Aaron Judge vs Barry Bonds- What Does it Mean to be the “Real Home Run King?”

MLB Aaron Judge Yankees

We need to talk about what it means to be the real “home run king.”

And before you think that I’m about to diminish either Barry Bonds, Roger Maris, or Aaron Judge, take a seat and listen up. 

I’m not here to diminish any of those guys. I’m here to diminish the very idea of diminishing those guys. 

When we call someone a ‘king,’ why do we completely ignore the way that monarchies actually function? When someone is a monarch, they are a monarch for their era. Queen Elizabeth II was the Queen of England. King Charles taking over the crown after her death doesn’t mean Elizabeth relinquishes her title as the longest-reigning monarch in British history. 

And no one I know is wasting time and energy putting an asterisk next to Elizabeth’s name for being a Constitutional Monarch instead of an Absolute Monarch. She was a product of her era, but she still wore the crown. The details of her rule are the footnotes and context that make her reign interesting.

That brings me back to baseball. Part of the beauty of baseball is the recognition of the variance from era to era. The Dead Ball Era, the Live Ball Era, the Integration Era, the Expansion Era, the Free Agency Era, and the Steroid Era are the footnotes and context we provide for the players that earned their crowns.


Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs in a season. The context was that it happened in a 154 game season, and he did it without having to face a single black pitcher. There are no asterisks, those are just the details.


Roger Maris hit his 61st home run in his 161st game of the 1961 season. 1961 was the first season that the AL played 162 games. Through 154 games, Maris had 58 home runs. Not to mention, Mickey Mantle’s entire body fell apart in September of that season when he had 54 home runs himself, leaving Maris to chase the record alone. There are no asterisks, those are just the details. 


Aaron Judge hit his 62nd home run this week to pass Roger Maris for the AL crown, and two of the home runs he hit this season would only be considered a home run in one park in the entire Major Leagues- an advantage provided by playing in Yankee Stadium with its short right field porch. There are no asterisks, those are just the details. 


Barry Bonds carried 3 MVPs and three On Base Percentage titles into the Steroid Era. He passed Ruth and Roger Maris to become the single season home run king in the 135th game of the 2001 season. He did it while leading the league in walks. He did it batting against pitchers that had access to every chemical resource that he did. And he did it in a season where Phil Nevin, Luis Gonzalez, Shawn Green, Todd Helton and Jim Thome all interestingly posted their best-ever home run seasons.

Jeff Chiu/Associated Pres


For Barry Bonds, there should be no asterisk. Those should just be the factual details and context surrounding Bonds’ place as the Home Run King, not only of his era, but of the NL, and MLB. 
The only thing left to legitimize not only Bonds, but the era in which Bonds played- an era that not only saved baseball from the disinterest brought upon by a work stoppage, but also provided a path forward for baseball to put guidelines in place for performance enhancing substances moving forward, is his inclusion in the MLB Hall of Fame. The same Hall of fame that chose to include Bud Selig in 2017, despite him being in charge of not only the Steroid Era, but also the work stoppage that many people claim necessitated the Steroid Era.


The same Hall of Fame that has no issue carrying the name of notorious asshole and attempted murderer Ty Cobb, and the same Hall of Fame that proudly carries the legacy of Gaylord Perry and his 300+ vaseline-aided wins and 3500+ spit-enhanced strikeouts.


I’m not advocating that anyone be kicked out of the Hall for the sake of purity, I’m asking that baseball simply recognize its royalty with respect to the details and context of their eras, as they’ve done with every era but the one Barry Bonds reigned over.


Baseball’s greatest shame isn’t the Steroid Era, baseball’s greatest shame has always been the exclusion of its Monarchs, starting with the Monarchs out of Kansas City of the Negro Leagues, and now with the refusal to recognize the true Home Run King.


Let that sink in

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred Is Way Off Base When It Comes To Minor League Pay

We need to talk about MLB commissioner Rob Manfred.


This weekend, leading up to the all-star festivities, Rob Manfred took a break from his full-time job of not marketing Mike Trout in order to make some hilariously disconnected comments to Hannah Keyser of Yahoo! Sports. 


When asked if MLB owners don’t pay minor leaguers a living wage because they can’t afford to, or because they aren’t interested in doing so, Manfred responded by “rejecting the premise” of the question, and pointing to recent raises, signing bonuses, and housing.


