Criminals generally never show remorse. There’s something about being a psychopath or sociopath that evidently alters your Remorse DNA Gene as the criminals in Houston continue to demonstrate.
Well, they were caught, so they had to admit (very reluctantly and in a back-handed fashion) that they cheated, but get this… It didn’t have any effect on anything! Not only are they cheaters and liars, but they also think that everyone has the mentality of a Kindergartener and will believe that their cheating had no bearing on their winning.
Even Ray Charles can see that it did. I get that the Dodgers should not be given the World Series trophy, but at the very least, an asterisk needs to be beside their title saying “they cheated to win.” At the very worst, the title should be vacated and no champion listed. Cheaters should not be rewarded with championships.
It was time for the Astros to fess up but as The Washington Post wrote: This was the time for the Astros to own their cheating. Maybe they missed the sign.
Bill Plaschke of The LA Times also blasted Houston and MLB Commissioner Manfred and said:
Manfred’s lame handling of the sign-stealing scandal has seemingly made the Astros more defiant, more powerful and more certain that their reputation will ultimately triumph over this chorus of whiners.
I think some of you hit on the answer on “buzzers” – they were not buzzers. They were vibrators. This is going to come out and maybe, just maybe, Manfred will have the guts to do the right thing and strip the Asstericks of their criminal enterprise-driven title. This sounds to me like a situation where we should apply the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). If the shoe fits…
Welcome back, Dino Chavez. Wating for PeterJ to return. RIP, MJ – we miss you.
In Honor of the Lying, Cheating Astros
Jose Altuve – Convicted Liar
Jose says that he is “too modest” to take off his shirt. I submit the following evidence that is is a damn liar!
Take the Astros’ 2017 WS title away. Too bad we’ll never known what would have been without the cheating.
I’ll tell u what would have been, we would have won in 5!!!! Theres the answer.
Astros may not have made it to the World Series if they were not cheating
Um I’ll shut up now lmao!! Well played SoCal!!
Hinch supposedly busted up the monitors in the dugout. They had their cheating monitors right there in the dugout?! I’m sure his tirade must have been caught on camera since there are cameras everywhere. Has anybody seen a picture of him doing that?
They were just down the hall from the dugout. Beltran had them moved closer. I’m sure AJ only busted them after a loss.
Today’s Germany is peaceful. They have a relatively modest military budget, do not concern themselves with foreign military adventures. They are actually pacifist if you were to characterize their foreign policy.
They obviously weren’t always this way. The brokered peace after WWI didn’t last, and really only added fuel to sense of grievance, sentiments of national and racial chauvinism and let to an even more destructive war just a few years later.
The difference was that there was no compromise peace after WWII. The policy for both Axis powers was complete and unconditional surrender. and to get to that point, Germany, and Japan, were bombed to oblivion and their economies, infrastructure and political apparatuses were razed to the nubs. In doing so, the previous militarism and aggression and the culture surrounding it were totally and completely annihilated and a new more peaceful government, and subsequently culture, were imposed on them (the current Japanese constitution was literally written by Americans under the direction of McArthur).
Both Germany and Japan started over, and we will never have to worry about them becoming military aggressors ever again.
After the Blacksox Scandal, Kennisaw Mountain Landis permanently banned the players involved, including one of the best players in the game. It was extremely harsh, even draconian, and the story of Shoeless Joe is almost considered a tragedy.
But it worked. Gambling ceased to be an issue that would undermine the integrity of the game. Only until Bart Giamatti did the same thing to Pete Rose would gambling ever become an issue that needed to be addressed.
The point of both of these analogies is that, if you truly want an issue to go away, it needs to be completely rooted out and defeated – through unconditional surrender. There needs to be a definitive statement, a draconian measure to leave no wiggle room for the issue to resurrect itself.
Technology continues to advance. There will be more and more opportunities for teams to try to gain an unfair advantage. (In a larger sense and on a somewhat separate issue, technology hardware and the data analysis will more and more take the human element out of the game. )
This issue needs to be addressed definitively and forcefully. The equivocating we are seeing now by the Astros – being sorry but not sorry, offering a semi mea culpa but not really – is not unlike post WWI Germany claiming they didn’t really lose and were betrayed. It leaves open the opportunity for this to rear its head again.
When people don’t trust the integrity of the game completely, it will kill the game.
This is why Commissioner Landis did what he did. He understood this. Manfred is weak, but we also live in a society where leaders can’t take definitive action, where equivocation is the rule of the day, where the message is lost in weasel speak. (the same thing happened in the NFL with the Kaepernick fiasco).
