texasaggie2015 said:

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texasaggie2015 said:

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Hearing we've made an offer that we believe will get it done. It's now up to the Mets to accept and JV to waive the no trade clause. Dodgers obviously engaged as well but the Houston side is feeling good about it. We've done our part.

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For Conway: Here's some of the work I'm most proud of. This was the night before JV came to Houston. I had been posting about it for a couple weeks.

Enough tooting my own horn though. I'm sure the board can speak on some other instances.

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BREAKING 🚨: Multiple sources confirm Angel Hernandez was released from the MLB Umpires Association early Friday morning.

He is no longer allowed to work in the league. pic.twitter.com/mTTlCS8sHp

— FAX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFAX) September 29, 2023

Texaggie7nine said:

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Dunno if it's been posted but there is an AMA today from Antonio Padilla, the Astros Manager of Video & Advance Information during the 2017 and 18 season who also was interviewed on the PBS doc.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/comments/16ztwcn/former_manager_of_video_advance_information_for/

One answer

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Eh, it was only Trea's 44th career postseason game played. Close enough. https://t.co/TMgzLv5See

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) October 4, 2023

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Can you confirm that the Danny Fahrquar game was the last time the trash can scheme was used?

From my knowledge yes, although I was in the video room during games, which was about 50 yards from the dugout. If there was any attempt to use it during the postseason, it would have been impossible to hear. Minute Maid during the playoffs with the roof closed is still louder than any place I've been.

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Yes, we did continue to the Code Breaker as we called it to relay signs when we had a runner on 2nd base during the postseason. It's been proven many teams were using a similar method during that time in baseball.

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In the documentary last night- you had stated that the sign-stealing plan was primarily implemented by Carlos Beltran and then implicated "the bench coach" without mentioning him by name.

In your opinion, how involved was Alex Cora?

AC knew about, just like the rest of the coaching staff. I don't think it was his idea, but he was the one that asked me to set up the initial monitor. That's as much as I know about his initial involvement in the development of of the scheme.

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Antonio, thank you for taking the time. Was there ever any talk or knowledge of other orgs developing schemes like the Astros? In other words, did the Astros feel like they were getting an edge or just trying to keep up with other clubs?

There was definitely a mentality that other teams were doing things and we had to keep up. Joe Girardi even said on MLB Network that his Yankees were using a sign decoder with runners on 2B and those signs were being decoded by someone upstairs. We'll never know the extent of what other teams were doing, or attempted to do, but I do feel that other teams may have been doing something during those times.

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What was the single biggest thing you felt was left out?

The comments on the PBS Frontline YouTube channel seemed to have a lot of questions. They could just be passive fans of Frontline documentaries, rather than actual baseball fans, so maybe it was just the audience. However, I do want to say my interview was over 3 hours long, and I gave a lot of praise to the organization and the people I worked with. I still love the people I worked with today.

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Do you know of any other way that signs were relayed other than via the trashcan?

Any kind of audible cue. A player could bang on something or voice a verbal phrase out loud towards the batter.

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I can't tell you how mad it makes me when I hear Altuve continually boo'd on the road. Especially because he opted out. It's the injustice and ignorance of it. I think it goes back to Jomboy and the asinine buzzer theory too. But that aside, who else specifically opted out? I thought there were a few others? When they opted out was it spoken to you or Beltran or Cora? GO STROS

Unfortunately, I can't answer definitively who used it and who opted out. I was in the video room during games which was at least 50 yards away from the dugout, so it would be impossible to hear.

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How did the players feel about using the sign stealing system? Specifically after they had success from it

Thinking back, I don't think it was actually effective. It made the players lose sight of their instincts. On the road, when we didn't use anything. Our hitters instincts would turn back on and we hit way better on the road.

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thank you for your contributions to the organization and for making yourself available to speak in this way!

was there any "defensive" scouting you did on other teams and their potential use of tech, especially those in contention at the time (LA, NY, BOS) and can you shed light on anything the astros did in preparation for playing those teams on their home turf?

