I'm not a huge MLB fan, but I saw on ESPN today the ASTROs were all apologizing at spring training today for their cheating scandal during the 2017 season where they had an elaborate scheme to cheat.

They cheated, won the World Series in 2017, and got away with it. What am I missing? Seems like it was worth it, by far, if winning is all that matters to a team.

I'd say the commissioners office told them too. I'm no Astros fan but cheating is part of the game. Sandpaper ky jelly Vaseline cork potatoes sharpened spikes I've used or seen all of them used to do the one thing all teams want...Win. Players police the game not league office or umpires.

They're acting like the cheating is a big deal. But they get to keep their World Series title? I'd probably keep doing it, if winning was the only concern.

The concern is butts in seats and tv money.

Reinstate Rose

Agree
Stealing signs has went for 100 yrs they just took it to a higher level

Their owner Jim Crane “said with a straight face: "Our opinion is that this didn't impact the game."

When pressed on what exactly he meant by that, Crane said: "I didn't say it didn't impact the game." He had, of course -- 60 seconds earlier, for those curious about the capacity of Crane's short-term memory.”

The apology will be legit in my mind when everyone, including the players, give back the rings and the money.

Yes sign stealing goes on. It's a part of the game. Man on second you're gonna have sets of signs. The problem is they used a feed from the camera in center field to the dugout tunnel, where a Astros employee was charged with setting up the AV system on a folding table, and hurriedly breaking it down after the game, leaving only a few wires coming out of the wall. I don't exactly think that's part of the game.

Getting caught cheating Hasn't stopped the Patriots(or other teams for that matter) in the NFL and wont stop any of the teams in MLB. Finding creative ways to win is and will always be part of the game. The Astros just got caught is all. There will be another.

Save face by apologizing..... its sports politics.

Exactly. It’s a joke.

I think so too. They are probably laughing about it.

Great phrase. Everyone sport cheats because it is big money.

This will stop teams from running this particular type of scam. The game (including fans) will be scrutinizing every detail that could indicate a pattern. Arguing about what type of cheating is worst is unproductive, but I see this as beyond any of the typical comparisons. I’m sure other teams have done something similar, but I think it’ll stop them too. It’s very likely that the Astros wouldn’t have squeaked by the Yankees in the ALCS or the Dodgers in the WS in 17...impossible to know, but I can’t see any way around Altuve’s MVP being bogus. It was really close between he and Judge anyway. It all sucks. I think they should get a multiple year postseason ban, vacate the title, and Altuve be stripped of the MVP by the BBWA.

Some of those guys had 100pts difference in their home vs traveling batting averages.

Altuve:

Home: .472 BA/.513 OBP/1.028 SLG/1.541 OPS, 17 H, 6 HR & 12 RBI

Away: .143 BA, .268 OBP, .229 SLG, .497 OPS, 5 H, 1 HR & 2 RBI

It's the home crowd, you know... Obviously not the cheating

They should be stripped of the title that year. Man wouldn't it be nice as a batter to know which pitch is coming? The series shouldn't have even been as close as it was. Evidently cheating pays. No respect for those losers. They may have won the title but they have lost respect.

Sign stealing has been going on for years.
The Astros just utilized different means to obtain the signals.