LAST MINUTE DEALS THE YANKEES SHOULD GO FOR

Along with Nolan Arenado...what if the Yankees signed Kris Bryant? 

Bryant is on the market and the Yankees should strike now. The reported asking price is two Major League ready prospects and possibly more, which Brian Cashman can easily meet without damaging his prospect pool. Bryant being one of the best players in the game would make the price worth it. 

At 28-years-old he's batting .284/.385/.516/.901, with 138 home runs, 167 doubles, and 403 RBIs. By making this deal, the Yankees could part with Miguel Andujar who had an injury riddled 2019 season and Clint Frazier who is not on the best terms with the team at the moment. The only current negative is the Yankees' luxury tax which would be pushed to over $300M with the added Bryant salary.

Former top prospect Taijuan Walker has recovered from Tommy John surgery, and could be a cheap deal the Yankees could benefit from. Walker’s career ERA is 3.95 in 528.1 innings, and now healthy he could get back to his old performance. 

The good thing is, rotation depth is not a current issue for the Yankees, but why not solidify that further? If all it requires is a minor league deal and a Spring Training invitation, they should definitely go for it. Give him a shot to prove he is healthy and effective, and go from there.

--Missy O'Rourke
BYB Contributor
Twitter: @missy_orourke

EARPIECES, GET-OVER-IT-ISM & GERRIT RELATABILITY: A GUIDE TO LOVING BASEBALL IN 2020

Source: Newsweek

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity, really the privilege, to be in the right place at the right time.  I visited upstate New York, to snow shoe.  But, unfortunately, there was no snow to shoe in, so I hiked and then treated myself to a glass of wine.  But not just any glass of wine, The Thirsty Owl glass of wine, at a bistro in Saratoga, NY, that gets its wine from its winery by the same name in the Finger Lakes.  That glass of wine led to riveting conversation with the general manager and family owner of the Owl, who just happens to be the biggest baseball fan I have met (besides myself).  And this owner, Josh Cupp, inked a piece from his heart which I share in part here.  Give it a read, because it may get you thinking about the game you love and how you might need to love it differently in 2020.

"Pitchers and catchers report in just moments.  Chances are if you have gotten laid in the last decade and don’t refresh MLBTraderumors.com constantly, you won't be able to tell me where the big boys from FA Class 2020 signed outside of Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon.  

You might not be privy to the brilliant three hitter minimum rule (or keep on chuckin til half inning’s end) set to roll here in just weeks.  How good was/is Joe Girardi? We’re about to rediscover as the Phillies will challenge the Braves in the NL East and Rendon’s exit will have the Nats hemorrhaging wins.  These are just a few of the storylines that are all but lost to garbage can lids, cameras, buzzers, and impenitent athletes that have made our stomachs churn.  

Source: The Los Angeles Daily News

Collectively baseball fans can’t seem to shake the hangover.  The Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted to demand that MLB have Houston vacate the 2017 World Series.  Right.  Makes sense.  Council members, get picked last in kickball much 40 years ago?  Poor losing is a fashion trend worn well by no one; athlete, politician or fan.  Is Dallas spot on?  Are we owed an apology?  If you are unabashed enough to ask folks that make literally 1% of your annual income to bang on a garbage can lid so you can score an advantage, should we expect an apology from these ballplayers? Furthermore, said apology would be carefully crafted by an agent or team rep, wouldn’t be sincere, and it wouldn’t change a thing.

Let’s go the other way here.  We get it.  Most of us got it in the first place.  No Apple watches, cameras in center field, live feed spying, banging on garbage can lids, no whistling.  Now, I’ve not taken the hill in the bigs and I don’t pretend to know all the “unwritten rules” of this beautiful game.  Problem with those unwritten rules is the 750 players on active 25 man rosters don’t seem to know or agree on them either. However, I do love the game of baseball. Maybe too much.  Ask my exes.  If I cried as a nine year old when Carl Yastrzemski popped out to second base in his final at bat in 1983, I qualify to have an opinion and more than that I think it my responsibility to start a dialog on how to KEEP this game as something MY now nine year old loves and respects in years to come.  Got to fix it.  

