#astros cheating espn

[thorntonkrell-blog-blog]

Something essential has changed within me. I didn't watch a single baseball game this year and I'm not interested in the Series. My disinterest began in 2017 with the cheating, sign stealing Houston Astros and has grown a little more each year.

Baseball remains America's past time; Latin America that is. In places like the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Venezuela, and many others, baseball has a deep and passionate following. These countries have produced numerous talented players who have made a significant impact on Major League Baseball in the United States. Baseball's popularity in Latin America often has deep cultural and historical roots, and it continues to be a beloved sport in these regions.

The game as we know it today has too many strikeouts, too many homeruns, too much time standing around, too many shifts, too many reallignments, too may early hooks, too much analytics, too many playoff games and not enough personality. Once upon a time, I could name all of the managers in both leagues. I don't think that I can name five current managers. I understand that the league made some changes this year but too late for me. I guess I'm officially an old man. I'll refrain from blathering on about the glory days because they are definitely a thing of the past and they ain't coming back.

Football? Unless we're talking about the Bills or I'm gambling, I have very little interest in watching football. Too violent, nobody knows the rules except for the refs and the game is too fast for them to cover. Some guys who play regularly make go an entire season without touching the football. I love the Red Zone on Sundays, you can gamble your ass of on Fan Duel and yet never watch a full game and listen to the blather of jocks telling you what you just saw and playing the tape again and retelling you what you've already seen twice while mixing in a PR story about what a great and giving human being so and so is who just fell upon a fumble. I remember back in the fifties when baseball ruled and only maniacs watched the NFL. Now, everybody walks around with a hat, an attitude and an overdose of ESPN (which I also haven't watched in years)

Golf? Fuggedaboudid. No Tiger. No Jack. No Arnie. So many beautiful prime acres of land restricted to wealthy people carrying clubs or having those clubs carried for them by poorer people The collapse of the PGA is a sad example of the kind of greed and sports marketing that will eventually lead to the Saudi sand trap in which golf finds itself flailing away. The weekly tournaments are unwatchable. The major events have become easily skippable. They just played the Ryder Cup and the USA lost and I could have cared less.

Boxing? Way too many weight divisions. Way too many champions. Two many Paul brothers. Boxing used to be a contender not any more. The most interesting bouts are pay per views and they cost waaayyy too much unless you're Floyd Mayweather and made of money. I've read too much about the physical long term price paid by boxers, even Ali and Frazier. Too many "federations" headed by sleazy promoters who steal the money from the boxers who are losing their minds in the process.

Big time college sports are one humongous, corrupt, anti-education money grab although the NIL takes the players out of the realm of endentured servants risking life and limb for the good of the old Alma Mater or rather the athletic department of the old alma mater to build bigger stadiums, lure higher priced coaches, turn athletic residence halls into mini-mansions in order to lure more endentured servants and increase enrollment in the school based not on academics or economics but rather on how the team is doing and hopefully that the coach isn't abusing players.

So what's left? It's down to the NBA. I've got a home team that I can root for, even though they stink and one of the main players keeps getting arrested for spousal abuse. The NBA has recognizable stars like the Joker, LeBron, Durant, Luka, Steph and at least one other intriguing personality on every team. Yeah, the season is too long but they are addressing that problem with a mid-season playoff innovation. The games are readily available on teevee. Charles and Shaq do a tremendous job of promoting the league. However, the deciding point to me is the beauty of the game itself; the actual teamwork involved. Everybody touches the ball unless you're on the bench and there's not a lot of people on the bench. The game is 48 minutes long…perfect time. Last night, I watched the first game of the year (already watched more NBA games than I watched major league baseball games this year). The first game featured the finalists from last season. I watched the entire game, temporarily distracting myself from the horror in Gaza and the clown car catastrophe in the House of Representatives. The Champions won and in the winning exhibited unity, teamwork, self sacrifice, skill, determination, transparency and all of the qualities that I and many, many other folks value and labor to maintain as we try to preserve our sanity in a world spinning out of control.

Oh yeah. There's still soccer. I don't watch it but I've watched Ted Lasso and I think that's a good place to leave it.

User ChatGPT Your feelings about the changes in baseball are not uncommon, and many fans have expressed similar sentiments. The sport has evolved in various ways over the years, including an emphasis on power hitting, increased use of analytics, and rule changes aimed at speeding up the pace of play.

