Dodgers Fans Cheer Astros Whistleblower Mike Fiers at Spring Game
Being a Dodgers fan has to feel different this Spring Training. The team just pulled off a blockbuster trade and acquired Mookie Betts, but so much more happened in the offseason. When the Astros were found out to have been cheating in the 2017 season, fans in Los Angeles were obviously livid.
But then there was a strange feeling that followed when the dust settled. Yes, they wanted to be mad. Yes, they felt like they had been cheated out of a World Series. But what could be done?
Now that baseball is back, things are slowly getting back to normal around Camelback Ranch. Astros players are being plunked at a high rate in Florida, but it’s business as usual in Arizona. There are still those rare moments though where Dodgers and players get to openly acknowledge the scandal, and one of those moments came on Thursday.
Not a WWE pop, but a really nice ovation for Fiers from both A's and Dodgers fans alike. pic.twitter.com/rjltZLpJLr
— tony (@TonyCaminada) March 5, 2020
Mike Fiers is the guy who blew the whistle on the entire Astros’ cheating ordeal. Fiers was with the team from 2015 through 2017, including that dreaded World Series win against the Dodgers. But Fiers cited personal obligation among other things in his desire to come forward and let the league know what was happening behind the scenes at Minute Maid Park.
Fiers pitched in a game against the Dodgers on Thursday, the first time since the scandal broke. When Fiers’ name was announced, the traveling Dodgers faithful broke out into uncharacteristic cheers. And why not? Fiers has become somewhat of a hero around the league for taking matters into his own hands.
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[adace-ad id=”120372″]You can be sure this will not end with Dodgers fans. Wherever Mike Fiers goes this season, he will be treated like royalty…with the exception of Houston maybe. That’s what happens when you expose a terrible team to have been doing terrible things I guess.
NEXT: Dustin May Finally Back to Baseball Activities, But Is It Too Late?
Fiers waited 2 years, cheated himself in his no hitter and has made questionable decisions in his personal life. He is no hero. Baseball already made adjustments to make cheating much, much harder in 2019. Fiers did MLB a disservice.
Overrated applause but definitely a hero to baseball fans
Mike Fiers did the right thing, while virtually all of his former Astros teammates continue to live in a lying state of denial, portraying themselves as victims for having been outed for the cheaters that they are. It took guts to out these cheaters. Fiers did the right thing even though it endangered his career, as is the case for all whistleblowers. Fiers has done more to protect the integrity of baseball than Manfred has. Does the term hero fit? I think it does.
Mike Fiers did good by telling the truth it’s better late than never. Now to make him a Hero he would have to give back his 2017 World Series ring if he did that wow all total respect for him!
The people I blame for this scandal besides those Astro players are Manfred, the spineless one and his side kick as head of the Player’s Union Tony Clark. Manfred for not doing nearly enough to resolve this issue and deliver the appropriate punishment, and Clark for demanding player immunity to complete the investigation. To me both these persons have virtually condoned the cheating and I have people tell me that because of Manfred’s failures to properly deal with this problem they will not watch or listen to any baseball games this year because of that.
Azul, you are correct!!!!! Manfred is spineless. Had he had any gumption at all, the Astro players would not be playing this season, and would be fined severely. Taking away their winning share, their rings, etc, and placing an asterisk in the record books is just the start. I would also like any Astro player who played on those teams but who is presently on another team to also be banned. And, Altuve should relinquish his MVP award. PD jr. and I agree totally on these punishments!!!! Go Blue!!!!
Can someone tell me how this scandal is any different than the Pete Rose scandal in1989 or the Chicago White Sox in1919? Isn’t cheating cheating? Isn’t the penalty for cheating being permanently banned from baseball?