Given the revelations from the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal — a cheating system that took place out in the open — MLB teams are constantly on high alert to see how an opponent tries to get an edge.
That paranoia was on display Sunday night in New York.
With runners on first and second in the seventh inning of the Yankees-Red Sox game, Boston catcher Christian Vazquez called time to alert home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez to a light or laser that he spotted from around the Yankee Stadium batter’s eye.
The initial concern — and insinuation on the broadcast — was that this could be part of a sign-relaying system. The Yankees were up big in the game, so that’s always going to drive the opponent’s paranoia.
Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez stops play as he says there's a red light flashing out in center field pic.twitter.com/QZXd6eNOcs
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) July 19, 2021
As the umpires tried to figure out what was going on and where the light was coming from, the ESPN broadcast was able to capture flashes of light with its camera. The lights were coming from multiple fans.
One appeared to either have a laser pointer, flashlight or smart watch (or something) shining a light. One light could have been a bad fan with a laser pointer directing it at Vazquez.
— Justin Groc (@jgroc) July 19, 2021
Another light just appeared to be a flash from a phone camera.
ESPN still discussing the light in center field. This time they show a slightly larger light caught on their cameras pic.twitter.com/ellVH9CE3A
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) July 19, 2021
And while it’s impossible to rule out anything from those long-distance camera shots, it’s hard to imagine how any of those lights could be related to sign-stealing tactics in a five-run game.
After all, if Vazquez was able to spot it so easily, it’s not a great system. Not to mention the incredible eyesight these fans would need to have to see the catcher’s signs from 450 feet away. You would need binoculars, which neither person had in those videos.
The game did eventually resume after that strange delay, and the Yankees went on to win, 9-1.
At the very least, though, teams will be on the lookout for lasers when they play at Yankee Stadium. The suspicion has already been planted thanks to Vazquez.