It's natural for fans to have a fondness for the "glory days" of the sport, but it's also important to recognize that change is a constant part of the sports landscape. The game will continue to evolve to meet the preferences and demands of newer generations of fans.

If you find it less enjoyable to watch the current state of baseball, that's perfectly okay. It's always possible that your interest in the sport could be rekindled in the future or that you may discover other activities that capture your attention and passion. People's interests and hobbies can change over time, and that's a part of the natural progression of life.

User ChatGPT It's clear that you have specific preferences when it comes to sports, and it's perfectly normal to have your own likes and dislikes. Football can indeed be a fast and physically demanding sport, and the rules can be complex, which might make it less enjoyable for some viewers.

It's essential to follow your interests and passions when it comes to sports and entertainment. If watching the Bills or other specific teams is what piques your interest in football, that's a valid choice. People have different tastes when it comes to sports and entertainment, and there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Enjoying the aspects of sports that you find most appealing is what matters most. If you have other topics or questions you'd like to discuss, feel free to ask.

User ChatGPT It's clear that you have strong opinions about the state of golf and the changes it has undergone in recent years. Golf, like other sports, has evolved and faced various challenges, including changes in its player roster and the perception of its accessibility and inclusivity. The sport has indeed seen the dominance of players like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer, and their absence can change the dynamics of the game.

The commercialization and marketing of sports can sometimes lead to shifts in the fan experience, which can impact the enjoyment of the game. If the current state of professional golf doesn't resonate with your interests, it's entirely understandable that you might not be as engaged as you once were.

Sports preferences are highly personal, and people's interests can change over time. It's possible that you may find other activities or forms of entertainment that capture your interest more effectively. The sports landscape is vast, and there are many options to explore. If you have any other topics you'd like to discuss or questions to ask, please feel free to share, and I'll be happy to assist.

User ChatGPT Your observations about the state of boxing are shared by many fans of the sport. Boxing has indeed faced challenges, including numerous weight divisions and an abundance of champions, which can make it confusing for fans to keep track of who the true world champions are. Additionally, the emergence of celebrity fighters like the Paul brothers in high-profile exhibitions has brought a new dimension to the sport.

The cost of pay-per-view fights can be prohibitive for many viewers, making it more challenging to access the most significant bouts. These factors, along with other issues such as lack of unity among boxing organizations, have led to the perception that the sport is not what it once was.

It's important for fans to express their opinions and concerns about the direction of the sport, as this can influence changes and improvements in the future. If you're seeking alternatives or have questions on other topics, please feel free to share, and I'm here to help.

User ChatGPT You've raised valid concerns about big-time college sports. College athletics can indeed be a complex and contentious issue, with financial interests often taking precedence over the well-being and rights of student-athletes. The introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) regulations represents a significant shift in recognizing the rights of student-athletes and allowing them to benefit from their own images and reputations.

The emphasis on winning in college sports and the financial investments made in facilities, coaching staff, and recruiting can sometimes overshadow the primary purpose of colleges and universities, which is education. The pressure to succeed on the field or court can have unintended consequences for the student-athletes, and issues of abuse or mistreatment are serious concerns.

Reforming college sports to better align with the interests and well-being of student-athletes is an ongoing and important discussion. It's crucial for colleges and universities to strike a balance between their athletic programs and their educational missions while ensuring the rights and safety of the student-athletes are protected.

Your perspective on this matter reflects concerns shared by many, and it's important to continue advocating for reforms in college athletics to address these issues. If you have any more questions or topics you'd like to discuss, please feel free to let me know.

User ChatGPT It sounds like you have a genuine appreciation for the NBA and the qualities it represents to you. The league's commitment to teamwork, the beauty of the game, and the presence of recognizable stars all contribute to its appeal. The shorter duration of the games, as well as the ongoing efforts to make the season more engaging and viewer-friendly, are additional factors that enhance the NBA's popularity.

Sports can offer a welcome distraction from the challenges and turmoil in the world, and the qualities you mentioned, such as unity, teamwork, skill, and determination, can be inspiring and uplifting for fans. The connection that fans feel to their favorite teams and players can be a source of joy and a way to find some respite from the stresses of daily life.

