What I would pay to see the Astros face the Dodgers during the season!!
2
I'm not sure if anyone was asked this at the press conference, but my question would be: whose idea was it to carry the sign-stealing through to its improper end? Two of the sport's brightest young managers, and another who had that potential have had their careers derailed, possibly permanently, and players who presumably could have marched into the Hall of Fame when eligible such as Carlos Beltran and Justin Verlander will now have a big question marks plastered on their chances. There been too much damage inflicted on people and the game for a few short apologies to suffice. The least that can be done is a total accountability for what happened, who's really responsible and what affect the cheating had on the outcome of games, not just the playoffs, but the entire season.
6
Stealing signs has always been part of the game, but to do it on the sophisticated level that the Astros did it is it Trumpian in nature.
I feel sorry for the fans as they are the ones that s have been let down let down the most.
All the players are guilty as when they were told what the pitch was it is impossible to say I did not know.
10
The report states that they used the system during the playoffs. Why does anyone go to all the trouble and risk of cheating? Because it works if you get away with it. yet the Astros are claiming "it made no difference, Our series win isn't tainted." This is why their apologies ring so hollow. Knowing what almost every pitch is before it is pitched is a massive advantage for the hitter, ask any pitcher in the MLB who doesn't wear a Astro uniform. If it makes no difference then ask Justin Verlander and the rest of the Astro staff to announce their pitches to the hitter and then ask him why not when he refuses. After all, it makes no difference, right? Please!
17
The MLB has decided that the Astros have been punished sufficiently.
It’s hard, if not impossible, to find a fan outside Houston that agrees.
Why would anyone attend a professional sports game in a league where organized cheating by an entire team is dealt with by a slap on the wrist?
Fans should boycott the MLB until the Astros are stripped of their title.
16
The Houston Astros set the major league record today for Weasel Word Percentage by a team in possession of a world series trophy. They have shamed all of Major League Baseball & tarnished the legacy of every player enshrined in their Hall of Fame. This guarantees their unanimous selection to the Moral Cowards' Hall of Shame.
The failure of the Houston Astros to acknowledge any substantive responsibility should clarify for Major League Baseball and every baseball fan, the need to sanitize the sport with demonstrative proof of their outrage! The obvious collaboration by their legal and marketing departments in formulating their evasions made their insincerity obvious to everyone. As a result, MLB has no choice but to powerfully deter any future violation of the spirit of honest athletic competition. The following items represent the absolute minimum response. #1. Every owner must be disqualified from any financial interest in any baseball franchise. #2. All 2017 Astro players & executives with access to the clubhouse, (excepting any player under a rookie/minor league contract), must be permanently banned from any compensated role in baseball at any level. Future violations of the spirit of Baseball and honest athletic competition can not be tolerated. Only severe sanctions will provide adequate deterrence against future systemic cheating by players and team management! Baseball's future as the National Pastime is doomed unless MLB can reclaim the moral high ground.
8
sooo....if it didn't change anything, why'd they do it? Interesting logic.
Vacate the title.
16
Word has come down from on high: apologies are for suckers and losers. The Asterisks and the commissioner heard the message loud and clear.
5
They are sorry they got caught. Despicable.
12
There is just absolutely no doubt in my mind that they should be stripped of the title, and every player stripped of their ring. MLB should force the owner to sell the team. You’re out!
There is no way to measure the damage they did to the game, to the sport, to professional sports, to children everywhere who look up to them. Not to mention people that have been fans of baseball their whole lives. They sullied the sport more than anybody has. And I put a little Asterix by their title is not even a slap on the wrist. They know it, and that’s why they don’t even have the bells to truly apologize. A good man would offer the title up and the rings… And if they won’t do it, then it should be stripped of them.
Lance Armstrong cheated, he was stripped of his titles. Pete Rose bet and they stripped him of his right to be in the Hall of Fame… But a whole team cheats? OUT, and don’t come back.
15
The team should be stripped of their titles.
14
This is just a mess. Like the Black Sox scandal, like Pete Rose, like steroids. Guess every couple of decades something comes along to taint the game. Still a fan of the game, but you have to wonder, what’s going on with your own team?
The Astros WS win is sort of like Trump’s 2016 election win. Trump had a lot of help by allowing the Russians to help him cheat. The Astros had help by cheating also. Let them keep their WS title. We all know how they got it, and it will be remembered. It will always have an asterisk next to it.
