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From an STLToday article interviewing Wainwright after ST opener.
“Using a small panel with buttons that fits on his glove, he has the ability to signal to the catcher what pitch he wants to throw instead of the catcher signaling a pitch to him, but he’s still considering different options for how and how often he might use that function in a game.
“I don’t think I’ll call every pitch,” Wainwright said. “But, I think when I get a great feeling on something, I’ll hit it. Which may end up being a lot, I don’t know. We’ll see.”So either the pitcher or the catcher can send the signal calling the pitch. I somehow had missed that, or at least never thought about it. So, who else can be in the communication loop? Can position players have a device that allows them to know what pitch is being thrown? Is Ollie or anyone in the dugout in the loop? Could they send a signal on the devices to call pitches? What about somebody upstairs or even off site?
There are two aspects to my curiosity about the rules concerning PitchCom. What the rules are presently, and how the rules may evolve down the road in ways that affect the game somehow. Can you use the devices to position defenders? To communicate with a batter? With a baserunner? Could you feed computer generated optimized pitch selection to the pitcher and catcher? What is the potential for cheating somehow? My gut says its a slippery slope and the uses will evolve and the rules of use will evolve.
I wonder if these signals could potentially be intercepted.
With hand signals and the catcher throwing down fingers you had to worry about a runner on second or a telescope in the outfield.
The Astros for really good at cheating that way.
The NFL seems to be able to protect transmissions…
Calling pitches from the dugout is a long established practice, as is positioning defenders, communicating with a runner on first relayed by a base coach. So if not already, direct communication from the dugout seems like a logical use. Batters regularly look to the 3B coach for instructions relayed from the dugout, so there is an argument for direct communication there. I can see a lot of slipping and sliding right on down the slope.
PitchCom isn’t new. It was tested in the minors in 2021 and rolled out in MLB last season. Probably the reason you hadn’t heard much about it is that its use is voluntary and it has not been controversial. I have seen zero discussion of any use other than pitcher and catcher, but who knows what might happen down the road?
Wainwright is a relatively late adopter. Likely Waino and Molina didn’t want/feel they needed it after so many years of working together.
My personal take is that it is both a reaction to the sign stealing scandals and another way to potentially speed the game up a bit. Both are admirable.
Here is some background.
https://www.mlb.com/news/pitchcom-approved-for-use-in-2022-regular-season
Thanks Brian. I was aware of PitchCom last season, but had assumed it was only a way for the catcher to signal to the pitcher without the sign being picked up, legally or illegally, by the opponent. Obviously, it is more than that, at least now.
Does anyone know if PitchCom was used last season by a pitcher to signal the pitch to the catcher, or is that new?
PitchCom has always allowed two-way communications between pitcher and catcher. Which one calls the pitch is up to the two of them.
OK then, I somehow missed that aspect all last season. I guess my next question is how many devices are allowed to be in that two-way communication loop? Just the pitcher and catcher?
It’s my understanding that 1 fielder can have an earpiece to hear the pitch call but no other communication. Is that correct?
Thanks again. I’m up to speed.
My guess is the old fashioned way of calling pitches from the dugout will be the next increment.
We will see how it goes.
This is from the announcement on MLB.com April 5, 2022, concerning approving PitchCom for use during the 2022 regular season (my emphasis).
“Aimed at both improving pace of play and preventing opponent sign-stealing, PitchCom eliminates the need for a catcher’s traditional finger signals. Rather,
the catcher wears a forearm sleeve– resembling a remote control — with nine buttons for calling the pitch and location.
The pitcher has a receiver in his cap, the catcher has one in his helmet and receivers can also be worn by up to three other fielders
(typically, the two middle infielders and the center fielder) to adjust fielder positioning.”
https://www.mlb.com/news/pitchcom-approved-for-use-in-2022-regular-season
So originally, what was approved was not two way but one way communication. Only the catcher transmitted, by way of a sleeve device, and the pitcher, catcher and up to three fielders had receivers in their hat or helmet.
That is according to the MLB.com site, somebody named Anthony Castrovince, whom I admit might be the cleaning lady for all I know.
It follows that there has been an evolution at some point between then and now, because we didn’t have two way communication then and we do have it now. Does anyone know when that change occurred? Does the pitcher wear a sleeve device? Did anyone notice a pitcher using a device to transmit?
One other quote I found notable, but am not able to say why:
“PitchCom is the creation of ProMystic, a modular technology company that typically caters to mentalists and magicians.”
Since MLB is always so desperate for new revenue streams perhaps they could loop the fans into pitch.com by charging them a massive subscription to be able to vote on the next pitch. It might slow the game down though.
Thank you for providing additional information, blingboy. I was wrong about the implementation. The pitcher device for him to call pitches is attached to his belt and is under trial this spring..
Well, now I am envisioning the camel being allowed to get its nose inside the tent. One year and we are trying out letting it get its head in. Those who don’t want a camel in the tent have nothing to fear, its just a head.
At a recent local SABR event we toured a place former MLB hurler Jason Hirsch runs that helps kids develop baseball skills. They primarily work with high school and college pitchers, but also do hitting analysis work.
Man, all of this is very high tech these days. But to get to the point, Hirsch talked about the Pitchcom and thought we will be seeing more communication in baseball this way, similar to how it works in football.
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