NEW YORK — Michael King earns his livelihood by precisely locating his 94-95 mph sinking fastballs on the corners. However, when the Yankees’ bullpen pitcher attempted to throw his PitchCom device into the dugout, he unintentionally sent it flying into the stands at Yankee Stadium.
Michael King admitted that he was not accustomed to throwing a rectangular electronic device, accompanied by a smile.
“I’m not used to throwing a rectangular little piece of electronics.”
In the ninth inning of Tuesday night’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, Michael King encountered difficulties. The right-hander pitcher was unable to synchronize his signals with catcher Ben Rortvedt using their PitchCom system.
Michael King explained that the PitchCom device he received was not functioning properly during the game. He speculated that it might not have been activated or had some technical issues. As a result, there was a miscommunication between him and Rortvedt, where his intended slider pitches were being registered as sinkers due to the simultaneous button presses.
Michael King opted to remove his PitchCom after getting Ryan McKenna to strike out to open the inning. He took it from his belt and threw it toward the Yankees’ dugout. A lady sitting in the gap between the dugout and home plate grabbed it, much to his amazement.
Experiencing a mix of apprehension and uncertainty, Michael King admitted to feeling nervous about the situation. He was unsure whether he could call for a timeout due to the transmitter malfunction with PitchCom. In response, he made the impulsive choice to remove the device and throw it away.
Initially, Michael King expected it to land safely in front of the team’s dugout. However, to his surprise, it took an unintended path resembling that of a frisbee. He watched as it glided through the air, narrowly avoiding hitting a fan. It turned out that the fan had been attempting to activate the device by repeatedly pressing the button. Thankfully, the device was not functioning properly.
After the incident, a security guard or usher promptly retrieved the PitchCom device. Carrying it carefully across the front row, they eventually handed it over to a member of the New York Yankees’ dugout.
Manager Aaron Boone confirmed that the Yankees were able to recover the PitchCom device.
Michael King delivered an impressive performance, tossing two innings without allowing a hit and striking out three batters. This stellar outing earned him his first win of the season, as the Yankees mounted a comeback and secured a 6-5 victory in the 10th inning.
Unbeknownst to him, a memorandum issued by Major League Baseball in April 2022 revealed that teams are accountable for their PitchCom devices. The memo stated that any club that misplaces a transmitter or receiver would incur a hefty $5,000 fee per unit for its replacement.
Michael King expressed his surprise upon learning about the replacement fee for the PitchCom devices. He admitted, “I had no idea” about the monetary consequences associated with losing or damaging the transmitters or receivers.
One could ponder whether the Yankees would have held Michael King financially responsible if a replacement of the PitchCom device had been deemed necessary.
With a smile on his face, Michael King expressed his hope that the Yankees would not have held him accountable for the cost, stating, “I’m very relieved and grateful that we were able to retrieve it.”
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