Calling plays to your defense

[jdp29]

How do you go about calling plays to your defense. Let's say I want to throw a fake throwdown and have my SS cut the ball for a throw home. I have always had words for my plays, but even if the other team doesn't know what it means, they know something is up. I know some call them to the catcher who will then do some signals to the infield. What does everyone do??

 

[wichita]

Our high school coach works on these plays constantly and then never uses them in games ....makes a man wonder

MY younger DD travel coach uses a different way of calling the play ....he will call out the number 5 and then follow it with the players jersey number (either 2nd or ss) like as in 525 so number 25 will take the cut seems to work well although this type of play usually only works once a year if that much

 

[riseball]

We use wristbands. Half of what I call are non plays just to keep the offense guessing.

 

[KCPRK]

We use wristbands. Half of what I call are non plays just to keep the offense guessing.

This^^^

NeverMissASign.com | Home

 

[chinamigarden]

For throw downs, steal plays, pick offs...My dds TB coaches use colors. Typically they call out 3 colors and in different games it might be the first color, the second or the third, depending on what they decide before hand. They call one out every time there is a runner on, even if it just means throw the ball back to the pitcher.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

You could go with words like "Apple" "Pear" "Egg" The signal is either the number of letters in the word, whether it starts with a vowel or consonant, or is a fruit, etc. You can change it as you go along.

I know, guys. Try to keep up. The girls can do it.

You can go with any even or odd numbers, too. So, to throw to SS, it could be anything 14, 18, 100, etc.

 

[CoachKevin]

We also use wristbands.... many of the numbers called are nothing. You have to give "fake" numbers because I have seen where the coach or catcher says nothing pretty much all game, then will call something....

 

[WinThemAll]

This year for first and third plays, catchers give hand signals. Other plays are colors.

For the younger age groups, I used colors or city/state names and then a number (usually the no. of the player the throw was going to).

I have toyed with the idea of arm bands (and used them for a while for pitcher & catcher one year) but we usually don't play a team enough times to really matter. I can see that they could really work when you play the same team multiple times or continually over the years.

 

[Cannonball]

Ok so don't think bad of me. I used to yell out to the team that we have runners on and everyone needs to be focused. I'm not one to say that much. So, the players act normal and I walk out of the dugout. If I kneel at the exit of the dugout on the right hand side, 2B cuts. If I kneel at entrance of dugout on left hand side, SS cuts. If I don't kneel and go back in as I walked in front of the dugout, then we are throwing through. Kids know not to stare at me and everyone always seemed able to pick it up.

Kids know that when coach is kneeling, he's dealing. That is what I have them say to themselves.

 

[fastpitchdad8]

We do sort of the same things. We've faced teams where the coaches are yelling numbers and certain codes after every pitch. Frankly their players look confused half the time.

KISS works for us

Ok so don't think bad of me. I used to yell out to the team that we have runners on and everyone needs to be focused. I'm not one to say that much. So, the players act normal and I walk out of the dugout. If I kneel at the exit of the dugout on the right hand side, 2B cuts. If I kneel at entrance of dugout on left hand side, SS cuts. If I don't kneel and go back in as I walked in front of the dugout, then we are throwing through. Kids know not to stare at me and everyone always seemed able to pick it up.

Kids know that when coach is kneeling, he's dealing. That is what I have them say to themselves.