The Houston Astros have been embroiled in scandal amid accusations that the club instituted a technology-aided system to steal signs from opponents beginning with the 2017 season.
In the month since those initial comments from former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers and three anonymous Astros sources were published in The Athletic, MLB fans have taken a deep dive into game video to expose a relay system that involved a banging noise to signify off-speed pitches. Even the Astros’ World Series documentary revealed the likely sign-stealing setup just off from the dugout.
No part of the operation was subtle, but former MLB legend Pete Rose still isn’t buying that the Astros were cheating. According to Rose — who, at 78, is still banned for life by MLB for gambling on baseball — the Astros couldn’t have had the time to properly relay pitches to the batter.
Here is Pete Rose on the #Astros scandal. "I batted 15 thousand times in the big leagues, and I can't imagine…. When a pitcher gets a sign and throws a pitch to me, how someone had time to tell me what the pitch was." pic.twitter.com/gbgSCBt17c
— David Nuño (@DavidNunoABC13) December 6, 2019
In addition to throwing in a creepy catcalling whistle to make an argument against the Astros’ whistling, Rose’s Astros defense came off as someone entirely unaware of the scandal’s details.
Rose said:
“I can’t imagine when a pitcher gets a sign and throws a pitch to me, how someone had time to tell me what the pitch was.”
Well, Pete, this was how:
Astros using cameras to steal signs, a breakdown pic.twitter.com/rncm6qzXxw
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) November 12, 2019
Even the game’s quickest working pitchers need around 15 seconds between pitches — guys like Wade Miley or Steven Matz. The Astros allegedly had a live feed of the game on a monitor just off from the dugout. There was more than enough time for a team employee to recognize the pitch signal and to bang an object against a trashcan before the delivery even started.
Like, we can hear and see it, Pete. It’s all on video.
The Astros will need to mount a defense with MLB, sure, but their chances won’t look great if they take after Rose’s argument here.
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