Apple is shifting the Apple Watch into a primarily health-focused wearable device, but the Boston Red Sox have apparently used it to gain an unfair advantage over its longtime rivals, the New York Yankees.
For decades, spying on opponents has been a part of the game of baseball, particularly in reading the signs that catchers give to pitchers on what kind of pitch to throw. The Boston Red Sox, however, went further into a gray area by taking advantage of the capabilities of the Apple Watch.
Boston Red Sox Caught Cheating With Apple Watch
The Red Sox are on top of the American League East of Major League Baseball and are set to enter this year's playoffs. However, investigators have determined that the team illegally stole hand signals from opposing catchers in various games, including those against the team in second place in the AL East, the Yankees.
According to a New York Times report, the Yankees filed a detailed complaint against the Red Sox two weeks ago. The complaint showed footage of the Red Sox dugout that was taken from the three-game series between the fierce rivals last month.
The Yankees claimed that the footage showed a member of the Red Sox training staff using his Apple Watch while in the dugout. The staff then said something to the team's players, who then told their teammates on the field on what kind of pitch will be thrown.
The Red Sox have admitted that their trainers have been receiving signals from video replay personnel and then have given that information to players for the past several weeks. Not to be outdone, however, the Red Sox filed a complaint against the Yankees, claiming that the team uses cameras to similarly steal signs during games.
How Did The Apple Watch Help The Red Sox Cheat?
The Red Sox video replay personnel acquired hand signs from live footage and then sent that information to the team's trainers through the Apple Watch. The information was then sent to the players, who informed their teammates on the field on what kind of pitch was coming.
For those not familiar with baseball, catchers communicate with their pitchers on what kind of pitch to throw using hand signals. If the opposing team, especially the batter, knows what kind of pitch was coming, they would have a great advantage and would likely be able to hit it.
The practice is actually allowed in baseball, but only if teams do not use electronic devices. Because the Apple Watch played a prominent role in the scheme of the Red Sox, the team might receive a fine from the MLB.
Baseball is one of the new Workouts that were discovered to be supported by the Apple Watch in the future with the release of iOS 11. The Red Sox, however, will likely not be able to use that feature on the field as their Apple Watch usage in games might get stripped.
