Same thing Boston is doing, a whole lot of nothing.Quote:
Originally Posted by RBP
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Same thing Boston is doing, a whole lot of nothing.Quote:
Originally Posted by RBP
The Cubs started with the oldest starting rotation, lost Cole Hamels to ATL, and lost of the best relievers, Steve Cishek, to the White Sox.Quote:
Originally Posted by Teh One Who Knocks
DO SOMETHING YOU FUCKING FUCKS.
Wow, the Astros manager AND their GM have both been suspended for 1 year in the sign stealing scandal.
And fined $5 million plus loss of draft picks.
And the Astros have now fired both of them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Teh One Who Knocks
Dayum!Quote:
Originally Posted by Teh One Who Knocks
Red Sox are in the crosshairs now and from the sound of the report on the Astros, which is where Sox manager Alex Cora came from, he (Cora) is going to be hit every bit as hard as the Astros manager was. Have to see what happens.
by Mike Axisa - CBS Sports
https://i.imgur.com/bS1QwhIl.jpg
Monday afternoon, Major League Baseball and commissioner Rob Manfred announced their punishment for the Houston Astros stemming from the team's sign-stealing scandal. The Astros were alleged to have illegally used electronics to steal signs during their 2017 World Series Championship run and MLB's investigation verified media reports.
Here is a recap of the discipline:
- Astros fined $5 million, the maximum allowed under MLB's constitution.
- GM Jeff Luhnow suspended for one year. Luhnow was then fired by the Astros.
- Manager A.J. Hinch suspended for one year. Hinch was then fired by the Astros.
- Former assistant GM Brandon Taubman suspended one year.
- Astros forfeit their first and second round draft picks the next two years.
Manfred issued a nine-page report detailing MLB's investigation and explaining how he arrived at the discipline. The scandal and the level of discipline are unprecedented, and yet the punishment also feels a little light.
Specifically, the $5 million fine is probably not enough to deter similar behavior in the future. Hinch and Luhnow getting suspended and then fired will undoubtedly resonate throughout baseball circles, but, at the ownership level, the $5 million fine is a pittance relative to the financial windfall associated with winning the 2017 World Series.
Astros players took home a then-record $30,420,155.57 postseason pool in 2017, and, given how that is calculated and the fact the Astros played seven games in the ALCS and World Series, it means the club itself took home something well north of that following the 2017 postseason run. The $5 million fine amounts to only a small piece of that pie.
And those are just the gate receipts, remember. A World Series win means merchandise sales, better advertising opportunities, new fans who will return and give you their money for years to come. For the Astros, the fact it was their first World Series title makes it even more lucrative. It was a historic moment. A license to print money for the foreseeable future.
As best I can tell the Major League Constitution was amended in recent years to raise the maximum allowable fine from $2 million to $5 million, which is good, but still relatively insignificant at the ownership and team level. The MLB Constitution also includes a section regarding integrity of the game, which is the primary matter in question here:
Integrity shall include without limitation, as determined by the Commissioner, the ability of, and the public perception that, players and Clubs perform and compete at all times to the best of their abilities. Public confidence shall include without limitation the public perception, as determined by the Commissioner, that there is an appropriate level of long-term competitive balance among Clubs.
The Astros, through their sign-stealing scheme, have damaged the reputation of the game and the integrity of play. On-field results during their 2017 regular season and, more importantly, their 2017 postseason run have been brought into question. It's an ugly situation for baseball all around. That the 2018 Red Sox are also being investigated for sign-stealing only makes it worse.
To spark change, it has to begin at the top of the organizational ladder, and the best way to drive home a point is to hit someone in the wallet, always and forever. That includes MLB owners. Fine the owner heavily and the other 29 will notice, and word will trickle down to the baseball operations folks and on-field personnel that they better not cheat.
There is a point where the risk is worth the reward. Do I want to risk a $5 million fine to get a postseason windfall that could equals tens of millions? I don't know where that point is, exactly, and I'm sure it's different for everyone, but $5 million is dangerously close to an acceptable risk. Teams can make that up with a postseason trip that doesn't end with a World Series win.
The MLB Constitution lays out the maximum fine and it is what it is, and we shouldn't expect the owners to agree to revise it so the commissioner can fine exorbitant amounts. It would be a sign of good faith, however. We'll hold ourselves accountable by giving the commissioner the power to hammer us with a $10 million, $25 million, or even a $100 million fine. Imagine that?
