• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

MLB General Discussion (Official Thread)

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes
MLB umpires to announce replay review decisions to fans

Umpires will now be equipped with on-field microphones to inform the crowd and television audience of replay reviews beginning with exhibition games at stadiums this weekend, Major League Baseball announced Friday.

Crew chiefs will wear a microphone, via a belt pack, and will proceed to one of the baselines when a replay is initiated and face the press box to make the announcement. They'll announce who is making the challenge, what is being challenged, and then -- after the review is completed -- announce the verdict and give a quick explanation.

Until now, umpires had revealed their decisions such as safe and out with hand signals.

"I think opening up communication with the fans is a step in the right direction," Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch said Friday morning. "It'll become mainstream very fast."

Hinch indicated that several umpires had expressed nervousness about speaking publicly in that manner, since it's never been part of their job.

"I think they're a little uncomfortable with the mechanics of it until they get to do it," Hinch said.

Umpires have been rehearsing making these announcements this spring but not during games. That will start this Sunday when the Angels host the Dodgers at Angels Stadium in Anaheim.

Entire article: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33645606/mlb-umpires-announce-replay-review-decisions-fans

"I think opening up communication with the fans is a step in the right direction"
Click to expand...

Yes it is.
 
Upvote 0
What is PitchCom and how MLB will use it to stop sign-stealing

Baseball is expected to allow players to wear transmitters on the field this season that will relay signs and stop some of the cheating

1200x0.jpg


Major League Baseball is going to allow players to wear a new piece of technology that will help catchers relay signs to pitchers and possibly eliminate sign-stealing from the game, according to ESPN's Buster Olney. The technology is called PitchCom and was tested in the Class A California League last season and has drawn rave reviews from teams who have tried it out during spring training.

Here's how it works: Catchers can put a PitchCom transmitter on their forearm, which makes it look just like a wristband. The black transmitter has nine buttons on it that catchers press to let the pitcher know the pitch he's calling and the location. On the mound, pitchers have a six-inch rubber receiver inside their hats that communicate the pitch call with a computerized voice - either in Spanish or English - that will tell the pitcher, for instance, "fastball up" or "curveball, down and in." The catchers also will have the audio device in their helmets, so they can be sure they've sent the right signal to their teammate.

Three other players besides the pitcher and catcher also can wear the device inside their hats, so they'll know the pitch and can adjust their positioning accordingly. Most often, those players would be the second baseman, shortstop and center fielder.

During a spring training game over the weekend, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said his players had been experimenting with the technology and all really liked it.



Entire article: https://www.chron.com/sports/astros...how-works-baseball-signs-catcher-17058491.php
 
Upvote 0
Jaxbuck said:
I don't mind the universal DH, the PitchCom or the replay review announcements.

The game is always changing. These are no big deal.

Pitch clocks otoh, not so sure how I would have made my peace with that.
Click to expand...

For me, the universal DH was long overdue. Most pitchers now look like me up there, just trying to get it over with and not get hurt.

Interleague play was even worse, with AL guys who batted maybe a dozen times a year. I want to see hitters hit and pitchers pitch.
 
Upvote 0
Mike80 said:
So I'm watching spring training on MLB network and they are currently showing Red Sox/Rays from NESN.

Are Red Sox fans so fragile they need to have their players constantly complimented? I realize it's a home team broadcast but the verbal fellatio is over the top on this broadcast.
Click to expand...

Jesus - I thought Red Sox announcing was bad.

Listening to the broadcast from NBCSports Chicago is basically trying to listen to a WWE broadcast. It's awful.
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top