Boston Red Sox Apple Watch Cheating Scandal: What Will The Punishment Be?
For decades since its inception, spying on another team has been part of baseball but the Boston Red Sox took this one step further. The team has been caught stealing signs by their division rival, the New York Yankees and has openly admitted to doing so.
According to the New York Times, investigators for Major League Baseball have determined that the Red Sox carried out a scheme to illegally steal hand signals from opponents' catchers in games. The team is currently in first place in the American League East and very likely headed to the playoffs.
The inquiry began after the Yankees' general manager, Brian Cashman, filed an extensive complaint with the commissioner's office. Included in the complaint was a video the Yankees shot of the Red Sox dugout during a three-game series last month in Boston.
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In the video, a member of the Red Sox training staff was shown looking at his Apple Watch in the dugout. The trainer would then relay this to other players in the dugout who in turn would signal this to their teammates on the field what was about to be thrown.
The Yankees have long harbored suspicion that their rivals were stealing catcher's signs in Fenway Park. Baseball investigators confirmed the Yankees' claims using the video for instant replay and broadcasts used by the commissioner's office.
The Red Sox's manager, John Farrell, admitted to the accusations. Farrell said he was aware that the players were trying to steal signs but insisted that he did not know they were using electronics.
It is currently unclear what penalty Commissioner Rob Manfred will issue against the Red Sox if there is any. However, he did confirm that the team will not lose any wins over these offenses.
There is also no confirmation whether he will order a more expansive investigation to find out the real extent of the team's sign-stealing scheme. However, Manfred did say that they will conduct a thorough investigation on both sides.
The Boston Red Sox have also recently filed a complaint against the Yankees on Tuesday. The complaint alleges that the team uses a camera from its YES television network exclusively to steal signs during games, a claim that the Yankees denies.
