Like GearBrain on Facebook

Secret messages are hardly a new tool in the world of espionage. But for the Boston Red Sox, using Apple Watches to help relay pitching information, via stolen catchers' signs, to its players in Fenway Park. The entire brouhaha started a couple of weeks ago, reports The New York Times, when the Yankees sent video to the baseball commissioner showing this entire scheme at work during a recent three game series between the two teams.

Yankees complained about the Boston Red Sox using Apple Watches to steal catchers' signs at Fenway Park.Photo of Fenway Park via iStock by Getty Images

The baseball commissioner's office apparently reviewed the tapes and agreed with the Red Sox, which admitted they'd been sending the signs via Apple Watches for several weeks. And then turned around and filed a complaint against the Yankees for the same issue: that the team steals signs as well, but using the YES television network camera.

The Boston Red Sox are also complaining that the Yankees use cameras from its YES television network to steal signs.Photo of Yankee Stadium via iStock by Getty Images

How, or if, the Red Sox will be penalized remains still an unknown. Nor has anything been said about whether Apple Watches will be disallowed on the field or not. Reportedly, electronic devices are not allowed in the dugouts. Stealing signs though? That's just baseball. But this does make you long for the days when buried buzzers and spit were the cheats du jour.