Here's your sign

If the Toronto Blue Jays are stealing signs, they aren’t doing a very good job of it.

A major controversy broke out last week as one team divulged to ESPN Magazine that the Toronto Blue Jays were stealing signs during home games at Rogers Centre.

That teams were stealing signs is nothing new. Since the inception of baseball, players have tried to give their team an advantage by looking in on the catcher’s signs from second base and relaying what pitch is coming or the location. Most managers—Ozzy Guillen and Terry Francona included—believe it is up to catchers to make sure signs can’t be stolen, by either changing the signs or hiding them better.

What makes the latest allegations different is the team accusing the Jays of stealing signs—rumored to be the Chicago White Sox—is suggesting Toronto was using a ‘man in white’ in the outfield to relay signs. If it did happen, it is an egregious error on behalf of the Jays, cheating on par with steroids or corked bats. But does anybody really believe it happened?

Alex Anthopoulos unequivocally denied the accusations in a press conference he called with the media.

J.P. Arencibia took to Twitter to dispel the rumors.

“I’m hitting .200. You’d think we would dominate. We just have to laugh at it,” tweeted Arencibia.

The Jays’ catcher might have summed it up best. If the Jays are/were using a ‘man in white,’ they sure haven’t used it to their advantage in the standings.

The Jays are more than single-digit games out of the division lead and wildcard in the American League.

I kind of hope someone would start stealing signs. They could relay them to Aaron Hill, Rajai Davis and the afore mentioned Arencibia, who are all hitting dangerously close to the Mendoza line.

Useless fact 101: The Mendoza Line is an expression deriving from the name of shortstop Mario Mendoza, whose lifetime batting average is taken to define the threshold of incompetent hitting. Mendoza’s career batting average over nine seasons was .215 but most often the cutoff point is said to be .200. When a position player’s batting average—Hill’s .227— is close to that level he is said to be hitting dangerously close to the Mendoza line.

Where was I?

If only I had a sign to keep me focused.

Oh right, sign stealing. Anthopolous challenged anyone to find video of the sign stealing taking place—the search for the ‘man in white’ has proved as challenging as finding a sober Charlie Sheen.

Fans used the accusations to poke a little fun, showing up to Rogers Centre in all white with signs that read, “Fastball” and “I’m stealing your signs.”

It got me thinking of all the other things in life it’d be nice to have a sign for such as:

When a girl punches you in Grade 4, it’s because she likes you and you shouldn’t punch her back.

It’s better to work smarter than harder but always have harder ready if things start going south.

Buy extra beer on long weekends because the vendor isn’t open on holiday Monday and there always seems to be a shortage of beer.

If you do something foolish in a foreign country, remember to tell everyone you are an American. If you do something kind, attribute it to your strong upbringing in Canada.

It also got me thinking I should pay very close attention in Fleming this week, as the Jets face off against the Junior Jets for the right to be crowned Southeast Men’s Fastball champions.

What will I be looking for?

A fan dressed in all white relaying signs to the batters to give either team an advantage in the series—not that it will help much. I’ve always marveled at how fastball players hit the ball since it appears the pitcher is almost standing on top of the hitter when he lets go of the ball.

The action was a tad lop-sided through the first-round, picked up tremendously in the second-round, and is sure to be the best fastball yet, in the final. Major bragging rights are on the line in Fleming and both teams are well aware they can count on hearing about this series for a long time if they come out on the wrong end of it.

Couple the two best regular season teams in the final with the fact they are both from the same community and you’ve got the recipe for fireworks. This year’s final should be one for the record books—my prediction, take the old boys in four.

Photo from Globe and Mail.