BREAKING
Anti-Astros: Cubs didn't cheat to win 2016 World Series
Cubs broke the curse and didn't bang any drums to cheat (Jerry Lai - USA Today Sports)

Anti-Astros: Cubs didn't cheat to win 2016 World Series


by - Staff Writer -

If you are a Cubs fan, there is one positive to draw out from the recent sign sealing scandal that has taken over the Major League Baseball world. That is the fact that the Chicago Cubs won a World Series the right way, and there is nothing to taint the Championship in any way.

The Cubs were on top of the baseball world in 2016, with 103 regular-season wins and series wins over the San Francisco Giants, Los Angelos Dodgers, and of course, the epic 3-1 comeback in the World Series against the Cleveland Indians… I'm sure you remember.

With that all empowering World Series win that broke the 108-year curse and redefined the franchises' trajectory moving forward, it is with even greater appreciation knowing that the Cubs did all of that the right way. You may be wondering why that matters, but as proven with the recent sign-stealing scandal, it is imperative to know.

The team that won the World Series the year after the Cubs — the Houston Astros — have been investigated and proven guilty for stealing/attempting to steal signs from opposing pitchers during their 2017 championship season using illegal electronic equipment. The Astros would have a camera in centerfield zoomed in on the catchers' sign, relay the information to the bench quickly, and then someone in the dugout or hallway would bang on a garbage can to notify the batter what pitch was coming.

Through investigative reporting done by Ken Rosenthal and the Athletic, as well as Jomboy media, it is presumed that no bangs would represent a fastball, and then a bang would be an off-speed pitch or something like that. It is also believed that the Astros would occasionally use buzzers in their players' cleats or undershirts to notify them of the upcoming pitches.

Not only is this a major transgression on the integrity of baseball, but it is also a major slap in the face to a fan base that celebrated a World Series title that is now tainted.

Then bench coach of the Astros in 2017, Alex Cora is believed to be the mastermind of the entire process. He left the system in place when he left for the Red Sox in 2018, and it is also being investigated that Cora brought his sign-stealing system to Boston in 2018… which led to a World Series.

That is now two World Series titles, two MVPs (Jose Altuve and Mookie Betts), and many stats tainted by cheating the game of baseball.

Put yourself in the position of those fans, who have desperately waited and cheered, cried, booed, and ultimately celebrated a World Series championship that was tainted by cheating of players that you looked up too. That has to be devastating to go through and must feel like an utter slap in the face to fans who paid money, time, and energy into rooting for a team that was cheating.

As bad as that must be, now imagine the pain a fan base that has been waiting over 100 years to win a title. A team that has been known as lovable losers and cursed. Picture the type of backlash that a fan base would undergo after winning their first title in over a century, and then having it be released that the only reason that Championship was won was through cheating.

Picture yourself as a Cubs fan, how would you feel if the only Championship you have ever seen won by your favorite team was an unfaithful one. That is the main reason this sign-stealing scandal is so crucial to Cubs fans because their team didn't cheat and still won the World Series.

If you don’t believe me, take it from the captain, Anthony Rizzo: “It's 100 percent safe to say [that the Cubs followed the rules]”

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