Boston Red Sox Used Apple Watches To Steal Hand Signals From Yankees (macrumors.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Mac Rumors: Investigators for Major League Baseball believe the Boston Red Sox, currently in first place in the American League East, have used the Apple Watch to illicitly steal hand signals from opposing teams, reports The New York Times. The Red Sox are believed to have stolen hand signals from opponents' catchers in games using video recording equipment and communicated the information with the Apple Watch. An inquiry into the Red Sox' practice started two weeks ago following a complaint from Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who caught a member of the Red Sox training staff looking at his Apple Watch in the dugout and then relaying information to players. It's believed the information was used to determine the type of pitch that was going to be thrown. Baseball investigators corroborated the claim using video for instant replay and broadcasts before confronting the Red Sox. The team admitted that trainers received signals from video replay personnel and then shared them with some players.

"The Red Sox told league investigators said that team personnel scanning instant- replay video were electronically sending the pitch signs to the trainers, who were then passing the information to the players," reports The New York Times. [...] "The video provided to the commissioner's office by the Yankees was captured during the first two games of the series and included at least three clips. In the clips, the team's assistant athletic trainer, Jon Jochim, is seen looking at his Apple Watch and then passing information to outfielder Brock Holt and second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who was injured at the time but in uniform. In one instance, Pedroia is then seen passing the information to Young."

Comments

"one if by land, two if by sea"

[Anonymous Coward]

What're they going to use to prevent stealing, quantum crypto?

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[ShanghaiBill]

Can someone please explain how what the Red Sox did was wrong? Is there a rule against observing your opponents? Is it only wrong if it involves an Apple product?

"You can observe a lot by watching." -- Yogi Berra

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[Anonymous Coward]

Another article I saw made it clear the rule violation would be the use of electronic devices in the dugout. The view of major league baseball is that sign stealing is part of the game, but electronic devices are banned to keep it from being too easy and getting out of hand.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[ark1]

From the following article:

Major League Baseball will reportedly allow coaches and team personnel to wear Apple Watches in the dugout during games— while continuing to ban other electronic devices, including cell phones— as long as the Watch is not used for communication.

http://appleinsider.com/articl... In 2016 iPads were allowed in the dugout with some restrictions:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/ct-mlb-ipads-dugout-20160330-story.html

Whoever got caught glancing at his watch should have used AirPods. Perhaps they are too expensive even for MLB personnel.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[Anonymous Coward]

There's a lot of observing opponents in baseball and a lot of technology involved. The only problem was the use of electronic devices in the dugout to relay the signs. Were it not for that, the Red Sox would not have been breaking the rules.

There's a lot going on between pitches and a lot of signs relayed between coaches, the catcher, the pitcher, other defenders, the hitter, and runners. The manager or a coach could signal the catcher which pitch to throw next. The catcher then gives the signs to the pitcher about what pitch to throw next. The catcher needs to know what the next pitch is so he can position accordingly to catch it. There are also signals to the defense about positioning, which can change from one pitch to the next. There are also signals to the hitter sometimes about whether to do something like lay down a bunt or to execute a hit-and-run. If there's a hit-and-run, the runner also needs to know to take off. A double steal would also require signaling both runners to take off. The signs are usually passed with things like hand signals.

As a post above me noted, sign stealing is part of baseball. This usually involves runners trying to see what the catcher signals or where he's setting up to receive the pitch, then relaying that information to the hitter. The catcher often employs deception tactics to try to make sign stealing difficult. This is totally legal and has been a part of baseball for as long as I'm aware of.

There's also a lot of technology in scouting. There are a lot of statistics that are collected and a lot of video that teams have access to. Players will often look for tendencies in their opponents, especially with pitchers. They look to see if a pitcher is tipping his pitches, which means that he does something differently if he's going to throw a different pitch. A pitcher might take a slightly different stance or wind up differently if he's going to throw a curveball versus a fastball. Hitters can try to pick up on those often subtle differences to try to gain an advantage. They will also try to time how long it takes a pitcher to deliver his pitches to the plate and see if he has a different motion if he's making a pickoff attempt to first base rather than delivering a pitch. This is useful to runners who are trying to steal bases. This is all completely legal and MLB teams invest a lot of money in doing exactly this. It's part of the game of baseball, and as a fan, I have absolutely no problem with it.

If the Red Sox had done this without having electronic devices in the dugout, there wouldn't be any talk of punishing them. A few years ago, Phillies coach Mick Billmeyer was allegedly stealing signs from the bullpen with binoculars. Teams have hired people to sit in the stands with binoculars and relay signs to hitters. If you're clever enough that the opponents don't notice, you can get away with it. MLB tells teams that they're not allowed to use equipment (e.g., binoculars and Apple Watches) to steal signs. If you're not using equipment, it's 100% legal. If you're using a low-tech approach like binoculars, MLB will probably say to knock it off and not take any further action. If you're clever enough to steal signs effectively, just be clever enough that the other team doesn't notice.

Captcha: crouch (appropriate since I'm talking about catchers)

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[Anonymous Coward]

It's like counting card at casino

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[msauve]

None of that is in the Official Rules of Baseball.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[ark1]

Can you quote the official rule then? Everywhere I read the "official statement" (came in a memo by the league) is as follows:

Please be reminded that the use of electronic equipment during a game is restricted. No club shall use electronic equipment, including walkie-talkies and cellular telephones, to communicate to or with any on-field personnel, including those, in the dugout, bullpen, field and-during the game-the clubhouse. Such equipment may not be used for the purpose of stealing signs or conveying information designed to give a club an advantage.

Which does not prevent teams from using electronic devices. Simply that they can't be used to communicate or steal signals.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[Cederic]

The catcher then gives the signs to the pitcher about what pitch to throw next. The catcher needs to know what the next pitch is so he can position accordingly to catch it. There are also signals to the defense about positioning, which can change from one pitch to the next.

So basically the catcher is incompetent and the pitcher is incapable of picking his own pitches?

Try watching cricket, a similar game in which the guy with the ball makes his own decision on how to deliver it. A fast bowler will choose from an in swinger, out swinger, reverse swing, seam, leg break, off break, yorker, bouncer, slow ball, on a length, full, on the leg side, on off stump, outside off.. all these options and more.

He also knows how the field is set and will bowl accordingly.

Why does baseball need every single fucking play directed by someone else?

Re: "one if by land, two if by sea"

[Anonymous Coward]

Was wondering when "cricket guy" was going to get here. Did it ever occur to you that there are subtle differences in the game that make a big difference in strategy at a professional level?

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[hey!]

