MLB players used Twitter to discuss their distaste for the Astros’ players and the Astros’ cheating scandal in early 2020. Their social media accounts discussed their thoughts on the Astros’ players, their thoughts on the MLB’s punishment for the Astros’, and their disapproval of the apology the Astros’ gave at their press conference in February.
Through this blog, we will take an in-depth look at how MLB players felt towards the Astros’ cheating scandal through their reactions on Twitter. Many of the MLB player’s opinions suggest that they are not happy with the Houston Astros’ organization, the Astros’ players, the punishment the MLB gave the Astros’, or the “Apology” press conference. Many MLB players felt that the Astros’ cheated not only the players and teams in the MLB, but also the entire baseball community.
The use of Twitter by MLB players allowed for a bigger conversation to take place involving other teams that could possibly be cheating in the MLB. Some MLB baseball fans are now speculating about other teams in the MLB, and saying that if the MLB looked closely enough at all teams like they are the Astros’, that more cheating could be found.
Until then, cheating allegations for other MLB teams can only be seen as speculation. However; with the Houston Astros’, we are given concrete facts of their cheating, starting with them being caught in the lie, and then acknowledging it publicly at the press conference in February 2020.
MLB players thoughts on cheating scandal
Many MLB players took to Twitter to discuss their thoughts on the cheating scandal which referred to the Astros’ organization ruining integrity for the entire game of baseball. One MLB player in particular, Cody Bellinger, pointed out in early January that there should be consequences to the players if the scandal were true because it ultimately ruins the game, by discarding honesty.
https://twitter.com/Cody_Bellinger/status/1217932177763004417
One of the many responses he got from MLB fans showed a Sports Illustrated Magazine with two Houston Astros’ players on the front cover, holding a “forgive a cheater” book, and lets not forget, the equipment they used to cheat with. “A Wild Ride”, you can say that again.
https://twitter.com/alexfowler27/status/1217932935506145282
Another MLB player, Evan Longoria, asked people on Twitter what happened to “cheaters never prosper”.
The response he got from an MLB fan says it all.
And to add to the mix, “Big Papi” AKA David Ortiz, sounded off on the Astros’ cheating scandal, Mike Fiers and Jose altuve in an interview with NESN.
You could say that the David Ortiz interview coincides with the Nick Markakis’ interview on 680 The Fan. Markakis’ explains how damaging the scandal is to baseball and suggests that the Astros’ need a beating. From Markakis’ point of view “everything has been handled wrong” when it comes to the scandal.
Not only does Markakis’ suggest that the cheating scandal is damaging to baseball, but also that he is displeased with the Astros’.
MLB players thoughts on the Houston Astros’ players
In addition to MLB players reactions to the scandal, MLB players took to Twitter to discuss their feelings on the “cheating” Astros’ players. One tweet in particular, from Alex Wood, stating that he would rather face someone on steroids, then someone who cheats.
Even the “all rise” MLB player, Aaron Judge, took to Yankees Video to discuss how he deleted a previous tweet congratulating Jose Altuve for his 2017 AL MVP.
And let’s not forget the 13-time veteran, Jerry Blevins, who took to Twitter to say that the the Astros’ players should step forward publicly about their involvement in the cheating scandal.
Oh, and Trevor Bauer, well lets just say he was not happy either. He was very vocal about his distaste for the Astros’ organization over the course of several months. One post in particular, Bauer took to Twitter to have a poll which asked people if they would prefer a fake apology or the truth, in regard to the sincerity of the Astros’ apology and the “care” behind it.
With a total of 61,882 votes to Bauers’ poll, final results showed that 90% of people would rather have the truth instead of a fake apology.
Even Shawn Kelly tweeted, suggesting how the Astros’ could move on from the scandal, but in order to do so would need to own up to the scandal and take accountability.
These tweets can only mean one thing. The MLB players are not happy with the Astros’ players, but they also aren’t happy about the punishment the MLB gave the Astros’. They since have been vocal about it.
MLB players on the MLB’s punishment for the Houston Astros’
In addition to the MLB players reactions to the Astros’ players, MLB players took to Twitter to discuss their feelings on the disgraceful punishment given to the Astros’ team for cheating.
One tweet in particular from Tony Barnette, stating that Robert Manfred, the commissioner of baseball, should resign after how he handled the Astros’ cheating scandal.
https://twitter.com/HeyBarn/status/1228116638450368512
Even the Hall-of-famer, Jim Palmer, had something to say about the Houston Astros’ punishment. Not pleased is an understatement.
