As if Yankee fans didn’t have enough to be aggravated about, yesterday ESPN broke news about the sign stealing Astros. Rob Manfred, once again, has made a decision that leaves baseball fans angry and calling for a new commissioner. This time he tells us, former Houston Astros manager, A.J Hinch and general manager, Jeff Luhnow, will both fully serve their suspension in 2020, regardless if there is a shortened or cancelled season in 2020.
Why, you might ask? Here is your answer — suspensions were handed down as a one-year suspension rather than a suspension based on number of games. According to specific wording, punishment is to end at the completion of the 2020 World Series. Meaning, whether or not the 2020 World Series is actually played, both could be back in baseball by next winter.
What does this mean for other suspensions?
“This means we get German back next season even if the season gets cancelled, right?”
Absolutely WRONG.
Players won’t benefit from Manfred’s most recent brilliant idea. As I mentioned before, Hinch and Luhnow weren’t suspended for a certain amount of games. The lack of a specific number is exactly what allows for this wacky loophole. Players, on the other hand, receive specific game suspensions, meaning the season must start for any time to be considered served. For Domingo German, his 63 game suspension will start when the baseball season resumes and not a second before.
The Astros win
With this new information, its hard not to feel like the Astros won. Even after cheating their way to a World Series win, the team seemingly walks away with a slap on the wrist. In all, the team loses 2020 and 2021 first and second round draft picks, $5 million, and their manager and general manager. To make it all worse, they keep their World Series title.
Hinch and Luhnow are also big winners in this situation. Both are now serving their punishment sitting on their couch with no baseball just like the rest of us. By this time next year both could be back in baseball potentially not even missing one game.
