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Dodgers' Joe Kelly on Speaking out Against Astros: 'People Are Sort of Fake Nowadays'
May 26, 2021
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Joe Kelly has been one of the most vocal ballplayers to speak out against the 2017 World Series champion Houston Astros' electronic sign-sealing practices, which came to light following a Nov. 2019 report from Evan Drellich and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Regarding his bluntness and honesty on the situation, Kelly had this to say, per Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times:
“I mean, just being real. People are sort of fake nowadays, so a lot of people that talk s--t online wouldn’t do it in person. They usually hide behind the computer. … But whatever. People be b-----s.”
Kelly's remarks came before the Dodgers' two-game series at Houston, which began Tuesday.
The 32-year-old made his feelings known about the Astros last August on the "Big Swing Podcast," hosted by ex-teammate Ross Stripling (h/t ESPN's Buster Olney).
"The people who took the fall for what happened is nonsense," Kelly said.
"Yes, everyone is involved. But the way that [sign-stealing system] was run over there was not from coaching staff. ...They're not the head boss in charge of that thing. It's the players. So now the players get the immunity, and all they do is go snitch like a little b---h, and they don't have to get fined, they don't have to lose games."
He also added:
"When you take someone's livelihood...to save your own ass, that's what I don't like. Cheating? They cheated. Everyone knows they're cheaters. They know they're cheaters. It's over. That's been there, done that. But now they mess it up by ruining other people's lives, so they f----d it up twice. ... When you taint someone's name to save your own name, this is one of the worst things that you could probably do. ...That really friggin' bugs me. I think I'll be irritated forever."
Kelly, the Dodgers and the Astros got into it last July when L.A. visited Houston for the first time since the sign-stealing allegations came to light. Kelly threw behind third baseman Alex Bregman and jawed with shortstop Carlos Correa, leading to benches clearing.
It's a bit more personal for the Dodgers, who lost to the 2017 Astros in the Fall Classic.
Kelly wasn't on that Dodgers team, but he played for the American League East champion Boston Red Sox, who fell to Houston in an American League Division Series.