Ex-Astros P Mike Fiers says Astros used center-field camera to steal signs (Update: MLB issues punishment) MERGED
Dunno. I didn't know he was a yankees fan, but that explains a lot. I watched his piece a few days ago and it seemed pretty weak. Unless he has changed the video.
Here's what I saw:
1. You have a camera panning around the outfield (center field area). While hes telling you the theory there's someone out there with a camera. My first thought is that it must be a military grade 10000 v zoom lens or the frickin Hubble telescope that can actually see the catcher put the signs down from centerfield.
2. Then he's saying the sign is getting relayed toward the bullpen. My first thought there is there must be some pretty smart guy to be able to decipher rotating signs that quickly? If so, why don't they just make him a hitting coach? Why send the sign to the bullpen even? Are they communicating via two dixie cups and a string? Is there some reason the relief pitchers have to know. If so, not much of a "cover up" was going on
3. All the while he keeps pointing out astros players are looking toward the dugout and actually hearing a series of morse-code-like signals audibled in with a bat and a garbage can (amidst the noise of a playoff game).
Unless the Astros got:
1. bionic ears for all the players
2. supercameras the size of a normal cell phone
and
3. a guy with a 4000+ IQ sitting in center field somewhere
I just don't buy it.
The fact that "Jomboy" is a Yankqueens fan doesn't surprise me. I'm sure there are millions Dodger's fans too who are "enlightened" by his breakdown. Much in the same way that liberals are "enlightened" by stories in Mother jones and conservatives are equally "enlightened" by Breitbart news stories.
No, the Astros simply won too much. Between 2015-2019 they stomped. They beat the elite in baseball and they drew the ire of millions of people. Hey haters gon hate. Hinch is a cocky SOB too. He's like the Baseball version of SP. He cut and dropped a lot of players too, including Mike "the Liar" Fiers.
This is a weak case that could have been challenged and won if Jim Crane wanted to. After all the money he spent to turn the Astros into a winner, he must see this all as a convenient excuse to pull his chips off the table.