November 20th, 2019 at 10:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka With the Dodgers having been the actual first (known) victims of the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, it’s probably safe to say that Dodger fans want a bigger pound of flesh than anyone else if/when MLB commissioner Rob Manfred metes out punishment to the once well-respected franchise. But the painful truth is that regardless of what Dodger fans want or deem appropriate, there is an exceptionally good chance that it will fall well short of their hopes and expectations.
If/when that judgment day finally comes for Astros owner Jim Crane, general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch (et al.), it probably won’t amount to what ThinkBlueLA’s Jesse Pearce sees as an appropriate punishment. Although Pearce’s punishment definitely sounds good, especially for Dodger fans, it is highly unlikely that we will see anything even close to it. Here is what Pearce sees as an appropriate punishment:
- First step – MLB takes over control of the team; Manfred appoints a highly regarded business executive as Ombudsman who, along with a small team of MLB staffers, will oversee day-to-day operations of the team, including hiring and firing, until further notice. The length of this oversight shall be until MLB is assured that the team has executives and on-field personnel in place who will conduct themselves in accordance with MLB rules and regulations.
- Those proven to be directly involved in setting up and implementing cheating will be banned for life from MLB, including owners who will be forced to sell their interest through an independent third party.
- All postseason bonuses and tv revenues for those seasons in which cheating occurred shall be repaid by the Houston team to MLB.
- Managers and coaches who knowingly participated in the cheating shall be suspended indefinitely; reinstatement may be applied for after one year with no assurance of reinstatement.
- Players who knowingly participated in the cheating shall be suspended for a minimum of 30 days and up to one year depending on the level and length of their involvement. During said period of suspension, no major league service time shall be accrued.
- Houston Astros 2017 postseason win-loss records, including World Series, shall be vacated from record books.
- Houston Astros shall not participate in the 2020 Rule-4 draft or international free agent signing period.
Although it is unlikely that we will see all of these things imposed, there is a pretty good chance that we will see some of them handed down. One that absolutely must be imposed is vacating the Astros 2017 World Series championship and have their cheating on permanent record in the National Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame, much like that of the famed Black Sox scandal during the 1919 World Series.
(Photo credit – Bob Levey)
The thing to keep in mind is that even though there has been no evidence whatsoever to link any other team(s) to sophisticated electronic sign-stealing (not yet, at least), it’s hard to believe that there isn’t at least one other team out there who hasn’t at least attempted it.
In no way is this to condone or even suggest that electronic sign-stealing is ok, it most certainly is not – not even slightly. But should the proverbial ‘[Stuff] hit the fan’ with other MLB franchises, the also proverbial ‘What’s good for the goose is good for the gander’ needs to apply, regardless of who it may be.
The good news, at least as seen through Manfred’s rose-colored glasses, is that he told reporters on Tuesday afternoon that he has received no evidence that other MLB teams are involved in electronic sign-stealing:
“Right now, we are focused on the information that we have with respect to the Astros. I’m not going to speculate on whether other people are going to be involved. We’ll deal with that if it happens, but I’m not going to speculate about that. I have no reason to believe it extends beyond the Astros at this point in time.”
As far as what punishment The Commish might impose on the Astros, although it probably won’t come anywhere near to what Jesse Pearce (and every other Dodger fan on the planet) may want, it could be significant:
“I’m not going to speculate on what the appropriate discipline is, that depends on how the facts are established at the end of the investigation. The general warning I issued to the clubs, I stand by. It certainly could be all of those [past disciplinary actions], but my authority under the major league constitution would be broader than those things as well.
“Any allegations that relate to a rule violation that could affect the outcome of a game or games is the most serious matter, it relates to the integrity of the sport. In terms of where we are, we have a very active what is going to be a really, really thorough investigation ongoing. But beyond that, I can’t tell you how close we are to done.”
…which brings to mind yet another proverb:
‘Let the chips fall where they may’
Play Ball!
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A Giant *Asterisk* https://t.co/QCs0IsgLWj
Strip them of the World Series trophy, no draft pick and a huge fine going to charity
Someone’s has to be fired plain and simple. Looking at you @ajhinch
Nobody outside the ‘stros organization has the power to fire anybody in it. Whoever does the firing is just as culpable (throw him under the bus).
Of course MLB can suspend but likely anything extreme would wind up in court and drag this mess on and on.