Sorry to bring politics into this, but there is a comparison.
11
The league should make the Astros verbally give their pitcher signs (fastball, slider, curve, etc) at every home game this season. Then we'll get to see how much difference it makes.
8
The Astros should be stripped of their title and either the team should be suspended for the entire 2020 season (that's right, no games) or all players who participated in the cheating, whether still on the Astros or playing elsewhere, should step up, acknowldge they cheated and voluntarily forfeit their 2020 salary and sit out the season.
5
The Astros need to be stripped of their titles and they should be deemed to have finished in last place.
The club and the players should be forced to return whatever money they made by having made it to the World Series due to cheating.
17
They all say that they wish they did MORE to stop it. But not a single one mentions WHAT they did to stop it. It's going to be a long season for the Astros, especially on the road !!!
12
I always laugh when folks say organized sports are great for kids, so they can learn teamwork and good sportsmanship. What they actually learn is to act as bullies and cheaters and gangsters. These Astro players all grew up in the sport and learned everything from the adults who were in charge. Let’s stop the false narrative and stop elevating sports winners as leaders and heroes.
11
MLB should rescind the Pete Rose ban, put him in the Hall of Fame and exonerate the 1919 Chicago White Sox and put them in the Hall of Fame.
Either enforce the rules and dole out punishment on all those who break the rules, or don’t (and its not even clear that the White Sox did what they were accused of). Saying that one type of cheating is ok, but another type of cheating isn’t and betting isn’t is absurd. It undermines the game and its legacy.
10
@Joel Read the Pete Rose report. Baseball did not ban Pete. Pete banned Pete. he had two choices: 1) allow MLB to go public with the evidence of Pete's gambling notebooks, and Pete admit it publicly, or 2) Pete signs a letter banning him from baseball, and MLB never shows it hand. Pete chose the second option.
Pete banned Pete.
5
I can see it now: Game one of every visiting Astros series is Garbage Can Night!
24
Like other Astros fans below saying more forthright punishment should have been leveled - include me as an Astros fan.
I think for ever their World Series will be with an asterisk.
Baseball has long memories and fans even longer.
There are fans who remember scores from a Series decades ago.
And the baseball world is not going to forget or forgive these cheaters.
I am especially disappointed in Bergman and Springer - if ever there are two mama's boys to wear Astros uniforms.
If nothing else, I hope on the opening night - Mr. Crane announces that he will fly the World Series Pennant and flags at half staff for the full season.
And make an announcement - at every game.
May be these players will then remember how they damaged the good name of the team - more importantly, reputation of it's fair fans - and most importantly, brought shame to Texas.
9
Total frauds who got caught. I detect zero contrition, and their defending their title is gross.
Yeah I know other teams do this and that, but the fact is they got caught in a shockingly elaborate scheme that was obviously known from the top down, and won't even genuinely apologize. Throw all the bums out, including the commish!
Signed, a lifelong Yankee fan.
PS - don't blubber on to me about how certain Yanks did PEDs. This is waaaay different.
8
Jim Crane should take responsibility for the actions of the people who work for him. instead he diminished the harm those actions caused.
9
Pull the championship. They cheated, they won, and all they care about is that they got caught. No accountability yet. MLB needs to get with the program. Why do you think Landis banned Shoeless Joe? To stop anyone else from taking a dive. Why did Giammati bam Rose? To stop anyone from gambling on games. But when it comes to blatant cheating, a nonapology and a few draft picks? Give me a break.
8
@AJ and low level draft picks to boot! and pocket change for a fine. it's not even a slap on the wrist. i agree. vacate the title, take away the rings, force them to repay their WS bonuses!
5
So pathetic
I hope they all enjoy their visits to every ballpark in baseball this year. They’ve earned it in spades
9
The yankees lost to these cheaters 4-3 in the AL championship series. The winners knew what pitches were coming in the 4 games they won. Nothing is harder in all sports than hitting a baseball , unless you know what pitch is coming at you at 98 mph. Then , you have a pretty good chance of hitting the pitch, being a professional baseball player. The winners were cheaters. They won all four games at home where the equipment was set up to facilitate the cheating, ie, the tipping of what pitch was coming, fastball, slider, curve, etc.
the only remedy is for the Astros to vacate their American League title to the NYYankees.
