Effectively Wild Episode 2297: Shocked and a Paul

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the opening series of the regular season in Japan, then (10:55) discuss the removal (and eventual restoration) of a page about Jackie Robinson on the Department of Defense website, before (39:53) bantering further about breakouts, how player heights dropped (or didn’t!) after players were measured more accurately this spring, Joey Gallo’s attempted conversion to pitching, and an abandoned Marlins player-development idea. Then (1:27:38) they talk to Pirates pitching phenom Paul Skenes about being a cover model for MLB The Show 25, his stoic exterior, starters as stars, an auction for his debut baseball card, his hobbies, his expanding pitch mix, and max-effort pitching.

Audio intro: The Shirey Brothers, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Daniel Leckie, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Randy Johnson on EW
Link to Ohtani homer
Link to ratings info
Link to Davy gamer 1
Link to Davy gamer 2
Link to post about Jackie page
Link to article about Jackie page
Link to archived 404 page
Link to restored page
Link to NPR on Rogers page
Link to first statement to Passan
Link to second statement to Passan
Link to segregation ban story
Link to MLB D&I page
Link to old MLB D&I page
Link to post about change
Link to CBB breakouts tweet
Link to height changes sheet
Link to pitcher-measuring info
Link to Gallo tweet
Link to Ben on Gallo in 2014
Link to TTO% leaderboard
Link to Marlins ad
Link to Stock tweet
Link to Herald on Marlins
Link to Athletic on Marlins
Link to The Show gameplay trailer
Link to The Show launch trailer
Link to Livvy’s nonchalant quote
Link to Skenes composure quote
Link to Skenes Opening Day reveal
Link to Skenes dexterity quote
Link to new pitches story
Link to Skenes auction
Link to Skenes on workload
Link to deGrom story
Link to EW gift subscriptions