The Houston Astros’ 2017 World Series victory was supposed to be a feel-good story—a triumph of modern analytics and a symbol of resilience for a city reeling from Hurricane Harvey. Instead, it became a scar on the game, forever known as the Houston Asterisks scandal.

In this explosive episode of BenchMarks, Tom Albano unpacks one of the most brazen cheating schemes in sports history. We peel back the layers on how the Astros used a high-tech camera system and the crude, audible sound of banging on a trash can to decode and relay pitch signs in real-time to their hitters.

Albano explores the "win-at-all-costs" culture fostered by the front office, the ethical collapse inside the dugout, and the investigation that ultimately confirmed the systemic cheating that tainted their championship. Beyond the mechanics of the scheme, we delve into the fallout: the historic, yet controversial, penalties from Major League Baseball, the firings of the manager and general manager, and the lingering sense of betrayal felt by opposing players and baseball fans across the country. This is the story of how an innovative team lost its integrity, leaving an indelible question mark over a championship ring.

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