The week that changed everything

Once upon a time, the Houston Astros were adorable, and the Boston Redsocks represented lovable underdogs, everywhere. Disney caricatures. This was bullshit, of course, but nobody cared: It played well on TV: Two long-suffering, slightly rebellious franchises, battling the evil mega-markets of NY and LA. All you had to do was listen to Joe Buck - or, for that matter, anyone.

Well, last week, whatever vestiges of their ginned-up innocence crash-landed in the garbage bins of Twitter. Now, instead of the Astros symbolizing Houston's recovery from the flood, or the Redsocks restoring hope after the Marathon bombing, both championship teams will be remembered along with allegations of cheating. Funny thing, Karma. 

Both teams will piss, moan and accuse - we haven't scratched the surface - but their times are up in the airbrushed spotlight of public approval. 

That could make each team especially dangerous in 2020; to save their withering reputations, both must win. Make no mistake: Last week, the Yankees' path to a world championship did not get easier.

Still, the week changed everything. On that note, I direct your eyeballs to Tyler Kepner's thumb-sucker in today's Gray Lady. Kepner, in magazine-length mode, contacted a few retired and/or veteran players - rarities who thus far are willing to comment. Some barn-burner quotes:  

“When you’d go to Houston, it always seemed like they were on pitches,” [former Oakland catcher Stephen) Vogt said. “As a catcher, when you see your pitcher execute a perfect slider down in the zone with two strikes and someone doesn’t even flinch at it, you start to get alarm bells going off in your head. I spent a lot of time wondering if I was doing something in my setup that would be tipping pitches to the other team.”

“Now you’re telling me that could have potentially shortened my career or sent me back down” to the minor leagues, Indians pitcher Mike Clevinger said in a video posted to YouTube, “because they knew what I was throwing when I was in their park?”

“It’s time for the players involved to step forward,” the veteran reliever Jerry Blevins tweeted. “Take your lumps publicly. Your name is coming out sooner or later. Maybe there’s some integrity still in you somewhere.”

Blevins is right. Soon - like, this week - every past and present MLB player will get his shot at the microphone. A dam is about to break, and a lot of angry players - especially pitchers - are going to weigh-in. It's going to get crazier than ever. But make no mistake: Last week was 2019 B.C. (Before Charges). Today, we are in 2020 A.D. (After Disclosures.)