But first, my question for the other teams is this: you didn’t know?  You couldn’t hear that lid, or the whistling?  Surely you noticed, so try better code your signs.  Too much work?  

Solutions are the way forward.  Here are two. 

1) Throw a few in Alex Bregman, and Jose Altuve’s earholes come April or 

2) Figure out a way to give and receive signs in a more expeditious and efficient way that will also be theft proof.  Whaaaat?  You mean stop crying in my beer and make the game faster and easier to watch?  Onward and upward.

Source: Orange County Register

You folks ever watch an NFL game?  Those coaches on the sidelines, Offense and Defense coordinators up in the booths and the 6’4, 227 lbs quarterbacks on the field; do you see them flashing 1s 2s and 3s with while sporting fabulous florescent nail polish? Nope, they use radio communication.  Ear pieces for one coach/manager on bench, one for catcher whom also sports a microphone on the chin portion of his mask and he can actually dictate verbally the next pitch to his pitcher.  If the pitcher doesn’t like it, shake it off old school and try again.  The pitch call could be determined anytime between the previous and forthcoming pitch and not just when the hitter is settling in the box.  We’re not talking headphones, just a sporty little ear piece.  Teams could decide themselves whether to utilize this technology or not.  No sign stealing and quicker sequences the net result.  

Earpieces and Get-over-it-ism done.

Lastly, the one problem I have with baseball I don’t have a good answer for.  Players’ inflated salaries and trying to understand how I am meant to relate to the players that wear these hallowed uniforms. Quick stat/fact or two to explain my conundrum. 

Babe Ruth made $80k in 1930 (a paltry $1.1M in 2020 money), the highest annual salary of his career.  That was a lot of money back then, as the average annual individual salary in the US at that point was $1368.  That means Babe made 58x the average fan’s annual salary.  Last year Stephen Strasburg raked $38.3M while the average annual salary in the US sat at just over $58k.  That means Strasburg made 656x more the fan that’s asked to come support him at Nationals Park.  What does that fan have in common with Mr. Strasburg?  How relatable is the game now?  If ballparks keep selling out and folks watch on TV, why would owners, agents, players want to change a thing?  

I understand TV contracts, free agency and capitalism. I also understand that noble professions such as teachers and nurses do far more for the betterment of humankind.  However, the reality is the number of people that can throw a ball 100 mph or can hit that 100 mph pitch 450 feet is incredibly minute.  

Source: NBC

My initial dream scenario would be to scale back salaries so the best players in the game made $10M annually and not $40M.  Next, ticket prices cut by a third.  It shouldn’t cost half your weekly paycheck for a family of four to see a game in person.  Initially, I thought start a rallying cry and boycott one game out of 81 home games.  Maybe that’d get some traction.  Pipe dream.

I’m forever hooked on sixty feet and 6 inches, going first to third, and breaking in a new glove.  Not everyone loves this game the way I do, unconditionally.  Play it fairly, play it hard, play it quicker and show us you love the game as much as we do."

Thanks, Josh, for the wine, the conversation and the clever piece that helps ease the pain we all felt when the Astros cheated.  What are your thoughts, readers?  Anything to add?

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

CASHMAN DOES IT AGAIN! YANKS ADD MORE DEPTH!

It's not a big splashy move, but it is a low risk move and I can dig it. The Yankees just signed ex-Mets catcher Josh Thole to a minor league deal.

The New York Post writes:

"Thole, a career .242 hitter, joins Chris Iannetta and Erik Kratz as the Yankees’ catcher signings since Austin Romine signed with the Tigers. The Yankees are likely hoping none of them make the major leagues and will provide insurance behind Gary Sanchez and Kyle Higashioka."

Thole would make $600,000 if he makes it to the majors. Thole has not played in the major leagues since 2016 and has since spent time in the minor-league systems of the Tigers, Dodgers and Angels. The Yankees hope they won't have to use him but they definitely aren't taking any chances with their catching depth....and they shouldn't. I think the Yankees are going to miss Romine, he did play in 72 games last year because Gary Sanchez couldn't stay healthy. I like that the Yankees are being extra cautious now.

