Houston Astros caught cheating in 2017: Manager and GM......FIRED! Dusty Baker HIRED!

playahaitian

Rising Star
Certified Pussy Poster
Yup. Crane should have just shut the fuck up.

I did not realize first how MUCH people been hating on crane

and also how sloppy he was on the mike

and just how BAD that press conference was

cause it pissed off and offended people who SUPPORTED the Astros even

Astros FANS were pissed after that

how in the HELL you do that?!?!?
 

playahaitian

Rising Star
Certified Pussy Poster
Also some PR firm gave themselves some bad advice

notice they NEVER say the word "cheat"

Its always we broke the rules.
 

spider705

Light skin, non ADOS Lebron hater!
BGOL Investor
"And then the terms you use is very "white" sounding... "
So, using english properly is "white sounding" now? If this is a part of your argument then it fails miserably. In fact your whole argument fails utterly because you attempt to correlate a PRACTICE with a CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. The two are not even in the same ballpark (pun intended).

Let's break it down. The PRACTICE of "stealing signs (bases?) is done out in the open. The signs aren't locked in a safe nor are they of any intrinsic value whatsoever. They are not subject to criminal statutes. "Stealing" them isn't a crime. It is a practice that has been going on in baseball since the very beginning. As, such, it is an ACCEPTED practice because all teams both use signs and attempt to decipher the other teams' signs. Why? To gain an advantage certainly but how much of an advantage? Well, none actually because just like in the game of Poker, are you reading an actual "tell" or are you reading a tell that the person wants you to read? So it is with baseball. You don't know what you're looking at because you don't know if the other team is giving true or false signs. And so it basically cancels itself out. As well as what I have already mentioned about the difficulties in relaying signs as they happen.
Now what the Astros did by using algorithms and buzzers or garbage cans to transmit PREVIOUSLY DECIPHERED signals to hitter PRIOR TO the pitch is cheating plain and simple because the other team has no means of countering it, which is the total opposite of the sign "stealing" that has been going on since the dawn of baseball.
If you can't see the difference I don't know what to tell you.


Other than pick up a dictionary every once in a while.
Dude, don't play semantics with me. You know exactly what I mean when I say that deciphering signs is a fancy way of saying STEALING signs. It's a common practice white people use all the time where they put a spin on something to try to make it sound less menacing. Let's not get into who has a better command of the English language... that's just taking away from the point you're trying to make but failing miserably at doing.

Let's take it away from baseball for a sec... legal does not mean right. It was legal for people to own people... legal to keep women from voting... legal to stop someone from being in a certain area due to their skin color... although a bit extreme, this is no different in the sense that just because something is legal does not make it right.

Stealing bases, that's an asinine comparison. THAT is a part of the game that in no way gives one team an inherent advantage over the other, and even if it does there's the ability to nullify that with pick off plays, throws to the bag to keep the base runner honest, or a catcher with a hose that can get the ball there in time to get the out.

Stolen signs on the base path or from the first/third base coaches then relaying them to the batter is no different than banging a trash can. One is stupid and loud and very noticeable while the other oods just as sneaky and deceiving as masking the signs to keep them from being "deciphered" in the first place.

And again, the only thing that was proven the Astros used were trash cans.... algorithms... buzzers...? Laughable and shows the levels of petty a "purist" is willing to stoop to in order to discredit a team's success.

Like I say, this punishment is sufficient in the eyes of the MLB because they know it's way more dirt being done by the teams in the league that they don't want to surface.
 

knightmelodic

American fruit, Afrikan root.
BGOL Investor
Dude, don't play semantics with me. You know exactly what I mean when I say that deciphering signs is a fancy way of saying STEALING signs. It's a common practice white people use all the time where they put a spin on something to try to make it sound less menacing. Let's not get into who has a better command of the English language... that's just taking away from the point you're trying to make but failing miserably at doing.

Let's take it away from baseball for a sec... legal does not mean right. It was legal for people to own people... legal to keep women from voting... legal to stop someone from being in a certain area due to their skin color... although a bit extreme, this is no different in the sense that just because something is legal does not make it right.

Stealing bases, that's an asinine comparison. THAT is a part of the game that in no way gives one team an inherent advantage over the other, and even if it does there's the ability to nullify that with pick off plays, throws to the bag to keep the base runner honest, or a catcher with a hose that can get the ball there in time to get the out.

Stolen signs on the base path or from the first/third base coaches then relaying them to the batter is no different than banging a trash can. One is stupid and loud and very noticeable while the other oods just as sneaky and deceiving as masking the signs to keep them from being "deciphered" in the first place.

And again, the only thing that was proven the Astros used were trash cans.... algorithms... buzzers...? Laughable and shows the levels of petty a "purist" is willing to stoop to in order to discredit a team's success.

Like I say, this punishment is sufficient in the eyes of the MLB because they know it's way more dirt being done by the teams in the league that they don't want to surface.

