Cardinals' Albert says he didn't seen signs of Astros' illegal scheme, wasn't asked to do anything 'unethical'

Cardinals hitting coach Jeff Albert talks with manager Mike Shildt after practice during Cardinals spring training on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019, at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla. Photo by Christian Gooden, cgooden@post-dispatch.com

JUPITER, Fla. — Cardinals hitting coach Jeff Albert, whose reputation as an rising offensive instructor in the modern game got a booster shot from his time with the Houston organization, said it would be “news to him” if his name surfaced in the ongoing sign-stealing scandal muddying the Astros.

In Albert’s first public comments on baseball’s growing bruise, the Cardinals’ second-year hitting coach said he did not see any evidence of an illegal sign-stealing scheme during his time in 2018 in the Astros’ big-league dugout.