Last Tuesday, the New York Times came out with a bombshell report in which the New York Yankees accused the Boston Red Sox of using an Apple Watch to steal hand signals during an August series at Fenway Park.
To many sports fans outside of New England, this report helps validate what has been a decade long theory: Boston sports teams often cheat their way to the top.
According to the Times, the Yankees, citing video of the incident, “contended the video showing a member of the Red Sox training staff looking at his Apple Watch in the dugout. The trainer then relayed a message to other players in the dugout, who, in turn, would signal teammates on the field about the type of pitch that was about to be thrown.”
Confronted by MLB investigators, the Red Sox admitted “that their trainers had received signals from video replay personnel and then relayed that information to Red Sox players—an operation that had been in place for at least several weeks.”
Back in 2007, in their season opener against the New York Jets, the New England Patriots were caught filming Jets’ defensive coaches signals. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell brought down the hammer on the Patriots: The team forfeited its 2008 first-round draft pick, was fined $250,000 and head coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000, in what was the largest fine issued in NFL history.
In 2015, the Patriots had another infamous run-in with Roger Goodell. In what became known as “Deflategate,” the Patriots were accused of using under-inflated footballs during their 45-7 rout of the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship game. Goodell, just six years removed from handing down the largest fine in league history, went a step further this time. The Patriots were fined $1 million, forfeited their 2016 first-round pick and 2017 fourth-round pick and lost their star quarterback, Tom Brady, to a four-game suspension at the start the 2016 season.
Most Patriots fans complained about what they saw as unfair treatment from Roger Goodell. However, the facts are the facts—they cheated, twice, and deserved all the repercussions that came their way.
In light of these latest allegations, all accusing a Boston sports team of cheating and lack of sportsmanship, including the Red Sox’s own admission of stealing signs, it is time for MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to act.
Manfred, who succeeded Bud Selig as Commissioner in 2015, told reporters, “We will conduct a thorough investigation on both sides.” Nevertheless, Manfred seemed hesitant to place blame on the Red Sox: “Could it happen? You know, is there the authority to do that? I think the answer to that, under the major league constitution, is yes. Has it ever happened with this type of allegation? I think the answer is—I know the answer is no.” Manfred added, “It’s just very hard to know what the actual impact on any particular game was of an alleged violation.”
These lukewarm comments from the MLB Commissioner are deeply troubling. If Rob Manfred whiffs and lets the Red Sox off the hook, other teams will start pulling similar shenanigans, just as they did during the Steroid era. During this time, Bud Selig refused to take the issue of PEDs seriously and it led to epidemic Steroid use.
While it is foolish to say that cheating is the paramount reason for the Patriots and Red Sox’s success over the past decade, it remains a legitimate issue that needs to be dealt with appropriately.
Roger Goodell was right to severely punish those that undermined the integrity of the game. It is now time for Rob Manfred to do the same.