First, you should check the definition os semantics because you're using it incorrectly in this sense.
Second, how would I know (or care) what you mean unless you make it plain? I don't read minds. Especially short stories.
Third, attempting to equate things that were legal in the past and were LEGISLATED by the Congress of the unites states is juuuuuuust a bit different than a baseball practice.
Stealing bases, as in stealing signs. Get it? Same language. It's called an idiom I-D-I-O-M. And as I already explained, there are countermeasures to sign stealing.
The rest of that stuff is just a nonsensical word salad you threw together in an attempt to buttress a weak and untenable position. The Astros cheated. Live with it. That Manfred did nothing to the cheats is a travesty.
 

jack walsh13

Jack Walsh 13
BGOL Investor
I did not realize first how MUCH people been hating on crane

and also how sloppy he was on the mike

and just how BAD that press conference was

cause it pissed off and offended people who SUPPORTED the Astros even

Astros FANS were pissed after that

how in the HELL you do that?!?!?
It was clear he didn't really know how to address the issue. He would have been better off not even scheduling a meeting with the media

8uCaWo.jpg
 

spider705

Light skin, non ADOS Lebron hater!
BGOL Investor
First, you should check the definition os semantics because you're using it incorrectly in this sense.
Second, how would I know (or care) what you mean unless you make it plain? I don't read minds. Especially short stories.
Third, attempting to equate things that were legal in the past and were LEGISLATED by the Congress of the unites states is juuuuuuust a bit different than a baseball practice.
Stealing bases, as in stealing signs. Get it? Same language. It's called an idiom I-D-I-O-M. And as I already explained, there are countermeasures to sign stealing.
The rest of that stuff is just a nonsensical word salad you threw together in an attempt to buttress a weak and untenable position. The Astros cheated. Live with it. That Manfred did nothing to the cheats is a travesty.
It seems you concern yourself more with correcting my usage of words vs actually having a defensible point, which usually happens when you really have no response that explains the illogical one you've already ran with. No worries, friend... we're gonna end this conversation like this:

Show me in the mlb rule book where it says "deciphering" signs on the field during gameplay is acceptable.

Don't point me to nor reference some unwritten rule, spirit of the game, tribal law bullshit similar to that which you've constantly spewed thus far. Where's it at in the rulebook?

I know the answer already, but I'd like to read another soliloquy of yours as you flail about trying to defend your point.
 

knightmelodic

American fruit, Afrikan root.
BGOL Investor
It seems you concern yourself more with correcting my usage of words vs actually having a defensible point, which usually happens when you really have no response that explains the illogical one you've already ran with. No worries, friend... we're gonna end this conversation like this:

Show me in the mlb rule book where it says "deciphering" signs on the field during gameplay is acceptable.

Don't point me to nor reference some unwritten rule, spirit of the game, tribal law bullshit similar to that which you've constantly spewed thus far. Where's it at in the rulebook?

I know the answer already, but I'd like to read another soliloquy of yours as you flail about trying to defend your point.

Hmm. Another "I know you are but what am I" type response. Taking what I said and reworking it to your angle. Not a damn thing original. But hardly unsurprising since like most people who have completely failed to present even a slightly cogent argument you resort to trying to shift the focus or highlight some minutia in an attempt to distract from the fact that you have lost. Bigly.

But so be it, I could care less. You've been corrected in an attempt to assist you, but clearly you're too self-invested to see that. Carry on.

So, let's get to the crux of the matter as you see it, because you know nothing about the rules if you're looking for one that speaks to what you can do. It's what you cannot do. And THERE IS NO RULE AGAINST STEALING SIGNS. NONE. ZERO. ZILCH. NADA.
There is, however, a rule against using devices foreign to the game to do so. This includes binoculars, cameras, and certainly any type of electronic communication system.

So there you go. The Astros were caught. They are cheats and they should have been punished. Manfreds mistake was granting the players blanket immunity. He should have given one or two immunity and gotten them to roll and then suspended the ones who used the banned devices. It's just that simple. Sadly, you seem unable to see this fact and I, for one, am weary of trying to educate you. So you have a good day. I'm out.
 

jack walsh13

Jack Walsh 13
BGOL Investor
Correa should have shut the fuck up. Altuve is a little piece of shit. Nobody is believing the tattoo bullshit on his chest. I swear at this point they just need to shut the fuck up and take their beams and prepare to knuckle up like the Warriors in the 70's trying to get back to Coney Island. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

ES3Yvk.jpg
 

gene cisco

Not A BGOL Eunuch
BGOL Investor
All this unapologetic sh*t they trying to roll with?

Is a HORRIBLE decision

cause watch NOW?

the UNION gonna have to get involved

they aint realizing that the union is the ONLY reasons the commissioner and all the owners aint lay down the heavy hammer.

NOW they pissing off the brotherhood

everyone was willing to let this go

cause no one has COMPLETELY clean hands

but the Astros went extra (I compare it to Snoop going after Gayle, he was OK until he went EXTRA, the Astros were OK but then they had to go EXTRA and they were also collectively considered assholes throughout baseball from the Owner on down)
It's always amazing when you see businesses with all these resources getting such bad advice. Did the Astros hire the people who run Warren's campaign? Folks on sports talk discussing how bad shit was when the Astros spoke. :smh:

Professionals who can talk to PR pros and lawyers shouldn't make mistakes comparable to social media rants. To think their are people cashing BIG paychecks for giving out all this bad advice.

All I'm hearing on the radio is talk of these cats getting pitched at all season. MLB better issue a proper punishment before shit gets real. Best believe if this were the NBA with damn near all black teams, shit would be going down differently. And if retaliation during gameplay were on the table, criminal charges would be discussed, not folks saying 'the game polices itself and unwritten rules' shit.
 

playahaitian

Rising Star
Certified Pussy Poster
It's always amazing when you see businesses with all these resources getting such bad advice. Did the Astros hire the people who run Warren's campaign? Folks on sports talk discussing how bad shit was when the Astros spoke. :smh:

Professionals who can talk to PR pros and lawyers shouldn't make mistakes comparable to social media rants. To think their are people cashing BIG paychecks for giving out all this bad advice.