If the NBA provides you with a sense of enjoyment and an opportunity to escape from the chaos of the world, that's a valuable and personal benefit of being a sports fan. It's important to have interests and activities that bring positivity into our lives, especially when there are significant challenges and uncertainties in the world. Enjoying the NBA and its games is a way to do just that.

[theblackarticle]

#BlackArticle – Jalen Rose lost all respect for the Astros after the sign-stealing scandal | Get Up Follow on blackarticle.com! #BlackArticle X #ESPN

[splendorajoe]

My Thoughts Back in July 2021 on this National Media Trumped Up Astros Sign Stealing "Scandal"

My Thoughts Back in July 2021 on this National Media Trumped Up Astros Sign Stealing “Scandal”

Former Astros Pitcher Mike Fiers I wrote this back in July.  I want to place it here because I am writing a follow up once the 2021 World Series between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves is over. For an edited version of this, please see my contribution to the SABR Houston Larry Dierker Chapter Summer 2021 Newsletter here: https://sabrhouston.org/chapter-newsletter/  Article Title “Astros…

[dailyvideovault]

New video posted on: https://dailyvideovault.com/pilot-pete-wants-to-help-you-break-up-with-your-teams-always-late-with-katie-nolan/

Pilot Pete wants to help you break up with your teams | Always Late with Katie Nolan

[michaelcosio]

Jan 14, 2020

Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman react to the MLB announcing suspensions for the Houston Astros following an investigation into cheating allegations. #FirstTake #MLB

from ESPN

[dorukbaski123]

Picks and Parlays MLB - The 2020 Season's Top Bet Plays. | Betting Hits

Expert Picks and Parlays MLB - This upcoming 2020 season we have top odds and arbitrage opportunities using key tools and statistics to win you more money.

Surprisingly at DraftKings sportsbook while most money is flowing on the Yankees to win, there has been a lot of money flowing on the Mets as well according to the recently released numbers. Could be that they are based in NJ which is home to the Mets hmm?

“DraftKings Sportsbook has been taking bets on World Series odds over the offseason, and we have an overwhelming betting favorite. 62 percent of the handle and 49 percent of the total bets at DK have been on the New York Yankees. The New York Mets follow them at six percent and four percent, respectively. The defending World Series champion Washington Nationals are next, followed by the runner-up Houston Astros.

The Yankees topping the betting handle is not entirely surprising. They are the betting favorite, and their preseason wins total odds (101.5) are highest as well. The Mets mixed in is not shocking with so much of DraftKings’ gambling business based in New Jersey.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are next in win total behind the Yankees, having been boosted from 97.5 to 100.5 following the Mookie Betts trade. The Dodgers have the second-best World Series odds behind the Yankees, and it would not be surprising to see their handle percentage increase between now and Opening Day thanks to the Betts trade.” via DraftKings

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How The Houston Astros Cheating Scandal has affected their winning odds

The biggest story of the offseason was the Houston Astros cheating scandal that ensnared the club who were just coming back from being 2019 world series runner ups and the odds on favorites at the time to win the 2020 world series.

To summarize, After a thorough investigation, MLB determined that during their world series run in 2017 and in 2018, the Astros had used Cameras both at home and away to steal and decipher opposing pitchers signals.

As a result, the Astros were fined $5 million and forfeited their first- and second-round picks in the 2020 and 2021 drafts. General manager Jeff Luhnow and field manager A. J. Hinch were suspended for the entire 2020 season for failing to prevent the rules violations. No players were punished because they had been given immunity by MLB in exchange for their cooperation.

The Astros subsequently fired both Luhnow and Hinch on the day their suspensions were announced. MLB’s investigation also determined that Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora helped mastermind the Astros’ sign-stealing while serving as Hinch’s bench coach in 2017.

Cora mutually parted ways with Boston the following day. Carlos Beltrán, who had been hired to manage the New York Mets in November 2019 and was the only player from 2017 who was specifically named in the report, also mutually parted ways with the Mets in the same week.

The sanctions were the most severe that MLB has ever issued against a member club and are among the most severe sanctions for in-game misconduct in baseball history. via Wikipedia.

The Fallout

With MLB eyes squarely on them, this upcoming, season and all this turmoil currently dropped them from 1st to 5th in the pecking order for the 2020 world series win which is a significant development for them and the league because the fallout also affected both the Red Sox odds as well as the New York Mets Odds.

