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

David Roth

A still image from the Citizens For Sanity ads that ran during the MLB Playoffs, this one juxtaposing Bernie Sanders and words accusing him of having a love affair with violent criminals.

Politics

The Disgust Is The Product

Ray Ratto

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 23: The Houston Astros celebrate after defeating the New York Yankees in game four to win the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 23, 2022 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

You Do Not Have To Root For The Phillies

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

Dan McQuade

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 23: A general view of Citizens Bank Park after the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the San Diego Padres in game five to win the National League Championship Series on October 23, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

What A Gift These Phillies Have Been

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 23: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies is congratulated by teammates following a two run home run against the San Diego Padres during the eighth inning in game five of the National League Championship Series at Citizens Bank Park on October 23, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

You’re Gonna Have To Root For The Phillies In The World Series

For The Philadelphia Phillies, It All Happened So Fast

Bruce Bochy Heard The Call

Does Hatred Of The Astros Spring Eternal?

The Philadelphia Phillies celebrate after dispatching the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS.

Podcasts

Philadelphia Feelies, With Dan McQuade

Lauren Theisen

The Astros Keep Finding These Guys

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 18: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres reacts after flying out during the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in game one of the National League Championship Series at PETCO Park on October 18, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Best Enigmas Money Can Buy

Ignore The Relief Pitchers Of The ALCS At Your Own Peril

Get To Know The Relief Pitchers Of The NLCS Before It’s Too Late

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Barry Petchesky

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 15: Steven Kwan #38 and Amed Rosario #1 of the Cleveland Guardians react after scoring in the ninth inning to win the game against the New York Yankees at Progressive Field on Saturday, October 15, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Two Fans Victimized By The Cleveland Goddamned Guardians Work Through Their Feelings

Brandon Marsh exults wetly after doubling in the Phillies' NLDS win against the Braves.

It Is Not Going To Make Sense

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.
<div class="gs">
<div class="">
<div class="WhmR8e" data-hash="0"></div>
</div>
</div>

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

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