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Astros' Luhnow, Hinch suspended for 2020 season, then fired... Cora and Beltran also out as managers...

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https://www.mlb.com/news/astros-sign-stealing-penalty

MLB's Official Findings (pdf)

Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch have each been suspended without pay for the 2020 season by Major League Baseball, which on Monday released the findings from its investigation into Houston’s sign-stealing allegations.

Houston also forfeits its first- and second-round picks in the 2020 and 2021 MLB Drafts as part of the penalties. In addition, the Astros were fined $5 million, which is the highest allowable fine under the Major League Constitution.

In addition, former Astros assistant GM Brandon Taubman, who was dismissed by the club in October after he made offensive and insensitive comments directed at a group of female reporters at the conclusion of the American League Championship Series, has been suspended for one year. Taubman, who is currently not employed by a Major League club, will not be able to work in baseball during that time.

The suspensions of Luhnow, Hinch and Taubman are to begin immediately, ending on the day following the completion of the 2020 World Series.

“I find that the conduct of the Astros, and its senior baseball operations executives, merits significant discipline,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said as part of the nine-page ruling. “I base this finding on the fact that the club’s senior baseball operations executives were given express notice in September 2017 that I would hold them accountable for violations of our policies covering sign stealing, and those individuals took no action to ensure that the club’s players and staff complied with those policies during the 2017 postseason and the 2018 regular season.

“The conduct described herein has caused fans, players, executives at other MLB clubs, and members of the media to raise questions about the integrity of games in which the Astros participated. And while it is impossible to determine whether the conduct actually impacted the results on the field, the perception of some that it did causes significant harm to the game.”

As part of the suspension, Luhnow and Hinch are prohibited from performing any services for or business on behalf of the Astros or any other club. They will not be allowed in any Major League, Minor League or Spring Training facilities including stadiums, and they may not travel with or on behalf of the Astros.

Should either Luhnow or Hinch be found to engage in “any future material violations” of Major League rules in the future, the offender will be placed on the permanently ineligible list.

During the suspension, the Commissioner’s Office will discuss with Luhnow “an appropriate program of management/leadership training to ensure that no incidents of the type described” in the report will occur in the future.

As for Taubman, the report stated that due to “his inappropriate conduct in the clubhouse” on Oct. 19, 2019, he will be ineligible to perform services on behalf of any Major League club -- either as an employee or independent contractor -- through the end of the 2020 World Series.

According to the ruling, the investigation revealed “absolutely no evidence” that Astros owner Jim Crane was aware of any of the team’s conduct.

“Crane is extraordinarily troubled and upset by the conduct of members of his organization, fully supported my investigation and provided unfettered access to any and all information requested,” Manfred said.

The report says that the illegal sign-stealing was mostly player-driven, though it states that former bench coach Alex Cora, who is now the manager of the Red Sox, was involved in setting it up. Cora was not disciplined as part of this investigation, but the report states that he could face penalties at the conclusion of the ongoing investigation into allegations of illegal sign-stealing by the Red Sox during the 2018 season.

MLB began its investigation into the allegations against the Astros back in November after a report from The Athletic highlighted the club’s illegal sign-stealing system from 2017, the year the Astros won the franchise’s first World Series title. A's pitcher Mike Fiers, who was a member of the Astros at the time, was quoted in the story, as were three other unnamed sources who were inside the organization in 2017.

Fiers said the Astros were using a camera positioned in the outfield to detect the signs, which were then relayed to hitters by somebody banging on a trash can in an area between the dugout and the clubhouse so they knew which pitches were coming.

“The allegations in the article created significant concern among many of our fans and other MLB Clubs regarding the adherence to our rules by those participating in our games, and the principles of sportsmanship and fair competition,” Manfred said in the ruling. “As I have previously stated, I treat these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and I instructed our Department of Investigations to conduct a thorough investigation. I believe transparency with our fans and our Clubs regarding what occurred is extremely important, and this report is my attempt to achieve that objective.”

The Astros have been fully cooperative with MLB during its investigation, which involved the interviewing of more than 60 witnesses, including players, field staff, and front office personnel who were with club in 2017. The league has also been combing through more than 70,000 e-mails during its investigation, as well as text messages.

MLB opened a new investigation last week after The Athletic reported that the Red Sox had used their video/replay room during the 2018 season to learn opponents’ sign sequences, a strict violation of Manfred’s September 2017 edict on the subject.

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HOLY CRAP!!!!  :shocking:

I knew penalties/fines were coming, but I thought at most, maybe a couple of picks in the draft.   Damn, Manfred doesn't fock around.   

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Yankees got screwed by both of these cheating organizations. I don’t recognize either of their WS victories. 

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5 minutes ago, Mike Honcho said:

HOLY CRAP!!!!  :shocking:

I knew penalties fines were coming, but I thought at most, maybe a couple of picks in the draft.   Damn, Manfred doesn't fock around.   

To be honest they want to stop this from happening again, so start huge...

Though I can't believe that the Astros are the first team to try something similar to this method...  Teams have been trying to steal signs since baseball started and will continue until the game doesn't exist...  They just happened to be caught first because of Fiers being a tattletale...

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So they've got the Stros dead to rights on cheating, yet they still get to keep thier WS title - and Shoeless Joe and Rose are sill banished?

BS punishment, not nearly severe enuff - where's Kenesaw Mountain Landis when you need him? <_<

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Just now, TimmySmith said:

The Nats won for everyone!  Just like the Pats, I won't recognize any titles for cheaters. 

The Redskins championships are too far back to be recognizable.  

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Just now, supermike80 said:

Stealing Signs...BFD

Exactly...  As I said, this has happened since the beginning...  They just found a high tech way of doing it...