The difference is the bowler can see both batsmen. In baseball the catcher is the player who can see what the opposing players are doing, so he calls the pitches. The pitcher, however, doesn't always agree; sometimes they ask for a different signal.

Re: "one if by land, two if by sea"

[Z00L00K]

It's a bat and a ball, what difference does it make? (Paraphrasing Hillary)

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[Anonymous Coward]

Why does baseball need every single fucking play directed by someone else?

Because it's baseball and not cricket? The games may be similar seeming, but they are fundamentally different. You asking this (quite arrogantly, i might add, similar to most in the EU when concerning Americans) would be similar to an American asking why there's no forward passing allowed in rugby. It's pointless, because they are two fundamentally different games. Also, asking in the arrogant way you did suggests one is better than the other, which you should know is subjective.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[msauve]

That's just the thing. AFACT, there is no "official rule." Feel free to look, here are the Official Rules. The nearest I can find is 3.10 - Equipment on the field, but that doesn't cover this.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[Cederic]

would be similar to an American asking why there's no forward passing allowed in rugby. It's pointless

I wouldn't take offence at an American asking that question. It's not pointless, it's a legitimate question and not an obvious answer.

Indeed, I don't even know the answer, beyond "it's in the rules". It does lead to an interesting game, but at least the guy with the ball gets to choose whether to run, kick or pass backwards.

Why do you interpret a question challenging some arcane practice (that isn't even in the fucking rules) as 'arrogant'? I expect sportsmen to know how to play the fucking game, that isn't arrogance.

suggests one is better than the other, which you should know is subjective.

I know people that have a lot of exposure to both and prefer baseball. Obviously they're wrong, and sure, my question was framed to reveal my views on the matter. That's not arrogance, it's just that cricket is clearly the superior sport.

Evidence? Well, it's played far more widely, it has far more supporters, far more people playing, the fielders don't need fucking big gloves just to catch a ball, it has infinitely more variety and the players determine for themselves how to play.

Re: "one if by land, two if by sea"

[Anonymous Coward]

So it would've been fine if they'd used an analog watch instead?

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[Anonymous Coward]

Why your question is a bit daft is because if you familiarize yourself with baseball, you know that the catcher needs to signal the pitcher to let the pitcher know what's happening on the field. If a runner on base is going to steal, the pitcher can't see them and relies on the catcher to tell him. Also, frequently the pitches in baseball are at such high speed that the catcher needs to know what to expect. If he fails to catch the ball, then runners on base can steal again. And when a fast ball can come at 110 mph, that doesn't give a lot of time to react. And it has to be the catcher that signals because if it were the pitcher, the batter could read it. If you watch, the pitcher ultimately makes the decision because the catcher will signal one, the pitcher will shake their head, then the catcher does another, and the pitcher will shake his head. It's not until the pitcher nods that the pitch is locked in. And if you think it's bogus that the catcher requires warning of what the pitcher is throwing, you try to catch a ball coming at you at those kind of speeds and you've got less than half a second to read what the pitch is, where it's coming and to get your body behind it to catch it. Curve balls really do make reading the pitch hard.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[elistan]

Hmm, makes me wonder if it's time for baseball to embrace technology... Just give the pitcher and catcher earpieces and let the manager talk to them over a radio. Then the manager (or anybody else, really) can call the pitches and there's no way to intercept that without breaking the radio's encryption or surveilling the person making the calls...

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[parkinglot777]

The catcher then gives the signs to the pitcher about what pitch to throw next. The catcher needs to know what the next pitch is so he can position accordingly to catch it. There are also signals to the defense about positioning, which can change from one pitch to the next.

So basically the catcher is incompetent and the pitcher is incapable of picking his own pitches?

Try watching cricket, a similar game in which the guy with the ball makes his own decision on how to deliver it. A fast bowler will choose from an in swinger, out swinger, reverse swing, seam, leg break, off break, yorker, bouncer, slow ball, on a length, full, on the leg side, on off stump, outside off.. all these options and more.

He also knows how the field is set and will bowl accordingly.

Why does baseball need every single fucking play directed by someone else?

You are comparing apple with orange. Baseball is NOT cricket. And it appears that you don't understand baseball at all if you think that the catcher is incompetent and pitcher is incapable of pitching. Baseball is about cooperative between pitcher and catcher. They must be in sync. If they could have telepathy, then there wouldn't be hand signals.

Cricket, on the other hand, is one side only. It is a completely different game strategy. If you can't distinguish between cricket and baseball, then you shouldn't make this kind of silly comment.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[Anonymous Coward]

Because some sign stealing is considered part of the game. If you have a player on second its perfect within the rules for him to steal the sign. Your not allowed to use anything besides your eyes to do so though.

Leave baseball alone.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[Anonymous Coward]

Ahh yes. You realize I imagine you like this:

http://familyguy.wikia.com/wiki/James_William_Bottomtooth_III

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[Anonymous Coward]

well, probably has to do with how Baseball doesn't take DAYS for one game to finish.... and don't tell me about the one variant that can finish in a day.

Nothing is as boring as a cricket match. Paint dries faster.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[rickb928]

The index included this reference:

Electronic Equipment on Field—3.14(b)

However, the current PDF available from mlb.mlb.com, actually doesn't include any text for Rule 3.14 (b) other than:

"The use of any markers on the field that create a tangible reference system on the
field is prohibited."

This is Deep Baseball. If there is a game rule prohibiting using electronic devices on the field or in the dugout, but it isn't, as of today, visible nor published.

The iPad deal seems to be a corporate MLB deal, so we may be seeing a corporate rule process where MLB imposes additional rules on the game which are not specified in the Official Baseball Rules. And this 'rule must be an MLB agreement to prevent the use of *unapproved* 'electronic devices' in the dugout or on the field.

But stealing signs has been a 'problem' since the beginning of Major League Baseball. From this story in 2011, "Stealing signs is as old as signal-calling itself. In 1876, the very first year of the National League, opponents of the Hartford Dark Blues claimed the club was somehow using a shack hung off a telegraph pole outside its home park to relay signals."

And, "Decades after the Giants stormed back to win the memorable 1951 NL pennant race, backup catcher Sal Yvars revealed that the team had deployed a clubhouse telescope, an electrician and a buzzer to pass stolen signs to its batters."

Also, "Just last year (2010), after the Rockies spotted a Phillies bullpen coach using binoculars, Colorado accused Philadelphia of stealing signs. Bud Selig downplayed the controversy, saying, "Stealing signs has been around for 100 years," before letting the Phillies off with a reprimand.""

This should be interesting, because the Yankee hate is so palpable, and they are pretty annoyed in New York that they cannot somehow beat the Red Sox. Yay team.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[rickb928]

Wait, the bowler doesn't signal his team as to what he will in fact do?

