KBO club manager welcomes new device for game announcements

Kiwoom Heroes manager Hong Won-ki said on Tuesday he welcomed the introduction of the new match announcing device as he believes it will help speed up matches.

The Korea Baseball Organization has distributed PitchCom transmitters and receivers to all ten clubs, and they can be used starting with Tuesday’s games.

Catchers can use the transmitter to give throwing signals to pitchers instead of using traditional finger signals, and pitchers can listen to the signals through the receiver in their cap. This is intended to speed up the pace of play and prevent opponents from stealing signs.

Pitchers can also announce their own pitches by wearing a transmitter on their forearm.

The KBO said PitchCom, which will be introduced in Major League Baseball in 2022, is optional.

Hong said the Heroes pitchers had their first experience with PitchCom this year during live batting drills during spring training in Arizona.

“I think our pitchers were excited about the technology,” Hong said before the Heroes hosted the KT Wiz at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. “I felt like it would make the games go faster. But since it’s not mandatory, we won’t start using it today.”

Hong said that only the Heroes’ catchers used the transmitters in spring training, adding, “If we wanted to speed up the game, it would help if the pitchers called their own throws. But that’s up to them. As long as they feel comfortable with it, I’m all for it.”

One pitcher who won’t be using PitchCom anytime soon is Heroes closer Cho Sang-woo, who was outrighted off the active roster on Tuesday.

According to Hong, Cho woke up on Monday morning with slight stiffness in his right shoulder and was diagnosed with inflammation. The manager said Cho should be able to return to the team after the minimum 10-day layoff.

“We just thought it would be best to give him some rest,” Hong added.

Cho has not allowed a run in 14 2/3 innings of his last 15 appearances, including 15 strikeouts and eight walks.

Unlike Hong, Wiz manager Lee Kang-chul said he had never seen a PitchCom broadcaster in the stadium until Tuesday.

Lee said Wes Benjamin, his team’s starter on Tuesday, told him he used PitchCom in Triple-A before moving to the KBO in 2022. About 20 minutes before the first pitch at 6:30 p.m., the Wiz announced that catcher Jang Sung-woo will wear the transmitter and send the signs through the receiver in Benjamin’s cap. In addition, second baseman Oh Yoon-suk, shortstop Kim Sang-su and center fielder Bae Jung-dae will wear receivers.

In addition to the pitcher and catcher, up to three fielders can put the receivers in their caps so that they can adjust their defensive positions depending on the pitch call.

Lee said PitchCom would help teams keep base stealers at bay because catchers wouldn’t have to give finger signals and risk having their signals exposed.

On the other hand, Lee, who is now the second oldest manager in the KBO at 58, said he misses the past days.

“The technology is improving, but I think we’re losing some of the classic baseball feel,” Lee said, also referring to the introduction of the automated ball-strike system for this season. “But they’re trying to ensure fairness, so it’s all good. But the game doesn’t feel the same as it used to.” (Yonhap)