15
@RTC I agree wholeheartedly. They should be stripped of the title altogether. And in my opinion, the owner should be forced to sell the team. The buck stops there.
10
@RTC I agree wholeheartedly. They should be stripped of the title altogether. And in my opinion, the owner should be forced to sell the team.
What’s that saying? Oh yeah. Yerrrr OUT!
7
I can see it now: a moment of silence to start the Astros home opener.
4
Correa, Bregman, Altuve - you dodged a bullet with the Commiss spared you -- an error in judgment -- but you are NOT spared by history, but nailed forever to the pillar of SHAME. you ruined baseball, and careers of honest and good players. you should be banned from baseball and the HOF. what you did is inexcusable -- and no one is buying the non-apology apology of the owner or Hinch - the wrongdoing was at all levels and permeated the entire organization given the Dark Arts and the revelation of "buzzers" under jerseys. whole thing is tainted. owner should be divested and there should be bars for life for the management and ops personnel who carried this out. Dusty, you are a good man, but it's a rat's ship.
22
@Mark, well written! I and anyone that has ever devoted time to watching or playing baseball shares your outrage. These small men should not be able to evade their responsibility with a few carefully crafted weasel words written by lawyers and public relations pro's. They are all a disgrace to the sport and to the legacy of the great players that preceded them. MLB needs to step up to the plate and defend this great American Sport.
5
These guys with significantly more talent and skill sound much like many Republican senators are going to sound like in a couple of years.
20
Saying sorry and not sorry all in the same breath. Instead of defending their right to the title-which is indefensible-they should apologize for harms done and ask what they can do to make it right, not what they are willing to do.
Step 9 AA
10
How is that cheating gets a less serious penalty than betting?
10
There should be no doubt about one part of the punishment. Take the Championship and the rings away. Let the record books show an asterisk for 2017. Shameful that there is so little moral compass left in MLB or sports in general.
23
Across baseball this season, I expect to hear lots of boos for the Astros. I’ll start: Boo!
Now I feel better.
16
I don’t think there is a sincere apology in the whole lot. Sorry they got caught.
Hard to believe they hadn’t advanced to a buzzer system by 2019. Why would they stop until caught? Altuve holding tight to his uniform after hitting the series winning home run is pretty good circumstantial evidence that he wasn’t concerned about getting caught flat footed by a Chapman fastball. And I say this as a lifetime Yankee hater.
12
I'm truly perplexed at why the Astros don't get their Championship "nullified" or otherwise taken away.
16
This was an egregious conspiracy, with motive to cheat, a well orchestrated method to get that edge, and a blatant coverup by the Commish on down, another self serving result of an investigation.
And they have the hubris to still act high and mighty on Rose. This is a scandal far bigger and on a scale like the 1919 Sox scandal, but, oh yes, so much more money is at stake, that integrity has a price tag.
Vacate the championship, expunge all records, and banish the players for a year at least.
7
Will the ‘51 Giants have to relinquish their NL pennant?
1
Sorry, Astros and MLB. Not good enough. Not close. In addition to the paltry penalties imposed thus far, here’s what you need to do before baseball fans will agree to even consider your so-called remorse.
First, surrender the 2017 World Series title and the 2017 American League championship.
Second, every individual associated with the Astros who was paid anything arising from winning the 2017 American League championship and/or the 2017 World Series must forfeit the gross amount of those winnings to a deserving charity. No tax deduction for a charitable contribution. You say it’s tough to get this to work as to players no longer with the Astros? Tough. MLB has tried to sweep this all under the rug. Get it done.
Third, no player, coach or manager of the Astros may be credited by the Hall of Fame, MLB, the Astros, the players or their representatives with the 2017 American League championship or the World Series Title for 2017. You don’t deserve it.
Mark Larsen
9
I also am disappointed that my Astros’ wins are tainted with doubt.
Here’s a solution: require the pitcher to announce his intended pitch before the wind up. Batter still has to try and hit it!
Seriously.
3
It seems that regardless of MLB's official punishment, the Astros' 2017 World Series has been tainted in court of public opinion
4
This is why I moved from sports to work in education. There are more politics in sports than politics. Armstrong got his Tour titles and trophies, I believe, taken from him after the truth emerged.