Yes, there was a paranoia about teams doing specific things that we would hear about through the rumor mill. Shout out to Brian McCann for always having our pitching staff prepared to change signs after every few pitches or when the other dugout phone rang. He also implemented multiple signs without any runners on in certain stadiums.

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So obviously there has been a lot of talk about the players and coaching staff surrounding this whole situation, but what is your impression of Jeff Lunhow's role in all of this? Do you think he's actually culpable, or was he (along with AJ Hinch) made out to be scapegoats to placate the MLB?

I said in my testimony with MLB and during my interview, that I had no knowledge of Jeff knowing what was occurring. If he did, I never personally had those conversations with him. I do want to say that Jeff was always really good me and treated me with a lot respect, so it's unfortunate to see his outcome.

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Do you feel that maybe the Astros were the scapegoats of what many people presume was a league wide issue? And do you think that, had they not won it all in 2017, that none of this would've ever become public?

Hard to say for certain, but possibly. I remember watching the Tim Donaghy documentary and the NBA found over half of NBA referees committed similar betting violations. That could be a similar situation, but we'll never know. Again, it was a mistake, we owned up to it, and we all apologized for it.

I think if they didn't win in 2017, it probably would have still came out. But instead, the Astros would just be the butt of jokes rather than hate. "They cheated and still couldn't win." No one would be asking for these guys to be suspended, nor would they be boo'd during games.

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How did you start working for the Astros. Did you play in high school?

I played in high school, but I was honestly the worst player on my varsity team. I always loved baseball, but I didn't know exactly how to make that a career. A college professor recommended the book Moneyball to me my Freshman year and I was so captivated by it that I read it over one weekend. After college, I did a few internships, including one with the Seattle Mariners as their Baseball Operations Intern in 2015 where they put in a good word with the Astros front office for me. I told the Astros during my interview that this is my dream organization to work for because of how innovative they are and I was hired in 2016.

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Any distant relatives try to hit you up for money now that you've been forced to reveal your playoff share on national TV?

No, after taxes and paying off my student loans, car, etc. there wasn't as much left as you think. It was truly a blessing, and I'm forever grateful for the players voting to care of me.

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Was your full playoff share exceptional?

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He states that it was $450,000 - compared to his $45,000 salary.

I don't think I was exceptional. Many staff members and clubhouse personnel received full or partial shares that year.

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I haven't watched the documentary yet so I apologize if I'm asking something that's been covered; what were your immediate feelings upon being asked to set up the initial monitor?

I said this in the interview, and in my testimony with MLB. Below the dugout we didn't have any tv monitors prior, so a lot of times players would hitting in the cage down there or getting treatment from a trainer. There was no way to tell what was going on during the game, so the coaches would constantly have to yell if the inning was over or someone was on deck. My initial thoughts we're the tv monitor was going to be used by players and coaches to see who is hitting, how many outs, pitching changes occurring, etc.

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Thanks for doing this Antonio!

Was there anything the documentary left out that you were angry about? Or maybe they didn't touch on it as much as they should?

I think the one thing I wish was included, was when the Brandon Taubman incident happened, I was the one that immediately went and apologized to the reporter. I told her I was sorry for his actions and that baseball isn't a boys club anymore, and any female should feel welcomed in a clubhouse. Also, that I'll never know the struggles a female reporter goes through, but I know we need to be better. She was highly appreciative of that. I also mentioned in that interview that Brandon is a really good guy that made a mistake, and I still consider him a friend. He was a guy that always pushed me learn new things and to be included, so I'm grateful for the faith he had in me. They cut that entire part out of the documentary.

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Were you ever privy to conversations between players or coaches wrt the effectiveness of the scheme? Did you ever hear players like Reddick, Kemp, or Altuve voice their displeasure with it or how it may have affected their at-bats in real time?

I don't remember any players or coaches in particular voicing their displeasure for it around me, but I learned years later some players tried to voice their disagreement with it a couple times. I don't know when those conversations occurred or the feedback they received from it.

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I've always disbelieved the buzzer theory based on negative fingerprint evidence. As in, they reviewed thousands of texts, emails, and documentation and conducted numerous on-the-record interviews with players and team employees. It doesn't seem like they found any evidence of a buzzer system. Can you give some insight as to what it was like to participate in the MLB's investigation? As in, how thorough were they?

