Look at Ray Ray Run

These players trying to save face is hilarious. "This actually was more distracting than beneficial. I didn't even want to do it." Says guy who participated in 2+ years of blatant cheating that led to a World Series.

Problem is their GM and their guy in line to be the next GM were both removed - 1 banned permanently.

I mean, I imagine many of these people on board are Luhnow guys. He was just removed from his post, and the system beneath him now doesn't have clear leadership. I could see a ton of people jumping ship now. Maybe not, but it would make sense.

I see this the exact opposite way. Luhnow didn't really "know" about this in the same way as the people involved in the day to day. Luhnow also has a skill set that is much harder to replace than a baseball manager. He built an organization and achieved things most GM's can't. I would guess someone rolls the dice on him... heck, Preller got other shots and he's a complete asshole.

Yeah, I assumed Hinch would be fired FWIW. Luhnow I wasn't positive about. This feels like baseball kicking the can down the road for the lifetime ban, and allowing Crane to hand that out himself pretty much.

When you factor in that this caused the firing of Luhnow, it seems like a fair enough punishment. Maybe baseball wanted to give Crane the right to fire his people. Hinch is essentially banned for life - as I can't imagine anyone touches a manager with this tied to them, because they're easily replaced. How baseball handles Luhnow will be interesting; clearly very intelligent, but a culture that isn't exactly wonderful. Will someone hire Jeff next year?

Luhnow has been fired.

The problem is, as much as I dislike Jeff Luhnow it's hard to argue this was done at his direction.

Yeah, but I'd love to know the rules? Can jeff call tom and ask how the kids are? Can jeff get dinner with Jim Crane for fun? Or is he not allowed to have any contact at all with anyone in the organization?

Also, how does baseball assure that Luhnow doesn't assist the team in any capacity? Will they monitor all FO communications (Phone/EMail/Text) over the next 9 months? Luhnow should be terminated because the Astros have proven they will do anything they can to skirt the rules. It wouldn't shock me if Luhnow was still in contact with Astros officials if he isn't terminated.

I edited my post, but this may be more indicative of Alec than the system. The White Sox have done a pretty fantastic job of developing arms so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Hansen had to be sent back down, not because he struggled but because his AA pitching coach couldn't figure out or tell him what was wrong the same way they could in A+. Pretty embarrassing. Edit; I'll add Hansen is a headcase and this could be more of a Alec problem than a White Sox problem.

Yeah, but you're punishing players on the current roster who didn't cheat or participate. This is why that punishment would never fly.

That's the maximum fine they can levy in this situation.

Steroids were absolutely a systematic team wide system; there's a reason certain teams had more users than others.

They can't ban a team from the post-season; this isn't college sports. They would force an owner to sell before they banned a team from the playoffs. There are far too many issues with doing that; the PA wouldn't want players being punished like that for the actions of FO/coaches who were there before them. Players have incentives tied to post-seasons on contracts. Fans have bought tickets already under the premise that the team is going to compete for a championship. There are far too many moving parts to pull off something like that in professional sports.

I certainly don't think so. As we learned in the steroid era, fans will pay to watch a product that entertains them and they couldn't really care less about the cheating. We may care, but we are in the minority of this.

The problem for baseball is they could easily take away what the Braves gained by cheating - their international class that was obtained by the cheating. Baseball in turn could not take away what the Astros gained by cheating - a World Series - without opening up Pandoras box. Looks like Cora may be done all together.

LOL now it's not even a full year ban. They will be eligible for reinstatement at the end of the 2020 World Series. The report does CONFIRM that the Astros CHEATED in the playoffs.

One puts the financial integrity of the game in question; which, to the owners, is much more detrimental and damaging to the product - regardless of how we see it.

What the Braves did could have been considered illegal based on labor and tax laws - it could have violated federal law if those "reported" signing bonuses are what was recorded on financial statements; and if the earnings are what were claimed and filed by the players. Although many of these players paid their tax in their countries or national origin. What the Astros did was illegal within the game and the game only.

Manfred even released a statement saying Crane knew nothing; at the end of the day, the punishment could never reach the levels fans wanted because ownership groups would never ever sign off.

I'm not sure what you were expecting. The commissioner always had his hands tied as he works for the owners, and the owners aren't going to sign off on a penalty that destroys an organization because they may think their team will be next. This was about as steep as MLB was going to get away with; given that they can't ban a team from the post-season (this isn't college sports) without serious blow back from both sides.

Alex Cora is going to be suspended for 1 year while Carlos Beltran avoided all suspensions because he was technically a player. If I was Cora, I would have a hard time accepting that kind of hypocrisy but he's certainly earned his suspension. No players were disciplined by Major League Baseball in the Astros' investigation. While Mets manager Carlos Beltran was part of it, he was a player at the time and thus was not suspended. Discipline for Red Sox manager Alex Cora is coming. It is going to be harsh, per sources.

I'm not sure you can call it tame. Luhnow and Hinch being suspended for 1 year causes a decision from the Astros. Do they fire Hinch? Do they fire Luhnow? I would guess they don't fire Luhnow, but the question has to be asked. In most professions, he'd be fired. Losing a 4 picks is a pretty harsh penalty as well; especially in the 1st and 2nd round where teams find most of their value.