In a move that I doubt surprises anybody, multiple sources are reporting Carlos Beltran is out as Mets manager before ever actually managing a game. The reason, of course, is his central roll in the Astros’ use of cameras, the replay room, and trash cans to steal signs and communicate them to their batters. MLB elected not to discipline players from the 2017 Astros, like Beltrán. However, he’s no longer a player. Two other managers—A.J. Hinch and Alex Cora—had already lost their jobs, so it seemed (to me at least) just a matter of time before this move was made.
Commissioner Manfred was very clear that penalties for use of technology would be significant, so MLB really had to react when it became known what the Astros did…especially since they continued it after Manfred’s warning. There is certainly more to come for the Red Sox’ organization as a two-time offender. An official suspension of Alex Cora of a year would be minimum as well…I expect longer. However, I’d like to posit that the best prevention for this would be for every team being able to have electronic signaling between the dugout/catcher/fielders/pitcher. If there’s no hand signaling, then there’s nothing to steal, right?
Whatever the case, there are now three manager openings in MLB less than a month away from Spring Training. Hey, y’all, pitchers and catchers report in less than four weeks!
Fan Interference 
Lol I was just posting an update to my He Gone post for Beltran.
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Yeah I can here to post this aswell. This is the most lolMets thing ever and I love it.
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I can’t get this to work right on my phone with our shitty wifi. You’ll have to fix the posting. Sorry.
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Haha, no worries, I’m not entirely sure why it was acting the way it was, but it should be cleaned up now. Glad you didn’t mind me playing editor. 🙂
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I feel bad for the Mets here, but only a little. In this case, they’re collateral damage. They aren’t one of the offending teams. However, my sympathy is limited by the fact that the MLB investigation was no secret in November when they hired Beltrán. They knew he was on the ‘17 Astros and thus part of the investigation…they thus gambled that the results wouldn’t embarrass them. Bad bet.
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Correction…The Athletic article in which Mike Fiers outed the Astros’ sign stealing scheme came out on Nov 12. The Mets had hired Beltrán on Nov 1.
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I don’t feel like the Mets can really get on a moral high horse…
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As someone who spent 30 years in the Air Force maintaining airborne electronic communication systems along with electronic monitoring and jamming equipment, trust me when I say this:
If there is a way to communicate electronically between dugout/catcher/fielder/pitcher, then there is also a way to either intercept or interrupt said communication.
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True enough (BTW I was a USAF flight surgeon for 22 years), but that requires more than cell phones, a camcorder, and some trash cans.
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Just picture it though… Team A is all in on technology and has wireless in-ear communication from the dugout to the pitcher and catcher, catcher is also in communication with the pitcher and his fielders… and Team B has managed to somehow procure some sort of wireless signal jamming system…
After the Astros received their smackdown by the Commissioner’s Office, retired pitcher Jared Weaver chimed in with this on Twitter:
“I’m all for stealing signs… I use to love watching coaches trying to pick up patterns from opposing coaches…zooming in on catchers fingers w a camera 👎🏻 get a guy on second and do it the old fashion way!”
He’s got a point… ya can’t jam that.
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Reminds me of a time an EF111 targeted my ambulance for jamming during an exercise. The squelch from the radio was ear splitting. No point, just a memory.
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A pleasant fantasy whic doesn’t go far enough. Poisonally, I love the idea of screwing up the pitcher’s control with an EMP…..
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Bonus: Your EMP also takes out the electronic umpire…
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Considering jamming wireless communications is I believe against several federal laws, it would be very interesting to see the FBI kick down the clubhouse door one day
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