The thing is, MLB should be investigating this as a league-wide thing, not just an Astros thing, because there is no way at all this could logically be limited to the Astros.

Players change teams all the times via trades and free agency. Coaches of successful teams are hired by other teams to manage or coach. Word was 100% certain to get out.

So why still do it?

Easy: because people knowing was not a risk. Not a risk because other teams are doing it. Just as one team doesn’t beef about opponents using pine tar because their own pitchers are also using it, one team likely doesn’t blow up another for video sign stealing.

And that held here. Tuesday’s story was not a function of other teams lodging a complaint. It was because a couple of reporters — one of whom, Drellich, has been all over the Astros over the past few years — finally got someone to talk about it on the record.

None of which absolves the Astros, of course. Cheating is cheating. But it does mean that MLB can't limit this to them. If it does, it's addressing a P.R. problem, not a cheating problem.

Of course, I expect MLB to handle this the same way it handled PEDs and other things. 1. Mostly ignore it as it happens; 2. React when it hits the news; 3. "investigate"; 4. punish/scapegoat some people but not others ; 5. Declare victory.