User:LuK3/Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal

The Houston Astros sign stealing scandal refer to a series of incidents where members of the Houston Astros organization allegedly stole signs of opposing teams against MLB rules. Mike Fiers, a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Astros in 2017, told The Atlantic that the Astros used a video camera in center field to tape signs of opposing teams.

Background
Sign stealing in baseball is not inherently against the rules in baseball. Major League Baseball, along with the Major League Baseball Players Association, stated in February 2019 they were looking to amend the rules to include a ban of technology in sign stealing. Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated said that the ban would include "all non-broadcast outfield cameras from foul pole to foul pole as well as tightening restrictions on in-house video".

Notable incidents of sign stealing include the 1951 New York Giants, where coach Herman Franks used a telescope to relay signals. The Boston Red Sox in 2017 used an Apple Watch to sign steal against the New York Yankees.

2017 Houston Astros season
The Astros finished 1st place in the American League West division. After defeating the Yankees in the 2017 American League Championship Series, they defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. The World Series was their first in their franchise history. The Dodgers organization said that they suspected sign stealing after the World Series. Andrew Friedman, the President of Baseball Operations for the Dodgers stated that "there was just a lot of speculation at the time about it". In The Atlantic article, Fiers stated that a center-field camera feed was sent to the Houston Astros tunnel in Minute Maid Park. An Astros staff member then hit a trash can to signal specific different pitches to the players and coaches in the dugout.

Reactions and aftermath within Major League Baseball
Jeff Luhnow, the General Manager of the Astros, stated that the Astros organization is “going to look into the allegations in cooperation with Major League Baseball.” Washington Nationals pitcher Sean Doolittle said the he "had his guard up" regarding potential sign stealing in the 2019 World Series.

Major League Baseball officials told league representatives in 2019 to specifically listen for banging sounds at Minute Maid Park.