Astros using cameras to steal signs, a breakdown
What Happened
Jomboy broke down the audio and video evidence behind the Astros' 2019 sign-stealing scheme, focusing on a single at-bat against pitcher Danny Farquhar. Using a center field camera feed and a trash can banged near the dugout, Houston relayed off-speed signs to hitters in real time. The breakdown isolates the banging that follows each change-up sign almost instantly, while fastballs draw silence. Farquhar eventually steps off the mound, realizes his signs are compromised, and tells his catcher to change the sequence, after which he gets the out. The video also revisits AJ Hinch's dismissive earlier comments about the Yankees hearing whistling.
Why This Matters
This breakdown landed in the middle of the biggest cheating scandal baseball had seen in decades. The Athletic's report from Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich, built partly on Mike Fiers going on record, set off MLB's investigation. Jomboy's video gave casual fans the auditory proof: you can hear the bangs and match them to pitch type. The scheme violated MLB rules against using electronic equipment to steal signs in real time, rules tightened after the 2017 Red Sox Apple Watch case. The fallout was massive. In January 2020 Hinch and GM Jeff Luhnow were suspended for a year and then fired, the Astros lost draft picks and paid a $5 million fine, and the 2017 title stayed tainted. No players were punished because they got immunity. The Farquhar clip became Exhibit A.
With 8.1 million views, this sits at #6 of 1,583 Jomboy breakdowns, putting it in the top 0.4% of the entire catalog.
Key Moments
Who / What Is Involved
Players: Danny Farquhar. Teams: Astros.
Key Terms Mentioned
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentso we now have a lot of allegations and
confirmation that the Astros were using
a video camera to cheat and steal
pitches an opposing pitcher Danny farqua
don't know if I said that right he said
there was a banging from The Dugout
almost like a bat hitting the bat rack
every time a Change-Up signal got put
down I found the footage let's watch it
here we go
since used bang that one was very slight
but he takes the change up now Farquhar
looking good let's see fastball no bang
at all
takes it next pitch there's the change
up
bang bang
takes it there was the off speed now
it's like wait what what's going on here
now look
fastball outside so quick two signs
geared up for the fastball fouls it off
next pitch change up
Fang bang that sequence is so upsetting
there's no way that is done without
technology how fast they get the bangs
after the sign goes down watch it again
it's so fast
[Music]
foreign
that's I mean just upsetting now they
try to do sequence
outside fastball
no Bang
tries to foul It Off
and then steps in again
call for the change up
bang bang and farqua steps off and says
can you hear it he's like hey they got
the [ __ ] signs we gotta change this
so he goes on this is super upsetting I
love tip pitching and finding someone's
tell and all that this is happening so
fast that it has to be done with a
camera and it sucks now they come back
he throws an off-speed pitch there was
no Bang there he gets him out this is
shitty for baseball it's shitty for the
Astros and it's shitty for AJ hinge who
had the most pompous quotes looking back
the Yankees said they heard whistling in
The Dugout and hinge said uh it made me
laugh because it's ridiculous had I
known it would take something like that
to set off the Yankees we would have
practiced that in spring training well
you've been practicing it for years and
it's true and you knew it was true and
you sound like a pompous dick now