The fallout from the Houston Astros’ cheating scandal has continued with two prominent players attacking MLB’s handling of the case.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred suspended the Astros’ general manager and manager for their part in the 2017 World Series champions’ sign stealing scheme but no players were punished. Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner believes the sanctions did not go far enough.
“Now anyone who goes forward and cheats to win a World Series, they can live with themselves knowing that, ‘Oh, it’s OK ... We’ll cheat in the World Series and bring the title back to LA. Screw [Dodgers manager] Dave Roberts and screw [general manager] Andrew [Friedman],” said Turner on Monday. “It’s just those guys losing their jobs. I still get to be called a champion the rest of my life.’ So the precedent was set by [Manfred] in this case.”
Turner, whose team lost to the Astros in the 2017 World Series, added that he did not believe Manfred’s investigation into the Astros went far enough. “I don’t think anyone knows the facts,” he said. “I think everyone just wants to hear all the facts. And I think that the commissioner didn’t do a good job of revealing all the facts to us. I still think there’s some stuff we don’t know.”
The best player in baseball, the Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout, also added his displeasure. “It’s sad for baseball,” Trout said on Monday. “It’s tough. They cheated. I don’t agree with the punishments, the players not getting anything. It was a player-driven thing. It sucks, too, because guys’ careers have been affected. A lot of people lost jobs. It was tough. Me going up to the plate knowing what was coming? It would be fun up there. A lot of guys lost respect for some of the guys.”
Manfred disciplined the Astros after an investigation found the team broke rules by using cameras to steal signs during their run to the 2017 World Series and again in the 2018 season.
The Astros were fined $5m, the maximum allowed under major league rules, and forfeited their next two first- and second-round draft picks. The investigation found that the Astros used the video feed from a center field camera to view and decode opposing catchers’ signs. Players banged on a trashcan to signal to batters which pitches were coming, believing it would improve chances of getting a base hit.
