The Houston Astros have targets on their backs.

Perhaps not literally, but they are going to be targeted if not already.

From Evan Bleier at Inside Hook:

“Oddsmakers expect Houston Astros batters are going to have a problem with getting hit by pitches in 2020.

London-based sportsbook William Hill has set the over/under on the number of Houston batters to get hit this season at 83.5.

Though only nine teams have been hit by pitches more than 83.5 times in the past five seasons, oddsmakers anticipate that rage over the sign-stealing scandal involving Houston, which the team has been very unapologetic about, will lead to Astros batters having targets on their backs this season.”

Already, the Astros have been taking audible hits.

From the Associated Press, 17 February 2020:

“These are the new sounds of spring for the Houston Astros: a fan banging on a trash can, another calling José Altuve a cheater. That’s what greeted the Astros during their first full-squad workout at camp Monday. And with so many around baseball not ready to forgive or forget their sign stealing, this won’t be the last time they hear it.”

Sure, apologies have been given. From USA Today, 13 February 2020:

“In a show of remorse that many within their sport may feel is both overdue and insufficient, Houston Astros stars Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve apologized for their roles in an electronic sign-stealing scandal that tainted their 2017 World Series championship and roiled Major League Baseball all winter.”

Apologies don’t do much good while the owner of the Astros denies any harm being done.

“Astros owner Jim Crane denied that the team stealing signs in 2017 had any impact on the ballclub winning games or the World Series.” – Evan Bleier, Inside Hook

Sign stealing had no impact? Tell that to Mike Bolsinger.

From USA Today, 10 February 2020:

“The Houston Astros wronged a lot of people, in a lot of ways. But the damage they did to Mike Bolsinger – to his career and to his whole life – was particularly harsh, and the former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher wants them held accountable. Bolsinger filed a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, accusing the Astros of unfair business practices, negligence and intentional interference with contractual and economic relations.”

Whether or not Bolsinger wins his case remains to be seen, but to claim that cheating had no impact is nonsense. Cheaters cheat because cheating does have an impact. That is why “baseball authorities fined the Astros $5 million, stripped them of top draft picks for the next two seasons and suspended the team’s manager and general manager, who were fired later.”

So, will there be any other fallout from the sign-stealing (other than the Astros now having an asterisk by their name)?

Perhaps so.

From Jason Gold, managing director at the Progressive Policy Institute:

“MLB enjoys a unique exemption from U.S. antitrust laws and has almost no regulatory oversight. So it’s no shock that the Astros and other clubs would calculate that the risks of getting caught cheating were low. . . MLB leaders likely will face mounting pressure to discipline the sign-stealing players, not just team executives. If they fail to do so, they’ll invite government regulators to get in the game.”

How is the rest of the public responding to the Astros’ sign-stealing?

Well, NBA star LeBron James has this to say via tweets:

Also, a man named George Jetson changed his dog’s name.

David Robertson

The “Wanted” posters say the following about David: “Wanted: A refugee from planet Melmac masquerading as a human. Loves cats. If seen, contact the Alien Task Force.”

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