Luhnow and Hinch fired by Astros; Cora Out in Boston, Beltran Out in NY

[MrTPlush]

It starts now, they don't need to be hired. Their concern isn't the year suspension and loss of salary though...it is being attached to this scandal. It will be interesting how easy it is to get a job after this. For Cora I would imagine he is pretty much screwed. I could see Hinch/Luhnow finding jobs or having a hard time...hard to know. There is just a ton of negative attachment to them whether they participated in it or not. Hard to hire someone to run your team that comes with baggage.

 

Is this really baggage? The women-beaters and PED'ers have had no problems getting jobs as long as they have talent. Luhnow built a powerhouse organization. I'd want him in Milwaukee if Stearns were to leave. And you have to think everyone in MLB front offices know which players were involved. If Luhnow, Hinch, and Cora get blackballed, those players should too. But Carlos Beltran still has a job so I doubt that's going to happen.

 

To me, yah. You see it any time a front office official does something...quickly fired. I just don't think there is much patience with managers/front office execs when it comes to doing things wrong or getting in trouble. Not to mention these guys basically allowed entire teams to knowingly cheat in ways that probably had a bigger impact on the game than most PED users ever had. While Lunhow and Hinch were respectable guys who are good at their jobs they ae easily replaced. They lead the team...how can you bring them in when they are two of the biggest crooks in history?

 

I do find it interesting how readily accepting some are to this because it is "widespread", but most fans despise PED guys. PEDs are probably just as widespread. I really don't buy this being a league wide problem (stealing signs). A lot of players are really really ticked off, which tells me they haven't experienced it on their own teams.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Lots of random chatter that the Mets may fire Beltran.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Lots of random chatter that the Mets may fire Beltran.

 

(Mets employee) Jessica Mendoza making the rounds this morning to bash Mike Fiers, going with the "snitches get stitches" idea, certainly isn't a good look.

[jerichoholicninja]

Lots of random chatter that the Mets may fire Beltran.

 

He should be punished the same as the other non-players.

 

It's like saying, well Pete Rose only bet when he was a manager so he can't be a manager anymore. But he can be a player if he wants.

[tmwiese55]

I can't imagine Beltran make it through this after all the other guys have been fired. Frankly, I'm surprised it's taken this long. But aren't their owners notoriously cheap, so maybe they're wading through the contract details first in case they end up owing him the money or something.

[Pugger]

I like the hammer of justice when it's levied against others. I wonder what I would think if this were Stearns and Counsell and the Brewers draft picks.

 

The Astros and Red Sox have done enough winning to salve this wound. If they find a team that hasn't won, but cheated like this, that could really set back an organization.

 

From a day-to-day standpoint, the Astros have some work to do to find replacements for Luhnow and Hinch. The bigger news story will be when the Red Sox get their punishment.

 

I would be ashamed and very disappointed if Stearns and Counsell were guilty of this kind of activity!

[JimH5]

 

I would be ashamed and very disappointed if Stearns and Counsell were guilty of this kind of activity!

 

Me, too.

 

Counsell's contract extension says to me that Attanasio thinks he's clean. Though the conspiracy theorist in me says he's giving him a golden parachute for some bad news about to drop.

 

The Brewers have been suspected/accused of being sign stealers. I guess we'll have to wait and see if there is any merit to that. Hopefully not.

[tmwiese55]

I think it's become very apparent over the last few years that normal sign stealing and signaling out on the field is absolutely common practice. To me, it's always been obvious. Basically, teams wouldn't be so paranoid about it if they weren't doing it themselves or hadn't done it while on other teams. Yet they all act like only the other team is doing it. So, let's hope MKE hasn't been doing anything beyond the normal.

[wildcat83]

I can't imagine Beltran make it through this after all the other guys have been fired. Frankly, I'm surprised it's taken this long. But aren't their owners notoriously cheap, so maybe they're wading through the contract details first in case they end up owing him the money or something.

 

He’s now out as well.

[clancyphile]

Beltran is now apparently out as well.

[owbc]

I wonder what this will do to offensive statistics this year. With everyone paranoid about sign stealing and complaints about the juiced ball, it could be an ugly year for offense in MLB.

[RollieTime]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/jessica-mendoza-mets-adviser-calls-out-whistleblower-mike-fiers-as-carlos-beltrans-future-remains-unclear/amp/

 

Not sure if this has been posted anywhere or not. But Mendoza sure isn’t helping the Mets’ or her own cause. Calling somebody out that wants to clean up the game for the betterment of the sport? I wonder what shady stuff she is a part of with the Mets for her to have an issue with Fiers.

[RollieTime]

I wonder what this will do to offensive statistics this year. With everyone paranoid about sign stealing and complaints about the juiced ball, it could be an ugly year for offense in MLB.

 

This is what I’m going to be watching as well. Astros went from a team that went from striking out the most in the league or close to it, to striking out the absolute least the last few seasons. And that change basically happened overnight. I know they made personnel changes along the way, but it’s something I am going to keep a close eye on.

 

Just look at the Red Sox when they could no longer use that video monitor after the season they won the World Series. They didn’t even make the postseason this past year. Pretty telling in my opinion.

[bigredrobbo]

I'm amazed an organization as poorly-run as the Mets has been in recent years didn't find a way to screw this up, from a PR standpoint. Well, apart from Mendoza going around effectively siding with the cheaters, that is!

