Evidence Shows Mason Miller Might Have Been Tipping Pitches In The 9th Inning Yesterday, And Rightfully So The Brewers Took Advantage To Win The Game

The San Diego Union-Tribune. Getty Images.

It's the day after the Padres crushing loss to the Brewers in Game 2 and people are analyzing every part of the what happened to Mason Miller in the 9th inning. 

In the 8th Miller looked like his invincible self, but once the 9th rolled around things began to unravel. Yelich's one out walk sparked everything. Not just because he represented the tying run, but because he stole to reach second. Series changing play. 

Obviously you want your guy to get into scoring position, but on top of that, reaching 2nd base gave Yelich and the Brewers the chance to to peek into Miller's setup and try to see if they could pick up on something. It's entirely possible they knew going in if Miller had a tell with his glove or arm positioning that you could read if you were looking at 2nd. This guy on Twitter seemed to figure out the slight, but noticeable difference between a fastball and slider. 

A pitcher's tell and picking up on it is an art that's always fascinated me in baseball. I'm not talking using cameras to relay to a command center in the clubhouse to then bang on a trash can to tell everyone what's coming. No, just good old fashioned reading a pitcher and figuring it all out naturally. Word has always been that the outlier 107 win SF Giants in 2021 had a coach in the dugout who was the best in the world at watching a pitcher for an inning and picking up on everything he was throwing. I've been on the right and wrong side of it with the Yankees. It truly can change everything, hence the Astros winning the World Series twice by doing so. 

Well, is it possible that on top of Miller not having his strongest command in the 9th, he also was giving away what was coming to further hurt his cause? 

Later in the inning, just as Miller was ahead 1-2, searching for the final strike of the game, Chourio had one of the best takes you will ever see on the slider below the zone. Could Frelick going to his neck the moment Miller became set have been a sign to Chourio that a slider was coming? 

Advertisement

To further understand how crazy of a take it was just watch the overlay to see the tunneling Miller is able to do with his pitches. He's a mutant. 

It's just another layer to the theatrics that unfolded in that 9th inning Brewers comeback. Listen Miller's command escaped him in that 9th no question. His fastball location was so off. Gary Sanchez didn't have to swing the bat to earn himself a walk. It could have been a combination of both because goddamn was that Chourio take incredible regardless.

If they did have something on Miller and were relaying signs to home plate from 2nd there's nothing wrong with it. That's on the pitcher, catcher, coach, etc. to pick up that this is happening and change it. If you're going to give away the pitch that's on you and the opposing team is well within their right to take advantage. 

Who knows what actually happened, but I love all of the little things that can lead to that sort of win. Euphoria for Milwaukee to pull it off, but so incredibly heartbreaking for Padres fans. I love postseason baseball so much. 

P.S. Look at White Sox Dave!