Dodgers: Orel Hershiser Says Astros Sign Stealing Changed Lives
Thus far – from Clayton Kershaw to Justin Turner – we have heard from a high percentage of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ fraternity on the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal. Still, one prominent figure has kept his thoughts to himself up to this point.
A figure that helped lead Los Angeles to its last World Series title in 1988.
Of course, that man is franchise icon Orel Hershiser. Until Wednesday when the man we call ‘The Bulldog’ went on AM570 LA Sports to talk with Petros and Money, his thoughts have remained silent.
The clip is well worth the listen, which you can do by clicking the link below. Right now, we’re going to take a look at what Hershiser has to say as a former pitcher who built his career on a deceptive arsenal of pitches and changing speeds.
.@OrelHershiser on the #Astros scandal: "If Canseco, McGwire, Parker, and all those guys in Oakland would've known what was coming with me…
…I would not be a bulldog, I would be a chihuahua. They changed LIVES."
(?: @PetrosAndMoney) https://t.co/o0sLy8YX7I— AM 570 LA Sports (@AM570LASports) January 30, 2020
As you might expect, Hershiser came hard with what he had to say. This is very good stuff.
“I had to pull over and get good reception to chime in, because this is terrible. What they did was a crime. It changed baseball completely – it’s not even a game of baseball when you know what pitch is coming. First of all, what you’re trying to do to the hitter is upset his timing. When you upset his timing he hits the ball weakly. Next, the hitter is trying to determine what pitch is coming; because each pitch has a pattern. Not only did they get to pregame plan on what was coming, but they could study the pattern of every one of these pitches.”
Thus far, no one who has stepped between the white lines has more effectively broken down what a distinct advantage the Astros’ tactics provided then Hershiser does in this segment. However, former-Dodger-turned-current-Dodger Alex Wood shared a similar sentiment when breaking down the weight of sign stealing.
Next, if you thought Hershiser was going to stop with that; you thought wrong. He believes that the punishment the Astros received was too weak. Notably, he points in the direction of commissioner Rob Manfred; which I admire.
“Vacate the World Series and also, the commissioner was too weak on the punishment. This is like committing a crime saying ‘you know what, we are going to give you immunity as long as you tell us how you did it’.” This is way higher than steroids.”
Finally, Hershiser points back to the players he faced in 1988 on the Oakland Athletics to prove a prime example. Think about what he says here, and how it applies to the present-day Dodgers.
“If Canseco, McGwire, Parker, Weiss, and all those guys in Oakland would have know what was coming with me, I would not have the job I have today and I would not be a bulldog, I would be a chihuahua. They changed lives.”
Undeniably, this is deep and passionate stuff. I’m not sure I have enjoyed hearing another guy talk about it more. The Bulldog has me ready to run through a brick wall over this right now. With that being said, what do you think of his remarks? Drop your thoughts in the comments, and thank you Orel for speaking from the heart!
NEXT: Study Conducted to Track Every Astros Trash Can Bang in 2017
The Astros team and front office are a DISGUSTING group of individuals. Yes, you affected many lives, including the MILLIONS of broken-hearted Dodger fans (like me to this day), expecting their first championship in 29 years, but no, the DISGUSTING Astros had to alter things. They should be stripped of their championship, titles taken away, the banner lowered and destroyed and all rings turned in. There should be NO winner for 2017, and 2018 for that matter with that bonehead Alex Cora in charge of the Red Sox then. And the MLB commissioner is a very weak, sad individual too. The Bulldog is 100% correct!
I totally agree!! They took so much away!!! The title, rings, banners should all be taken away from them! I dont understand how they can be granted immunity! It is disgusting and they need punishment!
This is America this is how it’s done. Sports leagues are no different
Plus, Verlander, Altuve, and Bregman laughed it off!!! Seriously you cheaters?
Nobody laughed it off.
What happened was is that you wanted them to grovel, and they didn’t.
