[NY Times] Cardinals under FBI investigation for hacking Astros

http://www.astrosfuture.com/2017/02/mandred-drops-ball-cardinals-hacking-scandal/

I felt like I was just about past this whole ordeal until I read the above article. A few quotes:

Following Correa’s trial, it became clear that the Cardinals’ organization knowingly supported their former scout in his actions. Under oath Correa admitted to accessing the Astros’ database, and bringing the information he found to the upper management of the Cardinals’ organization. This information even led to Correa’s promotion to Cardinals Scouting Director.

Clearly, a punishment had to be levied. However, MLB’s decision to wait until the most convenient time to decide to take the Cardinals’ “top two picks” stinks to high heaven.

 

Why do people keep saying this? MLB can levy whatever punishment they want when it comes to picks. If they wanted to take a 1st rounder, they could have. They didn't fool anyone or anything like that. STL didn't pull a fast one over MLB by moving the pick because they otherwise would have lost it. MLB levied the punishment they thought was appropriate. It's either light, acceptable, or heavy. But STL's signing and all that had no relevance to anything.

 

As far as this part, it's silly. Both the FBI and MLB investigations in their entirety found otherwise. Cherry-picking what you want to believe when there is far more information out there is silly.

 

None of that is actually true.

 

That article seems genuinely unaware of the many ways that information may have manifested. It's highly probable Correa took the information and reformatted it to appear as the it was his work and effort. I find it nearly impossible to believe - wait, scratch "nearly" - that he created, "What I Found When Hacking the Astros' Database" PowerPoint presentations and gave those to upper management.

 

How did these guys get off so lightly?

Braves lost 12 internationals prospects (two of which top 30 overall), their deal with the top prospect of 2019 class got voided, significant penralities on their international FA spending in 19-20, 20-21, and lost a 3rd round pick

 

It’s because all 12 of those guys were signed illegally. There was a definite picture of the results of their breaking the rules. With the Cards the MLB could prove that they hacked into the Astros system but no one knows for sure what players were drafted/signed by the Cardinals as a result. You can’t just take certain prospects from the Cards and hand them over to the Astros because there’s no guarantee that the Astros would have signed/drafted those players had the Cardinals not. I do agree that the Cardinals got off easy though. Should have had to give up their first round pick to us IMO.

 

Braves issues also were much deeper and to the top.

Actually feel for braves fans. That team was tanking and built up this great system seemingly about to turn the corner and then they stick the 2nd half. Swanson struggles terribly. Now they have this happen.

 

Speaking of...how did the Braves and more recently the Cardinals pull this off without going full Marlin?

 

They still have an absolutely loaded farm system though. They should still be on track in their rebuild.

 

They do, but makes it harder to replace them if they graduate or flop.

 

The Braves have averaged like 93 loses the last three years.

 

Yeah...but they are improving by a couple of wins a year. Another 5 years and they'll be at .500.

 

When we played in ATL, July 4-5, the braves were playing to get to .500. We beat them 26-8 in the 2 games and they never recovered from that bus.

 

Karma is a bit_h!

 

To think, Luhnow was ready to take the helm of GM for the Cardinals, but they played politics to get him to know his place. So he bolted for greener pastures, and now the Astros are a powerhouse presently and for the foreseeable future.

 

When was he ever going to take over St. Louis?

His boss then is still in charge now.

 

He wasn’t.

 

Luhnow literally walked across the hotel hallway from the Cardinals' suite to the Astros' when he transferred.

In Astroball, he said he was looking for an organization where analytics is integrated across the board. (We all know how Luhnow likes to experiment and try 'bold' ideas, like drafting SS Bregman when you already have Correa or asking 3B Yuli to switch to 1B.)

That means on the Cardinals, there was still a lot of resistance no matter his track record. Crane essentially turned over the whole show to him. Good for Crane and good for us. The best FO in baseball.