Something new

baseball17500+ posts

Son's college game last night, saw something new. Last year, we had a discussion on here regarding catchers using a wristband with signals, similar to quarterbacks, to get pitches from the bench, and whether it slowed the game down.

Last night's opponents used it on offense. Third base coach (presumably head coach) had one on his wrist, and each batter/runner did as well. When he gave the signs, they all stopped, looked at their wristband, before getting into box.

I guess it is just a continuaton, but I really didn't like it. Seemed to slow that part down more so than the catcher using it for signs.

Anybody else seen this yet?

3/23/117:04 AM

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coach270910,000+ posts

Yeah it's starting to catch on and it seems that most fans don't like it. Please don't take this the wrong way but I wonder if it really does take longer than traditional signs or if it seems that way because it's new.

I would love to see a game with one team using the bands and another team using traditional signs and get a stopwatch to see who actually takes longer.

3/23/117:07 AM

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jdawg_2410+ posts

It takes so long for our coach to go through the sings, then half the players don't get them, that I believe the wrist band would help our team. Both in time taken and missed signals.

3/23/117:22 AM

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redbird510,000+ posts

I've seen it and I actually purchased 20 armbands last summer from the Nike outlet because my kids were missing signs. We haven't used them but I have them just in case I want to go in that direction.

We have used them for signalling to our catchers and it actually sped up our signal calling. A lot of coaches and players could speed up the process by getting the signals quicker (i.e. not watching a foul ball fly out of the yard, etc).

3/23/117:25 AM

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ironhorse5,000+ posts

We started using them last year and I'll probably never go away from it. The baseball traditionalist in me was bothered by it, until I saw how effective they were, and how it actually sped up our signing. I have a feeling this a change that will be catching on more and more and not going away.

3/23/117:43 AM

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infielddad10,000+ posts

Cal. Berkley has been using them for hitting signs for 3-4 years. Their coaches rave about them and the assurance for hitters/runners for not missing signs.
I have not seen any other colleges in the West use them though.

3/23/117:44 AM

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1baseballdad100+ posts

Sons summer team had 9 different signs for hitters/runners.

What is typical for the college ranks?

3/23/117:54 AM

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gotwood4sale10,000+ posts

.

I think I know where this is headed!

3/23/118:06 AM

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gotwood4sale10,000+ posts

.

Just what is the coach trying to say?

"D-O-N-'-T...T-H-I-N-K...I...D-O-N-'T...K-N-O-W.
S-A-M-M-Y...H-A-S...B-E-E-N...E-A-T-I-N-G...M-Y...S-E-E-D-S!"

3/23/118:14 AM

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RJMHSBaseballWeb member since 2007

My son's high school team went to wristbands last year. Several different numbers could mean the same sign. They missed more signs than the year before. Some runners weren't getting their best leads as they were still looking at their wrists trying to figure out if there's a signal.

3/23/1112:52 PM

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jdawg_2410+ posts

^^Probably the same kids that miss the hand signals have a hard time with deciphering the wristband.

3/23/112:14 PM

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Emanski's Heroes1,000+ posts

I wonder if this will stop some coaches from running through a long set of dummy signs in a situation where everybody knows nothing is on?

3/23/112:35 PM

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RJMHSBaseballWeb member since 2007

quote:
Originally posted by jdawg_24:
^^Probably the same kids that miss the hand signals have a hard time with deciphering the wristband.

I saw kids missing signs who almost never missed signs in the past. My son confirmed I was right.

3/23/112:37 PM

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Hawk19100+ posts

So how does the wristband work in baseball?

3/23/112:44 PM

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RJMHSBaseballWeb member since 2007

The coach yells out a number. If the number falls in the "steal" part of the grid it's the steal sign. My son showed me his band. It looks like a bingo board with a lot more numbers, and smaller.

3/23/112:59 PM

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floridafan5,000+ posts

I really like the signs, although not as efficient it is a part of the game that adds character and color to it, makes it more fun to watch. It is like the umpires, a part of the game that helps to make baseball the game that it is, gives it personality.

I am a traditionalist I guess. I vote conservatively too, lol!

3/23/113:04 PM

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ironhorse5,000+ posts

We still sign in the numbers rather than yell them out. Aside from looking silly, yelling them out gives the opponent a chance to steal a sign somewhere down the line. I feel like with ours, first you have to pick our signs, then decipher what a number means. I figure one more step isn't a bad idea.

3/24/118:01 AM

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wraggArm500+ posts

Even if it doesn't actually slow the game down, it SEEMS endless. Who wants to watch people do all that choreography and paperwork? It gets really goofy when a coach uses signs to indicate a wristband number, then STILL goes through the whole 10-second signal-hiding routine to call his play. Our coach was doing this last year - it got to the point of being ridiculous. The NSA couldn't have figured out what in the hell was going on, and it felt like it was taking forever.

3/24/112:09 PM

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