While the Red Sox and their 2018 title run are still under investigation, the penalty given to Houston for their wacky hi-jinks isn't very much or it could be seen as a lot.
Five million dollars is pocket change to an owner in Major League Baseball, but to Jeff Luhnow, that amount or less was 'crippling' to have to pay to minor league baseball players and was part of the "Houston Plan" to crush minor league baseball.
And to the Astros lost first and second-round draft picks in the 2020 and 2021 drafts, that's not much of a penalty as Mr.Luhnow believes that the minors have too many players already, so I'm sure that the Astros will get by without them as they have all the answers in player development.
That's pretty much all that got slammed- five million from Astros owner Jim Crane, which is about the same as asking me to pay fifty cents as a punishment for a felony and some draft picks from an organization that thinks player development is overrated.
After all, let's quickly recap Jim Crane and his former employees Jeff Luhnow, A.J. Hinch, Brandon Taubman and I'm sure more have done in recent years!
Placing the idea into the head of Rob Manfred that would be key in cutting baseball from 42 minor league cities.
Lopping off opportunities for players to play professional baseball.
Hiring domestic abusers while they are under suspension for abuse.
Screaming at female reporters that had the temerity to criticize that player and the team that employed him after the player did his on-field job.
AND executing a sign-stealing scandal that tipped the scales electronically and enabled them to have an edge in winning the franchise's only world championship.
That is what comes to mind quickly, I'm sure that I could come up with others, but that's enough to suit the narrative for now.
So when you consider that people lost their jobs, but other than a few draft picks and loose change, what did the Astros lose?
After all, Rob Manfred said he couldn't strip the Astros (or eventually the Red Sox) of their title and quoted a baseball precedent that decisions aren't retroactively changed.
However, most of the baseball world are howling that the punishment was far lighter than it should have been.
What is a reasonable punishment?
Let's work on it and remember I'm not completely knowledgeable about what may or may not be allowed under the labor agreement.
I do know that the fine of five million dollars is the maximum fine allowed, so I'll have to leave that in place.
When you own a major league baseball team, an owner would have to be fined fifty million to even begin to feel a small pinch, so the five million is hardly an issue.
Since Rob Manfred won't take the title out of the record books, let's do the next best thing.
All banners, signs that refer to the 2017 champions must come down.
The World Series trophy may be kept, but it has to stay in the team offices without public display.
No team merchandise can be sold with the 2017 World Series logo or anything that states champions on the item.
The championship can be mentioned in the team media guide, but only if it is accompanied by a note that mentions the scandal as well.
Any items that are remaining in the Astros possessions from that year for souvenirs will be either given away or disposed of- the Astros will make no further money from anything related to that season.
It's been mentioned that almost every player was in on this scheme and assuming that's the case, the Astros will be mandated to suspend every player on their roster that was on the 2017 team.
Naturally, the suspensions will not be all of the same lengths as a September callup would not have the same punishment as Jose Altuve and we cannot give them all at the same time, but let's handicap the Astros with this- their main stars will serve their penalty concurrently at the beginning of the season.
Whatever the penalty is, the Astros will watch Jose Altuve, George Springer, Alex Bregman, and Carlos Correa will serve their suspensions at the same time.
When they return, the other players involved will take their suspensions.
By suspending the team in that manner, the Astros will more than likely fall far behind in the standings and would be unlikely to make up the type of ground that they would lose without their stars.
The persons involved such as Jeff Luhnow, A.J.Hinch etc are suspended for a year, but the punishment will be harsher as after the suspension is completed, any team wishing to hire them will have to show "Cause" for hiring them.
The NCAA uses this when coaches cause schools to be placed on probation, but either quit or are fired and any coach under those conditions that another school would wish to hire must go in front of the NCAA with the coach and show "cause" for why this person needs to be hired and what would be different this time.
Many teams, at least for a while, just will not want to deal with the hassle and baggage for these men and leave them without a job.
This punishment will never happen, but I'll punish anyway.
Jeff Luhnow can eliminate the just cause penalty if he spends one season as a general manager for one of the 42 teams that he wants to eliminate.
Let's see Luhnow see the people and towns that he wants to take baseball away from and work with them for a season.
Perhaps Mr.Luhnow might learn that baseball is about more than numbers and even wins and losses if he served some time outside the luxury suites of the majors.
And one final punishment for Astros owner Jim Crane.
Since Crane created this free-wheeling environment that allowed for this type of rulebreaking, Crane may not participate in league matters for two seasons.
Crane can go to the team offices, but he may not do anything but review items.
Crane can attend five games a year, but he will not be allowed to use luxury suites or lower bowl seating.
Using these punishments would serve as a much larger deterrent from teams believing that chicanery is worth the punishment for the inevitable next time.
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