New York Mets manager Carlos Beltran responded to reports (Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of The Athletic) of the 2017 Houston Astros partaking in illegal sign-stealing via advanced video technology on Tuesday afternoon, as per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers and multiple anonymous team sources gave detailed accounts to The Athletic of the 2017 Astros using center field video equipment to capture visiting catchers’ signs, then relaying that information to the hitter at the plate through a variety of methods (banging a garbage can, for example).
Beltran — a member of that World Series-winning Astros team (his final year in the majors) and a player often noted for his affinity for deciphering pitchers’ tendencies through conventional, legal means — denied stealing signs by illegal means to the Post.
“I’m not aware of that [center field] camera […] We took a lot of pride studying pitchers on the computer,” Beltran said. “The game of baseball for years, guys have given location and if the catchers get lazy and the pitcher doesn’t cover the signs from second base [then] of course players are going to take advantage.”
We will keep you updated with any additional information as it breaks.
