After the Chicago Cubs had been swept by the Mets 4-0 in a seven game series, the New York ballclub discussed their winning strategy with Sports Illustrated.
Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy said, “It was simple. Once we figured out the Cubs signs, the series was basically over.
“With our power arms on the mound and our hitters knowing what pitch was coming, you saw the results.”
It is an unwritten rule in baseball not to steal the opposing teams signs. Teams change up their signs to ensure the opposing team doesn’t know what’s coming next, but the Mets apparently figured it all out before Game 1 had even started.
“We studied plenty of tapes. A new computer algorithm went through the footage and gave us all the data we needed to give us a heads up on what the Cubs would do next. We were like a super computer playing chess against a goat,” said Murphy. “Checkmate.”
The Mets accomplished the same tactic against the Los Angeles Dodgers with third baseman David Wright saying, “Don Mattingly had no idea what hit him. I don’t think that guy even knows what analytics is.”
With analytics becoming a driving force in baseball, more complicated algorithms are the next logical step in America’s pastime. The steroid era seemed like more fun.