How Lucky Did the Mets Get With Commissioner Manfred’s Report

The NY Mets organization must be breathing a sigh of relief after commissioner Rob Manfred released his findings on the Houston Astros. Considering what was discovered in the report, and what’s coming down the pipe… Carlos Beltran is about as lucky as a leprechaun.

What Happened

We’ve all heard about the Astros sign-stealing scandal. The commissioner’s office concluded their investigation and found the evidence was OVERWHELMINGLY against the Astros. So, what ended up happening was this:

• Astros, as an organization, were fined $5 million.
• Astros, as an organization, forfeit their first and second-round picks in the 2020 and 2021 drafts.
• Astros manager, AJ Hinch, and GM, Jeff Luhnow, are suspended for the 2020 season.
• An hour after all this is delivered by Rob Manfred, Astros owner, Jim Crane, fire them both.

Why The Mets Should Be Relieved

Alex Cora, then bench coach when the Astros developed this sign-stealing scheme, was named in Manfred’s report as being one of the key players in all of this. As was Carlos Beltran, who was cited as being one of the chief organizers of the whole thing. Alex Cora is expected to face a punishment similar to Hinch and Luhnow for his involvement in the Astros cheating scandal, as well as facing serious punishment for his Red Sox stealing signs watching the feed in the replay room.

If Cora isn’t fired, which would be the hardest of hardest sales by Red Sox brass, he’s likely to face a minimum 2-year suspension. One year for the Astros, one year for his Red Sox. Beltran, in all likelihood, cooperated fully and completely with MLB’s investigation into the Astros, saving his bacon (probably). How do you come back from that as a manager? Being suspended from baseball in your first year as a manager?