i'm sure everyone is looking for an edge. Shyt even Boone said it in his interview yesterday. It is what it is.
That is true, that everyone is looking for an edge. But there are sportsmen-like edges (ex. runner on 1st or 2nd reading the pitcher's tendencies and deciding to steal a base, or a batter picking up a pitcher's tell and waiting for his pitch, or extreme shifts employed to counter dead pull hitters, etc), and there's just outright cheating (spitballs, scuffing balls, someone telling you using real-time technology what's coming and when, etc.). There's a difference. The Patriots got dinged for the same thing, setting up cameras and filming opponents' practices and stealing their signs/cadences, etc. It would be the equivalent of a marked cards in a game, or a mirror under a casino table. Flat out cheating vs an edge.
Not at you personally, but given that MLB knows how extensive it goes, in order to restore any shred of integrity (since MLB and its fanbase pretend to be holier-than-thou) for future rulings, they have to vacate the 2017 World Series title from Houston, force Houston to remove any reference of it, and move on. Players should have been disciplined as well. Gonna make suspension appeal rulings a bit more entertaining, if they don't. Players' counsel will argue... "Well, MLB documented that players have broadly and systematically cheated and were not disciplined, but you want to suspend and fine player X for hitting a batter???"
We'll see what happens when the Astros actually travel. MLB won't be able to shove it under a rug when the crowd reactions are broadcasted nationally.