Pitiful coach cries to media after loss - LLWS regional New England 

Stealing signs is a part of baseball, as long as it’s not electronically. It’s been around as long as the game has. What’s the big deal?

How hard would it be for the Asst coach to workout a system with the catcher a week before the first game???? When a runner gets on 2nd - I touch my mask it’s the 1st sign - I touch my chest it’s the 2nd sign - I touch my shin guard it’s the 3rd sign. Gotta give more than 1 sign it’s not cheating if runner can figure out 1 sign.

@@davidbarry1130 The big deal is that it is against Little League rules and the coaches knew it. If they were doing it and were caught, then they get the punishment that the rule book specifies. It's not hard to understand. This isn't the Major Leagues so don't try to use the same standards or rule to judge.

@@Swordsfor200Alex How hard would it be for the coaches to simply follow the rules and tell their players to do the same? it certainly is cheating when someone knowingly breaks the rules (and don't try to tell me that coaches don't know when their players are doing it). If the rules say "Don't steal signs", then don't steal signs. With that rule in place, it shouldn't be necessary for the other coach to work out a system with the catcher. I have no idea if they were really stealing signs in that video, by the way. Just making a general statement.

@@patrickmorgan4006 You are absolutely correct. However, the point of the video was how the losing coach maligned the team that won publicly in the media. What's worse? Kid's relaying signs (if they did they likely didn't know it was against Little League rules. I umpire LL and run into this issue quite a bit and players don't usually know. And coaches don't know their players are doing it, typically.) Was it okay for that coach to go to the media and make those comments?

Well using buzzers and cameras is a huge difference then little leagues kids clapping and giving signs

Mi Ri fax!

cazzie Ψ relax bud. do you have any sort of sense of humor?

cazzie Ψ Yea bruh u need to take a chill pill bc it was a joke 😂

I know the pitcher on New Hampshire Lafond he lives in my neighborhood

Agreed. I coached for over thirty years. We always preached that we weren't here to make baseball players. Any coach who claims he is, is lying to himself and his ego. If we were there to make baseball players all coaches fail. We felt our number one priority was to teach honesty and ethics they can take with them through their lives. We told them we preferred honest people to smart people. We told kids prisons are filled with smart people, but aren't filled with honesr people, although there may be a few honest people in jail. So, the best trait to be known by is to be honest and ethical. I still hear from kids who talk about the fun and lessons they learned as children on the teams I coached.

It's funny how your talking about all sports when there just baseball. And prison, people like you are the prudes. You must be a Karen because your pushing something that wasn't needed. Most people who run the world never played sports. But way to give bad advice, sports don't only make a good person. All kids learn these skills already from the gym.

@@Mark-pe2sh So if you coached honesty and ethical awarnessl I'm sure you didn't vote for TRE45ON in 16 or 20. The example of a Bully with "my way or the highway" type diplomacy who lied about losing and may have been the worst sore loser in U S history is definitely not what I would call a positive role model or someone I'd want any kid admiring and trying to imitate or look up too!

@@Mark-pe2sh bs steal sign to. as a fencer and master I listen to the other coach and relay it to the fencer - all good. its not cheating

@@calsportsclub it may not be cheating in fencing, but it’s not very sporting.

It's part of the Asterisk's repitoire of winning championships.

TruthfulImmigrant nah stealing signs by using a camera in the outfield is a HUGE difference than being a smart player or coach that figures out through the game what the signs are. That’s why people are even more pissed yes sign stealing is a part of the game but you don’t using a fucking camera to do it

Whether it's learning signals or audibles u get taught that from the first time u start playing sports...and yes using a camera is taking g it to another level...lol

@George Ybarra u must've played any sports.

It is against little league rules though so it is cheating on little league the team should be ashamed that they had to cheat to win. That player should have been ejected as the rules state as a warning was already given.

As a little league coach myself I'd always watch the 3rd base coach of the other team, and if their signs were overly simple and repetitive I'd use it to my advantage, it helps knowing a bunt or steal is coming, but honestly I can't think of one time it was ever game changing.

2A Forever Exactly. I used to call a pitchout if I ever thought a third base coach was giving a steal sign. That’s just baseball.

