More Signs of Stealing

From the same guys that brought forth on The Athletic. Same scenario, different team and approach. The 2018 Boston Red Sox did sign stealing via a replay room. Similar to what the Houston Astros did the year prior, they had cameras aimed at a catcher to figure out signs. Their method was different as they got someone to go into a replay room near the dugout. With a runner on second base, they could signal what kind of pitch was coming. I'd guess maybe if they were to steal a base.

This could go either way. Regardless, it is bad because of Alex Cora. He's already in major trouble for the Astros stuff when he was a bench coach. With this, it hurts him even more. And Boston has gotten in trouble. The reason why stricter punishments will happen is because of them and the Yankees towards the end of the 2017 season stealing signs electronically for the former, and improper dugout phone use in the latter. On a technicality, it can be construed as cheating and it kind of is. But how much of it is cheating?

What Houston did is no doubt huge cheating. With Boston, I don't know. But I think this could happen to anybody. Any team could do that to steal signs. Then it becomes a game of cat and mouse in these games until the league intervenes. Add in the fact that the 2018 Red Sox won the World Series, it adds a lot more to the investigation. Wins do make that difference between getting the divisional seed and the wild card one. But I could see Cora getting suspended. Add in the Astros situation and the idea of a lengthy ban could be the reality.

If it's a problem then do what some people are saying. Get rid of the replay rooms and move them somewhere else. Away from every person directly involved with the teams. With punishments a couple weeks away for Houston, I'm not sure a slap in the wrist is something Boston will get. Cora better get used to the idea soon that MLB has his head on a plate. Hope it was worth it because championships don't mean anything when two straight years of scandals tarnish your seasons.