Do we need to give batters signs?

[Goobie]

It has been discussed on here many times whether or not coaches should call pitches during a game or whether the catcher should call the pitches. There are many that feel strongly that the catcher should always call the pitches and if the coach calls them he/she is just being too controlling.

To take that logic one step further, I was wondering should the 3rd base coach send signs to the batter? Or should the batter be capable of calling their own at-bat? How about giving a base runner the sign to steal a base? Shouldn't the base runner be capable of knowing the situation and steal on their own? What about outfield positioning?

Obviously there are plays that require coordination such as a hit and run, but if you take it to the extreme a batter could somehow signal the base runner that a hit and run was on.

To the "coaches should never call pitches" crowd, what other areas do you think the coaches should turn over to the players. At what age do you start to turn over control to the players?

(for the record I believe catchers should be able to eventually call the game, but leave the option open if a coach feels the need to call the pitches.)

 

[chinamigarden]

I would only worry about the kids with the $300 bats calling the batting and running game. The others are not capable.

{sarcasm}

 

[sluggers]

SIGNS TO BATTERS

Batters are already in control most of the time. 90% of the time the sign is "swing away"...giving the batter discretion as to whether or not to swing at a pitch. I've never heard of a coach "calling the at-bat".

There is the occasional "take" sign given by a coach...but, come on. You've got girls playing 70-90 games a year. Do you think they don't know to "take when the count is 3-0"?

Coaches do need to give signs in order to teach the "short game". Many players prefer to swing away rather to bunt and slap. So, coaches need to give the signs until the players get comfortable with it.

Bunting, hit and run

These have to be coordinated between the runners and the batters. So, I don't see practically how this could be done without a coach.

STEALING

Some coaches give some kids absolute discretion to steal bases. If a kid is good enough, she doesn't need a coach to tell her when to steal.

POSITIONING OUTFIELDERS

Positioning outfielders usually consists of a grown man waving his arms around while the players move randomly until he stops. So, yes, I think probably any small child old enough to walk can do as good of a job as 99.5% of the coaches.

 

[EP Dad]

Positioning outfielders usually consists of a grown man waving his arms around while the players move randomly until he stops.

Excuse me but I need to wipe the mountain dew off my computer screen now.

 

[starsnuffer]

Great post sluggers, I'm in tears!

To add to it, even if a coach gives a short-game sign, the hitter still needs to be smart and read the defense. Say you give a sacrifice bunt sign, and the batter squares, and it's rec ball or low level TB so the corners come crashing in 10' from home way before the pitch, don't you want your hitter smart enough to know to push bunt in this situation? Don't you want them to know which line to bunt the ball down based on where the runners are and how many outs? The short game is fast, both defensibly and offensively, the kids need to react far faster then they can be told what to do.

As for outfield, I think reminders at the lower end of the game are all that are needed here, usually the shortstop can call these fine from the field, but coaches can help. Things like "Lefty", or "Slapper", "4th batter", "Lead-off batter", incase the kids are prone to loosing track. A coach could say, "she hit it to left field last at bat", but honestly, if your pitcher didn't learn from that last time and is feeding her on the same corner, then I'm not sure one more reminder to your outfield that they are supposed to catch fly balls is going to help.

-W

 

[CoachFP]

This is one of the more ridiculous topics I have seen on this Board. Letting the players run the game? You might have one or two that might be fairly smart about the game but by and large they don't have a clue about strategy and the inside part of the game.

 

[SnocatzDad]

This is one of the more ridiculous topics I have seen on this Board. Letting the players run the game? You might have one or two that might be fairly smart about the game but by and large they don't have a clue about strategy and the inside part of the game.

Who's fault is that? Might be nice if by the time they are freshman and being coached in HS by someone who hard their arm twisted to take the job that they know enough of how to play to not embarass themselves when the coach is clueless. A few times a year (usually right after a big tournament, we turn the girls loose and tell them we aren't coming out of the dugout, they are responsible for everything from lineups to batting order to coaching the bases for themselves. Best moment I remember from this was a batter ahead in the count stepped out and gave signs to the runner at first base that the hit and run was on AND pulled it off.

I'm not saying you go a whole season that way, but it can't hurt as a teaching tool to make them THINK once in a while.

 

[Lozza]

The main reason you have the coach calling the game at third is so that everyone knows what is happening. If you have a player decide to bunt themselves how is the first base coach knowing what's about to happen? Or the runner on two knows to go straight away. Or if the runner decides to steal, the batter must know so they can give them the best chance to get to first. (for example, players who do the bunt position but bring the bat straight back so it distracts the catcher. I've never seen it called for obstruction)

Even with the pitching/catching example given, you don't have the pitcher deciding what to pitch. The catcher is giving the signs because they need to know what ball is coming to them and how best to set up for it.

 

[sluggers]

But, how many times is a 3B coach really "doing something" offensively? 5% of the time, maybe? Even then, most of the decisions are hardly strategic masterpieces. Most of the time, the coach is just clapping her hands saying, "Go get 'em!"

FPCoach: Just what is the "inside part of the game" that is so complex that a 14YOA girl couldn't understand?

 

[SoCalDad]

A few years ago DD was on a rec team where the assistant coach taught the girls the batting signs but the head coach took 3rd base during games. With the go ahead run on second with two outs, DD bunted and was thrown out at first. Coming into the dugout the head coach was yelling at her as to why she bunted.

DD: "You gave me the bunt sign"
The coach looked over at his assistant and she said: "Yes, you touched your nose"
Head coach responds: "That is the bunt sign?"