While attempting to apologize for cheating, the Astros only alienated themselves even further

Which current MLB player said it: “I don’t agree with the punishments, the players not getting anything. It was a player-driven thing. It sucks, too, because guys’ careers have been affected, a lot of people lost jobs…I lost respect for some of the guys.”

It wasn’t the outspoken Trevor Bauer. It wasn’t any of the Dodger’s players that have come out proclaiming that a championship was stolen from them. No, that is a quote by Mike Trout. Mike Trout who has been one of the quietest, most low-key superstars in sports for the last seven years.

Him making those comments speaks volumes about the Houston Astros. By this point, the sign stealing-drama is well-known. Yet, the Astros have found new ways to make things worse and worse for themselves.

Let’s start with their “apology.”

Houston owner Jim Crane was all over the map. He expressed how sorry he and the Astros were and that something like this would never happen again on his watch. But just a short time later he said, “Our opinion is that it did not impact the game.”

When asked what he meant but saying it didn’t impact the game less than a minute after making this comment, Crane said, “I didn’t say it didn’t impact the game.”

Well, that clears it up.

Let’s see what Carlos Correa had to say, maybe he can help clear the air.

“It was definitely an advantage.”

Okay, so deliberately stealing signs from the other team and knowing what pitch is coming does give the hitter an advantage, got it. Anything else to say, Carlos?

“When you analyze the games, we won fair and square. We earned that championship.”

Now that just confuses things again. Both things cannot be true. Saying sign stealing was an advantage and then saying the games were won fair and square are contradictory to each other.

Mr. Crane, do you have any other thoughts?

“No, I don’t think I should be held accountable.”

Ah yes, lack of accountability seems to be a common thread among the Astros. Admitting guilt, but then stating that their 2017 World Series is not tainted.

And this has been upsetting MLB players all around the league.

“I don’t think it’s going to be a comfortable few ABs for a lot of those boys, and it shouldn’t be. They shouldn’t be comfortable,” said Indians pitcher Mike Clevinger about pitchers potentially retaliating at the Astros.

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant said, “I’m pretty sure it was going in 2018 and 2019, too. If they didn’t get caught, they’d still be doing it. And they’re only doing this apology because they got caught. Everyone around the league is upset and rightfully so because it’s really a disgrace to the game.”

The aforementioned Bauer, who is never afraid to share his thoughts, let loose on Houston.

“They mocked everything about everyone who said they were doing something under the table or illegal or whatever…cheating is one thing — it’s not okay, but at least if you cheat and you come out and you get caught and you’re like, ‘Look, I did this and it wasn’t right. This is why I did it. I’m not going to do it again, I learned my lesson.’

Reigning NL MVP Cody Bellinger stated, “I thought the apologies were whatever…I think what people don’t realize is Altuve stole an MVP from Judge in ’17. Everyone knows they stole the ring from us.”

The bottom line is seemingly everyone in the MLB has a bone to pick with the Astros, especially following their apology debacle. The sign-stealing scandal is not going away anytime soon and will be on everyone’s mind when the season rolls around.