OT - Mounting evidence Houston Astros have been blatantly stealing signs for years.
Shame for off topic post during season but this story is picking up a lot of steam in the sports world, and with Justin Verlander being on the team, they get some follow around these parts.
Ex Astros' players have outed the team. A camera set up in center field has been sending a video feed of the pitch signal to a TV in the Astros' tunnel in their dugout. The person watching the feed would then bang, (no not that bang NNTB) a bat on a garbage can or whistle or make other noises to signify which pitch was coming. For example, no bang equals fastball, 1 bang = curve, 2 bangs = changeup, etc.
Sign stealing is nothing new in baseball. The Red Sox were busted for it in a series against the Yankees in 2017. But this seems pretty blatant and obvious once you watch the video. The Astros have been probably the best teams in the MLB over the last few years with a WS win and another WS appearance so it will be interesting how the MLB handles this.
Your volume will need to be turned up for the video and the twitter link is just a link to stats for some home and away splits for the Astros during their 2017 playoff run.
https://twitter.com/Sports_Talker1/status/1194408381198585857
November 13th, 2019 at 6:06 PM ^
It seemed like the Astros knew Darvish’s pitches because he was uncharacteristically terrible in 2017 WS. There was talk of it back then.
November 13th, 2019 at 7:07 PM ^
I think he was tipping his pitches himself. Kershaw, otoh, they were using the camera on him and signaling off-speed using a whistle the game he pitched in Houston.
November 13th, 2019 at 6:09 PM ^
Astros are a slimy organization. Every P they acquire instantly adds spin rate. They should lose draft picks for this.
November 13th, 2019 at 6:45 PM ^
the cheaters seem to have prospered
November 13th, 2019 at 7:30 PM ^
If I was a Houston hitter, I’d be prepared to duck for a while. Opposing pitchers may recall a tipped pitch and seek retribution.
November 13th, 2019 at 11:17 PM ^
Explain their away record in the last 3 years. 157 Road wins. Yep cheaters.
November 13th, 2019 at 11:17 PM ^
As a Nationals fan, I laugh in the general direction of Houston.
November 14th, 2019 at 7:19 AM ^
Still gotta hit the ball. This craps way overblown and can testify the signs are changed several time during the course of the game to prevent this.
November 14th, 2019 at 8:55 AM ^
No big deal. Just a way to keep MLB in the headlines. Kind of a marketing ploy like the NFL model. It's the let's create controversy.
November 14th, 2019 at 12:33 PM ^
Picking up on Steven Strasburg tipping his pitches - Absolutely, 100 percent OK.
Using any kind of technology, but specifically cameras in between the foul poles - Expressly forbidden by the league.
In writing, in the by laws. It's not some subjective "baseball unwritten rule" nonsense.
A lot of very ignorant comments in this thread. Do 3 minutes of Google "research."
November 14th, 2019 at 2:22 PM ^
Really helped them at home in the world series this year..