Cheaty, Cheaty, Bang Bang

By Kari Lakes

Trash cans, wires, whistles from the dugout, a mysterious monitor, fake twitter accounts… you know the story. The Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal. Months after the 2019 World Series, where the underdogs from the nation’s capital bested the offensive phenomenon that was the Astros, the investigation findings became public. The fall out was underwhelming. A few coaches respectively stepping down from their positions, but absolutely no player suspensions. As a fan base, we are asking the MLB… what the hell?

Let me take you back 100 years. It was 1921 when the Chicago White Sox (notoriously known as the Black Sox) were standing trial for throwing the World Series two years prior. It ended in eight players that were suspended from baseball for life, even though most of them confessed their actions in hopes for a lesser sentence.

I understand that suspending a roster and coaching staff from baseball for life is a little extreme nowadays. I think it was extreme back then. But what shocked the baseball community was that nothing happened, at all.

No public apology, and in fact, the players involved expect the fan base to get over it. As a fan, I am not sure I will ever be over it. They affected wins, big wins, basically cheating their way to a world title back in 2017. During spring training, the Houston Astros banned any signs entering the ballpark (hah, ironic).

It is like they are trying to pretend it never happened.

I don’t know how to feel. If the MLB wants to reward the behavior of “coming clean” after multiple seasons of cheating by a slap on the wrist and a stern “don’t do that anymore”, it leaves the door open for any team to do it. There is a lot more going on than we as fans are aware of, but it seems as if most teams are against the crime committed against baseball. The A***** gave the game a huge middle finger and the fans are giving it back.

Now what? The 2020 season is on the outs, so in a way the Astros are receiving punishment, but so is everyone else. Some fans believe that the public criticism is enough retribution. Personally, I would’ve loved to see a post-season ban for a few seasons. Or, one of my favorites:

A mandate that all references to “the Houston Astros” be followed immediately by “an organization found to have engaged in a widespread and long-running pattern and practice of cheating directly involving the front office, coaches, and players.”
— Altuve Wore a Wire (@NTP_Nate) April 1, 2020