Dave Roberts denies Dodgers dishonest accusations, says MLB discovered ‘nothing’
Dave Roberts hasn’t but learn “Winning Fixes Everything,” Evan Drellich’s wide-ranging e book launched this week that detailed the Houston Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal.
But, throughout a scrum with reporters at Cactus League media day Wednesday, the Dodgers eighth-year supervisor flatly denied the accusations made within the e book by numerous nameless sources towards his crew for their very own alleged sign-stealing transgressions.
“I’ve heard a couple little excerpts,” Roberts mentioned. “To be honest, I haven’t thought too much about it. I’m not going to go there with that.”
The Dodgers have been accused quite a few occasions by sources within the e book of partaking in their very own unlawful sign-stealing system throughout each 2017 — when the Astros used their notorious trash can system throughout their World Series-winning season — and 2018.
One allegation claimed the Dodgers arrange cameras in middle subject of Dodger Stadium through the 2017 World Series that have been related to an iPad within the dugout, giving them the power to decode catcher’s indicators in actual time and relay them to their hitters.
Another anecdote shared by an unnamed opposing participant alleged the Dodgers stationed gamers of their video room throughout video games to try to decode indicators — together with a rumored alternate between then-Dodgers Joc Pederson and Chase Utley through the 2018 World Series that was witnessed by an MLB official.
At one other level within the e book, an nameless member of the Dodgers 2017 crew mentioned the squad did “indeed did use a baserunner scheme, determining sign sequences with the help of their video room” — which might be just like a sign-stealing system the Boston Red Sox have been punished for utilizing the next season. The Red Sox beat the Dodgers in 5 video games within the 2018 World Series.
However, one other member of the 2017 Dodgers cited by Drellich mentioned such a system was widespread observe across the sport earlier than Major League Baseball cracked down on it after 2018.
The Dodgers by no means obtained any punishments associated to the allegations made within the e book. And on Wednesday, Roberts mentioned the Dodgers solely engaged in authorized strategies of sign-stealing through the seasons in query, corresponding to having baserunners decide up a catcher’s signal after which sign them to the hitter on the plate.
“That’s the school of baseball,” Roberts mentioned. “That’s gamesmanship. There was never anything illegal about it.”
Roberts did affirm the Dodgers have been certainly one of a number of groups investigated by the league after the 2018 season for sign-stealing accusations — which have been widespread round baseball on the time as groups grew extra suspicious of each other — however that the probe “came up with nothing.”
Roberts additionally mentioned that, ever since MLB issued stricter guidelines banning the usage of digital signal stealing in 2018, the Dodgers have adhered to the brand new requirements.
“All the things that went down, punishments and all that stuff, MLB did a great job of being thorough,” Roberts mentioned. “That’s not my job to be the judge and jury.”
When requested about having one of many gamers from his 2017 crew — which misplaced to the Astros in seven video games within the World Series — cited within the e book alleging a video-based signal stealing system, Roberts turned irritated.
“I want to know who that anonymous person is,” he mentioned. “I don’t know anything about that.”
As for different allegations made towards his membership within the e book — together with a quote from an nameless Red Sox member who referred to as the Dodgers “the biggest cheaters in the whole [expletive] industry” — Roberts mentioned he wasn’t shocked.
“Sometimes people can’t differentiate between a competitive advantage and using your baseball acumen,” he mentioned, later including: “If you can’t give good sequences, then that’s your problem. And if you can’t disguise them well enough, that’s on you.”