Rob Manfred rejecting the premise of a question about minor league compensation is pretty rich, considering just how rich the commissioner is. On the day he answered this question, he pocketed his daily salary of nearly $48,000, AKA about four times the minimum annual salary of a AAA baseball player, and ten times the annual salary of someone in single A.


“Living Wage” isn’t a buzz word. It has a literal definition, and it varies from state to state. Take the Charlotte Knights, for example. The Chicago White Sox AAA team in Charlotte pays a minimum of $700 a week to its players, but based on cost of living calculations, someone working in Charlotte would need to be making $750 per week to support a one-person household. 


Rob Manfred claims that free housing alleviates that issue, but a minor league season is only 3-4 months long. What are the players that make up the foundation of the game you’re in charge of supposed to do for the rest of the year? 
Surveys have shown that nearly 50% of minor leaguers are working a second job. If minor leaguers can’t make what they need to survive as a professional baseball player, or at the very least be able to fund the pursuit of the baseball dream, it puts the entire future of the league at risk. 


Maybe Rob Manfred isn’t sympathetic to the idea of paying minor leaguers enough to focus on one job because Rob Manfred has deep, personal knowledge that being paid handsomely to do something, like run baseball, doesn’t mean that you actually know what you’re doing.


Let that sink in.

Field Of Dreams Game: Determining Other Fantasy Locations

If you build it, Kevin Costner will come to the Field of Dreams game.

I’m covered in goosebumps watching right now. The Field of Dreams game between the Yankees and White Sox was tremendous. Between the entrance, the old uniforms, and the atmosphere, the game blew my expectations out of the water. Walking to the field from the outfield didn’t feel corny. (I couldn’t help myself.) The walk was special and made this regular season game feel like a championship.

Did I mention how cool it was to watch a home run land IN A CORNFIELD?

Every single camera view of the stadium and skyline was picturesque. How could you not want to watch a baseball game here every single day for the rest of your life?

Then, the game ended in complete madness.

Was this the best game ever? Might have been! Now, with a hockey game at Lake Tahoe and a (perfect) baseball game at the Field of Dreams site, where to next? Let’s take a look at some dream venues.*

*Assume logistics won’t be an issue. Pretend this is a perfect world, and a professional sporting event could take place at the venue.

Rucker Park

This is the clear number one answer. I’m not kidding when I say this game would shut down the city. To some, basketball at Rucker Park is more important than basketball at Madison Square Garden. Rucker Park is where legends are made. Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Rafer “Skip To My Lou” Alston, Nate Archibald, and Earl “The Pearl” Monroe all became playground legends before playing in the NBA. NBA stars like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant have dropped by the streetball Mecca to put on a show. If the Knicks were to beat the Nets at Rucker Park, the city would party like the Knicks won the title (sigh).

Lake Placid

Name five more important words in sports than “Do you believe in miracles?” The U.S. didn’t just defeat the Soviets in a hockey game that day. Democracy defeated communism. It doesn’t get much bigger than that. Now, the Olympics probably won’t return to Lake Placid. However, an NHL hockey game would be a great alternative. For this game, Al Michaels has to be the play-by-play announcer. I don’t know Al personally, but I’m sure he would oblige especially if the network let him discuss his gambling plays of the day.

Venice Beach

Come on, Billy! As a New York guy, I can’t speak to the mystique of the Venice Beach courts. However, I have watched a few games there on my rare trips to California and it’s super competitive. Most of my knowledge of Venice Beach basketball comes from White Men Can’t Jump. If the Lakers and Clippers played at Venice Beach, then they must wear the uniforms that resemble the clothes worn by Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes.

White Men Can’t Jump

I would love to come up with a venue for football. The first thing that comes to mind is in the middle of a NASCAR track like the Battle at Bristol.

UFC event on the White House North Lawn? You never know!

What is your dream venue for a sporting event? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet me, @danny_giro.

Guest: Dr. Chris Mattmann: Rocket Scientist, AI and Analytics at NASA JPL

Wrighster or Wrong: Cr. Chris Mattmann

Analytics vs Manalytics

Am I Wrighster or Am I Wrong Interview with Dr. Chris Mattmann. We discuss analytics vs manalytics in sports and how computers are running MLB, NFL, and NBA. Dr. Mattman explains how artificial intelligence is transforming sports. That same AI has made tech companies have more data on us than the NSA. Coronavirus modeling is complicated and we learn who is doing it well. We also learn the difference between the Dark Web vs Deep Web. And so much more.

