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Houston Astros: Ranking them among other cheaters in MLB history

By Lucas Friedman

HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 05: Manager AJ Hinch #14 talks with Jeff Luhnow, General Manager of the Houston Astros, prior to game two of the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Minute Maid Park on October 05, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 05: Manager AJ Hinch #14 talks with Jeff Luhnow, General Manager of the Houston Astros, prior to game two of the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Minute Maid Park on October 05, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
(Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

 Ranking Houston Astros vs Other Cheater in MLB history

Pete Rose gambling scandal

Pete Rose is one of the best players of all-time. He was a 17-time all-star for the Cincinnati Reds who holds the major league record in hits with 4,256. His record has remained untouched, with no one even coming close to his mark. Additionally, he won three World Series, three batting titles, the 1963 NL Rookie of the Year award, the 1973 NL MVP, and two gold gloves as an outfielder.

However, he is also one of the most infamous figures in sports history. After playing 5 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos from 1979-84, Rose rejoined the Reds following a midseason trade. From there, he served as player-manager until 1986, where he retired from playing but remained the manager until 1989. In 1989, Rose’s actions would taint his legacy forever.

After speculation that Pete Rose had been betting on baseball during his time as the Reds’ manager, Commissioner Bart Giamatti called on lawyer John Dowd to investigate the matter. Dowd submitted a 225-page report in June 1989 detailing Rose’s exploits, including interviews with many of his associates and his day-to-day account of his betting habits. According to the report, Rose betted on 52 Reds games in 1987, among other allegations.

Giamatti and Rose mutually agreed to place Rose on baseball’s ineligible list permanently. The ban still stands today, despite numerous efforts by Rose to seek reinstatement. As a result, his performance on the field has not been recognized with enshrinement in the baseball hall of fame.

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Still to this day, it is unclear whether Rose ever bet against the Reds, which could imply an intentional effort to fix games. The Dowd Report was unable to conclude that he ever did so. Rose also maintains that he never bet on baseball during his time as a player, but an independent ESPN investigation in 2015 concluded that he did so when he was still a player-manager. Because there is so much uncertainty surrounding Rose’s gambling habits, he remains low on the list, but it is still quite evident that his betting habits could have caused him to alter games either as a manager or player.

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