Vilified by fans, Astros begin another title search

HOUSTON — Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman whipped the

ball around during a crisp infield drill, then came together for a group hug near

second base after finishing up Monday.

High above the diamond at Minute Maid Park, the sun gleamed off an oversized banner attached to a light tower.

“World Series Champions,” it said, along with “17”

and the Astros logo. And it was solid gold.

Nope, no tarnish on that tribute. Not here in Houston, anyway.

Because if the stain of their sign-stealing scandal

on the way to the 2017 crown is hanging over them, the Astros aren’t

showing it. Let the rest of the sports world condemn them forever as baseball’s

biggest cheaters — they’re focused, they say, on putting another shiny flag on that tower.

“I’m not worried about narratives. I’m not worried about any of that,” Bregman said.

Back in the World Series for the third time in five years, they get that chance

starting Tuesday night in Game 1 against the Atlanta Braves.

The Astros are favorites in Las Vegas and cheered at home, but nowhere else.

Heckled, cursed and taunted with fake trash cans at ballparks across the

majors all season, the Astros

know there’s nothing they can do to change any fan’s mind. The hate directed at them on social media, that’s not going away anytime soon.

Neither are the whispers. During the AL playoffs, there was loosely lobbed

innuendo and speculation about misdeeds.

Note this: During workouts Monday, the only camera in center field was for the Fox telecast. The official Major League Baseball report that issued penalties

in January 2020 said the Astros used a team camera in center to illegally help

steal signals flashed by opposing catchers.

“We just want to really show the world that we’re the best team out there. In

order for us to do that, we’ve got to get four more wins. I don’t think the outside noise motivates us at all,” Correa said.

Hard to block out, though.