"Are they willing to sacrifice the integrity of baseball?" - When Ken Griffey Jr. questioned Astros players during 2017 sign-stealing scandal

The scandal involving the Houston Astros stealing signs during baseball games caused a lot of disappointment among baseball enthusiasts, including MLB Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. With an illustrious career of more than two decades, Griffey was part of several notable occasions.

Despite being inducted into the Cooperstown in his first year of eligibility, the 13-time All-Star missed a World Series pennant on his resume. Thus the Astros' use of illegal tactics to win the championship in 2017 deeply upset him.

In an interview with Democrat Saturday in 2020, Griffey grieved over one of the darkest phases in the league's history, saying (via Tallahassee Democrat):

“Not only are we representing the city we play in, but the entire baseball family. This is my sport and it's tough. You look at teams that have that technology. Are they willing to sacrifice the integrity of baseball?”

He added:

"If I'm at second base and do it legit, there's no problem. If you're crazy enough to flash a one sign down and I tell my guys, that's fine. When you start relaying stuff and you're the only one with that advantage, it makes it tough. I was looking at some stats. There were guys were hitting .380-.400 at home to .037-.200 on the road."

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Astros have been proving themselves as one of the league’s best

After the sign-stealing scandal, fingers were pointed at many and after an investigation, some personnel received punishment. However, the Houston Astros are still bearing the stigma of questions around their legitimacy over the 2017 World Series title. Fans of rival teams, particularly those they faced in the postseason, have refused to accept them as champions.

Despite the backlash, the Astros focused on their game. Players like Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, and Alex Bergman continue to bolster the team with their stellar performances. They have been participating in the postseason since 2017 and have remained constant participants in the Championship Series.

In 2022, the Astros won the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, and there were no questions about their legitimacy this time. However, the Texas Rangers had an upset over them last year, winning the ALCS and claiming their maiden World Series.

This year, they are on a revenge mission to reclaim their crown. However, they had a rough start with a clean sweep by the New York Yankees in the first series. The two wins out of three against the Toronto Blue Jays might ease their pain, but a thrilling series against the Rangers is set to begin on Friday.