When the Astros’ 2017 cheating scandal was exposed in 2019, team owner Jim Crane wanted to make sure everyone knew the championship wasn’t tainted. “Our opinion is that this didn’t impact the game,” Crane said. “We had a good team. We won the World Series and we’ll leave it at that.” Then-right fielder Josh Reddick chimed in with a similar sentiment: “I think it’s just a matter of, we’re still a good team and it wasn’t a necessary point of us winning. We still went out there and won ballgames on the road as well.” Essentially, this argument boils down to “We were such a good team. It was only a matter of time before we won. The cheating wasn’t necessary, it just expedited the process.” The team’s 2022 championship is evidence that both Crane and Reddick’s statements were true. They were good enough to win…so why cheat at all? I know this 2022 team isn’t similar to the 2017 squad, but the Astros’ continued dominance since the 2017 World Series — three World Series appearances and five straight ALCS appearances — is evidence that even no matter how their team has changed over the years, the sentiment of those two statements above has remained intact. This organization was so well-built from a player standpoint. Even after the cheating scandal was exposed, they reached the ALCS in the COVID-shortened 2020 season followed by two consecutive World Series appearances and a World Series title. They were built for the future. Everybody in the baseball world knew that the Astros would be contenders for years to come. Clearly, the 2017 series wasn’t their only shot to win it all. I’m very happy for the 2022 Astros. I’m not minimizing this accomplishment. I’ve never been one of those haters who claimed that the Astros couldn’t win without cheating. That title is in the distant past. They’ve continued to win and win and win. I feel especially great for Jeremy Peña, Dusty Baker, Trey Mancini, Martín Maldonado, Mattress Mack, and the people of Houston who get their mattress money back. I’m not disparaging this moment for them or the city of Houston. They deserve it. However, I don’t know how anyone can look at this title and think it redeems the Astros’ franchise for their crimes in 2017. Congrats to the Astros! You’ve been good for a very long time and deserve this championship. But you were arguably an even better team in 2017. You didn’t have to cheat, and although I hate continuing to bring it up five years removed, it needs to be said, because I just know there are going to be people claiming that this title absolves the 2017 Astros from any wrongdoing. It obviously doesn’t. Relatedsports betting calculatorsmoneyline parlay calculatormoneyline bet calculationshalf points in online bettingkelly bet calculatorhedge calculatorspread bettingunders bettingparlay oddsround robin betspositive ev sports bettingwhat is hedge betting
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The Premier League is back in our lives once again this weekend after a short and sweet break, courtesy of the quick turnaround due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All 20 teams have been making preparations ahead of what looks set to be a very competitive league campaign, and today, we re going to be previewing the clash between West Bromwich Albion and Leicester City. The home side will try and avoid relegation after their return to the top flight, whereas the visitors will try and prove that they re still an elite club after their capitulation last season.
West Brom
Slaven Bilic knows what it s like to compete at this level as a manager and he recognised that his side needed to make crucial changes in the summer t…
Andriy Yarmolenko rescued a point for Borussia Dortmund with the equaliser in a 1-1 draw against 10-man Bayer Leverkusen that might earn head coach Peter Bosz a stay of execution.
Dortmund went into the game with Bosz under intense pressure after a run of six games without a win, but his side fell behind after half an hour.
Kevin Volland s opening goal came after a defensive howler from Neven Subotic, but Leverkusen then had Brazilian full-back Wendell sent off just before half-time.
Against 10 men, the visitors dominated the second half possession but failed to break down Heiko Herrlich s well-drilled outfit until Andre Schurrle teed up Yarmolenko for his third league goal of the season.
Despite salvaging a point, the laboured nature of Dortmund s perfor…
A host of Premier League clubs have been linked with a summer move to sign Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez, .
The Mexico international is currently on a season-long loan with European Champions Real Madrid, though he has started just five games in all competitions for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
Now Stoke City, Everton, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur are all set for a battle to secure the 26 year old’s services, with a future at Old Trafford looking unlikely.
Hernandez moved to Manchester in the summer of 2010, and has racked up one hundred and fifty-nine appearances for the club, scoring fifty-nine goals and was part of the squads that won the Premier League title in both 2011 and 2013.
Internationally, he has thirty-eight goals …
UAE outfit Al Nasr are interested in signing Palermo striker Fabrizio Miccoli, according to reports from the Middle East.
The Dubai club, who are coached by former Palermo boss Walter Zenga, have already held talks with the Sicilian outfit according to Sport360.