Really? You play a game I am unfamiliar with.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[rickb928]

Um, asking for the heater down and inside give the catcher a better chance of handling the ball than guessing where that 98mph fastball is going. High in his eyes? Low and outside? Oh, wait, the pitcher changes his mind and it becomes a straight change?

The only pitch you aren't trying to call for anticipated location and speed is the knuckler, and that's a catcher's skill to field.

And if you've watched much baseball, you know what happens when the catcher and pitcher get crossed up. Woops to the backstop.

Baseball is a uniquely strategic game with pitch calls, pitchouts, infield and outfield shifts, throwing behind the runner, stealing bases, bunting (a volume could be written on this, and the Yankees are really, REALLY butthurt that the Red Sox bunted on their lame pitcher last week, exposing his weakness fielding and playing good. fundamental. baseball.), multiple substitutions (except in the AL, where the DH has tarnished the game), delayed steals, hit-and-run, and the rare but always fun decoy plays.

Baseball is so unlike any other game it's remarkable. Soccer and hockey are also unique, soccer less so. American football, Rugby, Aussie Rules, similarities abound. Cricket is like Baseball as Field Hockey is like Ice Hockey.

This argument is naive. Baseball is complex.Very. The pace of the game enhances this, and the rules are actually simple-ish.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[shaitand]

"Evidence? Well, it's played far more widely, it has far more supporters, far more people playing"

Exactly. It is the game of commoners and riff-raff.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[shaitand]

They could very nearly have telepathy if they used an electronic signaling system.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[shaitand]

True. Baseball has so little action and is so damn boring that you need this sort of thing to add an element of suspense. It isn't enough to actually make the sport entertaining to watch but people who have no taste and enjoy shitty watery American commercial beers need something to do.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[Anonymous Coward]

"...Try watching cricket..."

Good one.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[Cederic]

don't tell me about the one variant that can finish in a day

Average length of a baseball game: 3 hours
Average length of a T20 cricket game: 3 hours

Nothing is as boring as a cricket match

Average 146 pitches per team per baseball game may sound higher than the minimum 120 balls per T20 cricket innings, but at an average of less than 10 hits per game baseball is actually a slower game than Test cricket, which is a five day game. In a T20 innings a team will put bat on ball for most deliveries, scoring off over half of them.

Or consider baseball's home run rate. 1-5 per match? T20 cricket averages ten 'ball out of the ground' hits a match.

People clearly enjoy baseball. That's cool. It's just silly though to claim that cricket is by comparison boring.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[way2slo]

Neither Baseball or Cricket are boring, provided you realize what is happening and what is at stake.
There are many subtle nuances and "game within the game" things happening all the time in both sports.
Despite the higher velocities in Cricket, it is easier to generate offense due to paddle shape and wicket size and many other things. Nothing wrong with that.

Hitting a Baseball thrown by a Major League Pitcher (someone that actually belongs there) is one of the hardest things to do in all of sports. The hitters that fail between 6 & 7 times out of 10 over their careers end up in the Hall of Fame. Just one at-bat is full of strategic decisions by both the battery (Pitcher and Catcher) and the Batter. If the Batter can get information about a pitch beforehand, it is a huge advantage.

Normally, signs are stolen when a runner is on Second. In that situation, the Battery changes signs to something more complicated or encoded. But even then, smart runners can still crack the signals and then show signs to the batter about what pitch he thinks is coming next. Or the runner may just be signaling where the Catcher is setting up. Which is why you will see some catchers shift quickly at the last moment to the real position he wants to be in to receive the pitch.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[Anonymous Coward]

...except in the AL, where the DH has tarnished the game...

Thank you. This needed to be said.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[Cederic]

Despite the higher velocities in Cricket

I think baseball pitchers have the higher speed. They're not throwing as far and they can do a proper throw rather than being restricted to a straight arm.

I think cricket has more opportunity for the ball to do things in the air and then bouncing off the pitch adds numerous options.

But yet, the batsmen have a broader

paddle

bat. They're not called paddlesmen.

Re: "one if by land, two if by sea"

[Brockmire]

We're talking baseball here, not zero - zero shitty ass soccer for the biggest pussies in the entire world. 5-7 home runs in a game. Bases loaded. Double digit scores. And baseball is the boring sport? Even fucking golf is funner to watch than soccer. GTFO.

Re: "one if by land, two if by sea"

[Brockmire]

Fuck, you are really stupid. Why doesn't the pitcher just tell the batter what he's about to pitch, then? It was clear why the catcher makes the calls. The pitcher can shake his head that he doesn't agree with the pitch. Seriously, that's the dumbest thing I've read on /. in a while.

Re: "one if by land, two if by sea"

[Cederic]

Why doesn't the pitcher just tell the batter what he's about to pitch, then? It was clear why the catcher makes the calls.

It wasn't clear, which is why I had to ask. The pitcher could just, you know, throw the fucking ball.

Seriously, that's the dumbest thing I've read on /. in a while.

You clearly don't read your own posts.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[AF_Cheddar_Head]

Signs aren't just for the Pitcher and Catcher to communicate, the Shortstop and Second Baseman often cheat a bit based on the called pitch. Do you give them earpieces also?

Re: "one if by land, two if by sea"

[Anonymous Coward]

I love how you assume that the GP is a soccer fan.

If it's any consolation, I think you're both pretentious jerks. If people enjoy watching or playing something, who are you to tell them they're wrong?

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[cthulhu11]

And yet the lame-ass American League has a DH because they believe the pitcher is incapable of hitting. Violates the whole idea of teamwork.

Re:"one if by land, two if by sea"

[gl4ss]

baseball has dedicated guys to do everything already.. they should just have mandatory rotation during the play.

and one could argue that the original rules of the game are stupid to begin with, because it leads to specialized pitchers, stupid hidden hand signals and all that. might just as well have the two guys talk over bluetooth really.

and that the hit percentages are so bad is also just a sign of the rules being pretty bad to begin with. Finnish baseball makes for a slightly more interesting game from a game perspective, but that one is pretty bad too, but does have less specialization and calling due to the pitching being straight up basically and therefore no catcher being necessary - and the pitcher can, and needs to, observe the field for what the runners are doing.

Re: "one if by land, two if by sea"

[shaitand]

Nope soccer is pretty lame too along with basketball. Football is better then either, it's reasonably fun to play sometimes but boring to watch. Hockey is the only real sport. MMA was good early on when it was an actual martial arts competition but now it's devolved into nothing but a pack of roid raging hulks wrestling in tights. Might as well just call it wrestling.

