MLB discussing on-field technology to prevent sign stealing

[soxhop411]

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-discussing-on-field-wearable-technology-to-prevent-sign-stealing-185641614.html
MLB is going to try and fix something and cause even more issues, such as the technology failing or being too complicated for some players. .

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

Sounds slow and annoying.

 

[shaggydog2000]

I know my RSA tokens have just made my daily life at work nothing but easier and more streamlined.

 

[TheDivision]

I like it, especially the random-number generator. A catcher wears a band on his arm and presses a number that appears on the pitcher's band. Seems it can save a lot of time too.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Yeah, no one can hack those lights "visible only to the pitcher ".
If Boggs (was it Boggs?) could move home plate . . .

 

[Section30]

How about a 50 first time/162 second time game ban for anyone caught? Add a 25 game ban to the manager. That will clear it up quick.

 

[JCizzle]

Yeah, no one can hack those lights "visible only to the pitcher ".
If Boggs (was it Boggs?) could move home plate . . .

I'm sure they can be hacked, but I don't think anything like that has happened in the NFL with headsets and such? I think the lights are a poor idea, but a buzzer or something similar should be viable in my opinion.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Headsets would work better, no?

 

[SoxJox]

Why not a wrist-borne Bluetooth-paired transmitter (catcher or dugout) and receiver (pitcher). Catcher / dugout taps out a pre-designed signal to pitcher that designates pitch type and location. Of course, as the article notes, connectivity may become an issue [for any wireless solution].

The wrist sets would be no more cumbersome or uncomfortable than what has been used for years at all levels for football.

Edit: Of course, you'd have to be prepared with backups for those inevitable foul tips that shatter th catcher's transmitter.

 

[brs3]

A light panel only visible to the pitcher and a strategically angled camera, no?

 

[OurF'ingCity]

How about a 50 first time/162 second time game ban for anyone caught? Add a 25 game ban to the manager. That will clear it up quick.

I don't know if I'd go that draconian but I agree with the principle - clear penalties for anyone caught providing sign information from anywhere other than the field (trying to decipher signs from second base has always been part of the game and isn't an issue). And then make it a point of emphasis to police it/encourage opposing teams to raise with the league when they think it's happening (which they do already). This more or less worked for PEDs and I see no reason it wouldn't solve the problem here too without making pitchers have to glance down at a token every pitch, which will almost certainly only slow the game down more.

 

[barbed wire Bob]

The easiest thing would be having the pitcher and catcher both wear earpieces and and have a coach in the dugout calling the pitch.

 

[Harry Hooper]

MLB needs to integrate into whatever signalling tech used the pitcher getting a prompt that he has something like 8 seconds left to deliver a pitch. Violations will be automatic balls.

 

[SoxJox]

The easiest thing would be having the pitcher and catcher both wear earpieces and and have a coach in the dugout calling the pitch.

The article said on-field experimentation yielded comments that earpieces were distracting.

 

[wiffleballhero]

How about a mound visit from the catcher and pitching coach between each pitch.

Seriously though -- earpiece for both the catcher and pitcher. Bench calls it in.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

This should do it.

Woudl stink for the front row, though

 

[Reverend]

 

[barbed wire Bob]

 

[drbretto]

I'm going to believe the report that earpieces, etc are a distraction. That's too obvious. If I was viable we wouldn't have this thread.

That random number generator (or authenticator to anyone who's ever played an MMO) actually sounds like a really good idea, provided there's access to an easy cheat sheet or something and it's quick.

Only, if you're going to go that far, just send the signals instead, right? It seems to be the same amount of distraction, unless I misunderstood how often it changes. If it's every pitch, then pitcher and catcher both have to check it every time anyway. If it's not, how hard could it be to catch into which number it is and adjust? Another thing an algorithm can just do for you. That just the same situation with extra steps.

Just call the pitches from that same device. I'm really not worried about hacking. Some basic encryption should suffice, especially if it has to connect to a third party in between. They're doing what they're doing now as a function of opportunity. If you go this route, it's far too prohibitive for such a small gain. Not to mention, hacking an opposing team to gain a competitive edge has to be a long way away from the gray area sign stealing sits in. People would just move on to the next best advantage they could find and we'd basically render the entire concept of sign stealing obsolete.

 

[djbayko]

I'm sure they can be hacked, but I don't think anything like that has happened in the NFL with headsets and such? I think the lights are a poor idea, but a buzzer or something similar should be viable in my opinion.

Personally, I kind of like the trash can idea.

 

[HriniakPosterChild]

The easiest thing would be having the pitcher and catcher both wear earpieces and and have a coach in the dugout calling the pitch.

MLB’s not high school.

Pedro liked calling his own game, and Beckett didn’t really learn to pitch in the AL East until he realized he needed Tek to call the pitches for him.

 

[soxhop411]

View: https://twitter.com/PeteAbe/status/1507360140131024899?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Kevin Plawecki tried the electronic pitch calling device last night. MLB is experimenting with it. Pitcher, middle infielders and CF have speakers in their caps. Catcher has a wristband with buttons …

Kevin Plawecki is testing out the "electronic pitch calling device"

 

[jon abbey]

This and robo strike zone are the two eventual changes I’m excited for.

 

[SumnerH]

This seems like a weird confluence of “unwritten rules/get off my lawn” people who are normally super conservative with unnecessary tech that isn't addressing a problem with pace of play or watchability. Sign stealing's always been a legal part of the game, giving the offense technology because they're bad at relaying signs doesn't really seem helpful from a viewer standpoint and actually detracts from a part of the cat-and-mouse game. Enforcing much stricter penalties for off-field stealing seems less intrusive and actually addresses the problem.

But if you're going to do it, 100% tie it to a pitch clock as Harry Hooper said: once the sign is delivered, you have X seconds to deliver the pitch unless you burn one of your mound visits. That'd give it enough upside to make it worthwhile.

 

[Murderer's Crow]

This seems like a weird confluence of “unwritten rules/get off my lawn” people who are normally super conservative with unnecessary tech that isn't addressing a problem with pace of play or watchability. Sign stealing's always been a legal part of the game, giving the offense technology because they're bad at relaying signs doesn't really seem helpful from a viewer standpoint and actually detracts from a part of the cat-and-mouse game. Enforcing much stricter penalties for off-field stealing seems less intrusive and actually addresses the problem.

But if you're going to do it, 100% tie it to a pitch clock as Harry Hooper said: once the sign is delivered, you have X seconds to deliver the pitch unless you burn one of your mound visits. That'd give it enough upside to make it worthwhile.

It could be possible that they still throw down signs, even with the cap device. It would be the catcher's way of masking signals to fielders, especially for large leads. We also don't know if implementation is required. Would pitch calling via signs be illegal? I'm gonna make a guess that it would be optional.

On the subject of pace of play, I don't see how this wouldn't pick up the pace. Catchers throwing signs down for 30 seconds and mixups absolutely slow things down.

Edit: And would the device also be able to signal pitch location? How sophisticated would it need to be for a catcher to say "throw a slider in the dirt."

 

[SoxJox]

I guess the old phrase for pitchers (i.e., "stick it in his ear") will now taken a whole new meaning.