Houston, there’s a problem for you — in New York!
The head of the New York Senate Investigation Committee is throwing some high heat — demanding that Major League Baseball probe whether cheating by the Houston Astros cost the Yankees World Series bids in 2017 and 2019.
James Skoufis (D-Rockland-Orange) has drafted a resolution for the Legislature to vote on urging MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to take action.
“The Astros might have been able to pull a fast one on the MLB, but here in New York, we take pride in the integrity of our sports. The commissioner has a clear and unequivocal responsibility to investigate this further,” Skoufis, who chairs the Senate Investigations and Government Operations panel, told The Post.
“It’s not only a matter of right vs. wrong, but it’s a matter of consumer protection: people all over the country spend money each year going to baseball games, watching them with their families, and purchasing memorabilia. MLB must further investigate the impact of the Astros’ cheating on the 2017 and 2019 ALCS series and take any and all steps to restore virtue to our nation’s pastime.”
The Skoufis demand comes a day after Yankees star Aaron Judge fumed that Astros’ stealing of signs may have robbed the Yankees of making it to the World Series in 2017 and last year. They were defeated by the Astros in both series to qualify.
Skoufis stopped short of saying whether he’ll launch his own investigation if Manfred whiffs on his request.
“URGING Rob Manfred, Commissioner of Major League Baseball, to open an investigation into whether illegal sign stealing by the Houston Astros organization may have cheated the New York Yankees out of victories in the 2017 and 2019 American League Championship Series. … An investigation by Major League Baseball concluded in January 2020 that the Houston Astros had been illegally using a system of cameras to steal signs during the regular season and the postseason in 2017, and during parts of the regular season in 2018,” the Skoufis resolution states.
The resolution also notes that the Astros manager and general manager were fired over the scandal follow the MLB probe that substantiated that the Astros used camera videos to steal signs at their home park.
“The Astros defeated the New York Yankees in the 2017 American League Championship Series (ALCS), winning all four games played in their home stadium, Minute Maid Park, and defeated the Yankees in the 2019 American League Championship Series … was also made possible by continued use of illegal sign stealing,” the Skoufis resolution said.
MLB had no immediate comment.