Fans slam Rob Manfred's decision to grant Astros players immunity in exchange for testimony in 2017's sign-stealing scandal

The Astros (and later the Red Sox) were accused of using electronic equipment to read the indications from opposition batteries (pitchers and catchers). The players passed those signs on to the batters through duplicitous means. The overall sign-stealing scandal happened in 2017, and Rob Manfred was the commissioner even then.

One may recall that no players were punished during the scandal's aftermath. Manfred and his investigation team provided the potentially involved players complete immunity in exchange for frank and confidential testimony.

Apparently, giving the players immunity was a big regret for Manfred. Talking to Time Magazine, he said:

"I'm not sure that I would have approached it with giving players immunity. Once we gave players immunity, it puts you in a box as to what exactly you were going to do in terms of punishment. Starting with, 'I'm not going to punish anybody.' Maybe not my best decision ever."

Fans aren't happy with Manfred's decision and have shown their dissatisfaction.

A fan wrote, "I guess if you are a big enough doofus to not suspend them, you naturally wouldn't feel any shame in admitting this."

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Another fan wrote, "Why bring it up now? That ship has sailed. You get no credit for saying it, and it will just piss everyone off."

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Another fan commented, "Nearly 65 years later, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred's mother thinks that perhaps she should have swallowed him after all."

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Fans think Manfred was not a good commissioner and should have been removed.

A fan said, "Get this f**king clown out of here. What a terrible commissioner."

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Another fan wrote, "That would have been for the best. I’m not a fan of snatching up trophies, but suspending players would have sent a direct message to the rest of the league."

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A fan wrote, "I regret the moment this f**k stick became involved in my favorite sport. He’s the cancer of MLB, and the worst commissioner of all major sports by a long shot, along with being the worst commissioner in the history of this game. He’s corrupt and completely out of touch, and doesn’t give a f**k about Baseball. F**k Rob Manfred."

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Another fan commented, "Should have, could have, would have, DIDNT."

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Another fan wrote, "This makes me not want to be a fan of the sport I love. This guy is a joke."

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Rob Manfred's on Oakland A's relocation

In the press conference that followed the quarterly owners' meeting in New York, Manfred made some insensitive and arrogant remarks about the Oakland supporters and the team's impending departure to Las Vegas.

Rob Manfred

When questioned about his opinions following this week's quarterly owners' meeting, Manfred responded with some stereotypically harsh remarks about the predicament. He backed team owner John Fisher on the move and charged the neighborhood with failing to support the team.

Fans were upset by his remarks and criticized him on social media for his treatment of them as the organization's leader.