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

Kathryn Xu

Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees reacts after a call made by home plate umpire umpire Angel Hernandez #5 during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium.

This May Be Hard To Believe, But It Gets Even Worse Than Ángel Hernández

Ray Ratto

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 12: A general view of Guaranteed Rate Field during the MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago White Sox on April 12, 2024, at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire)

The White Sox Have A Historical Stink

Barry Petchesky

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 06: New York Yankees broadcasters Michael Kay (L) and John Sterling speak during the New York Yankees World Series Victory Celebration at City Hall on November 6, 2009 in New York, New York. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

John Sterling Was The Soundtrack To My Life

Samer Kalaf

Brock Burke pitches for the Texas Rangers

Rangers’ Brock Burke Disrupts Recent Spate Of Pitcher Elbow Injuries, Breaks His Hand

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 21: Shohei Ohtani (C) of the Los Angeles Dodgers talks with his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara (L) and agent Nez Balelo (R) prior to the game between the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on December 21, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Gambling Addiction Is A Nasty, Nasty Thing

David Roth

Joel Zumaya of the Detroit Tigers pitches in a game against the Yankees in May of 2010. The facial hair is outrageous.

Podcasts

Make Gambling Embarrassing Again, With Justin Halpern

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 25: Interpreter Ippei Mizuhara of the Los Angeles Angels looks on against the New York Mets at Citi Field on August 25, 2023 in New York City. The Angels defeated the Mets 3-1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

The Wildest Stuff Alleged In The Criminal Complaint Against Ippei Mizuhara

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers, pictured with his translator, Ippei Mizuhara, prepares for a game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch.

Not Even An Ippei Mizuhara Guilty Plea Will Take MLB Off The Hook

Lauren Theisen

MLB’s Radio Streams Still Suck

Patrick Redford

HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 30: Marcus Stroman #0 of the New York Yankees pitches in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on March 30, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

MLB’s New Uniforms Continue To Suck Ass

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Los Angeles Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel (18) bats during the Los Angeles Angels versus the Baltimore Orioles game on March 28, 2024, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD.

Major League Baseball EMBROILED In Fussy And Arcane Scoring Scandal

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 05: Atlanta Braves pitching coach Rick Kranitz (r) talks to Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider (99) and Atlanta Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud (16) at the pitching mound during the Atlanta Braves 2024 season Home Opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 5, 2024 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Elbows Are Exploding

<p>Annie Howard is a journalist and historian based in Chicago. She is currently at work on her debut manuscript, <em>The City Made Me Trans</em><i>.</i></p>


Annie Howard

an aerial view of an empty Guaranteed Rate Field

How To Fix Chicago’s White Sox–Shaped Black Hole

Fans hold up a "SELL" flag as the Boston Red Sox play the Oakland Athletics at Oakland Coliseum on April 02, 2024 in Oakland, California.

The A’s And Sacramento Will Pretend Not To Know Each Other

Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco strikes a prayerful gesture after getting the last out of his no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 1, 2024.

The More Random The Pitcher, The Better The No-Hitter

Shohei Ohtani strikes out in an uncharacteristically undistinguished and unflattering way against the San Francisco Giants. The Distraction logo is at upper right.

Subtraction By Subtraction, With Ray Ratto

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

The Wandering Athletics Right-Size Their Operation To A Rinky-Dink Minor-League Park In Sacramento

Kauffman Stadium is the home of the Kansas City Royals and beyond it is GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium which is the home of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Capital

The Chiefs And Royals Got What They Deserved

Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies salutes the crowd after the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Citizens Bank Park.

A Homers-Only Diet Suits Bryce Harper Just Fine

<div dir="ltr">
<div>Zach Buchanan has covered Major League Baseball for more than a decade, for the <em>Arizona Republic</em>, <em>Cincinnati Enquirer,</em> and most recently The Athletic. He also has been published in <em>The New York Times</em>, <em>Washington Post</em>, FanGraphs and <em>Baseball America</em>. He lives in Phoenix, where he prepares for the inevitable water crisis by living off Dr Pepper instead.</div>
</div>
<div class="yj6qo ajU"></div>


Zach Buchanan

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 15: Houston Astros hitting coach Troy Snitker watches infielder Grae Kessinger hit in the cages during workouts for Houston Astros pitchers and catchers at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

How Do Coaches Coach When Players Have Their Own Guys?

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 02: The shadow of a cemetery worker is cast on reclaimed gravestones in London City Cemetery on March 2, 2009 in London, England. The cemetery is piloting a scheme whereby graves over 75 years old become eligible for reclamation. New interments will be placed into the existing graves, the headstones will be turned around and re-used, carving the names of the newly deceased. Once a grave has been earmarked by English heritage the cemetery must wait one year to see if family members claim the existing grave. By conserving as many memorials as possible the City of London hopes to maintain the historic cemetery landscape and sustain buriel provisions for the future. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Elder Wisdom

Defunct Is Still Undefeated

Albert Burneko

Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco, mid-pitch, against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 1, 2024.

Wow! Blue Jays–Astros No-Hitter!

Luis Paez-Pumar

Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run against the Miami Marlins during the fourth inning of the game at loanDepot park on April 01, 2024 in Miami, Florida.

Mike Trout Is Still Doing Mike Trout Stuff

J.D. Davis takes the field at a nearly empty Oakland Coliseum.

A New Season Finds The Oakland Athletics In The Same Dumb Limbo

A screenshot of an ESPN broadcast, featuring a live win probability graphic displaying a 35-percent Dodgers win probability, and Chris Taylor making a beaver face.

MLB