If you're good enough, you don't need to look at the third base coach for any signs. I was a little league catcher back in the day, and the only time I had to pay attention was when the pitcher was pitching and if someone was stealing a base. I hardly had anyone steal on me and when they tried, I got them out. Also, if you have teammates also paying attention, they can help by yelling "stealer" (if the batter is blocking 3rd or 1st base or if the pitcher is blocking the runner at 2nd). I personally think these "stealing sign" practices are ridiculous and merely means you're not as good as you think you are if you have to resort to it.

We had a coach in our Pony league that when on defense would yell stuff to the second baseman that was only meant to distract the runner at 2nd and to have him shorten their lead off. Not really sure if it's against the Pony rules, but the umpire told him to stop it and it shamed the guy some.

If you know how to give signs, nobody should be able to figure them out except he who knows the key. If you understand what I just said you know I am right.

Outside corner, little league strike zone

Welcome to LL.. and you would not want to get tossed here by getting livid... an EJ in little league comes with a mandatory 1 game suspension on top of it. So you'd lose the rest of this game and all of the next. You also have to be wary of the camera angles.. that pitch may not be a far outside as it looks... you're way over to the right more than you'd be on an MLB equivalent camera. So some of those outside pitches... are not as far outside as they appear on TV...

@@ronpeacock9939 based on the catcher's glove position and tracking the ball it was outside. Having stated this, it's little league baseball and bigger strike zone is good for the game. Baseball is a hitter's game, swing the bat.

@@Mark-pe2sh Believe me, I know... I did so much little league games as an umpire for about 12 years including numerous state championships and 1 regional. I was complimented often for my strikezone at the lower levels for it being big enough for the pitchers to hit it.. but small enough the batters could still hit it. (though I never did a state championship at those lower levels. All are for softball and baseball on large diamond..)

A foot outside.... minimum 😂

Because he’s obese?

If you can figure it out without technology you should be able to know them

I agree this rule will serve to hurt pitchers and catchers in the future. After little league there is no rule so these kids need to learn now how to protect their signs with a runner at second. Protecting against a camera and trash can that’s a whole different issue.

If a parent off the field or coach is involved I would not approve but if a 10-12 year old can figure it out and communicate to his teammates great for them. A few years ago a MLB color analyst realized that the other team’s starter was telegraphing a particular pitch, I think everyone in the stadium knew it, does this silly rule cover players sharing this type of info?

I think it's a rule for player safety. Mixing up signs can be very dangerous and you don't want to see a catcher who's only recently learned how to catch breaking balls get a fastball unexpectedly

They will be taught.how to. By the time these kids are on college they won't even use hand signals. If they told me they were stealing sign I would of beaned them. It's called Karma. It's a rule. No wonder most kids cry like babies during games. Because there coach is a baby.

My catcher and I in high school had a ridiculous system that required so much math it hurt your brain 😂 never had signs stolen of me while I was pitching, I will say when I picked up on a teams signs while on second base we had subtle tip offs to each other and never made it noticeable. Not our fault we were smart enough to figure it out.

You should've continued your education.

You learned to change the signs because the other teams (and it sounds like your team as well) were cheating. That isn't legal in LL or the LLWS. The coach in question might well be a bad loser because the opponents were cheating. It is hard to accept losing to cheaters (does 2020 bring anything to mind?). It would appear that your coach (and many others) were cheaters as well. I guess that is something to be proud of these days. I see no honor in it and a good portion of the country is recognizing the results of that mentality. FJB

Exactly! It's always been perfectly fine if players use their eyes or their ears to "steal" signs from the other team. It's the other team's responsibility to safeguard their signs. But it's another thing entirely to go beyond that and install cameras, or mirrors, or electronic listening devices to steal signs.

@Eetzjuss Toogood That's nonsense.

Highly illegal in LL

dj manning not where I play. I don’t relay them but when I’m in seconds I look at the signs and if it’s off speed I get a bigger secondary cause more likely it will be lower in the zone or maybe in the dirt where the catcher can’t handle itv

@@DM-sc9rg Only because they made it a rule in 2019.

I think at this level of the game, development of skills and the special relationships are more important than the score.

Its part of the game. But part of the game is also disguising your stealing of signs. Dont be a dumbass

who? XD

Did their stealing your sign give them an advantage? Probably not, it being the Mets😉

I wish my LL team had advanced to the point where I could call signs. Our pitchers just threw whatever.

