Bonds and Clemens are seeing surges in HOF votes merely due to time. Altuve not only has time on his side, he has the chance to continue to excel at the plate and put further distance between 2017 and the rest of his career.
"Not being able to do it on the road" is a popular, but incorrect stance many have taken. It was only implied that we "only" did it at home when it was believed to be our own in house camera that we installed giving a live feed. That has since been debunked by both the report and the article on the Red Sox. We were using the video room and MLB's feed. Which makes it feasible on the road because every team takes their video room personnel with them on the road. I would imagine the 20 or so screens that are in the home clubhouses video room can be pretty easily replicated with about 4 laptops.
Bit of a stretch... and the Red Sox still only had the video room at home. and also doesn’t explain 2019 where they were found to be clean, and still put up huge seasons both home and away.
If you can, read the Athletic article on the Red Sox. It explains how doing it on the road is possible. The Red Sox are accused of doing it both on the road and at home. I am about to reread the report on the Astros for like the 3rd time just to be sure. But nowhere does it say "just at home." It can be done on the road. At home, it is just easier.
Read both again. The Athletic article on Red Sox describes their scheme as one that used the Video Replay Room to figure out the sign sequence. Once the sequence was figured out it was relayed to players who could then be able to decode the signs while on base while looking in at the catchers signs. The article also says that because replay room staff travel with the team, the scheme can also be used and was used on the road. In the Commissioner's report on the Astros, it states that we ALSO used the video replay room to decode the signs and relay them to the batter (while supposedly the Red Sox were only doing it on base - - yeah, whatever). It does not specify, that it was only done at home, but also does not imply that it was done on the road. (They are making it confusing and leaving questions unanswered on purpose imo) So the conclusion, and a logical one, can be made that if the Astros were indeed using the Replay Room as stated in the report, then if the Red Sox were able to do it on the road, then so could the Astros. Now, the commissioner/mlb is leaving a lot of information and questions unanswered. Which we can all speculate is on purpose. For this very reason. We are all second guessing ourselves and dont really know for sure as fans. Just when we ALMOST have enough information, there is one dot missing that we cant connect. For example, I always thought that the Video Replay Room was under a delay. Like an 8 second delay. I thought I heard that, maybe even read it. Maybe I heard it on a broadcast, I dont know/remember. But man, how stupid is that of the MLB to give a live feed in REAL TIME if it is in fact that way? Also, how believable is it that the Red Sox ONLY used it when they got a guy on base? If they could get the signs in real time and were willing to use it "illegally" to get the signs decoded, then I dont think it is a stretch to think they wouldnt take it just one step further and cut out the middle man (runner on base) and just relay it straight to the batter. But I guess it is just supposed to be believed that the Red Sox have a LITTLE more morals than we do . Or at least The Athletic is trying to portray this/the sources that they gave the info. One thing we do know for certain...is it was pretty much impossible to use in 2018 postseason and in the 2019 postseason due to extra measures taken by mlb to prevent it in the playoffs.
It does state the monitor was mounted on the wall, and was taken down during the Postseason. This does imply that at least during the 2017 season, it was limited to at home.
Yeah, but the monitor being placed there was only because their video room in 2017 was too far away. So they wanted a monitor that was closer to the dugout. In 2018 they got the video room moved to a room that was closer to the dugout than the room that was used in 2017. On the road, if their staff travels with them, cant it be assumed that they can set them up "wherever" they want? So theoretically, they could be just outside the dugout/down the hall, or whatever the case may be. Also, my point is, that if they could do it at home and were so brazen about it, and we know it is possible to do it on the road (based on the Red Sox scheme), then you dont find it likely that they would do it on the road too? At the very least, that debunks this idea that was "impossible" on the road.
Sorry to quote my own, but to go back on another point, the MLB is leaving dots off the page that we need. Which i think it is fair to speculate that they are leaving them off on purpose. They dont want the extent of this getting out. Feels like in an effort to scapegoat us, they also did us a favor in only telling half of the story.
Given how Twitter has created a national crisis over a since debunked tweet and wrinkles in Altuve’s Jersey... I think it would be highly plausible to suspect some visiting stadium staff to easily come forward and state the Astros were committing all sorts of transgressions on the road. Especially if teams like the Yankees already suspected the Astros of having a system in place (which would have been elucidated to them by Beltran)... you would think opposing stadiums would be well monitored to be able to spot out any wrong doing. Its a stretch.
You keep saying "it's a stretch" but I have already pointed many factors that debunk your theories. Why did nobody from home stadiums "tell" on the red sox when they were on the road? Likely bc everyone does it, I know. But bc nobody told on the Astros doesnt say anything definitive to support your argument
Trust me, I'm on your side. I really hope I'm wrong. But we will never know for sure. That bothers me just as much so I have just concluded that they most likely did. Hopefully that helps me get over it sooner. I will add though, I have played and coached baseball. Granted not further than the HS varsity level, but I am in the group that doesnt think helps very much if at all. It's just too hard to know for sure you "got the sign" and even harder as a hitter be sure you "heard" the correct sign. As a hitter I tried it once (we stole the coaches signs into the catcher) and never wanted it again.
From what is described in the report, at least during the 2017 regular season, the implication is that there was one monitor and it was mounted on a wall. Unless the wall moved, nothing in that report suggests they had a second scheme used on the road at least during the 2017 Regular Season. I doubt other clubs built video rooms connected to the visiting clubhouse to enable the Astros cheating scheme. While it is possible to cheat on the road, the Report describes a scheme used at home.
Just because it’s possible, also doesn’t mean it’s likely or even feasible. I’m saying it’s just as likely for me to draw the conclusion that this operation would have been very difficult to carry out on the road... if not impossible... without somebody either noticing or coming forward (especially now, when somebody can remain anonymous and really raise the speculation meter further). Everybody is free to speculate or go down whatever conspiracy theory they think fits. The Astros have “earned” that doubt. That being said, will anybody be surprised if their numbers show no perceptible difference? (Or like last year, when no evidence of anything found, they have their best year ever... and are as close to winning it all as one can be without winning).
You are right. I think I have just taken myself around in so many circles trying to piece information together from different sources to find answers to all the questions that they are leaving unanswered. Been a whirlwind for sure
I listened to a bit of Olney this morning until I had to turn it off...his self-rightous act was bit much. In 12 months nobody should care, other than hating the Astros, and it goes away just like MLB wanted it, ala steroids. Can you imagine if the Red Sox were involved? Or the Yankees or Dodgers? [insert sarcastic laugh here]
I agree re: Olney but presumably he’s not just fabricating the story that pitchers will be throwing at the Stros.
I'm sure they'd love to do it when Verlander is pitching in that series. Or McCullers, or whoever. The Stros can take care of themselves, bring it.
Baseball's offseason is the worst offseason of any major sport. These baseball only writers have nothing to talk about for 3-4 months. They are salivating for a story and got a big one. Of course MLB isn't helping by taking more time with the Red Sox investigation and dragging the story out even longer.
