Major League Baseball 2020

[SenorXm/Sirius]

[h=3]Is it illegal to steal signs in MLB?[/h]
Nope. It’s accepted tradition. Players and coaches try to steal their opponents’ signs, but they’ve traditionally done so mostly by watching the other team and trying to recognize patterns or sequences. Sign-stealing is as old as baseball itself. But stealing signs using camera, binoculars or other objects foreign to the game is illegal. Major League Baseball took steps to curtail sign-stealing in the digital age during the most recent offseason, according to multiple media reports. That followed a series of allegations of teams stealing signs using electronic means. In 2017, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred had warned teams about electronic sign-stealing, while fining the Boston Red Sox for “sending electronic communications from their video replay room to an athletic trainer in the dugout.”

I'm not sure what your point it anymore. I know it's against the rules, I'm just pointing out its now become obvious MANY teams, maybe all of them were 'breaking the rule'..

Another weird thing that's come out is that everyone in baseball including the bat-boys knew about this stuff but it was hardly reported in the media until Mike Fiers blew it up so many months ago.

I got to wonder why now it's such a big story but for 2 years no one cared.

 

[Bucky]

Cora is out in Boston............and good riddance!

I wonder who they will go after next for his replacement.

Who Could Replace Alex Cora If Red Sox Manager Is Suspended or Fired? – NBC Boston

I'm sort of hoping that V-Tek (Jason Veritek) gets the call.

Carlos Beltran just stepped down as manager of the Mets. He never managed 1 game so I guess the Mets just wanted to start fresh instead of having any form of impropriety linger on.

The next question is if the Yankees are going to be investigated since Beltran was a special advisor to Brian Cashman in 2018?

 

[RetiredUSN]

Carlos Beltran just stepped down as manager of the Mets. He never managed 1 game so I guess the Mets just wanted to start fresh instead of having any form of impropriety linger on.

The next question is if the Yankees are going to be investigated since Beltran was a special advisor to Brian Cashman in 2018?

I dunno.

This gets bigger every day Bucky.

 

[RetiredUSN]

I'm not sure what your point it anymore. I know it's against the rules, I'm just pointing out its now become obvious MANY teams, maybe all of them were 'breaking the rule'..

Another weird thing that's come out is that everyone in baseball including the bat-boys knew about this stuff but it was hardly reported in the media until Mike Fiers blew it up so many months ago.

I got to wonder why now it's such a big story but for 2 years no one cared.

There are no official rules regarding sign stealing that I know of regarding managers, base coaches, and players.

According to the unwritten rules of baseball, stealing the signs that are given by the third base coach, or those of the catcher by a baserunner on second base, is acceptable, and it is up to the team giving the signs to protect them so they are not stolen.


This is out of Wiki.....so take it with a grain of salt.

Stealing signs is not necessarily a violation of Major League Baseball's (MLB) rulebook; it depends how the signs are stolen.[5][6] At the December 1961 Winter Meetings, the National League banned the use of a "mechanical device" to steal signs.[7] The use of electronic equipment is not specifically forbidden by MLB rules, but in 2001, Sandy Alderson, while serving as executive vice president for baseball operations of MLB, issued a memorandum stating that teams cannot use electronic equipment to communicate with each other during games, especially for the purpose of stealing signs.[8] Before the 2019 season, Rob Manfred, the commissioner of baseball, instituted specific prohibitions on where teams could position cameras and how instant replay officials can communicate with managers in an effort to reduce illicit sign stealing.[9][10]

But going high tech like this is definitely way the hell over the top.

 

[Jack Hays]

I'm not sure what your point it anymore. I know it's against the rules, I'm just pointing out its now become obvious MANY teams, maybe all of them were 'breaking the rule'..

Another weird thing that's come out is that everyone in baseball including the bat-boys knew about this stuff but it was hardly reported in the media until Mike Fiers blew it up so many months ago.

I got to wonder why now it's such a big story but for 2 years no one cared.

My point is that I do not believe most teams were breaking the rule. In fact, I think it is more likely very few were.

 

[Bucky]

The shine sure has come off the Astros apple. It'll be mighty interesting to see what their offense looks like this year.

They might hire Buck Showalter as the manager. I wonder how that fossil keeps getting jobs? He has been average every team he has gone.

 

[Lutherf]

They might hire Buck Showalter as the manager. I wonder how that fossil keeps getting jobs? He has been average every team he has gone.

Well, under the circumstances that job isn't exactly the plum it used to be. Same goes for Boston.

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

My point is that I do not believe most teams were breaking the rule. In fact, I think it is more likely very few were.

We'll agree to disagree.