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Who is Dr. Chris Mattmann?

Dr. Chris Mattmann is the Division Manager for the Artificial Intelligence, Analytics and Innovation Development Organization in the Information Technology and Solutions Directorate (ITSD) at NASA JPL. Dr. Mattmann is also JPL’s first Principal Scientist in the area of Data Science. The designation of Principal is awarded to recognize sustained outstanding individual contributions in advancing scientific or technical knowledge, or advancing the implementation of technical and engineering practices on projects, programs, or the Institution. He has over 17 years of experience at JPL and has conceived, realized and delivered the architecture for the next generation of reusable science data processing systems for NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory, NPP Sounder PEATE, and the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Earth science missions.

Mattmann’s work has been funded by NASA, DARPA, DHS, NSF, NIH, NLM and by private industry and commercial partnerships. Mattmann was the first Vice President (VP) of Apache OODT (Object Oriented Data Technology), the first NASA project to enter the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) and he led the project’s transition from JPL to the ASF.” – via NASA JPL CIT website

Wrighster or Wrong?

Am I Wrighster or Am I Wrong? The intersection where sports, business, society, and pop culture meet. Daily Fire… FACTS ONLY… Check Your feelings at the door. This ain’t the place for the left, right, snowflakes, social justice warriors. ABSOLUTELY No BS. I keep it 100.

The George Wrighster podcast features great interviews where you get to know great people discussing faith, family, fatherhood, food, and sports. We get to know and learn from the personalities that entertain us outside of what they are famous for. Shoot me an email with comments or guest ideas: GWpodcast@unafraidshow.com. Please be sure to share the podcast with a friend, subscribe, and leave a 5* rating.

Who is George Wrighster?

George Wrighster is a former Pac-12 and veteran NFL tight end. As a television/radio host, opinionist, writer, speaker, and analyst, he is UNAFRAID to speak the truth. Contrary to industry norms he uses, facts, stats, and common sense to win an argument. He has also found success in the business world as an entrepreneur and investor. George is a lifelong learner who loves having conversations that educate and uplift. He has also covered college football, basketball, NFL, NBA, MLB since 2014.

Sports Are (Sort Of) Back. Let’s Keep It That Way

Ben Simmons sports

Last night, I experienced something I haven’t felt in what seems like forever. In the span of 30 minutes, I watched Aaron Judge crush a 3-run home run in the 9th inning as well as admired an entertaining Lakers vs. Clippers game that came down to the final shot. I witnessed the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Sports are back… sort of.

2020 has been an unpredictable and unprecedented year. Between a global pandemic, a looming election, and a cesspool of arguments on social media that make me want to bash my head into a wall, sports are far from the most important thing to be discussing. However, I speak for a lot of people when I say sports are a much-needed distraction.

I’ve been living in New York City throughout this pandemic. Besides a few weekend trips to my parents’ house this summer, I’ve been in the city 85% of the time. It’s hard to put into words how different NYC was in March and April. When I’m telling you I was afraid to go outside, I truly mean it. For the first few weeks, the only times I went outside of my apartment were for trips to the grocery store once a week. I also left my apartment for my weekly Friday night pizza and each day, I would stand outside for a few minutes for some fresh hair. That’s all I did for about eight weeks. Even though I was in NYC, I’ll be the first to tell you that I had it easier than most. All I had to do was stay inside and watch a lot of television and movies. For a guy who adores pop culture and entertainment, staying inside was easy. I’m not a first responder or healthcare hero that risked their lives to save others. My neighborhood wasn’t hit as hard as certain areas in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. Many families had it far worse. So once again, I’m extremely fortunate and lucky to be in the situation that I was in.

We all need a distraction. When I say, “we,” I speak for all of Americans and even all humans by saying we need a distraction from what’s going on in 2020. That’s where sports come in. Just because I want a distraction doesn’t mean I’m forgetting about the virus. The virus is still here and it’s still a threat to civilization. However, watching a few basketball and baseball games was a feeling that I want to replicate for the rest of the year. It was so refreshing to see Twitter make memes about a picture with LeBron and Kawhi. After seeing 325 Twitter videos of random people with no medical background telling me how to protect myself from a virus they’ve never studied, an NBA joke could not have come at a better time.

