ROBERTS DENIES CHEATING ALLEGATIONS
Dave Roberts hasn’t yet read “Winning Fixes Everything,” Evan Drellich’s wideranging book released this week that detailed the Houston Astros’ 2017 signstealing scandal.
But during a scrum with reporters at Cactus League media day Wednesday, the Dodgers eighth-year manager flatly denied the accusations made in the book by various anonymous sources against his team for their own alleged sign-stealing transgressions.
“I’ve heard a couple little excerpts,” Roberts said. “To be honest, I haven’t thought too much about it. I’m not going to go there with that.”
The Dodgers were accused numerous times by sources in the book of engaging in their own illegal signstealing system during both 2017 — when the Astros used their infamous trash can system during their World Series-winning season — and 2018.
One allegation claimed the Dodgers set up cameras in center field of Dodger Stadium during the 2017 World Series that were connected to an iPad in the dugout, giving them the ability to decode catcher’s signs in real time and relay them to their hitters.
Another anecdote shared by an unnamed opposing player alleged the Dodgers stationed players in their video room during games to try to decode signs — including a rumored exchange between then-Dodgers Joc Pederson and Chase Utley during the 2018 World Series that was witnessed by an MLB official.
At another point in the book, an anonymous member of the Dodgers 2017 team said the squad did “indeed did use a baserunner scheme, determining sign sequences with the help of their video room” — which would be similar to a signstealing system the Boston Red Sox were punished for using the following season. The Red Sox beat the Dodgers in five games in the 2018 World Series.
However, another member of the 2017 Dodgers cited by Drellich said such a system was common practice before MLB cracked down on it after 2018.
The Dodgers never received any punishments related to the allegations made in the book. And on Wednesday, Roberts said the Dodgers only engaged in legal methods of sign-stealing during the seasons in question, such as having baserunners pick up a catcher’s sign and then signal them to the hitter at the plate.
“That’s the school of baseball,” Roberts said. “That’s gamesmanship. There was never anything illegal about it.”
Roberts did confirm the Dodgers were one of several teams investigated by the league after the 2018 season for sign-stealing accusations — which were common around baseball at the time as teams grew more suspicious of one another — but that the probe “came up with nothing.”
A’s situation
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher has focused on Las Vegas of late as a new home for the franchise.
Manfred, speaking Wednesday at baseball’s Cactus League media day, isn’t closing the door on the team remaining in Oakland.
“I think Mr. Fisher wants to make the best deal to secure the future of the A’s, whether it’s in Oakland or in Las Vegas,” Manfred said. “They need a new stadium. I think that’s kind of beyond debate.”
The A’s have played at the Coliseum since 1968, and their lease expires after the 2024 season. After withdrawing plans for ballparks in Fremont and San Jose, the team announced in November 2018 it had found a waterfront location for a new ballpark at Howard Terminal, close to the Jack London Square neighborhood.
Notable
Pitchers Corbin Burnes and Brady Singer lost in salary arbitration.
Burnes will receive $10.01 million from the Brewers rather than his $10.75 million request.
Singer will get $2.95 million rather than $3,325,000 from the Royals.
• Rockies manager Bud Black agreed to a one-year contract extension that goes through 2024.
• Lefty reliever Andrew Chafin and the D-backs finalized a $6.25 million, oneyear contract. Chafin gets $5.5 million this year.
• Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg, a threetime All-Star and 2019 World Series MVP, did not report with other pitchers following a recent setback in his comeback from a 2021 operation to correct thoracic outlet syndrome. Strasburg, 34, had a nerve-related setback in a recent bullpen session, MLB.com reported.
• Two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom was held out of the first spring workout for the Rangers because he felt tightness in his left side.
• Frankie Montas needs shoulder surgery and will miss most or all of the Yankees’ season. Manager Aaron Boone said the RHP will have surgery Tuesday.
• Mariners OF Taylor Trammell will have surgery on his broken right hand and is expected to need six to seven weeks to recover.