Carlos Correa has been the most remorseful about the cheating scandal. We saw that during the Astros open clubhouse on Thursday.
But Saturday, MLB Network aired a one-on-one with the shortstop, and Correa opened up about specific elements of the scandal that he hadn’t previously touched on.
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“We want to go out and show the fans that we're talented, we can play the game and we can win ballgames: that what happened in 2017 does not define us.” - @TeamCJCorrea to @Ken_Rosenthal
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 15, 2020
Full 🎥 - https://t.co/0JwtkFtE8B pic.twitter.com/EgEQE5NCik
Here were some of the highlights:
ON CODY BELLINGER’S COMMENTS
The reigning NL MVP made scathing comments about the Astros. “Those guys were cheating for three years,” said Bellinger. “I think what people don’t realize is Altuve stole an MVP from (Aaron) Judge in 2017. Everyone knows they stole the ring from us. But it’s over."
Correa admitted Rosenthal, “Everything that happened that year was wrong.” Correa then became heated about Bellinger’s comments.
“When (Bellinger) talks about that we cheated for three years, he either doesn’t know how to read, is really bad at reading comprehension, or is just not informed at all... 2018 nothing happened. 2019 nothing happened.”
“The problem I have is when players go out there, and they don’t know the facts.”
ON JOSE ALTUVE
Correa was not happy about Bellinger’s comments, especially regarding Altuve.
“Jose Altuve was the guy who didn’t use the trashcan,” said Correa. "He would go inside the dugout and get mad. And say ‘I don’t want this, I can’t hit like this, don’t do this to me.’ Altuve played clean the whole season.”
He also defended Altuve’s road record. “When you look at Altuve’s numbers on the road, he hit 400.”
Correa also added Josh Reddick, Tony Kemp, and Altuve were the three players who didn’t want to steal signs.
“When you disrespect Altuve’s name, it doesn’t sit well with me.”
“He earned that MVP.”
ON THE 2018 SEASON- WHETHER OR NOT THEY USED THE REPLAY ROOM
We know the Astros cheated in the 2017 season, but the report also says they used the replay room in 2018. Correa refutes that.
“In 2018 we didn’t use the trash can, we didn’t use the replay room, any of that.”
ON THE FAMOUS BUZZER RUMOR
Nobody wore buzzers, according to Correa.
The reason Altuve didn’t want his shirt ripped during the 2019 ALDS (when he hit the walkoff homerun against the Yankees) off because his wife had told Correa’s wife not to rip his jersey off.
Correa also said Altuve didn’t want his jersey ripped off because of an unfinished tattoo that “actually kind of looked bad.”
“He is the most humble person I know,” said Correa about Altuve.
ON REMORSE HE FEELS
Rosenthal asked Correa how he would feel if the roles were reversed, and the Astros had been on the other side of cheating.
“We feel bad as a team, don’t think that we feel great because we cheated that year and got away with it,” said Correa.
“We have to go to bed every single night thinking about what we did and how wrong it was.”