OT: White Sox allegedly had a sign-stealing system...

[Frabjous]

...in the ‘80s, put in by Tony LaRussa, as per Jack McDowell. Unfortunately, if this is true, the Sox did not get much return on their investment.


https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id...-russa-had-sign-stealing-system-white-sox-80s

 

[FeralFelidae]

He said there was a light installed in the Gatorade sign. If so, that should be pretty easy to verify, shouldn't it? I would think there would be visual evidence in video of a light going off in the Gatorade sign?

 

[Fitz51]

Yes, but was it publicly-funded?

 

[FeralFelidae]

Yes, but was it publicly-funded?

It was in the old stadium, so I would presume not. (Isn't public funding of stadiums a recent development?)

 

[NURoseBowl]

It was in the old stadium, so I would presume not. (Isn't public funding of stadiums a recent development?)

That was the Bat signal for Willy.

 

[IGNORE2]

You guys have missed the rest of it. Jack says it’s prevalent - everyone does it and every one knows. This jives w my days in organized ball. The pitchers will usually trying to crack the pitch code while the bench worked on base stealing, bunting and defensive plays deciphering. Once in awhile, you would succeed.

Nobody called it cheating, it was part of the game. Just like knocking down a batter that looked back at the catcher while the sign was given.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

You guys have missed the rest of it. Jack says it’s prevalent - everyone does it and every one knows. This jives w my days in organized ball. The pitchers will usually trying to crack the pitch code while the bench worked on base stealing, bunting and defensive plays deciphering. Once in awhile, you would succeed.

Nobody called it cheating, it was part of the game. Just like knocking down a batter that looked back at the catcher while the sign was given.

The difference is the use of technology.

 

[chicagocatfan24]

I was born in '88 so I wasn't around for the Larussa days but my dad hates him to this day and say he was a total piece of shit. And yes... every single team in baseball tries to skirt the rules in one way or another. Astros just took it to whole new levels

 

[IGNORE2]

The difference is the use of technology.

ok, technology is the bane of the aged. Is there a rule I missed? There might be, just curious. Or is it covered by a vague ‘ethics’ rule.

Remember, this is a sport that typically had two bowls of meds openly available in the clubhouse - the uppers and the pain killers. Sports have found a lot of religion in recent years.

 

[Alvious]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Bernie Brewer in his old chalet at County Stadium.

 

[chicagocatfan24]

ok, technology is the bane of the aged. Is there a rule I missed? There might be, just curious. Or is it covered by a vague ‘ethics’ rule.

Remember, this is a sport that typically had two bowls of meds openly available in the clubhouse - the uppers and the pain killers. Sports have found a lot of religion in recent years.

There is a vague "don't steal signs illegally" clause they showed the other day on MLB Net that will absolutely need to be expanded on.

Like... that's all it says, or at least something close to it

 

[IGNORE2]

There is a vague "don't steal signs illegally" clause they showed the other day on MLB Net that will absolutely need to be expanded on.

Like... that's all it says, or at least something close to it

Sucks to think that terrible verbiage and MLBs failure to codify what they truly expected has ended several careers now. I have never been a fan of MLB admin and believe Rose belongs in the HOF. This just further strengthens my disdain.

 

[NU Houston]

Sucks to think that terrible verbiage and MLBs failure to codify what they truly expected has ended several careers now. I have never been a fan of MLB admin and believe Rose belongs in the HOF. This just further strengthens my disdain.

How should they codify the "wink, wink" approach to cheating? It's all good as long as it doesn't cross some nebulous line or involve technology. Pitchers can put all sorts of foreign substances on the ball as long as they're not too blatant about it.

They can't codify the rules about illegality because they'd then have to start enforcing them consistently. They're also not going to punish players because that would open a Pandora's box and potentially disqualify a healthy percentage of all active players. What they can do (and what they did with the Astros situation) is to fire a shot across the bow by punishing the GM and manager, with the hope that it'll help encourage people in those roles to tell the players to knock it off if they take things too far.