No wonder the Dodgers can't beat those sneaky Phils
Now the Dodgers have a fresh explanation for why they haven’t been able to beat the Phillies in the last two National League Championship Series.
The Phillies cheat!
Well, not exactly cheat, but doing something that at a minimum is generally frowned upon, and at a maximum is considered breaking one of the game’s biggest unwritten rules.
Stealing signs.
Now this has been going on since they put stitches through leather, and is not technically illegal. If you’re caught, however, it might be best not to take that next at-bat.
Tracy Ringolsby, a Hall of Fame baseball writer for Fox Sports, has reported the Phillies have been warned by Major League Baseball concerning accusations that bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer was stealing signs Monday night in their game against the Rockies.
"We have looked at the video and talked to the Phillies about the actions of their bullpen coach," a Major League Baseball official told FOXSports.com.
It’s one thing to slyly steal signs while a runner is on second base looking in at the catcher. It is something else if you’re in the bullpen and pull out a pair of binoculars to home in on the catcher.
Billmeyer was caught by TV cameras, binocs in hand, zeroing in on Rockies catcher Miguel Olivo in the second inning Monday.
Sorry, that’s just a tad too obvious.
Ringolsby, quoting an unnamed source, said the Rockies are actually the second team this season to file a complaint about the Phillies. He said the Mets reportedly filed a similar complaint May 2 after ace Johan Santana was knocked around by the Phils.
And you wondered how Vicente Padilla could get hit around like that.
-- Steve Dilbeck
Photo: Mick Billmeyer. Credit: Eric Gay / Associated Press.
keep beaning philli batter until the binoculars are put away
Posted by: Curtis | 05/12/2010 at 12:53 PM
right, THAT'S why they can't beat the Phils.
someone call the waaaahmbulance!
Posted by: Feezie | 05/12/2010 at 01:56 PM
I thought, how would the pitches be relayed to the hitters? until I read the Fox article that said the bullpen phone was in use when the Phillies were hitting. Is it time to put a wiretap on the bullpen phones...?
Posted by: yadthink | 05/12/2010 at 02:30 PM
Maybe Charlie Manual served an apprenticeship at the Polo Grounds, under Leo Durocher, in 1951, where he studied sign stealing at the foot of the master. Anyway, similar technique.
Posted by: Mike Dudnikov | 05/12/2010 at 03:29 PM
Many a tear has to fall but............ It's all in the game.
Of course you have to put a stop to it. But what happened.., happened.
Posted by: OldBrooklynFan | 05/12/2010 at 03:33 PM
Stealing signs is a part of a competitive game.
Let the Teams change their signs to foil this.
Don't you think the Defense watches the Third-Base Coach for indications of a bunt, steal or squeeze play?
Posted by: Marty | 05/12/2010 at 04:25 PM
The Phillies can use a little raunchy P.R.
Gosh knows, we've had our share. They steal signs and our owners steal tax dollars.
Posted by: Zen | 05/12/2010 at 04:34 PM
Between that and JC Romero's steroid suspension following series with Dodgers I wonder what else they did?
Posted by: Hollywood Dodger Mark | 05/12/2010 at 05:57 PM
binoculors? that's way over the line. MLB is right to stop it. i just wish there were some sort of consequences for it.
Posted by: HI Dodger Fan | 05/12/2010 at 06:16 PM