PitchCom to be allowed for use in baseball games

A catcher with manicured nails to make his signs more visible to a pitcher will disappear in history. The MLB Secretariat announced on Wednesday that PitchCom, the device letting catchers communicate secretly with pitchers, is now allowed for use in official games.

PitchCom refers to a pad worn on the catcher’s left wrist and earphones worn by the pitcher and fielders. When the catcher selects a type of pitch and its course and pushes a button, the device encodes and delivers the message in voice to the pitcher, for example, a “fastball going to the outside corner.” Up to three fielders can hear the same message, which helps to figure out defense locations. The second baseman, shortstop, and center fielder, who are often collectively called the “centerline,” are likely to be given earphones.

The MLB Secretariat introduced the device to the Single-A Minor League last year and expanded its use to the MLB Spring Camp this year. The secretariat believes that the device will prevent sign stealing and help reduce the overall duration of games as the pitcher can receive signs before finishing his preparation for a pitch on a mound. “About half of the 30 teams have indicated they will open the season with the system, and the league expects others to join once they become more familiar with it during the year,” the New York Times said.


Kyu-In Hwang kini@donga.com