OAKLAND — Baseball’s biggest controversy centered on the Houston Astros last November when news broke of their sign-stealing ways. Well into spring, concern kept spinning: Would offended opposing pitchers take aim? How might righteous fans channel their anger?
The heat tempered a bit when the coronavirus pandemic delayed baseball — the magnitude of a cheating scandal was dwarfed by matters of life and death. But when baseball returned, Joe Kelly’s flying fastballs made it clear players’ contempt . . .