First, I believe in the principle of innocent until proven guilty, but failed to include that in my original comment. Yes, in totality the discipline may be too harsh, but my intent was to make the discipline so severe that no one will ever consider cheating in the future of MLB. Remember that the reason MLB has a commissioner is because the games credibility had deteriorated to the point that fans could not trust owners, and the Black Sox throwing the World Series was the final straw. While Houston’s violation is not equivalent to a group of players colluding with gamblers to lose the World Series, it most definitely erodes fans confidence in the integrity of the game. Whatever discipline MLB imposes, it MUST not be seen as a slap-on-the-wrist which sends the wrong message to other teams and fans.
It’s a meaningful punishment or it’s no punishment at all.
If we don’t hear Houston and their fans howling, the punishment was too light.
They should get rid of the Astro’s organization and split the players up between all the teams for FREE !!! 😬😬😬
Lose draft picks and postseason ban for a year or two.
Demote them to the Arizona Fall League
Dodgers got screwed, nobody will ever know how it would have played out without cheating. Take nothin… https://t.co/zXRCf8jqL7
Strip their title!
I wouldn’t be too surprised if most of what Pearce proposes as punishment does get imposed.
Couldn’t disagree more, although you probably already knew that.
I’m thinking of how this should be handled going forward for the good of the game. Everybody seems to believe that the penalties must be severe. I can’t imagine that being accomplished without involving MLBPA.
So they need to involve MLBPA from the get-go. Keep them notified of the progress of the investigation. My thought is to have them take part in it, but I don’t know if that would run afoul of labor laws.
When it comes to penalties both organizations need to get together and settle on something mutually acceptable.
Finally, get this done before Spring Training!
Absolutely agree, Bob. In fact, I would be shocked if the MLBPA is not already involved to some degree.
HOWEVER, I’m pretty sure that Manfred has 100 percent say in this matter, as it involves ownership/management, not individual players.
Regardless, it needs to be handled quickly “for the good of the game,” as you say.
-Vacate World Series
-Not eligible for playoffs the next year they make it
-Manager & GM suspended fo… https://t.co/TiGDt8KRMK
Those that are truthful are dealt differently. As mangt. and players are also dealt differently.
Then a good ol’ fashioned horse whipp’n. No. Guess not that. . . – They really may have
ruined the stats. and ‘gear'(?) for three years? Dang! ‘Beat the tar. . .’ comes to mind.
But no. That’s not happening. 3 yrs. systemized and ordered cheating. Wowzer.
This is a big head hanger! Big business. Real big business. Like steriods for GM’s.
Dang! Not just one person: The planning. Rationalization. Ordering. Executing. Dang man.
All those stats? Baseball stats are a sliver of my life. A good sized chunk some times.
Those that were following orders and knew this was wrong. Ban.
Those that were following orders and did not know this was wrong. Ban and fine for lying.
Any mangt. type. ANY in mangt. that knew yet did not speak out . . . GUILLOTINE!!!
Maybe a tad harsh, yeah? Hung up by theirxxxx no no no. NO. Dang. Tough time mullin’.
No one is allowed to talk to them ever? And they gotta buy me new tires. At least the fronts.
There is a soft grin which is my embarressment. I had nothing to do with this. Yet this
is my baseball! Mine for frickn decades. Damn them that sullies the GAME of baseball.
Damn them! Now bad stuff has to happen. And not that bs roiders got. Damn them!
This is my game also. Mine. Part of me. Decades of suffering through winters. Decades.
Greedy muthers Greed!! GREED. I did nothing. We suffer when they lose. Right?
Now this. Wow. I need baseball. I quit smoking. Kicking the dawg. Three years of
lying to your kids and neighbors. Like cheating on ones spouse. Three years smug.
Three years pulling the wool. 3. This is baseball. A national treasure. To respect.
I do not want to see those peoples for years. The stink of them. I do not want to look
them in their eye. There is enough crap in life already. Greed. What is does to a person.
And they use words and that stinky money to hire lawyers to get off. In their hearts they
Know greed has a fast hold. Greedy rich people. To much money makes a person nutz.
Greed says they have lost their heart. Their humanness. They are a different animal.
Got it – CAGE them. Then the hot tar and a mess of feathers.
C.M., this is an OUTSTANDING reply! I can FEEL your love and passion for the game! (I lol’d with “…And they gotta buy me new tires”).
PLEASE don’t be a stranger around here; you fit in PERFECTLY with our veteran (i.e., old) TBLA family.
Thanks again, and be well.
RC
Ron, while punishment should be severe to send a message here, I really doubt if they would be stripped of their WS Championships. The punishments suggested on this page other than losing their WS rings seems appropriate. and the MLBPA should not have any problems with them either.