With a cheating scandal tainting their 2017 baseball crown, the Houston Astros seek a measure of redemption when they face the Atlanta Braves in the 117th World Series starting today.
The host Astros are to send Dominican left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez to the mound for the opening game in the best-of-seven MLB final against US right-hander Charlie Morton for Atlanta.
Morton pitched for the Astros in 2017 and won a seventh-game winner-take-all World Series showdown over the Los Angeles Dodgers, throwing the last four innings to deliver Houston’s first MLB title.
Photo: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY
A sign-stealing scheme revealed in 2019 showed the Astros used cameras to learn what pitches were coming to their hitters in home games, banging on trash cans to signal batters what sort of throw to expect.
The scandal brought a US$5 million fine, forfeited draft picks, one-season bans and quick firings for Astros manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow, and the firings of two former Astros, Boston manager Alex Cora and New York Mets manager Carlos Beltran.
The Astros kept their crown, even as their cheating aroused the ire of fans across the league. COVID-19 saw few spectators attend games last year, but this season they faced the music: a chorus of boos, jeers and insults when on the road.
“Honestly, we learned how to live with it,” Astros shortstop Carlos Correa said. “It wasn’t our motivation this year. Our motivation is to show the world we’re the best team in the world.”
The Astros, who lost in seven games to Washington in the 2019 World Series, are back in the title matchup for the third time in five seasons against an Atlanta squad that has not won the crown since 1995 and has not been in the series since losing in 1999 to the New York Yankees.
Puerto Rico’s Correa, Venezuelan slugger Jose Altuve, American Alex Bregman and Cuban-born American League batting champion Yuli Gurriel will try to win a second World Series title with the Astros.
The World Series has a lot to savor this year, even a family faceoff. Atlanta manager Brian Snitker’s son, Troy, is a Houston hitting coach.
“It’s like the Snitkers are going to have a World Series trophy in their house here,” Brian Snitker said on Saturday night. “I don’t know who is going to own it, but we’re going to have one, so that’s a pretty cool thing, too.”
The 66-year-old manager has spent four decades in the Braves’ organization as a player, coach and skipper.
He tuned in on Friday night when the Astros and son, Troy Snitker, beat Boston in the clinching Game 6 of the American League Championship Series.
“That was neat. Proud of him. Got to FaceTime with him. Watched the celebration,” he said, hours before the Braves finished off the Dodgers in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series.
“I told him the first time, it’s not this easy, you know, it’s really hard to get there, as we’re seeing. But it’s been a great experience for him and I’m happy for him. I said: ‘I hope I can join you,’” he said.
Hours later, he and the Braves were on their way.
Additional reporting by AP
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