OnlyBucs

So what's worse: cheating to win the World Series, or cheating to lose the World Series?

11232F2F3B092A232E2B2423420 wrote: So what's worse: cheating to win the World Series, or cheating to lose the World Series?
I would say the Black Sox scandal was even worse. The Astros gave themselves a huge advantage but couldn't guarantee that the balls they hit when they knew what pitch was coming wouldn't end up in someone's glove. And their plan only worked at home games. When the White Sox lost the WS they ensured they would lose by not trying to win: hitting, pitching and fielding could all be manipulated to guarantee losing. And they could do it at either ballpark.

Whoa! Boxing!!!! That’s the most corrupt sport. But, on a serious note, this makes me want to vomit. I have all but given up pro sports. This might just be the straw.

With all the information that has come out this week regarding the Astros cheating, I now have lost respect for their organization. Were their pitchers cheating as well? Did they use any foreign substance on the ball ? Was Cole really that better in Houston than he was in Pittsburgh?

I just finished watching a basketball game on ESPN.  I bet 20 times during the game a scroll came up on the bottom of the screen saying " 58 percent of fans favor players being punished for the Astros' cheating scandle."   



I didn't vote, but I have no problem with that.   I can't believe that out of all the coaches and players involved none of them could foresee that cheating would someday comeback to haunt hem?



None of them thought 'you know, someday, maybe a pitcher--like Mike  Fiers--might go to another team, come in to Houston to pitch, hear those dang trash cans banging, and complain'?  



They should all be punished for being idiots.



Last fall I watched a Houston game on TV.  George Springer was facing a pitcher--can't remember who-- who was making some incredible pitches.  Springer seemed to lay off the great breaking pitches, but nearly came out of his shoes on every fastball.  I thought to myself 'it is almost like he knows what's coming'.  



Yep, you can throw me in the 58 percent.

646869323B323A37302F35020 wrote: With all the information that has come out this week regarding the Astros cheating, I now have lost respect for their organization. Were their pitchers cheating as well? Did they use any foreign substance on the ball ? Was Cole really that better in Houston than he was in Pittsburgh?


Player punishments, serious ones, should be considered and imposed, but I'm concerned about how that affects new teams if any guilty players are now elsewhere.



As for the Astros, I'd be in favor of having their World Series title vacated and, if it's found the Red Sox are as guilty, then their's should be taken away as well. Manfred has to make this hurt badly enough that no other team will attempt this kind of cheating again.



Landis made the penalty severe enough with the eight Black Sox players that it had the desired result. The fans have to know that the game is on the level, otherwise, it just becomes professional wrestling.

4A687F606C6359627A637E65647D0D0 wrote: Let’s be realistic. The most corrupt sport in the the history has always been baseball. From the White Sox scandal, and even before, use of the spitball, steroids, uppers, more illegal gambling by players, (Pete Rose), and in all probability many others that were not caught. Even umpires. Wasn’t there an umpire that came out gay later after he retired? Who knows? Now, reports are that LaRussa also had a system in place. Look how, over the years, umpires either shrunk the strike zone in key games, (Stan Belinda), or even enlarging it for certain pitchers. If anybody could control the outcome, it would be umpires and pitchers. These people were caught because someone told. Nothing would have happened if it wasn’t admitted. Just like the Kennedy conspiracies, unless someone speaks out and has 100% validity, it can’t be proved. A jury of the Black Sox trial found them not guilty. Even the owner, Cominsky, was happy with the outcome. But, Landis still barred them. If this would have happened today with the trial, do you think that that would have been barred from playing? I personally, don’t think so. Sports are hypocritical! Alex Karras and Paul Hornung were both suspended for gambling, suspended, then allowed to continue playing, and later, inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Gambling and cheating go hand in hand.


I found this viewpoint really interesting when I read it a couple of days ago. An article I read in USA Today had quotes from ex-players who were more irritated with Mike Fiers as the whistle-blower than they were with the Astros.



There is definitely a split on how the fans perceive this given the polls that are going on and how many of the players do -- which runs more along the lines of what German has said here. But the players are spilt as well, like Clevinger's rant shows. It's seems like an historically interesting moment.

Much ado about nothing. 2B runner have been stealing signs for years. It just signifies that teams need to develop a better system of signs between the catcher and pitcher. Once the sign stealers realize that they are only right 20-30% of the time, they will lose interest.

607B76777E727D130 wrote: Much ado about nothing.  2B runner have been stealing signs for years.  It just signifies that teams need to develop a better system of signs between the catcher and pitcher.  Once the sign stealers realize that they are only right 20-30% of the time, they will lose interest.
If a runner on 2b can pick up a sign, more power to him. He has every right to do that. But it's another story altogether when cameras are installed for that purpose to be used for every pitch, every batter and with some players possibly even being wired to pick up the clue. MLB can't turn a blind eye to it and just tell the pitcher and catcher it's their problem to hide the signs better. MLB hhas to maintain the integrity of the game and not excuse blatant cheating.

002D20313627307073420 wrote: Much ado about nothing.  2B runner have been stealing signs for years.  It just signifies that teams need to develop a better system of signs between the catcher and pitcher.  Once the sign stealers realize that they are only right 20-30% of the time, they will lose interest.
If a runner on 2b can pick up a sign, more power to him. He has every right to do that. But it's another story altogether when cameras are installed for that purpose to be used for every pitch, every batter and with some players possibly even being wired to pick up the clue. MLB can't turn a blind eye to it and just tell the pitcher and catcher it's their problem to hide the signs better. MLB hhas to maintain the integrity of the game and not excuse blatant cheating.




yeah, I don't want to get to the place where pitchers and catchers can talk like qb's and coaches in the NFL.