Black Sox, Part Deux?

[CrimsonAvenger]

White Sox last time, now the Red Sox? What's with teams named after socks?

Re:Black Sox, Part Deux?

[DontBeAMoran]

White Sox, Red Sox, New York Mets Sox.

Re:Black Sox, Part Deux?

[antdude]

More sux. ;)

Re:Black Sox, Part Deux?

[reboot246]

Baseball players wear socks. The colors of the socks are team colors. Duh.

In the past, all the players wore stirrup socks with shorter uniform pants so the socks were a very visible part of the uniform. Most players today wear pants that come down to their shoes and the socks are harder to see.

Re:Black Sox, Part Deux?

[sabbede]

Forget the Sox, think about Boston. The Patriots got busted doing almost the same thing - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

Where do they play? Boston.

Re: Black Sox, Part Deux?

[Anonymous Coward]

Foxboro, not Boston. One reason they are no longer the Boston Patriots.

Perhaps the high pressure atmosphere of the colleges in the area bleeds over to sports.

Re:Black Sox, Part Deux?

[MyLongNickName]

One was cheating to lose, the other cheating to win. Quite a big difference in my book.

Re:Black Sox, Part Deux?

[Zontar_Thing_From_Ve]

White Sox last time, now the Red Sox? What's with teams named after socks?

The Cincinnati Reds were originally the Cincinnati Red Stockings and the name got shortened a long time ago to just Reds. I guess it was just an easy nickname to use and no chance of offending anybody to name yourself after socks. One of the more interesting baseball team names is the Nippon Ham Fighters in the Japanese league. Many Americans incorrectly parse that as Nippon - Ham Fighters like "Ham Fighters" was a thing when actually it should be Nippon Ham - Fighters. Fighters is the team name and Nippon Ham was the owner for a while. It probably didn't help that it was officially spelled as Nippon - Ham Fighters in English. Not sure why they put the - in that location.

Re:Black Sox, Part Deux?

[Quirkz]

Even more confusing, the Cincinnati Reds used to be named the Red Stockings. That got changed a long time ago, though. With good reason.

The problem I have is referring to a singular member of the team. Is he a Red Sock? But it's a x and not an s, so it's not really a plural, even though it's kind of faking it. It's definitely not a Red So. Maybe a Red Soc, just to continue the irregularity?

Re:Black Sox, Part Deux?

[shaitand]

It's not cheating unless you get cau... oh nvm.

Re:Black Sox, Part Deux?

[shaitand]

I promise you, not many Americans parse Japanese league team names, correctly or incorrectly.

Re: Black Sox, Part Deux?

[Brockmire]

Isn't Nippon a racial slur in The Man in the High Castle?

Red is the new Black

[bytethese]

Red Sox now the new Black Sox?

Re:Red is the new Black

[Anonymous Coward]

Not really. The Black Sox scandal was because players were trying to lose. I'm not sure why, but to me cheating in an attempt to win seems better than cheating because someone paid you to lose.

It is like Pete Rose betting on baseball. When he bet on other teams using insider knowledge that was probably wrong, and against the some made up code. When he bet on his team (Reds) to win every single game...that seems sort of like a good thing, but still against the rules and code.

If he ever bet against his team, and they actually lost, then ban him for life. (I don't believe there was any evidence that he ever bet against his team, although he did say "I bet on my team every night. I didn't bet on my team four nights a week. I bet on my team to win every night because I loved my team, I believed in my team"

Re:Red is the new Black

[Anonymous Coward]

The "Black Sox" were paid off to throw the World Series, it's kind of a whole different level.

Apple are bad...

[easyTree]

...because one of their products was used to demonstrate that people take 'sport' way too seriously.

Re:Apple are bad...

[behrooz0az]

No, Apple devices are not bad.
They are very 'informative'; You can be certain that people who use them can come up with the stupidest ideas so very often, I don't know which causes the other.

Re: Apple are bad...

[easyTree]

Mmm. Food for thought..

I like baseball, but..

[MrKaos]

So fucking what.

Re:I like baseball, but..

[Anonymous Coward]

This is proof that the there is a reason to wear an Apple Watch.

Re:I like baseball, but..

[fredrated]

It's called cheating.

Re:I like baseball, but..

[Anonymous Coward]

no its ben smart like donald

Smart gloves

[Anonymous Coward]

We need smart gloves so the pitcher and catcher can just text each other instead of using hand signals.

So...aside from technology...

[HBI]

What is the difference between this and stealing another team's signs, which happens -all the time-?

It's been happening for over a century, in fact.

Re: So...aside from technology...

[Anonymous Coward]

Technology is the root of the issue, so taking it aside is a no-go. You can observe the other team, but not with technological assistance. Hence the story.

Re: So...aside from technology...

[rmdingler]

All baseball teams interested in successfully competing for a post-season appearance steal signs, bases, players, and every imaginable advantage over their opponent(s) whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Yankees whine, mention tech giant, get press coverage...

Re: So...aside from technology...

[K. S. Kyosuke]

You can observe the other team, but not with technological assistance.

So glasses and contact lenses are out? ;)

Re:So...aside from technology...

[Anonymous Coward]

Exactly. If the catcher and others on the field can send signals, sending signals is legit.

Re: So...aside from technology...

[freeze128]

OK, so ban Apple watches on all players. But the same effect can be achieved with well placed spotters and signalers in the stands. So then what are you going to do?

Re: So...aside from technology...

[msauve]

Citation needed, I couldn't find anything even close to applicable in the current Official Baseball Rules.

Re: So...aside from technology...

[Anonymous Coward]

Take a long walk off a short pier.

Re:So...aside from technology...

[uvajed_ekil]

What is the difference between this and stealing another team's signs, which happens -all the time-?

It's been happening for over a century, in fact.

If your signs get stolen because you get sloppy and don't protect them or vary them, that's on you. But if you're the visiting team and the home team is using TV cameras to steal signs, that's a problem that baseball should try to eliminate. Big difference between this and run of the mill sign stealing. Using apple watches and a staff of camera men to steal signs has definitely not been happening for over a century.

Re:So...aside from technology...

[Gavagai80]

The difference is that normally only a runner at second base can steal the catcher's signs, which is why they make the signs more complicated when there's a runner on second. The use of a camera and electronic relay means the signs can be stolen without any real effort and without the other team being aware that there's any danger.

Re: So...aside from technology...

[Anonymous Coward]

Require Apple Watches on all players - encrypted communication between players won't be able to be stolen in any way. Problem solved.

Re: So...aside from technology...

[K. S. Kyosuke]

Fairly difficult to accomplish in a landlocked country.

