Arthur: Jose Altuve didn’t cheat, but the Red Sox sure did
From SABR member Rob Arthur at Baseball Prospectus on February 21, 2020:
This week was rocked by new rumors and information in the Astros cheating intrigue. Wild reactions–both from opposing players and the Astros’ core–led dozens of news stories, from Cody Bellinger’s condemnation to Carlos Correa’s candid interview in response. It’s the latter statements I want to focus on. In haste to prove his teammate José Altuve’s innocence, Correa gave an implausible-sounding excuse for Altuve’s reticence to have his shirt torn off: a bad tattoo. (Said tattoo’s existence, if not its quality, was later ascertained by intrepid reporters on the scene.)
Rumors have circled the Astros concerning vibrating bandages or buzzers that Altuve may have wished to conceal. No amount of Instagram-snooping or tattoo photographs will be able to rule out some ingenious method of cheating, but perhaps the data can shine a light on whether Altuve was really receiving the same signals his teammates utilized.
Read the full article here: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/57231/moonshot-jose-altuve-didnt-cheat-but-the-red-sox-sure-did/
Originally published: February 21, 2020. Last Updated: February 21, 2020.