All eyes in the baseball world are on the Houston Astros this week as they’re investigated for allegedly stealing signs using a high-powered camera in 2017 after The Athletic published a report Tuesday that included a former player of the team verifying the accusations.
Nationals closer Sean Doolittle weighed in on the scandal Thursday night on Twitter, posting a thread commemorating Mike Fiers and Carson Smith for speaking out before slamming teams who go around the accepted rules for stealing signs.
Sign stealing is part of baseball. It’s gamesmanship. A runner picking up signs from 2nd base or looking for how a pitcher might be tipping his pitches based on how he comes set is fair game. If you can do it using your eye balls it’s ok. If you’re using technology it’s cheating.
— Obi-Sean Kenobi Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) November 15, 2019
Also “other teams are doing it too” isn’t a good defense. We don’t have the same evidence for them that we currently have in this case. Hopefully the investigation will bring more evidence to light and through new preventative measures we can remove this stain from our game.
— Obi-Sean Kenobi Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) November 15, 2019
Doolittle and the Nationals faced Houston in the 2019 World Series; although there’s no evidence the Astros used these sign-stealing techniques against them, The Washington Post reported that pitching coach Paul Menhart ordered the pitching staff to use more complex signs in the World Series in order to combat any potential wrongdoing on Houston’s part.
The Boston Red Sox were fined an undisclosed amount in 2017 for using an Apple Watch to steal signs from the New York Yankees, after which commissioner Rob Manfred issued a statement warning teams “that future violations of this type will be subject to more serious sanctions, including the possible loss of draft picks.”
Major League Baseball is investigating the allegations, with no timetable given for a conclusion. For now, Doolittle has a suggestion for how to spend your time.
In the meantime, it’s been a good reason to go back and rewatch the World Series. pic.twitter.com/SgdfqlB2eD
— Obi-Sean Kenobi Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) November 15, 2019
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