Minnesota Takes Characteristically Polite Umbrage At Sign-Stealing Allegations

You saw the video this morning. The Twins have responded with amusement and gentle outrage at any suggestion that Joe Mauer might've been relaying signs from second base like some Navy signalman on the flight deck of the Nimitz.

The clip is from the Twins' 6-5 loss to Detroit on Tuesday (with excellent captioning by one Tony Faust, a 28-year-old graphic designer living in Maple Grove, Minn. — a Twins fan, as it turns out). The team is denying everything, of course. Via Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis :

"That video's a joke!" Justin Morneau said.

"That's why we're three games back — we're stealing signs," Manager Ron Gardenhire said . "We scored two runs last night, we stole a lot of signs."

[...]

But Tigers catcher Gerald Laird, another prominent player in the YouTube clip, told reporters the Twins have a reputation for being masters at stealing signs.

"That's what they're known for," Laird told the Washington Post. "That's the best they can come up with? Chrysler," Gardenhire said.

The Twins apparently were besieged with questions about the video, which means it's inevitable that Joe Mauer's neat little bit of time-honored gamesmanship will now be fashioned into a shouty morality play for the sports-talk-radio set. Chrysler, indeed.

Twins amused, offended by You Tube clip alleging Mauer stole signs [Star Tribune] Did Joe Mauer steal signs for Jason Kubel on Tuesday night? (Update) [Star Tribune] Joe Mauer Will Do Anything To Win, Including Cheating? [Total Pro Sports]