I was excited about the Minnesota Twins’ acquisition of LHP Rich Hill, for 2020. He brings stability to the back-end of a starting rotation that suddenly seems packed with depth. Hill is yet to throw a pitch for the Twins, but after what he told WEEI Radio recently, he might be my new favorite player, already.

Hill was asked about the legitimacy of a 2020 World Series Champion, who triumphs over a 60-game season, instead of 162. Remember, Hill played on the Dodger team that fell to the cheating Houston Astros back in 2017. He held back a bit on his answer, but you’ll have no issues reading between the lines

“We can look back to a couple of years ago, was that a World Series? Honestly. I was there. The more you hear about it … Whatever. It is what it is… What I’m saying, if we’re going to compare that, if we’re going to compare this 60-game season and say it’s not a championship season, well, OK. I have a different feeling about that.

Rich Hill – WEEI Radio

I Love Rich Hill

I’d like this quote printed out, shredded, minced and boiled into a liquid I can inject directly into my veins. If 2017’s World Series still counts for the Astros, then you can be damn-well sure that 2020 will go into the books without an asterisk, as well (hopefully for the Minnesota Twins).

Who knows what will happen over the next six months, but as long as a team is crowned when it’s over, they’ll be more of a champion than the 2017 Houston Astros ever were. Hill is a gentleman, though, and didn’t want to stir up anymore controversy. He just wants everyone to know, that the 2020 season definitely matters to players around the league, himself included.

And I want Rich Hill to know, that he matters to me. I don’t buy jerseys anymore but I might make an exception tonight…

“I brought it up because it was to the case and point of the 60-game season not being a championship season, and I fully, 100 percent think it is. I’m looking forward to having a great year.”

Rich Hill – WEEI Radio

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Every time someone from the MLB speaks about this Houston Astros cheating scandal, in hopes of making it better… it gets worse. This morning, that person speaking, was MLB Commissioner, Rob Manfred.

We haven’t seen all of the interview yet. SportsCenter is slow rolling it out this morning, in cut-up clips so people will watch them again… I’ll embed clips into this blog, as they become available, along with more commentary if necessary, until the full interview is available.

Can We Get Any Sincerity or Honesty…?

Everyone who was involved in the actual Astros cheating scandal OR in the investigation afterward, are ALL hiding shit when they talk. That’s been the biggest problem since this investigation started (Manfred says that in the beginning of the clip above) and it remains the biggest problem to this day..

What Manfred doesn’t realize in this respect, is he’s a big part of the problem. He granted immunity to all players involved, in order to get answers. Imagine if we gave immunity to all criminals in the world, so they’d give us the truth in what they did…

He also picks his own words VERY carefully and clearly hides half of the truth when he is giving this interview to Ravich. The deception is so obvious, Spongebob Squarepants is skeptical…

via GIPHY

Maybe the MLB should just hire people who are better at their jobs, including someone to replace Manfred, himself?

The fans and players are sick of being lied to by the MLB and the Houston Astros so those two entities can “move on” from this, as Manfred so carefully chose his words this morning.

Fans don’t give a fuck that you are trying to “move on”. We are still trying to figure out what happened, before we can even discuss “moving on”.

What a joke. How about we worry less about “moving on” and more about investigating and then punishing (properly) everyone involved?

For example, it hasn’t even been 24 hours since Carlos Correa gave his ridiculous interview where he stanned for Jose Altuve’s 2017 MVP, after Cody Bellinger said he doesn’t deserve it, earlier this week.

During that interview, he said the Astros didn’t do any cheating in 2018, which is false (pointed out to him by Ken Rosenthal during the interview). Apparently, they don’t believe that using centerfield cameras to decode signs, then relaying them to the runner on 2nd base, is cheating?

.@TeamCJCorrea addresses his fellow players’ reaction to the Astros investigation and his teammate @JoseAltuve27.

Full ? – https://t.co/0JwtkFtE8B
#MLBTonight | @Ken_Rosenthal pic.twitter.com/lkfoAfLpTC

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 15, 2020

Carlos Correa literally tells Cody Bellinger to shut the fuck up. Those were his exact words.

