make-us" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Paine on the NBA Cup</a>
<a href="https://neilpaine.substack.com/p/the-knicks-and-spurs-meet-again-at" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to more Paine on the NBA Cup</a>
<a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/47335913/sources-knicks-decide-hanging-nba-cup-banner-msg" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Knicks banner news</a>
<a href="https://x.com/GaryHPhillips/status/2057317374584356932" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Schlittler quote</a>
<a href="https://www.bardweb.net/content/grammar/03shifts.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Shakespeare usage shifts</a>
<a href="https://www.milb.com/durham/news/bulls-surge-ahead-of-tides-in-friday-night-victory" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Bulls vs. Tides story</a>
<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HZUmhlJoMlDHv4cKws5Y8YQVn1ieZjVwszQJmNZyPME/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to big comebacks data</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonic_mean" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to harmonic mean wiki</a>
<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-8lpspHQuR5GK7S_nNtGunLGrx60QnSa8XLG_wvRb4Q/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to listener emails database</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/dodgers-10-run-inning-against-pirates" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Skenes game story</a>
<a href="https://www.audacy.com/937thefan/sports/pittsburgh-pirates/disastrous-10-run-7th-inning-dodgers-pummel-pirates" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to more on Skenes game</a>
<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wcol6S3porkzRy_OGvPRKuFHYeT_nhEpPkJSG4kthos/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to bullpen blowups data</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/angels/news/trey-mancini-returns-to-mlb-with-angels" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Mancini comeback story</a>
<a href="https://effectivelywild.fandom.com/wiki/Episode_2284:_Season_Preview_Series:_Astros_and_Cardinals#Stat_Blast" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to past Angels Blasts</a>
<a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1R16-bzGdKg5TCVUgynwT7cHERCwv5yR3?usp=sharing" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to used-to-be-good guys data</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/featured/orioles-boog-powell-trey-mancini-surviving-cancer-and-advocating-for-others" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Boog/Mancini survival story</a>

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Effectively Wild Episode 2490: Hogging the Spotlight

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