Here we go.... Old Guy Baseball's viewpoint on the Astros/Red Sox/All of baseball cheating scandal.
First of all, by the letter of the MLB rule, both teams are blatant cheaters. They utilized advanced technology, specifically cameras and re-play to pick-up sign sequences and then relay to the hitter(s). I have yet to hear anything to contrary of these reports. All I've heard is explaining away the process and determining what is worse, what the Astros did or the Red Sox.
Second, this is a product of the culture of the sport. Stealing signs and getting any advantage is part of the sport. But this is different!!! When a player picks up sign sequences on their own, or pitch tipping, that is a player demonstrating an advantage over of any other player. The use of technology, on the other hand, is a product of a team's spending and technological advantage. For instance, a team can use resources to track signs and technology to track signs and then train the players. This is not an in-game advantage!! Additionally, the home team may have an advantage due to home team cameras and set-ups.
In my opinion, the teams which are doing this (and yes I believe more than 2 teams used technology to steal signs) are weak. Using technology to gain an advantage in player development, scouting, etc is extremely viable. But using technology to take advantage of other teams following the rules is blatant cheating and an egregious effort to circumvent the rules.
As you can see, I believe Commissioner needs to punish the Astros and Red Sox harshly in order to send a message to other teams. It is time for a line in the sand to be drawn regarding cheating, otherwise cheating will continue.
