How many pounds of flesh are needed to satisfy?
The media needs to end its witch hunt against the Astros
Oct 27, 2019, 1:47 pm
Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images
Astros owner Jim Crane and GM Jeff Luhnow have come under fire for their 'corporate culture' in the aftermath of the firing of Assistant GM Brandon Taubman.
We saw the greatness of social media on full display last week. Media of all baseball backgrounds coming together to support their own against an Astros executive who deserved every bit of the uprising against him. Brandon Taubman tried to intimidate female reporters, lied about it, used his influence as Assistant General Manager to try to cover it up. His actions were ultimately discovered, his lies exposed, and in 72 hours he was terminated.
The Astros released a statement that included the following:
"We were wrong. We sincerely apologize to Stephanie Apstein, Sports Illustrated and to all individuals who witnessed this incident or were offended by the inappropriate conduct."
The Astros admitted being wrong in black and white, and made their apology. Apparently that wasn't good enough.
The demand for justice is still unsatisfied. Now the media wants to know who Taubman spoke to, who were the witnesses, who wrote the original statement (paying no attention to the fact that as AGM, Taubman likely had significant influence over what was written). One firing isn't enough. The demand for justice has now become a witch hunt, with the media demanding names and associations, blaming the Astros culture, and demanding more firings.
On Saturday, October 26, I explained how this situation has gone from the best of social media to the worst of social media, the unrealistic standard being applied, and why the baseball media needs to end this crusade against the Astros.
AUDIO: Patrick Creighton: Its Time for Media to End Witch Hunt vs Astros
Patrick Creighton is the host of "Late Hits" on ESPN 97.5 weeknights 7-9p CT, and "Straight Heat" on SB Nation Radio weeknights 12-5a CT. Follow him on Twitter: @PCreighton1
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Zack Short hit a walk-off RBI single in the 11th inning after Christian Walker tied it with a sacrifice fly and the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 5-4 on Saturday night.
Short hit a 1-1 pitch to right field off Hoby Milner after Robert Garcia (1-5) walked two to load the bases.
Texas took a 4-3 lead when Adolis García hit the first pitch from Bennett Sousa (3-0) for a single — scoring automatic runner Marcus Semien.
Kyle Higashioka hit a solo home run off Josh Hader with two outs in the ninth to tie it 3-3. It was the first blown save for Hader after 25 straight to begin the season.
Jose Altuve hit his 17th homer — a two-out solo shot in the first off Jacob deGrom to tie it 1-1 after the Rangers scored an unearned run on Framber Valdez’s wild pitch.
Yainer Diaz homered for the 14th time for a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Mauricio Dubón hit his sixth homer off Jacob Webb for a 3-1 lead in the seventh.
Semien hit his 11th homer to cut it to 3-2 in the eighth.
Valdez allowed an unearned run on four hits with 10 strikeouts and no walks in six innings. The Astros have won his last 12 starts with him getting the win in nine of them.
DeGrom allowed two runs on four hits and a walk in six innings with eight strikeouts.
The Rangers struck out 19 times — two short of the club record for an extra-inning game.
Key moment
Short entered as a pinch runner in the ninth and was just 4 for 17 before his game winner.
Key stat
Houston hasn’t lost a season series with division rival Texas since 2016.
Up next
Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi (6-3, 1.62 ERA) starts Sunday’s rubber game opposite Astros RHP Hunter Brown (9-3, 2.21).
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