Re: So...aside from technology...

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sure there is a lake with a pier. ;)

Re: So...aside from technology...

[K. S. Kyosuke]

Piers are uncommon anywhere in a pretty wide radius.

This sounds good

[Anonymous Coward]

This sounds good. Encourage observation.

Theft

[jemmyw]

So once these signs were stolen was the opposing team no longer able to use them? How were these signs returned once the thieves had been caught?

Apart from the use of technology, which might be banned from the field, this seems like a perfectly legitimate tactic.

Re:Theft

[DontBeAMoran]

Alright, let's call it hand signals copyright infringement.

Re:Theft

[DontBeAMoran]

Dugout Referee Manager?

Re:Theft

[neoRUR]

I guess they should add DMCA to the signs now...

Re:Theft

[bluefoxlucid]

Hell, if someone steals one of my signs, I assume he's just a fan of my campaign and is a secure vote.

Re:Theft

[Quirkz]

You wouldn't hand sign for a car, would you?

Sports

[Anonymous Coward]

I have noticed a inverse correlation between people who like sports and people who are good at logic, math and technology.

Sports are where you put the slow children.

Re: Sports

[Anonymous Coward]

Surely sports is where you out the fast children?

Re:Sports

[Anonymous Coward]

Sports are where you put the slow children.

Sad, but true. Yet still better than the clergy.

Re:Sports

[DontBeAMoran]

Sports are where you put the slow children.

No, special olympics are where you put the slow children.

Re: Sports

[Ogive17]

In my graduating class (a little over 300 kids), I'd say at least 75% of the top 30 students also played at least one sport. Of course they were sports other than American football.

It is possible to be smart and physically coordinated.

Re:Sports

[Anonymous Coward]

Still bitter about getting stuffed in the lockers as a kid, Poindexter?

Re:Sports

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes. The slow people who reproduce. Keep jacking it to your Chinese cartoon children. Mummy will get you tendies tomorrow if you mow the lawn. Don't forget your 35th birthday next week. Mummy's going to get you that My Little Pony playset you've had your eye on.

Re:Sports

[uvajed_ekil]

I have noticed a inverse correlation between people who like sports and people who are good at logic, math and technology.

Sports are where you put the slow children.

You used the wrong article before "inverse" while trying to belittle others, so where do you fall in this hierarchy, below the slow athletes? Go practice your trolling elsewhere and come back once you've learned something, thanks.

Re: Sports

[uvajed_ekil]

In my graduating class (a little over 300 kids), I'd say at least 75% of the top 30 students also played at least one sport. Of course they were sports other than American football. It is possible to be smart and physically coordinated.

My graduating class was 96, IIRC, and about 80 played at least one sport. 100% also went on to four year colleges, most of which were more selective and arguably better than state schools. I don't think this proves anything, but you can take that for data.

Re:Sports

[Brett Buck]

I take it you got picked last a lot?

Re: Sports

[Anonymous Coward]

about 80 played at least one sport. 100% also went on to four year colleges, most of which were more selective and arguably better than state schools. I don't think this proves anything, but you can take that for data.

Ah, but were the schools actual schools, or sports corporations masquerading as schools. The latter will carry any diwmit as long as it it's beneficial to their team...

Re:Sports

[Anonymous Coward]

I take it you got picked last a lot?

Nah, he got picked first.

Somebody had to be 2nd base.

Re:Sports

[sabbede]

Maybe, but then again the average person likes sports. The average person is also of average intelligence.

Above average people can like sports too though. My dad played college football (albeit at a small college) before he became a senior oncology and immunology researcher at a pharmaceutical lab. Condoleeza Rice was the provost of Stanford, National Security Advisor and Secretary of State, but her dream job was NFL Commissioner.

That said, I frikkin hate sports. Especially when they pre-empt The Simpsons.

Re:Sports

[hey!]

Except for baseball, which is the sport of math nerds.

People who've never seen a baseball are amazed by the fact that it's mostly waiting around for something to happen. It's really impossible to enjoy baseball until you've seen a couple of hundred games. Baseball is a game of situations, and what you do in all that waiting is to compare the current situation to analogous situations and argue over which aspects of the current situation are most salient (e.g. this particular batter has gone 0 for 5 against left handed pitchers on days that have an "e" in their name). It's a process that turns ordinary people into statistics geeks.

Re:Sports

[avandesande]

I don't think you have ever tried to hit a baseball at normal pitching speed

Re: Sports

[bluefoxlucid]

Physical activity increases brain-derived neural factor, leading to higher neuroplasticity and increased rate of learning. It also increases blood flow, toxin clearing (like, actual toxins, the stuff your Cytochrome P450 enzymes and renal system cleans up, not whatever bullshit soaking in salt water is supposed to remove), dopamine levels, and reliability of your circadian system.

Motivation increases attention span, and so an interest in a particular subject drives your capacity to study and learn that subject. Memory is visual and associative, and so more information, analogous thinking, and a grasp of how to use human memory on a basic level (not just mnemonics systems) increases learning capacity. Motivation relies on the proper functioning of your dopaminergic system; memory in general relies on the proper function of your serotonergic system.

So yes, physical activity makes you smarter. In other news, mushrooms make you bigger.

Re: Sports

[sexconker]

In my graduating class (a little over 300 kids), I'd say at least 75% of the top 30 students also played at least one sport. Of course they were sports other than American football.

It is possible to be smart and physically coordinated.

Possible, but extremely unlikely. Your 75% of the top 30 doesn't mean shit. Not only does it not prove they were smart, it doesn't prove they played the sport to any degree of competency. All the "smart" kids go into a sport, marching band, and other "extra curricular" shit in order to fluff out a college application. It doesn't mean they're worth shit in the sport, and excelling at school doesn't mean you've got a brain between your ears. The jocks on the other hand at least actually show their prowess and compete against each other. Of course, they must be smart, too. They're honestly getting good grades and getting scholarships to big colleges, right?

On either side of it, academic excellence for the past 30 years has meant nothing more than doing a bunch of busy work, memorizing crap for standardized tests, and parroting the guiding, feel-good principles of the day. Intelligence simply isn't an issue schools are concerned with.

Re:Sports

[Anonymous Coward]

And the special olympics are a subset of sports.

Re:Sports

[Anonymous Coward]

People who've never seen a baseball are amazed by the fact that it's mostly waiting around for something to happen.

I take it these people haven't seen an American football game either. In a 4 hour game, there is about 20 minutes of actual play. The rest is commercials and listening to announces (brain damaged former players) ramble on and on.