All I'm hearing on the radio is talk of these cats getting pitched at all season. MLB better issue a proper punishment before shit gets real. Best believe if this were the NBA with damn near all black teams, shit would be going down differently. And if retaliation during gameplay were on the table, criminal charges would be discussed, not folks saying 'the game polices itself and unwritten rules' shit.

100%

Must be the same PR firm AB using.
 

playahaitian

Rising Star
Certified Pussy Poster
It's always amazing when you see businesses with all these resources getting such bad advice. Did the Astros hire the people who run Warren's campaign? Folks on sports talk discussing how bad shit was when the Astros spoke. :smh:

Professionals who can talk to PR pros and lawyers shouldn't make mistakes comparable to social media rants. To think their are people cashing BIG paychecks for giving out all this bad advice.

All I'm hearing on the radio is talk of these cats getting pitched at all season. MLB better issue a proper punishment before shit gets real. Best believe if this were the NBA with damn near all black teams, shit would be going down differently. And if retaliation during gameplay were on the table, criminal charges would be discussed, not folks saying 'the game polices itself and unwritten rules' shit.

What's crazy?

In a weird way this story was actually amazingly disappearing

The thought was other teams had unclean hands too.

But apparently all these mlb insiders were WRONG

These baseball players and their union is TIGHT.

Boston red sox had MORE than enough money to keep Mookie

But Mookie HAD to test the free agent market

FOR HIS UNION, to set the market

Ball players hate on trout not out of jealousy but because the allegedly best player is messing the money up cause he scared of tmz etc.

Especially as a young black man boston aint like that.

The union is the key

And players were OFFENDED by the Astros behavior even BEFORE all this broke

The non apology the sh*t talk etc was pissing people off

And then all of a sudden players talking to each other realizing ok we try to steal signs
but not CHEAT WITH COMPUTERS

WTF KINDA ANALYTICS IS THAT?!

they already hate these sports nerds and you got buzzers???

Naw yall bugging!

Houston players always criticize young players for breaking unwritten rules etc like the baseball police

So now IAB on they ass

Sidebar

please please dont FORGET how they did that slanty eye hand gesture to that Asian pitcher during the world series and mlb COMPLETELY COVERED IT UP.

If the Astros had just said sorry and kept it moving? We would be done already

Now OTHER sports commenting.

This is a nightmare.
 
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jack walsh13

Jack Walsh 13
BGOL Investor
It's always amazing when you see businesses with all these resources getting such bad advice. Did the Astros hire the people who run Warren's campaign? Folks on sports talk discussing how bad shit was when the Astros spoke. :smh:

Professionals who can talk to PR pros and lawyers shouldn't make mistakes comparable to social media rants. To think their are people cashing BIG paychecks for giving out all this bad advice.

All I'm hearing on the radio is talk of these cats getting pitched at all season. MLB better issue a proper punishment before shit gets real. Best believe if this were the NBA with damn near all black teams, shit would be going down differently. And if retaliation during gameplay were on the table, criminal charges would be discussed, not folks saying 'the game polices itself and unwritten rules' shit.
Larry Bowa talked about this. If everyone knew what they were doing at the time players should have taken care if it themselves and let the Astros and the umpires know that's what were going to do until YOU do something about it. Steve Carlton, Vida Blue, Nolan Ryan etc, would have broken ribs had they did this type of fuckery back when. Oh best believe the banging of the trash cans would cease and desist in a millisecond.

5e6RlH.jpg
 

jack walsh13

Jack Walsh 13
BGOL Investor
What's crazy?

In a weird way this story was actually amazingly disappearing

The thought was other teams had unclean hands too.

But apparently all these mlb insiders were WRONG

These baseball players and their union is TIGHT.

Boston red sox had MORE than enough money to keep Mookie

But Mookie HAD to test the free agent market

FOR HIS UNION, to set the market

Ball players hate on trout not out of jealousy but because the allegedly best player is messing the money up cause he scared of tmz etc.

Especially as a young black man boston aint like that.

The union is the key

And players were OFFENDED by the Astros behavior even BEFORE all this broke

The non apology the sh*t talk etc was pissing people off

And then all of a sudden players talking to each other realizing ok we try to steal signs
but not CHEAT WITH COMPUTERS

WTF KINDA ANALYTICS IS THAT?!

they already hate these sports nerds and you got buzzers???

Naw yall bugging!

Houston players always criticize young players for breaking unwritten rules etc like the baseball police

So now IAB on they ass

Sidebar

please please dont FORGET how they did that slanty eye hand gesture to that Asian pitcher during the world series and mlb COMPLETELY COVERED IT UP.

If the Astros had just said sorry and kept it moving? We would be done already

Now OTHER sports commenting.

