3.21.2063 – Monarchs Spring Training FacilityThe Monarchs equipment manager announced today that he would order an inspection of all the team's training equipment after a pitching machine beaned Xing-li Kun. The catcher was briefly knocked unconscious after the machine lobbed an errant fastball directly at his head. Kun, who was clearly caught off-guard by the wild throw, attempted to duck out of the ball's way, but was hit squarely in the side of the head. Fortunately for Kun, he was wearing a helmet at the time. Still, the sheer impact left him lying motionless on the ground for a few frightening moments. "It was scary," said teammate Stephen Carpenter. "I've never seen a pitching machine throw a pitch quite like that." Kun was attended to by coaches and teammates and was later taken to a local hospital for observation. He was diagnosed with a mild concussion and may miss a game as a result. "I've gotta admit," Carpenter added, " I'm gonna be a little nervous next time I have to face one of those things!"
Some joker had drawn the chalk outline of a body sprawled out on the floor of the batting cage. Grant was not in a mood for humor.
“Alfie, get that cleaned up when we're done, will you?” he asked, indicating the amateur art work to the caretaker who was leaning against the wall next to a mop and bucket, seemingly in anticipation of the order.
Grant was barely acquainted with the equipment manager, Robert Samuels, at the time of the incident. Samuels, a native of south London with Jamaican roots, stood to Grant's left in a semi-circle with the pitching machine in question at the center. Also in attendance were the manager, Jack Gulliver, first year hitting coach, Ramón Castillo, and club in-house counsel Grace Moffit, a petite Scotswoman with dark hair and what struck Grant as amazing posture.
“So,” said Samuels, “this is the Pitchpath 3000. We have three of these machines on site.”
The first thing Grant noticed about it was its size. The front was as big as a set of French doors with a large video screen that moved on a track, along with an adjacent black plate nearly as big with a hole in the middle where the ball came from. Both could be arranged so that the hitter would see a video representation of a pitcher in his wind up, with the ball delivery system placed at his precise release point. You could program in any pitcher that the software had data on. It was all driven by robotics and software of enormous complexity (algorithms, AI, you name it) to precisely mimic flesh and blood professionals. Such technology had been around for decades and was largely considered to be 'perfected'.
“We don't service the machines in-house,” continued Samuel, “we rely on company technicians to keep these in working order. I've never, in all my years around the game, heard of one beaning a batter standing in the batters box. They've got a camera here,” he said, pointing to a small hole barely larger than a pinhead, “that sees the batter and makes sure the pitch trajectory doesn't intersect. A baseball that's sufficiently scuffed up or cut might travel in ways the machine can't predict.”
Here, Samuel held out a baseball in the palm of his right hand. “This is the ball that hit Kun,” he said.
The ball appeared unremarkable, and apart from the red streak caused by its allision with Kun's batting helmet, Grant would say it looked pristine. 'Thank God we don't skimp on batting practice balls,' he thought to himself.
“And you said the company is sending out a tech?” asked Grant, turning to Samuels.
Robert nodded in response.
“I've sent for Arlo on the off chance this machine was tampered with,” said Grace to those assembled. Arlo Saunders was the club head of security, formerly of the Metropolitan Police. “We, of course, have no reason to believe that it was, but it was also certified by the company to be in proper condition just a few weeks ago. He'll be looking over the security camera footage we have of the incident. Arlo's also bringing in an outside expert with him. I want them here when the company tech looks over the machine. I don't want anyone touching this thing outside of their presence.”
Everyone present nodded in a assent.
“Right,” said Grant, eager to get on with his day and think about something else. “We'll meet back here in the morning.”