Re: Sports

[Anonymous Coward]

Possible, but extremely unlikely. Your 75% of the top 30 doesn't mean shit. Not only does it not prove they were smart, it doesn't prove they played the sport to any degree of competency.

True, in my school 100% of students played at least 2 sports because it was compulsory. Were the highest academic achievers also good at their respective sports? In my experience, no. The higher in academic achievement you went, the less likely there was also a strong proficiency for sport.

Re: Sports

[Ogive17]

Mine was a standard public school in a town of about 25000.

Re: Sports

[Ogive17]

Sorry I can't take you back in time but your "extremely unlikely" happened. Our valedictorian and salutitorian were both starters on the soccer team that was one of the top in the region. Number 3 was 3rd singles on the tennis team that qualified for state in the division for the largest schools. I played soccer and more than half the team routinely made the principal's list (3.75 or higher).

I think you let football players negatively impact your thoughts on the matter. No doubt it's unlikely they would collectively have a high gpa.

Re: Sports

[sexconker]

None of that means they were proficient athletes or intelligent.
The fact that you didn't understand the 3 key points of my post really undermine your claims, since you're including yourself in the set you claim to represent athletic and intelligent people. I'll list them out and simplify them for you.

1: Playing a sport doesn't mean you're any good at it. Schools are set up such that the "smart" kids will go into a sport because it's expected of them to pad their resumes, not because they like the sport or are good at it.

2: Similarly, getting good grades doesn't mean you're intelligent. Token jocks are often lauded for the academic accomplishment of getting a B in remedial math. Typically, they're simply cheating / being given better grades because they're jocks, in order to maintain eligibility for the sports programs.

3: School's aren't set up to educate or even give a shit about intelligence. Even the "smart" kids who achieve great academic success without cheating aren't any more intelligent than a random person off the street. American public schools are about indoctrination, control, and standards testing. The Simpsons covered this well with the "independent thought alarm" decades ago.

As a bonus, you don't seem to understand that however much your anecdote may be true, and even if we assume the standards are your school to be high and actually indicative of intelligence / athletic ability, it is not evidence against the claim that it's rare for a person to be intelligent and athletic. The fact that a thing happened does not mean it is not rare.

the only remaining question

[slashmydots]

But how are the New England Patriots involved? It just sounds like their sort of thing.

Re:the only remaining question

[Anonymous Coward]

Isn't Boston near New England?

It does not surprise me. When one team cheats and wins the Superbowl, then just get a slap on the wrist, it is telling other teams that it is worth cheating. We will see if MLB will be more willing to punish a team then the NFL. If they been doing this all year, can the MLB deny them the playoffs?

It was just last year the Red Soxs were penalized for international signings.

Re:the only remaining question

[msauve]

This takes some pressure off, which I understand helps them out.

Re:the only remaining question

[Anonymous Coward]

But how are the New England Patriots involved? It just sounds like their sort of thing.

They are both from the Boston area?

Re:the only remaining question

[Tablizer]

New England Patriots involved? It just sounds like their sort of thing.

Well, Apple did co-invent the flat look.

Re:the only remaining question

[Anonymous Coward]

yes, the Trumpsters like conspiracies and especially ones against winners. Poor me, those winners suck, hate the winners. Oh the winners are cheating by using telepathy? The winners REALLY suck now because they are cheating.

blah, blah, blah

Re: the only remaining question

[Anonymous Coward]

You sir win a no-prize for that comment

Re:the only remaining question

[Anonymous Coward]

Obviously Belicick and Brady were the masterminds behind this plan.

Re:the only remaining question

[uvajed_ekil]

But how are the New England Patriots involved? It just sounds like their sort of thing.

Lame. Did you get that from Bleacher Report, Reddit, or some other site where the same uncreative Brady/Patriots jokes have already been posted 15 million times?

Re:the only remaining question

[Zero__Kelvin]

Boston is near New England in the same way the nucleus is near the atom.

Re:the only remaining question

[sabbede]

Yup! It's a new Boston tradition!

Re:the only remaining question

[Anonymous Coward]

Hate to break it to you sport but Trump won. Sounds more like losers who whine.

Re:the only remaining question

[parkinglot777]

Isn't Boston near New England?

Boston is a part of New England (not near)...

Re:the only remaining question

[Anonymous Coward]

Wow, dude. Sorry they're a bunch of cheaters.

performance-enhancing technology

[turkeydance]

you know, stealing on steroids

Sports team from Mass cheating

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't believe you.

Baseball?

[viperidaenz]

When are they going to ditch that boring game and replace it with Blernsball?

Re:Baseball?

[DontBeAMoran]

https://vimeo.com/147674727

Re:Baseball?

[Anonymous Coward]

When are they going to ditch that boring game and replace it with Blernsball?

Nah, too organized, I prefer Calvinball.

Fsck the Yankees

[Dracos]

Until they start adhering to the salary cap, they deserve whatever underhanded tactics any other team may use.

Re:Fsck the Yankees

[Anonymous Coward]

Baseball doesn't have a salary cap.

Re:Fsck the Yankees

[Anonymous Coward]

Until they start adhering to the salary cap, they deserve whatever underhanded tactics any other team may use.

Yes, because the team with $2 Million less in total payroll this year really needs to do everything it can even the odds.

Re:Fsck the Yankees

[DontBeAMoran]

No, but they do have baseball caps.

Re: Fsck the Yankees

[Ogive17]

it's a soft cap but it does exist. Teams can go over but they pay a penalty. NBA is similar.

Re: Fsck the Yankees

[uvajed_ekil]

it's a soft cap but it does exist. Teams can go over but they pay a penalty. NBA is similar.

They adhere to it just fine - go over the suggested limit, you pay more. And they do. It isn't like they go over the cap number then refuse to pay the luxury tax. Until MLB institutes a tougher cap like the NFL, the big market teams will continue to overpay lots of players and gladly pay the league off.

The NBA is somewhere in between with the cap structure, but their players union wields a ton of power and keep forcing the cap to increase. And of course the dramatically smaller rosters mean fewer cuts out of the pie and thus higher average salaries. Once you reach the second level of the NBA cap you have little ability to sign free agents, which doesn't happen in MLB.

It's the American Way

[boudie2]

Say it ain't so. Joe.

Too bad it wasn't the Yankees doing it...

[Anonymous Coward]

God I hate the Yankees, why couldn't they have been the ones? Confirm my biases, reality!

Re:Too bad it wasn't the Yankees doing it...

[Anonymous Coward]

Yankees don't need to cheat, the Red Sux seem to have to though.

Re:Too bad it wasn't the Yankees doing it...

