Effectively Wild Episode 2470: The Closer Who Became an Archaeo-Lidge-ist

Effectively Wild Episode 2470: The Closer Who Became an Archaeo-Lidge-ist

April 25, 2026 · 45 min

About this episode

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley discuss various baseball topics before interviewing former All-Star Brad Lidge about his transition to archaeology.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, please visit our Patreon . Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about whether JR Ritchie should want to keep the ball that was hit for a homer on his first major league pitch, José Soriano’ s season-starting hot streak, and the Yankees’ new alternate uniforms, plus follow-ups on accidental challenges, player pecks on the cheek, jersey numbers, and Nolan McLean ’s apology, and a mini-Blast about the Rockies’ historically hot start (compared to last year). Then (50:36) they take a break from interviewing octagenarian former players to interview a youthful, quadragenarian former player: former All-Star Brad Lidge . An infamous manager once proclaimed , “The closer is the closer because he’s the closer.” But what if the closer becomes an archaeologist? Ben and Meg talk to Lidge at length about his post-playing pivot to archaeology: what drew him to the field, how he’s pursued a second profession (and how it differs from his first one), ancient Etruscans, misconceptions about archaeology, what he could learn from excavating a ballpark, discovering dice (note: not a gambling ad)…

People in this episode

Hosts: Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley

Guest: Brad Lidge

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Rockies, Yankees

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