2018 Red Sox cheating scandal

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I like former Astros pitcher Joe Musgrove's quote better:

"If MLB did an investigation as thorough as they did on the Astros with every team in baseball, they're going to find a lot more than they want to find."

 

I'm already tired of the guys who have apologized to any poor pitchers they might've got a hit off... because 1). they've not sorry one bit, and 2). no pitcher has ever apologized to any baserunner he picked off or any batter he prevented from bunting or hit-and-running with a high, hard one because his defense stole their signs.

Does anyone really think analytics departments only analyze video to decode catcher's signs? We're all part of the same hypocrisy, Senator.

[jung]

I like former Astros pitcher Joe Musgrove's quote better:

"If MLB did an investigation as thorough as they did on the Astros with every team in baseball, they're going to find a lot more than they want to find."

 

I'm already tired of the guys who have apologized to any poor pitchers they might've got a hit off... because 1). they've not sorry one bit, and 2). no pitcher has ever apologized to any baserunner he picked off or any batter he prevented from bunting or hit-and-running with a high, hard one because his defense stole their signs.

Does anyone really think analytics departments only analyze video to decode catcher's signs? We're all part of the same hypocrisy, Senator.

 

None of that changes the fact that we have a real issue with real time, in game video and electronics whether via dedicated camera system or not. It should be eliminated and if that means the ill advised poorly implemented, review system that includes involvement by the teams and the Managers goes with it....FINE BY ME. Its a joke as implemented anyway. Its not baseball and its a waste of time.

[Tedballgame]

The Red Sox definitely got cheated out of the 2017 World Series title. They lost to the Astros in four games, losing game 4 in the 9th inning. One inning from making it a 2-2 series. Got hammered in Houston. Surprise!

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

None of that changes the fact that we have a real issue with real time, in game video and electronics whether via dedicated camera system or not. It should be eliminated and if that means the ill advised poorly implemented, review system that includes involvement by the teams and the Managers goes with it....FINE BY ME. Its a joke as implemented anyway. Its not baseball and its a waste of time.

 

Wait a sec -- I mean 10 -- the MLB has made a rule change that should fix everything...

 

As reported yesterday on MLB.com:

MLB rule changes for 2020 season

WWW.MLB.COM

---

Major League Baseball made its rule changes for the 2020 season official on Wednesday. There are four categories of rules going into effect: the three-batter minimum for pitchers, roster limits, adjustments to the injured list and option periods for pitchers and two-way players, and a reduction in the time managers

 

"CHALLENGE TIME:

Managers now only have 20 seconds to decide to challenge a play instead of 30."

 

Problem solved. Ugh.

[Bellhorn04]

The Red Sox definitely got cheated out of the 2017 World Series title. They lost to the Astros in four games, losing game 4 in the 9th inning. One inning from making it a 2-2 series. Got hammered in Houston. Surprise!

 

We scored 2 runs and 2 runs in the first two games of that series. You're usually going to lose when you do that.

 

Frankly the Yankees and Dodgers got screwed worse than we did.

[jung]

Wait a sec -- I mean 10 -- the MLB has made a rule change that should fix everything...

 

As reported yesterday on MLB.com:

MLB rule changes for 2020 season

WWW.MLB.COM

---

Major League Baseball made its rule changes for the 2020 season official on Wednesday. There are four categories of rules going into effect: the three-batter minimum for pitchers, roster limits, adjustments to the injured list and option periods for pitchers and two-way players, and a reduction in the time managers

 

"CHALLENGE TIME:

Managers now only have 20 seconds to decide to challenge a play instead of 30."

 

Problem solved. Ugh.

 

Is this Manfred's response? Mother of God!

[mvp 78]

Is this Manfred's response? Mother of God!

 

No, that was to speed up the game by 30 seconds.

 

Rather than institute pitch clocks or anything that would really speed up the game.

[jung]

No, that was to speed up the game by 30 seconds.

 

Rather than institute pitch clocks or anything that would really speed up the game.

 

I suppose I could just macro "Manfred....Mother of God" and just hit F-whatever for the rest of the year.

