College Baseball Begins Using New Technology Allowing Coaches to Call Pitches – Is It Cheating?

The machines are here. The creeping acquisition has begun. In a first-of-its-kind move, we saw pitches being called by the coach from the dugout. Marking the first year that the NCAA allowed it; Vanderbilt coach, Scott Brown, was seen calling pitches from the dugout. And possibly indicating a move forward for baseball, the move saw interest from several quarters.

The Vanderbilt Commodores began their NCAA baseball season against the Oklahoma State Cowboys and with an unexpected twist. Reportedly, all 9 Vanderbilt players on the ballpark were sporting electronic wristbands to receive pitch instructions from the coach in the dugout.

The catcher as well as the infield players could maybe thus be better informed about whether the pitcher intended on going earlier or if he was going to pitch a bit later. The commentator had some inputs about the advent of this technology into the sport too.

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Vanderbilt players sport electronic wristbands for the first time in baseball

The Vanderbilt Commodores were the first to adopt the technology in the NCAA. And the commentators on the game had some opinions regarding the same too.

The wristband is reportedly called an “electronic display board” per the NCAA. Manufactured by a company called Gameday Signals, this is the first of its kind. The technology indeed is quite intriguing. The coach punches numbers into the controller they possess. These translate to certain pitches for the player on the mound.

All 9 players on the park were sporting one, and this possibly allowed them to coordinate better. The commentators added that the innovation would be great not just for the pitcher and catcher who would know what to expect; but also for other players on the baseball park.

The commentators said, “To know if this guy is going to be late on the ball or early on the ball, could give you an extra one or two steps.”

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Speaking as how it can help the progress of play. “It might help you make a play that you would not make otherwise,” they added. The commentators added that this could potentially mean a different path forward for baseball. “If Vanderbilt like the technology it could mean that the catcher’s don’t use signs for the entire season,” they added.

While definitely indicative of a shift towards technology in the sport, do you think technology is adding or taking away from the sport?