Stealing signs just part of the game?

June 17, 2011
Jun
17

Poor Yankees. They can't seem to catch a break. Back in April the commissioner's office got curious about a team staffer flashing hand signals from the stands and now Texas Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba is convinced Andruw Jones was stealing signs from second base. In the former, the Yankees blamed an inoperable scoreboard for the need to relay pitch speeds to the on-deck batter and in the latter, well, Jones thinks Torrealba is just making excuses for his team's poor showing. Is sign-stealing worth all the fuss?

Is taking notes cheating?

Sometimes verbalizing the desired pitch is the way to go. But what if the baserunner reads lips or has superhuman hearing?

SportsNation

What would you consider stealing signs from second base?

  •  
    27%
  •  
    73%

Discuss (Total votes: 19,878)

If everybody is doing it ...

Should catchers just accept the fact that every potential baserunner is a potential sign thief? Or is it just a handful of players who go to the trouble?

SportsNation

How much sign-stealing do you think goes on in Major League Baseball?

  •  
    53%
  •  
    45%
  •  
    2%

Discuss (Total votes: 15,010)

A knuckler is still a knuckler?

When you face Tim Wakefield you know you are getting a healthy dose of knuckleballs. But does it make them any easier to hit?

SportsNation

How much of an advantage is it to a batter if he knows the next pitch coming and it is something other than a fastball?

  •  
    62%
  •  
    35%
  •  
    3%

Discuss (Total votes: 14,818)

911 not an option

Umpires are looking out for baseball crimes being committed, but is it even worth crying to them about sign-stealing?

SportsNation

What should Yorvit Torrealba have done after seeing what he thought was sign-stealing by Andruw Jones?

  •  
    15%
  •  
    73%
  •  
    7%
  •  
    5%

Discuss (Total votes: 14,405)

Bigger New York-sized headache?

First Joe Girardi was annoyed by David Ortiz flipping his bat after a home run, and now opposing players are accusing his center fielder of cheating.

SportsNation

Which is more of an annoyance for Yankees manager Joe Girardi?

  •  
    40%
  •  
    60%

Discuss (Total votes: 14,066)

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