Every sport that we see today is a by-product of years of alterations and refinements. No sport is perfect but as time passes by, new rules are implemented that aim to reduce the flaws and loopholes present within the game.
And in this evolution and refinement, technology has always played a monumental part.
Take football for example, the use of Goal-line technology has been immense for the game since its introduction in 2011. VAR is still a work in progress but there is no doubt that as years roll by it will improve.
So, the point is that technology has bettered sports in a variety of ways, and one such improvement is about to be witnessed in the MLS from the 2022 season onwards!
“PitchCom” can be used by the pitchers and catchers for communication only, which will prevent the other team from reading what’s about to come.
The purpose of implementing this new technology is to stop the sign stealing practice that is evident in baseball.
What is sign stealing?
Sign stealing in baseball refers to the act of watching and relaying, by legal and illegal means, the signs provided by the opposing catcher to the pitcher or a coach to a base runner.
The signs are taken by the other team and then conveyed to the other members of the team to provide early knowledge of what type of pitch is coming next, providing the hitter an advantage.
Everything PitchCom
As mentioned before, PitchCom is a wearable technology that will allow the pitchers and catchers to communicate directly without the need of using hand gestures (the traditional way).
Catchers wear a sleeve on their forearm with nine buttons that symbolize different pitches and the place where they will be delivered with the new technology.
Messages from the catcher’s device are sent to a receiver installed in the pitcher’s cap.
The new technology also aims at increasing the speed of play and making the viewing experience a better watch.
The Astros were fined $5 million and manager A.J. Hinch was suspended for a season after the MLB discovered the team was utilizing a covert camera in the outfield to decode the signs used by the Dodgers in the 2017 World Series.
So, PitchCom can be a great innovation for keeping the ethics of MLB on a high level!
PitchCom will be used from the start of the delayed 2022 MLB season. The cause for the delay was a dispute between MLB owners and players, but it is now resolved, and we can begin enjoying the MLB season from the 7th of April.
Heading into the season, the Bookmakers have installed the Dodgers as early favorites, and if you are looking to indulge in sports betting in baseball (or otherwise), head over to tipsters which reviews a variety of sites that offer the best tips in sports betting!
“We are winning the World Series. Put it on record,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said last month.
Feedback about PitchCom
The PitchCom equipment has been tried and tested during the spring training and everyone involved has had only good things to say about the technological marvel.
“I think it was great,” Severino told reporters. “I was a little doubtful at the beginning, but when we started using it, it was really good. You know what pitch you’re going to throw right away.”
“Anything that can help the pitcher get the sign without anyone knowing what the sign is, we’re moving in the right direction,” Steve Foster, the Colorado Rockies’ pitching director, came to that conclusion.