This is a nightmare.
Agreed. They should have kept their mouths shut. When they speak they reek of arrogance and how dare you get mad at us. You guys are just jealous. These niggas have no fucks to give. They better wear their baseball hats a size smaller cause they getting knocked off a lot in fights.

iTcoC2.jpg
 

shaddyvillethug

Rising Star
BGOL Investor
I’m dyyyyying


Spider gettin that work from old man Knight

And they should Ban ALL Latin players and Make Baseball Great Again

And co-sign gene, if this was the nba and majority black team, they woulda been charged with grand larceny and went to jail, believe that.
 

spider705

Light skin, non ADOS Lebron hater!
BGOL Investor
So, let's get to the crux of the matter as you see it, because you know nothing about the rules if you're looking for one that speaks to what you can do. It's what you cannot do. And THERE IS NO RULE AGAINST STEALING SIGNS. NONE. ZERO. ZILCH. NADA.
There is, however, a rule against using devices foreign to the game to do so. This includes binoculars, cameras, and certainly any type of electronic communication system.

So there you go. The Astros were caught. They are cheats and they should have been punished. Manfreds mistake was granting the players blanket immunity. He should have given one or two immunity and gotten them to roll and then suspended the ones who used the banned devices. It's just that simple. Sadly, you seem unable to see this fact and I, for one, am weary of trying to educate you. So you have a good day. I'm out.
*Le sigh*... talk about being unoriginal and presenting nothing new...

:hithead:

look I'll just cut out the irrelevant shit and address only the important stuff, saving you a little trouble. I know the rules so I wanted to see your knowledge on the subject before picking my response

There were NO RULES IN PLACE that said electronic devices couldn't be used. Rather it was how they were used and the placement of said devices that was laid out specifically in....

2019

this happened in 2017... and the Astros were well within the rules defined in 2019 when this happened in 2017. The monitor can't be in the dugout, but in a hallway leading to the clubhouse or trainers tables... fair game. The only rule that mentions anything about stealing signs was signed back in 1961 and that banned "mechanical devices." (Buzzers, lights, etc.) As time passed and technology evolved there were no updates to this rule until 2017 which said what could/couldn't be used, then again in 2019 which said where these things had to be placed in relation to the field of play. That's why you had the incident with the Red Sox and the apple watch back in 2017... because there was nothing saying they couldn't be used. The Astros found a loophole and exploited it... the same thing that the MLB KNOWS other teams are doing but don't want exposed... so they back off.

As for the Judge picture, that was posted for a reason. Every team takes photos using what's called an edgeteonic camera, and it's purpose is to watch the pitchers to see arm angles, release points, etc. It was petitioned by the players and coaches and teams in general as a tool to study mechanics for their pitching staff. But that camera stays trained on the pitcher the entire time... ssssooooooo guess what else it picks up? Catcher's signs.

And this stuff isn't being analyzed by a person... thanks to technology this camera's pictures feed into apps, analytics spreadsheets, etc and then it's broken down, decoded, and given to the teams. One guy (a minor leaguer) said that "a team has decoded the catcher's signs and pitcher's release points/arm angles, are actively communicating that to the hitter, and essentially know every pitch coming by the time the 4th or 5th person has batted AT THE LATEST." He said this has been going on since 2014 or sooner, that what the Astros did was behind the times for when they were doing in 2017 and that teams had evolved past that.

So again, this punishment is about as far as it will ever go because the mlb knows that the advent of technology and its usage has ruined the purity of their game, that every team does what the Astros did in some way, shape, or form, and the last thing they want is this information getting out. So save your purist bullshit for someone that gives a fuck. This game has evolved and the so called "acceptable" cheating has moved into the age of technology while the game itself and its archaic rulebook has been woefully behind for YEARS now.

And as far as the players go, not really worth addressing... will just say that I guess you've never dealt with unions before. Trust me had they gone after a player shit would have hit the fan because they'd have went scorched earth snitching on EVERYBODY. The mlb did what they did to cover their own ass.
 

playahaitian

Rising Star
Certified Pussy Poster
Aaron Boone on Yankees’ huge expectations, Astros cheating scandal
By Steve Serby
February 8, 2020 | 6:13pm


