CLEVELAND — It didn't take much more than one look at Mike Clevinger's Twitter account on Thursday to see that the Cleveland Indians pitcher was upset about the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal.
In a video posted to the Momentum YouTube page on Friday, Clevinger explained why.
"There's a lot more the public doesn't see because you don't see the money being placed. You don't see guys going up and don't," Clevinger says in the video, which shows him discussing the matter while getting a tattoo on his left forearm. "You're not seeing those guys literally working their a-- off to finally get a glimpse that literally living off their parents, like taking two different jobs in the offseason, having to lift at 2:00 a.m., bro. I've been there. I've been there."
Clevinger's comments come less than a week after MLB sanctioned the Astros following an investigation into the team's use of video equipment to steal pitching signs and relay them to hitters throughout their run to the 2017 World Series title. As a result of the investigation, Houston manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were each given one-year suspensions -- and subsequently fired -- and the Astros were given a $5 million fine and stripped of their first and second-round picks for each of the next two MLB Drafts.
In addition to Houston's punishments, the Boston Red Sox -- who remain under MLB investigation for their own sign-stealing scandal -- parted ways with manager Alex Cora and Carlos Beltran stepped down as the manager of the New York Mets. Cora served as the Astros' bench coach during the scandal, while Beltran played for Houston and was a key contributor to the scheme.
Despite the punishments that have already been handed down, the 29-year-old Clevinger said he doesn't think enough has been done.
"I don't think any of those motherf------ should be able to look us in the eye," Clevinger said. "They should feel ashamed. You want to protect the guy next to you? You want to protect the sanctity of baseball? It's not giving $5 million discipline to a $1 billion corporation while they're still walking around with the same [World Series] ring on their finger, the same uniform, the same city and the same contract. What's that really going to change?"
As more trickles out -- including additional accusations against the Astros -- the conversation about sign-stealing in baseball doesn't appear to be going anywhere any time soon. And to that end, don't count on Clevinger biting his tongue anytime soon.
"To each their own, but I'm not going to just sit here and be quiet about it," said Clevinger. "Someone blatantly taking millions of dollars and food off my table, let alone other people's tables."