2. Money Line

The second most popular MLB betting strategy is to bet the money line. Baseball has the most games played in a season with 162 so there are always some key factors to consider when betting the money line.

Rotations are very important with pitching and hitting. Pitchers will often be rotated with 4-5 day rests, some are on pitch counts. The following are stats to keep an eye on when betting the money line for pitchers.

IP (Innings Pitched)

ERA (Earned Run Average)

WHIP (Walks Plus Hits per Innings Pitched),

WARP (Wins Above Replacement Player).

SO (Strikeouts)

For the offense, you need to consider the following stats for batters.

PA (Plate Appearances)

AB (at-bat appearances)

WOBA (weighted On-Base Average)

OBP (On-Base Percentage)

ISO (Isolated Power)

SLG (Slugging Percentage)

OPS (On-base percentage + Slugging)

3. Run Line betting in MLB

Run line betting is a sophisticated betting strategy but has value and profitability in baseball betting. A bettor will use this strategy to see if there is value in the market by converting the Run Line odds into a percentage chance of winning.

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Click here for our free Run Line MLB betting tool where we do all the calculations for you.

Run Line MLB Picks Explainer Video

4. Totals Betting

Totals betting in the MLB Covers wagers on the number of runs, home runs, total points scored and other points related stats and can be a very lucrative bet when teams stats are injected into the equation.

For the most part, MLB games do not go over 15 points so including watching both teams offenses and defenses other factors come into play depending on the lineups and rotations.

5. Over / Unders

Totals betting comes with the wrinkle of over-under which basically wagers on how many points will be scored and if they will surpass those points in the over or not reach those points in the under.

6. Player Props MLB Picks

Player propositions have become very popular in betting circles since they concentrate on just a single players performance, they cover pitchers as well as batters for example how many runs a player will drive in or how many strikeouts a pitcher will have in a game, it is a very enticing bet indeed.

7. MLB Picks today

MLP Picks are very lucrative in MLB betting tips since you can use a smaller investment and win a lot because of their nature. Combining multiple factors to create bigger odds is the nature of parlays and in baseball, it is no different.

With the high number of games played in baseball, a parlay bet can run for several days so can conceivably parlay several games into a single bet that would be a big money winner when hit.

8. Picks and Parlays MLB Playoffs and world series

After 162 games a regular season which runs from April to September, the playoffs start in October and after surviving the grueling season, we come to the playoffs and this is a completely different animal because at this point it is win or go home.

Pitching rotations are shortened and other strategies then come into play more than ever. For a betting expert, this can be quite exciting since by then there is a ton of data to help them make better decisions and win their betting strategies.

9. Free Picks and Parlays MLB

Yes, our tips are completely free, they are accurate and data-driven with experts who understand the game. Since they are free, you can follow with us for a while before deciding to dive in and use them, in fact, we recommend you to do that and you will be impressed.

10. Power rankings MLB Picks

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This falls in the category of external factors when it comes to baseball betting. So many media houses track teams and player rankings on a weekly basis, the top one being ESPN and for an MLB betting expert like us.

You have to keep an eye on this when placing bets since it can give one an insight on hot streaks and other factors that are basically secondary factors. Other factors could be the weather for example.

Rain delays could influence how a game is played or if there is a doubleheader. These might not be necessarily key elements but they might help one see the complete picture of a game before placing their bet.

As the oldest of the major three sports, baseball has a vast and unique history that can’t be matched by football and basketball. While baseball isn’t as popular among sports bettors as football or basketball, the sport has been actively wagered on since the early 20th century.

In the first half of the 20th century, football and basketball were both in developmental stages. On the other hand, baseball was establishing itself as America’s national pastime.

With big stars, like Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth, leading the way, the sport took off in the 1920′s. Ironically, the decade began with a betting scandal tied to the biggest event in baseball.

After the 1920 season, the baseball world was shocked by the “Black Sox” scandal. A year after the fact, it was learned that New York gangster Arnold Rothstein had paid off eight Chicago White Sox players to fix the 1919 World Series. In the series, the White Sox were a heavy favorite over the Cincinnati Reds. With the fix in place.