Excellent
Excellent post. Manfred is the worst Commish I can remember. Handling of this, contrition, Dream Leagues. The list goes on from this clown.
Well said.
Root and stem. Or it will return.
Maybe someone can refresh my memory. Last season when Kenley had runners on 2nd base he was all freaked out the other team was stealing sighs. Did he actually balk to move the runner to third? And which teams and players did this happen with? Thanks in advance.
Cubs.
I’ve got. To respect Sean Doolittle. He’s been speaking his mind up about this several times.
Not sure if anyone saw the write up by Trevor Bauer? He said he’s been trying to crease spin rate for years without much success unless he uses a foreign substance. He claims the Astros are also working the system on the pitching side as well.
Unless something else comes out, Manfred is not going to do anything. It’s up to the fans (and some pitchers). Unmerciful booing (picture Yankee stadium) throughout the season. Make the game a living hell. That’s our only retribution.
Where was the Bauer article? I’d like to read it. Some don’t like him but I find him colorful and informative.
Adam, here’s the link
https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/trevor-bauer-cincinnati-reds-sign-stealing
Thanks.
The Trevor Bauer post absolutely reinforces my post from yesterday. I can’t understand how pitchers in the dugout could sit back while the trash cans were banged and pitches relayed.Hard to believe thatBeltran had the power to shut everybody up. These aren’t kids.
The entire investigation is a charade. MLB wanted a quick investigation to resolve the issue that was gaining momentum and wanted to impose discipline before ST. Giving immunity to the players before the investigators even had an inkling as to what they might say was a huge investigatory mistake.
There is no way the sign stealing scandal only involved the players and it originated organically. The WSJ report has said the front office “nerds” developed algorithms and had a name for it. Two monitors had to be purchased, installed and removed from time-to-time. Hinch says he smashed the monitor on two occasions. This scandal reaches the top of the Astro’s food chain including ownership.
The entire organization is corrupt and Manfred should have vacated the 2017 WS championship and ordered the sell of the team from Jim Crane. Everyone wants to claim they should have done more, should have tried to stop it or said something at the time of the cheating. I call BS. The entire team is made up of cowards who lack the intestinal fortitude and character to do the right thing, even if it’s not popular.
Hinch doesn’t understand the basic leadership principle that it’s sometimes lonely at the top of the organization and you can’t be everyone’s friend when you are in charge. If you want a friend, get a dog…if you want to lead then make the tough call and do what’s right.
I once learned a leadership principle that when you are in in charge you encourage with what you allow to happen. To not say anything directly to stop the cheating leads me to believe he is a person who lacks character and integrity. Stanford education didn’t teach him that nor did his parents apparently.
The more I watch the apologies, the so-called remorse blah blah blah, the more I’m pissed the MLB didn’t conduct a far more reaching investigation to include the players. Oh how I would love to see the Astro’s field a team of AA and AAA players while Altuve, Bregman, Verlander, et al are all watching the 2020 season from the comfy confines of their home. Good luck Mike Bolsinger, I hope your lawsuit us successful and you are awarded millions (although I doubt he wins anything).
Dusty Baker is a good guy, but he’s now leading a “shit show.” One bang on the trash can..the Astros suck. Two bangs on the trash can..the Astros suck. Three bangs on the trash can..the Astros are out!
A few thoughts:
1. Luhnow, Cora, and Beltran should have lifetime bans. The younger Astros who follow orders are harder to punish.
2. Like MushersPop, I’m suspicious of the Astros pitching, as Trevor Bauer has insinuated. You really think Verlander and Cole just suddenly got MUCH better when they went to Houston by changing arm slot? I call bs. Like the Pirates and Tigers don’t know about arm slot?
3. The vibrators story will eventually come out. And it will change everything.
4. The look on Aroldis Chapman’s face after the Altuve home run has two meanings. First is normal surprise. Second, he knows he can’t say much about it because the Yankees are also stealing signs electronically! You don’t think Carlos Beltran only cheated in Houston, do you? He took it to NY, too.
5. Max Kellerman is a world class douche.
Forget any trade for Mike Clevinger anytime soon he’s about to have knee surgery on his meniscus.
Looks like we got lucky again on a trade we didn’t make (not that is was solely our choice).
We have, however, signed a pitcher to replace the Clevinger we never got. 25 year old Kieran Lovegrove, a South African born right handed pitcher, who apparently throws quite hard.
We will have to work on his control a little bit, as he walked 24 batters in 26 innings in A and AA ball last year, but I’m sure that’s easily fixable. Or not.
