Despite splitting the weekend four-game set with the Detroit Tigers, the Houston Astros remain one of the best teams in baseball.
They have the best record in the American League at 48-30, and have won eight of their last 10 games.
The overall health of the franchise seems to be just fine, as they move further and further from the 2017 sign-stealing scandal.
As most of you will remember, they deployed a complex scheme that year that involved using cameras located in center field to steal other teams’ signs, and relaying them with the use of trash cans to hitters.
The scheme was discovered a couple of years ago and resulted in suspensions for then manager AJ Hinch and for former general manager Jeff Lunhow, and the loss of draft picks.
While many people thought the punishment was too soft, the franchise seems to have pushed past the outside noise and are concentrating on playing baseball and winning on the field.
Here are two reasons why the Astros seems to be moving forward after the scandal.
2. Time Solves A Lot Of Stuff
The cheating scandal caused a lot of resentment among other teams, especially the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers (the last two teams Houston eliminated in 2017 on their way to the championship).
And the response by these fanbases has been heard, seen, and felt all around the baseball world, with boos, signs, inflatable trash cans, and other stuff.
This is the loudest I have heard #Yankee Stadium this year. Boos and chants for the #Astros pic.twitter.com/PkcI90rN7B
— Kristie Ackert (@ByKristieAckert) May 4, 2021
But time has helped somewhat.
We knew that there was going to be some retaliation by players and teams in 2020 and 2021, but as time goes on, they have been fewer and far between.
Little by little, baseball will move past the scandal, and while resentment may persist for some time, no further action is expected from MLB.
That means teams will just have to play baseball.
It also helps that most of the games played last season and some of this campaign were with no fans in the stands, or very few of them.
The crowd was raucous at Yankee Stadium in the series played between the two teams there this season, and there is no denying that.
But there is nothing anybody can do at this point but play baseball and let time help people and teams move past the issue.
1. They Are Winning Without Any Outside Help
The Astros have the best record in the junior circuit.
Obviously, they haven’t been implementing the 2017 system this year, so they have earned their success with talent and hard work.
I hated the Astros cheating scandal. But, they're proving this year that they're just good. But should have been punished, somehow.
— Ron Shillman (@shillman1) June 26, 2021
Michael Brantley is having a career year, as are Carlos Correa and Kyle Tucker.
Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, and Yuli Gurriel are having splendid bounce-back seasons.
And not only has the Astros offense been explosive without any external aid.
The pitching has been phenomenal and has helped consolidate the team at the top of the league.
The rotation is good and deep, with Zack Greinke, Lance McCullers, Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy, and Jake Odorizzi all performing at a high level.
If the Astros prove they can win it all without any help from the outside, that would go a long way into earning back the respect of the baseball world.
NEXT: Is Carlos Correa Overrated? (3 Reasons He Is Not)