Hot Stove Lunch: Players getting off too easily in sign-stealing scandal

In the wake of various sign-stealing allegations, three managers have lost their jobs, and so has one general manager.

One team has been fined $5 million and docked four draft picks. Surely, the Red Sox, as an organization, will receive additional penalties when Major League Baseball concludes its investigation of their 2018 club.

It's hard to find much sympathy for those who have been disciplined. Jeff Luhnow, A.J. Hinch, Alex Cora and Carlos Beltran either knew they were doing something wrong or failed to do enough to stop others from doing so and are now dealing with the consequences.

But notice who's missing from the list of people penalized?

Major League Baseball would like it known that no players were harmed in our investigation of the sign-stealing scandals.

On one level, it's easy to understand why players have, to date, escaped any punishment: MLB needed their cooperation to get to the bottom of things and felt it needed to offer immunity in order to get the details.



But don't discount another factor at work here: MLB knew that any discipline of the players would be subject to endless appeals by the Major League Players Association and perhaps didn't have the stomach for a long, drawn-out process which would also further alienate the union some 19 months from the current CBA expiring.

Frankly, that's cowardice on the part of baseball.

The players carried out the cheating. In Houston, they helped devise (with Cora) and implement it. They watched the videos, banged the trash cans and benefited from the sign-stealing. They saw their stats padded and won a title.

But no one on the field has to answer for any of this?

Worse, the Astros, over the weekend at a fan festival, seemed miffed that they were even being asked any questions on the matter. Most tersely responded that MLB had issued its findings and penalties and it was time to move on. Jose Altuve blithely noted: "Believe me, in the end off the year, everything will be fine. We're going to be in the World Series again.''

As if that will make what's gone on OK. As if that's supposed to mollify all the teams the Astros beat -- fairly or unfairly -- over the last few years?

(I'm not excusing the Red Sox here; MLB's investigation isn't complete and we don't know what will be found and don't have exact details on what they did).

But there's something wrong with a system in which the alleged "masterminds'' get all the penalties and those who carried out the deeds get off with no discipline at all.

Elsewhere....

AL EAST

Now would be a good time for the Yankees and Aaron Judge to work on an extension.

Some members of the Rays are convinced that the Astros used a buzzer system.

The Blue Jays added some catching depth.

Is Rio Ruiz the Orioles' best option at third base?

AL CENTRAL

MLB owes something to the Indians.

Patience with Josh Donaldson paid off for the Twins.

How should the White Sox take advantage of the additional roster spot?

Alex Gordon appears to be returning to the Royals.

AL WEST

Congress is getting involved in the wake of the Astros' scandal.

Former Rangers manager Ron Washington would love to manage again.

Can Marcus Semien do it again?

A Mariners' minor leaguer was rated as game's second-best first base prospect

NATIONAL LEAGUE 

The Cubs are in the middle of a transition.