I feel like I should weigh in on Phillies manager Charlie Manuel’s shot at the Mets:
As for Charlie – this is the classic overreaction guilt denial deflection. Â If I yell at my son he tells me all the horrible things his sister did. Â Â What, us cheat? What about the Mets record?
I’d suggest Charlie say “no we didn’t do it” but I actually respect the back end of his quote which I completely agree with.”
If you’re dumb enough to let us get them, then that’s your fault. That’s been in the game for a long time.
Yep. Â And spitballs and corked bats and greenies and steroids. Â We’re going to freak out about a guy with binoculars? Â Please.
Tell ya what, I’m going to have Santana meet you in the school yard. Â He will tell you what pitch is coming. Â You hit it.
Well that’s true, but binoculars crosses the line. And sets a dangerous precedent. Why not embed microphones in the walls of the visiting dugout? in their bullpen? Cameras in their training room to know where guys are hurting? put a microphone on the mound so you can hear pitcher-catcher conversations.
Santana is not my peer. But if we go to the park and you tell me what and where YOU are going to throw it, I am going to hit it, yes.
@ceetar i sense a challenge. Me, you, media goon and his video camera – one pitch in the parking lot. hahaha.
On the Shea bases!
Can I use a maple bat?
@ceetar this is so goofy we should actually do it. Except I’m likely to bounce it three times. However, fun is fun.
i hear ya, shannon. but here’s the difference. the outlining of using any kind of technology to steal signs is actually MORE implicit than the ban on steroids in the rule book. finding ways to pick up signs is a part of baseball. but using your brain, tendancies and some solid guess work. NOT using binoculars.
and to drag the mets in doesn’t just imply the phils guilt, but flat out shows their lack of class as an organization. if one bitter team accused you of cheating…fine. but THREE! one of which caught you looking at signs. it’s just weak.
also, on the johan point. i’ve played baseball for 20 years, and still do. i still play against college-level competition. i could not hit johan santana. however, i’m not getting signed anytime soon. guys who had out of this world, god given ability DO benefit from knowing what’s coming, especially against a fastball/change up pitcher, where velocity is the main difference between getting fooled and hitting a bomb. or…spitting on a pitch because you know it’s a change and if it starts at the knees it’s going to break low.
I’m usually a Rock n’ Roll guy, but the article title brought to mind this video (must have remembered it from TV a few weeks ago) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmqIsnIp5uc