Sports are the best. They unite people of different backgrounds, races, genders, and religions. We may not be able to agree on if we should or shouldn’t be wearing a mask (lol), but at least we can all agree that the Clippers missed Montrezl Harrell on the glass last night.

Sports aren’t perfect. They have problems, too. The NBA, MLS, WNBA (Sabrina Ionescu is the Queen of NY), PLL, NHL, and UFC are all competing in bubbles, but that doesn’t guarantee safety. Players can still make questionable decisions involving strip clubs that could potentially put the entire bubble in jeopardy. The MLB has a big COVID problem and it’s called the Miami Marlins. The NFL, who has had the most time to develop a course of action, still does not have a definitive plan for dealing with the virus. College football may have to play in the spring. There is still an ongoing battle for social justice in this country. Plus, the NBA is in hot water after an ESPN investigation revealed abuse complaints and mistreatment of players in NBA training academies in China.

I apologize for beating a dead horse, but sports are not the most important issue at hand. That being said, for a few hours a day, sports provide a much-needed escape from reality. Is that such a bad thing? We can only hope that every league takes the necessary precautions to keep their sport up and running for the remainder of the year. I feel like I’m the overprotective dad telling his daughter to make good decisions before she goes off to her first school dance. But if players, coaches, owners, managers, and commissioners need a reminder, here it is: Be smart and make good decisions. If you need me, I’ll be on my couch all weekend.

Excited for sports to come back? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

Five Questions About The Upcoming 2020 MLB Season

rob manfred mlb

After months of fighting, the MLB and MLBPA finally agreed on safety and testing protocol this past Tuesday, which led to Commissioner Rob Manfred implementing a 60-game schedule. In other words, baseball is coming back in late July.

I’m glad that the MLB will have a season, but I have so many unanswered questions. Unfortunately, some of them will not be answered when the season begins. Some things will have to play themselves out in order to find answers. For now, here are five questions I have for the upcoming season.

How Will COVID-19 Impact The Season?

This question has been brought to you by “Captain Obvious,” but it’s important to address. The coronavirus is still here and wreaking havoc. The mortality rate is not as high as initially predicted, but positive cases are still on the rise in some areas of the country. Some states like Texas, who opened its economy earlier than others, are now scaling back its opening phases. Once the season starts, there are going to be players who test positive. It’s inevitable. They should recover and the data supports that notion. The league will not stop for one player testing positive, but hypothetically, what if half a team tests positive? It’s likely they all recover, but will teams want to continue playing? Will this franchise even have enough players to field a team? The only thing we know is that we don’t know anything. All we can do is hope.

*For the rest of this article, let’s assume COVID-19 is contained and the entire season runs from start to finish.*

Will The Playoffs Expand To 16 Teams?

Baseball may be coming back for a 60-game regular season, but not every detail has been finalized, particularly, the postseason. As of now, the postseason will remain at 10 teams. However, in an interview with AP, MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said that he would be “available to discuss it” if there’s interest in postseason expansion. In an unprecedented season, I’m not opposed to adding three additional wild card spots in each league. It gives teams more hopes to keep fighting throughout the season if they stumble out of the gates.

Will The Universal DH Stay In The National League Forever?

One rule that’s been implemented for 2020 is the universal DH, meaning pitchers will not hit this year in the NL. Two words: Thank God. If you’re a baseball purist, turn away. It’s time to implement the universal DH. I don’t want to see pitchers come up to the plate to either strike out on three others or attempt a sacrifice bunt. It’s unnecessary and needs to change. Pitchers in high school and college don’t hit anymore and most pitchers never swing a bat in the minor leagues. With all due respect to Madison Bumgarner, pitchers should never pick up a bat again in the MLB.

Will The Runner On Second Cost Any Teams A Shot At The Playoffs?

In order to shorten extra-inning games and preserve player health, a runner will go to second base at the start of each inning. Call me “Middle Man Dan” because I’m both for and against this rule. In a 60 game season, teams don’t need to be playing 13-inning games in the first month. However, for game 59 with a spot at the playoffs on the line, I might break every window insight if my team missed out on the wild card because they lost a game in extra innings with a runner started on second in extra innings. My compromise would be to implement this new rule up until game 45, and then it goes back to normal from there on out.

Which Teams Are The Favorite To Win The World
Series?

