It is really, honestly, like a nightmare at this point. One of the ones where you are desperately trying to fight but everything you are doing is in super slow motion. For Manfred to state that they have no reason to believe it extends beyond the astros? In the initial article that spotlighted the Astros, was Mike Fiers not quoted as saying that the scheme came from a veteran player whose learned the scheme on a previous team in which it worked/helped him get out of a slump? In that case there arent even that many rocks to turn over. Morton was a vet signed from the Pirates - safe to say it wasnt him as he isnt a hitter who was "struggling." Reddick - Previously from the Dodgers (deadline deal), A's before that (3 yrs?), and then Red Sox before that (came up through their system). McCann - Has only ever played for 3 teams. Astros, Braves, and Yankees. Before Astros like 5 years with Yankees? Then obviously Beltran - Rangers (deadline deal prior yr), Yankees (where he had a career revival), and a bunch of other teams...Cards, SF, Mets, etc. The Yankees, at the very least, should be investigated just as heavily as us. Period.
Clearly a Yankees or Sox fan because those teams only got fines that year for what they did. Investigate their sacred, golden franchi$e?? No way.
I’m not worried one bit about this. Simply for the fact the fox got outfoxed by the Astros. Major League sports have been rigging the game in favor of their favorite franchises. It’s just a way for the butt hurt teams to feel better about themselves. Heck Alex Cora implied that Beltran brought the system with him. Meaning other teams had been utilizing it. Astros are still going to kick A$$ next years, amidst a choir of boos everywhere they play. I guess St. Louis, the Yankees, the Dodgers can all go to sleep feeling they’ve regained their spot a top the baseball world. Go Astros and take the title next year for good measure. MLB got what they wanted, to vilify the Astros. They got their foe to root against by the National Sports media, honed in on the mega teams and baseball royalty.
They won't investigate any other team unless a player, former employee, or another team with hard evidence forces their hand. They don't want to find anything else unless they have to.
Yeah, I agree for sure. Which is why I compare it to a nightmare where you are trying to fight back but you cant lol. It seems so simple and justifiable for the league to investigate a bunch of other teams, and anyone with any common sense knows which "stones" to start overturning. But, we know it isnt gonna happen, even if it seems so logical. It is just so frustrating for those reasons. Also, the fact that they are taking Fiers' words as gospel, or at least serious enough to open an investigation based on them, then his words also, implicated every FA veteran hitter that was acquired that same season in question. It just isnt hard, which again, is my point.
Manfred said this to protect the image of the league. You don't want to be the commish that allowed rampant cheating across the entire league. It's a bad look for you. Same with Selig and the steroid era. I think they will handle internally and quietly with the entire league and give the Astros a public punisment but it won't be so severe. A severe punishment would leade to Astros publicly exposing the other teams who "got away" with it. A behind the scenes handshake deal, let us punish you "slightly" and keep the issue quiet or risk a major punishment if you go public and expose the entire league. That's my guess how it goes down.
That would be the best case scenario right now. MLB will say there’s no proof of Astros using camera/electronic devices to steal signs but will be fined 1M for having a trash can behind dugout and whistling during a game.
Is it concerning that Mandred's bosses are the owners? Seems like everyone wants Houston to be punished severe. If he gives Houston a light punishment, a bunch of owners pissed off. Maybe when his contract is up, he doesn't get voted back in as the commissioner. But if he gives a massive penalty, Crane is pissed off but for Mandred, 1 pissed of owner is better than a bunch of pissed off owners
I think the owners more concerned about how much money can go into their pockets than how much punishments to another owner. Just like NFL with Goodell.
Have I missed any comments from owners or other organizations? I've heard a bunch of nonsense from mediots, talking heads, and bitter fans, but nothing, at least not concerning some heavy penalty, from other players or owners.
Rob Manfred said the investigation into the Astros will encompass 2018 and 2019 as well as 2017. "We will get to the bottom of what we have out there." "I am concerned about the impact of technology in and around the field," Rob Manfred said. Rob Manfred said he'd like to be done with the Astros investigation "as quick as humanly possible." He acknowledged, of course, he'd like to be done before spring training. Asked if the investigation into the Brandon Taubman incident and the sign-stealing were independent, Rob Manfred said: "It started separately & ended up as one big thing. It’s hard to separate them out. I hope at the end of this undertaking, I’ll put both of these issues to bed” Though Brandon Taubman was fired by the Astros in October, Rob Manfred acknowledged on Thursday he "certainly has alternatives available to me" to levy more punishment to Taubman specifically. ... Rob Manfred: “We are going to investigate the Astros situation as thoroughly as humanly possible. That investigation is going to encompass not only what we know about ’17, but also ’18 & ’19. We are talking to people all over the industry. Former employees, competitors, whatever" Rob Manfred: “Our clubs, all 30 of them, recognize that the integrity of the competition on the field is crucial to what we do … There is wide support across the industry for the idea that when we have a problem in this area, there should be firm, serious disciplinary action" Rob Manfred: "To the extent that we find other leads, we’re going to follow these leads. We will get to the bottom of what we have out there in terms of what went on to the extent that it’s humanly possible. I just can’t speculate beyond that."
Not owners but I think unnamed GM's spoke out and apparently at least 2 wanted Houston to get hit hard.
The Astros are so far ahead of the curve on the marathon race of baseball, that it’s irritating the competition. That is the day to day riggers if the regular season. Sure the playoffs are more like a sprint, and more of a toss up... Are they going to say that the Astros road games are illegitimate too! These people are pissed off that the Astros have been at the cutting edge, and ahead of them who’ve in the past were the trend setters. The Astros are doing the analytics better than the competition.
I guess that makes sense--if the Astros have fewer draft picks, better chances for other organizations to get the guys they want. But if other GMs hate the Astros so much, why do they keep trading with us?
They trade with the Astros because the Astros are fair trade partners. They value their own talent, but don’t pillage other teams when they are in search for a trade partners. Luhnow knows you can’t play them all, so you find them homes on other teams. The Astros have been very fair, of course you win some trades and lose some, but that’s all after the fact... Teams trying to get under the salary cap is a huge problem for most clubs, and the Astros have assumed financial commitments while giving valuable talent back....
All of these allegations, but I've yet to see or hear anything else about that hidden camera. Even that dwarf jomboy can't seem to find it. Good luck Manfred, you servant ********er.
Manfred should do like Goodlell, just order all the evidence to be smashed and burned. If we are truly a championship caliber team, we've already burned the tapes, and the cell phones...and if that started the fires near Dodger Stadium, that's just icing on the cake. The simple solution is to pay Taubman to say that we set the camera up but never used it.
Lulz. This REALLY makes Twitter Yankee fans verah mad on the internets and they type words about wanting to fight.
