Stealing signals is not illegal in MLB, correct?
I’ll have to yield to a major league baseball fan for that question. I’ve been to a total 3 major league games.
In MLB it is considered an art form.
No, not illegal.
if a player does it no. having a camera do it for you is still a no-no.
We used to do it in little league. That’s part of the game. If your signs get stolen, you’re not doing a good job of concealing them, which is also part of baseball.
Stealing signs is part of the game in MLB. Some guys on the bench have no other job than trying to steal signs. That is why the signs are so complicated with the use of an "indicator" and the true sign being the first, second or third sign after the indicator.
Usually.
What is NOT "legal" is putting someone in centerfield with binoculars and a walkie-talkie to relay signs of what pitch a catcher is calling for.
However, a runner at second base can pick off the pitch signs, BUT the catcher usually gives mutiple signs with the true sign being an agreed upon sign in the series between the pitcher and catcher.
That is "mostly" what conferences at the mound are for when runners are on base.
The runner is usually not there long enough to figure out which sign is the true one but someone in centerfield would be there long enough to figure it out.
Good managers have the pitch sign and other signs changed fairly often in a game. Billy Martin was one of the toughest managers to steal signs off.