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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.

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Defector

The Defector Crewneck Sweatshirt Is Back In Stock

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Merch v3

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Laura Wagner

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Minor Leaguers And MLB Are On The Verge Of A Historic CBA

Marc Normandin currently writes on baseball’s labor issues and more at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marcnormandin.com/">marcnormandin.com</a>, which you can read for free but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.patreon.com/marcnormandin">support through his Patreon</a>. His baseball writing has appeared at SB Nation, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Sports on Earth, The Guardian, The Nation, and TalkPoverty.

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.

Arkansas Travelers v Amarillo Sod Poodles

Major League Baseball’s Hubris Helped Lead To Minor League Baseball’s Union

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David Roth

Amarillo Sod Poodles infielder Jordan Lawlar is congratulated by his coach after scoring a run in minor league game in 2022.

Frisco RoughRiders v Amarillo Sod Poodles

Podcasts

How The Minor Leagues Got Organized, With Emma Baccellieri

<a href="https://twitter.com/jaseidler" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jarrett Seidler</a> is the senior prospect writer and evaluation coordinator at Baseball Prospectus. He is a proud Jersey Shore local.

Jarrett Seidler

<a href="https://twitter.com/jeffpaternostro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jeffrey Paternostro</a> is the Lead Prospect Writer at Baseball Prospectus and has spent over a decade waiting for the Mets to develop one fourth-round ACC infielder.

Jeffrey Paternostro

The minor league Tampa Tarpons, under manager Rachel Balkovec, stand for the national anthem in an April 2022 game.

Dunedin Blue Jays v Tampa Tarpons

To Form A More Perfect Union

<a href="https://twitter.com/robertfoconnell" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Robert O’Connell</a> is a writer from Kansas living in New York. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and elsewhere.

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Robert O’Connell

Helmets (and a pair of eclipse glasses) in the dugout of a minor league baseball team in Columbia, SC.

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Minor League Baseball Is Optimized To Exploit

Advocates For Minor Leaguers