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2 minutes ago, Mike Honcho said:

:lol:

If anyone can recognize a cheating ass mofo it's a Boston fan.

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The problem is the use of technology. It wasn’t a player on second or a bench coach doing this with his naked eye. It was involving people out of uniform in the stands and the clubhouse that was the problem. Don’t conflate the two. Not the same. It is a BFD. 

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1 minute ago, Strike said:

If anyone can recognize a cheating ass mofo it's a Boston fan.

Get a load of crissy cross block over here...

Dont get me going captain cap violations

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4 minutes ago, Hardcore troubadour said:

The problem is the use of technology. It wasn’t a player on second or a bench coach doing this with his naked eye. It was involving people out of uniform in the stands and the clubhouse that was the problem. Don’t conflate the two. Not the same. It is a BFD. 

Yeah.  This was next level type cheating.  Much different than a base runner trying to figure out signs by watching the catcher.  

Anyone who thinks it's not a huge advantage to know what pitch is coming doesn't know baseball.  

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3 minutes ago, drobeski said:

Get a load of crissy cross block over here...

Dont get me going captain cap violations

LOL. 

https://www.milehighreport.com/2015/5/9/8577091/the-truth-behind-the-denver-broncos-salary-cap-scandal

Seriously you have to bring up 20 year old allegations that are a joke anyways?  The least you could have done is bring up the incident when Josh McDaniels was coach here and videotaped the 49'ers.  Of course, bringing up an ex Patriot and now current Patriot doing something illegal wouldn't really mean much either:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=5855075

🤣

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Paid employees, not players or coaches, setting up secret surveillance cameras for the sole purpose of cheating, calling info in from outside the field of play -

isn't a big deal? :huh:

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13 minutes ago, vuduchile said:

Yeah.  This was next level type cheating.  Much different than a base runner trying to figure out signs by watching the catcher.  

Anyone who thinks it's not a huge advantage to know what pitch is coming doesn't know baseball.  

Exactly. Especially at the highest level. 

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3 minutes ago, Cruzer said:

Paid employees, not players or coaches, setting up secret surveillance cameras for the sole purpose of cheating, calling info in from outside the field of play -

isn't a big deal? :huh:

Posty. He doesn't know much.  

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14 minutes ago, vuduchile said:

Yeah.  This was next level type cheating.  Much different than a base runner trying to figure out signs by watching the catcher.  

Anyone who thinks it's not a huge advantage to know what pitch is coming doesn't know baseball.  

I might be wrong, but I don't even think it's illegal for a base runner or even bench players to try and figure out the signs by watching a catcher.  As long as they aren't using some artificial means(camera's binoculars....) I think it's all fair game.    

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2 minutes ago, Mike Honcho said:

I might be wrong, but I don't even think it's illegal for a base runner or even bench players to try and figure out the signs by watching a catcher.  As long as they aren't using some artificial means(camera's binoculars....) I think it's all fair game.    

Right.  Official MLB rules do not forbid players from trying to steal signs.  That's why catchers mix up their sequences.  What the Astros did was much different.  

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Just now, Cruzer said:

Hinch and Luhnow just fired by ownership.

That was quick...  I wonder whom will be manager now?

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Just now, Cruzer said:

Hinch and Luhnow just fired by ownership.

Again, good.  Fock 'em and the Houston Astroisks!

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It's like counting cards. Do it in your head, using your skill? No problem.  Start using the electronic devises? Now you're committing a crime. 

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1 minute ago, Cruzer said:

Hinch and Luhnow just fired by ownership.

Wow---I thought they might try blaming it on someone else around the team, you know a guy with a nickname like the 'deflator' or something along those lines.  :D

  • Haha 1

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35 minutes ago, Hardcore troubadour said:

Posty. He doesn't know much.  

In fairness. I started it.  cause it's still not a big ass deal to me. Plus, archaic MLB (which I happen to LOVE) needs to change.  

Ohhhhh  they used TECHNOLOGY.....not in our pure old school sport---f off baseball purists...Get in the modern age you bunch of whiners.

 

I agree thsy should have been punished though  Rules are rules..But still stealing signs...BFD

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12 hours ago, supermike80 said:

In fairness. I started it.  cause it's still not a big ass deal to me. Plus, archaic MLB (which I happen to LOVE) needs to change.  

Ohhhhh  they used TECHNOLOGY.....not in our pure old school sport---f off baseball purists...Get in the modern age you bunch of whiners.

 

I agree thsy should have been punished though  Rules are rules..But still stealing signs...BFD

Might as well just have the catcher yell the pitch to the pitcher

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I heard MLB is considering banning ALL computerized technology outside of the bullpen phone.  No tablets to study your swing or the pitchers pitch selection.  No Apple watches.  Nothing.

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15 hours ago, drobeski said:

Cheating ass mofos 

*

 

15 hours ago, vuduchile said:

Good

Rex Sox up next

Uou can't make this shiot up. :lol:

  • Like 1

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19 hours ago, Cruzer said:

So they've got the Stros dead to rights on cheating, yet they still get to keep thier WS title 

You can't take it away...  If you take it away from them for cheating (true or not) , this opens up a can of worms IMO...

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Looking forward to the Red Sox punishment. * isn’t just for the Patriots anymore.  

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19 hours ago, vuduchile said:

Yeah.  This was next level type cheating.  Much different than a base runner trying to figure out signs by watching the catcher.  

Anyone who thinks it's not a huge advantage to know what pitch is coming doesn't know baseball.  

Back when I played, I didn't care so much about the pitch type as I did the location.  I could pick up the pitch at the pitchers hand, for the most part.  Not always, but often enough.  Pre-swing, I can adjust to the pitch type a lot better than I can the location.

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