The Big Lead

'Houston Asterisks' Trends on Twitter After Astros Sign-Stealing Report Released

By Ryan Phillips

A.J. Hinch manages the Houston Astros against the Washington Nationals
A.J. Hinch manages the Houston Astros against the Washington Nationals / Bob Levey/Getty Images
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The Houston Astros have been handed extremely harsh punishments for their systematic sign-stealing program that was exposed following the 2019 season. The franchise absolutely earned each of the penalties handed down from Major League Baseball. But fans on Twitter were not satisfied and wanted Houston's 2017 World Series title vacated as well. As a result, "Houston Asterisks" trended on Twitter Monday.

Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch were both suspended for a year by the league, then subsequently fired by the team. Houston will also lose first- and second-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021, and pay a $5 million fine. That wasn't enough for some who believed the Astros' sign-stealing during the 2017 season (and postseason) tainted their World Series title that year. Those folks may have a point.

Many on Twitter went off on the Astros and seemed to want that title taken back. Here's what some of them had to say:

I mean, they have a point. Just sayin'...