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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

back-in-stock-for-a-limited-time

Merch v3

<p>A professional baseball player. This is not his real name.</p>


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”

<p>Brian Merchant writes, mostly about technology, culture and labor. He&#8217;s the former tech columnist at the <em>LA Times</em>, and the author of <a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/brian-merchant/blood-in-the-machine/9780316487740/?lens=little-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/brian-merchant/blood-in-the-machine/9780316487740/?lens%3Dlittle-brown&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1708054039723000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3ZYJqk866F8lCizxq0W5MD"><em>Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech</em></a> and the <a href="https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1708054039723000&amp;usg=AOvVaw38SvjFhr3e98pTryqBSmV9">newsletter</a> of the same name.</p>


Brian Merchant

Firemen extinguish a Waymo autonomous vehicle that was set on fire by a crowd in San Francisco. It's a screengrab of news footage.

mob-mentality-waymo

Life's Rich Pageant

Torching The Google Car

-b9trzb

Lauren Theisen

Washington Nationals v San Diego Padres

The Padres Squandered The Greatest Gift

<p>Joshua Needelman is a freelance writer living in Astoria who spends way too much time thinking about professional wrestling. His work has appeared in the <em>New York Times</em>, the <em>Washington Post</em>, the <em>Guardian</em>, and more.</p>


Joshua Needelman

Eddie Kingston, with his eyes closed, in the ring.

eddie-kingston-hell-gate

Pro Wrestling

How New York’s Eddie Kingston Became Pro Wrestling’s “King of the Bums”

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


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?

Amos Barshad

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis speaks during a news conference at the Fulton County Government building on August 14, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. A grand jury today handed up an indictment naming former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies over an alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election results in the state.

Georgia Grand Jury Delivers Indictment In 2020 Election Case

Politics

Who Does The RICO Case Against Young Thug Actually Serve?

<p>Luke Plunkett is a co-founder of the website <a href="https://aftermath.site/">Aftermath</a>.</p>


Luke Plunkett

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Video Games

Most Video Game Artwork Will Never Be Seen

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<p>Robert Rubsam is a writer and critic in Brooklyn, N.Y.</p>
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Robert Rubsam

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Arts And Culture

Charles Bissell Has Finally Moved On From The Wrens

<p>Mark Dent is a writer at The Hustle. His work has appeared in <em>The New York Times</em>, <em>Texas Monthly</em>, Vox, <em>Wired</em>, <em>The Kansas City Star</em>, and elsewhere. He lives in Dallas.</p>


Mark Dent

<p>Rustin Dodd is a writer at The Athletic and a 2023-24 Knight-Wallace fellow at the University of Michigan. He previously worked as a sportswriter at <em>The Kansas City Star</em> from 2010 to 2017. He lives in Brooklyn.</p>


Rustin Dodd

Mike Garrett of the Kansas City Chiefs rushing against the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I, on Jan. 15, 1967.

Mike Garrett in Football Action

Book Excerpts That Don't Suck

The Scout Who Integrated The Kansas City Chiefs

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<div class="p-rich_text_section">Tom Scocca is the editor of <a href="http://indignity.net">Indignity</a>, a subscription-supported newsletter of news, essays, and commentary.</div>
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Tom Scocca

BALTIMORE, MD - CIRCA 1970's: Third baseman Brooks Robinson #5 of the Baltimore Orioles in action sets to make a throw during a circa 1970's Major League Baseball game at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Robinson played for the Orioles from 1955-77. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Baltimore Orioles

Third Base, Heading For Home

<p>Rob Mains is a writer at Baseball Prospectus.</p>


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

<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

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

<p>Adlan Jackson is a writer-editor at Hell Gate. He has written for <em>The New York Times Magazine</em>, <em>The New Yorker</em>, Pitchfork, Study Hall and more.</p>


Adlan Jackson

The central branch of Brooklyn Public Library, wrapped in Jay-Z lyrics.

hell-gate-jayz-exhibit-top

Is ‘The Book Of Hov’ Really For Anyone But Jay-Z?

<p>Ginny Searle is a writer and editor at Baseball Prospectus.</p>


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

<p>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"><em>The New Ballgame: The Not-So-Hidden Forces Shaping Baseball</em></a> from Triumph Books, available in June 2023.</p>


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

Rafi Schwartz

Political Cartoon Of Benjamin Harrison

Overexplained Lists

The 10 Dumbest Congressional Caucuses, Ranked

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


<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


<p><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.</p>


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

Jack Crosbie

Swiss Marines

Elder Wisdom

For Your Consideration: Diet Coke For Breakfast

<p>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.</p>


Marc Normandin

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

republished