SAN DIEGO -- A man who was stationed in the center-field batter's eye with binoculars during the ninth inning in Sunday's 8-5 loss to the Cardinals was a member of the Padres' security team, according to a club official.
During Brett Wallace's at-bat in the bottom of the ninth, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina pointed out the man, wearing a white Padres polo, in the center-field camera well. His presence there led some to believe the Padres might be attempting to steal Molina's signs.
Quite the opposite, in fact. Padres manager Andy Green said Monday that he was the one who alerted home-plate umpire Sean Barber to the distraction. Video of the incident confirms that, with Molina and Barber looking into the Padres dugout before pointing out to center field.
"I pointed him out because he's got a white shirt sitting in our left-handed hitter's point of view," Green said. "I'm like, 'What is that guy doing?' I pointed it out to Sean."
One team official said of the mystery man, "He is a member of the security team normally stationed out there, who had to leave his post temporarily." The binoculars were part of his role with the security team.