Houston Astros GM and coach are banned/fired for cheating way to 2017 World Series title

Not "World Series", USA Series.

rojo wrote:

"Son, you want to reach the top of anything, you need to be power hungry and unethical as hell as there are billions of other people that want to get there as well."

This is pretty much spot on. But you could temper that by suggesting that he accomplish as much as he can by doing things the 'right way', and take pride in that even if it isn't enough to truly reach the top.

People who reach the top of their field pretty much all A) are supremely talented and B) make a hell of a lot of sacrifices. Time, hobbies, family, etc. Ideals and morals are just one more sacrifice. Who's to say where the line is?

Everyone should strive to succeed by whatever means they personally feel are appropriate, and learn to live with the results (as well as the consequences).

rojo wrote:

Son, you want to reach the top of anything, you need to be power hungry and unethical as hell as there are billions of other people that want to get there as well.

Did Clay really never tell you this?

Just because some things are corrupt does not mean everything is corrupt.

What are you talking about? We now have to prove that knowing a fastball is coming on a 3-2 pitch is an advantage? Of course it's an advantage.

This is nothing like Salazar. If this were like Salazar it would be more like Salazar investigating sign stealing technology, testing it on minor leaguers, and not having proof he used it in the majors.

Definitely not. Clay was more along the lines, "Whatever you do, do it your best and honorably."

Now Robert to his son Clay(ton): "Everyone at the top cheats."

My first thought: if the Astros do get their title stripped, what happens to the mattress bet guy?

In 2017, he refunded over 10 million dollars of mattress purchases because the Astros won the World Series:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/10/02/houstons-mattress-king-bets-million-astros-win-world-series/

He hedged this with a 3.5 million dollars sports bets on the Astros to cover his promotional exposure. Would be a sick beat if after he has already paid out his customers the MLB strips the Astros of the title, and that Mississippi book that took the mattress guy's 3.5 million dollar bet on the Astros tries to recoup their loss.

He's probably fine but I'd be sweating a little if I were him.

It’s a tough call. Unspoken is that other teams may be doing it, because it’s hard to stop.

If you aren't cheating then you aren't really trying and it's only cheating if you're caught.

Wheres the lifetime bans?

Just asking for a Pete?

The World Series title was not stripped. The big punishments were the one-year bans of the coach and GM, AJ Hinch and Jeff Luhnow. Those were huge. Ever more huge is Jim Crane fired them. Luhnow is the best GM in MLB. Major loss to the Astros. They also lost first 2 picks in 2020 and 2021. Not really the SMU death penalty but close

From Houston. Lifetime Astros fan. There’s some fake outrage on social media but nobody in Houston cares. We’re more upset we lost one of the best GM’s and one of the best managers in the game. It’s a huge leap to assume that other teams aren’t cheating using electronics the Astros were just the team that got caught. Cora, Hinch and Lunhow aren’t some masterminds. If they figured it out, so did other teams. So everyone can come down off their soapbox for a minute because every team was/is cheating period.

The Red Sox are next. Stay tuned.

Hourunner wrote:

From Houston. Lifetime Astros fan. There’s some fake outrage on social media but nobody in Houston cares. We’re more upset we lost one of the best GM’s and one of the best managers in the game. It’s a huge leap to assume that other teams aren’t cheating using electronics the Astros were just the team that got caught. Cora, Hinch and Lunhow aren’t some masterminds. If they figured it out, so did other teams. So everyone can come down off their soapbox for a minute because every team was/is cheating period.

We love the everyone is doing it so it's ok argument!

Well done!

Thank God they got Osuna. Oh wait. Anyways, it's funny how players and a lot of fans are saying theyre surprised by the punishment being this "harsh" because they expected MLB to give a slap on the wrist like usual. But lets be real, this is a slap on the wrist for sure! No players facing repercussions and not stripping the title is no real justice. Proves you can cheat to win and still reap the benefits of cheating after getting caught! For a game that says they care about integrity, what a joke!!

Fattttty B wrote:

The World Series title was not stripped. The big punishments were the one-year bans of the coach and GM, AJ Hinch and Jeff Luhnow. Those were huge. Ever more huge is Jim Crane fired them. Luhnow is the best GM in MLB. Major loss to the Astros. They also lost first 2 picks in 2020 and 2021. Not really the SMU death penalty but close

The draft picks were worth about $60 million. Was AJ Hinch really going to provide 60 million of surplus-value in one year? I mean his salary is 1.2 million. Are managers vastly underpaid?

I like where the players said having the pitch a couple seconds beforehand doesn't help. Then why are they wasting their time and energy with all the shenanigans?

Would be funny if next year they continued to bang on the garbage can just to unnerve the pitchers.

Bands a make hoes dance wrote:

Thank God they got Osuna. Oh wait. Anyways, it's funny how players and a lot of fans are saying theyre surprised by the punishment being this "harsh" because they expected MLB to give a slap on the wrist like usual. But lets be real, this is a slap on the wrist for sure! No players facing repercussions and not stripping the title is no real justice. Proves you can cheat to win and still reap the benefits of cheating after getting caught! For a game that says they care about integrity, what a joke!!

I agree, it' s light. Stripping the title means nothing though. It already happened.

I thought a 2 year postseason ban would have most appropriate.

If they were losing top 5 picks that would be one thing, but they are going to essentially lose the 30th and 70th picks for 2 years. Every team in baseball would trade those picks for a title.

Should have lost first 5 rounds each year.

That's called capitalism.

This is a load of BS. A pocket change fine, no players punished and they make two guys take the fall? WEAK!

You know what happens when runners cheat and get caught? They get banned for a minimum of 2 years. Imagine if they banned the Astros from the MLB for 2 years. You think an entire team would ever try to steal signs like this again?

Dodgers should be given the title. Unless of course you think this lady should get to keep her gold medal.

https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2016/03/23/20/60-pic.jpg?w968h681

It is kind of like when I started seeing many Kenyans were/are dirty in long distance running. Is there anything left that is sacred?