But between Cora's wink and a smile. 5-6 GM's and owners flat out saying they would happily trade a WS title for the penalties just handed out to the Astros, the fact the whole baseball world knew what was going on but did nothing, the steroid era where players put their health in jeopardy for their careers, and the 125 years of sign stealing to get an edge, I'm 100% sure that most teams would sell their souls to the devil for an 'edge'

We're all sports fans here. This is MINOR compared to other things athletes, teams, etc have done in the sports world since day 1..

 

[Jack Hays]

We'll agree to disagree.

But between Cora's wink and a smile. 5-6 GM's and owners flat out saying they would happily trade a WS title for the penalties just handed out to the Astros, the fact the whole baseball world knew what was going on but did nothing, the steroid era where players put their health in jeopardy for their careers, and the 125 years of sign stealing to get an edge, I'm 100% sure that most teams would sell their souls to the devil for an 'edge'

We're all sports fans here. This is MINOR compared to other things athletes, teams, etc have done in the sports world since day 1..

As you wish.

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

There are no official rules regarding sign stealing that I know of regarding managers, base coaches, and players.

According to the unwritten rules of baseball, stealing the signs that are given by the third base coach, or those of the catcher by a baserunner on second base, is acceptable, and it is up to the team giving the signs to protect them so they are not stolen.


This is out of Wiki.....so take it with a grain of salt.

Stealing signs is not necessarily a violation of Major League Baseball's (MLB) rulebook; it depends how the signs are stolen.[5][6] At the December 1961 Winter Meetings, the National League banned the use of a "mechanical device" to steal signs.[7] The use of electronic equipment is not specifically forbidden by MLB rules, but in 2001, Sandy Alderson, while serving as executive vice president for baseball operations of MLB, issued a memorandum stating that teams cannot use electronic equipment to communicate with each other during games, especially for the purpose of stealing signs.[8] Before the 2019 season, Rob Manfred, the commissioner of baseball, instituted specific prohibitions on where teams could position cameras and how instant replay officials can communicate with managers in an effort to reduce illicit sign stealing.[9][10]

But going high tech like this is definitely way the hell over the top.

It was over the top, and I 100% agree with the punishments. They completely ignored the Commish's waning, so the Astros and anyone else should be punished. I'm just saying it the grand scheme of 'getting an edge' in all of the sports world this was small potatoes. And for the reasons I listed in the post above this I'm very sure most, if not all, were using technology.. Replay monitors and cameras everywhere but other teams weren't using them? That's too much of a temptation.

 

[Jack Hays]

It was over the top, and I 100% agree with the punishments. They completely ignored the Commish's waning, so the Astros and anyone else should be punished. I'm just saying it the grand scheme of 'getting an edge' in all of the sports world this was small potatoes. And for the reasons I listed in the post above this I'm very sure most, if not all, were using technology.. Replay monitors and cameras everywhere but other teams weren't using them? That's too much of a temptation.

With as much player and manager/coach movement as we see today, I believe there would have been an avalanche of revelations if that were true.

 

[RetiredUSN]

The world series titles can be vacated for all I care.

The Red Sox didn't deserve it if Cora was doing this.

 

[RetiredUSN]

With as much player and manager/coach movement as we see today, I believe there would have been an avalanche of revelations if that were true.

The "Commish" needs to buck up and interview every single player, base coach, and manager no matter where they are now and come down hard!

 

[Jack Hays]

The "Commish" needs to buck up and interview every single player, base coach, and manager no matter where they are now and come down hard!

Fair enough.

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

With as much player and manager/coach movement as we see today, I believe there would have been an avalanche of revelations if that were true.

There might be. They've only released info on 1 investigation where they interviewed 23 or so Astro players..

Lets see what happens where the hammer falls on the Red Sox. and the info of that their players, pass and present said, and their emails, etc released.

And when other players get dragged into it, and sing, or now that people are losing their jobs and got an ax to grind.

I'm sure there is a 'code' with the players, not to talk. We'll see if that holds.

Give it time.

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

The world series titles can be vacated for all I care.

The Red Sox didn't deserve it if Cora was doing this.

Never going to happen, nor should it.

Supposedly the Dodgers were doing the same thing during the 2017 WS...

I remember in 1986 Astro pitcher Mike Scott, of the 'ahem' Astros was scuffing baseballs, he was absolutely unhittable. Everyone knew what he was doing, but no one did a damn thing to stop him. His teammates knew it, he admitted it after his career was over.. Not a single teammate of the Astros or brass tried to stop him or ratted on him.

The code.

 

[RetiredUSN]

Never going to happen, nor should it.

Supposedly the Dodgers were doing the same thing during the 2017 WS...

I remember in 1986 Astro pitcher Mike Scott, of the 'ahem' Astros was scuffing baseballs, he was absolutely unhittable. Everyone knew what he was doing, but no one did a damn thing to stop him. His teammates knew it, he admitted it after his career was over.. Not a single teammate of the Astros or brass tried to stop him or ratted on him.

