They just keep coming. Also, F you Manfred. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id...granting-astros-immunity-not-my-best-decision
No one ever points out that the Red Sox got the same immunity, and rather than come clean, pinned it all on a low level person knowing that they were protected. The Astros were given immunity and laid everything out to the MLB investigators, IIRC.
Suck it Manfred, the Stros are going to keep kicking your beloved Yankees butts, despite your efforts to bring down the dynasty. Dusty is doing his best to accomplish what you desire. What different outcome is he looking for?
The primary function of the commissioner is to make MLB baseball money. Bud Selig moved the Astros to the American League costing MLB hundreds of millions by preventing the Yankees from making the World Series multiple times.
Or that after his suspension that low level person was rehired with a promotion. Or that Mookie Betts and J. D. Martinez both had their best ever seasons according to OPS+ in 2018. Oh, or that those 2 convinced the Dodgers to hire him for this season.
What's ironic is how important this story is to keep a semblance of interest in MLB nation-wide amongst non-baseball diehards.... and its now based on something that happened 7 years ago and was largely widespread throughout the industry (yet nobody did anything about it till a whistle-blower came forward). For that entire winter of 2019, this was the story that kept on giving. The Athletic would have gone out of business without it. For the first time in forever, interest in a baseball story was on par with anything NFL. Web-clicks everywhere based on even the slightest mention of Astros cheating scandal. Of course the story has zero relevance today... thus I can only imagine its being re-hashed because somebody needs a click boost.
I'm sure this coming out now has nothing to do with the Astros playing the Dodgers in LA tomorrow....
Dodgers fans are going to lose their voices booing the likes of Yanier Diaz, Maurico Dubon, Chas, Jake, Julks, Tucker... yelling "cheaters, cheaters!"....
Let's count the ways this man is not qualified for the job he has. First, he is aware of cheating very similar to the Astros for many years but nothing was said. Before the Astros were caught, it started getting into the public forum that teams were getting really bad about using technology to cheat. So he releases a memo and basically just tells teams to not cheat. Someone goes public about the Astros cheating so he had to deal with it. He then tells the Astros owner he will be protected, and that the MLB controlled media won't make a big deal of it if the GM and coach are fired. The players are given immunity. The Astros organization does what they are told - and the media and players speak out - it is amazing to me that Manfred really thought it would all just go away. The Red Sox cheat and win a title - but learn from the Astros scandal, that as long as the players say nothing - nothing can be proven. YEARS later - Manfred comes out of his lair, after the cheating allegations settle down....... to talk about the Astros cheating? WTF...... he has Shohei Othani.... and this ****ing moron decides to step into the cheating scandal dog ****? AND he did it before the Astros play the Dodgers?
Probably because even on a slow news day... Astros cheating scandal still registers more clicks than Ohtani hitting 3 HR's, striking out 12, and the Angels losing. He can claim that he thought it would go away all he wants... but in reality, the attention this developed ended up keeping baseball semi-relevant while the Astros dominating the sport was overall considered not great for the league from a popularity standpoint (had the cheating scandal never come to light).
Some of that is on Manfred too. Baseball has the first real two way player EVER .... even Babe Ruth stopped pitching shortly .......... a guy that is good looking, from overseas ........ a guy that is on pace to lead the league in homers for the second time, on pace for over 50 homers....... leads the league in OPS...... and is one of the 5 best pitchers in baseball............ and he is on a shitty team and the Astros cheating almost 7 years ago is the big story ...... The NBA and NFL don't have this problem.
Ohtani is in a huge market and is a generational talent... but as you said, his team isn't winning. That's the problem. Baseball is still as much of a regional sport as anything. Nobody really cares about other teams outside their home market... unless you have a cheating scandal team that everybody wants to gang up on, then there is universal interest. The NBA/NFL aren't as regional. NBA has more fans that root for players as superstars are difference makers nightly and can single-handedly turn a mediocre team to a juggernaut. NFL has everything... fantasy, gambling, one game/week that make it universally followed. Baseball will never have that... they should continue to optimize the regionalization (get rid of blackouts, etc.) and realize that's what will continue to sustain/drive the game. Get more teams to be competitive, more surrounding interest in the region, higher attendance, higher local ratings/revenue.
Yeah, but Bud's beloved Brewers got to stay in the NL and rob the Stros of their history. Serves him right.
