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

David Roth

Shohei Otani, seen in this image keeping a positive approach near the Distraction logo.

Podcasts

Baseball As Antidepressant, With Albert Burneko And Kelsey McKinney

Lauren Theisen

Everybody Loves Vlad, Even The Men He Destroys


<p><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.</p>


Jarrett Seidler

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

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

Guillermo Heredia is interfered with in a rundown

Goofy Baseball Blowouts Are Back

Cincinnati Reds team president Phil Castellini, seen here preparing to make an ass of himself on TV.

Reds President And CFO Asks Fans To Consider Whether Maybe This Is Actually All Their Fault

Alec Bohm reacts after committing an error

Alec Bohm Made Some Errors But It Was OK

Albert Burneko

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homers against the Texas Rangers, April 10 2022

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Sent A Baseball To Baseball Hell For All Time

What’s Left To Root For When Winning Isn’t Part Of The Plan?

26Sep 1995: General view of outfield shadow during a San Francisco Giants practice at 3Com Park in San Francisco, California. Mandatory Credit: Otto Greule /Allsport

MLB Says It’ll Expand Its Audience By Making Baseball Harder To Watch

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


Chris Thompson

The Orioles Mangled The One Nice Thing About Their Whole Shitty Baseball Operation

Tom Ley

MLB Finally Found A Good Way To Use Technology

Juan Soto after hitting a home run against the Marlins in September of 2021, also seemingly looking at the Distraction logo.

The Karkovice Identity, With Tim Marchman

Barry Petchesky

Wait, Second Base Has Been WHERE This Whole Time?

Dwight Howard grimacing Dwight Howardishly next to the Distraction logo.

The Art Of Aging Gracelessly, With Ray Ratto

There Is No $10 Million Club, Bob! Stop This!


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

Phillies Defense Already In Midseason Form

Seiya Suzuki Is Coming To Belt Dingers All Over America

Laura Wagner

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 19: Los Angeles Dodgers fans cheer during Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on October 19, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

Capital

What Would An Effective Sports Fan Union Actually Look Like?

Ray Ratto

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 10: Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred walks to a press conference during an MLB owner's meeting at the Waldorf Astoria on February 10, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. Manfred addressed the ongoing lockout of players, which owners put in place after the league's collective bargaining agreement ended on December 1, 2021. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

With Baseball Back, What Are You Supposed To Do With All That Bitterness?

The MLB Lockout Is Over

Rob Manfred, seen here at a press conference talking about how hard the owners have worked to reach a deal after locking out the players.

Getting To No, With Lauren Theisen

MLB Is Fighting To Make Baseball Shittier

I’m Stuck With Baseball

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


Marc Normandin

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