MLB Coach Fined for Wearing Apple Watch During Game
MLB Officials has levied a fine on a team coach just for wearing his Apple Watch during a game in an ongoing effort to crack down on the use of these devices that can be used to secretly relay messages to the field.
Smart, connected tech is getting smaller and wearable, and it's been a trend that Major League Baseball has been busy keeping up with. These devices are, after all, a faster way to send messages, like secret pitching signs used by the opposing team, to teammates out in the diamond.
While stealing the other team's signals may or may not be frowned upon, it's not banned from the MLB. Using tech gadgets to do so in the field, however, is where the league draws the line, as Arizona Diamondbacks coach Ariel Prieto was just recently reminded of, according to Engadget.
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The coach was spotted wearing his Apple Watch during an ongoing game against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday, Oct. 4. He was since then slapped with a fine of an undisclosed amount, which will be added to the sum that MLB is sending out for Hurricane Maria relief efforts in Puerto Rico.
Since he was since with his Apple Watch on in the dugout, the team is paying a collective fine as well, although no evidence of cheating was held against Prieto. MLB's own investigation into his watch also showed no trace of messages to the field during last week's game, according to 9 to 5 Mac.
"MLB forensically examined Mr. Prieto's Apple Watch and his cell phone and interviewed Mr. Prieto," a statement from the league officials said.
"MLB found no evidence that Mr. Prieto used the Apple Watch or cell phone for any purpose in the dugout, nor any baseball-related communication on either device, during Wednesday's game," the statement added. The fine stays, however, since Prieto violated MLB's on-field regulations for electronic devices like the Apple Watch.
For the part of the Diamondbacks, the team claims that Prieto just forgot to remove his watch before the game.
