Detroit Tigers fans will surely look glowingly on former Motor City slugger J.D. Martinez’s time wearing the Old English D, and how it came to a close too soon.
The 2018 World Series Champion with the Boston Red Sox is now speaking out regarding alleged cheating by his team, who are accused of using video to decode opponent sign sequences and give them to their players. Talking at Boston’s Winter Weekend fan festival, the D.H. said he is looking forward to the end of MLB’s investigation.
http://gty.im/1177925104
“I’m excited for the investigation to get over with, just so they can see there was nothing going on here,” Martinez said.
“I believe that, yes,” Martinez reiterated when asked if he believed the investigation would reveal no cheating on Boston’s part.
It was a former Tigers pitcher in Mike Fiers who started the allegations by speaking on the record to publication The Athletic. The Houston Astros, winners of the 2017 World Series and 2019 AL Pennant, have since been caught up in a sign-stealing scandal of their own.
“It sucks for Fiers,” Martinez said. “I’ve talked to him about it. I understand his side of it. I understand his side of being in the division and going against those guys; it’s one of those things where he’s in an uncomfortable position for him, and I understand it.”
However, Martinez continues to maintain that his team did nothing wrong.
“I was in there, so I saw straight up,” Martinez said. “Everyone seems to forget that in 2016 and 2017, this was a really good team. They won 93 games those two years and then we just got better. Like I said, I’m excited for it. Really not allowed to comment on it, but we’ll see what happens.”
In his second season with Boston in 2019, Martinez hit .304 with 36 home runs, 33 doubles and 105 RBIs.
– – Quotes courtesy of Joon Lee of ESPN Link – –
