When former White Sox pitcher Danny Farquhar detailed disturbing hints about Houston Astros' illicit activities in 2017
The Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal, which came to light in late 2019, sent shockwaves through the world of MLB. The revelations exposed a clandestine operation that involved the use of advanced technology to gain an unfair advantage on the field.
Whispers and suspicions of sign stealing by the Astros had circulated within baseball circles for years. However, it was not until November 2019 that a former Astros pitcher, Mike Fiers, came forward and provided concrete evidence of the team's illicit activities.
Fiers revealed to The Athletic that the Astros had utilized a video camera positioned in center field to capture the signs of opposing catchers, transmitting the information to their players in real-time through various audio cues, most notably banging on a trash can. The same story was told to The Athletic by White Sox pitcher Danny Farquhar in 2017:
"There was a banging from the dugout, almost like a bat hitting the bat rack every time a changeup signal got put down. After the third one, I stepped off. I was throwing some really good changeups and they were getting fouled off. After the third bang, I stepped off."
MLB handed down severe penalties in response to the scandal. Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and field manager A.J. Hinch were suspended for the entire 2020 season for their failure to prevent the rule violations.
The organization was fined the maximum allowable amount of $5 million and forced to forfeit their first- and second-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021. No players were individually punished due to their cooperation with the investigation and having been granted immunity.
Danny Farquhar: From pitcher to pitching coach
Danny Farquhar, a former professional baseball pitcher, embarked on an eventful career that took him through multiple teams in the MLB. After retiring from playing, he found a new role as a pitching coach, showcasing his passion for the game and his desire to contribute to the development of young players.
Farquhar began his professional journey when he was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 10th round of the 2008 MLB draft. He made his debut in the minor leagues with the Auburn Doubledays and later progressed to the Lansing Lugnuts. However, his time with the Blue Jays was short-lived as he was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics in June 2012.
The journey continued for Farquhar when the New York Yankees claimed him off waivers later that same month. He briefly joined the Trenton Thunder, but was placed on waivers and subsequently cleared them. The next chapter of his career unfolded when he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays by the Seattle Mariners in November 2015.
Danny Farquhar's tenure with the Rays saw its share of ups and downs. Despite being designated for assignment in June 2017, he cleared waivers and was assigned to the Durham Bulls. Unfortunately, his time with the Rays came to an end when he was released in July.
However, a new opportunity emerged for Farquhar when he signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox in July 2017. He made his mark on the team, particularly during a game against the Houston Astros in September 2017.
Farquhar noticed suspicious banging sounds coming from the Astros dugout, which later became a crucial element in the investigation of the Astros' sign-stealing scandal.
Tragedy struck Farquhar in April 2018 when he collapsed in the White Sox's dugout during a game against the Astros. It was discovered that he had suffered a brain hemorrhage caused by a ruptured brain aneurysm. After a period of recovery, he was discharged from the hospital in May 2018.
Farquhar's resilience and love for the game persisted. In January 2019, he signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees. However, he was released in June 2019, leading him to announce his retirement on Aug. 1, 2019, through his personal Instagram account.
Transitioning into the next phase of his baseball career, Danny Farquhar was appointed as the pitching coach for the Winston-Salem Dash, the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, for the 2020 season. This new role allowed him to share his knowledge and experience with aspiring young pitchers, passing on his wisdom and passion for the game.