Dodgers: Mario Lopez Reacts To Houston Astros’ Weak Punishment
Since I am in my mid-30’s, I feel entitled to write this post. When I was a youngster, Saved By The Bell was probably my favorite show. Therefore, I’m happy to welcome ‘A.C. Slater’ Mario Lopez into the Los Angeles Dodgers’ fraternity of fandom.
On Monday, Lopez had one of the more passionate rants on social media in reaction to the Houston Astros’ cheating scandal. And if you think that Lopez is joking, he’s really not. Keep in mind that Lopez is seen at Dodger Stadium at least a dozen times a year. The guy loves his Dodgers, and loves baseball. Let’s have a look at Lopez who was not enjoying his day at Universal Studios.
I’m fired up today!@Dodgers #MondayRant pic.twitter.com/DcoTFnFGd2
— Mario Lopez (@mariolopezviva) January 13, 2020
First Lopez starts with a bang, letting us know he’s really fired up at the huge news that had just come down from the commissioner’s office.
[adace-ad id=”118525″]“I’m really fired up today. All my Dodgers fans out there know what I’m talking about. The Houston Astros just got pinched officially. Those cheating rat bastards used technology to steal signs.”
Then Lopez goes in hard. He doesn’t want baseball to stop with the sanctions imposed of draft picks, suspensions, and fines. No, he wants the hardware. Lopez says to take the rings away!
“They are suspending the GM and the manager for a year, and fining them $5 million dollars; taking away draft picks. But that’s too light! It’s too light! They need to take away the rings.”
For a moment, it felt like the guy who grew up at Bayside High calling Zach Morris ‘preppy’. However, Lopez has a point. It’s a worthwhile discussion – and when others ask me if I think the Astros should have to forfeit their title – I don’t know how to feel or how to answer it.
Equally important, that’s a problem for baseball. What do you think? Do you agree with Lopez that the Astros should have to turn in their rings? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments below.
NEXT: ESPN Star Tears into Houston Astros, Wants Them Stripped of Title
Although the punishment is not enough baseball still handles such matters way better than the U.S. government. Notice how quickly they did something when witnesses, facts and evidence came to the forefront? 2 months.
Help yes they need to turn in their rings they cheated. They should not be allowed to play in the post season to at least two years make an example of the cheaters. Turn in your rings you cheating pieces of garbage. Lifetime ban for all management involved. Suspensions for all players involved without pay.
Thank you, Harland, because your post is what I would have posted. But calling them a piece of garbage was an understatement. What a horrible example the Astros are to all of MLB, it’s fans and even those youngsters who are starting their baseball playing years with little Leagues.
Right on man! Right on!
Mario nailed it.
Houston players knowingly cheated, so, no rings, no WS title.
And how about kicking back the extra cash they all made by CHEATING and they should all be additionally fined.
Pete Rose, the all time hits leader, bet on other teams, but never threw any games in the process, yet he’s banned entirely from baseball.
What’s so special about Houston players? Nothing. They’re sleazy cheaters.
Jon, let me add that those draft picks taken away from Astros for the next 2 years should all be given to the Dodgers. What do you and others here think about that?
Hi Paul:
Interesting idea.
It does get a bit complicated, however.
Regards
For 2017 and 2018 there should be NO WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP for either team since this puts a black eye in all of baseball. I feel sorry for my Dodgers who did it the right way. But they should not be given the rings either. No WORLD SERIES for either team. Leave it blank and hopefully MLB learns from this going forward
*Houston ASTERISKS,yes Mario,you’re ? % correct take away the Rings & give it to Dodgers for 2017 & 2018 championships???
This should have been where the league stood up and made it perfectly clear that this kind of BS wouldn’t be tolerated, period! No better way of doing that then by punishing every player, every coach and every staff member of that organization, because every single one of them knew about this, ignored it and benefitted from it. On top of what the league has done strip them of the title and take the hardware back publicly, take back the monies they earned throughout the playoffs and then exclude them from the post season for two years. I don’t think the Dodgers would accept the title, I think that as an organization that would be harder to take than the knowledge that they’d been cheated out of it, Dodger pride runs deep, but you could vacate the title and instead put up for history to judge and future generations to take head of “Title Vacated by the Houston Astros Organization for Cheating”
Take away their title and have the rings auctioned for charity. ban the Asterisks, um I mean Astros from post season play for 2-3 years like what the NCAA did to USC for a much lesser infraction (booster giving money to help a football player out). I am amazed that the Players Association is not cooperating with more severe punishments especially since the report stated that by his was player driven.
I would also add that the Astro organization be required to take out a full-page ad in all 29 cities that host major league baseball. They’re pathetic owner apologized only to the Houston fans and not to anyone else. They knew they had cheated while they were celebrating on the field and in the visitors clubhouse following there so-called game 7 victory, and they knew they had cheated when they paraded in Houston. And yet the only one to speak out publicly was their owner who apologized only to Houston. That uniform will always be associated with this cheating and little leagues should strip the name from their allotment of teams. And I wouldn’t allow any suspensions for players. Allow the players to take the field and suffer the boos and chants so they are constantly reminded of their crime. And I would implore the 29 owners to commit to never signing a free agent that played for the 2017 post-season Astros, or ever involve any of those players in a trade. And how is it fair for the other owners to stay silent, but the jackass in Houston is able to have a full-length news conference where he is able to set HIS record straight. I’ve been posting on this for days. I need to stop.
It’s amazing how they as individuals could allow, accept the cheating and then feel proud of their accomplishment.
It’s as low class as it gets.
They simply have no honor.
I won’t be so self righteous. Our Dodgers have also been rumored to cheat. There are at least 11 teams rumored. I don’t think Manfred wants to look at everyone. It would be bad for baseball.