Only a delusional Asteriks fan like yourself wouldn’t see it Kady. Now bend over for me
I agree and then some. Here’s how it changed my life (trust me, it’s not spam!):
https://thewayiseethings72.wordpress.com/2020/01/18/baseball-and-blood/
The Astros should be hung in downtown LA and I’m very sorry about what happened I was touched by your story
The 2017 and 18 World Series titles should be vacated and Manfred has lost the respect of baseball fans. That kind of punishment that was handed out would make teams to consider cheating.
I think they should vacate their World Series trophy.
Possibly not be able to make the post season next year.
Rob Manfred did not distinguish himself with the slap on the wrist he gave the Astros and will likely give the Red Sox. He needs to vacate their World Series championships, however, I don’t believe he should give these to the Dodgers. The Astros cheated against other playoff teams on their way to the World Series.
He should also take action against players who went along with the Astros charade. Bottom line, Manfred’s a pu–y.
Kudos to Orel, the first Dodger to really condemn what the Astros did. Now, will baseball or the gutless commissioner punish him in some way?
FINALLY, someone that has the intestinal fortitude to say what needed to be said and provide details that everyone can understand. This was a crime because it took money from others, got awards and paid based on those ill-gotten gains, and negatively affected fans’ opinions of players (Kershaw, Jansen, Darvish, etc.) based on their cheating. I don’t want the championship to be given to another team, but I do believe it should be taken away from the cheaters. I also think the cheaters should be penalized, immunity for admitting to cheating is ridiculous. True baseball fans, not only Dodger fans, should come up with effective ways to share their level of dissatisfaction known by contacting the Commissioner’s office.
agree 100%
You Dodgers fans are a special kind of stupid lol. You losers always choke in he playoffs without any cheating going on. Oh yeah and a reminder that your Dodgers should have never even faced the Astros in the first place, they cheated against two other teams before they got to you choke artists.
Jeremy, you obviously don’t have an intelligent thought in your pointy little head so go f### off.
Asteriks or Giants fan? I’m taking bets. Either way they are salty about something, either their impending doom against the rest of the teams or their annual last place finish
Bulldog is totally right. The Astros and probably the Red Sox world series championships need to be vacated. This was total cheating. Way worse than taking steroids. Way worse than Pete Rose betting on baseball. This is up there with the Black Sox! I am outraged that the commissioner has not come down more heavily with their punishment. All the players and managers on these teams need to pay a price. I think every baseball fan should be outraged. You know they were doing this even before the postseason. How many other teams were cheated out of games the possibly could have won?
The A’s had some really good teams that possibly could’ve avoided the one game wild card BS and gotten a 5 game series for themselves. It especially hurts for teams like that whose windows are shorter than ours and others
Probably impractical, but they should not only vacate the ’17 WS title, but they should DISMANTLE the Astros organization. If players aren’t banned, at least fine each of the culprits (players and coaches) their season earnings (regular season + post season bonuses) for that year, do away with the Astros and create another team with new ownership, leadership (FO execs, coaching staff, etc.) and players. Maybe even move it out of Minute Maid Park to somewhere else deserving of a MLB park. IMHO, the Bulldog is 100% right but is only scratching the surface of how bad the ramifications are from the cheating.
By the way, The Red Sox need to be dealt with as well.
I don’t think rebranding and moving is necessary but players coaches FO and ownership should’ve all been removed and make the whole organization start from scratch
No baseball player makes it to the big leagues by himself. As kids growing up they have mamas that wash dirty socks and uniforms and then put them in the car and haul them to practice….after a long day with all the work that being a mom entails. They have daddy’s that come in after working 8 or 10 hours at a blue collar job that hit them grounders and play catch and teach them to work hard and play hard until it gets too dark to see, all the while teaching them sportsmanship and integrity. And they save and scrape to get them thru college and then watch and hope and pray as they see their off-spring get better at the game they love. And with tears in their eyes they see them go thru the play-offs and reach the goal they have longed and hoped for all these years. Their son and his team-mates make it to the World Series.
And they see them walk off that field with their heads down and their hearts on the ground and then find out they were cheated….that the other team had concocted a scheme that would bring the best in the world down to a level that they could beat them. Houston players and coaches cheated….plain and simple.