You sit in a room with MLB investigators and our Astros general counsel and MLB just asks questions. They take your phone to download text messages and Slack messages, and that's about it. They do this for everyone involved and they'll contact you again if they have any follow up questions. I believe the last time they called me was a couple days before new years in 2019. They ask a ton of questions, so I believe it was very thorough.

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Antonio,
Assuming the Astros did not take the plea and tell their story, what could the league have done? It seems to me we never should've sat at the table.

Possibly, but it's hard to fathom not a single person saying anything. Between players, coaches, training staff, clubhouse staff, etc., it would have been really difficult to keep everyone quiet when Mike Fiers already spilled the beans to the media.

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How would one try and get into the data science/analytics part of baseball? What were the analysts doing for the Astros (as overall of a view as you can)

Know how to use R or Python to analyze large data and be able to present a research project or portfolio of projects you've worked on. I would receive e-mails all the time from aspiring baseball operation personnel, but the people that included reports or projects always stood out to me. You have to prove your work ethic and knowledge most likely to get an interview.

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Do feel the ringleaders of 2017, Alex Cora and Carlos Beltran, have accepted or apologized in their role in the scandal?

Watching the doc now!

I haven't seen all of the apologies or interviews for them in particular, but I'm assuming they have apologized for being involved, just like everyone else already has. It was a mistake. I think they paid the price, should be forgiven, and we move on. Both are extremely good people. I learned so much about the small intricacies of the game from both of them. Two of the smartest baseball people I've ever been around.

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To what extent can you speak to further sign-stealing in the 2018 and 2019 seasons (specifically the former, which was mentioned in the commissioner's report)?

2018 there was absolutely no banging scheme but we briefly attempted to still utilize the code breaker with runners on 2nd base. However, there was very little interest from the players on using that information and relaying it, so we just stopped doing it.

2019 there was absolutely nothing.

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Can you confirm that other MLB teams that reached the postseason in 2017 were also using illegal sign stealing similar to the Astros?

I have no proof of any other team doing anything. It would require a full MLB investigation to uncover anything, but that will never happen.

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Who's your favorite current Astro? And is there any Astro player that you don't like for whatever reason?

I wouldn't say I have a favorite current Astro because they're all great dudes. I interacted and worked with them daily. They all treated me well and we all shared good laughs together. Martin Maldonado is a true leader in the clubhouse and one of the smartest and hardest working players I've been around. He needs to become a manager after his career his done.

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Was there an actual dedicated center field camera being used for the scheme or was it just a duplicated feed of the center field camera that's already there?

The camera was already there. It was mostly used for player development purposes such batting practice, live BP's, catcher throwing work, etc. For games it stayed recording in case the tv broadcast missed a pitch due to a commercial break, which happened quite often my early years with the Astros. The centerfield camera was standard practice, all 30 teams had one for pre-game work and if the broadcast missed pitches.

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What involvement did the IT dept have in this?

The IT department helped me get internet to the tv monitor during installation, and that was the extent of their assistance. They had no knowledge of anything.

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I don't have any question, just want to say thanks.

I honestly wasn't expecting this many questions haha. I appreciate it.

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I'm sure this won't reach the baseball and MLB sub

I welcome questions from anyone, but I figured it was appropriate to do this with actual Astros fans.

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Hi Antonio,

The 2017 Astros were accused of using [Mustard] to [Enjoy Hotdogs]. Can you name the other teams who employed a similar strategy, to your knowledge?

It would be impossible to know. We had our suspicions at the time, but there's really no way to prove anything without a proper MLB investigation

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Do you have any confirmed knowledge of specific teams using sign stealing technology around the same time? The documentary seemed to not even entertain the thought the Astros weren't the only teams doing this.

I do not. I would take a full MLB investigation to uncover anything from other teams.

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What effect, if any, do you think the Taubman incident had on the timeline of events?

I've long believed that the Astros response to the Apstein article further galvanized some members of the media to scrutinize the organization closely and some of them had a personal agenda against the team. As did a certain former player left off the playoff roster that year.