[Slasher9]

once the MLB goes to Robot Umps the average gametime will fall below 3 hours.

[a700hitter]

once the MLB goes to Robot Umps the average gametime will fall below 3 hours.

Can a robo ump tell a batter to get back in the batters box?

[jung]

Can a robo ump tell a batter to get back in the batters box?

 

Of course, the actual home plate ump will still be there doing nothing while the batter's set out their blankets and picnic baskets after their strolls around home plate.

[Slasher9]

Can a robo ump tell a batter to get back in the batters box?

 

lol...no. but take note this season how many times a game a batter steps out of the box after the ump makes a call he doesnt like to shake his head, mumble something, make a stupid point. it happens alot....

[mvp 78]

Can a robo ump tell a batter to get back in the batters box?

 

They'll will be mounted with shock sticks.

[a700hitter]

They'll will be mounted with shock sticks.

I like that idea.

[jung]

Mookie was the only hitter we had that stayed in the box. Even when he got knocked down, if his feet were still in the box on the ground, he would get up IN THE BOX and start his pre-pitch routine. The rest of them...not so much. They have to stroll around for awhile, converse with their long lost relatives in the heavens etc etc etc on an uncontested BALL called by the ump.

[jacksonianmarch]

I keep telling you guys: the Yankees are safe. Manfred and the MLB have worked hard emasculating Houston and Boston, clearing the path to a pinstriped postseason. Who's going to challenge New York? Minnesota? The Yankees look at the Twins like Jack Nicholson looked at the lawyers in A Few Good Men: "Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?"

 

Maybe Manfred's prolonging the Red Sox report so he can interrogate the latest ex-Sox players (though standup guys like Betts and Price are probably persona non ratta).

 

Imagine the mess if the Yankees got investigated? Not only would Cashman and Boone be suspects, but they'd also have to look at Girardi -- it was on his watch that Beltran, McCann, Chris Young and others that Logan Morrison knows about were involved. If Girardi is implicated, that also affects the Phillies' season...

 

Nope, Manfred wants this to go away, especially before it burns down the Bronx. I'd even say most owners would agree, and maybe some would secretly admit that it's too important for the Yankees to win this year -- to help baseball "heal" and ultimately put more money in their own pockets.

 

Lol. This is pure comedy

[Tedballgame]

We scored 2 runs and 2 runs in the first two games of that series. You're usually going to lose when you do that.

 

Frankly the Yankees and Dodgers got screwed worse than we did.

 

2-1 or 2-0 win games. As far as who got screwed worse, the Red Sox beat the Yankees during the season. They would have beat them in the playoffs too. Who is to say the Sox wouldn't have scored more runs in the first two game if they had been closer? Momentum is a funny thing. No one will ever know for sure.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Lol. This is pure comedy

 

Just paraphrasing the words of Rob Dibble from ESPN radio -- calling out the Yankees, and reporting that 10 teams are now being investigated...

 

... except for the Jack Nicholson bit. Here, let me revise that: "Who on the Twins is going to win in the Stadium, ever? You, Lt. DOBNAK?"

[mvp 78]

Does the post mortem on the Astros scandal make it more or less likely that Manfred tries to come down hard on the Sox?

[Slasher9]

“I just think we know what’s going on and we know we didn’t do anything,” Benintendi told reporters at the team’s spring training complex. “As far as what the report is going to say, whatever it says, it says. We’re just focused on this year and that’s all we can focus on."

 

“I think all of us are confident in what’s going to come out,” he added.

[mvp 78]

“I just think we know what’s going on and we know we didn’t do anything,” Benintendi told reporters at the team’s spring training complex. “As far as what the report is going to say, whatever it says, it says. We’re just focused on this year and that’s all we can focus on."

 

“I think all of us are confident in what’s going to come out,” he added.

 

Buzzers in their jocks most likely.

[oldtimer]

“I just think we know what’s going on and we know we didn’t do anything,” Benintendi told reporters at the team’s spring training complex. “As far as what the report is going to say, whatever it says, it says. We’re just focused on this year and that’s all we can focus on."

 

“I think all of us are confident in what’s going to come out,” he added.

