Yankees not happy about apology
Manager isn’t buying way Astros downplayed sign-stealing scandal
TAMPA, FLA.— The New York Yankees were not looking for the Houston Astros to apologize to them specifically Thursday, the first time they faced reporters this spring after being busted for the biggest cheating scandal in the game since the 1919 Black Sox. Like the rest of baseball, however, those here at George M. Steinbrenner Field for the first official workout of spring training hoped the Astros would take a little bit of accountability.
Needless to say, Astros owner Jim Crane’s shallow apology and defiant remarks fell flat here like they did across the game. Crane denied the Astros’ illegal sign-stealing scheme had any impact on the games and specifically had none on the franchise’s only World Series championship in 2017.
The Yankees, who lost to the Astros in Game 7 of that 2017 American League Championship Series, disagree.
“I think that’s quite a stretch,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said in response to Crane’s Thursday morning comments. “On what level did it impact things? I guess we’ll never know and that’s for people to draw their own conclusions on. I think clearly when we’re talking about some of the things that went on, those things had an effect on games.”
Crane was specifically pressed on that 2017 ALCS and if he would apologize to the Yankees. He dismissed it.
“Listen, the Yankees have had a few comments out there. Our opinion is that this didn’t impact the game,” Crane said. “We had a good team. We won the World Series, and we’ll leave it at that.”
Astros shortstop Carlos Correa strongly disputed the suspicions that Houston had graduated from banging on garbage cans to alert batters to an offspeed pitch to wearing buzzers under their jerseys.
But Aroldis Chapman, who gave up the walk-off home run to Jose Altuve that sent the Astros to the 2019 World Series, just shook his head when asked about that. All winter he watched video of Altuve coming home and telling teammates in the celebration not to rip off his jersey. Chapman called Altuve’s behaviour suspicious Thursday morning.
Boone said that Correa’s protestations and former Astros manager A.J. Hinch saying he was not aware of any buzzers being used in 2019 really didn’t settle anything for him.
“Not really,” Boone said. “It at least feels like there’s a lot of coincidental things and a lot of smoke.”
One thing Boone and Chapman both know, however, is the advantage a system like the Astros had would give hitters. Boone, a former major-league infielder, smiled when asked about what it’s like to be in the batter’s box when you know what pitch is coming.
“If I know what’s coming as a hitter, it’s hard to put how big of an advantage that is, but if you asked every hitter — if they know with 100 per cent certainty what’s coming, I’d feel pretty good about my chances, or certainly a lot better,” Boone said.
It could have been the difference in Game 7 of the 2017 ALCS, Chapman said Thursday. So, when he heard of Crane’s comments, Chapman didn’t back down. “I disagree with that. When you have an advantage like that, it’s definitely going to make you a stronger team.”