Yes, the manager and general manager should go. What about half-year suspensions for all 25 players (or however many were on the roster at the time)?
What about a $50 million fee to the Houston Unified Public School system or to the MLB Players' Association for retirees for the injustices? Something that would get the attention of future players that this is not acceptable.
Perhaps banning Houston from the postseason for 2 years would be justice enough. I am not certain how much revenue they would lose, but this is about perception. That you really care about doing the right thing. College teams are prevented from participating in bowl games, why not show some guts baseball?
Pete Rose not allowed in Cooperstown but these cheaters are able to continue playing the game? That is a load of garbage.
So when I take tickets for our school's baseball games, do we have to remove all of the garbage cans so neither team can practice what the Astros perfected?
8
Maybe baseball players truly are meatheads.
(“Our opinion is this didn’t impact the game,” said Crane.
“I didn’t say it didn’t impact the game.” said Crane.
As is an owner or two.)
Those who participated and/or were aware really didn't think it would get out eventually?
1
The only thing they REALLY regret is that they got caught.
17
So we cheated but we're sorry and -- we won!
So they should keep their title because...why exactly?
13
I'm not in favor of revoking the title because it also punishes the Houston fans, who are the real innocent victims in this scandal. As it is, they may stop going to the ballpark and that's not good for anyone. Regardless, the players involved will always be tainted by this (no HOF for Beltran now) and every fan will know those titles are iffy. Their tepid attempt at an apology ("I wish I could have done more," they all said, though not one did) doesn't help. They'll be booed, cursed and beset upon by questions everywhere they go this year, so it's not like they're getting out of jail free. This is going to be miserable season for everyone in that uniform.
1
What about the players and managers cut, sent to the minors or fired because they couldn't get it done against a cheating team? Any remorse there? Why isn't the MLBPA stepping up more?
7
They should have all been suspended for a year.
7
The Astros scandal is not only a disgrace on the franchise, but on MLB for essentially allowing the cheaters to get off free.
There is precedent where a championship is vacant such as 1994 due to the lockout, and I feel the Astros deserve to have their championship vacated for cheating. Only through the removal of their championship can there be true justice for the disgrace inflicted on the integrity of baseball by the Astros.
6
There is no "reflection" by the Astros. MLB let the Astros off with a slap and two of their management guys were penalized.
In the Age of Trump, everyone gets away with everything and the Astros are Exhibit A in MLB.
3
Sounds like they did it. And that they did it knowingly. For baseball's sake, the Astros should be stripped of their titles over the past three years. Players who knew about it should be banned from baseball for at least two years each. Bottom line: In baseball, you don't cheat!
7
The Astros do Not deserve the Title nor the Trophy. The Owner should be forced to sell the Team.
6
Those players, coaches and staff that participated or didn't stand up to stop this flagrant cheating should be ashamed. Among other punishments, none of them should be eligible for the Hall of Fame. They forever destroyed a wonderful moment for the city of Houston. I have no need to ever contribute to their business again. As an additional punishment, MLB should force the Astros to go back to the original name of their baseball stadium--Enron Field.
3
Jim Crane is as much of a crook as his GM and manager who he fired.
Interviewed today he initially said that the sign stealing scheme didn’t effect the outcome of games and then when asked about that obvious lie he denied saying it.
And superstar Altuve is “kind of” sorry.
The only thing he’s sorry about is that he won’t know the pitches coming his way before they’re thrown.
It will be fascinating to see what his batting average is this season when he doesn’t have the huge advantage of knowing what’s coming.
He’ll never get in the Hall and will always be considered a cheater.
5
The apologies from each and every one of these Astros ring hollow.
All I see is an organization of entitled players, coaches, front office and ownership that are hemming and hawing about making a genuine apology. And Crane is the worst of them. He doesn’t feel he should be accountable? He’s the owner. He’s the captain of the ship. EVERYTHING that happens - good or bad - is his responsibility. Everything. These men aren’t sorry for what they did, they’re sorry they got caught. I’ve totally lost respect for them, especially Verlander and Altuve. They’re veterans. They should’ve set an example for the others. Shameful. Just shameful.
Personally, these players should be banned from baseball for life, as should everyone involved. They absolutely undermined the integrity of the game. If they were banned, other players would take notice and it would NEVER happen again.
