Well it finally happened. The MLB Commissioner’s office officially released the Astros’ punishment for cheating during the 2017 and 2018 season. Mike Axisa of CBS Sports reported:
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.
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.
The only thing I really cared about was whether or not the Astros cheated in the 2017 postseason, in which they went on to defeat the Dodgers in the World Series. Since it turns out they did, there’s one thing missing from their punishment handed down from Rob Manfred: They should’ve had their World Series championship stripped, and you can’t change my mind about that.
In all honesty, I wouldn’t have cared if not a single player or coach got suspended as long as they lost their World Series (USC style). Fine, they did it in the regular season. But cheating in the postseason after the commissioner’s office issued a warning to the Red Sox and Yankees on Sep.15, 2017 about cheating is basically a giant “fuck you” to Manfred. Every win from then on out should have been vacated, including the World Series, no doubt about it.
However, maybe the commissioner’s office determined that there was no way they could vacate their World Series championship. Fine. But how did not a single player get suspended for the 2020 season? Not even a fine? That’s what I don’t understand about their ruling. The Astros are a team comprised of Carlos Correa, Justin Verlander, Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, and George Springer, among others. They’re going to be alright. Do you think firing their GM and manager, and taking away a few draft picks is going to severely impact their production next season? Probably not. I think you could get Kate Upton to fill out the lineup card every game and they still win 90+ next year because they’re that stacked.
I forgot to mention the $5 million fine the Astros must pay as well. I get it…that’s the max amount they can be fined under the MLB Constitution, but really that’s just a slap on the wrist. For reference, Jacoby Ellsbury made $21 million last year and hasn’t played a game in the MLB since 2017.
All this is not to say I think the Dodgers should be awarded the 2017 World Series title, even though odds are they win if the Astros don’t cheat…I just want the Astros to be dethroned. Even after the 2004 USC Trojans were forced to vacate their title, it’s not like another school was given their championship. That’s how I feel about the Astros’ situation. However, unless you’re an Astros fan, no one thinks that championship is legitimate any longer anyway. Hope it was worth it, Houston. Enjoy getting viciously booed at every ballpark next season!
Stay tuned for MLB’s punishment for Alex Cora and the Red Sox!
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