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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

Kathryn Xu

Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates walks to the dugout during the first inning.

Report: Family Of Oneil Cruz Hired Fixer To Cover Up Fatal 2020 Car Crash

Lauren Theisen

Mickey Moniak #22 of the Colorado Rockies reacts after striking out

Let’s See If The Colorado Rockies Have Learned How To Play Baseball Yet

<div id=":g4.ma" class="Mu SP" title="January 26, 2021 at 2:34:42 PM UTC-5" data-tooltip="January 26, 2021 at 2:34:42 PM UTC-5"><span id=":g4.co" class="tL8wMe EMoHub" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/GoStevenGoldman">Steven Goldman</a> is a former BP editor-in-chief and current consulting editor. He is the author of the Casey Stengel biography <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Forging-Genius-Making-Casey-Stengel/dp/1574888749">Forging Genius</a> </i>and host of the long-running <a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/show/the-infinite-inning/"><i>Infinite Inning </i>podcast</a>, which sits at the crossroads of baseball, history, politics, and culture. His most recent book, which has an introduction by David Roth, is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Baseballs-Brief-Lives-Inspired-Infinite/dp/B0BBJTPGDF"><i>Baseball&#8217;s Brief Lives: Player-Stories Inspired by the Infinite Inning</i></a>.</span></div>
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Steven Goldman

Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angles hits a double in the ninth inning during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Angel Stadium. There's basically no one in the seats behind home plate.

The Angels Are Just Passing Through

Barry Petchesky

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 06: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on September 06, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

Aaron Judge Back

David Roth

Manager Oliver Marmol of the St. Louis Cardinals (C) argues with umpire Doug Eddings #88 after getting ejected from the game on Friday, September 4, 2026.

Heartwarming: Preposterous Doug Eddings Umpshow Unites Cardinals And Rockies In Dislike Of Doug Eddings

Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks walks into the dugout before the MLB game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Chase Field on August 31.

Ketel Marte’s Bridge-Burning Hat Raises, Leaves Unanswered Several Questions

Ray Ratto

Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Arte Moreno sold a controlling interest in the Angel franchise to Rams owner Stan Kroenke.

After Imprisoning The Angels In The Toilet For Decades, Arte Moreno Is Cashing Out

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Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs takes the field prior to the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field on August 30, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.

The Chicago Cubs Would Like Your Attention

DENVER, CO - AUGUST 31: Colton Cowser #17 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates robs Jake McCarthy of the Colorado Rockies of a home run in the ninth inning that would have won the game at Coors Field on August 31, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. Baltimore Orioles won the game 2-1. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

Holy God Damn, Colton Cowser

Aristides Aquino of the Cincinnati Reds looks on from the dugout in the eighth inning during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on September 28, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Reds Week

Aristides Aquino Thumped While The Thumping Was Good

Storm clouds blanket the sky over Great American Ball Park as Starlin Castro #13 of the Chicago Cubs fields a ground ball in the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds as on July 7, 2014 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati defeated Chicago 9-3.

I Went To A Reds Game And The Sky Was Red


<p>Amy Schneider is a software engineer, cat owner, and Jeopardy champion who posts about her experiences on Twitter @Jeopardamy. She used to have a podcast, and odds are she will again some day.</p>


Amy Schneider

13 Short Blogs About The Cincinnati Reds

Eugenio Suarez of the Cincinnati Reds hugs teammate Elly de la Cruz #44 after hitting a grand slam home run in the ninth inning during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

Historic Cincinnati Comeback Offers A Stirring Testament To The Power Of Reds Week

Tom Browning of the Cincinnati Reds pitches against the Chicago Cubs during an Major League Baseball game circa 1989 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Reds Week logo is at lower left.

Tom Browning Devoured Innings And Tormented My Team

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


Chris Thompson

Brian kaplan and jeff banister yelling from the dugout

August Baseball Game Briefly Spiced Up By Runaway Dugout Red-Assedness

Tom Ley

marge schott addresses the crowd before game 1 of the 1990 world series

Marge Schott Was A Five-Tool Bigot Who Would Have Thrived In Any Era

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<p class="sc-77igqf-0 bOfvBY">Vince Guerrieri is an award-winning journalist and author in the Cleveland area. He likes Lake Erie perch sandwiches, Jim Traficant and long walks on the field at League Park. His website is <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="http://vinceguerrieri.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;http://vinceguerrieri.com/&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">vinceguerrieri.com</a>, and you can follow him on Twitter <a class="sc-1out364-0 hMndXN sc-145m8ut-0 kGbjEv js_link" href="https://twitter.com/vinceguerrieri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ga="[[&quot;Embedded Url&quot;,&quot;External link&quot;,&quot;https://twitter.com/vinceguerrieri&quot;,{&quot;metric25&quot;:1}]]">@vinceguerrieri</a>.</p>
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Vince Guerrieri

Portrait of, from left, baseball players George Crowe, Wally Post, and Gus Bell, all of the Cincinnati Reds, as they pose at Crosley Field, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1957. (Photo by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images)

How Cincinnati Ruined All-Star Voting For A Dozen Years

Randy Arozarena celebrates a game-winning dinger.

Randy Arozarena Made The Mariners Smile

CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 19: Matt Wilkinson #71 of the San Francisco Giants walks off the field at the end of the inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on August 19, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images)

Tugboat Wilkinson Has Steamed Into Port

Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners looks on in the seventh inning after being taken out of game down 11-0 to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Mariners Surely Reach Pinnacle Of Regular-Season Suffering

Kelsey McKinney

Fernando Tatis Jr. in a brown padres jersey, holds a ball flat in his right hand

The King Of The Robbers Returns

PHOENIX, AZ - AUGUST 12: Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks looks on at third base during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Zach Gardner/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

This Ketel Marte Thing Is Getting Strange

Jake Bauers of the Milwaukee Brewers diving past Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Ben Rortvedt on a play at home plate.

Eventually You May Have To Believe In The Dang Milwaukee Brewers

slideshow showing "learning to score a baseball game" in a bar

MLB