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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>.
With Ben Lindbergh serving jury duty, Meg Rowley is joined by Baseball Prospectus editor-in-chief Craig Goldstein. The pair discuss the perils of hotel pillows and showers, then turn their attention to the 2026 All-Star Game, how the in-person experience compares to the TV one, and the challenges of making it a fun event relative to the Home Run Derby. Then Craig offers his thoughts on the CBA negotiations and Rob Manfred&#8217;s approach to communicating (38:58), before he and Meg discuss a few of the things they are looking forward to (and one thing they&#8217;re dreading) about the season&#8217;s second half, including the White Sox, good teams playing well, a potentially weird deadline, and <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/pete-crow-armstrong/27769/stats/batting" target="_blank">Pete Crow-Armstrong</a>.
Audio&nbsp;intro: El Warren, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ndTWsOUXceUIb7RGqCtQChfListDI3GP/view" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;
Audio&nbsp;outro: Josh Busman, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1l8eZQLuLsu8N0m7MD_FXKbVTkOo_f_Pb?ths=true" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;

<a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/107706/five-dive-episode-551-jo-no/" target="_blank">Link to the Five and Dive episode where Craig discusses the Rays</a>
<a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/108709/this-is-shaping-up-to-be-a-weird-deadline/" target="_blank">Link to Craig on the weird deadline ahead</a>
<a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/108716/ycliu-rained-out-at-the-all-star-game/" target="_blank">Link to Steven Goldman on the All-Star Game</a>
<a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/video/was-the-america-sandlot-tribute-the-highlight-of-the-mlb-all-star-game-160158511.html" target="_blank">Link to Jake Mintz on the All-Star Game Sandlot tribute</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7446676/2026/07/15/mlb-all-star-game-2026-strikeouts-pitching-history/" target="_blank">Link to Jayson Stark on the AL&#8217;s All-Star pitching dominance</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7446438/2026/07/14/american-league-wins-mlb-all-star-2026/" target="_blank">Link to Andy McCullough on the All-Star Game</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-haters-all-star-game/" target="_blank">Link to Michael Baumann on Philly as the haters&#8217; All-Star Game</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7446566/2026/07/15/mlb-all-star-jordan-walker-cardinals/" target="_blank">Link to Katie Woo on <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/jordan-walker/27475/stats/batting" target="_blank">Jordan Walker</a></a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-best-catcher-in-baseball-is-dead-long-live-the-new-best-catcher-in-baseball/" target="_blank">Link to Ben Clemens on Dillion Dingler</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/fangraphs-weekly-mailbag-july-11-2026/" target="_blank">Link to Davy Andrews on Pete Crow-Armstrong</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/lance-mccullers-jr-agrees-to-begin-the-2026-trade-deadline/" target="_blank">Link to Ryan Blake on Lance McCullers Jr. Trade</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/fangraphs-weekly-mailbag-june-20-2026/" target="_blank">Link to Dan Szymborski on an AL team with a losing record making the postseason</a>
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