Chicago Cubs stealing signs? To Maddon, that's ridiculous
LOS ANGELES - Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon laughed off the idea that his players were stealing signs on the field against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The charge was made by Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal.
"We're not into the algebra 3 and trig stage yet when it comes to that," Maddon said Tuesday before Game 3 of the National League championship series at Dodger Stadium. "We're pretty much still in new math.
"I don't think our guys are capable of stealing signs like that. I really appreciate the compliment. I think we all do. Actually, the seed of doubt is one of the most significant twists you could incorporate against your opposition. However, I hate to (give) full disclosure: We're not really good at this stuff."
Of course, sign stealing is one of the oldest arts in baseball. Teams that are good at it might have their runner on second base look in at the catcher and relay the sign to the batter. Bench coaches may pick up tendencies, and teams have used such nefarious methods as having someone with binoculars in center field.
"There are teams that are really good at it, and you know the guys who are really good at it," Maddon said. "But they're pointing the fingers in the wrong direction with us.
"We have a couple guys who are good at other things. The other point that you have to be aware of is if you're going to relay it, the guy at second base has to be 100 percent certain because you can get somebody hurt at the plate.
"So you have to have a guy that's been around a bit that's really comfortable with that and has done it before successfully on different levels. But otherwise, I wish we were good at it, but we're not."
On the other hand:
Joe Maddon might have been planting a seed with umpires for Game 4. When it was suggested that Dodgers Game 4 pitcher, Julio Urias, comes close to balking on his pickoff move, Maddon replied: "Close?"
Then Maddon got serious.
"When you get to see it on TV, it's pretty obvious; it's not even close," he said. "It's a very basic tenet regarding what is and what is not a balk. Give him credit, man, for going through with it. That's part of the game.
"I think from an umpire's perspective, there are certain umpires that are in tune to that, some that are not. There are other balks that I always get annoyed with that aren't called.
"So I'm certain that the umpiring crew has been made aware of it. That's 101. That's not an interpretation. That's Balking 101 for me. So we'll see. We'll see how it all plays out."
Praise for Zobrist:
One of Joe Maddon's lineup tweaks for Game 3 was to flip-flop Ben Zobrist and Anthony Rizzo, moving Zobrist up to the No. 3 spot and dropping Rizzo to cleanup.
Maddon was asked by the national media about Zobrist's versatility, especially playing defense all around the diamond.
"He's a switch hitter and he's one of the best teammates you've ever had in your life," Maddon said. "He really is. So moving forward, when you get a guy like that who's talented, that can hit from both sides of the plate, you try to find a spot for somebody like that."