New York Yankees and MLB Finally Break Silence on 2017 ‘Sign-Stealing’ Controversy

2017 was a turbulent time for MLB. Sign-stealing was supposedly rampant in the league and was a matter of discussion for many teams. Among them are the New York Yankees. Those doubts, however, found some clarity on Tuesday. The league issued a letter to the pinstripes in 2017 investigating this very aspect. That letter was made public on Tuesday. Both MLB and the Yankees reacted, issuing separate press statements regarding the letter.

They address the letter to Yankees General Manager and Senior Vice President Brian Cashman and deal with the Red Sox’s allegations over that season. It appears, however, as though the Yankees are out of the woods. While the letter acknowledges a fine paid by the Yankees, it also clarifies what the fine was for. According to the letter, the Yankees used the video replay room to gain an advantage during games. However, the investigation cleared the Yankees of using any YES Network cameras to steal signs, as was alleged by the Red Sox.

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Statements issued by MLB and the New York Yankees

MLB was clear in their press release. “As previously made public in 2017, the New York Yankees were fined for improper use of the dugout phone because the replay review regulations prohibited the use of the replay phone to transmit any information other than whether to change a play,” they wrote.

Adding, “The Yankees did not violate MLB’s rules at the time governing sign stealing.”

The New York Yankees also did an independent press release addressing the letter. Said the Yankees, “As the facts of the letter again show, the Yankees were not penalized for sign stealing but were penalized for improper use of the telephone in the replay room (which was only to be used for discussions regarding replay review challenges).” 

Moreover, the Yankees have also said that sign stealing was a ‘competitive tool’ in 2017; and commonplace across several teams in the league. That is until the Commissioner issued a league-wide directive on September 15th, 2017.

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Nature of the fine on the Yankees

MLB reportedly imposed a $100,000 fine on the New York Yankees for their improper conduct across the 2015 and 2016 seasons. The letter vindicates the New York Yankees from any sign-stealing in 2017 and sets out more clearly the effects of the investigation. The imposed fine was for the Yankees’ actions in the years preceding the investigation.

Dated September 14, 2017, it is also important that letter comes before the league-wide directive issued by Commissioner Manfred regarding sign-stealing and more severe punishments in 2017.
According to the letter, the investigation had yielded some details about the process. The Yankees had used their video room to decode sign sequences and to pass them to a runner on 2nd base. This runner passed on the information to the batter and may have thus given them an unfair advantage.

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But what do you think? Do you think the letter vindicates the New York Yankees? Or do you still believe some details need to be combed through with a finer sieve?