The St. Louis Cardinals have fired scouting director Chris Correa weeks after it was revealed the club was under federal investigation for hacking into the Houston Astros database, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.The person, who would not stipulate whether the firing was related to the hacking, spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the FBI investigation is ongoing.Correa, promoted to scouting director in January, was hired by former Cardinals scouting director and current Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow in 2009, promoted to the front office full-time and just last month presided over his first draft for the club. 
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch first reported Thursday that Correa's contract was terminated.The Post-Dispatch, citing a source with knowledge of the FBI's investigation into the Cardinals' hacking of the Astros' system, said Correa admitted hacking into an Astros database, but said it was only to verify whether the Astros had stolen proprietary data. Luhnow left the Cardinals to become Houston's GM after the 2011 season, and the FBI investigation revealed the Astros' system was breached in March 2012 from a computer in Jupiter, Fla., site of the Cardinals' spring training camp.Nicholas Williams, a lawyer for Correa, denied any illegal activity in a statement to the Post-Dispatch, and seemed to imply the investigation should focus on Luhnow rather than current Cardinals employees."Mr. Correa denies any illegal conduct," Williams said in the statement. "The relevant inquiry should be what information did former St. Louis Cardinals employees steal from the St. Louis Cardinals organization prior to joining the Houston Astros, and who in the Houston Astros organization authorized, consented to, or benefitted from that roguish behavior."Both Cardinals owner Bill DeWitt and GM John Mozeliak - and their attorneys - have maintained that they are not targets of the federal probe.Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch first reported Thursday that Correa's contract was terminated.The Post-Dispatch, citing a source with knowledge of the FBI's investigation into the Cardinals' hacking of the Astros' system, said Correa admitted hacking into an Astros database, but said it was only to verify whether the Astros had stolen proprietary data. Luhnow left the Cardinals to become Houston's GM after the 2011 season, and the FBI investigation revealed the Astros' system was breached in March 2012 from a computer in Jupiter, Fla., site of the Cardinals' spring training camp.Nicholas Williams, a lawyer for Correa, denied any illegal activity in a statement to the Post-Dispatch, and seemed to imply the investigation should focus on Luhnow rather than current Cardinals employees."Mr. Correa denies any illegal conduct," Williams said in the statement. "The relevant inquiry should be what information did former St. Louis Cardinals employees steal from the St. Louis Cardinals organization prior to joining the Houston Astros, and who in the Houston Astros organization authorized, consented to, or benefitted from that roguish behavior."Both Cardinals owner Bill DeWitt and GM John Mozeliak - and their attorneys - have maintained that they are not targets of the federal probe.Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports
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