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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 Enhanced Games and whether they would watch a baseball league where PEDS were explicitly permitted, <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/abner-uribe/25327/stats/pitching" target="_blank">Abner Uribe</a>&#8217;s crotch-chop suspension, and (34:40) the most disappointing and surprising (in a positive way) teams of 2026, then (55:37) answer emails about raising a girl who likes baseball, how a salary cap would affect prices for fans, home runs on the first pitch of the game, the Hall of Fame prospects of <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/kenley-jansen/3096/stats/pitching" target="_blank">Kenley Jansen</a>, <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/craig-kimbrel/6655/stats/pitching" target="_blank">Craig Kimbrel</a>, and <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/aroldis-chapman/10233/stats/pitching" target="_blank">Aroldis Chapman</a>, the most players appearing in a game against their former team, and how to evaluate whether a team&#8217;s player development was responsible for a player&#8217;s success or failure.
Audio&nbsp;intro: The Shirey Brothers, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lGyXnWwEoa3G1mWIJfdeNs8HHFLR8Ml7/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;
Audio&nbsp;outro: Jonathan Crymes, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u9uMDVhB3JbuuT3HQYDzXcl4cXc-mY4Z/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;

<a href="https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/zoom-and-enhance" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to &#8220;Let&#8217;s enhance&#8221; meme</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhF_56SxrGk" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to &#8220;Let&#8217;s enhance&#8221; montage</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Games" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Enhanced Games wiki</a>
<a href="https://defector.com/the-enhanced-games-were-a-predictably-stupid-failure" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Defector on the Enhanced Games</a>
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-enhanced-games-set-out-to-transform-sport-but-the-results-looked-surprisingly-ordinary-283813" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to The Conversation on the Enhanced Games</a>
<a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/05/24/nx-s1-5831252/enhanced-games-steroids-olympics-trump" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to NPR on the Enhanced Games</a>
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/05/24/when-america-was-great-according-data/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to nostalgia study</a>
<a href="https://www.theringer.com/2018/09/28/mlb/mark-mcgwire-sammy-sosa-steroid-era-home-run-chase" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ben on the PED era</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-k1vDjbxs8" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to McGwire Simpsons clip</a>
<a href="https://www.theringer.com/2019/08/30/mlb/juiced-ball-home-run-lineup-distribution" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to dinger distribution article 1</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-other-weird-thing-about-the-home-run-surge/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to dinger distribution article 2</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/home-runs-and-the-middle-class/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to dinger distribution article 3</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYzLhljyMzA" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Hill homer</a>
<a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/brewers-manager-pat-murphy-calls-out-unacceptable-crotch-chop-celebration-from-relief-pitcher-abner-uribe-045701581.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Uribe post</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/brewers-cardinals-clear-air-surrounding-abner-uribe-gesture" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLB.com on Uribe</a>
<a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48892964/cardinals-manager-pointed-ribs-warning-brewers-signs" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to AP on Uribe</a>
<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/05/mlb-announces-one-game-suspension-for-abner-uribe.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLBTR on Uribe</a>
<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1tqbg8p/abner_uribe_says_he_did_the_dx_suck_it_chops/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Uribe/Marmol video</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-Generation_X" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to D-Generation X wiki</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj0KUcYXFHk" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to DX chop compilation</a>
<a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?search=abner" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to player names on Uribe</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/standings/playoff-odds/fg/mlb?date=2026-05-29&dateDelta=2026-03-25" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to playoff odds changes</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2026&month=1000&season1=2026&ind=0&team=0%2Cts&rost=&age=&filter=&players=0&sortcol=17&sortdir=default&startdate=2026-03-01&enddate=2026-05-28" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to team wRC+</a>
<a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/rays-bringing-small-ball-back-its-working" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to SI on Rays hitting</a>
<a href="https://www.joeposnanski.com/p/we-dont-really-know-baseball" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Posnanski on Rays hitting</a>
<a href="https://www.themangotimes.com/themt/robin-williams-pre-disastered" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Garp quote</a>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/434356-baseball-is-a-game-with-a-lot-of-waiting-in" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Owen Meany quote</a>
<a href="https://hasfernandotatisjrhitahomerunyet.streamlit.app/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Tatis HR website</a>
<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/05/marlins-place-eury-perez-on-injured-list.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLBTR on Pérez injury</a>
<a href="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dynamic-stretching-vs-static-stretching" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to dynamic vs. static stretching</a>
<a href="https://shop.capstonepub.com/Shop/s/product/detail/01t4z00000Ad1FGAAZ" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Goodnight Baseball</a>
<a href="https://x.com/dril/status/1008896576876670977" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to @dril tweet</a>
<a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/1844/lies-damned-lies-ticket-prices-vs-player-salaries/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to BP on payrolls and prices 1</a>
<a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/47985/moonshot-big-contracts-dont-make-tickets-more-expensive/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to BP on payrolls and prices 1</a>
<a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/72886/veteran-presence-the-relationship-between-player-salaries-and-ticket-prices/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to BP on payrolls and prices 3</a>
<a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/statcast_search?hfPT=&hfAB=home%5C.%5C.run%7C&hfGT=R%7C&hfPR=&hfZ=&hfStadium=&hfBBL=&hfNewZones=&hfPull=&hfC=00%7C&hfSea=2026%7C2025%7C2024%7C2023%7C2022%7C2021%7C2020%7C2019%7C2018%7C2017%7C2016%7C2015%7C2014%7C2013%7C2012%7C2011%7C2010%7C2009%7C2008%7C&hfSit=&player_type=pitcher&hfOuts=0%7C&home_road=&pitcher_throws=&batter_stands=&hfSA=&hfEventOuts=&hfEventRuns=&hfABSFlag=&game_date_gt=&game_date_lt=2026-05-28&hfMo=&hfTeam=&hfOpponent=&hfRO=&position=&hfInfield=&hfOutfield=&hfInn=1%7C&hfBBT=&hfFlag=is%5C.%5C.hit%5C.%5C.into%5C.%5C.play%7C&metric_1=lineup_cd&metric_1_gt=1&metric_1_lt=1&group_by=league-year&min_pitches=0&min_results=0&min_pas=0&sort_col=pitches&player_event_sort=api_p_release_speed&sort_order=desc&chk_is..hit..into..play=on#results" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to first-pitch homers</a>
<a href="https://pebblehunting.substack.com/p/first-pitch-swinging" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sam on first-pitch homers 1</a>
<a href="https://pebblehunting.substack.com/p/run-it-back" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sam on first-pitch homers 2</a>
<a href="https://pebblehunting.substack.com/p/three-small-samples" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sam on first-pitch homers 3</a>
<a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/jaws_RP.shtml" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to RP JAWS</a>
<a href="https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/2019/04/finding-star-nothing-luck-quantifying-effectiveness-mlb-player-development/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to player development study 1</a>
<a href="https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/2019/05/developing-less-efficiency-player-development-lead-success/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to player development study 2</a>
<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EEf_F8PbrCuhNkEbwyRq5rYIx321yQTh9nXGZ08ZXoQ/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to players vs. former teams data</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>

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Effectively Wild Episode 2485: Let’s Enhance?

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