Houston Astros Sign Stealing Scandal

Have you ever wanted to know if there was a way to cheat in Major League Baseball? Well, a few months ago the Houston Astros were caught illegally sign stealing from the 2017 season. They did this by using cameras or video monitors to figure out the other teams’ signals of what they were doing next. These signs told their players which pitch was coming. This is different from legal sign stealing, which is when players and coaches try to steal signs with their eyes. The MLB calls it a tradition to not use cameras during games to cheat. It’s a classic move for a team to try to know what the other teams are going to try next. However, in the MLB, it is illegal if you use binoculars, telescopes, and cameras to figure out these signs.

The Astro’s got caught when former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers told sport’s writer’s Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich. “This game needs to be cleaned up a little bit because there are people losing their jobs because they are going in there not knowing” explained Mike Fiers in his interview. 

The Astro’s had five major punishments given to them. 

1. Astros general manager Jeff Lunhow got a one-year suspension. 
2. Astros manager AJ Hinch got a one-year suspension. (Astro’s fire Lunhow and Hinch after MLB announces suspension) 
3. The Astros must forfeit their 1st and 2nd round draft picks for 2020 and 2021. 
4. Former assistant GM Brandon Taubman Placed on MLB’s ineligible list. 
5. The Astros team is sued for 5 million dollars (the most allowed under MLB’s constitution). The odd thing is that no players got punished.

 It makes some sense that the Astros would try to sign steal because they wanted to win their 1st World Series Championship. Personally, I think it was a bad decision to sign steal! They had some major penalties because of their actions.