The code.

Yeah...... deep down I already know this, but it pisses me off that the Red Sox will have that stigma.

 

[Jack Hays]

Never going to happen, nor should it.

Supposedly the Dodgers were doing the same thing during the 2017 WS...

I remember in 1986 Astro pitcher Mike Scott, of the 'ahem' Astros was scuffing baseballs, he was absolutely unhittable. Everyone knew what he was doing, but no one did a damn thing to stop him. His teammates knew it, he admitted it after his career was over.. Not a single teammate of the Astros or brass tried to stop him or ratted on him.

The code.

Pitchers working on the ball has always been winked at so long as the pitcher is clever enough to hide it. Heck, that's how Gaylord Perry got into the HoF. My uncle Wayne, who had spent time in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, was my Little League coach. He taught me to grow my right thumbnail a bit long so I could work on the seams between pitches.

 

[Jay59]

Pitchers working on the ball has always been winked at so long as the pitcher is clever enough to hide it. Heck, that's how Gaylord Perry got into the HoF. My uncle Wayne, who had spent time in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, was my Little League coach. He taught me to grow my right thumbnail a bit long so I could work on the seams between pitches.

There is a great scene in Major League where the old guy is teaching the young fireballer how to throw spitballs and not get caught.

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

Pitchers working on the ball has always been winked at so long as the pitcher is clever enough to hide it. Heck, that's how Gaylord Perry got into the HoF. My uncle Wayne, who had spent time in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, was my Little League coach. He taught me to grow my right thumbnail a bit long so I could work on the seams between pitches.

Absolutely... Scott, Perry, etc. even though there are very strict rules against doctoring the baseball they, and many others on all the teams doctored the baseballs for decades. No one talked, no one cared. A lot like sign stealing..

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

There is a great scene in Major League where the old guy is teaching the young fireballer how to throw spitballs and not get caught.

Elston Howard use to wear his 'sharpened' wedding ring while his was catching so he could cut the baseballs for Whitey Ford.

 

[The Man]

Boston and the surrounding area has a problem with cheating. All of their World Series and Super Bowls have asterisks next to them.

 

[Lutherf]

Here's something new - MLB rumors: Astros’ Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman wore ‘devices that buzzed’ as part of sign-stealing scandal, report says - nj.com

It's just rumors now but suggests that Altuve and Bregman may have been wearing "buzzers" inside their jerseys as part of the sign stealing thing.

Stealing signs is part of the game and always has been part of the game. You watch the coaches and players in the dugouts to see if you can catch a steal sign and you watch the pitcher and catcher to see if you can get a tip on the pitch or pick off. That's part of the game and I'm not the least bit opposed to it. However, setting up a camera in center field then relaying that information to the dugout and then signalling your batter whet the pitch is going to be, whether by banging a garbage can or by a buzzer in his shirt, is going way, WAY overboard. If you're not playing by the same rules your opponent is because you rigged the system in your favor then you're cheating and if you're cheating then you're detracting from the integrity of the game and, frankly, stealing from your fans.

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

Here's something new - MLB rumors: Astros’ Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman wore ‘devices that buzzed’ as part of sign-stealing scandal, report says - nj.com

It's just rumors now but suggests that Altuve and Bregman may have been wearing "buzzers" inside their jerseys as part of the sign stealing thing.

Stealing signs is part of the game and always has been part of the game. You watch the coaches and players in the dugouts to see if you can catch a steal sign and you watch the pitcher and catcher to see if you can get a tip on the pitch or pick off. That's part of the game and I'm not the least bit opposed to it. However, setting up a camera in center field then relaying that information to the dugout and then signalling your batter whet the pitch is going to be, whether by banging a garbage can or by a buzzer in his shirt, is going way, WAY overboard. If you're not playing by the same rules your opponent is because you rigged the system in your favor then you're cheating and if you're cheating then you're detracting from the integrity of the game and, frankly, stealing from your fans.

Buzzers on/in bandages wrapped on wrists, forearms and/or elbows also has been 'rumored' for a couple of years now. That rumor kind of started in 2017 when the Red Sox got fined for using Apple watches to steal/relay signs..

Boston Red Sox Used Apple Watches to Steal Signs Against Yankees - The New York Times

How Red Sox Used Tech, Step by Step, to Steal Signs From Yankees - The New York Times

 

[Lutherf]

Buzzers on/in bandages wrapped on wrists, forearms and/or elbows also has been 'rumored' for over a year now.

That's totally ****ed up.

The MLBPA needs to crack down on this hard and owners need to be held accountable. Stuff like this needs real punishment. Owners need to be at risk of losing their franchise over this kind of thing and players need to be hit with season long suspensions.