Chicago White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle called the Texas Rangers cheaters on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas, claiming that the team signals pitches to batters through a high-tech light system in center field.
Buehrle suggested Monday night that the Rangers knew what he was throwing during Chicago's 7-5 loss, and he repeated the accusation before Tuesday's doubleheader.
"I've heard rumors, so it's not just me saying this," Buehrle said. "I've heard it from tons of people. It's not just me saying this. . . . Something's going on because they hit so good at home. The way they hit here, you'd have to raise an eyebrow to figure something's going on. Look at the stats. I'm not just making this up."
Texas entered Tuesday batting .285 with 125 homers at home, compared to .256 with 86 homers on the road.
The Rangers dismissed the allegations — in some cases with a chuckle.
"It's crazy and it's funny," said Rangers home run leader Mark Teixeira. "It's an outrageous comment, an outrageous claim."
Texas DH Phil Nevin jokingly asked Rangers manager Buck Showalter why the lights weren't working when he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts on Monday night.
Buehrle, who allowed nine hits and seven runs — four earned — in seven innings, said he suspected the Rangers knew the pitches in advance by how they reacted in their at-bats.
"Certain pitches you throw, they lay off them like they knew it was coming," Buehrle said.
Stealing signs is common in baseball, and it's legal if done on the field. But using television or having a spy in center field to pick off a catcher's signals is forbidden.
"To have somebody out in center field or whatever they're doing, that's cheating," Buehrle said.
Texas hitting instructor Rudy Jaramillo said Buehrle's charges were insulting.
"We just had a good approach," Jaramillo said. "Maybe he said that out of frustration. He can think whatever he wants."
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen softened Buehrle's charges.
"You can go either way with it," Guillen said. "The way Buehrle pitched yesterday, it seemed they didn't need signs. Everything was right down the middle of the plate.
"This is a tough issue. We have to respect them because they kicked our butt last night. If we think they're doing something different, then we have to change the signs, location, whatever."
BRADLEY POLICE REPORTS? Police have responded three times to the suburban home of Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Milton Bradley on domestic violence calls, but neither he nor his pregnant wife were arrested or charged.
Redondo Beach police counseled the couple after responding on June 28 and July 30. In the June report, Bradley told police his wife had hit and scratched him because she suspected him of cheating on her.
The police reports were obtained by the Daily Breeze of Torrance, which reported them Tuesday. On July 11, Bradley was not home when police arrived after his wife ran to a neighbor's home to seek help during an argument, according to a police report.
WELLS SUMMONED TO N.Y.: Red Sox left-hander David Wells was summoned to New York to discuss his criticism of baseball commissioner Bud Selig.
Wells' agent, Gregg Clifton, was due to take an overnight flight to join Wells for a Wednesday meeting at the commissioner's office that was not expected to include Selig.
Rich Levin, a Selig spokesman, said he had not heard anything about a meeting before he left the office Tuesday evening.
GIANTS TRADE FOR STINGER: The San Francisco Giants made a pair of trades Tuesday, sending infielder Deivi Cruz to the Washington Nationals and reliever Jason Christiansen to the Los Angeles Angels for three minor leaguers. The deals came a day before the Aug. 31 deadline for traded players to be eligible for the postseason.
Christiansen, who was designated for assignment last Friday, was 6-1 with a 5.36 ERA in 56 relief appearances this season. Cruz is hitting .268 with five homers and 19 RBIs as Omar Vizquel's backup at shortstop this season.
The Giants received right-hander Benjamin Cox from Washington, and Salt Lake Stingers' lefty Dusty Bergman and right-hander Ronnie Ray from Los Angeles.
YANKS SIGN BELLHORN: Mark Bellhorn switched sides Tuesday, signing with the New York Yankees after winning the World Series with the Boston Red Sox last season. The infielder was put on unconditional release waivers by Boston on Friday after he refused to accept a minor league assignment.