The Yankees should explore all options behind the plate. Romine's departure means Kyle Higashioka is most likely the Yankees new backup catcher unless something crazy happens in Spring Training. If he is, that leaves a lot of holes in the minors and adding both Iannetta and Kratz gives the Yankees the depth they have been lacking and Thole would be extra insurance. The Yankees filled a major need, so Brian Cashman just made another smart signing.

And who knows....maybe the Yankees aren't sold on Higashioka as the backup catcher all year. It's hard to imagine anyone besides Romine there honestly, so if nothing else this just creates some healthy competition for the season. There's nothing wrong with a little healthy competition, it will keep the guys hungry. We all have high expectations for this team now, so a little extra motivation can't hurt.

The Yankees are rebuilt, retooled and ready for a championship this season. Cashman is doing everything he can to give us the tools we need to succeed and I dig it. Nice move, Cash!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj 

WHAT IF THE YANKEES SIGN NOLAN ARENADO?

Source: The Athletic

With just about 14 days until the start of spring training, the Yankees have a lot of options when it comes to infielders.  As our writer Missy posted on Friday in TWO YANKEE BATTLES TO TAKE PLACE THIS SPRING TRAINING, infielders Tyler Wade and Thairo Estrada may get a shot to be replacement infielders but what if I told you to forget all that?  What if the Yankees could tap the Colorado Rockies again for an infielder and this time it could be Nolan Arenado?

According to The Athletic, "The Yankees could offer a strong package that includes third basemen Gio Urshela and Miguel Andújar, along with top pitching prospect Deivi Garcia and outfielder Clint Frazier. ... All four of those players would be expendable to the Yankees if they can land Arenado. This type of deal makes a lot of sense baseball-wise. ... Another option could be for the Rockies to offer Arenado straight up for outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, who has eight years remaining on his 13-year, $325 million contract, of which approximately $60 million will be paid by the Miami Marlins if he doesn’t opt-out after this season — and he’s not opting out of this contract no matter what."

Wait, what...Giancarlo Stanton to the Rockies?  Oh blessed redeemer, yes.  I would really hate to see Urshela and Andujar go and this other idea of Stanton just sounds so much sweeter.  But with Stanton's no trade clause and the fact that he loves being a Yankee, this deal is less likely, no matter how sweet.

Source: CBS Sports

"The 28-year-old Arenado is a five-time All-Star and seven-time Gold Glove winner. Arenado has at least 37 home runs and 110 RBI in each of last five seasons, making him a perennial National League MVP candidate," reports NJ.com.  He also has a no-trade clause and there is a line of other teams in contention with the Yankees to grab Arenado.

Source: ESPN

If he was to come to New York and perform even close to his former teammate DJ LeMahieu, wow...I mean that would be incredible.  We will keep an eye on developments.  This is the kind of excitement and anticipation that the offseason is supposed to be about...not about cheaters who have consumed all of our brains and perhaps unnerved our passion for the game.  Let's focus on the the anticipation of 2020 and it starts with the possibility of Arenado coming to the Bronx.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof 

VERLANDER POKES FUN ABOUT THE ASTROS CHEATING & FAILS

This is the dopey face of a player whose team got away with cheating and he knows it.  Rob Manfred set a bad tone for Major League baseball moving forward.  Disgusting.

The Houston Astros just keep digging themselves in a deeper hole. We already got a fake "apology" from former Astro Dallas Keuchel, and now we get an ill-advised attempt to make a joke about the Astros cheating scandal from Justin Verlander. Great....

Verlander was at the annual Baseball Writers Association of America banquet on Saturday to accept the 2019 Cy Young award. The even is pretty routine and winners will give an acceptance speech, but instead of saying thank you and not adding more controversy. I assume he tried to make a joke out of it by complimenting the Astros by saying "as everyone knows, they're very technologically and analytically advanced" which resulted in a mix of awkward laughter and boos from the audience. It also didn't amuse Cody Bellinger or CC Sabathia who were also in attendance.

I could be wrong, but it looks like Verlander is trying to lighten the mood and make a joke about all of this. Whether he is or isn't though....he is the LAST guy who should be sending this message that the Astros did not cheat. He is a walking, talking hypocrite. He is first guy to try and throw another player to the wolves and he has been very vocal about how much he dislikes cheating of ANY kind.

