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Tom Ley

DENVER, CO - MAY 11: Hitting Coach Clint Hurdle of the Colorado Rockies talks to Michael Toglia #4 in the dugout in the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field on May 11, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. Hurdle was named the interim bench coach after the game when Manager Bud Black and Bench Coach Mike Redmond were fired after the Rockies 7-33 start to the season.

Clint Hurdle Is Thinking Big Thoughts

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

Jac Caglianone rounds the bases in spring training.

Red Alert! The Dinger-Starved Royals Have Promoted A Mighty Lad

George Springer #4 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts during the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Sunday, May 25, 2025 in Tampa, Florida.

Blue Jays Rally Undone By George Springer’s Little Hops

Ray Ratto

Miguel Andujar of the Athletics reacts at a called strike against the Philadelphia Phillies in the bottom of the seventh inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on May 25, 2025 in Sacramento, California.

The Athletics Have Hopped Back Into The Dumpster

Kathryn Xu

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with teammates in the dugout.

Dodgers So Desperate For Starting Pitching They Turn To DH

David Roth

Blueberries are sold at a store in Annapolis, Maryland, on April 4, 2025. These are not the blueberries that Jon Heyman purchased for $15.99 in Manhattan.

This Is So Stupid

Defector Investigates: Is Jon Heyman Paying Too Much For Blueberries?

A dejected Brenton Doyle #9 of the Colorado Rockies sits on the ground after a go-ahead two run home run off the bat of Alec Bohm of the Philadelphia Phillies flew over his glove in the eighth inning at Coors Field on May 19, 2025 in Denver, Colorado.

Rockies Fans’ Best Hope Might Be More Losses

Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates with teammates after scoring during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park on May 22, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Pirates Avoid Historic Humiliation, Suffer Regular Kind Instead

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

Dan McQuade

In a still from A Boy Named Charlie Brown, Snoopy dreams he is a World War I-era fighter pilot fighting against the Red Baron

Rockies: While Other Cartoons Are Zany, Snoopy Reminds Us Of The Horrors Of World War I

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Pitcher Walker Buehler #0 of the Boston Red Sox shouts at home plate umpire Mike Estabrook after a pitch he thought was a strike was called a ball, as Carlos Narváez #75 holds him back during the second inning against the New York Mets at Fenway Park on May 20, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. Buehler was thrown out of the game by Estabrook.

Walker Buehler Gets Tossed Early, Posts Through It Late

Rich Hill #44 of the Boston Red Sox reacts during the seventh inning of a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 29, 2024 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts.

It’s Time To Start The “Rich Hill Is BACK” Countdown

Juan Soto of the New York Mets blows a bubble in the dugout during the game against the New York Mets during their game at Yankee Stadium on May 17, 2025.

Juan Soto’s Mets Era Is Off To A Slow, Silly Start

Baltimore Orioles bench watches play against the Washington Nationals

The Orioles Are Nowhere

Anthony Santander of the Toronto Blue Jays rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning during the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Angels.

Politics

A Dumb New Way To Think About The Dismantling Of The Federal Government

Torey Lovullo gives the business to an umpire.

No, You’re Outta Here!

Lauren Theisen

Javier Báez #28 of the Detroit Tigers is showered with ice water after hitting a three-run walk-off home run

Javy Báez Comes Back For Seconds

Group shot of the 1919 White Sox. They would after this year be known as the "Black Sox Scandal" team, due to the allegation that eight members of the team accepted bribes to lose the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds.

Baseball Frees Its Gambling Ghosts

Javier Báez #28 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates a two-run home run against the Los Angeles Angels in the ninth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 02, 2025 in Anaheim, California.

Javier Báez Can’t Do It All, But He Sure Will Try

Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort, left, during batting practice before the opening day game against the Athletics at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado on Friday, April 4, 2025.

The Colorado Rockies Can’t Even Lose Right

The Savannah Bananas players and Party Animals players get up after making a group photo after a game

The Savannah Bananas Make Baseball Boring

Rafeal Devers wears a green Wally mask in the dugout.

Red Sox Now Chasing Rafael Devers Across The Country, Waving Lineup Card

A passer-by looks on as worker hangs papal bunting over the entrance to the Holy Name Cathedral after Cardinal Robert Prevost, who was born in Chicago, had been named as first American leader of the Catholic Church. She's wearing a White Sox hat.

Which Accursed Chicago Baseball Fan Base Will Get To Claim Pope Leo XIV?

A fan sits alone in the purple row of seats that are exactly on mile above sea level during a game between the Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on August 23, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Houston Astros 8-6.

Which Towering Dinger In Denver Is Jerry Dipoto Actually Talking About?

José Azocar #28, Tyrone Taylor #15, and Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets celebrate after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field.

It’s All Coming Up Mets

Bradley Blalock of the Rockies tries to throw a baseball while sliding on his butt.