Braves: Brian McCann deserves benefit of the doubt in Astros’ sign-stealing scandal

Atlanta Braves fans aren’t sure what to do with Brian McCann and the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal, but he deserves the benefit of the doubt.

The Atlanta Braves have had their own share of scandals in recent memory and we’ve been quick to forgive and forget about those. Doesn’t Brian McCann at least deserve the benefit of the doubt from Braves fans in this situation?

It’s been a weird offseason for Major League Baseball.

On one side, free agency has been great and every major free agent has signed before the end of January.

But on the other side, the sport has been drug through the mud with the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal that never seems to end.

And it’s not just the Astros, the Boston Red Sox are under investigation as well.

But as Braves fans, we’re mostly interested in the Astros and particularly what level of involvement Brian McCann had in cheating.

Our new brethren at 12Up recently published this article basically calling out McCann for his silence on the matter.

But the numbers used in that article were for the postseason only. David O’Brien put out the stats for the regular season, which paint a different picture.

However, what is McCann is supposed to do?

He’s retired at this point and doesn’t have to speak if he doesn’t want to. Plus, by speaking he’s going to be throwing teammates and friends under the bus.

We’ve really only seen a couple of people speak out about it (Mike Fiers and Dallas Keuchel) and neither of them plays for the Astros anymore.

Freddie Freeman let his thoughts be known during ChopFest, and you know what kind of friendship he has with McCann.

Look, if it comes out that McCann was part of this and knowingly cheated, then yea, it’s really going to change my view and opinion of a Braves icon.

But until he actually comes out and gives his side of the story, I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I know there are others who are ready to have nothing to do with him, and for those people, it probably doesn’t matter what McCann says they’re not going to believe him anyway.

We’ll learn pretty quickly how Braves fans feel about McCann as they’ll give away his bobblehead during the first homestand of the season.

Hopefully we’ll hear from McCann before then. And if he is guilty, I hope he comes out and admits it and apologizes (unlike any of the current Astros players). But if he comes out and says he had no part of it, then I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.