They didn’t just cheat Clayton and Kenley and Yu and Justin and the others out of the greatest prize and thrill in sports. They cheated moms and dads and grandparents and kids right along with Dodger fans and Little Leaguers thru out the world. And on top of that they gave the greatest game in the world a black eye.
In my way of thinking no Astro…whether they are a pitcher or position player or coach or water boy should get off scott free. Everyone in that dugout knew what was going on. Any one of them could have walked out on the field and told an umpire and stopped it……but I guess it took something that none of them had. That something was honesty and integrity and courage.
This is worse than steroids…..this is worse than anything that has happened in my life-time and I have been a Dodger fan since Reese was playing shortstop. If Rob Manfred lets the Houston players get away with out even a slap on the wrist he needs to buy Pete Rose an expense paid limousine trip to Cooperstown and present the plaque himself.
Manfred is like the drug cartel or any other dirty organizations. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks. As long as his organization is protected.
Kudos Bulldog!! He carried the Dodgers in 88 and now MLB! The punishment was not even close to what stealing signs that way warrants!
The Bulldog has a bone to chew. And he’s 100 percent right.
Hershiser should president and ceo of the Dodgers. Guggenheim should get rid of that idiot penny penchen Freidman and the anti christ Kasten. Hershiser is the man that could bring that World Series we are missing since 88.
Orel didn’t seem to mind Jay Howell cheating in the 1988 NLCS… and he wasn’t above cheating in game 3 of the 1997 ALCS
Technology stupid now get lost it’s not even close to the same thing as using pine tar and you know it we’re talking about a big operation here involving more than just players but coaches FO ownership and other employees not to mention knowing every pitch is at a whole nother level get real. btw in your examples the player was caught and dealt with on the spot
The Astros beat the Dodgers like a drum and fairly. No one has any proof or made an accusation they cheated in WS. This is sour grapes against a great team that will be back and do it again this year. Spoiled ,woke, Cal dodger wimp cry babies is what we have here.
David—You are right that, SO FAR, no direct proof has been established re Astros cheating in the 2017 Series—though the way they beat up on some of the best Dodger pitching is clearly suspicious. But I have three questions: (1) What will be your response if such proof comes to light? And (2) What do you mean by your assertion that the Astros will “do it again this year?” (Do you mean cheat again?) And (3) Just what is your opinion of such high-tech/low-tech shenanigans? In other words, are you OK with them—as long as they don’t happen in a World Series? That’s the implied conclusion of your comments—twisting understandable complaints by Dodger fans into faults, and so projecting the guilt onto them instead of where it belongs: in Houston, on the admittedly gifted—and smugly asinine—athletes that dominate the team.
Another Jim—and NOT a Dodger fan
If we would have played better, we would have won in 2017. Didn’t we change signs? There is no crying in baseball! Go Dodgers 2020!
Mickey Mantle cried after every strikeout so we all can
The Bulldog is right on point! This is a crime that a different Commissioner would have reacted differently to, like vacating the title and taking the 2017 World Series Championship rings back! Houston doesn’t deserve to wave a championship banner for their crimes! Baseball needs to make a example of the Astros!
I have been a fan for fifty years. I was angry when cheaters ruined the record books. The records mean far less than they used to. 500 home runs was a big deal, a respectable accomplishment.
The real home run kings are Aaron and Ruth, who didn’t need to cheat.
Now the Astros have ruined the entire game. Why would anybody attend an Astros game? We should boycott the Astros.
I feel empty inside after rooting for hundreds of games and seeing the Dodgers lose twice in the World Series. To find out the Astros cheated me, Kershaw, Jansen, Darvish, and the Dodgers. Is heartbreaking.
Now, with the slack enforcement of the “rules” (for what they’re worth), we can count on cheating as the norm from now on. Thanks Rob Manfred! I will be forever disillusioned with the formerly great game of baseball.
I have been a fan a long time too. I accepted cheating has been a part of baseball my whole life. Even the Dodgers have been accused of it by multiple teams. I don’t think there is an innocent team out there. Change your signs often enough so you can’t get your signs figured out. The cheating team still has to hit the ball. Fans need to get over it.
