Pitcher Who Punished Cheating Astros Suspended for Eight Games

In America, there are few things as foul as cheating during a baseball games, please excuse the pun.

This is the national pastime, after all.  There’s apple pie, blue jeans, rock’n’roll, and baseball.  This is the symbolic heart of American culture.  We, as a nation, are anthropomorphized on the world’s stage as either cowboys or ballplayers, and our baseball heroes all tended to have a little bit of the proverbial cowpoke spirit in them.

What I guess I’m trying to say is that baseball is in our DNA, and those who look to cheat at baseball do so with the same gall as those who would play God in the world of genetics.

During this latest offseason, (which was far longer than intended on account of the coronavirus), we collectively learned that the Houston Astros had cheated their way through the 2017 season by employing a complex and devious plan to steal signs from their opponents.  This has made the Astros the most hated team in baseball, particularly by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who were knocked out of the playoffs by the cheaters.

Now, in 2020’s shortened season, the Astros shame parade will be shortened, and teams will need to take their revenge out swiftly.

Enter Joe Kelly.

ICYMI:

Joe Kelly vs. the Astros last night. pic.twitter.com/704pdz5USr

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 29, 2020

Kelly was soon in the MLB hot seat, however.

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Joe Kelly was suspended by Major League Baseball for eight games on Wednesday after he intentionally threw at Houston Astros players Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa.

During the sixth inning of the Dodgers’ 5-2 win over Houston at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday, benches cleared after Kelly’s actions. It was the first game between the two clubs since the Astros were accused of stealing signs en route to a 2017 World Series title. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was suspended for one game, and Astros manager Dusty Baker was fined an undisclosed amount.

Kelly elected to appeal and can continue to play until the process is complete. Roberts was to serve his suspension Wednesday when the Dodgers played at Houston. Kelly, a hard thrower with a touch of wildness, has previously been suspended in his career for throwing at a batter.

Baseball fans erupted on Twitter at the news, with a vast majority of the social media noise coming in favor of Kelly’s work against a team who tarnished our national identity.