Wrist bands?

You see it a lot with FP Softball.

I'm with you though, I don't like it and can't see myself ever using it. There's just something about a coach flashing a series of signs and being fluid about doing so that helps define the game. It's baseball, not football.

we do this between coach and cather on defense and it seems to be much better than regular signs. I would hate to have to do this with offensive signs though

I hope this wasn't designed to speed things up. It hasn't, in my experience. On the contrary...some teams using these take longer to get "on the same page".

Isn't there some kind of system being sold that involves the coach calling out a number and a color. The catcher then matches those with his wristband to come up with a pitch type and location?

I'm sure it works great, but I'm old school and love the usual signs and signals.

Our HS team started using that this year. I hate it. Pitching coach calls out a series of 3 numbers, catcher has to look at his wristband to see what it means, then call the pitch. It takes forever. I have seen more batters call time out this year than ever before because of it. I wish they didn't use it.

Son's HS team used these the last two years he played. Once everyone got the hang of it they worked well for a pitching coach that likes control pitches and throw overs without fear of signs being stolen.

I always prefer to see the catcher call the game. In College I have not seen them used as of yet. They seem to prefer the old fashioned way of signaling signs in and or depending on the battery, the Catcher may call the game.

My son's CA JC team uses it and it works great. They could change the numbers every inning if they wanted.

I've seen several Ca JC's use them in a manner that all or most players in the field have them on. So, this is obviously not just pitch calls. I'd love to hear some specific (what number means what and what does the chart look like) examples for how they are used outside of pitch calling.

We have used it for calling pitches. personally, I HATE hearing a coach call out the numbers. We flash the numbers to the catcher. No need to yell out the numbers.

We haven't used it on offense, but have the matrix ready if we ever chose to go that way.

I have seen it slow down the game as well as speed up the game. Usually, the clowns that yell out the numbers are the ones slowing down the game. We use it to speed it up and have our catcher do little things to get the signs quicker like not watching the obvious foul ball land and bounce and roll. While everyone else is watching it hit the car in the parking lot, we have already signalled in our next pitch or sometimes even 2.

Looks like this trend is catching on:

College Baseball Showing Signs of a Revolution

I've seen it used offensively with some HS's and have started to see it in summer ball. Two teams used it in our last tournament. It's comical when it is the first inning with no one on and no outs...

I know I'm the minority but I'll flash signs with no on, no out. It can only mean one thing to the defense - bunt for hit. I've had pretty good success at drawing in 3b 5 steps and maybe 1b a few, thus opening up bigger wholes for the hitters. If they don't bite and it's the right guy, we may go ahead and execute bunt for hit.

quote:

Originally posted by cabbagedad:
I know I'm the minority but I'll flash signs with no on, no out. It can only mean one thing to the defense - bunt for hit. I've had pretty good success at drawing in 3b 5 steps and maybe 1b a few, thus opening up bigger wholes for the hitters. If they don't bite and it's the right guy, we may go ahead and execute bunt for hit.

I can certainly understand that. It just creates a different "vibe" when numbers are called out. It's just not right.

My son's high school team went to wristbands for hitters and baserunners his junior year. The coach felt the team was missing too many signs. Having to look down and decode the numbers caused them to not determine what to do more often than they missed signs.

In 80 percent of the games I've seen them used they slow things down.
That being said I am pondering going to those big placards they use in football with photos on them for pick offs and 1st and 3rds.... Just pondering.

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quote:

Originally posted by biggerpapi:

Son's HS team uses these things. I don't care for them the least bit. They slow down the game and generally go in to more depth than what most of the players can handle (or perform). My theory for HS ball is to do the little things and do them flawlessly. Does not benefit the team at all to try and match up two to three signals on every pitch and then execute them half a**. Maybe I'm more of a purist and just appreciate seeing the coach give signs and the players having to use that thing between their ears to process said signs. *dismount soap box*

I use these for my summer team only to call pitches. The system in really easy to understand for the catchers, and if your coach is focused, it doesn't slow the game down at all. My coach's reasoning for using this system is simply because many college programs use it, and he wants to prepare us for the next level.

quote:

Originally posted by 2013Catcher:
I use these for my summer team only to call pitches. The system in really easy to understand for the catchers, and if your coach is focused, it doesn't slow the game down at all.

How many years have you used them in high school and how many yeasts did you not use them in high school?

They have definitely slowed down action in the PAC 12, WAC and WCC.

I've only been on one team that has used the wrist band, although I have seen it many times. The times of each game didn't seem too unmanageable when we played: http://www.coastalplain.com/statistics/2010/mhc.htm

quote:

Originally posted by J H:
I've only been on one team that has used the wrist band, although I have seen it many times. The times of each game didn't seem too unmanageable when we played: http://www.coastalplain.com/statistics/2010/mhc.htm

Slowing things down doesn't necessarily me "unmanageable". I've had long games over 3:30. They were not unmanageable...just needlessly long.

Needless to you. But if it helps my kids get signs and it's legal I'm gonna do it. Ill try and be quick but I won't worry about the umpires schedule.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimmy03:
I hope this wasn't designed to speed things up. It hasn't, in my experience. On the contrary...some teams using these take longer to get "on the same page".

I don't think one system or another is faster or slower...In my opinion that completely depends on the coach using it.

Using the wristbands can be quick and effective, or it can be very slow...but so can the traditional method of giving signals. I've played teams where the opposing coach gives signals every pitch of the game even when there is obviously nothing on (full count, 2 outs, bases loaded...YES, I have seen it!), and those games take forever!

It's really about how quickly a coach can relay a signal to the catcher...doesn't matter how he's doing it, but if he's doing it quickly.