Astros Owner Jim Crane Won't Admit Sign-Stealing Helped Win the World Series
On Thursday morning the Houston Astros held a press conference to totally and completely sincerely apologize for getting caught cheating and stealing the 2017 World Series. Front and center for the presser was Astros owner Jim Crane, who did a really bad job of convincing everyone to move on.
During the press conference, Crane said that the team believed the rampant cheating did not affect the game. Moments later, pressed on that incredible claim, he said that he didn't say what he had just said.
"Our opinion is that this didn't impact the game." - Jim Crane
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) February 13, 2020
"I didn't say it didn't impact the game." - Jim Crane 55 seconds later pic.twitter.com/MnpPeeTUPL
Pressed further towards the end of the press conference, he gave one of the most insincere apologies possible. Asked if sign-stealing directly impacted competition, Crane said, "It could possibly do that, it could possibly not."
Jim Crane reiterated that the Astros didn’t impact the game or have an advantage and that they’re apologizing for breaking the rules pic.twitter.com/LCPzGlRwVr
— David Mendelsohn (@BigBabyDavid_) February 13, 2020
If this kind of explicit denial of reality by a rich guy is something that shocks you in 2020, please let me live under your rock with you because it sounds so nice down there.
Crane took over as owner of the Houston Astros in November 2011. At the time, the team had missed the playoffs in six consecutive seasons. It took four seasons under Crane before they made the postseason. They have since made the playoffs in four of five seasons, including that tainted World Series win in 2017.