<img loading="lazy" 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="auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px" />
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Astros&#8217; new GM hire and <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/bryce-harper/11579/stats/batting" target="_blank">Bryce Harper</a>&#8217;s comments about the likelihood of a lost season and his preference for the offseason over the season (22:22). Then FanGraphs&#8217; <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/benclemens.bsky.social" target="_blank">Ben Clemens</a> joins to break down the MLB free agent class: the weak crop of domestic players, the top NPB imports, the outlook for <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/tarik-skubal/22267/stats/pitching" target="_blank">Tarik Skubal</a>, the players who could have been available if they hadn&#8217;t signed extensions, the lockout looming over the market, and much more.
Audio&nbsp;intro: The Spaghettis, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KIeoBr9umeDgG2NCtot-YRv1emuJCNFT/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;
Audio&nbsp;interstitial: Alex Glossman and Ali Breneman, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LwE1yLYIymQe16tQBjqWkF9Tx8DNlZez/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;
Audio&nbsp;outro: 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;

<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7737692/2026/10/30/emmanuel-clase-luis-ortiz-pitch-rigging-trial-guide/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Clase-Ortiz trial story</a>
<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/10/astros-hire-randy-flores-as-general-manager.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLBTR on Flores</a>
<a href="https://www.theringer.com/2024/02/16/mlb/baseball-general-manager-front-office-former-players-jerry-dipoto-chris-young" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ben on ex-player GMs</a>
<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/10/braves-hire-dana-brown-for-scouting-advisor-role.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLBTR on Brown</a>
<a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38671694/kim-ng-marlins-general-manager-declining-2024-option" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ng story</a>
<a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/euphemism_treadmill" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to &#8220;euphemism treadmill&#8221;</a>
<a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/phillies-star-bryce-harper-doesn-063740091.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Harper comments</a>
<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Whj82D67hv5RovhF8vZnuIFEw87YMKuVYkGj2mNBG4k/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to EW guests spreadsheet</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2027-top-50-free-agents/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to top 50 FA ranking</a>
<a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/23083/overthinking-it-farewell-to-free-agency/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ben L. on free agency</a>
<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/11/hokkaido-nippon-ham-fighters-franmil-reyes-agree-to-four-year-40mm-contract.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLBTR on Reyes</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/international/npb?seasonstart=2025&type=1" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to NPB offensive leaderboard</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7746551/2026/11/02/japan-players-posting-mlb-lockout-timeline/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to posting details story</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3941179/2022/11/28/ken-rosenthal-baseball-twitter/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MrSugarPenis story</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/shoki-oda-to-skip-npb-draft-to-pursue-mlb-dreams" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Oda story</a>
<a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/padres-officially-sign-japanese-pitcher-235700010.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Nogami story</a>
<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/11/eight-players-receive-qualifying-offers.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLBTR on qualifying offers</a>

<a href="http://www.patreon.com/effectivelywild" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="" height="18" src="https://i.imgur.com/hT2AX6G.jpg" style="width: 18px;height: 18px" width="18" />&nbsp;Sponsor Us&nbsp;on&nbsp;Patreon</a>
<a href="https://patreon.com/effectivelywild/gift" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="" height="18" src="https://i.imgur.com/xQIHgp3.png" style="width: 18px;height: 18px" width="18" />&nbsp;Give a Gift Subscription</a>
<a href="mailto:podcast@fangraphs.com"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="18" src="https://i.imgur.com/tNOGFnG.png" style="width: 18px;height: 18px" width="18" /></a>&nbsp;Email Us:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:podcast@fangraphs.com">podcast@fangraphs.com</a>
<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/effectivelywild/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="" height="18" src="https://i.imgur.com/gj3wTt4.png" style="width: 18px;height: 18px" width="18" />&nbsp;Effectively Wild Subreddit</a>
<a href="http://effectivelywild.wikia.com/wiki/Effectively_Wild_Wiki" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="" height="18" src="https://i.imgur.com/28HuIsx.png" style="width: 18px;height: 18px" width="18" />&nbsp;Effectively Wild Wiki</a>
<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>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXytxPs81CsUSJmN1mQMr526CdeDpf4vK" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="18" src="https://i.imgur.com/sjL4TbJ.png" style="width: 18px;height: 18px" width="18" />&nbsp;YouTube Playlist</a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/effectivelywild/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="18" src="https://i.imgur.com/jbkZAC1.png" style="width: 18px;height: 18px" width="18" />&nbsp;Facebook Group</a>
<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/ewpod.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="" height="18" src="https://i.imgur.com/waJFv7Y.png" style="width: 18px;height: 18px" width="18" />&nbsp;Bluesky Account</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/ewpod" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="" height="18" src="https://i.imgur.com/DAtijEo.jpg" style="width: 18px;height: 18px" width="18" />&nbsp;Twitter Account</a>
<a href="https://breakingt.com/collections/fangraphs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="" height="18" src="https://i.imgur.com/YXW4kOd.png" style="width: 18px;height: 18px" width="18" />&nbsp;Get Our&nbsp;Merch!</a>
<script>var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {});</script><style>.fg-pod-player{margin:0 0 16px;}.fg-pod-player audio{width:100%;max-width:560px;display:block;}.fg-pod-player__meta{font-size:12px;color:#6b7280;}.fg-pod-player__members{color:#50ae26;font-weight:700;}.fg-pod-player__upsell a{color:#50ae26;font-weight:700;}.fg-pod-player .powerpress_links{margin:2px 0 0;font-size:12px;}</style><div class="fg-pod-player"><audio controls preload="none" src="https://podcasts.fangraphs.com/EffectivelyWildEpisode2552.mp3"></audio>01:29:01 Podcast: <a href="https://podcasts.fangraphs.com/EffectivelyWildEpisode2552.mp3" class="powerpress_link_pinw" target="_blank" title="Play in new window" rel="nofollow">Play in new window</a> | <a href="https://podcasts.fangraphs.com/EffectivelyWildEpisode2552.mp3" class="powerpress_link_d" title="Download" rel="nofollow" download="EffectivelyWildEpisode2552.mp3">Download</a>Subscribe: <a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/feed/effectively-wild/" class="powerpress_link_subscribe powerpress_link_subscribe_rss" target="_blank" title="Subscribe via RSS" rel="nofollow">RSS</a></div>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/effectively-wild-episode-2552-the-best-things-in-life-are-free-agents/" rel="nofollow">Source</a>

Podurama

Home

Trending

Personal

Your Podcasts

New Episodes

My Files

Favourite Episodes

Tags (Folders)

Recently Played

Bookmarks

Followed Playlists

Effectively Wild Episode 2552: The Best Things in Life Are Free Agents

Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

AI Chapters

AI Insights

Reviews