Alex Cora and Carlos Beltran Unlikely to Receive 'Significant Punishment' in Sign Stealing Saga
By Parker White
Unless you've been living under a rock, the big story coming out of Major League Baseball has nothing to do with what's going on this offseason, which is unfortunate.
Instead, it's all about the Houston Astros having allegedly stolen signs through the use of electronic equipment during their World Series run in 2017 (and perhaps beyond). Not only are current members of the Astros organization caught up in this, but a couple current employees, Alex Cora and Carlos Beltran, have been named in the inquiry as well.
However, neither the incumbent Red Sox manager or the new Mets skipper is unlikely to receive "significant punishment" unless some hard evidence is found that implicates them even further, according to Andy Martino of SNY.
Per sources, it is too early to say definitively if Beltran/Cora will be disciplined for Astros sign stealing — but significant punishment seems unlikely. Told there would have to be extraordinary evidence against them, e.g. they wore an earpiece in dugout, which is not alleged.
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) November 14, 2019
Basically, they are looking for a smoking gun that is unlikely be discovered based on what is currently known to the public.
So, instead of Cora and Beltran being worried about getting fired or receiving a long suspension, it will be surprising if they even get handed a significant fine.
With Cora and Beltran involved with the Astro’s cheating scandal, I wonder if they get punished also. Cora winning the WS last year may now be under scrutiny...
— Young Yanks (@YoungYanks) November 14, 2019
Obviously, neither Cora nor Beltran should be punished for punishment's sake. But in order to deter against future bad acts, heads will surely need to roll. Heavy punishments need to be levied, and they can't all fall on Astros manager A.J. Hinch. This scandal is not something one man can orchestrate alone, and it appears Cora and Beltran were involved in some way. Everyone involved needs to be held accountable, right down to the last man.