Dodgers: ESPN Radio Morning Show Says Astros Must Vacate 2017 Win
As some of our best have written, the Houston Astros stole more than just signs. Indeed, without their sign-stealing antics; the Los Angeles Dodgers might be flying a World Series flag from 2017 right now. And as they say ‘flags fly forever’.
ESPN Los Angeles morning show host Travis Rodgers got to thinking about it, and it irked him a little bit. Obviously he’s upset that his team – the Los Angeles Dodgers – were robbed. However, Rodgers brings about a more interesting perspective. What about the fans down the road who will look at the list of champions and not know the manner in which the 2017 World Series may have been taken (stolen). Have a listen to the sound byte below.
The Astros' sign-stealing scandal will not only impact the Dodgers but the future of Major League Baseball, via @TravisRodgers.
The Morning Show with @keyshawn, @LZGranderson, & @TravisRodgers podcasts ? https://t.co/hr8t0m6xjN pic.twitter.com/YCaI8qERPX
— ESPN Los Angeles (@ESPNLosAngeles) January 14, 2020
First, Rodgers is open to the idea of vacating the championship. He says if for no other reason, it will let people have context to know what really went down. Without that, he hypothesizes that people may eventually forget if they were young during this time period.
[adace-ad id=”118525″]“Vacating is really interesting, because I’m going to remember what they did every time I see the Astros. I’m going to remind everyone that they ripped off the Dodgers. I’m going to make it my cause to let everyone know, that’s what happened. But 20 years from now, 30 years from now; it’s just going to be a list of World Series winners. If it’s all the sudden ‘2017: No Champion’ it’s going to be what do you mean? Huh? What happened? It’s not for you or me, it’s for the people that are baseball fans 25 years from now so they have context.”
Without question, you know that I feel like the sign-stealing affected the outcome of the 2017 World Series. The Dodgers of 2017 were the best team I’ve seen in 35-plus years. And it came down to a game seven in which the Dodgers didn’t win. Rodgers says that the series was swung by cheating.
“Clearly, this is something that affected the 2017 World Series.”
So Dodgers Nation, do you agree with Rodgers? How should baseball go about handling the championship awarded in 2017? Let us know in the comments below.
NEXT: Mike Piazza Disgusted with Astros Sign Stealing Scandal
ABSOLUTELY vacate the 2017 Championship. Possibly the 2018 one too!
It is totally crazy that the Astros don’t lose the Championship, players don’t lose their shares nor rings and the team only loses 4 draft picks – none of whom may become majors leaguers anyway. They got effectively NO punishment.
Manfred dropped the ball on this punishment totally and completely and I lost all respect for him because of it. For MLB to do nothing more than what has taken place with Astros is totally irresponsible and a huge slap in the face to every honest and real baseball fan out there. or let me ask you this…do you or anyone else here really think that the punishment handed down will really hurt the Astros at all? My guess is those players on that team are simply laughing about this because in a way they got away with it.
All 4 draft picks would start for the Dodgers Dan..
Hey Dan, has it been established that the Red Sox cheated in ‘18 as well or at any time that year? If so, I don’t know why. That was one of the best teams I have ever seen. Why would they need to cheat???
Just like when the Astros 1 st basemen flat out slandered Darvish with his biggot racial stupidity! League did nothing and he got to play. There’s no justice in the MLB , look at Pete Rose! Why isn’t he reinstated ? Greatest of all time! These kids today have no clue what kind of ball player Charlie Hustle was. I haven’t seen one modern player as good as Rose! Not even close!
Paul, you do realise Roberts and Andy would platoon Rose on this team right?
Kirk, maybe so but Pete Rose was a switch hitter however. But I get your drift because besides making very similar pitching decisions he made in the NLDS, he (Roberts) will do to the lineups daily depending upon the hand the opposing pitcher throws with.
At first, I thought Manfred levied an appropriate penalty. Now we know that the players were the key designers and willing participants of this fraud and have escaped with impunity. As a lifelong baseball fan this damages the integrity of the game to the point that I have lost interest. Shame on the players for ruining baseball for passionate fans and shame on MLB for not vacating the title, reclaiming the rings and $.
