By Cory Fallon
PitchCom has made its debut in 2022 as a way to combat sign stealing (thanks Astros) and speed up the game in the process. The new technology allows the catcher to hit a button which sends a signal to a device in the ear of the pitcher, telling him what and where to throw the ball.
Pretty cool demonstration as to how PitchCom works pic.twitter.com/vCqIuRFNWd
— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) April 9, 2022
If I were a pitcher, I would petition to change that voice up to someone a little more fun, and you could go a number of different ways with it. Here are a couple of suggestions I would have if I were a Major League pitcher:
Famous Broadcaster
Imagine you’re on the mound getting ready to pitch in a Major League game, and you have Vin Scully’s iconic voice telling you what to throw. Or the more brash and hilarious Bob Uecker calling your game? Possibly even Don Orsillo orchestrating what you throw? You wouldn’t need to play for the teams they broadcast for, but it would be a cool suggestion, nonetheless.
Hollywood Icons
Hollywood has a lot of differing and unique voices. Morgan Freeman has one of the most soothing voices on the planet, and James Earl Jones has voiced some of the most iconic characters of all time. You could even go the other direction with Gilbert Gottfried (RIP) and his extremely unique voice, although that would probably cause more headaches and limit your production and concentration.
I’m not sure if he’s considered a part of Hollywood, but Bruce Buffer would be electric to hear call your game. The only negative from that is he might announce it too loud and the whole stadium might hear, rendering him essentially useless.
Stars of the Screen
Having your favorite television or movie character in your ear while on the mound would be awesome. You could have anyone from Peter Griffin to Tony Soprano to Captain Jack Sparrow or even Ari Gold chirping pitches in your ear giving you pitching commands. Ari Gold would be an interesting choice as long as your name isn’t Lloyd.
Your Family
It would be insanely nostalgic to hear the voice of your father or grandfather on the mound with you while pitching. To have the person who introduced you to the game there with you on the biggest stage would be an incredible feeling and would be a great tribute. If you’re a bit older, it would be cool to hear your kids’ voices while on the mound to offer some comfort in a tough situation.
Unfortunately, PitchCom only has one voice available in a couple of different languages and the customization tool hasn’t been introduced yet. Hit me up PitchCom, I’ve got a bunch of dope ideas.
Picture Credit: Erik Drost