Yankees manager Aaron Boone huddles with Post columnist Steve Serby for some Q&A covering expectations, the addition of Gerrit Cole and the Astros’ scandal.
Q: What do you hope the mindset of your team will be?
A: We’re focused on being champions, and that’s the kind of singular mindset I want these guys to have coming in. We’ve been knocking on the door now, even going back the year before I was here, so these guys have tasted big successes, have tasted postseason success, have tasted postseason failure, they’ve been through a lot. We got the scars to prove it. But I think everyone understands what’s at stake. I feel like we’re a team that has championship intangibles. We just haven’t been able to push through yet, and we’re hoping that this is that year. But it’s also a long way to go, too. We’ve gotta make sure we’re taking care of our business and making sure we’re taking care of the details and kind of laying that foundation to go out and have a successful season and put ourselves in a position to do something special in October.
Q: What championship intangibles are you referring to?
A: I just feel like we have a group that’s very hungry. I feel like, to a man, it’s about winning. There’s not a lot of selfish motives in our clubhouse. I feel like these guys are tough. I feel like we have a lot of those qualities. I certainly felt that way last year, and that’s why it was such a difficult ending. I think we felt even all the way to the end that we were gonna get there, we were gonna find a way. So nothing’s changed in that department, but it’s also a new year too, and you’ve gotta continue to not take that stuff for granted.
Q: How do you manage these great expectations for your team?
A: Well, we embrace ’em. We certainly don’t run from ’em. I think we have the kind of guys that are equipped to handle all that comes with these kind of expectations. We try and prepare ourselves as best we can and put guys in position as best we can to be able to meet those expectations. You do it by grinding away each and every day, but also embracing the expectations that come.
Q: What is your biggest challenge or concern?
A: Obviously last year was a year in which we dealt with a lot of health issues, but also had a lot of people step up and got some really good answers on a number of people that were required to step in and contribute. My concerns are just the day to day. My focus right now is on spring training. Spring training entails trying to get individuals ready. We’re not trying to win games, obviously, down here, we’re trying to get individuals ready, and everyone’s a little but different. Some guys are coming off injury, some guys are veterans that you’re gonna slow-play a little bit more in spring. Some guys are trying to compete a little bit more for a job. So my focus right now is on making sure we’re getting the proper work in behind the scenes as far as our defensive work, our work in the weight room, and in the bullpen, in the batting cage, all those things, that we’re paying attention and really making sure we’re getting after it each and every day so that we can lay that foundation that puts us in a good position to go out and potentially win a championship.
Enlarge ImageYankees manager Aaron BooneCharles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Q: Does being manager of the Yankees get the competitive juices flowing inside you, and is it a fun job?
A: Oh, I love it. I love it every day. Getting to work for the Steinbrenner family, for [general manager] Brian Cashman and the relationship I have with the front office and my coaching staff and my staff overall, I can honestly say I look forward to going to work every single day, even when it’s a little rough, or you’re going through a rough patch, or you’re facing some adversity, it’s a lot of people that I want to go through that with. As far as the juices flowing, absolutely. We want to go out and be a champion, and it adds for a lot of motivation when you know what that prize is.
Q: Describe new pitching coach Matt Blake.
A: We went through a pretty extensive process, interviewed quite a few candidates, and came away feeling really good about him and his potential, his content, his understanding of pitching, what we believe is his ability to relate to guys with that content. As the offseason’s unfolded, seeing him out the last couple of days out of our minor league complex where a number of guys are already here working out, seeing him interact, I continue to be really excited about his potential in this job. He’s smart, he understands pitching, he understands pitching mechanics, I feel like he can talk it, he can relate with guys and teach and explain.
Q: Director of player health and performance Eric Cressey.
A: I finally met Cressey in person the other day. I feel like he is one of the elite people in this industry at understanding the sports science and the body and strength and conditioning and how it relates to the training side, the medical side of things, and his ability to tie that all in together, I’m really excited about where we are now a couple of months into him kind of leading that endeavor.
Q: What are you expectations for Giancarlo Stanton?
A: I got really high expectations. I think he’s gonna have a great year. I felt that way last year. Obviously the injury bug got him and the second one, when he came back and hurt his knee on kind of a freaky kind of slide into third, I just felt like everything we were seeing from him last year in Year 2 was … just a look he had, a presence he had, his process, his at-bat quality at the start of the season, and then right away when he came back from the injury and then even what we saw at the end of the year in limited play in the postseason, I felt like he was really poised and in a great mental frame of mind to go out and have a huge year, and I feel that way right now. Obviously the key will just be keeping him on the field, but knowing that he’s coming in physically in a really good place.
Q: Aaron Judge?
A: I think he’s one of the best players in the game, and my expectation is that he’s gonna go out and continue to show that. He’s kind of the face of our team and one of the leaders of our club. Really confident that he’ll go out and continue to be that awesome two-way player. Another guy that got hit with a couple of injuries that have cost him a couple of months the last couple of years. Again, do all we can go kind of keep him healthy and watch him go out and have one of those special, special seasons.
Q: Gleyber Torres making the switch back to shortstop?
A: I thought he even took a step forward from the previous year, which was an excellent year as far as defensively. And now, switching him back to a full-time shortstop, which is where he’s played all his life, which is where he came up in the minor leagues as, so it’s a natural position for him. He’s one of those guys that as a great player, most of the time, they want to be great. I think he’s put in a lot of work in the way he prepares in the offseason to get his body ready to go, but also, I feel like his routine going back to last year and now as it continues to evolve in his daily routine, I feel like continues to get better and better, which allows him to have the consistency that we’re gonna need out of him as your everyday shortstop.

https://nypost.com/2020/02/04/yankees-sneak-peek-of-dangerous-lineup-comes-with-warning/
Q: No concerns about any footwork issues?
A: No.
Q: With CC Sabathia gone, who fills the leadership void?
A: We’ll see. I feel like we have a number of guys that kind of lead us in different ways, and have a powerful voice in our room, or set the tone with simply how they go about their job. I feel like we’re very much equipped to handle that transition as we lose one of our pillars in that regard. So, I’m not worried about it, and it’s something that I’m sure will naturally happen with different guys kinda stepping into different roles.
Q: Describe Gary Sanchez behind the plate.
A: I think he’s way better than the narrative, and I think he continues to improve at it. I think it’s something that’s really important to him, and I think we’ve seen him grow just in his relationship with pitchers, with his understanding of game-planning and game-calling. And has worked very hard in the last couple of years at his craft, becoming a better receiver. We have a new catching instructor this year, Tanner Swanson, that I think is as good as there is in the sport, and I’m looking forward to their relationship developing to a point where we continue to see Gary continue to make improvements on the defensive side of the ball.
Q: How exciting is it for you knowing you’ve got Gerrit Cole and a healthy Luis Severino poised to return?
A: (Chuckle) Obviously very. In Gerrit we’re seeing a guy in the prime of his career, arguably the best pitcher in the sport right now. Getting to know him a little bit now this winter, and obviously going through the free-agent process, looking forward to continue to get to know the person a little bit more, I feel like he’s another guy that not only brings a great player and a great pitcher between the lines, but also a guy that’s gonna have a positive impact in our clubhouse, in our room, in our culture, which is really important to me. Sevy’s now been through a lot in this game. He’s been a Cy Young candidate, he’s gotten to the big leagues fast, he’s gone through some tough times, he’s gone through some failures, he’s gone through massive successes, he’s gone through an injury-plagued season now, but his talent and determination, coupled with those experiences that he’s had already as a young man, I think will only benefit him going forward, and looking forward to what he’s gonna be able to do for us this year.
Q: What is the state of your bullpen?
A: Bullpen we’re obviously really excited, we got Chappy [Aroldis Chapman] back, signing him back was huge, so we have our closer. We saw what [Zack] Britton was able to do last year, and he’s another year removed from his Achilles injury a couple of years ago. [Adam] Ottavino had a great year and [Tommy] Kahnle had a great year, and we’re excited about what Chad Green brings to the table, and then you add guys like [Luis] Cessa and [Jonathan] Holder, and we’re excited about what Jonathan Loaisiga potentially brings to a bullpen. And also one of the things we’re excited about this spring is kind of that next wave of great pitching prospects that we have that are starting to get close to being a factor. We’ve added four of five elite pitching prospects to our 40-man this year and we’re gonna get a look at them in spring training, and those guys have the potential to impact us maybe at the start of the season, could be at different points of the season.

