Orioles Pitcher John Means Calls Out MLB Over Light Punishment of Astros and Red Sox for Sign-Stealing Scandal

As far as Rob Manfred is concerned, we've gotten to the bottom of MLB's sign-stealing scandal. The Houston Astros have paid a price for their 2017 World Series championship, GMs and managers have lost their jobs, and no players will be punished, despite playing a vital role in the entire process.

Yet, fans are not completely satisfied. The backlash and social media sleuthing that's taken place since the Astros' punishment was announced is nothing short of astonishing. In fact, some very prominent players from opposing teams have made their disdain for the entire process very, very clear.

You can add Orioles All-Star pitcher John Means to that list.

So all you have to give up is $5 mil, a few draft picks and suspend a manager/gm for the owner to rake in all of the playoff and World Series revenue. Any contender during that time would of taken this trade off. Good luck pitchers. https://t.co/8YPhbnC5Wp
— John Means (@JMeans25) January 22, 2020

Means makes a valid point, as there's now essentially a precedent set for cheating your way to a World Series. $5 million and the loss of valued employees is actually...quite worth it when ticket sales and memorabilia is taken into account. Despite the punishment, Astros owner Jim Crane has still benefitted immensely from the 2017 World Series. That cannot be stripped of him, officially.

It’s okay John. Alex Cora will be banned for life for not pitching you in the All Star Game.
— Mike Johnson (@_Mjohn10_) January 22, 2020

The Red Sox punishment is still very much up in the air, and MLB will have more on that as the season draws closer. For now, though, it seems unlikely to surpass that of Houston, as they were the primary subject for such an investigation in the first place.