It’s one thing to hear about the Houston Astros’ cheating scandal in the 2017 season, but one fan has worked to create some visual aids to explain just how widespread it was.
Astros fan Tony Adams sought to find out just how often the team had employed its now-infamous trash can banging scheme during 2017 regular season games. He studied the home games where video was available, and charted all the bangs he hurt. The results, posted on his website signstealingscandal.com, show that the scheme didn’t really take off until June, but once in full swing, there were multiple games where there were upwards of 40 trash can bangs.
Astros trashcan bangs by date.
See all the data at https://t.co/kVtisgUo74. pic.twitter.com/aVkxDPVTQs
— Tony Adams (@adams_at) January 29, 2020
Adams noted that MLB’s report concluded that the Astros used other methods, but as those are less detectable by watching video, they are not charted.
The results are fascinating. The Astros used the trash can 54 times on an Aug. 4 game against Toronto, and scored 16 runs that night. Curiously, however, in the nine home games in which there were between 40 and 50 bangs, the Astros went a mediocre 4-5.
We can’t account for what else the Astros may have done, and there’s an open question about the tactics they employed in the playoffs as well. What is indisputable is the Astros cheated, and they did it a lot in the latter half of 2017. Even now, they don’t seem particularly sorry that they did it, either.
The Houston Astros are confirmed cheaters and deserve an asterisk. Send that message by wearing our Houston Asterisks T-shirt! You can buy it here:
