Effectively Wild Episode 2472: Jason B. on NBC
4/30/20261 hr 54 min
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about Vinnie Pasquantino’s new espresso machine, how the Phillies’ firing of Rob Thomson compares to Boston’s coaching overhaul and how Thomson’s dismissal both does and doesn’t make sense, Mason Miller’s “slump,” Shohei Ohtani’s WAR distribution, Max Scherzer’s major league last gasp, Travis Bazzana’s debut, and how the Mexican League’s Diablos Rojos have handled high altitude. Then (55:48) they talk to Jason Benetti, TV voice of the Tigers and new lead MLB broadcaster for Sunday Night Baseball on NBC, about how he got his new gig, juggling jobs and employers, teaming up with different broadcast partners (including a besuited John Kruk) every week, how NBC approaches baseball, the AL Central’s mediocrity, Kevin McGonigle’s precocious success, Jason’s full-circle Bob Costas story, and Mr. Monopoly vs. Mr. Peanut.
Audio intro: Jonathan Crymes, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Nate Emerson, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Link to espresso machine post
Link to Nespresso wiki
Link to Baumann on Thomson
Link to MLBTR on Thomson
Link to Paine on Thomson
Link to Phillies’ record under Thomson
Link to batter WAR under Thomson
Link to pitcher WAR under Thomson
Link to team defense
Link to team run differentials
Link to playoff odds changes
Link to Gelb on Thomson
Link to Cora report 1
Link to Cora report 2
Link to MLBTR on Crochet
Link to Miller story
Link to Soriano story
Link to combined WAR leaderboard
Link to MLBTR on Scherzer
Link to Scherzer’s daughter’s letter
Link to Baumann on Bazzana
Link to MLBTR on Bazzana
Link to 2026 FG top 100
Link to Bazzana at Prospect Savant
Link to list of debut IBBs
Link to The Devil Wears Prada 2
Link to Patrick Brammall wiki
Link to Song Sung Blue
Link to Tenet dialogue story 1
Link to Tenet dialogue story 2
Link to Nolan dialogue explanation
Link to sound mixing story
Link to MLBTR on Bazzana
Link to Mexican League elevations
Link to Octavio Hernández
Link to Coors hangover article 1
Link to Coors hangover article 2
Link to Coors hangover article 3
Link to Benetti at Saberseminar
Link to SBJ profile
Link to NBC Sundays schedule
Link to this Sunday’s schedule
Link to Jason’s broadcast partners
Link to Walton-Benetti story
Link to Kruk’s suit
Link to Curb “middling” scene
Link to Ben on Albert/Stockton
Link to interdivision records
Link to bat weight research
Link to Mr. Monopoly wiki
Link to Mr. Peanut wiki
Link to Mr. Peanut tweet
Link to Benetti’s podcast
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 00:00
I'm just a man who wants nothing less than effectively wild. Oh, wild, wild. Oh, wild. Nothing less than effectively wild.
Meg Rowley· Host0:22
Hello, and welcome to episode 2472 of Effectively Wild, a FanGraphs baseball podcast brought to you by our Patreon supporters. I'm Meg Rowley of FanGraphs, and I am joined by Ben Lindbergh of The Ringer. Ben, how are you?
Ben Lindbergh· Host0:35
I'm doing well, and I have something to tell you. [laughs] I thought you would be interested to know that the Royals have an espresso machine.
Meg Rowley· Host0:42
Oh, my gosh.
Ben Lindbergh· Host0:43
It was reported by Jen Ramos Eisen. Vinny Pasquantino said that there is an espresso machine in the Royals clubhouse in Kansas City. It's a De'Longhi, and it has its own locker. So I am not a connoisseur of espresso machines.
Meg Rowley· Host1:00
Mm-hmm.
Ben Lindbergh· Host1:00
I looked up, is De'Longhi a good one, and I found some posts on the coffee subreddit.
Meg Rowley· Host1:06
Yeah.
Ben Lindbergh· Host1:06
And the consensus seemed to be, perhaps among some coffee snobs, espresso snobs at r/coffee, that it's a decent starter espresso machine, you know? [laughs] It's a good first espresso machine. I think it's probably an upgrade over the WBC model- Yes.
Meg Rowley· Host1:24
Yes ...
Ben Lindbergh· Host1:24
that Vinny and his, uh, Team Italy teammates employed, but it's not