Patrick Peters that can be dangerous

These are Little League kids. The concept of stealing signs should never have been presented to them and should have been rejected immediately because it is cheating.

@@jeanpreston4142 its not cheating. thats why catchers rotate signs and throw down multiple signs

...and allowing them to play without cheating (so the coach can brag about how he won).

Which tells me it was probably decided on the spot by the kid and not a coached system. If a coach would have set it up it would have been hands on knees for a breaking ball, hands at sides for a fastball or something less obvious.

@@davidmayberry3190 I agree....both coaches pretty much suck it seems....

@@MaynardGKrebs-gv4vy my comment had nothing to do with implying the coaches "suck", in fact you have to be a pretty good coach to make it that far. My point was simply that the kids decided to steal and relay signs on their own because if a coach told them or coached them on how to do it it wouldn't have been obvious, but not coaching kids to steal signs doesn't make you a bad coach.

0:35 but according to the rule it is cheating

Connor Starnes I know I’m just saying I don’t think it should be considered cheating

I 100% agree. It is pitiful that Little League is doing this.

Is a corresponding 65mph fastball from an early bloomer 5'10" 12-yr old intentionally thrown at your kid from 46' away equally fair game if he was observed picking signs? What if him honestly wiping the sweat out of his eyes just after a catcher puts the signs down results in him getting dotted by said fb?

Corey Duberstein no 12 twelve year old is gonna be throwing at the batter if they know the signs from the runner on second. People don’t get mad in the MLB if they’re naturally stealing signs like this

It’s little league. Strike zones are very inconsistent and the Umps are volunteers.

Little league strike zones are huge so they are forced to swing the bat if not it would be nonstop walks

Yes he did call that a strike. Five inches off the plate outside....Strike!

you gotta give kids these ages 3 inches or so off the plate on either side, even in the LLWS.

@@newlifebb4ldwrs no you don't. that is why there is a plate.

With the glare can't tell where it was when it crossed the plate. Catcher caught it 5 inches outside but with a lefty pitcher throwing 3/4 could have crossed the plate close enough to call a strike.

Definitely not a strike. And No, you don’t expand the plate. For an ump being such a stickler for the rules to call a team for stealing signs.....perhaps the ump should be a stickler for the rules of balls and strikes.

The description of your odyssey through time and baseball is entertaining. The problem is that the issue here is the rules that pertain to the LLWS. Those people "whining about cheaters" are correct. Maybe you are only remembering your days of playing in your backyard - "obviously" - not your days, if ever, involved in a LLWS event or you would know that stealing signs is illegal. You might want to review your knowledge of "the game" before you show your ignorance again (or shut up). "You aren't learning anything when you are talking"- I don't remember where I heard that quote but I try to keep it in mind.

are you talking about the new hampshire team or rhode island?

It's little league if he didn't they would be there forever

@@Jboy19916 Normally, you're correct; probably where he learned his large zone. But these are the very best 12-year old all-stars pitching only 46'. They can throw strikes all day long. But hey, as long as the umpire is consistent with the big zone, it's fair to both sides.

You make a good point. When our catcher was 12 I talked with him about runners on second stealing signs and how to stop that. He told me he was already doing that for over a year. So a catcher who is attuned to the game figured this out all on himself when he was 11 years old and knew how to communicate with a picture about multiple signs. Without ever being taught. Obviously this may be a special case with a special catcher, but I don't personally think that it's that complicated. And at this age even a cross-up pitch is not that serious since they're not throwing very hard to begin with. All that, and I still think that the catcher safety is obviously very important. And I had not thought about it in that perspective until your comment, so maybe the rule in Little League isn't a bad idea.

@@MJHBaseball For the young kids it's less of an issue. When you have a 30 year old on the mound throwing in the 80's it's a totally different thing.

No, someone needs to talk to you about sportsmanship - "Especially in youth ball" - or maybe you don't understand the meaning of "sign stealing" is illegal in the LLWS? The people who designed the workings of little league baseball decided that we should be teaching our kids things like "sportsmanship" and integrity - not cheating the system. or any other cheating for that matter. That coach might be bellyaching but that generally happens when you get cheated. Oh, I forgot - we can't talk about being cheated (even though we have been) anymore lest we be accused of treason and jailed without due justice. You have the makings of a great liberal democrat.

