Bellinger: Altuve stole MVP from Yankees' Judge

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Cody Bellinger thinks Houston's José Altuve stole the 2017 AL MVP award from the Yankees' Aaron Judge and the Astros swiped that year's World Series title from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“These guys were cheating for three years,’’ Bellinger said Friday at the Dodgers spring training camp. “I think what people don't realize is Altuve stole an MVP from Judge in '17. Everyone knows they stole the ring from us."

The reigning NL MVP, Bellinger criticized Astros owner Jim Crane’s attempt at an apology Thursday and called MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred's punishment “weak." Manager AJ Hinch and Jeff Luhnow were suspended for one season each, and the team was fined $5 million and stripped of its first- and second-round draft picks in 2020 and '21. The Astros then fired Hinch and Luhnow.

MLB found the Astros guilty of using video to steal catchers' signs in 2017 and 2018. Bellinger thinks the conduct continued throughout last season.

“One-hundred percent,’’ Bellinger said. “I don’t know why they would stop.’’

Bellinger wasn't the only angry Dodgers player as formal spring training workouts started.

“It’s like ripping open a scab,’’ veteran infielder Justin Turner said. “Rip off the scab and you try to re-heal, I guess. But there’s no way to hit the re-set button. What’s done is done. Lucky for us, we don’t play them this season. Let everybody else deal with them.’’

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw said he has come to terms with the scandal, yet he also understands why his teammates are angry.

“You start talking about how it really affected people,’’ Kershaw said. “You’ve got guys who maybe got kicked out of the league because they got beaten by Houston in 2017. You got guys who maybe should have won MVP...

source https://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Bellinger-Altuve-stole-MVP-from-Yankees-Judge-15057606.php