Los Angeles (AFP)

MLB earthquake: Houston Astros manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow have been suspended for the 2020 season for cheating during the World Series won in 2017, the American Major League Baseball announced on Monday.

In the process, the two men were fired by the owner of the franchise, Jim Crane.

The MLB's sanction, coupled with a fine of $ 5 million imposed on the club, the strongest that can be imposed according to its regulations, and the loss of its 1st and 2nd draft rounds in 2020 and 2021, results from 'an investigation by the authority after accusations of theft of signals committed during the championship final won at the expense of the Los Angeles Dodgers (4-3).

Theft of baseball signals consists of observing the signals sent by players of the opposing team, generally pitchers and receivers, in order to identify and anticipate the type of pitch that will be made.

"The conduct of the Astros and their baseball operations officials deserves a significant penalty," said MLB commissioner Rob Manfred in a statement.

"It is justified by the fact that they were expressly informed in September 2017 that I would hold them responsible for violations of our signal theft policy, and that they took no steps to ensure that their players and the staff respect these rules during the play-offs that season, "he said.

"Although it is impossible to determine whether these facts really had an impact on the results on the pitch, the fact that many are convinced of them causes serious damage to the game," he added.

The Astros were the subject of an investigation after their former pitcher Mike Fiers, now with the Oakland Athletics, denounced this illegal practice.

The MLB prohibits teams from using electronic assistance, such as a camera, to steal signals. Such an act by players on the field is tolerated but generally frowned upon.

Proud has told The Athletic that the Astros are decoding signals from a television monitor positioned near the hit screen, filmed by a camera positioned off the field. Once the signal was interpreted, a person hit more or less hard on a trash can to let the hitters know which shots were going to be made.

In a separate sanction, the MLB also suspended former Astros deputy general manager Brandon Taubman for one year. He had been sacked by the franchise in October after insulting remarks made against female journalists.

The League, however, spared the owner of the Astros, saying there was "absolutely no evidence" that he was aware of what had happened.

"It will never happen again in my era," Crane said at a press conference.

© 2020 AFP