Remember Robinson Cano's PEDS scandal from 2018? Yeah, he was quick to blast him on twitter about that.

And what about back in 2017 when he was still with the Tigers? He was all fired up about sign stealing back then. He gave an interview about it HERE.

“We don't have somebody, but I'm sure teams have a person that can break down signals and codes and they'll have the signs before you even get out there on the mound.”

“It's not about gamesmanship anymore. It used to be, 'Hey, if you can get my signs, good for you.' In the past, if a guy on second (base) was able to decipher it on a few pitches, I guess that was kind of part of the game. I think it's a different level now. It's not good.”

And then magically a couple of months later he is traded to the Astros and then he changes his mind and becomes part of the scandal? This guy has no integrity and it pisses me off. It's bad enough that you cheat after you've spent YEARS complaining about it....but now it looks like you tried to make a joke out of it. Grow up.

The only joke here IS YOU, Verlander. We are laughing, but AT you not with you.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj 

NO ONE SHOULD CARE ABOUT DISGRACED DALLAS KEUCHEL'S FAKE APOLOGY

Someone has finally come out from hiding! It's about damn time ladies and gentleman. These players have been running and hiding for too long. It's come to come out and face the music, cheaters! We have our first "apology" and it comes from cheating former Cy Young Dallas Keuchel.

Multiple sources are reporting this so-called "apology" but I am going to go with MLB.com HERE. All news outlets are reporting this as an "apology" but I heard no apology. I heard a "sorry not sorry" and here is how I interpret some of his quotes:

"I think first and foremost, apologies should be in order ... for everyone on the team. When stuff was going on, it was never intended to be what it's made to be right now."

Literal translation: I am ONLY SORRY THAT I GOT CAUGHT. Now that I am with the Chicago White Sox I don't want to be a distraction. My new team probably expects this from me. Oh yeah...Jim Crane said he expects me to apologize too even though I don't play for his organization anymore. I'm trying to not make people hate me forever. The cheating was only supposed to be a temporary thing but we just couldn't stop. I didn't think I would be part of a huge baseball scandal!

"It’s just what the state of baseball was at that point and time. Was it against the rules? Yes, it was. I personally am sorry for what’s come about, the whole situation. But it is what it is, and we have to move past that. I never thought anything would have come like it did, and I myself am sorry. We have to move on.

Literal translation: This is how the game is played now. I only helped contribute to that. I disgraced the game. I AM a disgrace, but that's how the game is played now. I am not sorry for what I did, only that I got caught. I don't want to talk about this anymore so can we change the subject? K Thanks!

"But during the course of the playoffs in ’17, everybody was using multiple signs. For factual purposes, when there’s nobody on base, when in the history of Major League Baseball has there been multiple signs? You can go back and watch film of every team in the playoffs. There was probably six out of eight teams using multiple signs."

Literal translation:  My gosh, stop picking on the Astros! It's not like we were the only ones cheating. Other teams were doing it too! I just can't say anything that will take the focus off of my team cheating...but you should go check it out, k? Everyone cheats, you just want to focus on the Astros!

"I could tell you, not every game there was signs being stolen, not like every game we had everything going on."
Literal translation: Oh my gosh, shut up! It's not like we cheated EVERY GAME. It was only A LOT of them. I mean, we only did it at home AND for big match-ups AND for Sunday Night ESPN games, AND against division rivals. That's all I swear!

"You are pushing 185, 200 games, and it sucks to the extent of the clubhouse rule that was broken. I mean, that’s where I’ll go with that. I don’t really have much else to say about Mike."

Literal translation: DUDE, Mike Fiers broke "the code" and now since he opened his big mouth I have to try and run damage control. You suck, Fiers! We aren't cool anymore. You should know better and thanks to your big mouth I am in trouble!

You get the point. But honestly....Keuchel you are a pathetic human being. So is Bob Nightengale again too because he was stupid enough to try and defend you after he tried to defend Carlos Beltran. This only proves....you can't make some things up!

