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Most Managers Simply Brush Off Stolen Signs
Pat Borzi | May 16, 2010

TV footage shows Philadelphia coach Mick Billmeyer with his binoculars. TV footage shows Philadelphia coach Mick Billmeyer with his binoculars.
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Milwaukee. Except for a brief look at ESPN’s coverage, Willie Randolph, the Milwaukee Brewers’ bench coach and a former New York Mets manager, said he knew little about the latest sign-stealing controversy involving the Philadelphia Phillies.

When the situation was explained to him — Rockies manager Jim Tracy accused Phillies bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer of using binoculars to try to steal catcher Miguel Olivo’s signs earlier this week — Randolph did not seem surprised.

“Interesting,” he said.

The 2007 Mets, managed by Randolph, were the first club to accuse the Phillies of using extraordinary means to steal signs, alleging a center-field camera was used. Randolph said Bob Watson, Major League Baseball’s vice president for on-field operations, investigated but found no evidence of wrongdoing.

“It’s hard to know for sure, but I wouldn’t put it past anyone, the way some ballparks are situated,” Randolph said.

The Phillies began a three-game series with the Brewers on Friday, but neither Randolph nor Brewers manager Ken Macha planned to address the issue with the players or do anything extraordinary to keep their signs from being stolen.

Macha, in fact, said he found the controversy amusing.

“I was a bullpen coach for five years,” Macha said. “I don’t think the bullpen coach was stealing the signs. Colorado, that’s 500 feet out there.” Asked what else Billmeyer might have been watching, Macha said, “That’s a personal question.”

TV cameras caught Billmeyer looking through binoculars in the direction of home plate in both halves of the second inning last week, which angered Tracy. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said Billmeyer was observing Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz. Major League Baseball gave the club a warning.

Randolph, without specifically addressing the Colorado incident, said any sign-stealing using electronic equipment or telescopic devices crossed a line.

Macha, who coached and managed for the Oakland A’s, makes no distinction among sign-stealing methods. Macha said Oakland had spotted Randy Velarde, a former Athletics player, stealing signs at first base and relaying them to Alex Rodriguez at the plate when both played for Texas.

“We caught that on tape,” he said. “But it was shame on us, because we allowed them to get our signs.

“My feeling is, if they’re stealing your signs, it’s almost your fault. You should have a complicated enough set of signs, and change them out so they’re not getting it. If you don’t disguise the signs, it’s like putting free candy on your dinner table for your kids. What do you think will happen?”


The New York Times