MLB Issues Harsh Penalties To Astros

*Updated 1/13/2020 2:33pm
Houston Astros Owner Jim Crane has fired Manager A.J. Hinch and General Manager Jeff Luhnow.

Major League Baseball has come down with their penalties against the Houston Astros for using technology to steal signs.

The penalties include:

• One year suspension for GM Jeff Luhnow
• One year suspension for manager A.J. Hinch
• Loss of first and second round picks for 2020 and 2021
• $5,000,000 fine.
• Former Astros Assistant GM Brandon Taubman on baseball's inelgible list.

MLB officials determined the Atros crossed the line by using technology, in this case a camera system, to steal the signs and relay them to their players.  Former Astro Mike Fiers said the team used a cernter field camera to pick up the opposing team's catcher's signs and then relayed the pitch coming by banging on trashcans from inside the dugout.

The Boston Red Sox are also expected to receive punishment for their use of cameras to steal signs during their 2018 World Series season.

The correlation between the 2018 champion Red Sox and the 2017 champion Astros.  Alex Cora.  Cora was the bench coach for the Astros in 2017 and the manager of the Red Sox in 2018.