Cheating in the MLB: A Seemingly Unsolvable Problem

Taking a look into the MLB and how it is combatting cheating scandals

By: Ben Friend

https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2020-01-13/column-astros-should-vacate-2017-world-series-title-dodgers-still-feel-empty

Throughout the history of the MLB, there have been various cheating scandals. Cheating has been done for both individual success and team success with many examples in the modern era of baseball. In recent years, the MLB has tried to crack down on cheating by enforcing new rules and tightening up on previous rules.

One recent example of cheating in the MLB was the 2017 and 2018 Houston Astros. The 2017 Astros team finished with a record of 101-61 and defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in the world series in seven games. Two years later in 2019 it was revealed that the Astros had cheated their way to the world series and had even been cheating the season after as well. During these seasons, the Astros had been using video cameras that were placed in center field to record signs that the opposing teams catcher had given to the pitcher. Catchers give signs to their pitchers to indicate what pitch they want to be thrown, so by stealing signs the Astros had a leg up against all of their opponents. After watching the video of the signs, Astros players would bang on trash cans when their teammates were up to bat to indicate what pitch was coming. Later in the season Astros players also began to wear buzzers to signal which pitch they were going to see. To combat this cheating, the MLB fined the Astros $5 million and took away many of their draft picks in the coming years. The Astros manager A.J. Hinch and their General Manager Jeff Lunhow were both suspended for a year then eventually fired by the Astros organization. While these punishments were put into place, many MLB fans and players were upset that the Astros didn't have their world series championship taken away, and that the players didn't receive any punishment.

While the MLB received lots of backlash for their lack of punishment of the Astros after their cheating scandal, they have made numerous efforts to try and limit the possibility of cheating. Recently, the league has tried to enforce new rules against putting sticky substances such as Spider Tack on baseballs which allow the pitchers to get more movement on their pitches. The league has asked umpires to check players gloves and hats as well as monitor the baseballs. The league is also trying to implement longer suspensions for pitchers who are caught using sticky substances. Last season, New York Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz was suspended for ten games after he was caught using illegal substances on the baseballs he was throwing.

While the MLB has tried to limit cheating in baseball, there are still many questions as to what punishments are the right ones and how they can completely get rid of cheating altogether.