It’s the only baseball talk which was my fear. We seem to know a lot more now. What are your thoughts?

Will they get beaned and Manfred suspend players and stir up a bigger uprising?

Will Manfred eventually have to suspend known Asstros players (if they do in fact know)

Where I currently stand... I want more investigation and a far more definite of who cheated and who didn’t. Correa sure seems to know. Reddick seems to know. Anyone Fiers knows that didn’t go in on the cheating? People know these answers. Manfred could make a big enough deal of it they would have to talk. Hinch, Beltran, Cora...they have been busted and dealt with....part of their “way back” could be to spill it a bit.

I spent time looking and home vs away game logs of the 2017 season and 2017 postseason. Most main Astros guys were decently better on the road during the season. Altuve the only one with nicely better home vs away postseason stats...Correa’s worth noting though a bit

Why is Correa so adamant Altuve, Reddick and Kemp did not cheat? Does that mean every other hitter did? I’m interested in getting to the bottom before the season starts.

Let’s say Springer/Altuve/Bregman/Correa were all guilty be it just the postseason or 300 plate appearances. I’d recommend suspending each 30-40 games. Stagger if you want, I don’t care.

As is I feel it’s never going to end and will get bad when they get drilled and those guys get more games than say Altuve for cheating  an entire postseason.

Not knowing who the players are or suspending them is an inadequate investigation and ending to this.

The main thing I've gathered from all of this is that Manfred is about as impotent of a bitch as a commissioner could possibly be, as things currently stand. No players have faced any consequences other than public opinion, but he's threatening punishment against anyone he decides intentionally throws at one of their hitters. It'll be awesome when the eventual fallout is that a handful of random pitchers on other teams wind up getting punished more than anyone on Houston for their reactions to what Houston did.

I am in big favor of all the current players who are utterly blasting both Houston and the impotent commissioner.

I share the same opinion as Heretic on this. Man Fred is a giant bitch. And I hope the Astros set the record for getting beaned a season. And fuck Manfred for saying the punishment would be any different than a normal bean ball.

posted by iclfan2

 And I hope the Astros set the record for getting beaned a season. 

Oh, damn, I never thought about that. Yes. 
 

And I agree that an investigation needs to be done to find out who did what and how much. And then punishment should be dealt out like in the numbers Ironman is talking about. This is too great of a matter to just let slide. 

posted by BRF

Oh, damn, I never thought about that. Yes. 
 

And I agree that an investigation needs to be done to find out who did what and how much. And then punishment should be dealt out like in the numbers Ironman is talking about. This is too great of a matter to just let slide. 

I just feel the way it’s been let slide is going to make it worse. The goal from the commish should be to resolve this ASAP on all fronts and get the focus back on the play.

I just wanna watch and not hear about it.

On a positive note, I love the Dusty Baker here by the Asstros. For them to get back any respectability Dusty could be the perfect fit.

But FFS more details need to be outed for anything to move forward much at all.

I really don’t “care”. But I do think the WS title should be vacated.

But also, baseball has much bigger problems than guys stealing signs. 

Manfred didn’t suspend the players, HUGE mistake. Because when a pitcher hits them, and gets suspended, they are gonna make a scene. And it will be deserved. Dude is a joke with how he handled it, and has somehow made it worse everytime he talks.

posted by Laley23

Dude is a joke with how he handled it, and has somehow made it worse everytime he talks.

So have the insincere players. Every time they talk it is cringe worthy.

Count me in as one who thinks Manfred is a buffoon.

posted by iclfan2

So have the insincere players. Every time they talk it is cringe worthy.

This is very true. Correa today saying he was done with it and moving on...uhhh, you dont get to decide that lol. 

Yeah, I committed theft but I’m not talking about it anymore as I’m moving on. 
 

This is a mishandled situation that needs to be corrected by those in charge. 

posted by wildcats20

I really don’t “care”. But I do think the WS title should be vacated.

“Just a piece of metal”

Manfred going full crazy

posted by wildcats20

But also, baseball has much bigger problems than guys stealing signs. 

Not right now they don’t 

Can the home teams sell/prize every top of the inning trash can banging behind home plate?

posted by wildcats20

But also, baseball has much bigger problems than guys stealing signs. 

A lot of that is on Manfred also. As Trevor Bauer so eloquintly put it recently.

This story has generated more February baseball talk than I can remember in decades. I think that it may also help with ratings, especially when the Astros are playing in nationally televised games. By making them the team that people hate, it has sparked an interest. In a strange way, this story may be good for MLB.

posted by Al Bundy

This story has generated more February baseball talk than I can remember in decades. I think that it may also help with ratings, especially when the Astros are playing in nationally televised games. By making them the team that people hate, it has sparked an interest. In a strange way, this story may be good for MLB.

Conspiracy theory: MLB is going weak with the punishments on purpose to drive people’s anger. If they suspend players, vacate World Series, etc. then it allows people to get over it and eventually move on.  Instead, the punishment is non-existent to keep people angry yet interested. 

Poor choice of words by the commish, but i realize what he was trying to say.  I think what he was wanting to say that taking a trophy away would not do any good since everyone already knows who won it.  Yeah, its the official record, but even when they take wins away from colleges way after the fact it is a token gesture as everyone still knows the outcome.

With that said, I am always for a little too tough of a penalty than too lenient when the integrity of the game is on the line.  I realize they needed to give players immunity to talk, but managers and GM's have been fired and I think they should have vacated the title. I would just put an asterisk with the wording of Title vacated due to cheating and leave it at that. YOu cannot award it someone else because well, you dont know if they would have won or not....

That conspiracy theory is a damn lot of stress on Manfred

https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2020/2/15/21139031/please-dont-throw-at-astros-batters

I find the attempted humor in this article dumb. 

Take the fucking trophy.

posted by friendfromlowry

Conspiracy theory: MLB is going weak with the punishments on purpose to drive people’s anger. If they suspend players, vacate World Series, etc. then it allows people to get over it and eventually move on.  Instead, the punishment is non-existent to keep people angry yet interested. 

Not punishing the Astros could end up being a bigger punishment for them. They will be Public Enemy #1. Regardless of what Manfred's saying, I can see brawls, brush backs, etc. It's only pissing off the masses more and more.

Also saw where a Little League in PA will no longer have a team called the "Astros."

Someone on Twitter posted a picture of a shirt for their fanbase. Had the Astros logo with "Hate us" across the front. Wonder how many drunken, 8th inning fights in the crowd that will start. 

Looks like they are already starting to get plunked.