Is Joe Mauer a thief?
Was Joe Mauer stealing the Tigers' pitch-selection signs Tuesday? The Twins say absolutely not, but a 4-minute, 22-second amateur YouTube video makes a convincing argument that Mauer is guilty.
The clip, titled "Joe Mauer Stealing Signs (Not Cheating)," shows Mauer clearly fidgeting while standing on second base during Jason Kubel's at-bat in the sixth inning of Tuesday night's game at Comerica Park.
Twice in the at-bat, Mauer touches his right ear flap just before Justin Verlander delivers an off-speed pitch. Before Verlander's first fastball to Kubel, Mauer touches his face. In explanatory commentary, the YouTube user -- apparently some Twins apologist from Maple Grove, Minn., who goes by rolemodel2008 -- also makes the case the Tigers were on to Mauer, as catcher Gerald Laird calls time on multiple occasions to reset signs.
As for the Twins, some whom watched and chuckled over the clip in the clubhouse before Thursday's game, they were in full denial mode. Mauer even referred to his suspicious actions as "just a habit of mine."
Really? A habit? Conveniently immediately after the catcher puts down the fingers? You bet, the Twins insist.
"It's pretty funny. ... I've hit behind Joe for five years and I've never gotten a sign from him yet," injured first baseman Justin Morneau told ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. "I'm still waiting."
Added Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, also to ESPN.com: "If you're stealing signs and you're using your hands on your helmet, I guarantee you, somebody would get killed. That's not the way you steal signs."
In other words, if you're going to do it, be less obvious.
As for Kubel's at-bat, it lasted seven pitches and resulted in a sacrifice fly to pull the Twins to within three runs. But the Tigers still went on to win, 6-5, to get their Central lead back to two games (where it remains today).
So, was he stealing? I say yes -- not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you, if done inconspicuously as demanded by the unwritten rules of baseball Gardenhire alluded to -- but you be the judge, Tiger Talkers.
