Astros owner Jim Crane refuses to speak to reporters about signstealing investigation.
ARLINGTON — Aided by two police officers inside a luxury hotel, Astros owner Jim Crane declined comment on the ongoing investigation into his franchise’s electronic sign-stealing plan during the second day of Major League Baseball’s owners meetings on Wednesday.
Approached by a group of seven reporters in the lobby of Live! By Loews, Crane was asked if he had “a few minutes to talk.”
“If you want to talk about baseball, I’ll talk about baseball,” replied the 65-year-old owner. “What else do you want to talk about?”
Before a reporter could finish responding to that question — asking whether Crane had comment on the allegations — Crane said “any other issues” before two uniformed off-duty Tarrant County police officers intervened.
The officers whisked Crane up a flight of stairs to the second floor, where most of the meetings are being held. Crane arrived back in the lobby minutes later, wearing a hard hat and construction vest while accompanying the other owners to a tour of the construction site for the Texas Rangers’ new ballpark.
The appearance was Crane’s first since Major League Baseball opened its investigation regarding the Astros last week. Houston is alleged to have stolen signs electronically at Minute Maid Park during its World Series-winning season in 2017. Commissioner Rob Manfred said Tuesday he does not expect the investigation to involve any other teams.
Police presence was heavy throughout the morning at the behest of hotel management. Scott Nassar, the hotel’s managing director, initially attempted to expel a small group of reporters from the premises entirely.
After communication with Major League Baseball, Nassar relented but made all reporters who were non-guests of the hotel purchase rooms in order to stay. Police officers approached each new reporter who entered the hotel to ensure he or she was a registered guest. If they were not, two officers accompanied them outside.
In brief comments Tuesday, Manfred called the accusations and investigation “the most serious matter” while acknowledging the penalties could be severe if the Astros are found guilty.
“It’s hard to characterize 30 (owners), one obviously in a very different category,” Manfred said when asked of the owners’ opinions on sign-stealing. “The other 29 share my concern. People want the game played consistent with our rules and feel it’s important that we figure out exactly what happened here and take steps to make sure it doesn’t happen in the future by imposing appropriate discipline.”
Manfred will address the media Thursday morning to conclude the owners meetings.