"They're paying the price" - When Derek Jeter acknowledged punishments for Astros following cheating scandal
Derek Jeter was not impressed with the Houston Astros for their sign-stealing scandal in 2017, which rocked the baseball world and took the trust of many fans.
It is no secret that many base runners try to peak at the catcher's signs and indicate them to the batter. However, Houston was accused of using cameras focusing on opposing catchers to get their signs.
Jeter spoke on the issue back in 2020, when he was still the CEO of the Miami Marlins:
"When you talk about people trying to get an edge in baseball, I don't think that's anything new. People have been trying to do it for years. But obviously, people took it way too far. And there are penalties for it. They're paying the price," said Jeter.
As a result of the scandal, manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were suspended for a season and then fired by the organization.
Derek Jeter knew people would not be happy with the league's punishment for the Astros
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred was not a fan-favorite after his ruling on the Astros' punishment. Outside of management and the front office, no players were formally punished.
This was something that many fans could not believe, and they expressed their disgust at the decision by booing the players every chance they got. Many still do years after the scandal.
This was something Derek Jeter saw coming. Baseball is a game that takes pride in policing itself, and the fans take that to heart.
"Regardless of what the penalties are, others are going to have their opinions on what they think should happen. You hope that over time it passes. But I'm sure this is going to sting for a while," said Jeter.
Well, we are headed into the 2024 season and cannot imagine the boos will go away. They will likely stay with players like Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa for the remainder of their careers.
The scandal was a blackeye on the game for a team that had the talent to be great without it, and fans will never forget it.