With the NFL offseason having hit a bit of a lull since Super Bowl LIV, the sports world has been dominated by the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal in Major League Baseball.
The organization was determined by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to have electronically stolen signs during the 2017 season en route to a World Series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Astros have been under a microscope of scrutiny since MLB’s investigation concluded last month and finally addressed the situation this week after reporting to Spring Training.
Some of the Astros’ star players such as Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman issued apologies, but most took exception to owner Jim Crane’s assertion that the organization’s illegal method of stealing signs did not have an effect on the outcome of games.
Dodgers star and 2019 National League MVP Cody Bellinger was critical of the Astros’ attempt to save face, earning the respect of players from around the league and fellow L.A. athletes.
Now retired Los Angeles Rams safety Eric Weddle praised Bellinger on Twitter for his harsh response to Crane’s halfhearted apology:
I agree. Cody is the man for this!!!
— Eric Weddle (@weddlesbeard) February 14, 2020
The Rams and Dodgers have had an excellent relationship since the franchise’s return to L.A. in 2016, and that was recently evident with Jalen Ramsey expressing his excitement over the acquisition of Mookie Betts.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Jared Dudley also complimented Bellinger for speaking his mind. L.A. teams are a close-knit bunch, so it isn’t surprising to see so many players supporting him on social media.
Bellinger obviously did not hold back in his comments about the Astros and went on to add that the organization’s blatant cheating cost the Dodgers a World Series championship.
Houston went on to defeat L.A. in seven games during the 2017 Fall Classic, preventing the organization from ending its now 32-year long drought.
While Bellinger pointed out how the Dodgers were directly affected by the Astros’ sign stealing, he also came to the defense of other teams that were wronged. Bellinger opined that Altuve robbed New York Yankees star Aaron Judge of the 2017 American League MVP award, given that he benefited from the Astros’ illegal system to steal signs.