Of course, I had to respond:

Do we want to take bets on who "apologizes" next? Bottom line here is Keuchel is a pathetic, cheating human being and he can keep his fake-ass apologies to himself. Oh and Bob Nightengale wears egg on his face again for his stupid tweet!

I'm all for someone standing up, admitting fault and accepting consequences for their actions....but that is not what Keuchel did. No respect for this circus show. Will anyone give a sincere apology? You know there is more to come....and we won't stop covering this.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj 

TWO YANKEE BATTLES TO TAKE PLACE THIS SPRING TRAINING!

Even though it does not feel like it with this weather, Spring Training is just around the corner. Luckily, the Yankees have most things in place and now just have the problem of choosing who is going to start on Opening Day. There are two battles that will take place during Spring Training: fifth starter and backup infielder.

Source: WFAN

J.A. Happ's veteran status will make him the front runner for the fifth starting spot, however there are multiple pitchers that could step up to the plate. Jordan Montgomery has recovered from Tommy John Surgery and had an impress curveball that generated impressive numbers for a rookie. After Happ's disappointing 2019, do the Yankees want someone fresh to step in?

As for backup infielder, it will come down to either Tyler Wade or Thairo Estrada, who are really neck and neck based on their past performances. Wade sticks out from the pair because he is a lefty, which the Yankees lack in their hitting order. His speed is also helpful when it comes to base running as well as defensively. However Estrada is an excellent shortstop, a very hard position to play. He also has more power in his bat. The playing field is even for the pair to prove themselves at Spring Training.

The countdown to February 22nd begins!

--Missy O'Rourke
BYB Contributor
Twitter: @missy_orourke

MANFRED JUST MADE MLB THE WILD, WILD WEST! RULES DON'T APPLY!

There will be head hunting when the Astros step into the batter's box! I mean, why not? You get away with being bad now in the MLB! Manfred just set the tone!

When things go wrong in business... you don't just turn a blind eye. If your company suffers, is questions, clearly in the wrong, you try and fix it.  It doesn't matter if it's a low level employee or someone at the top. You need to correct the problem.

It appears that Rob Manfred is what's wrong with Major League Baseball right now and it's all because he's turned a blind eye on the bigger problem in baseball. Cheating... and the knowing of cheating... and the deal made with a cheating team known as the Astros so life can go on and everything will be sunshine and rainbows.

Here's the problem with that. The Houston Astros will never get a fair shake or fair look EVER AGAIN. And neither will the Red Sox.  Why? Because not being punished for your crimes just proves to everyone out there that cheating isn't wrong. Instead it's fine.

It proves that apologizing fixes everything. Rob Manfred lives in a fucking fantasy world. The fact that MLB made a deal with the Astros and no player would be punished is so outrageous... it will not fix anything. It's going to make the games against this joke team more aggressive.  Because being bad is now a slap on the wrist.

You think the Yankee pitchers aren't gonna throw at these Asstros? Do you think any other team will? Or maybe go in spikes high? They will... they ALL will, because the fines they pay will be peanuts and because being bad doesn't have a consequence.  Rob Manfred just made it worse.

He doesn't realize that what he's about to embark on with technology and sign-stealing isn't the end... it's the beginning. The dude's been there only 5 years... wait until the next 5. He opened a hornet's nest. I love this from Sports Illustrated:

"It is time for Manfred to act, and he knows it. He must decide on the kind of game he wants to shepherd. Baseball will change far more in the next five years than it did in the previous five...."

And with the changes, he must still keep the integrity of the game intact. Instead, he thinks that firing a few high level people will fix the sign-stealing scandal.  DOES ANYONE THINK FOR A SECOND THAT THAT IS SUFFICIENT? This is Manfred's quote from an article from CBS Sports:

"'I think that four really accomplished baseball people lost their jobs over this,' Manfred said. 'Nobody likes to see that happen, but I do think it's the kind of message that will serve as a deterrent for this behavior going forward.' 

'In terms of [MLB's] continuing investigation, we have an open investigation on the Red Sox. What I've said to the owners is if I have some credible evidence that any other team was involved, they will be investigated with same thoroughness that we investigated the Astros.'"