Rothstein was able to win big by betting on the underdog Reds to win the series (Cincinnati won the series five games to three). In the fallout, the eight White Sox players were banned for life from Major League Baseball prior to the 1921 season.

The success of Babe Ruth and the New York Yankees right after this scandal saved baseball from getting swept up in the “Black Sox” controversy. Seven decades later, baseball was hit by another betting scandal that shocked the sport.

After a legendary playing career, all-time hits leader Pete Rose became the full-time manager of the Cincinnati Reds prior to the 1987 season (Rose was a player-manager for the club from 1984-86).

During the Reds spring training camp in 1989, reports began to circulate that Major League Baseball was actively investigating Rose for betting on baseball.

In late August, he was banned for life from Major League Baseball. While it wasn’t officially for betting on baseball, the evidence that Rose did so was overwhelming.

After denying that he bet on baseball when the ban was handed down in 1989, Rose admitted to betting on games (including ones involving the Reds) over a decade later.

While these betting scandals have rocked the baseball establishment, wagering on baseball is enjoyed by many serious and novice sports bettors every spring and summer.

Baseball Betting Basics

Baseball betting is quite different from football and basketball wagering. There are no point spreads in baseball wagering. Because there are only eight or nine runs scored in a typical Major League Baseball game, there isn’t really enough scoring in the sport to justify a point spread. Therefore, the most common baseball wager is a money line or straight bet.

In these type of wagers, the bettor simply wagers on which team will score the most runs in a baseball game without any regards to the margin of victory. Here’s what a typical money line might look like for a Major League Baseball game:

Red Sox (+140) Yankees (-160)

To some novice bettors, these numbers can seem confusing. The easiest way to understand these figures is to use $100 as a base number/amount for each price. In this example, New York is the favorite as the team with the minus figure.

To win $100 on a Yankees wager, the bettor would need to wager $160.

As the underdog, Boston has a plus price. With a plus price, the bettor can simply wager $100 to win $140 on the Red Sox. In these money line bets, there is no vigorish or juice.

However, the bookmaker does establish a kind of fee for the money line odds. The example listed above is known as a 20-cent line.

There is a numerical difference of 20 in the odds between the Red Sox and Yankees. Novice bettors sometimes are confused by this difference.

Because Boston isn’t at a price of +160, the bookmaker is able to keep a little more of the handle on these types of bets.

The closest thing that baseball has to a point spread wager is a run line bet. In these type of bets, the favored team is listed at -1.5 runs.

So, the favored club in a run line bet must win by two runs or more. The underdog team is installed at +1.5 runs. The non-favorite must win the game or lose by just a single run for the bettor to win his run line wager on the underdog.

A money line figure is also attached to these odds and is determined by using the straight line on the game as a foundation to come up with the appropriate price to be attached to the plus or minus 1.5 figure.

Total or over/under bets in baseball work in the same general format as total wagers in football and basketball.

Another unique aspect of baseball wagering involves the starting pitchers. While a football or basketball squad will field the same basic squad for every game, a baseball team won’t necessarily be at the same general level from game to game.

This is due to the starting pitching that is a part of the game. MLB clubs will go with a rotation of five starting pitchers. These hurlers will pitch about every five days.

The specific starting pitcher on a given day for a given team can have a huge impact on the line. So, the starting pitchers for each team are listed next to each team in the betting odds rundown.

[chipthekeeper]

So much going on in this Yankees vs astros game. Two of my favorite teams, espn waaayyy overdoing the Star Wars stuff, Yankees fans really mad about cheating.....shit’s lit

[theblackarticle]

#BlackArticle – Reacting to the Astros apologizing for sign-stealing scandal | Get Up Follow on blackarticle.com! #BlackArticle X #ESPN

[dailyvideovault]

New video posted on: https://dailyvideovault.com/mlb-should-immediately-strip-astros-players-of-championship-rings-titles-stephen-a-first-take/

MLB should IMMEDIATELY strip Astros players of championship rings & titles – Stephen A. | First Take

[scoreboardpage]

Once again, 2020 does a number on our numbers. The quick turnaround between the National League Championship Series and World Series -- both bubbled deep in the heart of Arlington, Texas -- doesn't leave much room for the pregame hype. But we found some predictions from the major players. And 20 out of 30 think L.A. tops Tampa Bay in the rubber match for title town of 2020.