[xisxisxis]

I bet the clock is ticking on Mendoza. Teams were told in no uncertain terms to shut up about the ruling/situation. As an advisor to the Mets she represents them and the team could be in line for a pretty sizeable penalty by Manfred.

[JimH5]

I know that Chris Russo isn't everybody's favorite. But it is so refreshing to hear this rant about the Astros --ON AN MLB NETWORK SHOW.

 

Contrast this with how the NFL tries to control every narrative and silence any criticism about their product. MLB is so vastly better than football in every way.

 

[anglotiger]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/jessica-mendoza-mets-adviser-calls-out-whistleblower-mike-fiers-as-carlos-beltrans-future-remains-unclear/amp/

 

Not sure if this has been posted anywhere or not. But Mendoza sure isn’t helping the Mets’ or her own cause. Calling somebody out that wants to clean up the game for the betterment of the sport? I wonder what shady stuff she is a part of with the Mets for her to have an issue with Fiers.

 

It could be as simple as she and Beltran being friends, and perhaps she had a role in his hiring...

[TJseven7]

I wonder what this will do to offensive statistics this year. With everyone paranoid about sign stealing and complaints about the juiced ball, it could be an ugly year for offense in MLB.

 

Astros went from a team that went from striking out the most in the league or close to it, to striking out the absolute least the last few seasons. And that change basically happened overnight. I know they made personnel changes along the way, but it’s something I am going to keep a close eye on.

 

They had an off season a few years ago where they carved out Ks like they were carbs in the atkins craze. I wouldn't expect that cheating made zero impact but the roster took a hard left in its formation and I'd expect that had a bigger part in the K rate.

[MrTPlush]

Carlos Beltran getting canned is probably not a good sign for the future job prospects of the people involved in this.

[craigharmann]

So.....who is next? Yankees, Dodgers and Indians have smoke around them. I'm sure, with just a little digging, there's even more. Fiers is the Jose Canseco of today. Opened a pandora's box and will be shunned and should have his motivations seriously questioned.....at least unless he gives back his World Series ring and his World Series share. Otherwise, he looks to me like an opportunistic, self-centered jerk.

[markedman5]

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

So.....who is next? Yankees, Dodgers and Indians have smoke around them. I'm sure, with just a little digging, there's even more. Fiers is the Jose Canseco of today. Opened a pandora's box and will be shunned and should have his motivations seriously questioned.....at least unless he gives back his World Series ring and his World Series share. Otherwise, he looks to me like an opportunistic, self-centered jerk.

 

Opportunistic? What is Fiers gonna get out of this? He's never struck me as the type of guy who seeks out drama. I think it's entirely possible that this has been weighing on his conscience for a while, to the point where he couldn't stand to keep it in any longer.

 

I saw something earlier that said that the Mets firing Beltran today was indirectly their fault for Sandy Alderson getting cold feet on the Gomez deal years ago, as Fiers likely wouldn't have ended up in Houston had that deal gone through. Thought that was pretty funny.

[tmwiese55]

So.....who is next? Yankees, Dodgers and Indians have smoke around them. I'm sure, with just a little digging, there's even more. Fiers is the Jose Canseco of today. Opened a pandora's box and will be shunned and should have his motivations seriously questioned.....at least unless he gives back his World Series ring and his World Series share. Otherwise, he looks to me like an opportunistic, self-centered jerk.

 

That seems a bit harsh to me in regards to Fiers. Maybe he felt it was BS the whole time but as just a blah pitcher he had no power to do anything about it. Then he goes to another team and has to go up against it 18 times a year, would you not tell anyone? As a guy who is so reliant on a changeup, this is a big deal for a guy like him. I don't see what motivations there are to question really, I think it's pretty clear.

 

For the Indians. Take it FWIW but Francona was on Maddog as the news broke about Beltran. He was asked point blank something like "many are saying everyone does it, I'm just a media guy, you're there on the ground. Is the prevalent and is everyone doing it?" Francona was adamant in saying Cleveland doesn't do it and never has, said he was annoyed when the narrative that everyone is doing it was spun the last few days. He seemed very believable to me. Said he couldn't speak to anyone else, but just that they weren't doing it. Also, he was basically very nice in regards to all the guys fired, saying how they're great guys that had lapses of judgment and that they could and should get second chances. So it's not like he was on some pompous high horse the whole time.

[craigharmann]

So.....who is next? Yankees, Dodgers and Indians have smoke around them. I'm sure, with just a little digging, there's even more. Fiers is the Jose Canseco of today. Opened a pandora's box and will be shunned and should have his motivations seriously questioned.....at least unless he gives back his World Series ring and his World Series share. Otherwise, he looks to me like an opportunistic, self-centered jerk.

 

Opportunistic? What is Fiers gonna get out of this? He's never struck me as the type of guy who seeks out drama. I think it's entirely possible that this has been weighing on his conscience for a while, to the point where he couldn't stand to keep it in any longer.

 

I saw something earlier that said that the Mets firing Beltran today was indirectly their fault for Sandy Alderson getting cold feet on the Gomez deal years ago, as Fiers likely wouldn't have ended up in Houston had that deal gone through. Thought that was pretty funny.

 

 

What is Fiers getting out of this? Everyone talking about him.

[tmwiese55]

Yea I'm sure he's really relishing the attention he gets being involved in a scandal and for being a rat. Definitely something he wants. Alienating former teammates and friends. Sorry, I don't think this makes any sense. Don't see him hawking a book he's selling or anything like that. Really, at this point he's barely mentioned and is just an afterthought of it all.