Oneil Cruz gets a hit, and Rodolfo Castro was off. Rounding second, he makes his way to 3rd and slides to make the play. However, although he was safe at 3rd, he wasn’t safe from MLB.
As he slid into third, his phone slipped out of his left pocket. “His phone?” some might ask. “Why does he have his phone on him?”
After getting called up from the Pittsburgh Pirates Triple-A affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians, Castro has been playing great baseball. However, this slip-up cost him a one-game suspension.
The majority of MLB fans were in outrage because of this, due to outlying factors. Regardless, I truly believe that this suspension is good for the league, and is progressing in the right direction.
Why It Seems Bad
The first thing that comes to mind with technology and baseball is cheating, especially recently due to the Astros’ scandal in 2017. People on Twitter had many unkind words to say about the matter.
In fact, these people are more than entitled to their opinion. The fact that the Astros roster did not receive any suspensions or loss of game time due to the scandal is absolutely absurd.
Although Rodolfo Castro’s suspension is only one game, the implications seem much more extreme. He just came up from the minors, has been playing well, and got struck down by an accident. He actually felt terrible about the incident, stating “I didn’t mean to do this at all in any way or form, it’s something I didn’t even know I had on me. And to be completely honest with you, I feel horrible.”
The Good
I’m not here to say that the MLB is right for their lack of action against the Astros. What I’m here to say is that it’s a step in the right direction.
Yes, the 2017 Astros were horrible for their actions and deserve the hate they receive. However, MLB cannot change the past and its lack of action.
This is a statement and the beginning of a crackdown on tech and possible cheating measures in baseball. The execution may not be perfect, but laying him on a light 1 game suspension is great to set an example while also not heavily punishing a young player for his mistakes.
Final Thoughts on Rodolfo Castro
Rodolfo Castro made a whole-hearted mistake. His actions weren’t intentional, but there is something to be said about what occurred.
He deserved a repercussion for his actions, and a one-game suspension doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. He’s playing well, and will get back in the rotation immediately.
The main theme of this piece is to highlight why this suspension is putting MLB on the right track. It’s not going to make up for their past mistakes and give them a pass with the fans, but it sets a precedent in baseball to be mindful of how you act.
Overall, this is a huge win for the MLB. The backlash is there, but minimal. The outcome will end up completely positive, and it puts them in a position to make the league a fair place to play ball.
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