The Astros' recent series with the Dodgers has brought back into focus. The Astros were sanctioned by -- stiffly according to some but lightly according to others -- for conducting an illegal sign-stealing scheme that involved the use of replay monitors and audibly signaling the hitter by banging on a trash can.The scheme spanned from early in the 2017 regular season until some time during the 2018 regular season, per MLB's investigation. While Andre Dawson Jersey some teams and players would insist the Astros' subterfuge lasted longer than that, that's not the official word. Regardle s of which version you believe, the timeline does include the 2017 World Series, in which the Astros won their only title in franchise history and did so at the expense of the Dodgers in seven games. That largely explains why the recent series opener against the Dodgers was .In any event, the World Series rematch . Here's what Crane said: "We broke the rules. We got penalized. We were punished. There's no doubt it weighs on all of us every single day."But I don't know what else they want us to do. I mean, you couldn't do a Caleb Smith Jersey lot more. We took a big penalty. Rob (Manfred) sent a me sage. We accepted the me sage, and went above and beyond."We're sorry. We apologized. But no matter what happened, it wasn't going to be enough. People wanted me out of baseball. They wanted players to be suspended. They wanted everything.''Although MLB's official report in e sence exonerated Wei-Yin Chen Jersey Crane, it's worth remembering that commi sioner Rob Manfred in the realest sense is the employee of MLB's 30 owners, of which Crane is one. Regardle s, Crane not long after the punishments were handed down . In light of that, it's not surprising that Crane would to some extent Jarlin Garcia Jersey adopt the language of a violated party, which is what he's doing with the above.Notably, Crane also defended former Astros executive Brandon Taubman, who was dismi sed in October after a clubhouse incident in which regarding the club's trade for closer Roberto Osuna. Osuna was arrested for domestic violence prior to his acquisition in July 2018. Charges were later dropped, but he served a 75-game suspension for violating MLB's domestic violence policy. Regarding Taubman, Crane said: "Brandon Taubman didn't commit domestic violence. He just made a comment. It's nothing you can defend. He had a few cocktails. He was happy. There were people constantly coming at him over (Osuna), and he overreacted. Did he do the right thing? No. Everybody makes mistakes. But is he a good, genuine decent person and smart Brian Anderson Jersey kid? Absolutely."I hated to see him lose his job, but we had no choice." includes much more, including Crane's remarks on the Osuna trade itself and his role in advising Alex Rodriguez's bid to become an MLB owner. As well, Crane somewhat laughably denies to Nightengale that the Astros ever "tanked" on his watch.