Stealing Bases, Good       
Stealing Signs, Foul       

   We Americans know how to cheat and steal. It happens in arenas of education, business, medicine, law, politics, hunting & fishing, banking, marriage ... most anywhere people function.

   For decades people have escaped responsibilities and daily bad news by enjoying our great pastime. Something wholesome and true.

   Or not.

   Baseball is unique in that pitchers try to fool batters, who in turn have only a second or so to guess what pitch is coming. If the hitter knows ahead of time, look out! 

   The catcher, who has to know what's coming, gives signs to the pitcher. But other eyes may be watching.

   The 2017 Astros used a video feed from a centerfield camera to see and decode signs. Players in the dugout banged on a trash can with a code for the batters. A former player snitched. 

   Three field managers and a general manager have been fired. One Astros' coach became Red Sox manager in 2018. The Dodgers lost to both teams in the World Series. Hmmm.

   In 1951, the old Dodgers were headed to the National League pennant when the Giants used a sign-stealing scheme in mid-season to greatly improve their record, and beat the Dodgers in the last game of the season. 

Say it ain't so, Joe 
   In 1919 the White Sox and Joe Jackson were accused of taking money from a gambling syndicate to lose the World Series. More recently was a "steroids era." Seven were arrested in a cocaine scandal, including the Pirates' mascot and the Phillies' caterer. 

   Major League Baseball keeps statistics like Knox keeps gold. But we wonder how authentic some of those stats may be at Hall of Fame time.

   And we wonder, considering the millions many players make, why they risk cheating. Oh, right. They want to win, like the rest of us.

       Jimmy