It’s an understood no-no in baseball to steal signs.
Less certain are rules regarding billboards.
Perched adjacent to Fenway Park right now is one mocking Boston and the Red Sox trade of Mookie Betts while celebrating the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series title.
The billboard is the work of Pantone 294, a group of Dodgers super fans that has gained acclaim in recent years for its undying allegiance.
The group’s Twitter account even features a fairly dramatic aerial video showing the billboard’s proximity to the Green Monster.
The Dodgers won the World Series in October — the franchise’s first title since 1988 — with some notable contributions from Betts. They acquired Betts from Boston in a trade in February of 2020.
The unveiling of the billboard this week has prompted passionate reactions from fans of both teams, many suggesting the move was less than classy.
Others have made a note to not forget that the Red Sox faithful were the ones who started all this. In July of 2019, Max & Leo’s, a restaurant located in Fenway Park, displayed a sign that read: “Hey L.A., In case you forgot, this is what the World Series Trophy looks like.”
That message greeted the Dodgers when they returned to Fenway Park to face the Red Sox, nine months after losing to Boston in the 2018 World Series.
For his part, Pantone 294 founder Alexander Soto poked fun at himself in a subsequent Twitter post, asking that he be relieved of his credit card.
Fans of the Red Sox are familiar with sign stealing, their team’s manager, Alex Cora, returning this season after a one-year suspension for his involvement in the Houston Astros scandal.