Are you on crack, runner advanced to 2nd on the wild pitch

@@wereallscrewed9714 No, I am not on crack. Are you? There is no runner on 2nd base during the commentary. I think you've been doing too much Meth or Crack.

Yes that's one thing the video misses. Sign-stealing was banned in the tournament, so why would you waste time with extra signs, especially since there's always at least a small chance of a cross-up?

...so what you are saying is that teaching kids the concept of integrity is of low priority now. I would think you would put that first - my bad, that isn't what you teach kids anymore.

It's not part of the game when the rules of the league say that stealing signs is illegal

You guys played really well. You had a great team! Not many kids get to play on ESPN like that. Hope you have mostly great memories. Good luck with your future baseball.

Hi my name is Chase Philibotte and I got mad flow. (Dude I watch your team all the time)

Sam lmao

Some people like to stay on topic. Show some self control. I'm sure there is a video about bad umping.

My fav team is the astros but they cheated bad with the trash can and the camera

Go back far enough and spiking the shortstop had "always been a part of baseball." Things change, very often for the better.

Now why steal their freezy pops? Don’t you know that will give them all a complex for the rest of their lives and send them to psycho doctors? “Mr. Meanie coach stole all our freezy pops when I was 6/7. BooHoo, I want my Mommy” ~ Former Girl rec softball player in the year 2045

@@johnwilliamduke4110 right? He has also created a future serial killer

Ryan A best comment of the thread.

No he didn't rules state after the warning they must eject the player the team was already warned the player should have been ejected and the manager too because players don't steal signs on their own with out being taught to.

...at a higher level they will hagve to deal with it - cheating as well - but let them play (and be taught how to play) without cheating.

Must be a Astros fan .

S O F T T E A R S well, stealing signs without using technology is cheating. The Astros cheated not by stealing signs, but by using technology to steal signs.

World War III Veteran I completely agree!

Teaching cheating is the issue. Kids usually dont even think of it. The adults are a holes

@@nobogiedr Actually kids do think of it. When Little League banned it coaches started to have to explain to kids that it wasn't allowed. They are much smarter than you're giving credit. When they are on second and see, "oh look, he's throwing a curve ball" and then the batter strikes out.... Light bulb comes on!

If you think your cool because you did this your not

So people don't steal them lol

I wanted to add this and at the same time I don't want to come across as a purveyor of cheating. If a team is loose with their signal calling. Then with all do respect its open season. But there are other ways to get an idea of whats coming to you as a hitter when you're in the box. Pitchers tip or give away whats coming. Observe them when they warm.up. Does he tuck his glove on an off speed pitch. Does it fly open on the heat. You're a complete pitcher not a thrower when it's the same everytime. And most importantly when you hit your spots. And an easy way for a runner on second base that's confident he has the signals. He can start by an indicator such as taking his helmet off and the batter seeing him in between pitches. The batter then acknowledges by taking his helmet off wiping his forehead. Now the key here is he can't give location. But as he leads off second base if its an off speed pitch he can lead off bending over. A fastball lead off standing straight up. This is a basic strategy teams can implement against teams with loose signal calling. I wanted to put this in because this is one way its done. Again in a higher level this can be painful. So make 100 percent sure you know what you're doing or the guy that's at the plate and yourself will be twins with red ears. Lol...

bro its called using multiple signs

how’re you gonna say “you don’t know what you’re talking about” but don’t know about even basic sign sequences

I had a stroke reading that

Well the astros used tech these kids just clapped so it’s perfectly fine

dave m 😂😂😂😂

It’s just part of the game!

That is a great story bud, we all pretty much know the value of teaching kids to understand every aspect of the game. But, it has nothing to do with this case of cheating. Either you agree with teaching kids to cheat or you missed the part about sign stealing being illegal in the LLWS.

Corin LaLiberty It’s a GREAT way to keep players on the bench fully engaged in the game if they are attempting to crack the coach’s signs to the catcher. We had guys do this in high school AND in Division 1 college baseball. Some were absolute WIZARDS!

You can also use the arm band with a number system. Check out our video on that. It's very fast and no one can steal the sign from the coach. That doesn't stop the runner on 2nd from seeing and relaying the catcher to pitcher signs, but at least they can't steal the coach's signs to the catcher.