https://nypost.com/2020/02/08/yanke...attles-intriguing-newcomer-comeback-to-watch/
Q: Your bench?
A: A 26-man this year, so that’s nice to have that extra position player. We feel like we’re gonna have a lot of great options, and a lot of hopefully some interchangeable parts where you’re rotating some guys through the DH spot, whether they’re outfielders, infielders. … We saw what Tyler Wade, and Thairo Estrada were able to do and continue to be excited about their futures. Kyle Higashioka’s gonna get that crack at finally being that backup catcher, and we’re really excited about what he can do in that role. So we feel like we’ll have a bench that on a night in, night out basis, capable of keeping guys fresh. … Hopefully we’re able to reach our potential, not just because of our top 10, 15, 20 guys, but because of the depth of our club through 26 and even beyond that, to 30, 35 guys.
Q: Third base is wide open?
A: Gio [Urshela] last year showed on both sides of the ball what kind of player he is, so I would say he comes in with the job to kind of lose, but we also know what Miguel Andujar was able to do the year before, almost won the Rookie of the Year, we know what kind of a player he is. He’s actually working out at third, first and the outfield here this spring to see what that looks like, to see if that can kinda add to his versatility.
Q: What can DJ LeMahieu do for an encore?
A: (Chuckle) I don’t know, I just want him to go out and be healthy and be himself, and if that’s the case, then I’m confident he’ll go out and have another outstanding year for us.
Q: What is it about Brett Gardner that you admire so much?
A: First, he’s a really good player, and a really good two-way player. The year he’s coming off, where his power really plays, he’s able to take advantage of our ballpark that suits him well. There’s a toughness that he brings day in and day out, kind of that blue-collar mentality. He’s obviously one of the leading voices in our clubhouse, and I think he’s one of the true tone-setters for our team and kind of the grit that these guys have.
Q: Does Clint Frazier fit in anywhere?
A: He certainly gonna have that opportunity. His ceiling is very high. The ability’s there for him to be an impact player. It’s just about him continuing to take advantage of opportunities when they’re there. He’s been working very hard on his game now really since I’ve been here, his work ethic has been very strong.
Q: CC said recently the Yankees would have won the 2017 World Series if the Astros hadn’t stolen signs.
A: Obviously I wasn’t here in ’17, but this is something that kind of rocked the baseball world, and understandably so. I’m just glad it seems like what Major League Baseball has done is to hopefully eliminate that and curtail that and keep it a more fair-playing, a level playing field and eliminate some of the cheating that’s clearly gone on. Because in the end, you only want the game decided between the lines, and I feel like the steps Major League Baseball has taken this winter with some of the penalties, that’ll go a long way in helping to ensure that.
Q: Did you have any suspicions in the past two years?
A: Yeah, I think you always have suspicions. I think the nature of the game the last few years, whether it’s legal sign stealing or the belief that some teams may be doing something that’s not necessarily legal, you never really know. But you’re always trying to guard against those kind of things, and I feel like with some of the penalties Major League Baseball has put in, hopefully that alleviates a lot of those fears that a lot of people have rightfully had.
Q: What did you think of one voter voting against Derek Jeter in the Hall of Fame?
A: Silly. I don’t really like to pay it much mind, though. Every year I feel like on some level we go through this. I think it’s silly and ridiculous, but I also don’t give it that much attention.

https://nypost.com/2020/01/22/hall-...g-derek-jeter-dissenter-should-be-overturned/
Q: What are your thoughts about the Kobe Bryant tragedy?
A: About as sad as it gets. Families now displaced. One of the great athletes of our time, and the relationship that he had with his daughter, and all the stories of the other people on the plane. Just one of those things that’s about as sad as it gets, and just really kind of hurt for all the people involved.
Q: Is anything short of a World Series championship a failure this season?
A: That’s the goal, that’s what we set out to do. I don’t really look at it that way. It’s February right now, we’re coming to spring training with a team capable of being a championship team. That’s our expectation, that’s our focus, that’s what we’re working towards, and I look forward to go and find out what we’re able to do.
Q: What is your message to Yankees fans?
A: Continue to bring it. Continue to be the best fans in the game. We have a great team, and a team that you should be proud to call your own.
 

playahaitian

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Agreed. They should have kept their mouths shut. When they speak they reek of arrogance and how dare you get mad at us. You guys are just jealous. These niggas have no fucks to give. They better wear their baseball hats a size smaller cause they getting knocked off a lot in fights.

iTcoC2.jpg

Uh oh

Mike Trout just went in

Mike trout?

