We’re only a few days into spring training, and the Houston Astros are getting the hostile treatment that many expected stemming from the cheating scandal that rocked baseball’s offseason.
Even considering the typically subdued spring training atmospheres, it’s been bad for Houston.
Before games, players are getting heckled. They’re getting booed every at-bat. And Astros batters have already been hit by a pitch six times.
On Wednesday, Astros outfielder George Springer tried to do his part to silence the crowd during a split-squad Grapefruit League game against the Mets. With the crowd booing loudly, Springer looked to unload on a Justin Wilson fastball. Instead, he whiffed so hard that he fell to his knee.
The crowd jeered and laughed at Springer’s effort there.
Springer, of course, had a career season in 2017 and made the AL All-Star team in each of the three seasons since the Astros started utilizing their cheating tactics.
He would ground out on the at-bat.