When the dust has settled, who will be holding the “piece of metal” at the end of the season? In a shortened season, conventional logic will point to the teams with elite starting pitching or bullpen depth. Right off the bat, the Dodgers should be the favorite going into the season, which had the lowest combined ERA in 2019. It also doesn’t hurt to add Mookie Betts and Anthony Rendon to the lineup. Behind the Dodgers are the Yankees and Asterisks… I mean Astros. After those three times, the next tier includes the Twins, Nationals, A’s, and Braves. In theory, it’s anyone’s year, but if one of those seven teams don’t win it all, I’d be shocked.

What is your biggest question in regards to the upcoming MLB season? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

2020 MLB Season Will Be One to Remember – If It Happens

MLB Home run derby MLB All star game

The 2020 Major League Baseball season is still in question. Commissioner Rob Manfred has yet to come to an agreement with the players.

While I could rant some more about how I am frustrated about this, I want to talk about how the season may play out if it in fact happens. Fans should be frustrated about how the current process has played out, but should be optimistic about what the 2020 MLB season could hold if and hopefully when an agreement is reached.

Washington Nationals Will Have Fresh Pitchers Coming Off World Series Championship

The Nationals were able to re-sign World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg. Along with Strasburg, they return a pitching rotation that includes 3-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer and Patrick Corbin. With no wear-and-tear from a normal 162-game season, all three of these pitchers could have excellent seasons. It would not be a stretch to predict at least one no-hitter from Max Scherzer this season.

They lost third baseman Anthony Rendon, who was an integral part of the team in 2019. Rendon departing leaves a void, but now outfielder Juan Soto will be the face of the franchise. If the season is to be played, it will be interesting to see how Soto does coming off of an excellent playoff run in 2019.

Rendon, Mookie Betts Will Both Have Great Seasons In Los Angeles

Anthony Rendon and Mookie Betts, two of the MLB’s more popular players, relocated to Los Angeles during the offseason. Rendon signed a 7-year, $245 million contract with the Angels, while Mookie Betts was traded to the Dodgers from the Boston Red Sox. With tempered expectations due to the pandemic, it would not be surprising to see both players put up impressive first years for their new teams.

Still, the Dodgers will have an easier time being successful than their Los Angeles counterparts. The Dodgers are basically a shoe-in to win the NL West yet again this season, while the Angels will have to get past the Houston Astros. The Angels also have a new manager in Joe Maddon.

Houston Astros Will Not Be Booed In Empty Stadiums

One of the main offseason stories in the MLB was the handling of the sign-stealing scandal involving the Houston Astros. Many have more of a negative view of the franchise now, and the players would not have been treated with cheers at opposing ballparks. Because of COVID-19, that factor goes away for the Astros. It may be easier for them to focus on winning games and not have to worry about the fans.

New Chicago Cubs Manager David Ross Has Less Pressure on Him in 2020 MLB Season

The Chicago Cubs parted ways with Joe Maddon after the 2019 season, and hired former player David Ross as their new manager. Ross has never been a manager before, but he has plenty of talent at his disposal. If the Cubs had a down year in a normal MLB season, Ross could have faced quite a bit of criticism. Now, Ross will get a chance to feel out being a manager during a shortened 2020 MLB Season, and possibly be more successful because of it. The Cubs are one of the teams that could get hot at any point during the season.

Colorado Rockies are a Dark Horse Team That Could Benefit From Shortened MLB Season

The Rockies have been notorious for being a very streaky team in past seasons. They have four 2019 All-Stars in their lineup with Charlie Blackmon, Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, and David Dahl. Pitching is always a question with the Rockies, and the Coors Field effect is always a factor with what some think the Rockies’ floor and ceiling may be as a team.

However, because of the firepower the Rockies have on their team, they could make the playoffs simply by going on one decent winning streak. Their four All-Stars are very streaky hitters, and their pitching is also inconsistent.

The sheer unpredictability of baseball makes it so a shortened season may help teams with less overall firepower. That is why any team could make the 2020 MLB Playoffs. If and hopefully when the MLB finally agrees to a deal with the players, the 2020 MLB Season will be one of the most interesting and fun seasons to watch in a long time.

MLB Return To Play: Fans Frustrated About Jumbled Mess

MLB Players only Walk, strikeout or hit a homerun Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge

Players complaining about their salaries and a commissioner who wants to see those players do everything but play baseball. These two developments have been the MLB return to play negotiations in a nutshell.

