Depending on your point of view, the Houston Astros are either interesting, frustrating, or a complete mystery. Perhaps, though, they are all of these things at the same time. After all, there are many different shades of grey in the world.
It’s possible that some baseball fans may never forgive the team for cheating during its World Series-winning season in 2017. They were discovered in November 2019 and then examined by Major League Baseball, which determined that the Astros’ illegal sign-stealing strategy extended for at least a portion of the previous season. Prior to the 2020 season, the league issued fines and suspensions.
While the Astros are enjoying one of the finest runs in baseball history, they are also causing consternation among fans and opponents alike by continuing to play with such confidence. The general manager has changed since then. The same may be said for the management. The same may be said about the supporting cast of characters that surrounds the primary group of players. But the Astros continue to win, suggesting that they may never have needed the garbage can in the first place.
The Houston Astros have advanced to the World Series for the second time in three years after defeating the Boston Red Sox, 5-0, in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Friday. The Astros have advanced to the World Series three times in the last five years, including their now-tainted 2017 campaign. With one more victory last year, they would have made it to their fourth appearance in as many years.
At Minute Maid Park, where confetti was strewn over the field, Astros shortstop Carlos Correa said, “It’s an unbelievable feeling to be back in the World Series after all we’ve gone through.” “It’s one of a kind. “We stayed united as a team.”
“It’s great to see everyone enjoying themselves,” said Astros owner Jim Crane, who was standing nearby. For crying out loud, we haven’t had many pleasant moments around here in a long time.”
The difficulties, on the other hand, were self-inflicted. Two years after the Houston Astros completed their transformation from a chronic loser to a perennial contender by defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series in 2017, one of their former pitchers accused them of violating the rules. An investigation by the Major League Baseball concluded that the Astros had broken the regulations by utilising live camera feeds to interpret rival catchers’ signals and communicate the information to their colleagues at the plate by pounding a garbage can near the home dugout, among other things.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred fined the company with a $5 million fine and the forfeiture of draught selections in the next year’s draught. The league suspended and dismissed the team’s general manager at the time, Jeff Luhnow, as well as its manager, A.J. Hinch, and the league increased its efforts to combat unlawful sign theft, a practise that many thought had gotten out of hand. The Astros, on the other hand, retained their championship.
