<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 MLB owners avoiding the Epstein files, preview the season preview series, bemoan the insurance issues preventing some stars from playing in the WBC, and break down the <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/luis-arraez/18568/stats/batting" target="_blank">Luis Arraez</a> and <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/eugenio-suarez/12552/stats/batting" target="_blank">Eugenio Suárez</a> signings, the <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/brendan-donovan/24679/stats/batting" target="_blank">Brendan Donovan</a> trade, the latest White Sox moves, and their major takeaways from the release of the 2026 playoff odds. Then (1:22:00) Ben brings on historian Richard Hershberger to discuss the 150th anniversary of the National League&#8217;s founding, followed by (1:41:02) a postscript.
Audio&nbsp;intro: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZIp68xsf3VligZWlp_LIlfw_k-0KNsJt/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;
Audio&nbsp;outro: Luke Lillard, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IdOM-zb7R8ln39HiJsfTKpQCOdvTF7fd/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;

<a href="https://frontofficesports.com/epstein-sports-boehly-harris-tisch-wasserman/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Epstein files sports roundup</a>
<a href="https://effectivelywild.fandom.com/wiki/Season_Preview_Series" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to season preview series wiki</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7012509/2026/01/31/wbc-insurance-puerto-rico-francisco-lindor/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to insurance article</a>
<a href="https://www.theringer.com/2017/04/11/mlb/2017-mlb-world-baseball-classic-injury-effect-ba832903792a" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ben on WBC injuries</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/on-second-thought-giants-sign-free-agent-luis-arraez/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Arraez signing FG post</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/luis-arraez-has-entered-the-contact-rate-death-spiral/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Dan S. on Arraez</a>
<a href="https://pebblehunting.substack.com/p/sometimes-you-gotta-strike-out" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sam on Arraez</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=2B" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to team 2B projections</a>
<a href="https://x.com/BNightengale/status/2017763088305688923" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Arraez offers report</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/luis-arraez/18568/stats/batting#advanced-fielding" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Arraez defensive stats</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzDYgRc6eic" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Moneyball quote</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/ron-washington-giants-infield-coach" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Washington hiring</a>
<a href="https://www.theringer.com/2023/08/14/mlb/luis-arraez-batting-average-scouting-miami-marlins" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ben on Arraez</a>
<a href="https://x.com/dril/status/831805955402776576" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to &#8220;gotta hand it to them&#8221; tweet</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=araU0fZj6oQ" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to &#8220;It&#8217;s Been Awhile&#8221;</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/you-can-go-home-again-eugenio-suarez-signs-with-the-reds/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Suárez signing FG post</a>
<a href="https://ewstats.com/competitions/contracts" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to over/under draft tracker</a>
<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/rajmehta.ca/post/3mdtlzozrxc2v" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to palindrome post</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/another-fine-addition-to-their-collection-mariners-acquire-brendan-donovan-in-three-team-swap/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Donovan trade post</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7017969/2026/02/03/seattle-mariners-brendan-donovan-trade-state-senate/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Dipoto trade story</a>
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q9mEeRS6LxrDMczJFC8tD6PRYyNcKhLA/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to &#8220;WWJDD?&#8221;</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/cut4/jerry-dipoto-made-a-trade-from-the-hospital-c301836090" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Dipoto hospital story</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/jurrangelo-cijntje-to-pitch-right-handed-in-spring-camp" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Cijntje specialization story</a>
<a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=cijntj000jur&type=pgl&year=2025#all_pitching_splits" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Cijntje splits</a>
<a href="https://x.com/jonbecker_/status/2018515041004228608" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Becker on three-team trades</a>
<a href="https://www.tampabay.com/news/hillsborough/2026/02/02/rays-tampabay-hillsborough-stadium-ballpark-deal-mlb-baseball-desantis-manfred/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Rays ballpark funding info</a>
<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/sammillerbb.bsky.social/post/3mdvtgxjsw22v" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sam&#8217;s trade post</a>
<a href="https://x.com/SamMillerBB/status/425867764876599296" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sam&#8217;s original Rays post</a>
<a href="https://x.com/nprscottsimon/status/1922641782598197415" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to &#8220;White Soxer&#8221; post</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/offseason-tracker" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to FG offseason tracker</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/white-sox-take-two-steps-toward-stinking-less" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Baumann on the White Sox</a>
<a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/104454/the-old-man-and-the-cincinnati-reds/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to BP on the White Sox</a>
<a href="https://soxmachine.com/2024/11/after-career-worst-season-white-soxs-enthusiam-lured-austin-slater-to-chicago" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Slater &#8220;top target&#8221; quote</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/munetaka-murakami-bidet-white-sox-clubhouse" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Murakami bidets story</a>
<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2025/04/24/dodgers-plumbing-the-depths-to-give-players-all-the-comforts/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sasaki bidets story</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/21/style/gracie-mansion-mamdani-bidet.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Mamdani bidets story</a>
<a href="https://www.theringer.com/2020/03/23/pop-culture/social-distancing-diaries-bidet-toilet-paper-shortage" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ben on bidets</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/breakdowns/payroll" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to team payrolls</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/lets-beat-the-dodgers/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Dan S. on beating the Dodgers</a>
<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/dszymborski.fangraphs.com/post/3mdxhfr3prs2i" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Dan on the Pirates/A&#8217;s</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/standings/playoff-odds/fg/div" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to the playoff odds</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/six-takeaways-from-our-playoff-odds-release/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Clemens on the playoff odds</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=Team" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to projected team WAR</a>
<a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/strike-four-9781538121153/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Strike Four</a>
<a href="https://sabr.org/authors/richard-hershberger/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Richard&#8217;s SABR work</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=Team" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to projected team WAR</a>
<a href="https://effectivelywild.fandom.com/wiki/Past_Blast" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Past Blast wiki</a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/effectivelywild/posts/25789145847445590/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Richard&#8217;s NL post 1</a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/effectivelywild/posts/25797499743276867/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Richard&#8217;s NL post 2</a>
<a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1876.shtml" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to 1876 NL</a>
<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-29/cftc-to-craft-new-rules-for-prediction-markets-chairman-says" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to prediction markets update</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7010724/2026/02/02/mlb-broadcast-fanduel-sports-network-exodus/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to team broadcasts update</a>
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-average-salary-188bf8f2e4cee3c87aaf4210814ca247" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to 2025 player earnings data</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/effectively-wild-episode-1834-your-moment-of-zen/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to original Stat Blast</a>
<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1S6SzVxkaGfa5mzBA1Nt5UTkbwFWHswboxYViwOEiM-E/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to new Stat Blast data</a>
<a href="https://imgur.com/VXD2x86" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to $/WAR by year</a>

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Effectively Wild Episode 2435: Oddsball Ideas

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