Pitchers Mat Latos and Derek Lowe opposed each other for the second time in a week, and much like their last game, a controversy ensued.
The Indians beat the Reds 10-9 on Monday in the first of a three-game series in Cleveland, and Latos thinks some funny business was going on.
The Reds starter got hammered for seven runs including three home runs over four innings, and he implied after the game that Indians base runners were relaying signs from second to the batter.
“I was a little up in the zone. I thought I made some good pitches that they spit on with a runner on second base. I suppose it was kind of ironic. We changed up the signs, for the last hitter unfortunately,” Latos told the media, unprompted, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. “The outcome changed when we changed up the signs today.
“I’m going to go back and look at video. A couple [times with] runners on second base, they put better swings on the ball than they did most of the time without a runner on second base. [Shin-Soo] Choo hit that double and then [Asdrubal] Cabrera was up [in the fourth]. Me and [catcher Ryan] Hanigan changed the signs up. He called for a slider. We were going with a certain call. That certain call we were going with beforehand was a curveball. I threw a slider and he was looking breaking ball and was jammed on a slider. That to me shows me a little something. Other than that, I was up in the zone. I made a couple of bad mistakes and they hit them.”
When pressed about his implication that the Indians were relaying signs from second, Latos didn’t back down.
“That’s kind of the idea,” Latos said, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. “When you go back and look at video, a couple runners on second base, they put better swings on the ball than they did most of the time without a runner on second base.”
Does Latos make a convincing argument? Seems like it. His overall numbers may not be good, but he’s pitched pretty well since May, so he could be on to something.
Relaying signs like that is frowned upon in Major League Baseball. Next time Latos has a suspicion, he should change things up earlier. At least this controversy doesn’t look like it will get as personal as the last one.
Forearm bash to Eye on Baseball
Photo Credit: Frank Victores-US PRESSWIRE