I couldn’t think of a worse group of individuals than the Houston Astros. pic.twitter.com/MjGgTeoWYL

— Joe Randazzo (Bronx Pinstripes crew) (@deflategator) February 15, 2020

Multiple things that Carlos Correa said in his interview on MLB Network were proven to be false. Maybe he should take his own advice. pic.twitter.com/7RmgjshxFq

— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) February 15, 2020

Carlos Correa says Altuve didn’t want jersey ripped off because of a tattoo on his collarbone. The internet remains undefeated pic.twitter.com/LNxWiiTOGH

— Starting 9 (@Starting9) February 15, 2020

The Astros Aren’t Sorry

“If you don’t know the facts, then you should shut the fuck up.”

Those words were actually said on a major TV interview. WE WANT ALL OF THE FACTS, CARLOS SO WHY DON’T YOU BE THE ONE TO SHARE THOSE WITH US????

How do you even give that interview with a serious face? How do you talk about everyone not knowing the facts, when you have them… and are lying to hide them. It’s almost so stupid that you have to laugh.

At least they apologized a little bit… kind of… I guess… but not really.

First, it was complete bullshit. Then, their owner spoke and made it way worse… before we finally got ahold of a couple players at their lockers who at least seemed apologetic. And then Carlos Correa called Ken Rosenthal for that terrible interview above….

The only reason they are sorry is because they got caught. That’s clear. The players need to take some fucking responsibility. They keep on pointing to this stupid fucking memo that was sent to the Astros sometime in 2017, that reiterated the illegality of using technology to steal signs, but was never shared with the players…

… as if we are stupid enough to believe they didn’t know it was wrong and illegal to steal signs using centerfield cameras. Again, we aren’t being told everything and instead, we are treated like we are too stupid to realize it.

MLB is About to Ban Astros Players from Being Thrown At:

We also found out that Manfred and Co. are going to send out a memo to all MLB teams with a list of punishments for purposefully throwing at Astros players, in retaliation for their cheating….

…which is fucking hilarious!

The same league that has refused to punish pitchers who throw at guys for watching home runs too long, is now concerned about player being thrown at? Does this guy live in the same world we do?

First, you protect the players from any real punishment, by giving them immunity for telling the truth. Then, you are going to protect them from baseball’s classic player-run legal system, by punishing those who enforce the “unwritten rules” that were so crucial to protect, before?

This Shit Show is Just Getting Started

Through all of this, one thing has become incredibly clear. This scandal that is flipping baseball upside down, is nowhere near over.

With the Astros getting more defensive, instead of apologetic; the MLB defending them at every turn, instead of levying worthy punishments; and the Boston Red Sox cheating decision still looming…… Manfred get comfortable in front of cameras because this issue is around to stay.

This looks like it will follow the Astros, the MLB, and Manfred’s legacy forever.

If any of those entities cared about saving baseball instead of their own asses, we would know the truth to all of this, the Astros wouldn’t have a banner hanging or rings on fingers, and there wouldn’t be Astros players to throw at this season because they’d all be suspended or banished for good.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

“Our opinion is that this didn’t impact the game.” – Jim Crane

“I didn’t say it didn’t impact the game.” – Jim Crane 55 seconds later pic.twitter.com/MnpPeeTUPL

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) February 13, 2020

“So then what are you guys apologizing for?”
“We’re apologizing because we broke the rules.”

Astros owner Jim Crane and @MarlyRiveraESPN went back and forth during the team’s news conference. pic.twitter.com/2hdR1sFGcd

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 13, 2020

Jim Crane sounds tone deaf. Jose Altuve and Alex Bergman spoke for less than a minute and a half combined. Dusty Baker, who has been Astros manager for two weeks, sounded the most sincere. What a mess.

— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) February 13, 2020

Here’s video of the Houston Astros Apology, in case you missed it earlier: pic.twitter.com/v5eqJRenbg

— OrdioMongo (@OrdioMongo) February 13, 2020

I don’t know whether to yell at all of these Astros players, coaches and owner… or if I should just laugh and pretend like none of it gets to me. If it weren’t for having to answer some VERY uncomfortable questions, I’d say everyone still involved with this team thinks this whole controversy is a big joke.

It’s absolutely disgusting… but glorious at the same time.

How about Astros Owner, Jim Crane? This guy looks completely composed on the outside but nothing coming out of his mouth makes any sense. First, he says he didn’t think anything they did impacted the game… but then backtracks quickly (if you can’t listen to the video above):

“Our opinion is this didn’t impact the game. We had a good team. We won the World Series and we’ll leave it at that.”

Jim Crane – Houston Astros Owner

I didn’t say it didn’t impact the game. Basically, as the commissioner said, he’s not going to go backwards. It’s hard to determine how it impacted the game or if it impacted the game, and that’s how we’re going to leave it.

Jim Crane – Houston Astros Owner

Actually sir… you did just say that.

via GIPHY

Jim Crane actually said that he, the owner, doesn’t think he deserve to be held accountable… Then, when pressed on whether the players deserve to take any blame, Jim said, “

“It could have been stopped and it wasn’t stopped… Our players should not be punished. … These are a great group of guys who did not receive proper guidance from their leaders.”

Jim Crane – Houston Astros Owner

In other words, he’s blaming already fired AJ Hinch (manager) and Jeff Luhnow (GM), and saying they were the only authority figures who could have taken charge and stopped the cheating from taking place… but remember, that accountability definitely doesn’t travel up the authority ladder all the way to him.

Crane said that the buzzers never happened, either. How does he know? Well, because the players promised him they didn’t do any cheating with buzzers…

It’s relieving to know we can stop worrying about those damn buzzers, now that the INCREDIBLY TRUSTWORTHY Houston Astros players told their owner they are innocent of that specific crime.

Because this organization is so 1st class, we got to hear from Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve again, to address this entire scandal, but they didn’t take questions…

Why should they? They are innocent and shouldn’t be held accountable, remember? Maybe when they do eventually answer questions, one teammate can tap a coffee cup so they know what question is coming?

Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman really hit their statements right out of the park again too, just like the first time they addressed this scandal a couple of weeks ago….

Bravo.

Anybody want to start their day with a fake apology by Alex Bregman? (Video from @MarlyRiveraESPN) pic.twitter.com/sH2xNmtGs0

— Joe Randazzo (Bronx Pinstripes crew) (@deflategator) February 13, 2020

Jose Altuve apology pic.twitter.com/iq624uF11Q

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 13, 2020

The guy who reportedly showed the most remorse, was Dusty Baker, who was just hired and had nothing to do with this scandal.

Carlos Correa was a little bit better but he tried to tamp down all of the blame that is now being shifted to former teammate Carlos Beltran, who is now taking the most heat as the orchestrator of this whole sign-stealing scheme.

Correa stood up for Carlos Beltran, who was fired as manager of the Mets before he could even manage a game because of his role on the 2017 Astros. In the MLB report, Beltran was pointed at as someone who led the sign-stealing. Correa refuted any report that Beltran intimidated the younger players to illegally steal signs.

“He was the nicest guy that we could ever have,” Correa said. “He was the best teammate we’ve ever had. Beltran was obviously a leader of the clubhouse but we all had a say in everything that we were doing in there. Whatever he said and whatever we were doing, we had the chance to stop it as a team. Everybody. Everybody had the chance to say something and we didn’t. So, whoever the anonymous source is that’s saying we felt intimidated or we were too young to say something: That is just straight up (B.S.).”

Carlos Correa – (via Texas Sports Nation)

2017 World Series MVP, George Springer also “apologized”…. FOX 7 out of Austin did a great job of combining all of the video and made it available to embed so I have done that here:

I’m sure more will drop on this scandal, as time goes on but we are still yet to hear what kind of cheating the Boston Red Sox have done, so stay tuned.

At the end of the day, the MLB is going to have to address HOW this happened and fix it… which I will do for them later today.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan