Published on January 16, 2020.
The author discusses MLB’s finding that the Houston Astros engaged in sign stealing from 2017 into part of 2018, leading to penalties and the dismissal of the team’s GM and manager.
He argues that the team’s astonishing offensive explosions may have resulted from knowing pitch types in advance, calling the scandal as bad as, or worse than, habitual use of banned drugs.

January 16, 2020
Everyone must have thought that the Astros’ astonishing, concentrated explosions of hitting were the result of this sign stealing.
That hitting was possible because they knew what kind of pitch was coming…
For Major League Baseball fans, yesterday’s report on the Astros must have been a tremendous shock.
When I learned that the ringleader was Cora, who had moved on to become manager of the Red Sox, I also thought, “Just as I expected.”
That is because I had always been bothered by the evil look that seemed to hover over his face.
The following is from yesterday’s Sankei Shimbun.
Sign Stealing Confirmed
Astros Dismiss GM and Manager
Los Angeles, Kyodo — On the 13th, Major League Baseball announced the results of its investigation into the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal, determining that it had taken place from 2017, when the team won its first World Series championship, until midway through 2018.
MLB announced that Jeff Luhnow, general manager, and A. J. Hinch, manager, would be suspended from their duties until the end of this season.
In response, the team dismissed both of them.
MLB imposed on the club the maximum fine stipulated by the rules, five million dollars, approximately 550 million yen, and stripped it of its first- and second-round draft picks for this year and next year.
MLB decided not to punish the players, and Commissioner Rob Manfred stated, “It is the responsibility of the GM and the manager to make sure that players understand and comply with the rules.”
In the investigation, MLB examined interviews with 68 witnesses, including Astros players, as well as email exchanges, and concluded that the scheme had been driven by Alex Cora, who had been bench coach until 2017 and is now manager of the Red Sox, together with the players.
They used a video camera in center field to spy on the opposing catcher’s signs, and conveyed the information to batters by, for example, changing the number of times they banged on a trash can beside the bench according to the pitch type.
Most of the position players were involved.
The commissioner said that Cora’s punishment would be decided after the results of the investigation into sign-stealing allegations that had also surfaced concerning the Red Sox.
＊Everyone must have thought that the Astros’ astonishing, concentrated explosions of hitting were the result of this sign stealing.
That hitting was possible because they knew what kind of pitch was coming…
This is probably as bad as, or even worse than, habitual use of banned drugs.
The batting records of the Astros players will have to be considered with their numbers discounted.
It is an outrageous story.