Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #20. Mike Fiers snitches on the Houston Astros
Cheating was fine when it benefited both him and his team but when the script was flipped, Mike Fiers had a major issue with it.
During his two seasons with the Houston Astros, Fiers was let in on one of the ball club’s biggest schemes, stealing signs. Technically, stealing signs isn’t against the rules if done without electronic help, it’s just heavily frowned upon and a big no-no in the “unwritten rules” of baseball. Many have attempted to sneakily get away with pulling it off but ultimately, they were eventually caught. In the case of the Astros, they had appeared to have a perfect system set in place.
With the help of a video camera that was well-positioned in centerfield, the Astros knew exactly what pitch was coming. Becoming aware of their cheating ways, Fiers kept his mouth shut and continued to go out there and pitch. The Astros, seemingly as a result, became powerhouses. They made multiple trips to the World Series, took home a title and for roughly five years, were considered a true threat to win it all.
When Fiers decided to leave the Astros and head to the Detroit Tigers, he began spilling the beans on the operation the Astros had going on. MLB took his words seriously and launched an investigation of their own. Fiers was found to be telling the truth and several suspensions soon followed.
While Fiers helped restore more of an even playing field, many simply looked at him as a snitch for ratting out his former ball club.