Texas Rangers closer Joe Barlow was skeptical at first.
Barlow wondered what could go wrong with the new electronic device that is used to transmit pitch signals from the catcher to the pitcher. The speaker made his hat less comfortable. The catchers were concerned that hitters might be able to hear signals in their helmets. The players were concerned about radio issues or what would happen when crowd noise drowned out the audio. The device's potential quickly overcame his initial concerns.
Barlow said that the device was bigger than he expected. If you get hit around, you know it's all on you.
For more than a century, signs have been relayed to pitchers through a sequence of finger movements by the catcher. For the 2022 season, MLB will give backstops a remote control on their wrists, and pitchers a speaker in their hats, which could add protection against sign-stealing. Stealing signs has been a part of the game for a long time, but it has become a hot-button issue in recent years due to teams using technology to gain an unfair advantage.
The experience of many teams around baseball is mirrored by Barlow's conversion from skeptic to fan. It's used by every pitcher on the Rangers and Yankees, and they all say it's for a number of reasons, from competitive advantages to a faster pace of play to reduced anxiety on the mound.
Yankees pitcher Michael King said that they all love it. After he throws the ball back to me, I would rather know it right then. You have time to think about the pitch and throw it with conviction. I know I have no doubt in my mind that the catcher is thinking differently than me.
The benefit goes beyond pitchers and catchers. Most teams distribute ear pieces to a combination of the second baseman, third baseman and center fielder. Brad Miller, a utility man for the Rangers, said that using PitchCom helps him quickly anticipate where a ball might be hit, even though he used to try to read the signs from the catcher.
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Miller said that it used to be if you were not alert the whole time, you could miss signs. The fielders and pitchers have been told that if they are not using it, I can't believe it. What are you doing?
Some teams and players have embraced the new technology, but others have chosen to stick with tradition. While the rest of his teammates use PitchCom, he remains a holdout.
There may be a day when I use it. If you can change up signs and be creative, you can do it the old way. That is what I am trying to do for me. I think it will get a little bit cleaner and evolve. It was slow for me when I used it at spring training. I want to get to what I want to get to when I step on the rubber. I haven't tried it again since.
Manoah said he would never use the service.
Manoah said that baseball is a game. I want to win games. I will not be confused about a PitchCom or have hitters step out of the box every two seconds because the pace is too fast.
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The technology has room for improvement, but the opinions of Graveman and Manoah are the minority. The device can have issues when you switch between pitchers.
Collins said that it would be great to modify the buttons towards the guy on the mound so that we can work a little bit faster.
Miller thinks the voices on the machine could use some spice. Miller suggested some more variety for the voice of the front office member of the Rangers.
Miller said that they need some guests. He needs to do voices like a celebrity. The Dodgers should get a star. That is the next step.
Jesse Rogers was a contributor to this story.
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