Effectively Wild Episode 1901: Living in Interesting Times

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about how the White Sox have played in Tony La Russa’s absence, then discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the rules changes coming to MLB in 2023: a pitch clock, restrictions on pickoff attempts and the shift, and bigger bases (with asides on a new WAR, Zack Greinke’s front-office acumen, and Ben’s hiccup cure). Then (52:40) they’re joined by historian Richard Hershberger for an in-person Past Blast from 1901, plus a long-term perspective on responses to times of rapid change in baseball, the sport’s cyclical nature, and more.

Audio intro: Phoenix, “1901”
Audio outro: Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses, “Change Is”

Link to La Russa report
Link to MLB story on rules changes
Link to ESPN story on rules changes
Link to info on infield dimensions
Link to Evan on player objections
Link to MLBPA statement
Link to episode on pitch clock history
Link to MLB BABIP by year
Link to Rob Mains on August offense
Link to Rob Arthur on spin
Link to Ben on banning the shift in 2015
Link to Jeff on banning the shift in 2018
Link to shift loophole idea
Link to Russell on banning the shift
Link to Justin Choi on banning the shift
Link to BA on the shift
Link to BA on the rules changes
Link to Justin Choi on banning the shift
Link to info on hiccups
Link to info on “intractable” hiccups
Link to article on Greinke in Milwaukee
Link to article on Greinke in L.A.
Link to article on Greinke in Arizona
Link to article on the new WAR
Link to other article on the new WAR
Link to Richard Hershberger’s Strike Four
Link to Richard’s SABR archive
Link to 1901 story source
Link to episode on 1889 relief experiment
Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website
Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter
Link to Evan on voluntary recognition
Link to Michael Baumann on unionization
Link to Stengel HoF bio