Al Nasr are expected to release Luca Toni after he struggled to make a significant impact at the club having joined in January and Miccoli is seen as his replacement.
The 32-year-old 10-time Italy international has long been linked with a move to the Middle East and recently admitted his future with Palermo was 50-50 . Miccoli has one year to run of his current contract with the Sicilians.
Miccoli and Zenga know each other well, with the former Italian goalkeeper coaching Palermo in 2009 and 2010…
Southampton F.C. have completed the signing of midfielder Oriol Romeu from Chelsea for a fee believed to be in the region of £5 million.
Romeu becomes the Saints seventh summer recruit following the arrivals of Cédric Soares (Sporting CP), Cuco Martina (FC Twente), Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord), Juanmi (Málaga), Maarten Stekelenburg (on loan from Fulham) and Steven Caulker (on loan from Queens Park Rangers).
The former Spain Under-21 international, who joined Chelsea from Barcelona for €5 million in the summer of 2011, has put pen to paper on a three-year deal at St Mary s.
It s very good to be a part of this club, Romeu said.
I was looking for a good club and for something new in my career. After spending two years on loan, I needed …
Zenit St Petersburg manager Luciano Spalletti has backed Pep Guardiola to become the new Russian manager.
The Football Union of Russia published a 13-strong list of candidates deemed to be worthy successors to Dick Advocaat, including stellar names such as the former Barcelona coach, Marcelo Bielsa and Fabio Capello.
And Spalletti, who has been in charge of Zenit since departing Roma in 2009, believes Guardiola is the best man to take the nation forward.
From my point of view, the best of all the coaches to take over would be Guardiola, he told Zenit s official website.
It would be nice, because I feel a little Russian, if our team is coached by him.
However, the Italian also earmarked his veteran midfielder Sergey Semak as a future Russia co…
Angel Di Maria soaked up the love and adoration of the Paris Saint-Germain faithful as his brilliant brace inspired a rampant 4-0 Champions League triumph over Barcelona.
PSG were knocked out of the competition by Barcelona in 2013 and 2015 but Luis Enrique s side now require a comeback unprecedented in Champions League history having been put to the sword in the French capital.
Di Maria, celebrating his 29th birthday, dispatched a free-kick that rewarded PSG s dominant start and Unai Emery s men never relinquished their grip on the first leg of the last-16 tie.
Former Sevilla boss Emery had only beaten Barcelona once in 23 previous attempts but he was well on his way to number two when Julian Draxler scored on his Champions League debut for PSG, as he did in Li…
Former UEFA president Lennart Johansson says he was never informed of the alleged payment made by Sepp Blatter to Michel Platini that lies at the heart of the latest FIFA corruption scandal.
Outgoing FIFA president Blatter and his UEFA counterpart Platini were provisionally suspended by the Ethics Committee of world football s governing body for 90 days on Thursday.
Blatter is the subject of a criminal investigation from the Swiss attorney general into an alleged disloyal payment made to Platini in 2011, widely reported to be £1.35m relating to work the former France captain undertook for FIFA between 1999 and 2002.
Johansson, who was UEFA president between 1990 and 2007 and stood unsuccessfully against Blatter for the top job at FIFA in 1998, told InsideWor…
Since Jurgen Klopp has been Liverpool boss in 2015, his team have received criticism for the number of goals they concede. His side were always very good going forward and at scoring goals.
However, at times they left holes in the backline, which has really cost the Reds a chance of realistically challenging for the Premier League title. The criticisms of the Merseysiders defence are justified.
Defensive displays improving
Things look to be on the up at the minute when it comes to the Reds defensive displays. Liverpool’s goalless draw against Porto on Tuesday night in the Champions League last 16 second leg was the fifth time in seven games that Klopp’s side have kept a clean sheet.
In those seven games in all competitions, Liverpool have conceded ju…
Burnley manager Sean Dyche says it is not rocket science to work out there are big clubs interested in signing defender Michael Keane.
Manchester United are reportedly frontrunners to re-sign the centre-back, who left Old Trafford two seasons ago, while Chelsea, Everton and Liverpool are also said to be in the hunt.
Burnley will reportedly demand £25million for Keane, but Dyche insists the England international, who is under contract to 2018, remains focused on his current club.
It is not rocket science to work out there s a few interested, Dyche told reporters.
It is the usual chit-chat. He certainly doesn t seem like he has [had his head turned].
Dyche warned potential suitors that Burnley do not have a financial need to sell the 24-year-old…