2/18/20

Tom Brennan - PULL THE ASTROS' HARDWARE


NO TROPHIES FOR CROOKED MEN

Can't say as I blame 'em.

Lots of players around baseball are saying it is time to amp up the punishment.

Players are pissed. Trout, Sale, Markakis, I can go on and on.

Even LeBron James chimed in.

After all, you as players work your arses off to try to win a World Series. And watch the Astros do it.

And the Astros cheated BIG TIME to unfairly and unscrupulously alter that outcome towards them.

And get World Series money that another team might well have gotten instead.

Some opponents' careers assuredly were altered for the worse.  You're a pitcher trying to make your way, let’s say, and run into the Houston sign stealers, get pounded, get judged, perhaps get demoted.  Or cut.

So tell me...why should the Astros and their players get to keep World Series.


7 comments:

TexasGusCC said...

Did they cheat during the playoffs? Did they win their division due to the cheating, or would they have won it by a mile anyway? The first one we don’t know, and the second one is probably yes so why cheat to begin with? They look like idiots and if I were the Astros, I’d dismantle this team and get a bunch of new faces around here because while this group is together, they won’t be able to get passed this.

TexasGusCC said...

Actually, I just read the magic words: The Commish said that the Astros used the TV Monitor in the dugout “throughout the postseason”. So yes, they look like idiots and just blow it up because even if they win another one, it won’t have meaning. Rebuild.

John From Albany said...

If you take away the Astros hardware, then you need to also take away the 1951 Pennant from the Giants and the 1984 division crown from the Cubs.

Per 90 Percent Mets the other day: “Several members of the 1951 Giants team have admitted the presence of a high-powered telescope that was positioned behind a window in Manager Leo Durocher’s office in the center-field clubhouse. A Polo Grounds electrician allegedly constructed a buzzer system that was connected to the Giants’ dugout and right-field bullpen.”

When Larry Bowa came to the Mets in 1985, he told the team how the Cubs had an employee in the scoreboard using binoculars to steal the signs on the Mets in 1984. This was used to sweep the Mets in a big series in August. Looking forward to re-playing the 1984 playoffs to see what the Mets would do against the Padres and then the 1984 World Series Mets Vs. Tigers.

The 1984 Cubs sign stealing still bothers me. Where is the outrage over that? No one even mentions it cause they stole them against the Mets. Steal on the Dodgers or the Yankees? Everyone goes crazy. No love for the Mets. I will be waiting for the Mr. Manfred's response.

Anonymous said...

John, good points.

I am curious though how pissed the opposing players were back in those days gone by.

Does not preclude action today. Because many opponents are SEETHING.

Tom Brennan said...

Texas Gus, I had intended to embellish the article a bit, but hit the wrong button running out the door. But...sometimes less is more.

Your points about dissecting the Astros are good.

Simply, there needs to be real action, fines, something. Because opponents who look back and see clearly how they were playing on a non-level playing field need to see punishment.

Richard Hausig said...

Im worn out by this. As John from Albany (John, Im originally from Niskayuna myself) said, this has gone on for a long time. And trust me, other teams were or are still doing it. Or they are corking their bats, or scuffing the ball or doing whatever they can to get an advantage. The whole thing is being driven by the media and it will be over by the time they come north.

Lastly, this is not the NCAA and they dont take WS titles away, they dont take HR titles away and they dont rewrite the records. Lets move on.

Bob W. said...

Memo to Rob Manfred: When you find yourself in a deep hole, STOP DIGGING!!

I'm honestly past all this now. It was what it was, and it's been handled as much as it will be. Time to move on.