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.
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