I’ll admit, when I first read this article by Amy K. Nelson I was impressed. I thought that it was a great example of the type of insightful and creative work I liked from ESPN. At first blush, it’s a piece that goes in depth on a creative subject, makes surprising assertions and backs them up with statistics (admittedly obscure stats but you get the idea). After I read the article I was quite satisfied with ESPN. However, after giving the article some thought and going online to read reaction (particularly this piece in The Star), I realized that maybe ESPN made a couple of huge mistakes.
After critically looking at all the evidence, it seems like Nelson and company may have purposely overlooked some evidence pretty damning to their thesis. The biggest thing that jumps out at me is not the Blue Jays mediocre record during the supposed cheating or the lack of startling home-road splits, it’ the managerial change. Manager John Farrell and bench coach Don Wakamutsu are new to Toronto this season. Both are also respected men and veterans in the game. Are we to understand that Farrell and Wakamatsu were informed of the “man in white” discreetly signaling pitches to Blue Jay hitters from the center field bleachers and were both totally ok with it? It’s well beyond comprehension.
I occasionally read those ombudsmen columns on ESPN.com which talk about all the ways ESPN screwed up in the previous couple months and all the the things they need to do better or differently. (The one immediately after The Decision was a great read) Personally, I think this story should have an entire ombudsmen column dedicated to it. The overwhelming opinion of the internet community and of many of the comments on ESPN.com on the article is that the writers and editors callously overlooked a slew of evidence that indicated that their thesis was wrong.
Sure, there are somethings that point to the conclusion that the Blue Jays are cheating but much of it is circumstantial. Also, I think I believe the story about the pitchers in the bullpen catching some man dressed in white relaying signs. If that truly did happen, in light of all the evidence both for and against the conclusion that Toronto was cheating, some serious investigative reporting is necessary to find out why. You should go get on that, Amy.
-Max Frankel