This is gonna end up being not a blemish but a damn lost limb on baseball
 

jack walsh13

Jack Walsh 13
BGOL Investor
Uh oh

Mike Trout just went in

Mike trout?

This is gonna end up being not a blemish but a damn lost limb on baseball
Cuz, they gettin fucked up all year. And everyone is pissed at Manfred for not disciplining the Astros players for this. They'll be no protection from the commissioner's office for Houston. Them niggas on their own. :lol: :lol: :lol: Man I can't wait for spring training and the regular season to start!!!

Y9t6We.jpg
 

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Dodgers' Justin Turner irate with 'out of touch' commissioner Rob Manfred
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  • ESPN
An offseason of anger for the Los Angeles Dodgers again boiled over Monday as third baseman Justin Turner took aim at Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred.
Turner took umbrage with the commissioner's characterization of the World Series trophy a day after Manfred called it a "piece of metal" when talking with ESPN's Karl Ravech about the possibility of stripping the Houston Astros of their 2017 title.
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"I don't know if the commissioner has ever won anything in his life," Turner told reporters Monday, according to the Los Angeles Times. "Maybe he hasn't. But the reason every guy's in this room, the reason every guy is working out all offseason, and showing up to camp early and putting in all the time and effort is specifically for that trophy, which, by the way, is called the commissioner's trophy.
"So for him to devalue it the way he did yesterday just tells me how out of touch he is with the players in this game. At this point the only thing devaluing that trophy is that it says 'commissioner' on it."
Turner remains displeased with the punishment meted out by MLB in the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal. Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch were suspended for a year and ultimately fired by the team, yet no active players were disciplined.
Commissioner Rob Manfred, handing the World Series trophy to Royals owner David Glass in 2015, is "out of touch" with players, Justin Turner said. Al Bello/Pool Photo/USA TODAY Sports
"Now anyone who goes forward and cheats to win a World Series," Turner said, "they can live with themselves knowing that, 'Oh, it's OK. ... We'll cheat in the World Series and bring the title back to L.A. Screw [manager] Dave Roberts and screw [general manager] Andrew [Friedman]. It's just those guys losing their jobs. I still get to be called a champion the rest of my life.' So the precedent was set by him yesterday in this case."

Turner added that he doesn't think Manfred did enough to uncover everything the Astros may have been doing in their sign-stealing scheme. The league's investigation revealed a system in which the Astros were able to decipher a catcher's signs in real time and relay them to the batter via bangs on a trash can.
"I think it all comes down to everyone keeps saying, 'The facts, the facts. You don't know the facts. These are the facts,'" Turner said. "I don't think anyone knows the facts. I think everyone just wants to hear all the facts. And I think that the commissioner didn't do a good job of revealing all the facts to us. I still think there's some stuff we don't know."
Turner is the latest member of the Dodgers, losers of the 2017 World Series to the Astros, to sound off about Houston.
Closer Kenley Jansen called the Astros' cheating "worse than steroids." Right-hander Ross Stripling said he would "lean toward yes" when asked whether he'd bean a Houston player if he were given the chance in a game. And reigning NL MVP Cody Bellinger went scorched earth, going as far as to say the Astros stole the 2017 World Series from the Dodgers and that Houston second baseman Jose Altuve stole the AL MVP award that year from Aaron Judge of the Yankees
 

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Yankees SS Gleyber Torres believes Astros cheated the past three years
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  • Marly RiveraESPN Writer
TAMPA, Fla. -- Did the Houston Astros' sign-stealing practices continue past the 2017 postseason? New York Yankees shortstop Gleyber Torres has no doubt that it did.
"For sure. If you cheated in 2017 and you won, why don't [you] do [it] the next year, and the next year, too!" Torres said. "I'll use an example: If I play video games with you and we face the TV and I see your controller and I know what is coming and I hit really well and I win, if you tell me we play again, I'll do the same thing because I win. So [the Astros] did in '17 for sure, they did in '18 and they do '19. It's really easy."
Torres was referring to playing the video game "MLB: The Show" against Yankees pitcher Luis Severino, where he admitted to peeking at his teammate's controller to see what pitch was coming.
"When I face like Severino, I saw the controller and I did really well and he didn't know, and the next one I did the same thing and I win!" Torres added.
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An investigation by MLB proved the Astros had cheated by using a camera-based, sign-stealing system during their 2017 World Series-winning regular season and playoffs, and during part of the 2018 regular season. The investigation specified that sign stealing did not take place in 2019, which Torres finds hard to believe.
"I heard many people say, 'Hey, Houston has something on the field,'" he said. "But I can't believe it because how would you know they have something like media, cameras, everything. But now, I saw the news. It's not fair."
In terms of whether sign stealing could have been a factor during the 2019 playoffs, where the Yankees lost in the American League Championship Series to Houston in six games, Torres fell short of blaming it on cheating by the Astros.
"I don't want to say they cheated and we didn't go to the World Series, because we lost because we missed too many opportunities, when we played at home, when we played in Houston too," Torres said. "But during the regular season and postseason they took advantage of the cameras and everything so for sure, I'm [upset] about that."
New Yankees ace Gerrit Cole was with the Astros in 2018 and '19. He said last week that he "had no idea any of it was going on and I didn't see any of it."
Manager Aaron Boone has repeatedly said that he wants to move forward from having to face questions about the Astros' cheating scandal, but said Torres, as well as many Yankees, will continue to feel the need to have a say in the matter.
"I'm not surprised," Boone said when told of Torres' comments. "My experience of it, my level of emotions that I've gone through personally, and not even having a total grasp of it all and not having even reconciled it all in my head, and I know some of the conversations that I've had with staff and coaches and people around the league, but our players as well, from their raw emotions when the news broke. And as the days unfold, I'm not surprised by what we've seen. Over the next couple of days, as our position players are here now, I think it's important for them to say whatever they need to say on the matter. If they want to talk about it or not, I'm respectful of that and encourage that. But there will be a time also as a club when it'll be time to stop talking about it, and lock in on the important business we have in front of us in 2020."

