{"id":1275,"date":"2020-01-14T14:02:10","date_gmt":"2020-01-14T20:02:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kokomoman.com\/wordpress1\/?p=1275"},"modified":"2020-01-14T14:02:10","modified_gmt":"2020-01-14T20:02:10","slug":"a-tradition-of-stealin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kokomoman.com\/wordpress1\/2020\/01\/14\/a-tradition-of-stealin\/","title":{"rendered":"A Tradition of Stealin’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019ve known me for more than a day, you know Baseball is in my blood. In case you don\u2019t know if I get a boo-boo, I bleed Dodger Blue<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few days ago, there was a bunch of hoopla about the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox stealing signs. I say to you, that\u2019s just part of Baseball. Stay with me a few minutes here, and I\u2019ll explain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stealin\u2019 signs is part of the cat-n-mouse of Baseball. Teams and players have been doing it since day one. Abner Doubleday probably figured it would be there when he invented the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STOP THE PRESSES… STOP THE PRESSES!!!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as I was about to publish this op-ed, the news came out that the Houston Astros have been fined $5,000,000 by Major League Baseball… manager and general manager fired. Baseball will never be the same. News at 11… maybe<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.<\/em><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Ole Abner knew that when the catcher wagged his a sign out to the pitcher, the runner(s) on base would try to figure out what that sign was. The runner wanted to signal back to their teammate what kind of pitch was about to be thrown\u2026 a fastball, curveball, screwball\u2026 or even a bean-ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I mean… this is as much a part of baseball as stealing bases and throwing spit-balls. It\u2019s all part of the charm and tradition of the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a step back from stealin\u2019 pitch signs and look at all the other signs you see in a game. Sittin\u2019 in the dugout, the manager performs all those quirky maneuvers to tell the third base coach what he wants the batter or runner to do\u2026 or not do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, the manager touches his nose, then his chin, followed by his ear, and then grabs his crotch three times. That means nothing\u2026 it\u2019s just a decoy\u2026 or maybe he just had an itch. But, if in full view of the television cameras, he does all those maneuvers and then scratches his butt twice, that means the batter is supposed to bunt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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