Hinch and Luhnow paid for the sign-stealing scandal with the loss of a year's salary and their jobs -- and their reputations. The Astros also lost four high draft picks the next two years, which will hurt them long-term. Beyond that, Crane and the Astros did not incur much pain. Their reputation is sullied, but that's nothing a little winning won't cure. Don't believe me? Wait until you see the avalanche of redemption stories when Houston wins the AL West again in a few months. You know they're coming.
Manfred's discipline was harsh like it should have been, but it was also not as harsh as it could have been and maybe should have been. The single best way to drive home a point and invite change is to take away money, and MLB did not take away enough from the Astros. That 2017 World Series win more than paid for itself.
by Katherine Acquavella - CBS Sports
https://i.imgur.com/4SP5cXw.jpg
On Monday, Major League Baseball announced historic penalties against the Houston Astros after the league's investigation found Houston guilty of using technology to steal signs during the team's World Series championship 2017 season. Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch received one-year suspensions, as well as a $5 million fine and the loss of future draft picks. Players were spared for their involvement.
Now, the league will shift its focus to the investigation of the Boston Red Sox, who were accused of using their video replay room to steal signs during their 2018 championship season. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Red Sox could learn their punishment soon, and it's expected to be harsh. Red Sox manager Alex Cora is expected to be hit hard with a punishment, Passan adds.
Cora joined the Red Sox as a first-year manager in 2018, and he came to Boston via Houston, where he served as the Astros' bench coach for the 2017 season. In MLB's nine-page report summary of the investigation into the Astros sign-stealing scheme, Cora is mentioned multiple times and viewed as one of the members of the dugout who spearheaded the scheme. Cora is credited with beginning to call the Astros' replay review room on the replay dugout phone to obtain sign information. Here's more from the report:
"Cora arranged for a video room technician to install a monitor displaying the center field camera feed immediately outside of the Astros' dugout. (The center field camera was primarily used for player development purposes and was allowed under MLB rules at the time when used for that purpose.) Witnesses have provided largely consistent accounts of how the monitor was utilized. One or more players watched the live feed of the center field camera on the monitor, and after decoding the sign, a player would bang a nearby trash can with a bat to communicate the upcoming pitch type to the batter."
The report claims that the witnesses interviewed as part of the investigation "consistently described this scheme as player-driven." But with the exception of Cora, no other non-player staff, including individuals in the video replay review room, had involvement in the sign-stealing. However, the report acknowledges that witnesses made clear that everyone in close proximity to the Astros' dugout presumptively heard or saw the banging. The final summary depicts Cora as having been heavily involved in the sign-stealing scheme: "Cora was involved in developing both the banging scheme and utilizing the replay review room to decode and transmit signs. Cora participated in both schemes, and through his active participation, implicitly condoned the players' conduct."
Manfred notes that he will not hand out discipline for Cora until his department completes the investigation of the allegations that the Red Sox engaged in electronic sign stealing in 2018 while Cora was the manager.
The Red Sox have been disciplined before for using technology to steal signs, although it occurred one year before Cora was hired. In September of 2017, Boston (along with the Yankees) was fined for electronically pilfering signs from the opposing catcher. In the Red Sox's case, their sign-stealing involved the use of an Apple Watch to steal and relay signs. After the 2017 incidents, Manfred released a memo to all 30 MLB clubs warning of more severe punishments for any future violations of the rule that prevents use of electronic equipment or the inappropriate use of the video replay room.
So I guess Cora will be out of a job soon too.
Yeah, I suspect the Red Sox will get hit as hard if not worse than the Astros did. Especially Cora since he's linked to both scandals.
And the BoSox just fired Cora.
After reading more and more about what's going on, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Cora gets the Pete Rose treatment, a lifetime ban from baseball.
And, I am already sick of the whining from players, mostly on the Dodgers and the Yankees. They are whining that they were robbed and that they should have won the World Series. Now don't get me wrong, what the Astros and the Red Sox were doing was cheating, no doubt. But first, I doubt they are the only teams that were stealing signs, and two, even if you know what kind of pitch is coming, the hitter STILL needs to hit the ball and put it in play. Just knowing, for example, that a fastball is coming is still no guarantee that you will make contact and put the ball in play. Does it help the hitter? No doubt. Is it a guarantee that they will get a hit? No.
More fallout: Carlos Beltran has stepped down as manager of the Mets because of the Astros cheating scandal.
Nice to see Larry Walker get the HoF call yesterday. So much bias against him for playing Colorado and saying that his numbers were inflated and shouldn't be taken seriously. Walker played the game the right way, was an all around good guy, and in my lifetime, had THE BEST arm I've ever had the privilege of watching playing the outfield. He could easily throw you out at the plate from right field and make it look easy.