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The MLB finally doled out their punishment for the Astros cheating scandal and baseball fans think the team got off light.
On Monday afternoon, ESPN’s Jeff Passan revealed that bother Astros manager A.J. Hinch and GM Jeff Luhnow would be suspended one-year for allowing players to steal signs while under their watch during the team’s World Series run.
Via ESPN
A league investigation confirmed the Astros had cheated by using a camera-based sign-stealing system during the regular season and playoffs of their World Series-winning 2017 season.
Luhnow and Hinch were suspended for the 2020 season, but Crane said the team wanted to go beyond that ruling.
“We need to move forward with a clean slate,” he said.
As part of the league’s penalty, the Astros will also lose first- and second-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021, and the organization was fined a record $5 million. MLB said in its statement that if Luhnow or Hinch “engage in any future material violations” of MLB rules, they will be placed on the league’s permanently ineligible list.
Of all the things in MLB's investigation and Rob Manfred's nine-page letter, this might be the most damning.
The Astros, who won the 2017 World Series, used their sign-stealing scheme that postseason. pic.twitter.com/nnSj1P2k7D
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 13, 2020
Both Hinch and Luhnow have been fired by the Astros but fans still think the team got off with a slap on the wrist considering Pete Rose is still serving a lifetime from baseball for gambling.
The MLB banned Pete Rose for life for gambling but apparently cheating your way to a World Series title isn't enough to strip you of a ring https://t.co/jma32Zebrw
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 13, 2020
Hammered?! No player suspensions?! They knew what they were doing. Braun lost his MVP for cheating why not Altuve? Baseball will keep Pete Rose out of the Hall but let actual cheaters walk off with a wrist slap. Disgusting. https://t.co/7vRocDgOjB
— Ryy (@ryymotz) January 13, 2020
A year for cheating that directly changed the outcome of games….
Meanwhile Pete Rose is still permanently banned for betting on his team to win and was never accused of cheating in any form. https://t.co/wYPznL549C
— Jeremiah (@SYRmotsag) January 13, 2020
Yeah, this is not nearly enough.
All playoff wins, including the World Series, should be vacated for the Houston Astros.
Luhnow and Hinch should be banned from the MLB.
If Pete Rose gets banned for gambling, only follows that this is a bannable offense, too. https://t.co/gGKO9RYsaj
— Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) January 13, 2020
All Pete Rose did was bet on his own team to win…fairly
— Phil Hughes (@PJHughes45) January 13, 2020
I better see Pete rose in the hall of fame tomorrow @mlb. Get your shit together, Rob
— Kent Murphy (@coachkentmurphy) January 13, 2020
So Pete rose did nothing to hinder the games he coached and gets a lifetime ban but A.J hinch cheats to win the World Series and gets a one year ban🤷🏻♂️🤔 pic.twitter.com/M64gJKmEHZ
— caleb clines (@clines_caleb) January 13, 2020
So Pete Rose gets banned for life for gambling on baseball but AJ Hinch & the Astros’ GM only get a year suspension for blatantly cheating to the result of a WS championship AND they get to keep the championship…this doesn’t add up to me #MLB #Astros #Cheaters pic.twitter.com/EuH8C4QupW
— Eric Sklar (@TheDukeOfSports) January 13, 2020