When asked whether he agrees with Dodgers' All-Star outfielder Cody Bellinger, who claimed Jose Altuve "stole" the MVP award from Aaron Judge in 2017, Torres told ESPN that there is no way to know that now. Torres is a friend of fellow Venezuelan Altuve, and is close to him, though they have not spoken since the MLB investigation.
"In Venezuela, Altuve is a hero. I don't want to say that during the [2017] regular season he didn't put up his numbers or what he did is not real. I really believe that everything he has done is legal," Torres told ESPN. "But in some situations, I think about what the team did, and the use of a camera and everything, and it doesn't really feel very good."
"In 2017, I was injured; I wasn't in the big leagues. I can't say many things about that year. But Altuve had a tremendous season. He had tremendous numbers in the playoffs, but if you look at Judge's numbers, he also did very well. He had a tremendous season as well. But, of course, those are the things that get out of hand. But the personal relationship I have with Altuve will not change. Altuve is my friend, and he is a good person, a humble person. But when things like this happen, they affect baseball. This is what happens when you don't follow the rules."
 

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Red Sox's J.D. Martinez thinks Astros-bashing a bit much
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  • Joon LeeESPN
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The passionate reaction around baseball regarding the Astros' sign-stealing scandal continues to capture the attention of the sport, with stars like Justin Turner and Mike Trout speaking out against MLB's punishment of Houston on Monday, but Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez said he believes the discourse around baseball was "getting a little bit too much."
"I understand players' frustrations and stuff like that, but I think in my opinion, it's already getting a little bit too much," Martinez said. "We have to move past it at some point. We can't continue to talk about it. I know it's frustrating right now. People want to talk about it, this and that, but it's 2020. I think teams are aware of everything that's kind of happened.
"... From here on out, it's going to be a different message in the clubhouses and a different environment with people, like steroids. The punishments were so harsh that people weren't going to attempt to think about doing anymore. I think it will get to that point."
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Martinez, 32, a three-time All-Star and Silver Slugger Award winner, also defended MLB commissioner Rob Manfred's decision to grant the players immunity, saying that the facts of the situation would not have emerged otherwise.
"One hundred percent they wouldn't have," Martinez said. "That's the way it is. There was never any hard core facts that were jumping out at you. If it weren't for players talking and getting that immunity, I don't think no one would have ever have said anything."
Martinez's comments come as the Red Sox await their fate in MLB's investigation of alleged sign stealing during 2018 World Series title year. Manfred said Sunday that a decision could come within the next week.
Martinez did, however, take issue with the announcement from Manfred that MLB is in talks with the players' union to further restrict in-game use of video, such as when hitters go to the clubhouse to review their at-bats before returning to the dugout.
"I think it's really important for us to send a message to our fans," Manfred said, "that not only did we investigate and punish, but we altered our policies in a way to help make sure it doesn't happen again."
The Boston designated hitter uses video extensively in his preparation, recording every swing during batting practice and routinely breaking down footage to check for any irregularities in his swing, playing a major role in his success following his release from the Astros before the 2014 season.
"He said there are going to be some restrictions, but I think to go out there and take all video out and you're not allowed to look at at-bats, I think is a little ridiculous in my opinion," Martinez said. "All of these kids now, when I was in the minor leagues, Double-A, Triple-A, we had video systems. ... You always go back and check something in your swing and it helps you throughout the game. To all of a sudden take that away is a little extreme."
Martinez continued: "The way the at-bat system works is like you're watching the game live from NESN. You watch it on NESN, can you steal the signs? It's too hard. It's cutting in and out. There's a guy eating a sausage and they're talking about him eating a hot dog and this sausage and then all of a sudden ... there's the pitch. I think it's a little bit extreme to say all of that.

"Maybe they should become more informed on what exactly you can do and talk to players who have played. 'Hey, does this help? How can we monitor it?' If you want to delay it, delay it, whatever you have to do, but to sit there and take that away, for me, it's what makes me, me. I'm a very analytical guy. I like to study what my back foot is doing, my elbow. There's a lot of guys who are like that, and that's the trend of the game and the way the game has gone."
Martinez also suggested that limiting access to video could diminish the offensive production on the field.
"You start taking angles away, you're just making it harder," Martinez said. "What does the commissioner want? More offense, more offense, but you're going to limit hitters for doing that? I think it's tough."
 
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