So, the Astros cheated for two years.

[Zelda Zonk]

Stealing signs electronically.

Mike Fiers Admits Astros Stole Signs Electronically During 2017 MLB Season

Following accusations of sign-stealing during this year's postseason, one former Houston Astros pitcher said members of the organization devised a system in 2017 to steal signals from opposing teams...

bleacherreport.com

I'm not naive—not entirely—but it tends to take these kinds of stories/revelations to re-awaken me. I'm disgusted. What makes it worse is that the coach of my Red Sox was on that Astros staff in 2017. So, he had to know, and was probably a part of it. Which begs the question: how do you know about that going on with your former team and either 1) not do anything about it when you're competing against them the following year; or 2) not do the same thing with your current team?

 

[moqui]

i'll take door #2, bob

 

[Alsacs]

It’s not the Patriots no one will really care.

 

[Alsacs]

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Ain't cheatin', ain't tryin'.

 

[longtimefan]

Ain't cheatin', ain't tryin'.

That's NASCAR, which is a whole different animal.

 

[OrangeDW]

Dodgers - the real 2017 champions. Just like Ric Flair was the real World Champion when he showed up in WWF in ‘91.

 

[Alsacs]

Dodgers - the real 2017 champions. Just like Ric Flair was the real World Champion when he showed up in WWF in ‘91.

Chris Sale got lit up in the 2017 ALDS and the Yankees didn’t win in Houston.
I am not souring grapes it but they really were locked in on Sale that game 1 now we know why.

Astros are likely going to hammered for this though. Probably a lot of lost picks and fines.

 

[OrangeDW]

Chris Sale got lit up in the 2017 ALDS and the Yankees didn’t win in Houston.
I am not souring grapes it but they really were locked in on Sale that game 1 now we know why.

Astros are likely going to hammered for this though. Probably a lot of lost picks and fines.

Couldn’t happen to a grosser organization. I love it! Fiers, you are an American hero.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Chris Sale got lit up in the 2017 ALDS and the Yankees didn’t win in Houston.
I am not souring grapes it but they really were locked in on Sale that game 1 now we know why.

Astros are likely going to hammered for this though. Probably a lot of lost picks and fines.

I hope so, but unless they retract the World Series win, it's kinda too little. The problem is, if they do anything too drastic, the Astros will rat out everyone else who does stuff, and so on and so on, and we'll end up with an entire league that no one trusts.

 

[Newhouser]

shocked that there is cheating going on in sports.

 

[upperdeck]

pretty sure they won same games on the road too. they lost this WS all at home.. did they stop cheating so well

 

[Zelda Zonk]

pretty sure they won same games on the road too. they lost this WS all at home.. did they stop cheating so well

Who knows. But, cheating doesn't guarantee a win. It just gives you (much) more favorable odds.

 

[Alsacs]

Who knows. But, cheating doesn't guarantee a win. It just gives you (much) more favorable odds.

Nobody cares about baseball. Deflategate led the nightly news this has gone away already.
Astros hitters may have cheated but their pitching was outstanding.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Nobody cares about baseball. Deflategate led the nightly news this has gone away already.
Astros hitters may have cheated but their pitching was outstanding.

Three statements i can disagree with, to various degrees.
Nobody cares about baseball is just categorically untrue.
Deflategate established or furthered resentment against the Patriots, and even though it's no longer in the news, i still see jokes about it. And whenever Belichick's legacy is discussed, the topic is rejuvenated.
Hitting is only half the equation, and saying "they may have cheated, but..." seems to excuse it.

 

[upperdeck]

knowing a pitch is coming and hitting it is still tough

 

[longtimefan]

knowing a pitch is coming and hitting it is still tough

Easier than if you don't know what's coming.

 

[UnknownOrange]

knowing a pitch is coming and hitting it is still tough

Always love this logic. As a barry bonds stan it's good to use the "just because you took steroids doesn't mean you can hit a baseball"

 

[Alsacs]

Altuve hit 3 HRs off Chris Sale in game 1 of the ALDS in 2017.

 

[KaiserUEO]

Altuve hit 3 HRs off Chris Sale in game 1 of the ALDS in 2017.

Fluck the stros.

total Bullshit.

 

[Alsacs]

Three statements i can disagree with, to various degrees.
Nobody cares about baseball is just categorically untrue.
Deflategate established or furthered resentment against the Patriots, and even though it's no longer in the news, i still see jokes about it. And whenever Belichick's legacy is discussed, the topic is rejuvenated.
Hitting is only half the equation, and saying "they may have cheated, but..." seems to excuse it.

I think Cora being friendly with Hinch is why the Astros couldn’t cheat in 2018 and the Red Sox beat them in 5.
Hinch knew Cora knew the cheating so they couldn’t do it against them and unlike Mangini ratting on Belichick Cora wouldn’t do it to Hinch.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

knowing a pitch is coming and hitting it is still tough

No way. I know how much easier it is just from Little League. I was on the traveling all star team my last year. We had a coach who had been an Orioles minor leaguer. He actually stole opponents signs and fed them to us in one game. This was the first time I was seeing a really good breaking pitch and instead of pulling out or ducking, I had the confidence to hang in the box. My first AB, I hit a ball that was caught over the fence for an out, but without that ‘cheat,’ fuggadeboudit. I would have looked foolish.

 

[Day2]

I think Cora being friendly with Hinch is why the Astros couldn’t cheat in 2018 and the Red Sox beat them in 5.
Hinch knew Cora knew the cheating so they couldn’t do it against them and unlike Mangini ratting on Belichick Cora wouldn’t do it to Hinch.

That’s an astute observation.

I see this impacting the Cardinals as well. They hired Jeff Albert from the Astros before the 2019 season, not only as hitting coach, but also to implement his system throughout the entire organization. So now you have to wonder if his system is nothing more than a sham.

On the flip side, did Luhnow learn these tactics from his time in St. Louis? Kind of like Quin Snyder cheating at Mizzou. He must have learned it from someone “amazing”.

 

[jncuse]

At this point I just assume everybody cheats and its across so many avenues

- Recruiting in College Basketball
- Equipment for New England (and I assume other teams did deflated balls as well)
- Signal Stealing by Astros
- Cardinals Stealing Scouting
- Braves cheating on Draft Bonuses
- Clippers circumventing the salary cap by paying millions to Uncle Dennis under the table.

 

[jncuse]

No way. I know how much easier it is just from Little League. I was on the traveling all star team my last year. We had a coach who had been an Orioles minor leaguer. He actually stole opponents signs and fed them to us in one game. This was the first time I was seeing a really good breaking pitch and instead of pulling out or ducking, I had the confidence to hang in the box. My first AB, I hit a ball that was caught over the fence for an out, but without that ‘cheat,’ fuggadeboudit. I would have looked foolish.

That or just lay off the pitch in certain counts because you know that pitch is almost going to be a ball on "x" count.