The Philadelphia Phillies’ use of binoculars from the visiting bullpen has left them in the Rockies’ cross hairs.

Major League Baseball warned the Phillies on Wednesday about the actions of bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer during Monday night’s game at Coors Field. Rockies manager Jim Tracy, who suspects the Phillies were trying to steal signs, was visibly upset over the incident.

“As far I am concerned, it is out of line,” Tracy said. “It’s one thing to play a club as hard as you can possibly play it. But, if you are cheating and you get caught, then you better do something about it. A pair of binoculars staring down the barrel of the hitting area — I don’t think any team would take too kindly to that.

“You can come up with all kinds of reasons, but are we to believe that, or believe that they are trying to gain a competitive advantage? It makes you wonder.”

At the Rockies’ request, MLB’s on-field operations staff investigated video of the incident and issued a warning to the Phillies.

“They talked to (general manager) Ruben Amaro Jr. and just told him that they wanted to make sure the coach was no longer using the binoculars,” said Pat Courtney, major league baseball’s vice president of public relations. “It wasn’t a reprimand. It was a warning.”

Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel denied the Phillies were stealing signs.

“Absolutely not. Absolutely (bleeping) not,” Manuel said.

He explained that Billmeyer was using the binoculars to observe Philadelphia catcher Carlos Ruiz’s stance and framing of pitches.

“I understand why they’d be concerned about it, but that’s the truth. We’re not trying to steal signs. That’s it. I didn’t know he (used binoculars),” Manuel said. “He watches (Ruiz) to help him where he’s setting up. It definitely had nothing to do with signs.”

However, that contradicts the Rockies’ eyewitness accounts. Multiple Rockies players said that pitching coach Bob Apodaca noticed the binoculars in the first inning while the Phillies were batting. A player at that point asked the Fox Sports Network camera crew to zoom in on the Phillies’ bullpen in center field, and the shot confirmed the binoculars.

Tracy notified crew chief Jerry Crawford in the second inning. Crawford told the Phillies to address the issue. Soon after, the activity ceased.

“It’s not the right way to play the game,” Rockies pitcher Matt Daley said. “There’s no reason for anyone in the ‘pen to have binoculars other than to not do the right thing.”

Added catcher Miguel Olivo: “For me, as a catcher, I don’t pay attention to people stealing signs or whatever. People do it, but I have a lot of things to do with the pitcher, with the signs and everything.”

Olivo said Rockies coaches asked him to change his signs during the game, and he did.

“What are you going to do? I can’t say, ‘Yes, they’re doing it.’ I can’t say that. . . . They’ve got good hitters, good players, but (if) it helps them and they don’t get caught, whatever. But if they get caught, they’re going to pay for it.”

The Rockies and Phillies have a history of gamesmanship, and the Mets have long accused the Phillies of stealing signs, though they have made no formal complaints this season.

During the 2007 division playoff series, the Phillies contacted the league about Rockies closer Manuel Corpas after TV cameras showed him pouring a liquid on the front of his jersey before entering a game. No discipline was meted out.

The mere mention that the rival Mets had issues with the Phillies set Manuel off.

“Keep crying. I’m sure if they could steal signs they would. And if we can, we will too. If we can get them legally,” Manuel said. “If you’re dumb enough to let us get them, it’s your fault. It’s been going on in the game a long time. If you’re dumb enough to let us get them, that’s your problem.”

Staff writer Jim Armstrong contributed to this report.





Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com

Sign stealing is as old as the game

Stealing signs in baseball is as old as the game itself. The Phillies are notorious for their espionage. A look at two other sign-stealing incidents, one involving the Rockies, and one involving perhaps the most famous home run in history.

“Shot Heard Round the World”



The Giants’ Bobby Thomson homered to win the 1951 NL pennant over Brooklyn. Intrigue surrounds that blast to this day. In 2001, the Wall Street Journal reported the Giants positioned a spy in the center-field stands during the game in order to steal the pitching signs of Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella, inferring that Thomson knew what pitch was coming.

Arizona nabbed



During a home spring training game against the Diamondbacks in 1998, Rockies manager Don Baylor spotted a guy videotaping the game from behind the center-field wall. Turns out he was employed by the Diamondbacks. Baylor concluded he was trying to steal signs and filed a complaint with Major League Baseball. Arizona officials quickly apologized.

Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post