At least there was the MLB Draft on Wednesday. The Detroit Tigers selected Arizona State’s Spencer Torkelson with the first overall pick, and I did not watch a single second of the draft.

Last summer, I went to 17 Colorado Rockies games. I did this as part of an independent study at the University of Colorado Boulder. During this study, I analyzed dynamic ticket pricing and certain aspects of the fan’s game day experience at Rockies games. I was hoping to go to just as many if not more Rockies games this summer also. However, that plan obviously was changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

My plans to go to Rockies games this summer changed into plans of washing my hands 20 times a day. Still, I was hoping I could at least watch baseball this season. That is looking more and more like a distant dream at this point. The MLB and MLBPA have been unable to come to an agreement about how many games they want to play once they return.

MLB Wants To Play Fewer Games with Prorated Salaries

The MLB, as an organization, has butchered their plans to return to play thus far. It is crazy that the league seems to be doing the complete opposite of what is the trend in other major sports leagues like the NFL. The NFL just added a 17th game into the CBA so the owners could get more money. Contrarily, the MLB wants to play fewer games than the MLB Player’s Association does.

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The MLB is arguably the closest sports league to the European Soccer Model in the United States. Because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, many minor leagues across the world will struggle to stay afloat. However, the four major European Soccer Leagues (English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, and Serie A) have all either started play again or are starting this week. They found the way, and it took cooperation from both sides.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred certainly has not gained any fans either. Many believe that he was not harsh enough against the Houston Astros in their punishment as a result of the sign-stealing scandal. Now, he looks like the one commissioner out of the four major United States sports that are least willing to negotiate with players. However, the players are not completely innocent either.

MLB Players’ Association Wants More Games, More Money

In times like these where unemployment numbers have risen as a result of the pandemic, it would not be crazy to think the MLB may be losing fans because of what could be perceived as player greed. Players want a fair share of their prorated salary. Another thing to think about is that it is the players who want to play more. They could get more money because of this, but it may be tough to play a lot of games if the season is unable to resume by August.

While the players should be respected in this situation by both the league and the fans, it is tough to think that the season may not happen because players would not be getting their full salaries. Some of the top players would be giving up a ton of money, but would still make millions of dollars if they played this season. It is role players that should be worried about the most, however. They may not get a fair salary from owners who have to play other players top dollar.

Other Leagues’ Success In Return-to-Play Plans Makes MLB Look Worse

The NBA was able to work with their players to return to play. In the NHL, both the league and the Players’ Association have been able to communicate and have a set plan in place to return to play. Although the NFL is in its regular offseason, it seems like the league has plans in place if the season has to be altered.

Major League Baseball looks like a complete mess. Their collective bargaining agreement ends after the 2021 season, and the league and players could lose a lot if they do not play this season. The league is going to lose even more fans if they do not return to play this season. Thus, it will take some concessions from both sides for players to play, owners to make money, and fans to be able to at least watch their favorite teams in action. My dream for 2020 MLB baseball is that I wash my hands before I sit down and watch a Rockies game this season.

Astros, Cheating, And Baseball: Do We Actually Care?

Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman

I’m sure you’ve heard the popular phrase, “If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying.” Everyone cheats. We cheat on our diets when we sneak in some late-night ice cream. Your drunk uncle cheats in Uno when he stashes some extra wild cards in his hand. Hell, men and women cheat on their significant others all the time. If we’re so used to cheating, do we actually care about the Astros’ cheating scandal in baseball?

By now, you probably know about the Houston Astros and their sign-stealing scandal that dates back to 2016. The year is noteworthy because the Astros won the World Series in 2017 and fell one game short of winning it all in 2019. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred conducted an investigation and handed out punishments: manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow received one-year suspensions, loss of 1st and 2nd round draft picks in 2020 and 2021, and a $5 million fine.

Clearly, the majority of baseball fans including myself viewed this as a slap on the wrist and the outcry for harsher punishments were evident. To avoid the PR nightmare, the Astros fired Hinch and Luhnow. From there, two of the ring leaders in the scandal, Alex Cora and Carlos Beltran, also lost their managerial jobs with the Red Sox and Mets, respectively.

The main lesson from all of this may end up being to not fuck with the Internet. And, don’t bang trash cans to steal signs.