Do you think the story ever gets out if not for Taubman's antics?


Yes I think the story still gets out because I believe Mike Fiers thought we were still using the scheme in 2019. Two of his worst starts in 2019 were against us at home, and he likely thought we were relaying signs because his starts against us were so bad. He sees his ERA blow up after those starts and decides that he needs to speak to the media about it.

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What do you do nowadays?

Now that I'm officially out of baseball (unless someone wants to offer me an assistant GM position), I'm attempting to become a fashion journalist. I have a YouTube channel where I discuss fashion shows and fashion new topics. I just got back from London and Paris fashion week. Hopefully one day I'll have the opportunity to work for a big fashion magazine.

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Thank you for making yourself open to this.

I heard from sources that Mike Fiers banged the trash can while wearing baseball gear. Can you confirm?

I wouldn't know who exactly would relay the audible cue because I was in the video room during games. I could have been any player.

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I'm Tony Adams. I logged the bangs. Thanks for doing this. Question: did they use Codebreaker in conjunction with the monitor/trash can when teams got suspicious and started using multiple signs with no one on base?

Hello Tony. No, it would have been impossible to use in conjunction because there were no video personnel near the dugout with the codebreaker on their computer. Plus, it would take 3-4 pitches to confirm what signs the catcher was using, so a batter would need see 4 pitches at least to be effective. If a catcher would switch signs every 3 pitches, which is what we did constantly at the time, the codebreaker was ineffective. Does that make sense?

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So the Astros didn't use the sign stealing in the playoffs or even through the end of 2017?

If they did try to use it during the postseason, it would be incredibly difficult to hear an audio cue. It's possible, but Minute Maid with that roof closed is so loud the place shakes.

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I watched it last night, it fits that Padilla is here because my impression of him in the show is that he seemed like a very honest person. Luhnow seemed really honest as well. I never knew, or forgot, that it was Beltran who initiated it. And I understand that if coaches are going along and nobody is saying anything about it, it's hard for someone lower on the food chain to say or question anything.

Do you know whether a mechanism now exists for anyone within the organization to voice, even anonymously, questions or concerns?

After going through this experience and MLB re-writing the rules that players who cheat will be suspended moving forward, makes it highly unlikely this happens anytime in the near future. I think players and coaches will police themselves now if anyone tries to do anything.

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How do you feel about your role in all this? If AJ is smashing TVs, someone was approving and replacing them. Did anyone at some point in time wonder "why are my TVs getting Hulk smashed?"

I'm just as liable as anyone else. I'll stand up and apologize for anything I was responsible for. I did replace the monitors if they were broken, which only happened twice if I remember correctly. I didn't ask any questions, I just did my job to replace the monitors. If they wanted to use it, it would be up to them.

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Was there ever any attempt to implement the same system on the road during the '17 season ?

Never. The only thing we used on the road was the Code Breaker with a runner on 2nd base. It's been proven that other teams were doing that as well.

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This year, the Astros players made public their issues with the batter's eye in Minute Maid. Is it possible that their sign stealing was used as a way to make hitting with that batter's eye a little bit easier, and did you ever hear any complaints about the batter's eye during that time?

I've heard complaints about the new batters eye ever since it was built in 2017. I've heard complaints about how small it is and I've heard complains about how noisy the centerfield area is. There are so many odd colors, shapes, and crevices. However, the scheme and batter eye issues are completely independent of each other, they just happened to coincidently coincided during the same season.

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What there any other means that you knew of where the Astros would steal signs, or was it limited to audible noise and/or runner on second?

The audible cue to the batter during home games and the Code Breaker for the runner on 2nd base, were the only schemes that occurred. Anything else like pitch tipping is completely legal.

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Do you know how many broken monitors there were? I've read claims that both Altuve and Hinch destroyed more than a few monitors.

If I remember correctly, I believe I replaced it twice. Not as many as you think.

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stoneca said:

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texasaggie2015 said:

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Hearing we play at 3 or 3:30 on Saturday

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of coarse it's at the same time as the A&M game

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