Rumored?
That’s your best shot? LOL
It started with rumors with the Astros too. You are naive to believe just the two teams that happened to win WS cheated and no one else. What are those odds? It would look bad for baseball if a lot teams are investigated and found to be cheating. Much easier to make an example of a couple of teams.
I’m in agreement. Hello?! This punishment is too light! What about Pete Rose? Now that’s harsh punishment! This is just a light love tap. C’mon
And all Pete Rose did was bet on games! But played his tail off with his head first slide! #Surrender the Rings. #Manfred is weak!
Stop crying and as for Lopez that show sucked Houston still has a better team Dodgers can’t win the big game. I’m from Washington and we beat your team pretty easy so please stop crying and Lopez stick to Commercials stay out of baseball.
Do you really think this was a game changer?Dodgers usually always come up short in these situations. Pitching was our issue how can you blame that in signs?
I am a Dodger fan but a honest one! I think we have to move forward and make those needed management chances.
Did you really just ask how you can blame bad pitching on sign stealing? Some one needs to get back to the kitchen
I am sorry, but do you even know the game of baseball? Astros are stealing the pitching signs and you blame it on the Dodgers pitching anyway?
Agreed, if they were caught in the process of the game the Astros would have lost due to disqualification. There does need to be a more strict punishment or this will continue.
I think if the astros organization had a little class they should come forward and handed the rings to the real world champion
???% They should take away there rings asap they don’t deserve it bunch of cheaters.
In college if a team is found violating the rules they any titles away an ban them from bowl games for a few yrs depending on the severity of the violation.
MLB Commissioner of Baseball position was created in the fallout of the 1919 Black Sox Scandal. This was a case in which cheating in the World Series was charged. All players were acquitted of criminal charges; however, the newly appointed commissioner banned all players involved FOR LIFE from playing or receiving any additional post-career honors. Pete Rose was banned FOR LIFE from working in MLB or any post-career honors for betting on games that he wasn’t even involved in and could not influence the outcome.
Astros / Red Sox organizations should be stripped of championship title and ALL of the players involved should be banned FOR LIFE. The commissioner’s job is to ensure the integrity of the sport. It is the reason that position was created.
And yes, I would feel the same way if it was the Dodgers.
YES I AGREE with Mario, the feds need to get involved and investigate these allegations about the cheating by the astros, and if evidence is found then title is stripped from them, and they have to forfeit their rings and give them back, and then a life time ban from Baseball, just like Pete rose got for betting on the game. This is a helluva lot worse..
I’m 76 years old, live in Mississippi (a long way from LA) but have been a Dodgers fan since about 11 years old. I totally agree the punishment was way too light. Houston should have to forfeit the title and the rings, and the entire roster should have to pay some financial penalty. I’m not a lawyer, but when a person is convicted of being complicit in a crime, even if not actively part of it, they too must pay! So too with the players who sat on the bench, heard the banging, knew at some point what it meant, yet, except for Fiers (?), kept their mouths shut and gleefully accepted the rewards (of all kinds) and praises associated with a STOLEN World Series. However, with all that said, I too consider myself to be a fair fan. The WS title shouldn’t be awarded to us; as much as this hurts to say, neither would that be fair as it would assume that we would have won. I’d much rather win it outright – this year. All this goes for Boston too.
Most definitely. It’s not rocket science… If you cheat at ANY game.. you really didn’t WIN the prize. They should most certainly be required to forfeit the title to the so called runner up as well as their rings
Yes take away the title the rings and money!! Ban them for life from baseball (if Pete Rose is made to suffer and banned! So should they. They aren’t any better than he is). Start the teams from new fresh players how raw will we make them stop? Especially with the kind of money they make!!! So freakin ridiculous this b doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out it’s us the fans that will have to do what’s right. This is a moral dilemma now not to mention all the fans and season ticket holders I’m sure this isn’t what we spend our hard money for or to see!! This is such a joke On is the America people come on people speak up !!!!
Yes take away the title the rings and money!! Ban them for life from baseball (if Pete Rose is made to suffer and banned! So should they. They aren’t any better than he is). Start the teams from new fresh players how raw will we make them stop? Especially with the kind of money they make!!! So freakin ridiculous this doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out it’s us the fans that will have to do what’s right. This is a moral dilemma now not to mention all the fans and season ticket holders I’m sure this isn’t what we spend our hard money for or to see!! This is such a joke On is the America people come on people speak up !!!!
I agree that Pete Rose got worst. Those involved should get a lifetime ban including the players.
Turn over the rings because they only received them by cheating. How pitiful that’s the only way they could win.
Manfred is Catholic, and acting like a Cardinal that is going easy as possible on a dirty priest. Then, like he was also probably taught growing up, he told all the teams to shut up about it all. How do you give immunity (in order to get the big fish,) but never punish the big fish? He was totally willing to have Beltran stay managing the Mets. That is simply awful. He is an awful Commissioner.
Love the comment
They need to have the 2018 Championship vacated. Not given to the Dodgers. The Dodgers were still pathetic against Morton and McCullers.
2017 and 2018 championships should be vacated.
I highly recommend everyone read, LA Times sportswriter, Houston Mitchell’s write up that includes his proposed penalties. His penalties make sense and would serve to discourage any team from cheating again.
Yes, they need to turn in those rings. It is was a fraudulent win. They need to remove the winner from 2017 and 2018 WS official records. It isn’t right what happened. What about our Dodgers ? What about Pederson who would’ve been MVP of WS in 17 ? They are not getting any resolution in this. Give the Dodger’s those two extra draft picks that the Astro’s lost. The Astro’s should have to return all the extra bonuses for “wining” the WS. The sentence did not fit the crime.