Chico Escuela posted:
Maybe it comes down to how many teams have tried something similar in recent years? If the Astros really are an outlier, they may see harsher penalties. But if the Astros are just better at stealing signs than other teams who have tried to do the same thing? Then not much comes of this.
I also wonder what will happen to the stats of Astros' hitters? Altuve, Bregman, maybe others look like potential Hall of Famers--does this affect how their careers are evaluated? And any of the Houston position players could face some tough questions when they hit the market as free agents--maybe teams should just disregard their home stats?
As I said, I'd be happy to be wrong. Your suggestions on penalties are much more in line with what I would like to see.
I think that this is exactly right...If Houston really is an outlier (which I doubt) then throw the book at them. However, if a number of teams are engaged in some form of this then a harsh penalty will almost ensure that the "outing" will continue and make the situation even messier. I find it hard to believe that there are any teams that are not observing and trying to decipher signs from the clubhouse TV.