Red Sox cheating scandal of 2018
Sign stealing is instrumental to the game of baseball. Doing it during the game, with no outside help, and just players feeding managers information is completely fair game and within Major League Baseball’s rules and unspoken rules. However, acting upon an outside source and getting caught, with an emphasis on the getting caught portion, is against both the rules, and unspoken rules of respect.
Red Sox in 2017.
So how do the Red Sox and their world series winning 2018 season have anything to do with this, especially considering the out cry of the 2017 Houston Astros who cheated their way to a World Series win as well. Well, the Red Sox were caught cheating in their 2018 season, and theres reason to believe there is more to the story than what they all got punished for.
Chapter 1: What are you talking about?
The Boston Red Sox were tried and convicted of cheating during their 2018 season, and their 2017 season was given a slap on the wrist considering all things. JT Watkins, the then Red Sox replay manager, was found reviewing signs of the other teams, not as much as the Astros, however still giving them a competitive advantage. This is what MLB’s Rob Manfred disclosed to the public and dished out the punishments of a lost draft pick in the 2nd round of the 2020 draft, and JT Watkins to be suspended without pay for 1 year. They also stated that Watkins may return to the organization, however in a different position. That was all the punishment and all that there was to it. A few times using video footage to break down signs, never relaying the information, and never during the post-season, only during select regular-season home games. That was all that was said to have occurred.
Red Sox after winning 2018 world series.
Chapter 2: A slight mistake…
Alex Cora. The acting Red Sox managers during the 2018 season. Cheating is one thing, getting caught cheating is a second. The 2017 Houston Astros were the World Series champs, without a doubt the best baseball team that season. However, they got caught cheating. This then resulted in one of the biggest scandals in recent history, almost as bad as the steroid movement of the mid-’90s, however that is a story for another time. The Stros were caught cheating starting Game 1 of the regular season, all the way to game 7 of the world series, where they toppled their west coast rival in the Los Angeles Dodgers. Banging trash cans, stealing signs, I’m sure you know the stories. So how does any of this affect the 2018 Red Sox?
Alex Cora. The acting manager of the 2017 Houston Astros. A glaring detail. Two teams found cheating, and Manfred says they both are unrelated? What I neglected to tell you is in 2017 the Red Sox were caught relaying signs in a series against the Yankees in the middle of the regular season. Alex Cora, knowing this as the Astros are competitive American League rivals with the Red Sox, so when he is coming in as acting manager for a team that is found to be cheating when his own team is cheating as well. Confusing right?
Let’s break this down into a short timeline.
Red Sox found relaying signs in a quick series versus the Yankees in 2017, John Ferrel manager of the Red Sox at the time given a small slap on the wrist.
Houston Astros found cheating in the entirety of their 2017 season, Alex Cora acting manager, many penalties given, however, given lighter in the grand scheme of MLB’s “lenient” punishment history. Punishments are given in early 2020.
Mid 2020, the Red Sox are reported on to have apparently cheated during their 2018 season, manager Alex Cora.
Houston Astros after winning 2017 World Series.
Chapter 3: Drawing conclusions…
What do we pull from this? Alex Cora may have an unlucky streak with the Boston Red Sox cheating in 2018, after being caught cheating the season prior. However, most likely, Cora saw an opportunity to create another World Series potential team, who had the will to cheat. He won back-to-back World Series, with two separate teams, however, what both of those teams had in common, as they cheated, and got caught doing it. Knowing this, we have a reason to believe Alex Cora, knew this and acted upon this, and MLB is continuing to sweep it under the rug in order to avoid a larger scandal than they already have. Rather, spreading out the blame to all the players, rather than pinpointing a single villain, was most likely an idea come up with inside an MLB conference room by their marketing staff. Knowing this, we have no power other than to know it.
Alex Cora as a Boston Red Sox.
Chapter 4: One final thought…
Alex Cora is a moron and his quote is ironic.
“They’ve given us the free will to change certain things on the fly and just reach to what’s happening in the ballgame.”