Take the trophy away. Take the rings away.
Integrity does not take a day off. Astro’s should not be recognized for any other reason than to be recognized for the cheating rats they are.
The players who knew should also be held accountable.
I seriously doubt that MLB will strip the Astros of the title. Even if they did, the Dodgers players and fans will still be stripped of the joys of celebration. Sign stealing is a part of the game and was for the most part dome by runners at 2nd base and I’m fine with that – it’s then up to the battery to adjust the sign sequences. I think what MLB needs to do is eliminate the unlimited use of the dugout monitors by players, coaches and the manager so that they can’t watch the entire game from the centre field cameras. If a manager wants to protest a call he has to tell the umpire who then authorizes the monitor to be turned on for that one play. The monitor should also be in full view of the home plate umpire. All clubhouse tv’s need to be shut down starting at game time. With legalized betting on MLB now approved, the commissioner’s office needs to take drastic steps to protect the integrity of the game.
R explained perfectly how Dodgers only got 4 runs in the last 2 games and were almost shutout in both games
Ballinger gave his 2 cents and made it clear he doesn’t believe the bandage rumors and that the MLB investigation found zilch. Media Astros internal team is the one that reported info.
No…are you going to vacate the 1919 Reds championship? You don’t strip a fan base of its victory because MLB was not on top of its responsibility of assuring a clean game. Especially when most everyone who should have known actually did know.
I totally agree. The Astros and probably the Red Sox should vacate their titles. They cheated to win. End of story. Also How many other teams got cheated out of wins. It doesn’t appear that this was confined to just the Series. Every baseball fan should be calling for this!
Simply put, Astros should have had title vacated. Each player involved should be fined the same amount they received as their ‘winning’ championship shares; Should have to return World Series title rings. And since most players began playing as pre-teens, give them a directive to write ” I will not cheat” 500 times” and send to the Associated Press for publication worldwide. Yes, I am a little upset about punishment not fitting the violation or the ripple effect throughout sports and beyond.
The 1919 Cincinnati Reds title was never vacated because the White Sox threw the series. So the likelihood is VERY remote. While I believe the title should NOT be vacated, I DO believe Houston should take down any and all banners, trophies, and print references to the championship. That team are no longer “champions” in my eyes. The Red Sox should follow the Blackstros lead depending on the results of THAT investigation.
Manfred & baseball struck out once again. With all of the past scandals over the years, steroids & now the electronic sign stealing, its time for the commissioners office to hand out the death penalty like the NCAA did 35 years ago to S.M.U. Strip the Astros of the 2017 World Series championship, take the trophy away from them along with their rings. Make each player return his winners share of the pool. Donate it to a Los Angeles children’s hospital! That’s a good way for LA to win that round! Seriously look at the Astros having to forfeit the entire 2017 season! No draft picks at all this coming draft & forfeit next years first & second round picks. Each & everyone involved in the scheme placed on 5 years probation with the next offense of any kind of cheating being banned from baseball for life! Everyone involved in 2017 paying the maximum fine allowed by MLB. Again, this money can go to a children’s hospital, this time in Houston or to a charity designated by MLB, players choice. MLB needs to realize it needs to come down hard right now! Thirty years from now when fans look at the list of World Series winners and they come to 2017 and see Houston Astros, they won’t know the real story of how they won it. No questions, no comments, nothing. And that will be just as bad as the scandal itself!!
Absolutely the Astros should have the title taken away and their Rings. Lance Armstrong lost his medals when he was accused of cheating with his steroids any athlete would be stripped of their medals. This is completely wrong and each player should be fined if they made extra money for winning the title
MLB dropped the ball, on the punishment handed down to the Astros for cheating. Trophy should be taken away. Or at least if nothing else, a statement should be placed in the history book of World Series Championships.
That the Astros cheated in there 2017 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. So no-one truly won the Dodgers that year. Astros have disrepected the integrity of Baseball.
So the 2017 championship win isn’t really a win.
And it should be placed there for our future fan’s 25 to 30 years down the road.