 

I would think it means that some of the players were getting a look at the signs in the replay room. Whether that was used as a real time aid to the hitters begs the question on the severity of the act. I would guess that kind of thing happened with quite a few clubs so the discipline would have to take that into consideration.

[jad]

Does the post mortem on the Astros scandal make it more or less likely that Manfred tries to come down hard on the Sox?

 

Don't you think that all the time this is taking suggests that Manfred is finding evidence for what pretty much every baseball fan and player knew all along? that sign-stealing is prevalent all through the league, and the Astros were only distinguished by (1) their sophistication (computer geeks decoding signs--which probably aren't thatt complex in the first place, given the mental capacities of pitchers and catchers), and (2) the crudeness of the execution. What he is also finding, unless he has blinders, is that all players KNEW sign-stealing was going on, as evidenced by the many many attempts to overcome it (remember the constant mound-visits of two years ago?) The shock and outrage expressed by some is ludicrous.

[fxkatt]

Don't you think that all the time this is taking suggests that Manfred is finding evidence for what pretty much every baseball fan and player knew all along? that sign-stealing is prevalent all through the league, and the Astros were only distinguished by (1) their sophistication (computer geeks decoding signs--which probably aren't thatt complex in the first place, given the mental capacities of pitchers and catchers), and (2) the crudeness of the execution. What he is also finding, unless he has blinders, is that all players KNEW sign-stealing was going on, as evidenced by the many many attempts to overcome it (remember the constant mound-visits of two years ago?) The shock and outrage expressed by some is ludicrous.

 

Maybe this is why Crane's press conference was able to so intransigent. In his mind, he didn't think he had to admit any particular guilt--at least none for himself (the big boss). And why he was ready to just move on.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Don't you think that all the time this is taking suggests that Manfred is finding evidence for what pretty much every baseball fan and player knew all along? that sign-stealing is prevalent all through the league, and the Astros were only distinguished by (1) their sophistication (computer geeks decoding signs--which probably aren't thatt complex in the first place, given the mental capacities of pitchers and catchers), and (2) the crudeness of the execution. What he is also finding, unless he has blinders, is that all players KNEW sign-stealing was going on, as evidenced by the many many attempts to overcome it (remember the constant mound-visits of two years ago?) The shock and outrage expressed by some is ludicrous.

"Maybe this is why Crane's press conference was able to so intransigent. In his mind, he didn't think he had to admit any particular guilt--at least none for himself (the big boss). And why he was ready to just move on."

 

This is why nobody really seems sorry for what they did: because secret codes and breaking codes have always been part of the game -- and video, which the MLB hypocritically/hysterically provided both access to and forbidden usage of -- created new and better ways. Every analytics department breaks down video, looking for any and every advantage possible. The Astros won with blatant tactics, which makes them obvious targets of scorn and scrutiny.

 

The Wall Street Journal article cites Houston's front office for creating its systems before Cora even worked there. As smart as he is, Cora wasn't any mastermind, but an employee who may have simply agreed to implement the company's system, while Hinch -- who reportedly didn't approve of it -- was just another employee, powerless to fight the system. Banging and whistling was about as advanced as ballplayers could get... remember, this is a culture constantly seeking an edge, whether it's chewing or dipping carcinogens, ingesting amphetamines, injecting steroids, or downing 5-Hour Energy.

[oldtimer]

The word is the results of the Sox investigation will be out by the end of next week. Thats a good thing to put to bed. Maybe it won't be as severe a finding as the Astros was.

[Tedballgame]

The word is the results of the Sox investigation will be out by the end of next week. Thats a good thing to put to bed. Maybe it won't be as severe a finding as the Astros was.

Not next week. End of the month.

[Swiharts Ghost]

I’d like the Redsox to consider suing Manfred for defamation he is seriously creating something out of s***

[mvp 78]

I’d like the Redsox to consider suing Manfred for defamation he is seriously creating something out of s***

 

You don’t know that.

[Swiharts Ghost]

You don’t know that.

 

I do I believe our veterans this is a f***ing witch hunt and only weak ass pussys role over .