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Communication equipment will be introduced to prevent 'sign stealing' in the major leagues from this year.

The catcher will signal the pitcher with this device instead of his finger.



Correspondent Lee Seong-hoon.



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Before the pitcher throws the ball, the catcher presses a button on the electronic device on his forearm.



[I'm sending the sign with an electronic device instead of my finger.]



With this device, called a 'pitchcom', the catcher selects the pitch and direction and sends a signal, and the pitcher hears the sound through a small speaker on the hat and throws the ball.



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After confirming the effectiveness of pitchcom through a demonstration game, the MLB Secretariat approved its use in the regular season as well.



Major League Baseball, which has been plagued with 'sign-stealing scandals' such as the 2017 World Series winner Houston, who installed a camera in the outfield and was caught stealing the catcher's signature, is expecting Pitchcom to be a solution.



Also, there is no need to meet on the mound to change finger signs frequently during the game, so the effect of shortening the game time is expected.



Currently, 15 of the 30 teams have announced that they will use Pitchcom, and the rest of the teams and other leagues are expected to join, so the catcher's finger sign is expected to disappear.



(Video editing: Woo-Jeong Woo)