TO Dave suggested this article. Thanks in advance, TOD:
https://www.nj.com/yankees/2020/02/jose-altuve-astros-not-telling-the-truth-says-body-language-expert-the-whole-thing-is-scripted-bull.html
Wow that’s awesome lol she nailed it. That had to have made them uncomfortable lmao
Having spent 30 years in a career where detecting deception and eliciting responses from liars is the primary goal. I can say that I completely agree with the analysis in the article.
Altuve’s immeditate response in the interview, (after hitting the homer off of Chapman), when asked about not taking off the shirt was to buy time. He asked him to repeat the question. This is a natural response that liars often resort to because they were hit with an unexpected question that they couldn’t make up a response to quick enough. The blushing, the sheepish laugh, saying his wife would get angry, which was a quickly made up lie to which obviously hadn’t given much thought. All basic symptoms of a person that isn’t telling the truth.
Correa’s physically swaying backwards while answering and saying he’ll put his integrity on the line in a defiant tone. Another sign of deceit. Liars will try to bolster their position on the fly, and giving reporters his credentials as a reputable person is common.
There are in depth studies that have been done to detect deception. The Astros defiant stance and body language showed basic signals of dishonest responses.
We are treading very closely into the waters of silliness.
Time for Rob Manfred to go. Tired of his nonsense. Reducing minor league teams, the new playoff proposal and the fact that he didn’t come down hard enough on the Astros and the ownership.
There is no secret that the Astros had created a win at all cost culture, starting with the front office and it filtered throughout the organization including to the players and coaches on the field. There were a couple of major stories outlining an out of control franchise with various incidents surfacing and many employees feeling uncomfortable working in the environment. That was before the sign scandal. Yet Manfred and MLB did nothing. The Oakland A’s filed an official complaint, prior to the Mike Fiers story breaking. Manfred and MLB did nothing. Are we to believe Manfred and MLB officials weren’t aware of the potential cheating with all the rumors flying about? Apparently teams/players were warning other teams/players. No one may have been certain as to the depth of what was taking place or exactly how it was being done. That was the job of Manfred and company to investigate. They did nothing.
Then there were the penalties. Yes, you could have vacated the title, then maybe owner Jim Crane and the players would have understood the significance of what they did and essentially got away with … then you could have banned the Astros from the playoffs for two years. Then you wouldn’t have heard Astros players saying their job now is to win the 2020 World Series.
All this is pathetic and it starts with MLB leadership.
Good column today.
You are so right. Babyfred is weak, weak, weak.
Remove Manfred and replace him with Elon Musk!
Holy @$#% we would probably have some bad ass technological equipment that’s for sure!!!!
Cody Bellinger has just gone off on the Astros! 710 is discussing it right now.
When I find a link with all of his comments, I’ll post it
Update Above.
Damning Photos!
oh ya, he’s so shy.
he is, as donald trump would say, “human scum”
https://www.truebluela.com/2020/2/14/21137863/cody-bellinger-astros-cheating-jose-altuve-alex-bregman
Try and shut Cody Bellinger up, Rob Manfred!
Bellinger: “I thought Manfred’s punishment was weak, giving them immunity. I mean these guys were cheating for three years. I think what people don’t realize is Altuve stole an MVP from Judge in ’17. Everyone knows they stole the ring from us.”
Pile on Dodgers and all MLB.
Manfred can’t make you shutup
Dodgerpatch, thank you for your insightful statement. Your WWII analogy was spot on in terms of when wrongful conduct must be stopped with the harshest of measures.
In 1991, as I prepared to move to Japan, my father opened up about his involvement in WWII. He related how pleased he was that his son could go to a peaceful Japan in his lifetime. It meant a lot to him. He also told me how as a 19 year old in the Philippines, he was preparing to be part of the first invasionary force to storm Japan, knowing full well he might die. He told me he owed his life to Truman for his strong leadership and difficult choice to drop the Atom bombs. As you pointed out Dodgerpatch, Manfred chose a course of action that only allows for more malfeasance, in this case more lies by the Astros. Manfred must go. Instead of a decisive, “nuclear” option (and we can all differ on what that should look like), Manfred showed poor leadership. My father is about to turn 95. I hope he lives to see another Dodgers World Series Championship. He is not doing well. He was at the World Series game in ’88 when Gibson homered. Although I will not allow myself to be bitter, if my father dies before the next Dodger World Series Championship, I will remember 2017 as that championship he was cheated out of enjoying.
Tell him to hang on until October. These guys have a huge chip on their shoulder and a lot to prove. BTW, they also have the talent and Plan A, B and C.
