Several weeks of speculation gave way to clarity this week when Major League Baseball announced the findings from their investigation into the Houston Astros and levied forth penalties against the organization.
The Astros received a $5 million — the maximum amount permitted under the Major League constitution — and general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch were suspended for the 2020 season, plus the team forfeited first- and second-round draft picks for the next two years.
Astros owner Jim Crane was absolved through the investigation, and he promptly fired Luhnow and Hinch. The domino effect reached the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets, as the clubs parted with respective managers Alex Cora and Carlos Beltran.
While MLB clearly determined — and explained — in their nine-page findings that the Astros illegally stole signs by setting up a system that comprised of a camera in center field and monitor in the dugout hallway, speculation ran amuck that players additionally wore buzzers.
MLB, however, noted they did not find evidence of any such act, per ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez
In response, Major League Baseball said Thursday it “explored wearable devices during the investigation [into the Astros] but found no evidence to substantiate it.”
An MLB official said the inquiry into wearable devices included the 2019 season.
A Twitter account purported to be the niece of Beltran was first to mention the use of buzzers tapped to a body part. That was then corroborated by multiple parties, including Cincinnati Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer, who previously has been hypercritical of the Astros.
I’ve heard this from multiple parties too, for what it’s worth… https://t.co/zDlp0x4bKs
— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) January 16, 2020
Although MLB asked all clubs to refrain from speaking about their investigation, and in the Dodgers case, the 2017 World Series as well, Cody Bellinger commented on the latest accusations brought forth against the Astros.
So too did Alex Wood, with the teammates voicing dismay over the possibility and questioning how players were not punished as part of the sign-stealing scandal.
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