If you are walking by Comerica Park this summer and you hear a bang, it’s not gunshots; the Houston Astros must be in town. This is coming from the recent news of the Astros cheating scandal during the 2017 World Series. The accusation is based on the Astros, who went from being the Major League Baseball’s (MLB) most winning franchise over the past three years, to being widely shamed for stealing signs during the World Series. It is one of the most disgusting acts in recent sports history and will be remembered for generations.

This selfish act by the team has told the sports world that rules do not matter in the game and that sports are as corrupt as ever. MLB fans have had a disservice done to them.The Astros have not done themselves any favors by seemingly blowing this off like no big deal. This situation was solidified as an absolute joke when the commissioner of the MLB, Rob Manfred, announced that he would not be stripping the Astro’s of their 2017 pennant. The only punishment the Astros received was a fine of $5 million and the loss of first and second round draft picks for the next two years. For a franchise that has competed at a high level for multiple years now, these punishments are mere slaps on the wrist.

The disheartening part about all of this is it took away America’s pastime. These games are supposed to be an opportunity for families to be able to escape the drama of the world, enjoy a hotdog and watch a ball game. There is no game to watch anymore when you know that one of the teams is stealing signs, putting them at such a large advantage against the other team. The unremorseful Astros do not seem to care though; players such as 2017 American League Most Valuable Player, Jose Altuve, walked to a podium and read a script for five seconds. Trust me, they are going to quickly realize that they are not out of the hot water just yet, when the season is able to begin. They will understand how awful their actions were every time they hobble down to first base after deservingly feeling the bruises they are getting, pitch by pitch.