Thank you, Dave. I hope your dad lives to see another Dodger WS, too. And thanks for sharing about your dad. We forget that the Astros didn’t just cheat another team of fellow millionaires, but they cheated people like your dad, who are some of the last survivors of that Greatest Generation.
Well, Manfred has done a wonderful job of addressing this cheating scandal through his “thorough” investigation and “severe” penalties. He states that now that all this has been done baseball can put this behind and move forward. Because of his quick investigation and weak penalties handed down to the Astros the issue has not gone away. In fact, the outrage is now worse than ever. You have an owner in Crane who is arrogant and delusional. You have players that provide insincere apologies and continue to lie about using buzzers in 2019. In their mind they are being truthful when they say they didn’t use buzzers because the devices were vibrators not buzzers. And, it’s all good because the commissioner did a “thorough investigation” and found not use of electronic devices by the Astros. But, did he? I don’t think so. They are using the Ryan Braun approach of complete denial, destroy the source, and deny some more until (and if) the absolute truth comes out eventually. If the truth doesn’t some out then all is good. And, one day the truth will be exposed. Without a doubt. With the attitude of Crane on this matter it is easy to see why the entire organization is corrupt and dishonest. It all starts at the top and drifts down through the front office and ending in the dugout. His saying all blame goes to the weak leadership of the GM and manager and that the players should not take any responsibility for cheating proves my point. He says the cheaters on the field are good guys and talented ballplayers. No, Mr Crane, they are not good guys. They’re goddamned cheaters. Who knows if they are talented. Because they’re goddamned cheaters. As it turns out the penalties are a joke to the Astros. They got their WS and that’s all that matters.
Most, were accepting of the penalties handed down by Manfred initially including myself. Now, not at all. Manfred needs to reopen the investigation and somehow or some way find out what happen in 2019. He has the resources to do so. The avenue of giving immunity to all the players involved in the 2017 cheating was a mistake. I’m not an attorney as some on this blog are, but it seems to me that was a big mistake on Manfred’s part. Why not just offer it to a couple of players. Manfred’s concern about upsetting the MLBPA and probably going to court is absurd to me. Sure the union wants to protect it’s members, but what about the other 750 members who were possibly affected by the cheating. I think an agreement could have been resolved between MLB and the union considering the severity of the issue. But, no, Manfred takes the easy way out in order to put the scandal behind us. How’s that working out Robert Manfred? And, it’s only going to continue to be a black eye on the Astros and all of baseball. Manfred has to be replaced.
Very good article Mark. Thanks.
I was trying to think about what to write about the cowards from Houston when I came across an article by Bill Baer of NBC Sports. The article is much more than the last paragraph but this sums up my feelings about Astros owner Jim Crane and the coward players.
The Astros are a microcosm of our society. We do not create stiff enough penalties to discourage wrongdoing. The calculus always comes out in favor of acting immorally. If you don’t care about things like “healthy relationships” and “respect,” then you should always choose to cheat, to step on your opponents, to stab your allies in the back. The Astros are as cold and as calculating an organization as we have ever seen in the sport, perhaps in all of organized sports. Their fumbling apology tour today was no accident. They are not sorry, have never been sorry, and will never be sorry. If given the opportunity to redo how they handled things over the past few years, they would change nothing and act exactly the same all over again. But it’s not the Astros organization that needs to change. It’s us
This is the best I’ve seen on this whole episode.
The penalty for players talking can’t be worse than for the players who played to a beat from a different drum.
Bang!!
Mark, bottom line is that from that rodent Jim Crane on down to those players, they are all cheaters, lairs and above all SINNERS and they will have to one day come to judgement by our Creator of Heaven and Earth.
Calling Crane a rodent degrades rodents everywhere.
Local LA news outlet didn’t beat around the bush.
https://twitter.com/paulloduca16/status/1228081245978071042?s=20
Outstanding!
An absurd question, if you want to take it: If the MLB decides to vacate the 2017 trophy, and tells Yankees and dodgers that they will play for the title of 17, would they accept? Would it be logical? It would be fair? Would it be legal? I think you already understood my point.
What Bellinger said makes sense, but I think he is right in only half of his words, Altuve took the MVP from Judge, but if not, the world series would have been between NY and LA and there would have been no controversy.
According to me, instead of leaving the title of 17 empty, they should give the opportunity to play for!
When LA and NY meet in 2020 WS the first to win 3 gets the 2017 trophy the winner of 4 wins 2020 WS.
You can’t go back to all that.
The teams are not the same.