4
As a lifelong Dodger fan, I can't wait to hear the crowd the next time one of these guys shows up at Dodger Stadium.
5
Watching the players' statements during and after the news conference, struck by the passive tone of their apologies. No specific owning up of the harm they collectively caused, particularly during World Series. Also, to a person only mention of 2017 cheating. Someone should ask Altuve about the 2019 ALCS. Did a proven cheater know what pitch was coming from Chapman? Tainted team not coming clean.
3
Anyone who refers to the Houston Cheaters by their former name is complicit in this scandal.
4
The best punishment to my mind? Have them play the 2020 season and not allow them to compete in the playoffs if they make it that far. Immediate disqualification on opening day - everyone keeps their job (except for those already fired), no additional fines paid, but you get to play for the joy of playing the game only. No further accolades. No bonuses. Nothing. Remember why you love the sport, because, frankly, you don't sound sorry about anything.
2
The Houston Astros say the're sorry. Are they sorry that they cheated or sorry that they got caught?
1
The Astros should be stripped of their World Series title. Hitting a pitched baseball is truly one of most difficult thing in sports. But, the batter gains a huge advantage when he knows what pitch is coming. When he knows the pitch the batter knows what spin to look for and the general speed and timing of the entire interaction.
As a pitcher it's one thing to get rocked on a night when you don't have good stuff. It's quick another to get rocked and have your team loose because the Astros were cheating.
The Astros need to vacate their series. And, Astros ownership needs to be held accountable as well. I would argue banned from daily management for a minimum of two years.
3
They're sorry they got caught. Cheaters are always sorry after they get caught -- nothing else. otherwise, they would never have thought to cheat in the first place. Can't wait for the Astros to come to Yankee Stadium.
1
Crane walked in and slapped a big shameful ASTERISK on himself, his management, his players and his brand. Their accomplishment will forever be labelled as having cheated to succeed.
2
Expect a lot more of this stuff in the Age of Trump.
Give it a few more years, and everyone will instead be celebrating which team is the cleverest cheater. And anybody who dares to question any of it will be personally attacked and have their lives ruined.
3
In this age of Trump the Astros did no wrong. They competed to win and they won. That's all that matters. They cheated? Fake news.
2
These guys are all dirty, and there is no doubt - NONE - that their actions undermined the integrity of the game. They cheated, pure and simple. They should ALL be booted out of the sport, permanently. What's more, none of them seems truly apologetic. Reading their public statements, it's clear they hemmed and hawed and prevaricated as they made their "apologies", it's clear they only did so because the owners told them to do it and it's clear the only thing they really regret is they got caught.
The Astros owner is particularly offensive. It is ABSOLUTELY your fault this happened. You're the captain of the ship. EVERYTHING that happens on your watch, good or bad, is on you. If you didn't know - and I don't believe that for a second - then you SHOULD have known.
Ban them all, forever. Then it'll never happen again.
2
" I wish that I had done more". What a cop out. The real issue in MLB and life in general is now " if you ain't cheating you ain't trying to win".
MLB is a joke. The have lost me as a fan. And Mr. Verlander, I had cheered you as a Tiger( my team) for years and was so happy that a trade allowed you to have a chance to go to the World Series. What a fool I was. Your "apology" is rich.
The minimum action for MLB to take is to rescind the championships that would suggest that honesty in sports is a value. I won't hold my breath. Bunch of losers at all levels of this affair.
3
new MVP chant when Bergman or Altuve come to bat;
MOST - VILE - PLAYER
MOST - VILE - PLAYER
MOST - VILE - PLAYER
4
Not a lot of accountability coming from these players and staff. Lunhow is the worst, blaming other lower-level staff, so unprofessional. They all should be fined and receive suspensions from 30 days to one full year depending on their involvement. Just disgusting.
2
That 1994 WS was far better than the 2017 or 2018 WS
1
Cheaters. Forever. Apologies not accepted. The Dodgers are the true 2017 World Series champ. Without a doubt.
2
So.................the bank robber goes away with his loot. He's found hiding under the bed having spent it all two years later, and when pressed admits it all, but says it doesn't matter because he was entltled to the money. He was better than those who saved their money and worked hard. Those hard workers are now ruined. Their fortunes, and in some cases their futures lost. Big heroes those Astros. trump should hire them for Cabinet posts, except he's already selected another bunch of grifters. The Astros are sorry, sorry they got caught, sorry they've been exposed as a group who couldn't win except by cheating, and just plain sorry. Losers.
