Let’s call it “the mailbag nobody asked for”, the content of
the article nobody asked for, for the blog nobody asked for. Or existed for the
last season or so. Team of the working man!
Thoughts
on the punishment for the Astros?
Let’s
start with this: it’s naïve to think that the Astros aren’t the only team in
the league that has recently stolen signs, used new technology to gain an
advantage, or done anything oddball just to gain an edge. This one was
incredibly blatant and had huge, huge impact to the game… but, written or
unwritten rule, stealing signs has always been a part of the game. My Babe Ruth
league team had our signs stolen. I’m not really shocked by any means and think
it’s a “they just got caught” scenario.
For the
punishment itself: I mean, kinda seems more like a gentlemen’s agreement than
an actual punishment, right? Hinch and (GM) got fired like fifteen minutes
after the suspensions were announced. Not too far a stretch to think that a
call was made to the ol’ commissioner that was essentially “go easy on us and
I’ll just get rid of ‘em”. Taking away a title would’ve been a huge throw of
the gauntlet and I get why it wasn’t done, but man, I just can’t imagine $5
million and having to fill two roles means that much to this team. If anything
‘Stros fans are gonna double down on this and fill the park every game to make
up for that fine. And the draft picks? Who cares when you’re on the right end
of a rebuild.
This
was a tricky one without a precedent, but I don’t think it was really all that
landscape changing like we thought it might be, right?
What
about Cora?
Conflicted.
Undoubtedly brought cheating practices to two different organizations. One of
which he was completely at the helm for.
HOWEVER,
Red Sox
were steamrolling their way to the 2018 championship anyway, in my opinion. And
I don’t see him as complicit as Hinch and (GM) for anything to do with the
Astros. Saying he was a huge part of anything to do with the Astros is saying
we should give golden umbrellas to Director-levels. Should still be held
accountable, but it’s a little bit tougher for me to say throw the hammer down
for him.
I say
suspension until All-Star Break, though I could see a full year. Red Sox have
bigger problems than their manager at this point anyway.
No
one’s talking about the Yankees in all this, too
Because
what would bring this country together more than Aaron Judge winning a World
Series MVP car.
Would
YOU trade a White Sox title for these same punishments?
Ah,
and here’s the great White Sox Twitter question of the week. World Series
champs, but the same punishment doled out to the Sox.
So
let’s do a nerdy breakdown for this. $5 million wouldn’t be great for us and
might cost us a move or two: not a Moncada extension type move, but like a signing
Cishek type move. That might be the
toughest part. Second part would be the draft picks, just for a filler pick or
two to try to develop future holes made by possible departures from the team.
We aren’t SO stacked that we can afford that yet. Renteria suspension, well,
there are people who want that regardless (see also: “morons”). I think this
would put us in a weird spot, and I can’t really see us doing more than
promoting someone internally for just that season, but hopefully the team is
good enough to at least tread water in the hangover year. Hahn suspension would
mean *gulp* Kenny taking over his old role, which I assume would just be
a February meeting with Jerry saying “don’t do a damn thing”. So, that wouldn’t
really mean much.
Honestly?
I think if we were to win it all, say, this year or 2021, wouldn’t care as
much. Anything 2022 or before is essentially “stay the course”. Ricky and Hahn
gone after that, though, when extensions are close or other one off moves need
to be made, and I start getting nervous. Especially when we might actually need
to be looking at the draft or really need an extra $5 million or so, I’ll take
my chances, thanks.
Speaking
of cash restraints, how about those Cubbies?
I
have but no chirps to send at this moment. But I will live tweet games for my
Comcast buddies at a fair price.
Let’s
have some fun with this, what would the ironic/proper punishment be for the
Astros?
Title
revoked, just for the fun of it. Big bad MLB, the one we love when convenient
for us.
Astros
have to play every other game with headphones playing a recording of a bat
against a garbage can for the entire game. Reason it isn’t every game is so
they don’t get used to playing with it.
Most
importantly, replay the 2017 World Series with the Yankees and Dodgers by
taking a week out of the end of spring training. All rosters from that year are
eligible to be used. 7 game series with the Dodgers having home field. Games
played at Dodger Stadium and Steinbrenner Field, because too cold in New York and
we should limit the chances of any Yankee ever being called “Mr. March”. Any of
the following financial burdens:
1 . Player salary for anyone on either team who have
since left the organizations
2 .
Transportation costs to and from LA and Florida
(private jet for each player)
3 .
Performance bonuses accrued from World Series
appearances/performances/title
All paid for by the Astros.
Let’s have some fun for a harsh
MLB punishment, right? While we’re there, lastly:
Pete Rose is rolling his eyes
at all this, right?
Out of his damn skull.
Not lastly, you see Cora got
fired?
Manager and GM gone a year removed
from a title. Godspeed, Boston.