In other sports, athletes who broke rules (cheated) were stripped of their unearned “winnings” (eg Lance Armstrong, Pete Rose, USC football). I just don’t understand why they’re allowing those asterisks to keep the championship. They cheated. They don’t deserve it. Vacate it for 2017! It’s so obvious! This is setting a really bad precedence in MLB!
Really admire Bulldog for speaking up. He is 100% right!!
hey dodger fans, shall we talk about the cameras in center field that have been there since walter alston managed???? we all know that they were there ONLY to take pictures of vinnie doing his RADIO broadcasts!!!!
and, if you’re to get all judgmental, why does bill belichick still have a job? or, tom brady??
(don’t even go there or we’ll have to address the nfl league conspiracy!!)
bottom line. even if you know what’s coming, you still have to hit the ball. and if the series took 7 games there were 3 games that you had problems!!
100% agree they changed lives. I was at game 6 and 7 when Astros won the world series. I spent a lot of money for those tickets and now I know I was watching cheaters. Kershaw’s legacy went from one of the all time greats, to a pitcher that chokes in the playoffs. Of course as dodgers fans we still cheer for Kershaw, kenley and Dave Roberts, but a lot of dodgers fans wanted Roberts fired and were angry at kershaw and kenley. Now I look back and feel remorse for being upset with them and posting on social media to replace them. Puig was traded away. I don’t think he would’ve been traded if we win the world series. Lives were definitely changed in negative ways. Kershaw doesn’t deserve the heat he is getting. He deserves to be cheered and respected as one of the all time greats, but now he won’t. All because of some cheaters. The players knew they were cheating just like Bonds, and celemens knew they were taking steroids. Just like Pete rose knew he was in the wrong. Those guys are still paying the price. These Astros players aren’t even missing a single game. Unbelievable. I hope the players handle this and pitches get thrown at the Astros players’ heads, I hope managers don’t shake hands with Astros bench coaches that were a part of this scandal, and I hope home teams don’t give tickets to Astros families on the road. Still waiting for a long over due apology and explanation as to why these players cheated the dodgers, cheated the MLB and cheated all baseball fans. MLB should reimburse fans their money that paid to watch these cheaters.
Kershaw’s legacy went where in 2017 Andy Dodger Blue? His post season legacy was already a disaster. He is great but could not replicate in October. Let’s at least talk in facts.
And Roberts, that trash can forced bad decisions?
I’m in Seattle. Long time Dodgers fan and more recent Mariners fan too. I’m going to Astros games up here and I’m going to give those players hell. I will probably get kicked out of the stadium. I will go again and do same thing. I will not let them forget that every time they look at their rings they should be ashamed of themselves.
Thank you Bulldog! Finally someone in baseball has enough courage to speak truthfully on this subject. He is also 100% correct on all points! Whatever happen to consequences for ones actions? Manfred is so afraid of the Owners, he won’t stand up straight and do the right thing and we all know that ALL the Owners care about is making money.
Every baseball fan should boycott every single away game the Astros play – I guarantee that the other 31 Owners would be all over our commissioner to take action against the players as well as vacate, at a minimum, the 2017 World Series quicker than a Chapman fastball!
I am an Astros fan and hate this scandal and truly wish they would have not done it. I am loyal to my team nonetheless.
But Bellinger needs to get off his high horse…..the sign stealing didnt cause him to hit half the mendoza line anD K 3xs in game 7. It didnt cause him to make the big error. Frankly, in a tight world series, if he would have been anything close to himself they may have won. He was awful. Altuve was great long before this thing and I read they hit .0035 better. That’s 300 to 303. Come on folks!!
And Kershaw, by all rights, a great guy. But you can’t say he was about to breakout of his miserable postseason record had the Astros not done that. Face it, Dodgers had their chances and lost it and it is a lot bigger than banging on a trash can! What will the excuse be this year?
Way worse than steroids, worse than tossing a series, this is the absolute lowest they could have gone. Collusion on a major scale! Vacate series wins , suspend the ‘tattooed lady’ who was too shy to take his shirt off and anyone else who cheated. As fans of the game, boycott astros away games, their sponsors and squeeze! Manfred should be included as part of the collusion, he is a willing party to not prosecuting.