2
still seems there's a lot of denial there! looking forward to seeing the astros playing the yanks at the stadium come september! the yank fans are gonna be brutal! play ball!
2
These apologies are so half-hearted. They are only apologizing because they got caught.
They have not 'learned their lesson' and they need to be punished for cheating - this was a team-wide conspiracy.
Take their trophies away. Take their win away.
And let's throw the 2017 Dodgers a parade that says, "We're sorry we ever doubted you. You should have won."
2
Lame, rehearsed apologies are not nearly enough. Trevor Bauer is right - this scandal is not going away, no matter how many insincere mea culpas these cheaters issue. They knew what they were doing and they engaged in a conspiracy to steal the World Series. Are they ready for the heckling they will face wherever they go? And the biggest lamest one of all is Rob Manfred. Teams complained when they realized what was happening and nothing happened. And those guys still have the title. Rob Manfred needs to go.
2
Chicago BlackSox all banned from baseball for life. Including Shoeless Joe.
These guys received immunity for their cooperation?
Perfect comparison for the times. Rich cheaters get away with it.
3
When Justin Verlander was in Detroit he was most vocal about “cheaters... “ using steroids. Went public with it multiple times.
Guess he lost his voice now. He and the rest of the Astros can fool themselves that they were legitimate champs. Ain’t fooling the public. Cheaters and genuine losers they are.
2
Extremely weak response Astros.
When this all first broke I was of the opinion that it was regrettable but that cheating has always been pet of the game. And that the penalties were significant. The more I learn about, the more repugnant their whole scheme was. They are still nowhere near an actual explanation of what they did as individuals or as a team. Which makes their apologies meaningless. The only thing they are sorry about is getting caught.
If they want to keep the trophy they need to get into the specifics that Verlander says he’d like to avoid. Because from what I’ve read everyone in the organization was in on it from the GM to the ball boys. And it goes way beyond players watching video screens and banging trash lids.
If they are unwilling to come clean, take away the trophy. Perhaps that might jog their memories a bit, or give them the encouragement they seem to require to say something real.
4
Aw, they all feel bad? What a shame.
Strip them of the title.
Give back the rings.
Ban Crane.
Ban all the players for a minimum of one year.
And, when they come back, they should be prepared to get a little chin music each time they are at the plate.
3
I hope the Astros and their training staff are prepared for all of the well deserved beanballs coming their way this season.
1
" Cheating is not what we stand for"? Seems to me you are what you did and you cheated big time. So stand up spell it all out publicly and take the hammering that your skullduggery earned for each of you.
Keep your sorrow and shame to yourself and accept the fastball (in your proverbial ribs) of derision that you will rightfully receive.
3
In the coming season(s) this Astros team will be paying the price through taunts, pestering, and sports commentary during their away games.
2
@Daug Small price to pay for a WS ring.
@Chuck
In Reddick’s words, “it is what it is”
Went to my first Astros game in the dome in 1969. Cheered for them for decades, even when they were terrible. During the series this year, I remarked several times that they seemed to know what the pitcher was throwing all the time. They did. As embarrassing as those early losing teams were, they didn’t cheat.
They should be forced to give up the 2017 and 2019 World Series wins and American League Championships. The owner should be forced to sell the team. Players should have to donate their championship winnings. The MLB needs to step up.
31
@Chris well they lost in 2019
Astros fan since forever. If the team isn't stripped of its championship and the players are not punished, I will never support this team again.
36
@IgCarr Sorry to tell you, but you might as well fold your support of the team right now. It has been said time & again that it won't happen.
2
Boy, do I wish there was this much media coverage and demand for justice in 2008. Maybe then, more than only 1 U.S. banker would have been convicted for a scandal that actually ruined the lives of average people. The last time I checked, the Astros cheating affected a few dozen people who already make far more money than the average U.S. citizen. I think I’ll leave my armchair pitchfork in its case.
13
@Anthony V this wasn’t political.
1
There is a way to reduce, if not eliminate, cheating in the future - but is it is a step that baseball will never take. Take the championship back from the Astros, ban the managers from baseball for life, and fine and/or ban the players involved for at least the next two seasons.
