a. In January 2020, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred issued a report on arguably the most significant scandal since the steroid abuses of the 2000s. The Houston Astros were fined $5 million, the maximum penalty allowed, and were ordered to forfeit the next two first- and second-round draft picks for illegal sign-stealing. Electronic devices had been used to provide dugout images of the opposing team’s catcher signaling pitches. The anticipated pitches were communicated to the batters by banging on a trashcan. The Commissioner, who described the Astros’ culture as “very problematic,” also imposed a one-year suspension from baseball on the Astros’ general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch. Shortly thereafter, they were fired by team owner Jim Crane, as was bench coach Alex Cora, who was named in the report as a “mastermind” of the operation. Carlos Beltran, considered a potential Hall of Famer and was a former Astros player involved in the misconduct, agreed to leave his new position as manager of the New York Mets. Manfred had warned the entire league about cheating in 2017 after imposing a moderate fine on the Boston Red Sox for illegal sign-stealing: “future violations . . . will be subject to more serious sanctions.” The Astros’ conduct, Manfred’s report stated, “raised questions about the integrity” of baseball. 

b. Should we take seriously violations of sportsmanship or is it “only a game”? Explain. 

c. Does it matter whether such conduct occurs in a professional, as opposed to an amateur, ­setting? Explain.