While we wait for Super Bowl 54 (Go Chiefs!) let’s take a moment to publicly shame the Houston Astros for cheating during the 2017 regular season, postseason and World Series. The Astros sign stealing trash can banging scheme helped cheat the Dodgers out of a World Series championship in 2017. I think it’s important to continuously shame them and document every single instance of their epic cheating. For the record I will be taking these little breaks to shame the Astros throughout the 2020 season. I welcome you all to join me in this. Let’s point, laugh and talk smack. Certainly those cheatin’ Stros deserve every bit of it.
One Astros fan (who to his credit was mortified over the Astros cheating) created a web site specifically designed to record nearly every trash can bang during the 2017 regular season. He didn’t record data from the playoffs or World Series, but he logged over 1,100 instances of trash can banging. He even parsed the data by players, dates and percentages. Which players cheated the most? Or which players benefited the most from the cheating? Tony Adams of signstealingscandal.com tells you.
For the record here, there were thousands of trash can bangs during that season. Tony tells you exactly who won those games, the score, and the percentages of bangs each player had. In case you were wondering Marwin Gonzalez (147 bangs) George Springer (139 bangs) and Carlos Beltran (138 Bangs) received the most bangs of any Houston player. Enjoy the Super Bowl everyone, and let’s never forget that the Astros cheated.
I will never forget. I do think Boston’s 2018 win was legit. They steamrolled the Dodgers in 5 and it was not that close.
I’ll wait for all the evidence to be revealed. As Davidoff suggested, Cora is the connection. Did you read the article?
Not yet. I listened to a video that was posted and it would tell you when a bang was heard….Even with my volume all the way up I could not hear it.
No trash cans involved in games two and seven losses by Dodgers. It was a travesty what happened to Kersh in game 5. His legacy was irreversibly tarnished. But a factor as big as the trash cans has been our lack of post season offense. That has to change for us to win a WS. Betts should greatly help in that area
Somebody picked up something in Darvish’s release point or he was tipping his pitches. He lost both those games.
https://nypost.com/2020/02/01/the-evidence-that-could-doom-red-sox-in-cheating-scandal/
Just smoke.
Well Rosenthal is saying that Betts will be traded before the end of the week. Most likely today or tomorrow. He also believes Mookie is coming to the Dodgers. Like I have said numerous times. I will believe it when I see it on MLB.com or ESPN.
Michael, I say that very same thing you posted in your last sentence. Enough is enough, but I am hoping we don’t have to take on Price’s deal, which Boston wants , but then they cannot expect a prospect haul in that case.
Totally agree. You know Maeda was better than Price last year>>? 10-8 to 7-5. Lower ERA 1.8 War to Price’s 1.9. More K’s, more innings. For 96 mil over 3 years Price would need to pitch like a young Kershaw to be worth that money. He is 2 years removed from his great series performance against LA. Injury prone and another lefty. LA is lefty heavy already with Urias, Kersh and Wood in the rotation. Price is no #3. He is no better than a #5 on this team.
No Price is right for David! Mookie or bust!
It’s not that simple.
First of all, Price’s numbers would look a lot better in the NL West. Secondly, Boston wants to reset the the CBT. They are currently about $30 million or so above it. Betts is $27m, so that’s most of it. If we take Price off their hands and absorb most of the contract that accomplishes Boston’s goal and should require fewer prospects going over. I believe what Boston is trying to do is set themselves up so that in the future they have Verdugo and Betts in the same outfield. And they get their way they will also have Downs at second and one of Ferguson/Gonsolin in the pen. This can all be accomplished by first resetting the cap and secondly getting as far under the cap as possible but getting us to take Price. The question is, do we do it and if so how much of Price’s $36m does Boston pay and where do we draw the line with prospects.
It’s possible they can get somebody else to take Price. Once they reset they can go over again.
That’s exactly why we shouldn’t take Price!
Right on, and if Dodgers did , then the prospect return to Boston HAS to be minimal. But as of what I read today, Boston is in no hurry to trade Betts until they get exactly what they want and to me that means Betts then opens the 2020 season still in Boston.
The Astros’ fan was only able to research 58 of the teams 81 home games. Therefore his data only reflects those 58 games played. Also keep in mind that prior to the ‘banging of trash cans’ Houston was using hand clapping, whistling and yelling to communicate the signals.
https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2020/01/29/astros-fan-logs-trash-can-bangs-from-2017/
As I think about the dynamic of stealing signs……IF I was the catcher and every time I gave the fastball sign and then loud noise would come from the opposing dugout I think I would pick up on that. Especially considering back to back to back games. Just sayin.
I agree with that Chili, but my understanding is the message was only given on off speed pitches. Either way works of course. As a hitter what you need to do is pick up spin, then you know what direction the break is. If you don’t hear the bang you know it’s a fastball, in which case it’s tee time. There are several pitches that break down, all of them are considered “off speed” including to a degree two seamers. It’s the back spinning 4 seamers that are on you quick. If a Major Leaguer knows that’s coming, or better yet, knows immediately it’s a 4 seam change up, wow, what an incredible advantage.
Houston will still be good, but that doesn’t change the FACT they cheated to be great. That is without question. The question that remains is – did Boston do it too?
I read that article about the Sox. Pretty interesting read. I did not realize that the Stros 2017 team reduced their K’s by over 300, which was a record in modern history. Over 200 of those at home. Cheating is cheating no matter what. If Cora got a year for what happened in Houston, I wonder what his punishment is going to be for what went on in Boston.
Michael, IDK how to do so but I STILL say those Astro players must be held accountable. Remember one of the 10 Commandments here;
THOU SHALT NOT STEAL.
Badger-
For some reason I thought the ‘banging’ signified fastball. Not sure where I thought I had heard that but after reading the article they do state that ‘banging’ meant off-speed. Personally I would prefer loud noise to ‘a fastball coming.’ Either way, as a catcher I am quite sure I would connect the dots fairly quickly.
Exactly. Whatever the pattern was it should have been picked up by somebody.
Bear I gotta tell you that I am suspicious when it comes to Boston. Cora was there and he is the connection. Some questionable numbers there as well. Of course, according to the Antonelli video, the cheating was only done in the regular season because MLB put somebody in the video room during the playoffs.
In spite of all the hoopla and rumors I’m still saying that Friedman does not make a trade for Betts. Just do not see him doing it. Betts is going to test free agency so for 1 year of Betts what is AF willing to give up? I’m saying……not much!
Earlier in this process I would have agreed with that Chili. I’m not sure now. This seems to have gone on longer than it should. Is that part of the strategy? Force San Diego to cough up more prospects? I don’t get it. Betts isn’t taking them to the promise land in ‘20 and he wouldn’t stay there. We’ve got a better shot at keeping him, but something tells me he goes back to Boston once they clear the necessary payroll.
Whatever. Let’s move on.
There’s a deal in place.