J'Accuse

[LookinUp]

Yeah. .130+ going into last night, over .140 now.

I'm not much of a conspiracy guy, but it looked pretty clear to me that something was going on for three reasons: (i) as Hammel said, big cuts on breaking pitches; (ii) all four HRs were w/ no one on, on FBs down; and (iii) the fact that the Jays did very little runners on - all 9 hits were w/ the bases empty.

You didn't say it, but what you're pointing out is that teams are more likely to give multiple signs with guys on than they are with nobody on base. It's easier to figure out one sign than it is to figure out multiple signs. Of course, that's really only happening (multiple signs) when a guy's on 2nd base, right?

[The Rick]

I have no problem w/ him voicing his opinion. At all. The splits are, in fact, pretty remarkable. And what I saw last night was pretty remarkable, too.

I don't disagree about the reasons for him having this opinion, but not sure what purpose it serves to voice it to the media. Maybe it just reminds me of why I hate Girardi so much, and that's just baggage, but it's just my opinion that I'd have rather he went through Buck and did this a different way. No biggy though.

[Lucky Jim]

I don't disagree about the reasons for him having this opinion, but not sure what purpose it serves to voice it to the media. Maybe it just reminds me of why I hate Girardi so much, and that's just baggage, but it's just my opinion that I'd have rather he went through Buck and did this a different way. No biggy though.

Frustration, I imagine. And I understand your point. But the good news is that keeping the issue public will likely launch a thousand ships (of analysts) to dig up what they can. If it's de-bunked, I'm happy to apologize and tip my hat to the anomaly of a team that's really two different teams.

[OFFNY]

Well, this is all interesting - but I think we should pump the brakes a bit. Without any further evidence, it comes across as whining and looking for excuses after getting our asses handed to us in Canada. We swept them there earlier in the season, so I'm not sure what's different now vs. then, other than we're not playing very good right now.

I have to say, the splits, and Hammels comments are intriguing, I'm not denying that, but I wouldn't go around assuming that this is definitely occurring. Personally, I'd have rather Hammel keep it to himself and go through the appropriate channels to lodge a complaint. It doesn't look good.

Frustration, I imagine. And I understand your point. But the good news is that keeping the issue public will likely launch a thousand ships (of analysts) to dig up what they can. If it's de-bunked, I'm happy to apologize and tip my hat to the anomaly of a team that's really two different teams.

I think that you guys are both correct.

It comes across as whining and being a sore loser .......... but it also keeps it in the public eye, making it virtually impossible for MLB and the media to ignore.

So I guess if you look at it that way, you can say that Hammel's post-game comments were a necessary evil, and that by making them, he essentially took one for the team by running the risk of looking like a whiner/sore loser.

.

[The Rick]

Frustration, I imagine. And I understand your point. But the good news is that keeping the issue public will likely launch a thousand ships (of analysts) to dig up what they can. If it's de-bunked, I'm happy to apologize and tip my hat to the anomaly of a team that's really two different teams.

Fair enough. It could be interesting to see what some folks can dig up for sure.

[Lucky Jim]

Fair enough. It could be interesting to see what some folks can dig up for sure.

Now, by themselves, the above splits aren't conclusive, so to measure the effect of Rogers Centre more precisely, The Mag consulted with Wyers. He has developed a method that generates park factors by comparing a player's performance in any given park with his performance in all other parks, not just in road games for that player. This reduces statistical noise and offers a better estimate of how a park actually plays in a given season. Wyers found that for every ball that batters made contact with in 2010, Rogers added .011 home runs, up from a rate of just .002 from 2005 to 2009. That puts Rogers Centre in 2010 among the top 3 percent of home run ballparks since 1950.

But only the Blue Jays, and not their opponents, got a home run boost in Toronto. When the Jays were on the road in 2010, they hit home runs in 4 percent of plate appearances in which they made contact, compared with an AL average of 3.6 percent. At Rogers, their home run on contact rate soared to 5.4 percent, which is a home-field advantage seven times the magnitude teams typically enjoy.

Opposing batters, however, actually homered on contact at a below-average rate in Toronto. As a result, the power differential between home and visiting hitters at Rogers in 2010 was the third largest of any park in any season over the past 60 years (see chart).

......

[Capn Vivi]

Hammel's body language told me he knew what was going on last night and there wasn't much he could do about it.

[CrimsonTribe]

How does the baseball code work for players who leave the Jays? If the team were stealing signs, I'd expect ex-Jays to tell their current teams, unless this is against some kind of unwritten rule.

This is my thought too. If the Blue Jays are doing this, and it is certainly feasible that they are, why don't former Blue Jays on new teams say anything?

[The Rick]

......

Wow.

Must spread rep - someone pick the man up for me.

[backwardsk]

This is my thought too. If the Blue Jays are doing this, and it is certainly feasible that they are, why don't former Blue Jays on new teams say anything?

Could be because they don't want to burn bridges in case they need a home at the end of their career. Kind of like Tejada and the O's.

[Lucky Jim]

Could be because they don't want to burn bridges in case they need a home at the end of their career. Kind of like Tejada and the O's.

Or admit that their results were born of cheating?

[OFFNY]

Wow.

Must spread rep - someone pick the man up for me.

I got him for you, Rick.

[El Gordo]

It all seems suspicious to me, but I would think it should be fairly easy to document. In order to do this they have to have some one situated in a place where the batter doesn't have to change is eye level in order to pick up the sign. During the course of a series you should be able to locate the guy and record him on a cell phone video. Then send copies to ESPN and MLB and see what happens.

[SammyBirdland]

After the third jack, maybe you could like...you know...change your signs.

[Skeletor]

I think it's more location than specific pitches. That's easily combatted also.