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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

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


Chris Thompson

Stumbling Minnesota Twins Struggle With Clocks, Gizmos, Rules, And Authority

Victor Robles Demonstrates What Trying Can Get You

<p><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif">Marc Normandin currently writes on baseball’s labor issues and more at </span><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><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif">, which you can read for free but support </span><a style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif" href="https://www.patreon.com/marcnormandin">through his Patreon</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif">. 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.</span></p>
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Marc Normandin

Pittsburgh Pirates owner Bob Nutting speaks during the 2024 Pirates Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony before the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on August 24, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is kind of shrugging and looks like he is wearing a disguise somehow.

Are The Pittsburgh Pirates Really In Dire Straits?

Ray Ratto

Decorative bunting blows in the wind at Sutter Health Park which is decked out in opening day decorations for the A’s home opener in Sacramento, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2025.

West Sacramento Has The A’s, Whether They Want Them Or Not

With Two Hits, Rafael Devers Makes Dylan Crews Mayor Of Bozo Town

Kathryn Xu

Jarred Kelenic #24 of the Atlanta Braves is forced out at second base by Tommy Edman #25 of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Braves May Never Win A Game

David Roth

Willson Contreras On Eating Grip Tape: “It Was Disgusting. It Was A Bad Taste.”

Lauren Theisen

Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux (9) disagrees with umpire Andy Fletcher who called him out on strikes in the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium.

Life Isn’t Fair. Why Should The Strike Zone Be?

Spare A Thought For Baseball’s Poor Flailing Bozos

Defector Staff

The exterior of Shibe Park, the baseball stadium in Philadelphia. Ca. 1913

Staff Chat

Take Me Out To The Staff Chat

Baseball!

Tom Ley

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Kelsey McKinney

Luis Paez-Pumar

Studio portrait of members of the Syracuse Star baseball team, Syracuse, New York , 1877 .

An MLB Preview Containing All The Information One Could Possibly Hope To Ascertain About The 2025 Season

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers takes the field during player introductions prior to the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome.

Baseball’s Sort Of Back

Joey Gallo about to take the field during a Yankees/Nationals game at Nationals Park in August of 2024. He looks kind of faraway and a little sad, but not much more than most Nats guys do.

Joey Gallo Is Going To Give It A Shot

Wow, Perfect! A Hat You Can’t Read!

ampa Bay Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg greets Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred Jr. before the Opening Day game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field on Sunday, April 3, 2016

Rob Manfred Is The Face Of An Elite Mutiny Against Rays Owner Stuart Sternberg

Mark Asch

Interviews

‘Eephus’ Director Carson Lund On Baseball As A Way Of Being

Ah, Jeez: Goodbye Ball! Goodbye Again! Goodbye A Third Time!

he Colorado Rockies mascot performs before the MLB Spring Training baseball game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies on February 22, 2025 at Salt River Fields.

There Is Something Like Baseball On

Austin Wells in action, looks on from behind the plate vs Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. Game 5. Big ol mustache on his upper lip.

The New York Yankees No Longer Have To Look Like That, Will Still Be Acting Like That

Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning against the New York Mets in Game Two of the Division Series at Citizens Bank Park on October 06, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Stand Down: Phillies Toilet Crisis Abates As Bryce Harper Returns To Spring Training

Lance Lynn of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches during a baseball game against Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 6, 2024 in Washington, DC.

Nike Triumphantly Agrees To Fix The MLB Uniforms It Ruined, Eventually

MLB umpire Pat Hoberg looks on during a game between the Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs on May 12, 2023.

MLB Loses Its Best Umpire To Sports Gambling

<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

Bill Rariden of the Cincinnati Reds tags Buck Weaver of the Chicago White Sox out at home plate in the second game of the 1919 World Series at Crosley Field.

Cruelty, Hype, And The American Way In Harry Stein’s Baseball Novel ‘Hoopla’

Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki wearing #11 which was Miguel Rojas number is introduced as the newest Dodger during a press conference at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

baseball