LOL @ the Astros, Red Sox, and Mets But could this affect the Patriots?

[JawnyBlaze]

As long as they’re allowed to retain the title they cheated to win, this punishment won’t matter. The patriots have proven this over and over. 

[Shotgun]

If they aren't going to take away titles, then they should get a 5 year playoff ban. That would hurt.

[Mr. Scot]

28 minutes ago, philit99 said:

And now they have fired their GM and Manager.

Yep. The suspension is now permanent.

 

[philit99]

I think the other posters are right. This may not be enough to persuade other teams from cheating. The old NASCAR slogan, “if you ain’t cheating you ain’t trying” still applies.

[Riverboat Ron]

Until they start to vacate trophies ex: can no longer claim victory, must return hardware, cease and desist claims of championship under penalty of fine or lawsuit, vacate all team and player statistics during the violations, I won't be satisfied. 

[King K. Rhule]

At least the team that got fuged over the hardest by this scandal was the yankees.

[KillerKat]

My punishment would be asterisks for all their SB wins, no first rounder for the next 6 years (since they won 6 SBs), and ban from HOF for Belicheat and Brady.

[SteveSmithTD89]

This is a glorified slap on the wrist:

5 million? They made that up in concession sales from the postseason. Now factor in tickets, merch, and everything else that comes with a World Series pennant and you don't even scratch the surface.

Furthermore, this isnt the NFL, a 1st and 2nd in the MLB draft is nothing. In a sport that does not have a hard Salary Cap and drafted players dont see the big leagues for a couple of years best case what's it matter?

They have a championship, they have a young core in Bregman, Altuve, Correa, Springer, Alvarez and they have more than enough appeal to entice big name free agents to sign on if they need more. 

A postseason ban for 2-5 years would have been far stiffer and far harsher than what was handed out. This would have encouraged players wanting to chase a WS to look elsewhere and hurt the bottom line far more than the 5 million. 

Unfortunately would have hurt the MLBs bottom line too which is why you get this penalty that on paper looks bad but wont stop the Astros from winning 90+ games next year, or the year after, or the year after etc.

They got off lightly.

[Mr. Scot]

Florio think the NFL should be afraid (be very afraid).

Quote

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred had no choice but to take strong action. The problem is that, in taking strong action, Manfred has essentially waved his arms and shouted to the world, “Hey! We got cheaters over here!” In an age of legalized gambling, that’s the kind of thing that could lead, broadly, to the creation of an independent federal agency with the ability to regulate professional (and collegiate) sporting events. Specifically, one of these scandals could spark a criminal prosecution.

That’s likely why Manfred’s statement announcing the Astros’ discipline includes the incredible (as in “not credible”) comment that “I am neither in a position to evaluate whether the scheme helped Astros hitters (who were unquestionably a very talented group), nor whether it helped the Astros win any games.” Of course it did; they wouldn’t have done it if it didn’t help, and Hinch and Luhnow wouldn’t have been treated like Leopold and Loeb if the scheme didn’t undermine the integrity of the outcome of games.

Undermining the integrity of the outcome of games takes on far greater importance as more and more American states allow citizens to wager their hard-earned money on those game outcomes. When gambling is illegal in most states, cheating scandals are the equivalent of selling someone oregano and telling them it’s weed. Once what was illegal becomes legalized, the victims of shenanigans have much greater standing to complain, their elected representatives have much greater reason to develop protections against said shenanigans, and law-enforcement agencies have much greater reason to apply existing and new laws that punish those who deliberately try to undermine game outcomes.

Here’s what it means for the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, MLB, and the NCAA: At some point, a given scandal will become the tipping point for a serious and sustained national conversation that becomes the downside to the huge financial upside that comes from the widespread legalization of betting on sporting events. It could be this one, it could be the next one. Each scandal moves the needle a little closer to the inevitable reckoning.

Baseball's sign stealing discipline should make other sports leagues very nervous

[philit99]

14 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Florio think the NFL should be afraid (be very afraid).

Baseball's sign stealing discipline should make other sports leagues very nervous

Absolutely, when people lose money on something that has been predetermined or proven to be unfair, law suits will fly. Great article Mr. Scot, it will be some fun times ahead especially if an independent commission is formed for all sports that bet.

[1of10Charnatives]

Wait...people still watch baseball?

[Panthera onca]

1 minute ago, 1of10Charnatives said:

Wait...people still watch baseball?

Come on, man. You are better than that.

[Jus Rob]

4 hours ago, (ATL'ien)CamNewton said:

Yeah .. that punishment is nothing .. they would indeed say it was worth it .. take the rings away - teams won't cheat

As a Dodger fan ( born in California) I feel exactly this way. 

[1of10Charnatives]

1 minute ago, Panthera onca said:

Come on, man. You are better than that.

I pick on baseball because it’s so slow moving the players literally talk to themselves to stay awake. Baseball movies are great because they boil the game down to the bits where something actually happens.

 It is not, as they say, my cup of tea.