<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 the oddly timed end of Derek Falvey&#8217;s rein as POBOth for the Twins, <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/jacob-wilson/33266/stats/batting" target="_blank">Jacob Wilson</a>&#8217;s extension and the promising but lopsided A&#8217;s, pillow contracts vs. trampoline contracts, which teams have had the most frustrating offseasons, dark-horse-candidate teams for 2026, and listener responses to their previous discussion of a Fellowship of the Ring baseball team.
Audio&nbsp;intro: Daniel Leckie, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MDiYT6nzp-be6mFJdJgEZtCfPxSRWERW/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;
Audio&nbsp;outro: Ted O., &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gbPLdUli8iCoR0VI_Een0wsDnkm_n8i2/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;

<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7010126/2026/01/30/derek-falvey-minnesota-twins/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to The Athletic on Falvey</a>
<a href="https://x.com/AaronGleeman/status/2017303163951333429" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Favley Zoom meeting detail</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/breakdowns/payroll" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to FG payrolls page</a>
<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/01/athletics-jacob-wilson-extension-seven-years.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLBTR on Wilson</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2025&season1=2025&ind=0&team=0%2Cts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&month=0" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to 2025 team batting WAR</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2025&season1=2025&ind=0&team=0%2Cts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&month=0" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to 2025 team pitching WAR</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=Team" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to team WAR projections</a>
<a href="https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/me-sowing-me-reaping" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to sowing/reaping meme</a>
<a href="https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/offseason/spending" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to team offseason spending</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/offseason-tracker" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to FG offseason tracker</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-vof_XvTqA/?hl=en&img_index=1" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Rooker on aliens</a>
<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/01/david-robertson-announces-retirement.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Robertson retirement news</a>
<a href="https://bandwagon.substack.com/p/a-brief-history-of-the-early-opt" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Crizer on opt-outs</a>
<a href="https://effectivelywild.fandom.com/wiki/Trampolines" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to EW wiki on trampolines</a>
<a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/104344/prospectus-feature-six-teams-putting-the-off-in-offseason/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to BP on inactive teams</a>
<a href="https://www.joesheehan.com/2026/01/newsletter-excerpt-january-25-2026.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sheehan on inactive teams</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6984114/2026/01/20/mlb-offseason-tiers-teams-trying/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to The Athletic on trying tiers</a>
<a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=Team" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to projected team WAR</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_horse" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to &#8220;dark horse&#8221; wiki</a>
<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/01/logan-evans-undergoes-ucl-surgery.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to MLBTR on Evans</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXpF3SUFaDw" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Mount Doom scene</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/vinnie-pasquantino-royals-contract" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Pasquantino news</a>

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Effectively Wild Episode 2434: Hold Your Dark Horses

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