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The 2021 MLB regular season is underway and the Houston Astros are playing meaningful games in front of fans for the first time since the sign-theft scandal became public in the last offseason. The Astros took to the road to face the Oakland Athletics in their season opener (GameTracker).
Unsurprisingly, Astros players were booed loudly during pre-game presentations, and simulations of trash can be heard in the small crowd. Here are some audio and video files:
Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman, two members of the 2017 Astros teams who were at the center of the sign-theft scandal, heard the loudest boos during introductions and were booed throughout their first bat round. Altuve flew off on the first pitch and Bregman failed in a late inning double play.
The Astros have played in front of small crowds in spring practice both last year before the shutdown and again this year, and they’ve been booed and taunted throughout, although spring practice crowds are generally more subdued than the regular season crowds. Houston hasn’t played any regular-season or postseason 2020 games with crowds.
As a reminder, Commissioner Rob Manfred said part of the club’s punishment would be public disgrace. The commissioner has basically sanctioned boos and mock trash cans, and the Astros are sure to hear it every time they go to a new city this year.
The A’s opened the season at around 20% of their capacity, or around 9,400 fans. The crowd in Oakland is known to be loud and lively, and even with just 9,400 fans in the seats, and they let the Astros hear it on Thursday. They have been waiting for over a year to boo them.
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