Houston Astros owner Jim Crane and players issued their official apologies over the sign-stealing scandal after reporting to Spring Training on Thursday, but fans, players, coaches and executives throughout the league were not satisfied.
The main reason is the Astros still did not take full accountability, particularly Crane, who claimed that the scheme did not have an impact on the result of games. Furthermore, Crane doesn’t feel a need to contact the teams they defeated, such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, to personally apologize.
Since FanFest a few weeks ago, Dodgers players have let it be known how they feel about the matter even though they are now focused on moving forward with the 2020 season. The Astros’ apologies, or lack thereof, reopened the wounds once again this week though, and Cody Bellinger went on a rant criticizing them and Crane at Camelback Ranch on Friday morning.
A number of other players throughout the league have done the same, even going as far as claiming that Astros players will get thrown at this season since the league did not take care of the matter with a significant enough penalty.
The Dodgers do not play the Astros this season and thus will not get that opportunity. Ross Stripling almost did, however, as he was set to be traded to the L.A. Angels before the deal fell through. The Angels and Astros both play in the American League West and meet 19 times this season.
When discussing the Astros, Stripling admitted that he likely would have thrown at them if the trade with the Angels went through, via ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez:
“I would lean toward yes,” Stripling said after some thought. “In the right time, and in the right place.”
“One of the worst things that could happen is that we get through spring and it’s just forgotten about, or that you get pegged for the first two games and it’s just forgotten about,” Stripling said. “It needs to be reiterated.”
This is an issue that the Astros will have to deal with all season after cheating the game and its players, and they have no one to blame but themselves.
Alex Wood also had an interesting comment on the matter, noting that pitchers who intentionally throw at them will be given a suspension longer than any of the Astros’ players considering they received immunity from Major League Baseball for cooperating with the investigation.
While that doesn’t seem right, it is the reality and will be something pitchers have to consider throughout the entire season before playing Houston.
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