Paul Lo Duca Trolls Carlos Beltran Over Sign-Stealing Scandal With Reference to Infamous 2006 Mets Strikeout
By Brendan Balsamo
What's the No. 1 way to make a 25-35 year old New York Mets fan cry? Show them the video of St. Louis Cardinals' pitcher Adam Wainwright freezing current Mets manager Carlos Beltran on a curveball to end the 2006 NLCS.
People forget that in the at-bat before, Paul Lo Duca walked to extend the game. Lo Duca himself obviously doesn't forget it, though. Lo Duca reminded his former teammate Beltran on Twitter, while also going after him for his involvement in the recent Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal.
I wish Carlos Beltran had the signs after I walked in the 2006 playoffs.
— Paul Lo Duca (@paulloduca16) January 13, 2020
A low blow for sure, but a deserving one. Beltran, along with former Astros bench coach and current Red Sox manager Alex Cora, spearheaded the sign-stealing during his one-year stint with the Astros during their 2017 championship campaign.
No players were disciplined by Major League Baseball in the Astros' investigation. While Mets manager Carlos Beltran was part of it, he was a player at the time and thus was not suspended.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 13, 2020
Discipline for Red Sox manager Alex Cora is coming. It is going to be harsh, per sources.
Luckily for Beltran, since he was a player and not a part of the coaching staff or front office, he likely won't face any repercussions besides a loss of respect from others.
Here is a long-range question: Beltran was mentioned as part of this scheme. He is on the 2023 Hall ballot. Does this hurt his candidacy in any way?
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) January 13, 2020
The first sign of that loss of respect is the tweet from his former teammate. Beltran will be on the MLB Hall of Fame ballot in the coming seasons, and up until this scandal his candidacy had some potential. Does this ruin his legacy?