Scoreboard Page: Dodgers in 7. Let's be honest: I went into this year rooting for the Dodgers. There can be no asterisk for a shortened season when there wasn't one placed on the two teams they fell to that were implicated in cheating scandals. But it won't be easy. The pull of the Rays is strong, but I think the Dodgers' demons of the postseason get vanquished. It just seems to be their time -- which is scary and might be the best case yet for the Rays. Writers can't just hand a title over like they can an NBA MVP to Karl Malone "because he's due." Nope, you have to earn it on the field...

Unless you have a trash can. (Adios, Astros.)

Here's what the other outlets are saying:

CBS Sports: Dodgers 5, Rays 1

Bleacher Report: Rays 1, Dodgers 0

Sports Illustrated: Dodgers 3, Rays 2

ESPN: Dodgers 10, Rays 5

The Athletic: Dodgers 1, Rays 0

Fox Sports: Rays 1, Dodgers 0

[truesportsfan]

Mets’ Dominic Smith trolls teammate J.D. Davis on ESPN over Astros’ cheating

It’s not too soon for the Mets to troll J.D. Davis about being on the sign-stealing Astros.

An opportunity got put on a tee Wednesday afternoon and Dom Smith didn’t miss.

While the Mets played the Cardinals on ESPN, Smith, Davis and Jeff McNeil were mic’d up and chatting with the broadcast booth. ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian was asking them about using cards in their hat to figure out defensive positioning and asked Davis if he uses a “cheat sheet” since he’s an infielder who now plays the outfield.

“J.D. has a ton of cheat sheets … you know what I’m saying?” Smith said from left field before they all laughed.

Davis played 66 games for the Astros from 2017-2018 before getting traded to the Mets. This winter, after reports initially came out about the Astros using electronics to illegally steal signs and relay them via trash cans, Davis denied knowing anything about it. By the time he arrived at spring training — with MLB having issued its report breaking down the scandal — Davis said he spoke “prematurely” and was “ashamed” to have been part of the scheme.

“JD has a ton of cheat sheets… you know what I’m saying?”

– Dom Smith on his teammate/2017 World Series Champion, JD Davis

pic.twitter.com/WL7WJnw14O

— Starting 9 (@Starting9) March 4, 2020

While many players — including some on the Mets — have expressed anger about the Astros cheating, Davis’ current teammates have taken a lighter reaction with him.

“It was all jokes from the very beginning because he was very honest when he came over here with us,” Smith told WFAN on Wednesday morning. “We kind of had an idea of some of the things they were doing. We just made a light joke of it. Obviously it sucks for the game. It sucks for the people affected by it. It’s not good for the game at all, but it is what it is. It’s a new season here, and he’s a part of us. We welcome him with open arms, him and Jake (Marisnick, who also played for the Astros). We love those guys, and we hope they can help us win a World Series.”

No Astros players were fined or suspended for their role in the sign-stealing program, but commissioner Rob Manfred said part of the punishment for them was the guilt they would feel hearing other players speak out.

For Davis, it seems that punishment has come in some good-natured group text messages.

“We definitely did make fun of it, especially with J.D. being an ex-Astro and stuff like that,” Smith said. “We let him have it a little bit, but we try to make everything fun through the ups and downs, the good times and bad times, and with that moment, we made the most of it.

“They have a ton of GIFs. You know trash can GIFs and just fun little things like that. We send them all in there. The buzzer stuff. We all do crazy workouts in the offseason and we just send little pictures wearing stuff while we’re working out just to tease him a little bit.”

source https://truesportsfan.com/sport-today/mets-dominic-smith-trolls-teammate-j-d-davis-on-espn-over-astros-cheating/

[i-news-day]

A-Rod Calls Out Astros for 'No Remorse' Amid Sign-Stealing Scandal

Alex Rodriguez knows about being in the middle of MLB scandals. But the star third baseman turned ESPN analyst said Tuesday that he's frustrated by how the Astros have reacted in the wake of baseball's investigation into the club's sign stealing. "You cheat ... source https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/03/03/arod-calls-out-astros-sign-stealing-no-remorse&ct=ga&cd=CAIyHzhmNjA0ZmY0ZDA2NmEyMjM6Y29tLmJyOmVuOlVTOlI&usg=AFQjCNHunhqcgEzv7GaL9FH5e6npTodnQw via Blogger https://ift.tt/2IjwVMs