In addition, Mike Trout, on the LA Angels Team, gave a quote to the news media for Twitter, saying that he “disagreed with the punishment” for the Houston Astros’.
Justin Turner also had something to say about the Astros’ punishment. He had an interview with the news media, and they took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the matter. He felt that Robert Manfred devalued the World Series trophy when he called it “a piece of metal”, and didn’t agree with the Astros’ punishment either.
MLB player’s disapproval of the Astros’ apology
Not only are a vast amount of MLB players unhappy with the punishment the MLB gave the Astros’, but they are also unhappy with the Astros’ apology. MLB players took to Twitter in January and February of 2020 after the initial Astros’ press conference, to mock Jim Crane, Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, and the Astros’ team for how they handled the situation.
One tweet in particular from Brad Ziegler, referring to the fact that he can’t take Jim Crane Seriously.
Another post on Twitter was from MLB player, Trevor Plouffe, who explicitly stated his thoughts about the press conference, and then some. He made a second comment to suggest that the Astros’ felt no remorse at the conference, just smugness.
Even Michael Hermosillo, an MLB player for the LA Angels Team, found the press conference laughable, and made a tweet suggesting that Jim Cranes’ comment on how the Astros’ cheating didn’t impact the game was a joke.
Brett Anderson, a pitcher for the Brewers, apparently isn’t buying it either. He took to Twitter and shared a gif of Ron Burgundy saying “I don’t believe you”.
Enough said.
Takeaways
Based on all of the tweets from the MLB players, similar to the MLB fans, they are not pleased to say the least. MLB players were vocal in how they tackled the Astros’ cheating scandal, and also how they curated their content. Some involved jokes in their tweets, along with gifs and polls, to get their point across on what they thought about the Houston Astros’ cheating scandal. Most MLB players felt that the Astros’ players should’ve been held accountable, but instead were give immunity which resonated with others in the baseball community. This led to an increase in MLB players tweets and an increase in generated behaviors on Twitter from other Twitter users. Due to this, many people began engaging, interacting with and creating their own content under MLB player’s tweets and as their own. Through these tweets, we we’re able to see not only the bigger picture of what was going on in the cheating scandal, but MLB players building on their own morals and values, and more importantly, their own brand.
Through the MLB players honesty on Twitter, they were able to build onto their own “self brand”. To some, this could be seen as a marketing tactic by allowing and array of people to see an MLB player’s true self or stance on the matter, leading to an increase in sales for their own “name” brand. By disagreeing with what the Astro’s did, MLB players were able to connect with MLB fans and the entire baseball community on a much deeper level. The MLB players were able to start a bigger conversation about how the MLB handles cheating. To the many MLB player’s remarks, issues tend to be swept under the rug, and the teams and players involvement are not held to a high enough standard of “accountability”.For example; when the MLB players discussed Jim Crane, Robert Manfred and the Astros’ players specifically on Twitter, it always came back to criticism about how the MLB handles cheating, how Jim Crane is unapologetic, or how Robert Manfred is “ignorant” to the game of baseball and devalues it to it’s core.
The many tweets evolved into MLB players creating their own User Generated Content (UGC), mocking the entire MLB, down to the Houston Astros’ team. This influenced other MLB players and fans enough to start curating and talking about their own content via Twitter. In addition, players even had interviews to specifically call out the Astros’ and their cheating scheme. These included Aaron Judge, Nick Markakis, David Ortiz, and Justin Turner to name a few.
In addition, through the use of Twitter, an astronomical amount of UGC had been created about the MLB and the Houston Astros’. People went from curated content of memes and gifs in regard to the Astros’ and MLB, to hashtags. Hashtags about the Astros’ has been a continuous trend the last several months, as more details about the scandal unfold.
The newest of these hashtags are #cancelhouston, #cheaters and #NotallMLBowners which has started to create a popular trend on Twitter in recent months. Through the evolution of new hashtags regarding the scandal, a message is present from there entire baseball community. The baseball community is not happy about the scandal, the Astros’ organization, the Astros’ players or even the commissioner of baseball at this point.
Bigger conversation on when scandal occurred
As the scandal evolves, it allows for a bigger conversation to take place about what other teams could potentially be cheating in the MLB. One MLB Journalist in particular, Jason Mackey, took to Twitter to suggest that if the MLB investigated other MLB teams, that more “cheating” would be found.
So what do you think..are there other teams cheating in the MLB besides the Houston Astros’, but haven’t been caught?
The world may never know, or will they.
The truth always comes out sooner or later we’ve learned, just like the Astros’ scandal did. Only time will tell.
Taylor Villarreal Blog 