No way the Dodgers should get the trophy… but the Astros should not have it.
With a history of three knee operations under my belt, I feel somewhat of an expert on the subject. As a professional athlete, Mike Clevinger should have no problem recovering from surgery from a medial meniscus partial tear. It has been reported that he will be out six to eight weeks. He should be back in the rotation by the beginning of May. I did not think that Cleveland would trade Trevor Bauer or Corey Kluber, so I cannot say that they would not trade Clevinger. If he becomes available at the trade deadline, I would not hesitate to make that trade if the price is reasonable.
Happy Valentines Day for all, but for our family, it is my daughter’s 38th birthday, so I am wishing her a Happy Birthday. She sometimes comes on to read this site. Even though she is more of a San Jose Sharks fan, she grew up only knowing Dodger Baseball and USC Football.
Very cool! My daughter will be 39 in April.
I think that means we are older than dirt…
Yes it does. I asked my wife this AM how it feels to have a 38 year old as her youngest. She said old, but not as old as me, as she reminds me that I am 12 days older than she is.
Happy Birthday and Happy Valentines Day to AC’s daughter from a Dodger fan and Sharks fan. Hope it is a special one.
On the Dodgers website, Ken Gurnick had a couple of notes to pass on.
I know the subject of Scott Alexander’s health came into question this week, so it was timely when Gurnick wrote: “Alexander, who had surgery on Sept. 12 to repair nerve issues in his left hand, threw a bullpen at 100 percent and said he’s completely healed, with no limitations.”
Gurnick also had a note on the whereabouts of Yadier Alvarez. “Yadier Álvarez, on the restricted list after leaving his Minor League club last season, was apparently an unexpected arrival in camp on Friday. Álvarez, 23, hasn’t been listed on any club rosters this season.”
“Álvarez was signed out of Cuba in 2015 at age 19 for a $16 million bonus. In ’17, he was ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 46 prospect in the game and the No. 3 prospect in the Dodgers’ organization.”
Alvarez has the arm!
Unfortunately for Alvarez it takes more than arm time make it to the top.
Unfortunately an arm with 2 ears doesn’t make a major league pitcher! And go to bed Mark. It’s late!
I just don’t think they should be allowed in this postseason. They cheated in the postseason so eliminate them from postseason. Is that so hard? Put an asterisk on the World Series of 2017. Many think the title should be vacated. Ok but at the very least an asterisk. If they are arguing semantics that they didn’t have a buzzer instead a vibrator it’s just more low class unprofessional jargon. It may take a while but the whole truth will come out. Manfred will try to justify his do nothing position.
At the Phoenix Airport ready to fly home.
The Cannabis Convention is over and we packed up and skidded all our booth display.
At 66, I am still hanging with the youngsters.
I’ll be back in Indy at 1:55 AM and have a funeral to go to at 11:00 AM.
Pretty sure there will no blog tomorrow unless AC or God writes it!
I am not God, and I didn’t stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I have one ready to publish.
Just got home…. Flight was late. It’s 2:40 AM and 9 degrees!
Ouch!
The Astros just make me sick…
Thank you for the T.Bauer link. T Bauers comment about Chapman lack of response because he knows the Yankees have been doing it too, makes me wonder if Dodgers have being doing something too. I sure hope not, because as a life long Dodger fan, I would feel betrayed if they got caught doing that. Gotta suck being an Astro fan knowing that your championship is tainted.
Bellinger comments make me confident, that the Dodgers don’t and didn’t
Made me curious enough to lookup offensive team strikeouts. To no one’s surprise, Houston had the least or 2nd least team strikeouts the past three seasons. They had the 4th most in 2016. They’d probably try and spin it stating they were a young team in 2016.
The Dodgers and Yankees were both basically among the top 10 strikeout teams in 2017,2018. In 2019, the Yankees were middle of the pack, but actually had more strikeouts than the prior year. The Dodgers in 2019, were bottom 10 in the league for strikeouts. Uh oh….but we also had a well publicized philosophy change to our hitting approach with bringing in Robert Van Syococ. Also, I doubt a tipping advantage would have resulted in so many whiffs against the Nationals.
Going back to 2017, the Astros weren’t supposed to the there. They were a super young team, loaded with great talent that was projected to be a contender in the years that followed. Following the WS championship, there was talk of them being a dynasty over the next decade. I’d wager that 10 years from now, the unexpected 2017 title will be all they have to show for it. That would be delicious irony and possibly a deterrent in itself. We’ll see. This year is shot for them, but it’s possible in the years that follow they can re-set given the self righteous, unapologetic character their leaders have.