CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Australian Football

Better Hate An Owner

Bowling

Chess

Climbing

Cricket

Curling

Cycling

Darts

Death To The NCAA

Disc Sports

Gaelic Football

Gambling

Golf

High School Sports

Horse Racing

Hurling

Infinite Replay

Jamboroo

Lacrosse

Olympics

Parasports

Pro Softball

Pro Wrestling

Racing

Rugby

Running

Skateboarding

Soccer

Sports Highlight Of The Day

Tennis

The Fights

The Great Outdoors

Volleyball

Why Your Team Sucks

Wings Week

Sports

Tom Ley

Sandy Alderson Should Not Be In Charge Of Anything

<a href="https://twitter.com/ericnus">Eric Nusbaum</a> (words) is a writer based in Tacoma, Washington. He is the author of the book <a href="https://bookshop.org/books/stealing-home-los-angeles-the-dodgers-and-the-lives-caught-in-between-9781541742222/9781541742215">Stealing Home: Los Angeles, the Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between</a>. He is also a former editor at VICE.
<a href="https://twitter.com/adamvillacin">Adam Villacin</a> (pictures) is an illustrator based in Joshua Tree, California. He has written, illustrated, and self-published roughly one hundred zines. He has worked with clients such as Nike, Jordan Brand, Adidas, Dr. Martens, and Fender in addition to editorial work for VICE and The Ringer. He’s also been drawing a musician every day for the last year and a half.

Eric Nusbaum and Adam Villacin

Lola Falana, who was a celebrity but never actually a part owner of the Mets.

History

Did Lola Falana Really Win A Cut Of The Mets Playing Baccarat In 1983 Atlantic City?

There’s No Such Thing As The “Rays Model”

Ray Ratto

Matthew Stafford, quarterback of the Detroit Lions, stands on the field before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field on December 13, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. Stafford has his back to the camera, all that's visible is his hat and his jersey.

There Is No Logic To Be Found In The Matthew Stafford And Nolan Arenado Trades

David Roth

Defector Up All Night

Best Wishes For A Happy, Healthy Hump Day From Alex Rodriguez

The Ricketts Kids Don’t Know How To Care For Their Toys

Curt Schilling sitting in the dugout while with the Red Sox, thinking about how much everyone else sucks.

Curt Schilling’s Cooperstown Tragedy Is The Purest Farce

Curt Schilling Has Activated Pissbaby Mode

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

Dan McQuade

Videos

A Baseball Hall Of Fame Vote Is A Heavy Burden, Perhaps Too Heavy For Any One Man To Bear

Lauren Theisen

Gary Sheffield #3 of the Detroit Tigers bats

Gary Sheffield Feels Like A Hall Of Famer, Even If He Isn’t One

Barry Petchesky

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 07: Adam Ottavino #0 of the New York Yankees is pulled after walking Nelson Cruz #23 of the Minnesota Twins in game three of the American League Division Series at Target Field on October 07, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

MLB Has A Salary Cap

Plaques in the main hallway identify inductee classes in the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum July 25, 2004 in Cooperstown, New York. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***

The Hall Of Fame’s Problem Is Baseball

Hank Aaron, seen here laughing at a Mets/Braves game.

Henry Aaron Did It All, All The Time

Patrick Dubuque is a writer and editor at Baseball Prospectus.

Patrick Dubuque

Chris Davis seen here immediately after making an out.

Chris Davis Is Still Here

Firing Jared Porter Is The Easy Part

Charles and Ann Johnson at a charity benefit that's not for like Laura Loomer.

Politics

San Francisco Giants Owner Can’t Stop Donating Money To America’s Worst Politicians

7 Jul 1991: Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda yells during a game against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. Mandatory Credit:

Tommy Lasorda Was The Showman Who Couldn’t Turn It Off

Watch The DH Needle For Up-To-The-Moment DH Results

Patrick Redford

Whoever’s Controlling Leonys Martin’s Twitter Would Like To Sell You An Extra PS5

&lt;&gt; at Wrigley Field on April 18, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois.

Cubs: You Can’t Criticize Our Salary Dump Until The Prospects Hit Puberty

Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, two good players the Padres already have.

The Padres Are Doing What Every Other Team Could

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 27: Blake Snell #4 of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts as he is being taken out of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning in Game Six of the 2020 MLB World Series at Globe Life Field on October 27, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

The Rays Can’t Help Themselves

<a href="https://twitter.com/yayroger">Roger Cormier</a> is a writer at Baseball Prospectus. He has two cats but is a friend to dogs too.

Roger Cormier

Some pictures of Steve Christmas, a real baseball guy!

The Almost Unbelievable True Story Of Steve Christmas

Matsutaro Shoriki, drawn by Adam Villacin

The Newspaper Mogul Who Risked His Life To Bring Babe Ruth To Japan

<a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="http://demause.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;http://demause.net/&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">Neil deMause</a> has covered sports economics for more publications than even he can shake a stick at. He’s co-author of the book <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="https://www.amazon.com/Field-Schemes-Stadium-Swindle-Private/dp/1567511384?ascsubtag=c9dca64cfbbd6c35085d286f4423ee39b8350b2f&amp;rawdata=%5Br%7Chttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F%5Bks%7Cgoogle%5Bt%7Clink%5Bp%7C1800657108%5Ba%7C1567511384%5Bau%7C5722120546910826704%5Bb%7Cdeadspinascsubtag%3D4eba2da0f6cc83fe1f221e8d8ca5894cd93bf2a7ascsubtag%3D33f4f2a16c1eda72859c34ee8aa577410b04a0d8&amp;tag=deadspinamzn-20" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-ga="[[&quot;Commerce&quot;,&quot;deadspin - Baseball Doesn't Need Collusion To Turn Off The Hot Stove&quot;,&quot;1567511384&quot;]]" data-amazonasin="1567511384" data-amazontag="deadspinamzn-20" data-amazonsubtag="[r|https://www.google.com/[ks|google[t|link[p|1831644811[a|1567511384[au|5722120546910826704[b|deadspin[lt|text" data-commerceready="true">Field of Schemes: How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money Into Private Profit</a>, and runs <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="http://fieldofschemes.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;http://fieldofschemes.com/&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">the website of the same name</a>.

Neil deMause

CAROLINA, PUERTO RICO - NOVEMBER 13: A remaining batting helmet sits on the field at the Roberto Clemente Municipal Stadium on November 13, 2018 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The ballpark was once used for minor league AA baseball. The stadium is set to be demolished due to the extended damage it sustained from Hurricane Maria. The effort continues in Puerto Rico to remain and rebuild more than one year after the Hurricane Maria hit and devastated the island on September 20, 2017. The official number of deaths from the disaster is 2,975. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images for Lumix)

Why MLB Declared War On The Minor Leagues