[Anonymous Coward]

Tell your story to Pineda!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaOjaFN3gqM

Re:Too bad it wasn't the Yankees doing it...

[Anonymous Coward]

Yankees don't need to cheat, the Red Sux seem to have to though.

The following NY Yankees failed to get your message:

Matt Lawton
Melky Cabrera
Alex Rodriguez
Andy Pettite
Roger Clemens
Jason Giambi

"Yankees don't need to cheat"?!?!?

And there I see Alex FUCKING Rodriguez!?!?!?

Roger "Roid-Rage" Clemens?!?!?!

Andy Pettite?

You were saying?

salary caps

[Anonymous Coward]

they're all envious of the National Fagball Leagues' slave-driven, no-guarantee contracts.

Typical Boston Cheaters

[Anonymous Coward]

See also: New England Patriots, Bill Belichick, and Tom Brady.

naturally

[n3r0.m4dski11z]

The opposing team just needs to up their game and hack their apple accounts, or nearby wifi or cel towers. Maybe someone has a jammer installed in their mound. Then countermeasures for those countermeasures...

You too, mr haxxor, could play for the yankees!

Evolution of the game, right?

I don't

[s.petry]

and agree with you. "So fucking what."

good

[Anonymous Coward]

fuck the Yankees.

Manny being Manny

[PopeRatzo]

What is it about Boston teams that a) they're always cheating and b) they're stupid enough to get caught cheating?

I mean, Cameragate, Deflategate and now this AppleWatchgate. More steroid users than a Mr Universe competition. Corked bats, doctored baseballs and high slides. Beanballs.

I really don't care as long as nobody refers to them as the "Sox", because everyone knows that "Sox" refers to the one true Sox, my Chicago White Sox, pride of the South Side. They can take their filthy-ass, broken-down stadium and march straight into the sea. Nothing good ever came out of Boston.

Boston is hot garbage.

Re:Manny being Manny

[Anonymous Coward]

What is it about Boston teams that a) they're always cheating and b) they're stupid enough to get caught cheating?

I mean, Cameragate, Deflategate and now this AppleWatchgate. More steroid users than a Mr Universe competition. Corked bats, doctored baseballs and high slides. Beanballs.

I really don't care as long as nobody refers to them as the "Sox", because everyone knows that "Sox" refers to the one true Sox, my Chicago White Sox, pride of the South Side. They can take their filthy-ass, broken-down stadium and march straight into the sea. Nothing good ever came out of Boston.

Boston is hot garbage.

Yankees fan? Chew on this word:

ARod

Re:Manny being Manny

[Baron_Yam]

>they're stupid enough to get caught cheating?

I know, right?

A couple of well-placed agents in the stands with good cameras and a cell phone could have handled this almost as effectively without ever getting caught.

Incompetence.

I don't see this as cheating, though, it's more of an opportunity to enter a technology arms race. The other team needs radios with throat mics on an encrypted channel so they can't be intercepted. Or maybe safety glasses with a HUD.

Re:Manny being Manny

[Rockoon]

Maybe its the accepted corruption in Boston politics.

The two most corrupt States are right next to each other, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Re:Manny being Manny

[PopeRatzo]

The two most corrupt States are right next to each other, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

I would suggest that Texas is more corrupt than either Massachusetts or Rhode Island. The pols down there are so crooked it would make a Chicago alderman blush.

Failed to copyright

[DidgetMaster]

If only the Yankees had copyrighted their signals then they could have filed a DCMA takedown request and prevented the Apple Watch from sending it...right?

Ethics?

[Anonymous Coward]

Umm... Ethics? When does any form of cheating become acceptable?

Re:Ethics?

[uvajed_ekil]

Umm... Ethics? When does any form of cheating become acceptable?

Every time before you get caught, duh.

Knuckle draggers

[Anonymous Coward]

Found this article back in 2015.
They knew at some point they would have to address the issue at some point.

http://iphone.appleinsider.com/articles/15/08/19/mlb-okays-apple-watch-for-use-in-the-dugout-cell-phones-still-banned

American Sports Suck

[Anonymous Coward]

What is it with Americans and their sports for simpletons?

Real men play sports that require superior skills, strength, speed, agility and strategies such as cricket and rugby.

I've tried to watch baseball and gridiron numerous times, but they just bore the absolute fuck out of me and seem to be dumbed down versions of cricket and rugby.

Re:American Sports Suck

[Chas]

It's because you're a product of population that didn't do the smart thing and get out of Europe and the UK when things went to pot.
You simply don't have the mental agility to follow along with Baseball or Football.
And yeah, to be fair, you don't get exposed the same was you do for simpler sports like Cricket and Rugby over there.
As such, your tiny brain shuts down from the information overload and you register it as boredom.

top 19th

[nnet]

its top of the 19th at Fenway, 2-2, Kevin Pillar at the plate, Hector Velazquez pitching....

Go cry to mamma Yankees

[Anonymous Coward]

What a bunch of cry baby wimps...

Why would go on the public record with this? What were they thinking?

Information Wants to be Free

[Anonymous Coward]

So once these signs were stolen was the opposing team no longer able to use them? How were these signs returned once the thieves had been caught?

And aren't the signs just information about the future? Information wants to be free!

Electronics are overpowered.

[Anonymous Coward]

Rules are rules. The whole point off 99% off games and sports, is that you try to best your opponent on equal footing.

If they want to use that, they should suggest it as a change and everyone should be allowed.

A simple vibration to show if it's mathematically impossible for the ball to reach you in time.

Or tell you the exact flight path ensuring more stable catch rates.

An async software telling people where to go for perfect coverage at point after a hit when everyone is in motion. This takes skill and hours off team training. For a computer it takes a few 100ms.

One could also use tech to instantly ping when one moves less than a feet to steal a base.

Bottom line is, tech has proven to be able to give tremendous advantage. As such using any tech at all, should require research in regards to any sport and be analyzed exactly how much it sways thr balance.

You also have secondary reasons, like if it would make the sport dull. If everything is done with tech, then so can the audience. I easily see this being able to be monetized.

encrypt hand signals

[Anonymous Coward]

to still use plain sight signals is just irresponsible !

Re:encrypt hand signals

[Zero__Kelvin]

Hand signals ARE encrypted signals and they can be decrypted more easily with an Apple Watch.

Re:encrypt hand signals

[hey!]

You're confusing encoding with encrypting.

There's a big difference between encoding something in a secret way and encrypting.

Re:encrypt hand signals

[Zero__Kelvin]

There is zero difference between encoding something in a secret way and encrypting. No math need be involved. See also the Cesar Chipher.

Re:encrypt hand signals

[hey!]

