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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

Enter Our Raffle To Win A Visit And Home-Cooked Meal From Drew Magary

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tip jar sweepstakes

<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"><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 <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Forging-Genius-Making-Casey-Stengel/dp/1574888749">Forging Genius</a> and host of the long-running <a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/show/the-infinite-inning/">Infinite Inning 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">Baseball&#8217;s Brief Lives: Player-Stories Inspired by the Infinite Inning</a>.</div>
<div id=":g5.ma" class="Mu SP" data-tooltip="January 26, 2021 at 2:34:45 PM UTC-5"></div>

Steven Goldman

A general view of the DraftKings Bet Live Now signage during the Major League Baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Washington Nationals on July 7, 2022.

MLB: JUL 07 Nationals at Phillies

Gambling For Life

A professional baseball player. This is not his real name.

John Wholestaff

Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani (17) in action, pitching vs San Francisco Giants.

Los Angeles Angels vs San Francisco Giants

A Pitcher’s View On The Tommy John “Epidemic”

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Lauren Theisen

Washington Nationals v San Diego Padres

The Padres Squandered The Greatest Gift

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Ray Ratto

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Brent Suter high fives fans as he walks around the field with players to end their season at Coors Field on October 1, 2023 in Denver, Colorado.

Colorado Rockies v Minnesota Twins

It’s Time To Fixate On How Your Favorite Baseball Team Will Disappoint You

<a href="https://twitter.com/cdgoldstein">Craig Goldstein</a> is the editor-in-chief of Baseball Prospectus and the co-host of <a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/show/five-and-dive/">the Five &amp; Dive podcast</a>.

Craig Goldstein

Juan Soto, then of the San Diego Padres, high-fives a teammate during a road game against the Giants.

San Diego Padres v San Francisco Giants

How Does Juan Soto Keep Getting Traded?

Rob Mains is a writer at Baseball Prospectus.

Rob Mains

Baltimore Orioles co-owner John Angelos seen looking into space at the press conference introducing Mike Elias as the team's GM back in 2018.

Baltimore Orioles Introduce Mike Elias – News Conference

John Angelos Speaks, Or Count The Number Of Things Wrong With This Paragraph

Domingo German of the New York Yankees leaves the mound during a home game against the Chicago Cubs in July of 2023.

Chicago Cubs v New York Yankees

Underneath The Bottle

Ginny Searle is a writer and editor at Baseball Prospectus.

Ginny Searle

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks to the assembled press before a Brewers home game in May of 2023.

San Francisco Giants v Milwaukee Brewers

The Wrong Lessons Learned

<div dir="auto"><a href="https://twitter.com/NotTheBobbyOrr">Robert Orr</a> is an author of Baseball Prospectus.</div>

Robert Orr

Tampa Bay Rays Randy Arozarena and Brandon Lowe celebrate Lowe's two-run homer in a May game.

Tampa Bay Rays v New York Mets

How The Rays Raised Their Offensive Game

Russell A. Carleton is an author at Baseball Prospectus and of the forthcoming book <a href="https://www.triumphbooks.com/the-new-ballgame-products-9781637272268.php?page_id=30&amp;cid=434862" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.triumphbooks.com/the-new-ballgame-products-9781637272268.php?page_id%3D30%26cid%3D434862&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1680985638870000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0_Ie5IAhP6DgMCeMB7in79">The New Ballgame: The Not-So-Hidden Forces Shaping Baseball</a> from Triumph Books, available in June 2023.

Russell Carleton

Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres' high-fiving after a Yankees win on April 2, 2023.

San Francisco Giants v New York Yankees

Welcome To Nowhere

Cincinnati Reds CEO Bob Castellini and disgraced Reds legend Pete Rose yuk it up at an event honoring Rose's hit record, in 2010.

Pittsburgh Pirates v Cincinnati Reds

What The 2023 Forbes Data Tell Us About The Business Of Baseball

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson looking very sad after making an out against the Royals in July of 2022.

Kansas City Royals v Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers Flipped The Switch And Nothing Happened

Jackie Robinson and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King talk before a press conference as part of their campaign against segregation in 1962.

Jackie Robinson and Martin Luther King

What Is Baseball History For?

Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy congratulate each other after another Dodgers win against the Giants, this one on September 17, 2022.

Los Angeles Dodgers v San Francisco Giants

The Dodgers Have Broken The Scale

<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

Wander Franco receives congratulations in the dugout after scoring against the Orioles.

Baltimore Orioles v Tampa Bay Rays

The International Draft Solves A Problem Of MLB’s Own Making

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

Red Sox owner John Harrington and Braves president Stan Kasten, seen listening to Bud Selig during the 1994 MLB strike.

BBA-STRIKE-OWNERS

MLB Owners Are Still Trying To Win The Labor Battles Of The 1990’s

Rob Manfred, seen here perhaps inevitably wearing a vest and talking on the phone.

Allen And Company Annual Meeting Brings Business Executives, Media Moguls, And Politicians To Sun Valley, Idaho

MLB Owners Would Rather Play PR Games Than Negotiate

An image of Rob Manfred, blessedly altered to obscure his face.

ManfredDubuqueSaveImage

Artificial Scarcity Is Baseball’s Present, And Our Future

<a href="https://twitter.com/justin_klugh" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Justin Klugh</a> is a writer for Baseball Prospectus. His work has appeared on FanGraphs, The Athletic, and  SB Nation. He hosts &#8220;The Diry Inning,&#8221; a podcast about the dumbest, funniest, or most obscure innings in Phillies history.

Justin Klugh

The 38-foot-high leftfield wall in York, Pennsylvania's minor league stadium, the Arch Nemesis.

York Arch Nemesis 3

In The Shadow Of The Arch Nemesis

<a href="https://twitter.com/cdgoldstein">Craig Goldstein</a> is the editor-in-chief of Baseball Prospectus and the co-host of <a href="https://www.baseballprospectus.com/show/five-and-dive/">the Five &amp; Dive podcast</a>.



Patrick Dubuque is a writer and editor at Baseball Prospectus.

Craig Goldstein and Patrick Dubuque

The K-Zone featured in MLB broadcasts, seen here during a 2019 Cardinals/Braves game.

K-ZoneGrab

It’s Time To Get Rid Of The K-Zone

Robert Arthur

Max Scherzer is very patiently inspected for sticky stuff contamination during a September Dodgers game.

San Diego Padres v Los Angeles Dodgers

The Sticky Stuff Crackdown Has Worn Off

Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Richards leaving the mound after one of his three bad starts since the sticky stuff ban.

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How Low Can The RPM Go?

Patrick Dubuque is a writer and editor at Baseball Prospectus.

Patrick Dubuque

Giovanny Gallegos, seen here not being bothered about whatever sticky stuff he does or doesn't have on his glove.

The Dirty Little Secret About Breaking The Rules

Dave Roberts removes Scott Alexander from a Dodgers game in May.

baseball prospectus