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Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 15: J.T. Realmuto #10 of the Philadelphia Phillies is congratulated by Bryce Harper #3 following an in the park home run against the Atlanta Braves during the third inning in game four of the National League Division Series at Citizens Bank Park on October 15, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

J.T. Realmuto Knows The Angle

Luis Paez-Pumar

Game three of the American League Division Series between the Houston Astros and the Seattle Mariners enters the seventeenth inning without a run at T-Mobile Park on October 15, 2022 in Seattle, Washington.

I Did So Many Things While Houston And Seattle Failed To Score

Marc Normandin currently writes on baseball’s labor issues and more at <a style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif" href="http://marcnormandin.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://marcnormandin.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1758998321491000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ZpjG5RUFwdpapWqR1u4bd">marcnormandin.com</a>, which you can read for free but support <a style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif" href="https://www.patreon.com/marcnormandin">through his Patreon</a>. His baseball writing has appeared at FOX Sports, SB Nation, Defector, Global Sport Matters, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Sports on Earth, The Guardian, The Nation, FAIR, and TalkPoverty, and you can read his takes on video games at Retro XP and Endless Mode.
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Marc Normandin

Amarillo Sod Poodles infielder Jordan Lawlar seen outlined against a bright blue sky in a game against the Frisco RoughRiders in September of 2022.

Major League Baseball’s Hubris Helped Lead To Minor League Baseball’s Union

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

The Mighty Bat Of Yordan Alvarez Is Inescapable

Patrick Redford

Birdfector

The Dodgers Squandered A Rally Goose By Putting It In A Trash Can

Lauren Theisen

Maitreyi Anantharaman

the Phillies celebrate in their locker room

Point/Counterpoint: Is Three Games A Playoff Series?

That’s It

Tom Ley

Don’t Check The Ears Unless You’re Sure

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) watches the Seattle Mariners celebrate as the Toronto Blue Jays fall to the Seattle Mariners 10-9 in game two losing their American League Wild Card series at Rogers Centre in Toronto. October 8, 2022.

The Blue Jays Crashed Right Out Of The Postseason

A Phillies employee pours beer over Bryce Harper's head

The Phillies Didn’t Unravel

<a href="https://twitter.com/PeteCroatto" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/PeteCroatto&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1664986664225000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1IOCSnf8b8k47CXUQY8Wml">Pete Croatto </a>is the author of <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/From-Hang-Time-to-Prime-Time/Pete-Croatto/9781982103958" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/From-Hang-Time-to-Prime-Time/Pete-Croatto/9781982103958&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1664986664225000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0qtPVCYdWjoWnj-HRERk_r">From Hang Time to Prime Time: Business, Entertainment, and the Birth of the Modern-day NBA</a>. His sportswriting has appeared in many outlets, including The New York Times, The Athletic, The Toronto Star, Andscape, Shondaland, and SLAM.

Pete Croatto

<a href="https://twitter.com/DaveCroatto" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dave Croatto</a> has written for The Onion, The New Yorker’s Daily Shouts, MAD Magazine and Random House’s Little Golden Books. Once, in a diner, he saw a woman take a spoonful of complimentary mints from a bowl by the cash register, put the spoon directly into her mouth, and then place the spoon back in the bowl. The experience haunts him to this day.

Dave Croatto

An illustration of a hand holding a straight flush of Donruss Diamond Kings.

The Brief, Memorable Reign Of The Diamond King, Baseball Cards’ Most Iconic Subset

Ray Ratto

There’s Nothing Left For The MLB Season To Do But End

At Least One Person Appreciated Kody Clemens’s Grand Slam

Barry Petchesky

ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 04: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees runs the bases after hitting his 62nd home run in the first inning breaking the American League home run record during the game between the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Who Cares If 62 Isn’t A Real Record?

HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 03: The Philadelphia Phillies celebrate after clinching the Wild Card, their first playoff berth since 2011 with a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on October 03, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

This Phillies Postseason, I Have No Fear

Tie Goes To The Smoker

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 17: Aaron Nola #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies walks back to the clubhouse before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on September 17, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Casey Sykes/Getty Images)

Jinxes Are Fake But Phillies Fans Are All Too Real

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 26: Tony La Russa #22 of the Chicago White Sox walk on the field in the sixth inning during a game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on August 26, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Chase Agnello-Dean/Getty Images)

Tony La Russa Was A Genius Until He Wasn’t

Dansby Swanson celebrates after hitting a home run

The Braves Are Annoying And Unstoppable

Shohei Ohtani Marches On

September Is Once Again Destroying The Phillies

David Roth

Amarillo Sod Poodles infielder Jordan Lawlar is congratulated by his coach after scoring a run in minor league game in 2022.

Podcasts

How The Minor Leagues Got Organized, With Emma Baccellieri

UNITED STATES - CIRCA 1950s: Two boys playing baseball.

Underexplained Lists

The Coolness Of Baseball Positions, Ranked

It’s Time For The Marlins And Nats To Be Their Most Diabolical

TORONTO, - SEPTEMBER 28: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees hits a home run in the seventh inning and tying Roger Maris AL record for most home runs in a single season during the game between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Thomas Skrlj/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Aaron Judge Is The Good Part Of The Yankees