Well before Major League Baseball was focused on navigating the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and searching for means to begin the 2020 regular season, there were several factions within the sport in the aftermath of the league’s investigation into the Houston Astros.
With a report from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred released in January, the Astros were found to have electronically stole signs en route to winning the 2017 World Series, which of course is when they defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games.
Manfred elected not to strip the Astros of their title, and players were granted immunity in exchange for cooperation with the investigation. That angered other clubhouses and led to a rash of criticism aimed not only at Manfred, but the Astros as well due to responses and a lack of contrite from their players.
According to Will Thorne of Variety, the entire saga is going to be the subject of a docuseries from LeBron James-backed Uninterrupted and Quibi:
Quibi and LeBron James’ Uninterrupted sports media company are teaming up for a new docuseries about a cheating scandal that has gone down in baseball infamy.
The short-form content platform has ordered “Sign Language” (working title), a series which aims to give viewers an inside look at the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal and its unprecedented fallout.
Per the logline for the series, it will look to “transcend the baseball diamond to explore larger themes of greed, cheating, corruption, sportsmanship, and social media activism.”
Maverick Carter, who co-founded Uninterrupted with LeBron James, is executive producing alongside Jamal Henderson, Philip Byron and Jason Stein. Julia Willoughby Nason and Jenner Furst are directing the series, as well as exec producing with Michael Gasparro for Cinemart.
A release date and additional details on the Astros’ docuseries have not yet been announced. Although some of the anger from the sign-stealing scandal has subsided in the wake of the country facing a pandemic, the Astros organization figures to again be under a microscope if a 2020 season is played.
Particularly given the possibility the Dodgers and Astros may end up playing one another with plenty of frequency as MLB looks to reduce travel for teams.
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