JotCast | Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat

Ben Clemens FanGraphs Chat - 2/17/2020

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Ben Clemens

3:25

But I'm shocked they didn't go more salt-the-earth on the Astros rank and file front office

That's how you get situations like James Click saying they have a zero tolerance policy for cheating while he's employing people who have leaked email correspondence about something they unironically called the Dark Arts

Like, MLB had those emails.

BECAUSE WE GOT THEM LEAKED FROM MLB

3:26

And they thought, you know what, we won't talk about these.

What?

Alex

3:26

in all honesty, do you expect the league (despite Manfred’s threats) to have difficulty doing much in the way of suspending pitchers who retaliate? I have to imagine given the immunity the Astros players just got, both the pitchers and the MLBPA would appeal vigorously

Ben Clemens

3:26

I do actually.

3:27

I'm not saying they'll win every case, but they could start issuing much longer HBP suspensions, tomorrow.

And like, what's the arbitrator really going to do if it's applied consistently?

(Note: I am not a lawyer)

3:28

Now, if they, say, suspend Jose Urena six games for intentionally drilling acuna

And then someone 30 for hitting Bregman

Yeah, appeal city

But if they just beef up HBP suspensions overall I can see that working

Danny Almonte

3:29

If MLB were confident that the Astros were the only offenders, do you think that they would

have given a harsher punishment? Basically, something like a postseason ban would be difficult if 10 teams ended up stealing signs.

Ben Clemens

3:29

Nope!

Jim Crane is Rob Manfred's boss

At least partially

I feel pretty confident that baseball will attempt to downplay all the remaining investigations

3:30

But I think the reason the Astros weren't more harshly punished is because Manfred thought the punishments he levied would appease the public.

3:31

I'm not 100% confident in this answer by any means

But it's a strong feeling

Baby Yoda

3:31

I can't remember a time when literally 29 teams' worth of players and even execs (ok maybe 27-28) were so willing to absolutely rip another team and its players. ON RECORD.

Ben Clemens

3:31

Yeah this aspect has been the most surprising of the whole scandal to me

No one, no one, is shocked that the Astros went over the line.

3:32

If I had polled you guys before the 2019 season.

'A team is running a massive coordinated cheating scheme. Who is it?'

You'd all pick the Astros

Matt

3:32

But I'd be rooting so hard for it to be the Cardinals

Ben Clemens