And don’t piss off Trevor Bauer and Mike Clevinger.

And don’t wear buzzers on your chests (?).

Now that you’ve read my Wikipedia entry above, let’s get down to business. Do we actually care about the Astros’ cheating scandal? Yes, I care, but it’s not black and white and there is a level of hypocrisy.

Full disclosure, I am a Yankees fan. The Astros have been a thorn in my side for the past three seasons. From Altuve’s multiple home runs to Verlander’s endless strikeouts, the Astros contributed to my seasonal depression over the winter. Therefore, I’m fully invested in this scandal.

Before I’m accused of throwing stones in glass houses, I’m fully aware the Yankees have cheated before. If you’re anti-steroids, then you can have a field day on Yankees in the late 90s and early 00s. I’m aware that Yankees violated a rule that deals with the use of the dugout phone. I’m also aware the Yankees used their video room to try and decode signs from 2015-2017 before rules were put into place during the 2018 season. If you want to attack the Yankees for all of that, have a field day. However, it’s not like the Yankees were the only team using steroids and trying to decode signs in the replay room.

Now, I feel that I can now speak on what the Astros did, which is bullshit. I’m fully aware every team tries to cheat including my own, but what the Astros did took what we view as cheating and raised it to the tenth power. If you can decode signs without the help of electronics, by all means, go for it. It’s like when Mike D discovered Teddy KGB’s tell in Rounders. That’s gamesmanship. I’m all for it.

However, the Astros used a center field camera to spy on the catcher’s signs, decode them in the replay room, and bang trash cans to relay the message to the batter. That’s cheating. Plus, imagine if there’s concrete evidence that the players were wearing buzzers on their chests. The Astros are very talented, but if the buzzer rumor is true, is their World Series title legit? I’m not giving it an asterisk, but it’s clouded in controversy.

So here I am as a conflicted baseball fan. In a game that has had countless instances of cheating, does this cheating scandal matter? It does matter. What the Astros did was bullshit and they should be punished. I’m not one to take away a World Series, but after Altuve and Bregman’s unapologetic comments, I’m willing to consider suspensions for the players involved. The players do not receive the benefit of the doubt, anymore. The coaches should not be the only ones who fall on the sword.

I’d like to believe the majority of fans care about this scandal, but as baseball has taught us, some other scandal will come in a few years and the Astros sign-stealing will be in the rearview mirror. Until then, I’m going to care and I hope you (pretend to) care, too.

Do you care about the cheating scandal? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

Tim Tebow’s Mets Baseball Career is Nearing the Merciful End

Tim Tebow's Baseball career with the mets is coming to an end

I’ll open with this: hitting a baseball is hard. It’s a round ball hurtling through space – usually, over 90 miles per hour – with all kinds of movement on it, thrown by someone whose entire livelihood depends on you not hitting it. That’s not easy. However, it’s pretty clear that former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow has been particularly bad at it for the Mets, at least by the standards of minor league baseball.

Tebow recently suffered a lacerated hand, which will cause him to miss potentially the rest of the 2019 season. He has been playing for the Syracuse Mets – a Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets.

Prior to Tebow’s unfortunate injury, which apparently happened in the field, he was slashing an abysmal .163/.240/.255 with four home runs, 19 RBI, two stolen bases and 25 runs scored.

He possesses a solid ability to draw walks, doing so at a respectable 7.6% clip, but his 37.1% strikeout rate is horrific, even in a league that doesn’t seem to mind the spike in strikeouts.

Is Tim Tebow Done With the Mets?

Tebow’s return is up in the air, and while having him in the minor leagues has been good publicity for the Mets – which is rare these days – it’s going to be hard to justify giving him a roster spot over some other more deserving players.

A quick look in their minor league system shows multiple players, including Sam Haggerty and Barrett Barnes, who deserve a promotion to Triple-A over Tebow.

Haggerty is hitting .278 with 17 home runs as a 25-year-old, while Barnes is hitting .235, but with 12 home runs, at age 27. Both players are losing an opportunity to advance as long as Tebow is taking up a roster spot.

Don’t get me wrong, I fully support Tebow’s decision to try to play professional baseball – I’m not in the business of laughing at someone pursuing a dream. But that dream is dead, and even when his hand heals it is probably best for the former star quarterback to hang up his spikes – again – and pursue a career in broadcasting.

Time to give someone else a chance.