Pitch Tipping Accusations Outlined In New Book About A-Rod

As if he hasn't been accused of enough already, a new book about New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez accuses him of pitch tipping while he played for the Texas Rangers. Major League Baseball is reportedly investigating the allegations outlined by writer Selena Roberts in her book, “A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez.”

So what is pitch tipping? In the book, Roberts writes that Rodriguez would tip friends on opposing teams about what his pitcher was about to do. Rodriguez would only tip off friends near the end of games when one team had a commanding lead and the outcome of the game was no longer in doubt. A-Rod would tip opposing players who in turn would return the favour and give him tips when he was at bat during late game blowouts. Tipping off players on opposing teams is a huge breach of protocol, something that would no doubt infuriate pitchers who played with A-Rod.

A-Rod's former Texas Rangers teammate Jeff Brantley told SIRIUS XM Radio host Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo that he believes the pitch tipping accusations are false, although he says that A-Rod likely received tips from his own teammates.

Pitch tipping from teammates, as Brantley suggests, is not uncommon. Generally, a runner on second base is often able to intercept pitch signals that the catcher sends to the pitcher. The runner then tips off the batter with a hand signal of his own. While such pitch tipping is considered poor form, it is common enough that pitchers and catchers have a separate set of signals for when there is a runner at second base.

As for A-Rod, the accusation of pitch tipping for opposing players is yet another low in what has been a terrible year for the Yankees star, who was outed as being a steroid user earlier in the year.

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