ScanTheMan
Active member
So MLB just fired Pat Hoberg over shared betting accounts with a poker player buddy, despite zero evidence that he bet on baseball himself or influenced any games. And yet, here we are—dude’s out of a job, labeled a threat to the “integrity of the game.”
Look, I get it. Sports leagues hate even the appearance of impropriety. But this whole situation feels like a scorched-earth response for a guy who made some bad choices but never actually bet on baseball. His biggest crime? Deleting messages, which—yeah, that looks sketchy. But firing him outright for what’s essentially bad judgment? Feels extreme.
And let’s not ignore the hypocrisy here. MLB is raking in millions from gambling partnerships, plastering betting ads everywhere, and yet they’re treating an umpire like a criminal for having access to a betting account?
I’m not saying he’s innocent. He screwed up, no doubt. But with no game-fixing, no bets on teams he reffed with intent to influence—why not a suspension? A fine? A warning? You’re telling me he can’t apply for reinstatement until 2026 while MLB is actively pushing fans to gamble?
What do you guys think—was this justified, or did MLB go overboard to make an example out of him?
Look, I get it. Sports leagues hate even the appearance of impropriety. But this whole situation feels like a scorched-earth response for a guy who made some bad choices but never actually bet on baseball. His biggest crime? Deleting messages, which—yeah, that looks sketchy. But firing him outright for what’s essentially bad judgment? Feels extreme.
And let’s not ignore the hypocrisy here. MLB is raking in millions from gambling partnerships, plastering betting ads everywhere, and yet they’re treating an umpire like a criminal for having access to a betting account?
I’m not saying he’s innocent. He screwed up, no doubt. But with no game-fixing, no bets on teams he reffed with intent to influence—why not a suspension? A fine? A warning? You’re telling me he can’t apply for reinstatement until 2026 while MLB is actively pushing fans to gamble?
What do you guys think—was this justified, or did MLB go overboard to make an example out of him?