Yankees: It is time to let go of the Astros’ cheating scandal

As the Yankees and the rest of baseball get set for the first games of spring training this weekend the talks of the Astros cheating scandal will not go away.

Many players have been asked about the scandal including Yankees All-Stars Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gleyber Torres. Aaron Boone has also been asked many questions about Houston, and recently said that Astros’ owner Jim Crane’s comments from last week’s press conference were “quite a stretch.” Crane upset a ton of people when he said he believes the sign-stealing didn’t have any impact on the games his team won on their way to a championship.

For a scandal that has brought so much negative attention to the sport, the Astros got away with what seems to be a slap on the wrist. Their former GM Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch are both banned for the 2020 season, but he can still come back in 2021 as a manager of a ball club if he wants to. Luhnow is highly unlikely to return to a major league front office.

A $5 million fine to Crane is pocket change. Houston is also forced to give up their top two draft picks in 2020 and 2021, which is no worry at all considering they will still be low-round picks. The baseball draft is much more likely to make late-round draft picks stars as opposed to the NBA.

More from Yankees News

• Yankees’ Clay Holmes trade just became even bigger disaster for Pirates
• Mets stealing New York Post’s entire Yankees offseason plan is hilarious
• Yankees add to championship core with Wilmer Difo signing
• Aaron Judge’s ‘breadcrumbs’ showed he was never leaving Yankees, has more moves in mind
• Yankees analyst Cameron Maybin projects surprise landing spot for Gary Sánchez

Regardless of whether or not Rob Manfred delivered the correct or incorrect punishment, it is all over. He’s handled the situation terribly in the eyes of many but he’s not going to vacate the 2017 World Series title and he’s not going to hand out punishments to the current Astros from their championship club. Is it frustrating? Yes, it is. But there is nothing that the players or anyone else can do about it.

Since the players reported to Yankees camp in Tampa, many of the press conferences have found ways to bring up the offseason. Not the Yankees acquiring Cole, but on the scandal. It is an obvious tactic of journalism that can generate headlines from the players and coaches, but the team needs to focus on the upcoming season. Even if the Astros did not cheat, the Yankees should still come into this season with a chip on their shoulders.

After all, World Series No. 28 should be the main priority, no matter who they have to face to get there.