LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to ask the commissioner of baseball to award the Dodgers the 2017 and 2018 World Series titles after Major League Baseball punished the Houston Astros for cheating and continues to investigate the Boston Red Sox for possible misconduct.
The resolution, co-sponsored by Councilmen Gil Cedillo and Paul Koretz, originated after Commissioner Rob Manfred released a nine-page report on Jan. 13 detailing how the Astros used technology in violation of baseball rules to steal opposing teams’ pitching signs during the 2017 season.
Both councilmen said the resolution is symbolic and represents a larger ideological fight. With President Trump impeached and wealthy families facing charges in the college admissions scandal, Koretz said he hopes the resolution sets an example that cheating shouldn’t be tolerated.
“This isn’t being done for publicity,” Koretz said. “This is being done in outrage for how our team was cheated.”
MLB fined the Astros $5 million and suspended manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow. The Astros’ owner subsequently fired Hinch and Luhnow. Later, the Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora, who was an Astros coach in 2017 and was cited in the MLB report for his role in the Astros’ sign-stealing scheme.
The Dodgers lost to the Astros in seven games in the 2017 World Series and to the Red Sox in five games during the 2018 series.
“We know they were cheated at a real shot at a championship,” Koretz said. “We have to send a message. If we don’t stand up for baseball, then the tradition of the national pastime may become flawed.”
Major League Baseball officials had no comment Tuesday on the City Council’s action.
Cedillo said that neither he nor Koretz have spoken to the Dodgers about the resolution. If baseball does not award Los Angeles the championships, Cedillo said he feels the Astros and Red Sox should have their titles removed, at minimum.
“This crisis goes beyond the sport and the game,” Cedillo said. “It goes to the very core of being American. This could send an important message to little boys and girls that you need to play hard by the rules, or you can learn that cheating is the new normal.
“We want it to be clear that this city spoke up for its team.”
