Astros Penalties Could Be Severe, Other Teams Super Pissed, League Integrity, Much More

Nov 15, 2019

There has been so much more come out in the last 24 hours on the Houston Astros’ use of a hidden camera – among other methods, apparently – to steal and relay signs to batters that I basically have to do a Bullets-style post to keep up. This remains really, really big stuff …

If you were wondering how other teams around the league (the ones that aren’t cheating, at least) are feeling about the revelation that the Astros were using a camera in center field to steal signs, you could say they’re pissed. Consider a couple quotes from two anonymous execs given to SNY’s Andy Martino: “If Jeff Luhnow knew about this, he should be banned for life” and “How naïve I was – I hope MLB buries the Astros.” (Also, note that the article is mostly about how the Astros were stealing signs well beyond 2017.)

Other executives, per USA Today: “They want the Astros to pay a fortune in penalties, being fined a record amount of money, forfeiting draft picks, international signing bonuses, and two even told USA TODAY Sports they wish MLB would force them to vacate the 2017 World Series title.” Yeah, they are pissed.

So, is MLB gonna “bury” the Astros? Well, there is reason to believe that the punishment here – after investigation – is going to be really significant. Jeff Passan writes at ESPN about the investigation, “The penalties for illegal activity are determined by commissioner Rob Manfred, though if the league can prove wrongdoing, the severity could be unlike anything seen in the sport’s recent history, sources said.” And for individuals? The ones who lie in the investigation are going to be the ones who are hit the hardest. Word to the wise Astros players: you’re busted already, so be honest.

News: MLB is looking beyond the 2017 Houston Astros and expects to interview those from the 2019 team as well in its sign-stealing investigation, sources tell ESPN. The inquiry also includes multiple personnel from the Boston Red Sox staff. Story at ESPN: https://t.co/0rSRkCGgr1
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 14, 2019

It’s hard to overstate how important it is for MLB to come off as thorough, credible, and appropriately punitive in this case, because the very integrity of the sport (a sport that’ll soon add legalized gambling, I might add) is at stake. It’s already bad enough that the outcome of the 2017 World Series now feels tainted (even if Yu Darvish is too gracious to say so).

Theo Epstein’s take (NBC):”Certainly not something to be swept under the rug. It needs to be fully investigated and bring light to it and I’m sure there will be appropriate action taken …. There are always a number of teams that there’s rumors about or more than rumors. It’s just part of baseball. I’m sure some of them are based in fact and some are based in fiction. It’s just important that any time this type of stuff comes up, MLB has to investigate it and take it really seriously and we understand that they are.”

Just in case you needed more proof:

The Astros' trash can banging/sign stealing system left a clear signature in the audio data, which I then used to track when/how they were doing it. https://t.co/slx8jw2Q4D pic.twitter.com/KDeBMRVnvL
— Rob Arthur (@No_Little_Plans) November 15, 2019

A player perspective:

This Astros thing is bad!!! Guys lost jobs, got sent down, missed service time bc of how they were hit in HOU. Does anyone really think they only did this in 17? #getreal
— Kevin Gausman (@KevinGausman) November 14, 2019

And a former player dug in on some details, including how the Astros were probably stealing signs when sound wouldn’t work, too:

Ok I’m glad I waited because it looks like this is already out there. So not exactly breaking news, but confirmation on something already reported.
— Trevor Plouffe (@trevorplouffe) November 14, 2019

https://twitter.com/trevorplouffe/status/1195065237264728064

Elsewhere, I totally forgot about this craziness from 2016 involving the Padres:

Wut… pic.twitter.com/baaRv5zFHp

— tps (@tpstoner1) April 25, 2016

Whether the Padres were actually doing anything nefarious or not there is kinda beside the point. It’s a convenient reminder that stealing signs in ways we generally deem to be cheating (i.e., almost anything other than *players* using their *eyes* to steal signs on the field) has been going on for years, and is far more widespread than just the Astros. For all we know, the Cubs do it. I really hope MLB finds out a whole lot more through this investigative process, because I suspect there’s a whole lot more to know.

written by

Brett Taylor

Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

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