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In an effort to keep baseball journalists from asking questions about the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, it appears Major League Baseball has taken a page out of the NFL’s book of shadiness in order to remedy the issue.
According to various MLB reporters — such as ESPN’s Jeff Passan — who are in Arlington, Texas, to cover the yearly owner’s meetings, there is a law enforcement presence at the hotel where the MLB owners are staying that seem to be tasked with keeping reporters away from the owners.
“Just to be clear: There are police officers stationed in the lobby of the hotel working as security, and when they got the sense Jim Crane did not want to talk, they cut in to the media scrum and escorted Crane to a staircase leading to the level where meetings are taking place,” Passan tweeted to his 343,000 followers.
Just to be clear: There are police officers stationed in the lobby of the hotel working as security, and when they got the sense Jim Crane did not want to talk, they cut in to the media scrum and escorted Crane to a staircase leading to the level where meetings are taking place.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 20, 2019
Chandler Rome, the Houston Astros beat writer for the Houston Chronicle, echoed Passan’s sentiment, saying that “hotel management and a group of policemen attempted to throw a small group of reporters out of the hotel.”
Hello from the owners meetings in Arlington, Texas, where hotel management and a group of policemen attempted to throw a small group of reporters out of the hotel. Order has since been restored. Perhaps Jim Crane will speak today.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) November 20, 2019
To clarify, all owners, not just Crane, are under the same restriction. We can't approach owners. Tarrant County police on scene to enforce it.
— Laura Albanese (@AlbaneseLaura) November 20, 2019
The Astros, who won the World Series back in 2017, were accused this offseason of stealing signs after former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers told The Athletic that the team was using a camera in centerfield to capture signs from opposing teams. Those signs were then allegedly relayed to the batters through various banging noises.
Astros using cameras to steal signs, a breakdown pic.twitter.com/rncm6qzXxw
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) November 12, 2019
As a result of the controversy, it has been reported that the Astros are potentially facing “unprecedented” punishment. However, regardless of what MLB ultimately decides to do with the Astros, it’s obvious that they don’t want this scandal growing any bigger before they make their decision.
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Eric is a New York City-based writer who still isn’t quite sure how he’s allowed to have this much fun for a living and will tell anyone who listens that Gotham City is canonically in New Jersey. Follow him on Twitter @eric_ital for movie and soccer takes or contact him via eric@brobible.com