Bear Down Wildcats

3 ERs and 6 baserunners in 1.1 innings

“I couldn’t figure out how they were all over mine and Berrios’ breaking balls. Almost like they knew they were coming...”

- Phil Hughes

Dusty Baker named new skipper.

I wonder what their Hit By Pitch rate will be in 2020? Hmmm...

How remorseful?

Like, give your 2017 salary, playoff bonus, & the value of your WS ring to charity remorseful?

Yeah.... didn’t think so.

They're sorry they got caught.

azgreg wrote:They're sorry they got caught.

Verlander’s quote today might be the most self-serving bullshit out of all of them:

“I showed up in 2017 and once I understood what was happening, I wish I’d have said more. Looking back, I can’t go back. I can’t reverse my decision. I wish I had said more and I didn’t. For that, I’m sorry.”

Yes, I can feel his pain. He wanted to stop the cheating but all that winning and motorboating Kate Upton’s funbags got in the way...

What really baffles me is how stupid all of these people were that were involved. How did they not think they would get caught? It's not like players don't get traded and coaches move from teams to teams. Did they just think no one would let their new teams know that this team is cheating?

Alieberman wrote:What really baffles me is how stupid all of these people were that were involved. How did they not think they would get caught? It's not like players don't get traded and coaches move from teams to teams. Did they just think no one would let their new teams know that this team is cheating?

What they figured was that if they were caught later it wouldn’t matter because the steroids era proved that MLB would look the other way and totally cover up rampant cheating.

And they were 100% right.

The Yankees and other teams complained. The Astros laughed it off and MLB did nothing. Two years later a pitcher went public and a twitter personality (@Jomboy) provided proof, so MLB conducted a sham investigation that barely punished two people and let all the players off the hook.

How many bangs on the trash can to signal “fastball to the ear hole”?

I call bullshit.

When the best player in baseball, who doesn’t have a negative thing to say about anyone comes after you, well....

ya, man - the Trout comments caught me off guard...in fact, all the player comments from the big guys have caught me off guard.

its not typical to see players attacking other players, but this was so unprecedented (the cheating and the way it was done and for the length of time) that new feelings are coming out and old school worker alignment has been fractured.

check your era-hole Springer - whom im told was one of the most vocal and egregious offenders.

Take away Altuve’s MVP too.

I've never seen player's go after other player's like this. This is bigger than steroids or heading that way. I mean if Mike Trout is saying that that's huge!

Lando05 wrote:I've never seen player's go after other player's like this. This is bigger than steroids or heading that way. I mean if Mike Trout is saying that that's huge!

People hate cheaters, plain and simple. Win it the right way or get off the field

Lando05 wrote:I've never seen player's go after other player's like this. This is bigger than steroids or heading that way. I mean if Mike Trout is saying that that's huge!

Part of the problem is that Altuva acted like a real ass during that entire 2017 run. Also people hate bad apologies and not owning up to things. Those apologies by the Astros players and Owner was a complete joke. They didn't own up to anything and didn't even act remorseful at all. Then you have Correa out there telling people to "shut the f up" about the scandal. Whoever advised these guys needs to be looking for a new job as well.

UofAlum05 wrote:

Lando05 wrote:I've never seen player's go after other player's like this. This is bigger than steroids or heading that way. I mean if Mike Trout is saying that that's huge!

Part of the problem is that Altuva acted like a real ass during that entire 2017 run. Also people hate bad apologies and not owning up to things. Those apologies by the Astros players and Owner was a complete joke. They didn't own up to anything and didn't even act remorseful at all. Then you have Correa out there telling people to "shut the f up" about the scandal. Whoever advised these guys needs to be looking for a new job as well.

The Asterisks’ PR team probably thought this would be as easy as hitting a pitch you know is coming. Then the owner got out there and word-saladed his way through a non-apology and the rest of those cheaters took their cues.

Here’s an idea... When there is ample evidence you cheated all the way through winning a title, and MLB decides not to take away that title, don’t tell the world you earned that trophy. That’s not going to make anyone like you more or cut you one iota of slack. And now you’ve got Asterisk pitchers talking about how players who don’t have to face them are chirping the loudest, implying that THEY are going to hit players who criticize them after Dusty had to beg MLB to say something about pitchers hitting THEM?