But 2 things are wrong with this statement. This isn't a deterrent, because the Astros players were in it for themselves.  If they are padding numbers, waiting on sliders to crank out for home runs and wearing buzzer devices to do it, sure, it helps the team, but it helps line their pockets come a contract year...INDIVIDUALLY!

Do you really think Jose Altuve cares that Luhnow and Hinch were fired? Do you really think that changes his day to day, Robby?  Did you see him at Fan Fest? He looked like he was ready to cry... he was fighting for his life trying to address the media? IT WAS ABOUT HIM!

Rob Manfred is either the dumbest guy in the room or has to worst advisers ever... because all he did with the Astros debacle is make the whole situation worse.  He didn't take a hard stance... he took the easy way out.  And for me? I'm disappointed.

I'll be rooting for the Astros to get plunked all season long. I will question every win they have, will not believe any of them going forward. And I just hope that more major league players come forward.  Get mad! Be angry! Baseball needs to change.  The Astros players... the Red Sox players need to be punished!

Do it Manfred... or get the hell out of the Commissioner role... because you're just as bad as the rest of them.

WANT TO STOP THE CHEATING? DROP THE HAMMER ON THE PLAYERS ASSOCIATION!

I'm tired of just TALKING about the cheating that has disgraced this sport in recent years. The ASSTROS are dirty cheaters, the Red Sox are dirty cheaters....and some heads have already rolled. It's still not enough though. If baseball wants to REALLY make a change, it's time to make a bolder statement.

In 2017 Rob Manfred TRIED to send a strong message to all teams. He TRIED to let everyone know that cheating wouldn't be tolerated. The Wall Street Journal has a good write up on it HERE.
"The genesis of the pact between the league and the MLBPA goes back to Sept. 15, 2017, when Manfred announced that he had fined the Boston Red Sox for transmitting signs from their replay review room to individuals in the dugout wearing smartwatches. That same day, Manfred issued a memo to all teams reiterating that using electronic equipment to steal signs was a violation of league rules and that future transgressions would be met with severe discipline. He specifically said that GMs and managers would be held accountable for the conduct of their charges. Another memo sent out in March 2018, attributed to chief baseball officer Joe Torre, expanded on the prohibition."

So, there you have it. You transmit signs and cheat....the GM and managers will be held accountable. Great! A GM and two managers are now out of jobs and DISGRACED as they should be. But what about the players?! Why should they continue to disgrace the game that all fans pay A LOT of money towards and get away with no consequences? THEY SHOULDN'T....but they do.

"Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred repeatedly refers to the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scheme in 2017 and 2018 as 'player-driven.'Yet Manfred also declared: 'I will not assess discipline against individual Astros players.'

Will not....or can't? Maybe both. Do I think Manfred is a strong leader for baseball? No. I've stated a few times now that I am not a big fan of the guy. But reality is....even if he wanted to discipline individual players he can't! The players union holds a lot of power whether we like it or not. We were talking about this on twitter. I said that the players union is too strong, and I still believe that BUT there is one thing we may be forgetting as a reader pointed out:

The players union was stronger years ago. I just have a problem based on the pure principal that cheaters and liars should be punished, period. As parents we teach this to our kids, don't we? Hell, when I play learning games with my young nephew if he thinks I am cheating he isn't afraid to call me out on it! We teach them right from wrong....we teach values and integrity. We teach them that there are consequences for our actions. This should be no different for baseball, but it is.

The Wall Street journal goes on to say: "After all, Manfred said, AJ Hinch knew the sign-stealing was going on and didn’t stop it. Bench coach Alex Cora was an active participant in the plots. So was outfielder Carlos Beltrán, a respected veteran. Therefore, the union could have successfully argued in a grievance hearing that the players didn’t know they were in the wrong, since their superiors never directly informed them and even appeared to condone their behavior."

Wait so, management knew sign stealing was wrong so should be held accountable but the players didn't know they were in the wrong for cheating because their "superiors" never directly informed them? GET OUTTA HERE! Are we seriously suggesting this? So my four year old nephew knows right from wrong and knows that cheating in a game is wrong....but grown men who play a game and make a ton of money do not know its wrong? Not buying it one bit. If these players love the game as much as we do as fans they would not want to disgrace it and the union would not want to help them disgrace it. It's all a bunch of crap. They don't need to be told it's wrong. If anyone actually believes that....have them call me because I have a bridge for sale.

