Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast

Chart trend

Position in the Baseball chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#17#32JunJulAugSep

all-time peak

days in the top 3 since Nov 2024

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

Effectively Wild Episode 2529: The Bandwagon Re-Reunion

With Meg Rowley on vacation, Ben Lindbergh continues his quest to (temporarily) resurrect a few dearly departed baseball podcasts. Next Up: The Bandwagon, featuring Hanna

Sep 10
1 h 53 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2528: The Roundtable Reunion

#9 trending · Baseball

With Meg Rowley on vacation, Ben Lindbergh brings a few dearly departed baseball podcasts (briefly) back to life. First up: The Roundtable, featuring EW cofounder (and Pe

Sep 9
1 h 40 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2527: Feels Like the First Time

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about duplicate episode titles and the Angels being

Sep 4
32 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2526: How Ballpark Sound Got Both Better and Worse

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley announce an upcoming livestream and then react to the semi-surprising sale of the Angels by Arte Moreno to Stan Kroenke, considering the sign

Sep 3
1 h 46 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2525: Espresso Written Consent

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the research Meg saw on her trip to Saber Seminar, a vintage Max Scherzer start, Tarik Skubal’s espresso-machine maneuver, a Kev

Sep 1
1 h 39 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2524: Take This Cup From Me

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a baseball reference in summer sci-fi flick T

Aug 28
33 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2523: Upon Further Review

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about takeaways from ESPN’s 30 for 30 podcast on Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara, disappointing parity (46:41), the latest public-fun

Aug 27
1 h 36 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2522: The New Funnest Fact

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about baseball’s new reigning fun fact (courtesy of Pete Crow-Armstrong and Randy Arozarena), Kade Anderson’s debut and Dan Wilson’s s

Aug 26
1 h 31 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2521: Keep Your Eye on the Small Ball

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a Chris Sale vs. Jacob Misiorowski matchup an

Aug 21
36 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2520: Catch 22–0

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Brewers’ record-tying shutout/blowout of the Mariners (warning: profanity), Bryce Rainer and the continued absence of a post

Aug 20
1 h 35 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2519: The Secret Life of Walter

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the deepening monetary morass surrounding Mark Walter and whether it will eventually ensnare the Dodgers, the struggles of Edwin

Aug 19
1 h 37 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2518: Dear John

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the latest apparent change in the baseball’s b

Aug 14
45 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2517: You Can’t Give Them Extra Outs

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about MLB franchise appreciation, Stat Blast about what the resurgence of three-inning saves and the expanding distribution of saves s

Aug 13
2 h 23 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2516: Baseball Is So Back

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about a quick hook for Keith Foulke in the WPBL and Stat Blast about the historic outcome of a series between two streaking teams befo

Aug 11
1 h 55 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2515: All Fun and Games

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the long-in-the-making major league debut of g

Aug 8
38 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2514: The Deadline, From Adell to Zeferjahn

After talking Tarik Skubal and a few other early acquisitions in the preceding pod, Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley recap the rest of the trade deadline in detail, from Adel

Aug 5
1 h 57 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2513: Abandon Zyhir Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley break down the Dodgers’ trade for Tarik Skubal from multiple angles: the Tigers’ return, expectations for Skubal and the Dodgers, why other t

Aug 3
1 h 47 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2512: The Superhero Baseball Draft

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon. Ben Lindbergh brings on baseball-loving comic-book experts David Harper (of SKTCHD and O

Aug 1
37 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2511: Will the WPBL Be a W?

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the end of Ben’s jury duty and Meg’s first colonoscopy, then discuss an investigation into Dodgers owner Mark Walter’s finances,

Jul 31
1 h 55 min

Effectively Wild Episode 2510: The Desire to Acquire

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Ben’s daughter’s first MLB game, and Ben briefly interviews the four-year-old Sloan about her spectator experience. Then they di

Jul 28
1 h 47 min

Chart positions

Where Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 11, 2026).

#16 — Baseball US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

I love Ben and Meg's insights, two great baseball brains. However I find my self turning off the episodes once they begin to talk themselves in long repetitive circles about one topic without making much progress. I'm all for a free flowing natural conversation but sometimes they make a point and continue to make the same point four or five times before moving on. These circling conversations and sometimes oddly defensive tip-toeing language just turn me off from the show. Not sure if its the pacing, editing, or just my personal preference. They aren't as funny as they think they are.

4LokoOno · Apr 2024

Best baseball podcast and it’s not even close. Great analysis, hosting, humor etc. can’t recommend enough if you’re a diehard fan of this great game

CLH1021 · Feb 2024

Perhaps the best distillation I can give of why I adore this podcast: Seeing the title of Episode 2101 (“Eating Crow”) and wondering how Ben and Meg could dedicate so much time to breaking down the big Tyrone Taylor/Adrian Houser for Coleman Crow trade, and being delighted to realize that it was instead a discussion of grammar school pottery.

Cdwilco33 · Dec 2023

It took me a few episodes to get used to Ben and Meg’s delivery, but now I’ve come to very much appreciate the clarity with which they explain things. This combined with their pedantry (meant with love) has helped me improve my understanding of baseball. Ben and Meg have quickly become two of my favorite voices to have in my ears. Came for the baseball knowledge and staying for the hosts.

HMC.. · Aug 2023

I love baseball and avidly listen to many baseball podcasts. I listen to a broad variety of pods, from the more “professional” ones to the more “playful” ones including this one. But, come on Meg and Ben! Often your podcast is plain immature in not a good, playful sense. Just immature! From the minutes long comments on new uniforms…, while saying you don’t want to make that “a big fuss” about them, to sometimes just going down really unproductive and honestly non-sensical rabbit holes. Make no mistake, there are episodes here that are very good, playful, creative and refreshing! But, more often than not, those get overshadowed by really immature, children-like comments, topics, and tone throughout whole episodes. And we are talking about 1hour+ long episodes. Please improve on this area and I will happily re-subscribe and start listening again.

R. A. Parr. Pod listener · Apr 2024

Edit: I apparently reviewed this when it first started. While it did get a lot better technically, recently it has become two hours of variable listenability. Some good baseball content, interrupted by interminable stretches of discussion of players crapping. This show badly needs an editor who will overrule the hosts saying “leave it in.” Good information, smart hosts, but the quality is very low. It's hard to pull off two guys chatting off the cuff, and too often they come off as simply unprepared. Not too long ago, they mentioned that they don't prepare for the show, which is by no means a good thing. A rule of thumb I learned in broadcasting is that a good hour on-air results from 3 hours of preparation, and this show would really benefit from the hosts taking an hour a day preparing, getting their facts and relevant points in order, before talking into the mic. The technical problems, including today not actually speaking into a microphone, add to the amateurish feel.

bherring24 · May 2023

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.