Baseball

[3205]

So apparently the Astros organization is total scum and we need to question everything they've accomplished in the last 3-4 years?

https://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2019/ ... ng-matters

Gonna be really interesting to see how far this goes, how many other teams are involved, and what MLB does about it.

[3205]

Someone on reddit suggested getting Trout on Hot Ones and I want it. Really, really want it.

[Chankgeez]

[raj007]

Eff the Astros. Pieces of shit.

[3205]

It blows my mind thinking about the ramifications of their cheating (assuming everything is true). They turned several years of professional baseball into batting practice. How does one evaluate the offensive ability of anyone in that lineup? How should AL West fans feel about the disproportionate number of games they play against Houston? How many young pitchers were called up, got rocked by the Astros sign stealing, and then washed out? Darvish moved to Chicago to get his family away from his World Series performance. What if Kershaw's best chance for a ring was literally taken away?

Pete Rose was banned permanently, and this is so, so much worse than gambling. Worse than steroids too, I think. Tolerating this would destroy the sport. I think there's a fair chance MLB will burn the franchise to the ground with some combination of:

Vacate the '17 title
Give '17 MVP to Judge
Force owner to sell the team
Ban management for life
Pull years of draft picks
Playoff ineligibility
Massive fines
Ban players for however long the PA will allow


Of course, this screws over Astros fans, but that franchise doesn't deserve anyone's support (again assuming these allegations are all true).

[Bassist_Diver]

As a lifelong Astros fan this is just fucking sad and an embarrassment. I just want to remind everyone that the Astros won the WS in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and this was a huge bright spot during a very bad period for the city of Houston. The fact that this was only possible due to cheating makes it seem like the team took advantage of the tragedy and tried hiding behind others' suffering. Fuck the whole back office and everyone who agreed this was a good idea. Hinch's desire to win at any cost is inexcusable and he needs to fucking go.

[sears]

otoh, I told my Nationals fan kid that he's never going to have a sweeter experience as a sports fan. Come from behind during the season, during the playoffs, win on the road against a team that was better AND was cheating.

[raj007]

Yep. Dodgers took them to 7 games in spite of their cheating. Jansen blew it twice IN HOUSTON. How many of his pitches did they know was coming?

No doubt in my mind that World Series would’ve ended the other way.

Fuck those cheaters.

[raj007]

otoh, I told my Nationals fan kid that he's never going to have a sweeter experience as a sports fan. Come from behind during the season, during the playoffs, win on the road against a team that was better AND was cheating.

Notice in Game 6 when Strasburg totally changed it up after the 1st? They were onto em.

[Chankgeez]

Mookie Betts? David Price?

[Chankgeez]

[jirodreamsofdank]

The Red Sox and Liverpool are printing money, John Henry is worth billions and Fenway Sports Group still decides to do a salary dump with their best player and a serviceable but overpaid pitcher. Shit is fucked.

[jirodreamsofdank]

The only good thing I'll ever say about the English is that if he did that in Liverpool they'd burn him in effigy and probably make it unsafe for him to travel north of London.

[lordgalvar]

Speaking of Liverpool, I read about this the other day: https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... h-coverage

Red Sox have done this year down a few times already since they won in 2004. It's the ebb and flow of baseball now. Not many teams don't do the tear down stuff (Dodgers more recently, Yankees, Angels, Giants (until this year), Twins, Mets). Some get criticism for too many bloated contracts (like Angels/pujols, Mets/cespedes), being able to absorb the costs because they are rich, or are cheap. Fans are never happy. Marlins got two rings out of the tear down method. Betts was t going to sign anyway and they got cost-control with Verdugo (and bandana fashion!).

That said. I hope the Dodgers and Red Sox suck. That whole trade was a mess. In a way, I'm glad Joc and Stripling ain't angels.

Love Now and Heaney's quotes on the Astros. Pretty atypical for the Angels org/MS era. He'd just turn the page. Glad to have Maddon back.

Glad spring training is here. Angels will be so much better with innings eaters, solid bullpen, and a good offense. Kind of going old Yankees/2002 Angels style. They didn't have a starter make it to like 120 innings last year and maybe only had one the year before. Just not taxing the bullpen should be a huge improvement and I think they'll be in the mix even without a true ace or even a true #2. Teheran and Bundy are good budget pick ups that just give you innings, even if mediocre. What we've had is dudes like Harvey, Cahill, Blanton, Stratton (I think), etc and stuff going for the 6 era/2 whip in 60 long innings over a season.

Excited to watch watchable baseball haha.

[Chankgeez]