Bolsinger: Why I'm Suing the Astros

[Seth Stohs]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-im-suing-the-houston-astros-over-their-cheating/2020/02/13/c15bef00-4e9f-11ea-bf44-f5043eb3918a_story.html

 

Mike Bolsinger, the former Blue Jays pitcher recently made the news by suing the Houston Astros. 

 

 

I remember the game vividly, because it was my last and worst in major league baseball. The stadium was packed. I live in Texas, so my wife and her friends were there. The Astros got off to a lead, and I was brought in during the fourth inning. The Astros seemed to know every pitch that was coming. I threw 29 pitches, and the Astros scored four runs off me in one-third of an inning before I was taken out. My pitches were getting smashed, and I ended up walking a few batters because the Astros appeared to know when to lay off. The postgame recaps said I had unraveled. I knew as I left the mound that this could be it; for a journeyman pitcher, a game that bad could be his last.

 

It's really a good look. I don't think he's got a great legal case, but it could be interesting.

 

 

My opinion is that cheating brought the Astros lavish rewards and that real accountability is needed. I want my lawsuit to lead to positive change. In addition to seeking personal damages, I’m demanding that the Astros donate their $31 million in 2017 postseason bonuses to charity. Baseball is at an important crossroads. How the game responds to this scandal will define its credibility and its existence for years to come.

 

[Squirrel]

I’d really like to see this happen ... the giving back. If the commissioner won’t commute the championship, then take away the gains received as a result, including their rings. It won’t undo anything for players on the resulting end of the cheating, but I think this would be a fair punishment.

 

And I’d really like to see at least one player offer to give back what wasn’t earned before being asked to.

[Vanimal46]

I like the 2nd paragraph quoted that he’s looking for the Astros to donate their playoff earnings to charity.

 

I’d love to see this succeed, but unfortunately he’s going to have a tough case proving that game alone killed his MLB career.

[ashbury]

 

he’s going to have a tough case proving that game alone killed his MLB career.

I don't know if that's what he's trying to prove, but he's got a tough job even to demonstrate he suffered any monetary damages at all. The ax was coming, before that game ever happened.

 

I'd love to see the Astros pay a price. Bolsinger unfortunately is the wrong catalyst to try to use.
 

[scottz]

 

I'd love to see the Astros pay a price. Bolsinger unfortunately is the wrong catalyst to try to use.

 

 

I don't know if he's the wrong one. He literally pitched his last game in the majors against the Astros during a season they were known to cheat...er...break the rules. I think many people could look at his case and have reason to think his career could have been impacted, even if there's no way to prove that with certainty.

[Riverbrian]

Personally I am ready to move past this whole thing.

 

However this is one area where I'd like to see it linger.

 

However, it shouldn't be just Bolsinger filing suit. It should be any pitcher that got knocked around in 2017 by the Astros. The majority of pitchers wbo got knocked around as a result of this system could have lost significant money as a result.

 

Especially relievers who can never really throw enough innings to repair the damage done during a shellacking.