Bunch of fucking assclowns...

Going to be an interesting year. Can you imagine if the team batting average falls 50 points by June. They won’t be able to talk that one away

I don't like the Angels but I'm tempted to buy tickets to the opening series against Astros just to see the entertainment.

Anytime the Astros play on the road the home team should give away trash can bobble heads.

azgreg wrote:Anytime the Astros play on the road the home team should give away trash can bobble heads.

Fans should just continually chant "Shame" a la Game of Thrones every time an Astro is in the batters box.

azcat49 wrote:Going to be an interesting year. Can you imagine if the team batting average falls 50 points by June. They won’t be able to talk that one away

Chicat wrote:

i saw the video above a few weeks ago and was floored - this is why all the players are so pissed.

it’s real time decoding that can only be done with advanced technology with premeditated intent.

im all for sign stealing and getting a pitcher who’s tipping and figuring out sequence and tendency and tells and all that other bullshit, but what was done by the Astros is so far over the line it’s hard to put into words, and even worse how long it was executed and tolerated by everyone involved, top to bottom.

97cats wrote:i saw the video above a few weeks ago and was floored - this is why all the players are so pissed.

it’s real time decoding that can only be done with advanced technology with premeditated intent.

im all for sign stealing and getting a pitcher who’s tipping and figuring out sequence and tendency and tells and all that other bullshit, but what was done by the Astros is so far over the line it’s hard to put into words, and even worse how long it was executed and tolerated by everyone involved, top to bottom.

Absolutely. And don’t give me this shit about “Altuve didn’t cheat”. BULLSHIT. Even if he never got a signal he was still the most influential guy in that locker room. You’re going to tell me he didn’t know? Or that he knew, was against it, but didn’t stop it? The balls on these cheating assholes...

even if he (Altuve) didn’t get the signs, he benefited greatly from the team impact of getting and using the signs.

more plate appearances, longer at bats for teammates, extended innings and pitches for the opposition, expedited bullpen turnover, natural attrition, etc., etc., etc, that helped with his “clean” at bats.

it’s all bullshit, period. knowing what’s coming with certainty in real time totally changes the game, and the ripple effect to all of baseball far too great.

97cats wrote:i saw the video above a few weeks ago and was floored - this is why all the players are so pissed.

it’s real time decoding that can only be done with advanced technology with premeditated intent.

im all for sign stealing and getting a pitcher who’s tipping and figuring out sequence and tendency and tells and all that other bullshit, but what was done by the Astros is so far over the line it’s hard to put into words, and even worse how long it was executed and tolerated by everyone involved, top to bottom.

Exactly cheating in real time effects the outcome of the game in real time. Steroids didn't do that. I'm still floored they were doing this and if the buzzer rumors are true jesus what else were the cooking up?

Hadn’t thought of this before, but what might be elevating the anger from the players is the prospect of all video being banned during games. So, no more going into the clubhouse and watching film of your swings or pitches to make in-game adjustments.

The black Sox were all banned for throwing a World Series and while this is not the same it definitely impacted the 17 and 18 outcome. Since Cora was the architect, hoe has he not been banned for life?

The stros received the max 5m fine and I think the teams they beat should get a full share of the WS money distributed to the Astro players.

Oh boy! We’ve now reached the “We are getting death threats on social media” sob story bullshit part of this saga.

Oh yeah? Show them to us. Let’s see people threatening to kill you. Because, well... you’re all a bunch of lying cheaters and no one should believe a fucking word you say.

It’s ingrained in their culture. They just can’t help stealing signs.

Snowflakes

Victims of the Deep State.

An off speed pitch that got away.

UofAlum05 wrote:

An off speed pitch that got away.

Asterisks have already been plunked seven times this spring. Which is something they should probably get used to.

The idea of throwing at them is kinda ridiculous. Yeah they deserve it...but lets not be barbaric. Throwing in baseball is so unnecessary and immature.

UAEebs86 wrote:

Stop booing? Oh honey....

I’m hoping someone hits Altuve with one of those metal Oscar the Grouch garbage cans as he rounds third.