Managers will no longer have to dig through stacks of printed documents if they want to see a batter's record versus southpaws or how quickly a rookie pitcher tires out — at least, not unless they want to. Major League Baseball has bestowed its official blessing on using iPads to store and retrieve such data during a game.
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Nothing prevented anyone from using the tablets during practice, of course. But to prevent cheating, the MLB (like other leagues) banned Internet-connected devices like tablets and smartphones from the field during game time. Now, though iPads are permitted (and only iPads — sorry, Android users and Surface fans), they must have Wi-Fi and cellular data disabled before the opening pitch.
The St Louis Cardinals were the first team to take advantage of the newly permitted gadgets.
"We're very open to new technology. We're toying with it," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny told MLB.com. "I think that over time it will be what information can help us with in-game decisions."
