Texas Rangers closer Joe Barlow was skeptical about PitchCom at first.
The electronic device, used to transmit pitch signals from the catcher to the pitcher in an effort to curb sign stealing, is brand new in Major League Baseball this season, and Barlow wondered what could go wrong. The PitchCom's speaker made his hat fit less comfortably. Catchers were worried hitters might be able to overhear the signals in their helmets. There was concern among players about radio connectivity issues, or what would happen when crowd noise drowned out the audio. But for Barlow, the device's potential quickly outweighed his initial concerns.