Houston Astros Cheating Scandal

What do you make of it? I can't figure out how much I hate it vs how much I realize part of the game is trying to gain an edge and get signs. The use of a camera is what makes this so troubling.

This is literally the first I've heard of it, but the video I just saw alleging that the Astros were using a camera to obtain pitch signs and then having a player bang loudly on something in the dugout to tip off the batter to off-speed pitches was pretty interesting.

I don't like it but it didn't help the Astros at home in the World Series where they lost 4 games. Maybe they had the system in place in D.C. where they won 3. I think MLB should hit them hard (and I like the Astros) to the tune of a heavy fine and a forfeiture of numerous draft picks.

I think word had leaked out that they did this a couple of years ago and most teams changed their signs when playing the Astros after 2017.

Sounds to me like fake news.

I think there is video/audio that backs up the claims.

It's been out there for at least a week or so, but has been slowly gaining steam. The big reveal is that a former player has apparently snitched on them. He's given some details that have painted a pretty clear picture of how things transpired. Evidently they (the Astros) had a dedicated camera set up in centerfield that was displayed on a high-def monitor, which was set up in the hallway leading from the dugout to the clubhouse. Somebody would sit and watch that feed and then bang on a trashcan there in the hallway, based upon what the pitch sign was.

And the other day, someone posted some still pictures from the Astros' commemorative DVD celebrating the 2017 championship, that shows that type of setup. So, I think there's certainly some credibility to what the former player has said. Now, whether or not you can go back and listen to the audio feeds from games back then and discern whether or not there's a "banging" noise in the background every now and then...that I'm not sure.

Why?

Stealing signs in baseball is as old as Abner Doubleday. Growing up playing ball for a lot of years it was "part of the game" where I played. There was usually a "key" you look for when watching signs. We always changed up our signs or "key/s" every couple of innings. We'd always yell certain words or make certain sounds to our teammate at the plate if we knew what was coming.

With the technology available today it's extremely easy to steal signs, pick up tendacies and in my opinion should not be used for that purpose. Only your eyes and ears should be used. I also don't believe the Astros are the first to use this if the did. Just the first to allegedly get caught doing so. And if true that technology was used, someone has to be the first to be punished for it.

Agreed. If you can't do it sitting in your own dugout, watching the other team without the aid of a camera/videotape...then it shouldn't be done. What's next, bugging the opposing dugout so that you can "listen in" on the discussion between manager and coaches?!? What about using a parabolic mic to listen in on mound visits by the pitching coach?!? None of that is a darn bit different than what the Astros are accused of doing here. They have used technology to gain an edge.

Apparently, there could be someone else stoking this fire...

Fired Astros scouts providing information to MLB about cheating?

If the Astros front office had not been so cavalier about firing professional scouts, many of whom were treated with disdain, they wouldn't have many of them so willing to provide details of what they perceived as an organization arrogance, at all costs. - Peter Gammons

The Astros had 55 scouts in 2009 — more than the league average of 41 at the time. In 2019, they had fewer than 20 scouts, which was less than half the next smallest scouting staff in MLB.

Seems like if you were cheating you'd treat people better.

The case is two plus years in the past, no conclusive evidence, and former employees now talking about the process. This just sounds like a lot of sour grapes.

Sour but could be true.

Former employers and players talking about it isn't conclusive evidence that something was going on?