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Manfred discusses Astros sign stealing.

Maybe they should just let every team cheat. You get caught during the game it's a forfeit.

 From MLB.com

“When we began the investigation after we became aware of the Houston situation, we started with an important and fundamental goal and that goal was to make sure that we found the facts, completed the investigation, figured out what was going on and put ourselves in a position to be as transparent with our fans and the other clubs as possible,” Manfred said. “Our desire to find the facts, to figure out what really went on, drove a lot of the decisions we made in the investigation process. 

“I think the worst possible outcome from this institution would’ve been if we had conducted an investigation and we came back and said, 'You know, we just couldn’t figure out what was going on.' People had a right to know what happened, and we did achieve that goal.”

No players were disciplined as part of the process, and Manfred stood behind that decision despite some recent criticism from players around the league that Astros players got off too easy.

“I’m more than prepared to tolerate and listen to the debate and criticism about whether or not the punishments that have been levied in this case were sufficient,” Manfred said. “The one thing that I do take an issue with is the notion that anyone in the Houston organization escaped without punishment. I think if you look at the faces of the Houston players as they went out there publicly addressing this issue, they have been hurt by this. They will live with questions about what went on in 2017 and 2018 for the rest of their lives. And frankly it’s rare that for any offense, to have a punishment that you have to live with for the rest of your life.”

Read more here.

Bryant, Bellinger, and Bichette all go off about the Astros Cheating.

From NY Post.

Did you miss what Bellinger said about Manfred?

The Dodgers’ star slugger responded a day after Houston Astros owner Jim Crane and most of the Astros players offered up mealy-mouthed regretsover the cheating scandal that rocked MLB.

Commissioner Rob Manfred, who handed down punishments to the franchise, was not spared, either.

“I thought Manfred’s punishment was weak, giving them immunity,” Bellinger said Friday, according to the LA Times. “I mean these guys were cheating for three years. I think what people don’t realize is Altuve stole an MVP from [Yankees outfielder Aaron] Judge in ’17. Everyone knows they stole the ring from us.”
The Astros’ 2017 World Series run concluded with a Game 7 win over the Dodgers in Bellinger’s rookie season. Manfred doesn’t plan on changing the record books and Crane was adamant that the sign-stealing scheme “didn’t impact the game.”

Read more here 

Bo Bichette isn't happy either

Bo Bichette isn't satisfied with the way Major League Baseball has handled the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal.

The cheating itself came as less of a shock to him.

"Cheating is cheating, people are going to do it … but when there are no consequences for it, that's probably a problem," the Blue Jays shortstop said Saturday at Toronto's spring training Facility in Dunedin, Fla.

"People do things they regret. But when you get away with it, it just becomes a bit bigger than it is. We'll move on from it, but it's a tough pill to swallow."

Read more here  from CBC.Ca

Cubs Chris Bryant got in on it too.

From Radio.com

Usually mild-mannered and affable Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant didn't hold back in his opinion of the Astros as he met with the media upon reporting to spring training in Mesa, Ariz. on Saturday.

"What a disgrace that was," Bryant said. "Watching their apology too, there’s no sincerity. There's no genuineness when it comes to it. I certainly know that if I messed up big in that way, I'd be the first one to let you know just how big of a mess-up it was. It's just hard to believe. It really is. It's sad.

"There's players that don't want it. I still think they were going through the (trash can) banging and stuff, because I really think it turned into a routine there. A lot of the apology was about 2017. It's like, I'm pretty sure it's going on in 2018 and 2019 too. That's just so sad. If they didn't get caught, they'd still be doing it. They're only doing this apology because they got caught. There's a lot of feelings on it, and I know everybody around the league is really upset and rightfully so, because it's really a disgrace to the game."

Read more here.

Minor League Baseball statement on player salary increases

Minor League Baseball Statement

St. Petersburg, FL, Feb. 15, 2020 —
 Minor League Baseball (MiLB) issued the following statement today regarding
Major League Baseball’s (MLB) plan to increase Minor League player pay starting in 2021:
“Minor League Baseball fully supports MLB’s decision to raise the pay rates for players in affiliated Minor League Baseball. This is an important step as we seek to work together to improve working conditions for players without reducing the number of players and teams. Minor League Baseball believes MLB can afford these salary increases without reducing the number of players by 25 percent. We have provided MLB with a specific proposal on how we can work together to ensure improvements to older facilities and reduce travel between series through limited realignment. We look forward to continued good faith negotiations with our colleagues at MLB and our principal goal remains to preserve Minor League Baseball in as many communities as possible.”
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About Minor League Baseball
Minor League Baseball is the governing body for all professional baseball teams in the United States, Canada, and the

Mets Security and Car Salesman Met Ticket Reps

Hi Mets Rep,

Thank you very much for the stuff and the Birthday card. Nice to see you write LGM not LFGM. I think LFGM is not good for children or anybody.   

I already have a sense of dread of having to enter Citi Field. I mean dealing with entrance security. I love the park. The security workers near the seats are great.

One season a year or two before you worked there, I received a sharp poke in my lower back by security. It was close to assault. This was after the wand check. It was hot out and I had no jacket on. I am a clean cut older man. I don't drink. I am not sneaking anything in. We buy food and merch every game. My wife has had horrible experiences. I have had other bad experiences also. We would love to go to more games but we dread entering the stadium. This is the truth. 

Best Regards,

J S

MG: The security situation was out of control the second half of last season. It is the biggest reason I gave up my seats I had for 11 season. There is no need to go through wallets.

When I wrote I did like the 4 for 20 as a plan holder, the rep wrote that it was only outfield prom. When I called him on his BS this was his answer.
Dang, I did not see that as the email I saw only said prom outfield.
When I discussed the security for 2020 that I did not want anyone looking in my wife's wallet here was his answer:

They are just doing their job. I understand it might not be ideal, but security is a major priority which is why they take certain measures. They should not be getting physical; if that is the case please do let me know so I can escalate that to the proper departments, but looking in bags or wallets is standard operating procedure. I had a client last season who was asked to remove her hat which is similar to looking into a wallet, in my opinion. When someone goes through airport security, everything is looked at in even more detail than here.

MG:Removing a hat is not like looking in a wallet. The No Backpacks rule was supposed to speed up the security lines. That's what we have been told right?

Mets get your shit together with these reps and security. Lucky for me I did have great reps over the years, but for every great rep it seems we have more car salesman types.