When I wrote my first post about the Houston Astros situation I thought, hey that's most of the story. Well it turns out there is so much more, after MLB released their findings from their investigation and levied punishments on Astros GM Jeff Luhnow and Manager AJ Hinch the entire baseball world has been turned upside down.
Monday, January 13th, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred released a 9 page report detailing the MLB findings and suspensions. I suggest reading it. In the report Manfred explained a couple reasons why the punishments he was about to levy were on who he put them on. Manfred explained in 2017 MLB offices were informed that MLB teams were using the replay offices and cameras to steal signs, those signs were being relayed to the dugout in game and the players were using them to steal intel. He didn't say who reported who, or who cheated but it seems like it was pretty universal. He then told the teams to stop and if he found proof of anyone else doing it, he would hold the GM and Manager responsible. Well apparently the Astros didn't change their ways, and nobody told them to stop their ways. The Astros continued the sign stealing and relaying it to the hitters in the way described in the original report in November. Manfed also reported the Astros before using the monitor and garbage can also sent the signs to a smart watch worn by Alex Cora in the dugout, and Cora then relayed the signs to the players, which the players found to slow so they went to the trashcan relay system. Another revelation was the Astros continued their system into the Postseason and used it, possibly to win the World Series. In the report Manfred announced a 1 season suspension for Jeff Luhnow and AJ Hinch, he claims he told teams that would be the punishment so that's why he punished those two. MLB also fined the Astros 5 million dollars, the max allowed, and 4 draft picks, 1st and 2nd round picks in the next 2 drafts. If you read the report there are 5 names in it, owner Jim Crane, Luhnow, Hinch, Cora, and the only player mentioned is Carlos Beltran. Manfred also said suspending players wouldn't be fair since some players are on other teams now. I for one think he didn't want to involve the union but that's just my opinion, the report didn't name a single active player, just Beltran who is now retired and at the time the new manager of the Mets. After the suspensions were announced Crane announced that Hinch and Luhnow were fired. Some think Manfred let Crane save face by firing them. Luhnow and Hinch each released statements of their firings afterward and we'll come back to those. So that was a heavy day.
Tuesday, June 14th, The story wasn't over after Monday's events, the Astros began looking for a new manager and suddenly there was another team looking to fill their bench. The 2018 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox, who lead by new manager Alex Cora, and are currently under investigation by MLB for using camera's to steal signs in 2018. The Red Sox and Cora parted ways. I was at first alarmed but after thinking about it realized it had to be done. Boston is still being investigated and after the report named Cora multiple times he was obviously the fall guy for Houston. I think Cora will get a lifetime suspension from MLB and put on their ineligible list, or as I tweeted, the full Pete Rose. Boston's move was a preemptive strike and a good idea, Cora will get the hammer and they already have a new GM so he won't be getting punished. The Astros made sure Cora was the name you knew as the "cheater."
Thursday, June 16th, Well the shit really hit the fan on Thursday. First of all the New York Mets announced the parting of ways with new manager Carlos Beltran. Beltran was hired November 1st, which was before the report of the cheating became public, Beltran did however deny any involvement. After the report came out, again only naming him, he felt he must step down. MLB won't be bringing any punishment down on him as no players were reprimanded for their involvement in the scheme. After the Beltran news baseball twitter lost their minds as reports came out that 2 Astros players, Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve were wearing buzzers on their chests and knew what pitches were coming. This lead to a video of the walk off home run Altuve hit off Aroldis Chapman in the ALCS where he told his teammates don't rip off the jersey. This has lead to a shitload of speculation. MLB released a statement that they investigated 2019 and wearable tech the Astros might be wearing and claim they found nothing. I will give the benefit of the doubt to MLB, but things look fishy. Many times in the postseason you hear that pitchers were tipping pitches to the Astros players and that's why they were being hit hard. I remember a game from this year where it seemed Alex Bregman got to the dugout and told players something about the pitcher, as if he knew what was coming. If this is found to be true, Bregman and Altuve need to be suspended and for a long time. I love Bregman he's my favorite non-Giants player, but if he's a cheater not sure how much I can support him. The buzzer tech has been put forth by several sources, no media, but players and a podcast host who claim they have several sources about the buzzers being real.
