Houston Astros get hammered for cheating

[siberian khatru]

BREAKING: Per sources, MLB’s penalties for #Astros include:

*One-year suspensions for GM Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch.

*Losses of 1st and 2nd round draft picks in both 2020 and ‘21.

*A fine of $5M.

Full story and more context with @EvanDrellich: https://t.co/djvKEYFiC7

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 13, 2020

No players were disciplined by Major League Baseball in the Astros' investigation. While Mets manager Carlos Beltran was part of it, he was a player at the time and thus was not suspended.

Discipline for Red Sox manager Alex Cora is coming. It is going to be harsh, per sources.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 13, 2020

Jim Crane just fired Jeff Luhnow and AJ Hinch.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 13, 2020

[lcarus]

The Houston Asterixos

[DrRyan]

Damn. This is bad and at this point I think at minimum Altuve has to be suspended for a year. That video is just too damning. I'm someone that was pulling for the Astro's postseason runs since the Royals runs ended. Being a middle infielder when I used to play I always liked Altuve/Correa MI combo.

At this point I don't expect any discipline from MLB towards the players with the upcoming CBA negotiations, but it is hard to see even casual fans not being soured by this scandal.

[ScareCrowe]

Originally Posted by arrowheadnation

I thought this looked pretty incriminating too, but there are other pics of him throughout the night that pretty much show it to be gold confetti and a chain that he wears around his neck....now the Altuve thing. If you slow it down and read his lips, he is clearly saying "no, no, I'm wearing a ***something***" (hard to tell what the last word is)...then there is the weird crowd of like 3 players that wraps around him, basically obscuring him from view...THEN there is fan cell phone video that shows him taking his championship shirt directly to the dugout to put on rather than on the field like every other player in history that has won a championship shirt that puts it on while out on the field. Regardless, I've seen guys cover their heads as they run into a pile because people smack their helmet, but NEVER have I seen anyone hold their shirt together tight. Will be interesting to see if Manfred has the balls to strip them of the title.

Good call on the chain/confetti, as I look at it closer you can actually see the chain (which appears to be a wire) running under the tattoo on his chest, going under the shirt & appears to line up with the wire looking thing.

However the video of Altuve holding his shirt combined with the video of him running into the locker room to change are pretty damning.

[chiefzilla1501]

Is it possible that maybe the best way to beat technology is by using technology? What if pitchers and catchers, but nobody else, were allowed to relay signals. Just as a coach sends plays in to their qb.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Is it possible that maybe the best way to beat technology is by using technology? What if pitchers and catchers, but nobody else, were allowed to relay signals. Just as a coach sends plays in to their qb.

I've thought about that for some time. What's the downside (outside of "tradition" or perhaps letting the middle infield know as well)?

[mr. tegu]

https://twitter.com/TphamLV/status/1...574976513?s=20

[MAHOMO 4 LIFE!]

MLB says it found no instances of wearing wires. Sure they did.....

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

https://twitter.com/TphamLV/status/1...574976513?s=20

I suck at ironing; neither the time or patience to do it well.

Every damn shirt I have has a crease like that where it was folded over before I said "ah **** it" and just ironed the stupid fold in anyway.

Look - I would love nothing more than to see this explode on the Astros, if for no other reason that watching the world burn.

But this is thiiiiiiin gruel.

[Shiver Me Timbers]

Originally Posted by D2112

I’m on cloud 9. The mets, Red Sox and Astro’s are all In disarray simultaneously. The perfect storm.

Never really connected those dots myself.
I agree

[smithandrew051]

I’m sure someone else has brought this point up, so I apologize if I’m repetitive.

Haven’t home runs gone through the roof these last few years? I know most think the balls are juiced (and they probably are). I do wonder if there is a connection to sign stealing and increased home run rates league-wide.

Any major leaguer can put the ball out of the park at pretty much any time. If they know what’s coming, it would stand to reason that they would hit more home runs.

I wonder how wide spread this will end up.

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

I’m sure someone else has brought this point up, so I apologize if I’m repetitive.

Haven’t home runs gone through the roof these last few years? I know most think the balls are juiced (and they probably are). I do wonder if there is a connection to sign stealing and increased home run rates league-wide.

Any major leaguer can put the ball out of the park at pretty much any time. If they know what’s coming, it would stand to reason that they would hit more home runs.

I wonder how wide spread this will end up.

All over the place. Especially NY and STL, no doubt about it.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

I’m sure someone else has brought this point up, so I apologize if I’m repetitive.

Haven’t home runs gone through the roof these last few years? I know most think the balls are juiced (and they probably are). I do wonder if there is a connection to sign stealing and increased home run rates league-wide.

Any major leaguer can put the ball out of the park at pretty much any time. If they know what’s coming, it would stand to reason that they would hit more home runs.

I wonder how wide spread this will end up.

Couple of things....

1. It's maybe led to an uptick. But just like steroids, I'd imagine this has been going on for a while so it wouldn't explain a 1 or 2 year upward trend in HRs

2. There was definitely a "juiced" ball. The seams were all messed up which messed with some pitchers.

3. Both things could contribute to more HRs. Which improve ratings. Manfred claims he didn't know. I call bullshit.

4. There's also a theory that pitchers are throwing harder than usual even if they know it'll throw their arms out. Also some players have chosen to hit the shit out of the ball vs. placing the ball against the shift. Not surprisingly, home runs are up but so are strikeouts. If players were overwhelmingly tipped on pitches we wouldn't be seeing these kinds of strikeout rates.

[TEX]

Birds of a feather...

[Eleazar]

This is going to be as bad as the Black Sox for baseball, and they are trying to sweep it under the rug.

[lewdog]

Where is Rudy? ****ing loser hasn’t posted in this thread.