Let's get one thing straight, did the Astros cheat in 2017? Yes, of course they did and there is plenty of proof on the subject. However, should the Astros have been the only one punished? No, many teams were stealing signs and should've been punished. Now the severity and complexity of the sign stealing system should hold weight on the punishment for the other teams that were stealing signs, but that is not reason for punishing one team for something many others were also doing.
In 2017, the Astros used the center field camera to steal the opponent's signs. A monitor was put outside of the Astros dugout so the players could watch the feed from the center field camera and would bang on a trash can to relay the signs to the batter so they would know what pitch was coming. This system helped the Astros win the 2017 World Series, but costed them $5 million in fines, their 1st and 2nd round draft picks in the 2020 and 2021 draft, and the suspension of their Manager, AJ Hinch, and GM, Jeff Luhnow, who were then fired by the club. While many feel the Astros got off easy since none of the players were suspended, or even fined, the same could be the same about other teams that were also stealing signs.
The Red Sox stole signs in 2018 with J. T. Watkins using the replay room to steal opposing teams' sign sequences and relaying it to the team. The difference here compared to the Astros is that this only benefitted the Red Sox if they had a runner at 2nd base who could relay the stolen sign codes to the batter. Their punishment was a fine, the suspension of replay coordinator J. T. Watkins, who was brought back to the team, and the loss of their 2nd-round pick in the 2020 draft. The Red Sox did lose their manager, Alex Cora, but he was suspended for his role in the Astros sign stealing scandal, not the Red Sox cheating, and he was also brought back by the Red Sox after a 1-year suspension. This system was far less intricate than the Astros system, but they did still cheat and were fined, had just one person suspended, and only one draft pick was lost as a result.
The Yankees and Dodgers have also been accused of stealing signs in 2017 and 2018, but no one punishment has been given to them. In a new book, "Winning Fixes Everything" by Evan Drellich, a member of the Dodgers came out anonymously saying the Dodgers stole signs using their video room to help with their baserunner scheme. This was similar to what the Yankees and Red Sox were doing at the time. Also, an excerpt of the book had a member of the Red Sox accuse the Dodgers of cheating against them in 2018 and called them the biggest cheaters in the sport.
With sign stealing being such a prominent issue in baseball long before the Astros stole signs in 2017, why did they become the poster child for it? The answer is simple, they did it more elaborately than any other team had in the past and were caught for it. The Astros are also a small market team unlike the Red Sox, Yankees, and Dodgers. We've discussed the punishment that the Red Sox received, the Yankees only received a fine for their cheating, and the Dodgers received no punishment for any cheating they've done. Yet, the worst punishment the Astros received compared to the others is that the Astros have been labeled the cheaters of the baseball world.
This title will follow this franchise and every player that puts on an Astros uniform for the foreseeable future. Players that were not with the organization in 2017 have been booed and called a cheater just for wearing the H on their hats. However, since 2017 the Astros are the only team in the MLB to have made it to the LCS (League Conference Series) every year, have been to 3 World Series, and won another ring with no cheating involved. The poster child for cheating in baseball has proven time and time again that they are more than capable of winning without needing to steal signs, and it is time we stop making them the scapegoat for something that many teams have done for years. Of course, the Astros will be looking to prove they can find success without cheating again in 2023 as they search for their 3rd franchise championship.