Cheated: The Inside Story of the Astros Scandal and a Colorful History of Sign Stealing

Journalist Martino draws from more than 100 interviews, primarily with eyewitnesses and participants, to provide a detailed account of the scandal that tainted the Houston Astros’ 2017 World Series victory. The extent that the team went to steal signals from their opponents stunned Major League Baseball, and Martino puts the Astros’ schemes in perspective by illuminating the lengthy history of sign stealing, going as far back as 1900. Over the next century, the sport distinguished between tells that players could observe on their own and teams’ use of artificial methods, such as electronic sign stealing through hidden cameras, which were banned. In the late 2010s, the Astros employed both low-tech means, such as banging on garbage can lids, and advanced ones, including cameras that sent real-time signals to players in the batter’s box. The cheating was suspected for a while, but only became public knowledge after a former Astros pitcher leaked the news to a reporter. The ensuing uproar led to an investigation by MLB, which confirmed widespread cheating, resulting in the suspension of the Astros’ manager and general manager. Martino makes the story accessible to casual fans, with enough detail to sate diehard fans of the sport. This account serves as a nice addition to the growing canon of books about sports scandals. Agent: Esther Newberg, ICM Partners. (June)