So that's the news of the week, let's dig into a couple angles.
Luhnow and Hinch's statements they released both claimed they did nothing wrong, but accepted their fate because of their lack of oversight. I find both of those statements bullshit. Luhnow squarely blamed the players and Cora, he made sure everyone knew he was a good guy, and the players and Cora were evil. Hinch's statement claimed he didn't participate and he even broke the monitor in the hallway twice, but never told them to stop. I call bullshit, he sat between the garbage can and the batter's box, he would've heard the constant banging, and if he didn't like it he could've easily stopped it. So sorry AJ Hinch you're a liar and a fraud. The suspensions for both men aren't long enough, Luhnow should've gotten years and Hinch should've gotten another season. They knew exactly what was happening, the frequency and who the key players were in the scheme. They are both getting off easy and I'm sure will both be back in baseball with 3 years.
The players being let off the hook is another concern. They will continue to play and the numbers they put up for 2017 and 2018 will help them in arbitration and free agency. I've read they were given immunity by MLB to reveal everything, which could be true, but MLB was never going to suspend players. They are a year away from the new CBA and didn't want to disrupt the union, also there are rumors of other teams doing this so suspending players would lead to appeals and at appeal hearings the players could contend MLB knows other teams used the practice and didn't punish those players. The Astros also get to keep their championship, which is fine to me. Taking titles away doesn't do anything, we all know who won the games Reggie Bush played in, it doesn't erase the games. 2017 was a great World Series with so many twists and turns, and the Dodgers players are claiming they did it right, well there is no way to prove that. Also would MLB confiscate all the players rings and the Dodgers buy their players rings? To me that's silly.
Of course MLB isn't innocent in this. Their institution of replay caused this mess, they allowed teams to have cameras on the field and monitors in the clubhouse. Sign stealing is the side effect to the terrible installment of replay in baseball. Replay is a great tool, but MLB's use is downright stupid. They don't announce the call, just make and out or safe sign, they use it for the dumbest things, like a guys foot coming off the base an inch, which is plain stupid. So if they want replay they have to understand it's going to be used for nefarious reasons. They can fix this by making managers challenge based solely on what they see and not the guy in the back room telling him, or removing the managers challenge and going with a college type system where a review official can buzz down. Either way the system sucks and it's the root of all the evil in this entire story.
Finally, I ask who else did it. If you believe reports that at least 8 teams were using tech to steal signs in 2017, who was it. I feel that unless MLB or reporters name the others it will be like the steroids era, where the biggest fish will wear the brunt of the punishment while others who have suspicions will get off free (cough Mike Piazza cough cough). We need to know the tactics used and more players need to speak out. Much like steroids it's on the players to police themselves, if you're cool with the other team stealing signs then keep your mouth shut, but if you're like Mike Fiers and worry about guys losing their shots at the bigs because the Astros kicked their ass stealing signs, then speak out. Trevor Bauer has been vocal, but only against the Astros. If other teams cheated we need to know, and I hope more players have the courage that Fiers showed.
This can be fixed with either more tech or less tech. More tech by allowing the catcher and pitcher to communicate through an ear piece (like NFL QB's and OC's) or wearable tech like a watch. Or they can take away the tech, remove the video monitors from the clubhouse and go back to stealing signs the old fashioned way like real men. I was an Astros guy, I rooted for them against the Dodgers, I like Bregman, Springer, and Verlander. I enjoy listening to their radio guys announce games, but this story has soured me on all of them. They were so quick to defend their pitchers and call others out who claimed they cheat, they were defiant that they were the next great dynasty, that they weren't the Cubs and wouldn't be happy just winning one title. They crossed the line of gamesmenship to cheating, and they didn't tip toe over, they triple jumped that bitch and took it to another level, then another level. Now all they have is a shitload of negative buzz and a title they can throw in the trashcan.
@derekbredeson
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