The Cesar Cipher is a shared-secret cipher where the secret is so little entropy that if you know the method, you can recover the secret trivially. Because the secret is trivial to guess, it is no better than a secret encoding system. In fact it's worse from a practical standpoint than most. But it's still a cipher.

Re:encrypt hand signals

[Zero__Kelvin]

I agree. The hand signals are an encryption scheme with much greater entropy than the Cesar Cipher. But again, you can "break" it if you have the plaintext. Each signal is an encrypted semaphore. Really, it is very strong encryption, as given the encrypted content you couldn't derive the plaintext in a million lifetimes. So again, it's encryption, not just encoding.

Re:technology

[hackwrench]

I was going to say that they should have invested in a pair of glasses, but oops that's technology too,.

Ummmm...

[MitchDev]

So what if they were....

Re:technology

[Anonymous Coward]

It's a good thing you didn't say it, then.

A Brief Moment...

[coofercat]

For a brief moment in history, baseball became interesting. Then it went back to being just like it was before.

Stealing hand signals?

[Anonymous Coward]

"Stealing hand signals"? Must be a concept invented by the same people who thought up "stealing sound waves", "stealing light" and "stealing numbers".

Re:Stealing hand signals?

[Plumpaquatsch]

"Stealing hand signals"? Must be a concept invented by the same people who thought up "stealing sound waves", "stealing light" and "stealing numbers".

And "stealing base".

Re:technology

[Plumpaquatsch]

I was going to say that they should have invested in a pair of glasses, but oops that's technology too,.

Why does that remind me of Charlie Sheen?

(Hint: I know why - it's a joke)

They're doing it wrong

[Anonymous Coward]

If you know the other team is intercepting your hand signals, change them up. Easy enough to add additional signals to either confirm or negate the upcoming signal. An extra twitch of the hand changes that inside fastball to an outside curve, etc.

If they want to cheat, make sure to give them all the rope they need to hang themselves with.

Check his balls

[tomhath]

Someone from the commissioner's office should squeeze the Red pitcher's balls to see if they're too soft.

i gess

[nospam007]

it's about time the Yankees use encrypted electronic messages instead of hand-signs that every moron can see.
Then these complaints will be moot.

Information Warfare !

[Anonymous Coward]

This qualifies as a cyber attack!

This is a sponsorship scandal

[Anonymous Coward]

Why did MLB allow players to wear watches while batting? I suspect this entire "scandal" serves two purposes. 1) It draws attention to the upcoming MLB playoffs for which both Boston and Yankees will be playing in, and perhaps against each other. 2) Most importantly it's an advertisement for a watch that no one wants or needs. Now look at what you can do with an Apple watch. I watch a lot of Cubs games and noticed Joe Maddon wearing an Apple watch. Was he forced to wear that?

Stealing Signs is part of the game

[evanchik]

Stealing signs is part of the game. Either using memorization , or video, both have been around for a long time. interesting usage of technology though

Re:Stealing Signs is part of the game

[SuiteSisterMary]

Stealing signs is one thing. Having the guys working on taping the game send info to one team, to my mind, crosses the line.

Re:Cheatriots

[Anonymous Coward]

wow, prejudiced much? I grew up in Brookline, amidst Jews, Asians, Lebanese, Palestinians, Indians, and Black people. I never heard a racist remark until I moved out of that city.

Future of IOT

[Anonymous Coward]

They should be called iSox

Sad...

[shaitand]

More and more incidents like this and still they won't let us sue the stores that sell these products or manufacturers who arm managers and players with them.

Arm... heh... see what I did there?

Look like...

[Anonymous Coward]

Looks like the Yankees catchers will need to start using encrypted signals. Beat that!

Science

[Anonymous Coward]

And science is where you put the weak ones.

MLB has known of this possability for 2 years

[bano]

https://www.royalsreview.com/2...
In 2015 MLB officials questioned KC Royals Manager Ned Yost about his use of his apple watch. He assured them that w/o the phone it's just a watch, he ended up switching to a locally assembled luxury watch to quash any suspicions allegedly.
But this is a known problem in the MLB and they've been, at least selectively watching for 2 years.

Re:Cheatriots

[sexconker]

Sorry, but it's well known that the Yankees are the cheatingest team in baseball.
Anything that makes them lose is good in my book.

Re:Cheatriots

[sexconker]

wow, prejudiced much? I grew up in Brookline, amidst Jews, Asians, Lebanese, Palestinians, Indians, and Black people. I never heard a racist remark until I moved out of that city.

You are lying.

Re:Make signaling illegal like the 1st amendment

[sexconker]

Then allow illegal signaling to be used so that Dreamers can signal, then make it illegal again to stop the Nazis.

Where did this "Dreamers" shit originate? I hadn't heard it until yesterday, and suddenly every liberal mouthpiece is shouting about it in unison. I even got a got an email about the CADA caca at work that referenced "Dreamers". Illegal immigrants are illegal immigrants no matter what you try to brand them as. Having such a coordinated marketing effort come from one side makes me far less likely to support that side.

Only against the rules if they use technology???

[Anonymous Coward]

How about a technological solution: put a headset on the pitcher and catcher, and they can converse privately.

Serious Answer

[AF_Cheddar_Head]

The Catcher needs to know what pitch is coming. Why, if it is a curve or slider the catcher can prepare himself for a pitch in the dirt and more effectively block it or if the catcher expects a curve and gets a fastball it has been known to break a catcher's finger. The pitcher doesn't call the pitch because the batter can see what the pitcher is doing and get an advantage. Also with the catcher calling the pitch the Shortstop and Second Baseman can know what pitch is coming and more effectively position/prepare themselves to field the ball.

Re:Serious Answer

[Cederic]

Yeah, an AC explained too - https://slashdot.org/comments....

I guess I could suggest the pitcher grows some situational awareness and the guy behind the batter learns how to catch, but I'd only get modded troll. Or offtopic.

Doesn't explain why it's not legal to watch for those signals and use them though. They _are_ optional, the pitcher could just throw the ball.

Re:Make signaling illegal like the 1st amendment

[Anonymous Coward]

Where did this "Dreamers" shit originate? I hadn't heard it until yesterday, and suddenly every liberal mouthpiece is shouting about it in unison. I even got a got an email about the CADA caca at work that referenced "Dreamers". Illegal immigrants are illegal immigrants no matter what you try to brand them as. Having such a coordinated marketing effort come from one side makes me far less likely to support that side.

Have you been living under a rock for the past 6 years? It's a term that refers to those affected by the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2011. Do I have to spell it out for you?

Re: Cheatriots

[Brockmire]

Loophole, he's deaf.