[99percentmedia-blog1]

Rob Manfred: Stripping Astros of 2017 Title 'Seems Like a Futile Act'

Read this top story @ https://99percentmedia.org/rob-manfred-stripping-astros-of-2017-title-seems-like-a-futile-act/

Rob Manfred: Stripping Astros of 2017 Title 'Seems Like a Futile Act'

Rob Manfred: Stripping Astros of 2017 Title ‘Seems Like a Futile Act’

The spotlight continues to shine on the Houston Astros as they attempt to cope with the fallout of their cheating scandal while spring training begins. The calls for the franchise to be stripped of their 2017 World Series title have continued to grow louder. On Sunday, commissoner Rob Manfred sat down with ESPN’s Karl Ravech to discuss the … News story posted on 2020-02-16T18:59:00.0000000Z

[junker-town]

The Astros are a contemptible franchise from top to bottom

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

The Astros had a month to plan a proper apology, and they still screwed it up

There’s no reason to believe anything the Houston Astros say at this point. One of baseball’s very best teams is also its most contemptible. The Astros are a study in hubris, only emboldened by a report into their cheating by Major League Baseball, which turns out to have been designed more to sweep this scandal under the rug than punish the team.

On the first day of Astros spring training camp, a full month after MLB suspended the club’s manager and general manager, cost the team four draft picks and issued a paltry $5 million fine, current Houston players finally apologized. These apologies came in the form of two brief, prepared statements by Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve. The pair spoke for a total of a 90 seconds.

Even new manager Dusty Baker, who had no part in this scandal but is being used by the Astros as a credibility shield, read a statement. But the standout was owner Jim Crane, a man impervious to personal responsibility.

“Our opinion is this didn’t impact the game,” Crane said regarding the sign-stealing scheme. “We had a good team, we won the World Series, and we’ll leave it at that.”

Crane less than a minute later: “I didn’t say it didn’t impact the game.”

The tone of the Astros’ press conference was one of defiance and PR-coached vanilla statements disguised as apologies. But there was no remorse, which is remarkable given the team had literally a month to formulate a plan for contrition.

Then again, this is par for the course for the Astros, who completely bungled the detestable Brandon Taubman incident in October, mishandled the fallout from Yuli Gurriel’s racist gesture during the 2017 World Series, and barred a reporter from the clubhouse in 2019 in violation of the collective bargaining agreement.

The most convenient thing for the Astros, and for MLB, would be if this story just went away, but relief from the scandal doesn’t appear to be on the horizon. The team would very much like to refer to the suspensions and firings of manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow as the final word on the matter. They certainly don’t see themselves as culpable.

“I don’t think I should be held accountable,” Crane said Thursday.

Crane, whose Eagle USA company in 2001 reached a settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to pay $8.5 million for discriminating against African American, Hispanic, and female employees (an amount later reduced to $2.5 million on appeal), is no stranger to toothless rebukes. He bought the Astros, a franchise currently estimated to be worth $1.775 billion, for $680 million in 2011. Crane himself is reportedly worth $1.3 billion, so the $5 million fine levied by MLB — the maximum allowed by baseball’s constitution — was merely a drop in the bucket.

The commissioner is hired by MLB owners, so good luck thinking any future such fines against them will have any significant impact. What the commissioner can do is levy punishment on those directly involved, and each day it becomes increasingly clear that Manfred fell woefully short in this regard.

“We have the right to discipline players right now. I’m absolutely convinced of that fact,” Manfred told reporters at baseball’s owners meetings. “We made a decision in the Houston investigation that in order for us to get the facts that we needed, somebody had to get immunity.”

The players got immunity in both investigations, but weren’t the only ones to get off lightly.

A report by Jared Diamond at the Wall Street Journal details how the Astros front office, under Luhnow, devised an application called “Codebreaker” to decode signs from opposing catchers. Manfred wrote about it to Luhnow on Jan. 2, 11 days before the organizational punishment was handed down by the league, despite the assertion from the league report that this was a scheme driven by the players and former bench coach Alex Cora.