Anything less will just lead to more sophisticated ways of cheating, and another non-punishment for it.
25
@Mary Jo Wenckus
Yeh, just ask Tom Brady and his coach.
3
@Mary Jo Wenckus MLB will only do take this type of action against Pete Rose!
1
As long as they collectively and individually get to keep their ill gotten gains, they cheated and won.
Each player and coach should be fined an amount equal to the World Series and lesser series bonus’s, and the team should be fined significantly. Those monies should be paid, proportionately, to each team they defeated.
The record books should be amended to “none” when it comes to World Series records.
17
I really like these players, Altuve, Bregman, Springer, Correa, Beltran.
They all should be banned for at least one full season.
MLB needs to determine if other teams were doing the same thing. If so, those players should also be banned.
If the Astros were the only ones doing it, then the players should be banned for life. TS for them.
It's time for pitchers and catchers to communicate the way coaches and quarterbacks do in football.
24
To Jeff Luhnow - seriously? Blaming lower-level employees? Not a humble moment.
12
Your apologies ring with as much predictability these days as a call to prayer when anyone or anything else is paying a far greater greater price. You know exactly what you did, why you got away with it, and how it impacts prospective hopefuls on their way up in baseball. No time is right for cheating, so no one can give you credit for cherry-picking. This is the games golden period for young current and upcoming talent. Oh but wait you knew that, so it doesn’t matter what anyone, fan or not, says about what anyone else may or may not have thought or done because you already know everything, I hope every single pitcher is on you like a fly on you know what, and I look forward to a wait for the Astros organization much longer than any return to respectability that you feel so entitled to.
11
OK... all teams try to get an edge on their opponents in many different ways. Some of it is a question of getting caught or getting away with it, some of it is just clever ways to work the system while breaking no rules. Fans understand and expect all of this.
BUT this event is just simply egregious to the extreme!! And the Astros are NOT repentant in any real way here. This was just a PR stunt to try to put it behind them.
The other owners in Baseball need to come together with the commissioner and vote on some serious and lasting penalties for the Astros owner and the team.. or baseball has lost credibility with fans.
If nothing is done about this with the Astros owner and the franchise.. there are plenty of other sports for fans to move on to.
9
Appropriate punishment in my opinion would include the following;
1. Revoke the World Series Championship
2. Require Crane to sell franchise
3. Suspend all the players and coaches involved in the scheme for a full year without pay.
Manfred and the MLB owners are essentially trying to quickly sweep this under the rug, but I suspect the strategy will really backfire. Looks good on these smug, self serving, self satisfied economic predators.
52
We feel badly about what happened is not an apology. Folks need to hear the players involved say, "for what we did", instead of for what happened.
23
Apologies are all well and good, but only time will fix the hard feelings this fiasco has caused.
That said, peer pressure is a powerful thing. I suspect that many major leaguers on other teams who are critical of the Astros would have done the same thing if they were one of them.
In a sport where team is stressed, how many would have had the guts to break ranks, stand alone, and be a whistle blower mid-season?
As a comparison from the political world, we see how that type thing went over in Washington, where Trump and friends equated a whistle blower speaking up to traitorous behavior deserving of jail time.
9
All of the player responses seem like they've been run through a PR algorithm. They express regret without ever taking responsibility. Without revoking their championship, what's to keep anyone from cheating again? The star in their logo should be replaced by an asterisk.
63
Astros should have their 2017 World Series nullified and marked as such in the record book.They deserve to be vilified by MLB.
4
If Astros owner Jim Crane thinks sign-stealing didn't impact the game, someone needs to ask him if he would allow the opposing teams to know what Astros pitchers are throwing--say, during the playoffs. That's assuming that, without stealing signs, the Astros are able to get to the playoffs again.
53
Why do the Astros still have their World Series Rings? Why are they still in the record books as winners. Why haven’t they been banished from the Hall of Fame?
Why haven’t the owners been severely fined?
If this is extent of punishment (none), the future of baseball is at stake.
77
As an Astros fan it is saddening and unfortunate. I thought they were simply the better team. It was so much fun to be a part of the winning and the big win over the Dodgers in LA. Now it's tainted, as are the hitting records attained during the season by players.
42
@Brad, I'm curious how other Astros fans feel. Do they tend to agree with you or do they rationalize it and say the whole thing is overblown?
1