From 2017 to 2018, the Houston Astros baseball team came up with an elaborate sign-stealing scandal that involved banging on a trash-can in the dugout to alert the batter of a breaking pitch. This system got them the world series trophy. It is widely considered the biggest cheating scandal in the entire history of the MLB.
What Happened?
In 2017, the Houston Astros installed a camera above the center field stands aimed at the catcher. The Astros used this to watch the catcher’s signs, use an app to decode the signs, and bang on a trash-can with a bat to alert the batter of the upcoming pitch. This player-driven scheme allowed them to dominate the league. And while some players refused to participate in the cheating like José Altuve and Tony Kemp, the majority of the players on the team used the unfair advantage to their favor, allowing the entire team to get a total of 238 home runs in 2017 and 205 in 2018.
How Did They Get Caught?
In 2019, former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers went on record in November exposing the scheme. However, in 2018, the Cleveland Indians caught an Astros employee photographing their dugout, which triggered warnings to other teams. After an investigation by the league, the team was found guilty and the players and staff were suspended and fined. The total fines were over 5 million dollars and they were docked of their 1st and 2nd draft picks.
So in conclusion, while the Astros did cheat and it ruined their reputation, they are still an amazing team with great players like José Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, and Kyle Tucker. Do you like baseball? Comment Below!