Bottom line here is the inmates should not run the asylum. The employees do not make the rules at their employer and baseball players are no different. If baseball really wants integrity back to this sport, the union needs to recognize that PLAYERS in addition to managers and GM's need to be punished. Those who commit the offense, should also suffer consequences. It makes me sick that dirt bags Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa get to hide in the shadows and play baseball with no real consequence. Sure, they have lost credibility....but clearly that means nothing to them so it isn't enough.

Credibility and integrity mean everything. Lose it and you have nothing. The players union is allowing the great game of baseball to be destroyed and that makes them just as guilty as the cheaters  in my book. Baseball needs a major change....and it needs to start with the players union!

That's just my two cents. An angry two cents.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj 

MLB COVER-UP BOMBSHELL! MLB TRADED FAVORS WITH THE ASTROS!

And just like that, it's time to cut off Rob Manfred's head too... especially if the latest allegations are in fact true.

Earlier today Bleeding Yankee Blue reported on the outrageous suggestion that Astros Owner Jim Crane would have all his loser cheating team come forward and apologize for their sins at Spring Training (READ). It was a way for the Astros to prove to the baseball world, the fans, that mistakes happen... and they made plenty. But they are moving past it and are deeply, DEEPLY sorry.

This no doubt would pull on the heartstrings of baseball America... and in turn, we would feel a little bad for giving them all such a hard time... or at least that's what they would think. After all... this is America, we believe in second chances right?

Not so fast.  First of all, the notion that this Jim Crane turd is orchestrating the entire thing... firing Hinch, firing Luhnow… claiming his Astros team will fix it with apology is just outrageous.  Why? Well... because during the time of this sign-stealing scandal, the Astros had made Crane millions and millions of dollars.  He is part of the problem. He shouldn't be trying to fix it, he should be removed like the rest of them.

But now this… the most outrageous part of this scandal, and it's reached the top. A claim made that perhaps there is a deal in place between MLB and the Houston Astros, and if this is true, heads need to roll... from players, to owners... to the Houston front office, to even Rob Manfred stepping down.

Read this from the Wall Street Journal. The Journal has broken it wide open and now it's time to come after them all HARD. Excellent journalism here:

"...while Manfred suspended Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow and field manager A.J. Hinch for the 2020 season—they were later fired—no active players were even named for their involvement.

Manfred justified that decision by saying it would have been "difficult and impractical" to punish players, given that virtually all of them had knowledge of or were involved in the operation to use technology to illicitly obtain and relay opposing catchers' signals. But there is a simpler explanation for why no players were penalized: The league and the MLB Players Association struck an agreement early in the process that granted immunity in exchange for honest testimony, according to several people familiar with the matter. 

The league was quick to make such an offer, these people said, in part because it did not believe it would win subsequent grievances with any players it attempted to discipline. That's partly because of a bureaucratic shortcoming: The Astros' front office never discussed with players the league's admonitions against using electronic devices to steal signs, according to Manfred's statement. The deal is a sign of MLB's desire for a speedy and conflict-free investigation, the continuing power of the baseball players' union and the fragile state of the sport's labor relations. 

The promise of amnesty allowed the league to interview 23 current and former Astros players during the two-month investigation. The result is a situation that led to the harshest penalties in recent baseball history—none of them directed at the people Manfred said actually committed the offense. That has attracted public criticism even from some players who are members of the union."

I'm making that bold and big with the hopes that everyone will read this.  In the end, this goes further as one of the biggest MLB Scandals ever, and if true, the entire baseball league is and should be rocked.  How in the world do you cover-up wrongdoing? What is MLB thinking? What is Rob Manfred thinking?

Fire them all. Bring this to a new level now. Congress.  This is something that stinks in baseball and while the Astros are a despicable organization and will never get a fair look again, it is Major League Baseball that now has some real important questions to answer.  Rob Manfred... WE WANT ANSWERS!

Stay tuned folks. BYB refuses to go away from this story.  We will keep you up to date ever step of the way.