Dodgers: Fernando Tatis Jr Might Have Been Stealing Signs Against Trevor Bauer
Fernando Tatis Jr has suddenly remembered how to crush the ball against the Dodgers this weekend. Over the last 2 games, the superstar shortstop has crushed 4 homeruns and made Los Angeles pitchers look absolutely baffled.
But there might be a little more to it than that. But don’t get too hyped up, this isn’t some sign-stealing scandal that mirrors the cheating Astros. However, Tatis Jr might have just broken one of the unwritten rules of baseball against the Dodgers.
Former MLB pitcher Dallas Braden caught on to something happening in the game against the Dodgers and Padres. Watch as he breaks down San Diego superstar Fernando Tatis Jr taking a peek back at the signs dealt by catcher Will Smith.
Is Tatis Jr. gettin’ free peeks? I understand that it could sound like sour grapes after El Niño rolls into town & unleashes a storm of homers..
Is it fair to ask whether or not he might be helping himself out? Sure. This is why C’s set up as late as possible & guard signs. ? pic.twitter.com/8CH6UBrt5l
— Dallas Braden (@DALLASBRADEN209) April 25, 2021
Again, there is no indication of any sort of cheating in this clip. Tatis is doing something that is completely allowed and that the Dodgers will have to protect against. Still, it does go to show how he was able to take a pitch so far out of the zone over the wall.
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My guess is that it is probably not going to go over well with Dodgers fans either. Tatis takes a brief glimpse down in the clip to see where the pitch is going to be thrown, not necessarily what sort of pitch will be coming to him.
Don’t let this take away from what the Astros did though. They’re still garbage.
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Sign stealing is entirely on Smith and the team to mitigate against. What struck me was the Padres haven’t figured out how the Dodgers respond to taunts. The Padres had their foot on the Dodgers’ neck until Tatis felt compelled to taunt. I hope one of them taunts again today.
I have no problem with what Tatis did. That kind of sign stealing has been part of the game since forever and has nothing in comparison to what the Astros did to steal a World Series. It’s up to the Dodgers to better hide their signs or provide better security when giving their signs. If a batter can simply look down and see what to catcher is calling for, well, shame on the catcher. He should have been more careful.
If what Tatis is doing is legal, then why are you implying cheating? If the batter is not allowed to move his head down or back after getting set, then any of the other Umps should stop the play when they see such movement by the batter, as they would with the pitcher to call a balk. Automatic strike or out as a penalty.
Look up the phrase “unwritten rule.”
Bro it’s not cheating, it’s completely legal. It’s the Dodgers’ fault, not Tatis’
I’m sure our boys in blue will do something to counter act.
The pitcher/catcher relationship, have many options to thwart this kind of stuff. Just think about it.
That is all on Will Smith for not watching Tatis head while flashing signs to Bauer. Lesson learned. Tatis try it again and he will get a fastball at his chin.
And that’s what Tatis deserves, a fast ball to the chin. It’s time for the Dodgers to knock him down a couple times. They don’t have to be mad, but just get even.
Tatis got the last laugh going yard again and Padres took the series.
The Dodgers rarely do it, but he should go down in first AB tonite. In any case Dodgers catchers got to clean things up behind the plate on a number of levels.
As soon as Smith or Sticky Fingers Bauer realized that Tatis peaked over to see the sign,they should have immediately called time out to reset the sign.I’m not a Giant fan,but Posey is always staring at the batter to see if they’re taking a peak to steal the signs.Lesson learned…Stealing signs this way is not illegal,but pitchers using sticky substance to enhance their average career is!
Decoding signs is a respected skill in the the big leagues and should remain so.
I’m in favor of hitting batters that both cheat and taunt. Stealing signs may be part of baseball when the batter is doing it on his own, and the catcher isn’t looking at the batters head when giving signs. But so is plunking the batter, or at least going high and tight. I’d rather give up one base than four, and deliver a message, not just to Tatis but anyone who wants to steal signs. If, and when, the umpire issues a warning, that could result in ejection for either teams pitcher, continue to pitch high and tight, without actually hitting the batter, or hit a different batter.
Throwing at players is stupid. Instead of turning it into a brawl the catcher should just improve his technique.
Tatis needs a Drysdale or a Gibson to put this punk on his ass. He’ll stop looking!
That is all on Will and the Dodgers staff for not picking up that and not only Tatis was doing it. Watched the replay again and I see other guys doing some weird shenanigans all game long. Will also got to get off the one knee down on the ground technique. Too slow to block breaking balls in the dirt especially w/ runners on base. It also prevents the pitcher from throwing breaking balls down—- no trust factor. The pitchers also have to improve on controlling the run game. Give the catchers a chance___ Padres are running wild on them___ singles turn into automatic doubles. This is advertised to the whole league that you can run on the Dodgers!
For starters taking Kershaw yard twice the day before. Then sneaking peaks against the number 2 starter has just earned him a free pass. A painful one at that. Knowing location changes your approach to go with the pitch instead of turning on it. Either way Bauer should have caught it. And should have flipped him then. Would have owned him on the outside corner. But give credit too. Not too much. He still has to put good wood on it. Tatis haven’t you ever heard the saying. Never look back. It only brings pain of yesterday?
Time for a beaning
Tatis et al. don’t have to steal signs when the pitcher becomes too predictable. Tatis 1st homer was on a hanger gopher pitch. Tatis 2nd homer was on a pitch off the plate, but he was ready for it since that is where they were pitching him. the main problem with the pitch was it was belt high — good-bye. it needed to be at or below the knees.
Any time the Dodgers lose they accuse the other team of cheating. They are the biggest bunch of sore losers in the entire world. The Dodgers have yet to explain how the Astros were able to “cheat” in Dodger Stadium. The Astros beat the Dodgers 2 out of 4 in Dodger Stadium to win the WS. If you can’t even win in your own stadium, you don’t deserve to be called Champion. Read the facts about the Astros. By the time the Playoffs were going on, the players had abandoned the system because it was ineffective. By the way, the Dodgers cheat as much as any other team in team in baseball. Their own employee has been proven to enable Dodger pitchers to cheat by illegally doctoring the ball. So quit the griping about cheaters, and focus on the fact that the Dodgers did finally not choke in 2020.