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(See Update at Bottom of Page)

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Among the rule changes agreed upon by Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association for the 2022 season was allowing the use of an electronic device called PitchCom. PitchCom is a remote device with buttons on it worn by catchers to communicate pitch selection and location to the pitcher through a tiny speaker located in the pitcher’s hat. Its purpose is to eliminate the need to use physical signs by catchers, thereby eliminating the wonder of sign stealing by opposing baserunners on second base.

It was projected before the 2022 season that at least half of the major league teams (15) would use the newly approved PitchCom system.

The Dodgers are not one of them.

The new sign-less technology’s primary benefit came to light during Game-1 of Tuesday’s Doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium when 33-year-old veteran Dodgers right-handed closer Craig Kimbrel committed an ‘intentional balk.’

According to the MLB.com glossary, a balk is called when a pitcher makes an illegal motion on the mound that the umpire deems deceitful to the runner(s). As a result, any men on base are awarded the next base, and the pitch (if it was thrown) is waved off as a dead ball. An intentional balk is a tactic used by savvy pitchers when they suspect that the runner on second base is stealing the catcher’s physical signs for pitch selection and location and communicating that information to the batter with predetermined signs of their own.

An intentional drop of the ball on the bump (i.e., an intentional balk) was well-executed by the crafty Huntsville, AL native, but backfired when, in the top of the ninth inning with D-backs shortstop Geraldo Perdomo on second base, Kimbrel intentionally dropped the ball (literally) while standing on the rubber; hence a balk was immediately called by home plate umpire David Rackley and Perdomo awarded third base. But by doing so, Perdomo would be unable to steal signs from Dodgers catcher Will Smith and relay them to D-backs pinch hitter and former All-Star infielder Ketel Marte in the batter’s box. But Kimbrel’s well-thought-out plan was for naught when Perdomo scored on an infield single by Marte.

Fortunately, Kimbrel’s failed intentional balk did not cost the Dodgers or the eight-time All-Star the game, but the entire mess could have been avoided had he and Smith been using a PitchCom device.

As the 2022 regular season continues, it might not be long before more teams adapt to the new PitchCom technology. But change can be tricky, and when you mix a history-rich sport with new-fangled technology (as beloved Hall of Fame Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda probably would have called it), not all players and clubs are open to taking this rather significant step.

As for baseball fans, many find it comforting to watch the same game that has remained unchanged for generations. Then again, there are a growing number of fans who want the game to go quicker and want to see how new technology can influence and perhaps improve America’s 153-year-old National Pastime.

The only way to know who is open to such changes is by watching a lot of baseball, not just Dodgers games. But this, too, could change.

Let’s play ball!

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UPDATE:

ThinkBlueLA.com has learned that the Dodgers used the PitchCom device for the first time in Saturday night’s 7-4 win over the Phillies:

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