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Nearly five years after spearheading one of Major League Baseball’s dirtiest scandals, former Astro Carlos Beltrán has come clean. A remorseful Beltrán, part of the 2017 Houston World Series champions, now admits that the Astros "crossed the line" with their sign-stealing tactics.
"Looking back now, yes, we did cross the line," Beltrán said via an interview with Michael Kay and YES Network set to air later today.
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Carlos Beltran #15 of the Houston Astros scores on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Alex Bregman #2 in the third inning against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on September 5, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
Beltran was, of course, referring to the shady scheme in which Houston combined a dugout trash can and in-house video equipment to tip off batters about an incoming pitch. In other words, the team cheated their way to a title, but aside from the constant squawk of boo birds at ball parks across the country, they have otherwise received little more than a slap on the wrist.
"A lot of people always ask me, ‘Why you didn’t stop it?’" Beltrán told YES. "And my answer is, ‘I didn’t stop it the same way no one stopped it. This is working for us.’ Why you gonna stop something that is working for you?"
He also suggested the organization knew what was going on and should’ve pumped the brakes: "So, if the organization would’ve said something to us, we would’ve stopped it for sure."
He then continued to point the finger mainly at the organization, not the players:
Carlos Beltran #15 of the Houston Astros is congratulated by teammates after Beltran scored against the Oakland Athletics in the top of the seventh inning at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on September 9, 2017 in Oakland, California.
"We all did what we did. Looking back today, we were wrong. I wish I would’ve asked more questions about what we were doing," Beltrán told YES. "I wish the organization would’ve said to us, ‘Hey man, what you guys are doing, we need to stop this.’"
Shortly after the 2017 season ended, Beltrán retired from the field and was hired as manager of the Mets, but the Mets then fired him before he could manage a single game because of his role in the sign-stealing scheme. However, he is back in baseball again – this time, as an analyst for YES. Which means he’ll also call games for the Yankees, one of the teams who were derailed by the Astros in 2017.
That championship, he acknowledges, is tainted.
"We all have taken responsibility, and at some point, we all have shown remorse about what we did," Beltrán said.
Former Houston Astro Carlos Beltran visits with Astros manager AJ Hinch #14 before receiving their World Series Championship rings before the first pitch against the Baltimore Orioles at Minute Maid Park on Monday, April 3, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Cooper Neill/MLB via Getty Images)
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Even though Beltran has opted to come clean, the situation still stinks.