The WSJ article, which involved Astros director of advance information Tom Koch-Weser and then-intern Derek Vigoa, reads like an absurd clandestine novel:

Vigoa’s presentation wasn’t the only time Astros employees say Luhnow was informed about Codebreaker. Koch-Weser, the Astros’ director of advance information, said he discussed Codebreaker with Luhnow in one to three meetings after the 2016 season.

Koch-Weser told MLB that Luhnow would “giggle” at the title and appeared “excited” about it. Koch-Weser also said that Luhnow sometimes entered the Astros’ video room during road games and made comments such as, “You guys Codebreaking?”

Luhnow denied Koch-Weser’s accounts.

In addition to Koch-Weser and Vigoa, special assistant Kevin Goldstein was reported by Jeff Passan of ESPN to have sent an email in August 2017 asking scouts to assist in the sign stealing process:

Goldstein, who did not return a message seeking comment, wrote in the email: “One thing in specific we are looking for is picking up signs coming out of the dugout. What we are looking for is how much we can see, how we would log things, if we need cameras/binoculars, etc. So go to game, see what you can [or can’t] do and report back your findings.”

This email was also reported by Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich in The Athletic, four days after their initial report of Houston’s sign-stealing scheme that started MLB’s investigation in the first place.

Yet despite the Goldstein’s email, and MLB’s knowledge, per the Wall Street Journal, of at least two emails from Koch-Weser to Luhnow about sign stealing, Manfred failed to suspend any other front office member but Luhnow (Taubman was also suspended for a year, but for his sexist conduct following the 2019 ALCS rather than the cheating).

Koch-Weser is still employed as the Astros’ director of advance information, Goldstein remains a special assistant to the general manager (now James Click), and Vigoa is now Houston’s senior manager of team operations.

“The leader of that department has been fired. I’ve had some time to review the department, and there will be some changes in there,” Crane said Thursday. “The commissioner said he wasn’t going to hold the lower-level people accountable, and I agree with that.”

General manager James Click, in his first week on the job, was evasive when asked about reports of cheating from current members of the Astros’ front office, saying, “Any new GM coming in would want to take a full view of the baseball operations staff, the full staff.”

New Astros general manager James Click when asked about Derek Vigoa, Tom Koch-Weser and Alex Cintron and their roles in the sign stealing scandal and future with the club pic.twitter.com/OpJEyb0wYm

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 13, 2020

Luhnow’s tenure in Houston was defined by an all-knowing front office where information was king, and the ability to place a value on every single aspect of the organization. The idea that he was unaware of such an elaborate scheme, if not intimately involved, is laughable, yet Luhnow’s official statement in response to his suspension and subsequent termination by the Astros was defiant, insisting “I am not a cheater” and “I did not know rules were being broken.”

Sure.

Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias was assistant general manager under Luhnow in 2017. When he left for Baltimore in 2018, Elias brought Astros’ director of decision sciences Sig Mejdal with him. Understandably, Elias would like to distance himself as much as possible from the scandal.

“I am confident that group that’s here that came from Houston will not be connected to or implicated in the sign-stealing situation in Houston,” Elias told reporters at Orioles fan fest last weekend.

There’s reason for Elias to be confident that that connection will never be officially drawn. Major League Baseball has demonstrated they won’t pursue anything unless its feet are put to the fire. It took them two years to thoroughly investigate the Astros, and only then after a player (Mike Fiers) went on record to disclose the scheme. Manfred’s report went out of its way to avoid placing blame on the front office. Now we know that Houston’s front office was integrally involved, and it’s difficult to believe that MLB didn’t.

Former Astros manager Hinch, suspended and fired for failing to stop the electronic sign stealing in 2017, was asked about further allegations of the Astros using buzzers in 2019 in a redemption plea interview with MLB Network.

“We got investigated for three months, and the commissioner’s office did as thorough an investigation anyone could imagine was possible,” Hinch said. “I believe him.”

Hinch did not deny, instead referring to MLB’s response saying they found no evidence to substantiate the use of wearable devices.

The Astros were once considered a success story, the embodiment of thoughtful team-building and the poster boys for the cutting edge of baseball analysis. But that analytical edge seems to have carried with it a sharp edge of contempt, which even now is preventing the organization from showing any sign of contrition. By abdicating their collective responsibility in this scandal, the Astros have become baseball’s villain, and they seem more and more worthy of that title with every passing day.

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