Wristband Playcards

[Pdiddy]

I think many coaches, especially college level, have begun to use them to keep teams from being able to pick signs from the opposing coach to gain an advantage and not that they think the players are not smart enough to get the sign. We use them on offense, but not for the pitcher/catcher. I'm not sure if it is too complicated for the players or me (more likely) to use with the pitcher/catcher.

again....I do not have a problem with teams using this method....but I am of the opinion that if the 120+ year method of signs is being compromised, then someone is clearly are not doing it right....if you are doing it to help your team communicate then I am all for it. I do laugh at other teams who think they have figured out another teams signs in obvious "duh" situations....

and as for all the genius's on second base thinking they are figuring out locations and/or pitches....some teams go out of their way to do the opposite....and it's pretty infuriating for a teammate to indicate that something is coming outside and you get it on the fists....or a change up is coming and you get a heater.....

 

[CoachHarley]

So after discussing it with the other coaches and my DD's, we are going to keep using the hand signs. Coaches weren't for or against either way really. My kids though, looked at me like I had 3 heads. My youngest, who saw/heard them get used against my oldest's team said " Dad, its not bingo. Every time I heard the 3rd base coach I wanted to yell bingo"

I wasn't to worried about the stealing of signals because, as has been said already, everyone still has to execute.

 

[Easton33]

again....I do not have a problem with teams using this method....but I am of the opinion that if the 120+ year method of signs is being compromised, then someone is clearly are not doing it right....if you are doing it to help your team communicate then I am all for it. I do laugh at other teams who think they have figured out another teams signs in obvious "duh" situations....

and as for all the genius's on second base thinking they are figuring out locations and/or pitches....some teams go out of their way to do the opposite....and it's pretty infuriating for a teammate to indicate that something is coming outside and you get it on the fists....or a change up is coming and you get a heater.....

I played against a "numbers" coach. In between every pitch it was a 3 digit number he was yelling. We were 3rd base dugout and man that gets annoying. I could care less what his signs were or what is numbers were and I was not trying to figure them out. (Runner on 2nd, 0 outs) Coach called out his 3 numbers and I told 3rd to watch the bunt. You would have thought he had just been TSA screened by the look on his face and his reaction. He thought I had cracked his code!! No dummy, it was just a bunt situation as the batter tried to lay one down the previous at bat. This happened quite a few times this game and they were all mad over there because they thought I was stealing signs. It was hilarious, the guy was beside himself.

 

[Pdiddy]

I played against a "numbers" coach. In between every pitch it was a 3 digit number he was yelling. We were 3rd base dugout and man that gets annoying. I could care less what his signs were or what is numbers were and I was not trying to figure them out. (Runner on 2nd, 0 outs) Coach called out his 3 numbers and I told 3rd to watch the bunt. You would have thought he had just been TSA screened by the look on his face and his reaction. He thought I had cracked his code!! No dummy, it was just a bunt situation as the batter tried to lay one down the previous at bat. This happened quite a few times this game and they were all mad over there because they thought I was stealing signs. It was hilarious, the guy was beside himself.

that's great....I did witness a similar situation once and when the coaches of a team were complaining out loud that the other team was stealing number signs, in obvious situations no less....then some of the dads from the other team in the crowd, who were also annoyed by the constant barking of numbers, started shouting...."321....654....123" (etc.) at them....it was out of bounds and not very classy IMO, but still pretty funny....

 

[CoachKevin]

I played against a "numbers" coach. In between every pitch it was a 3 digit number he was yelling. We were 3rd base dugout and man that gets annoying. I could care less what his signs were or what is numbers were and I was not trying to figure them out. (Runner on 2nd, 0 outs) Coach called out his 3 numbers and I told 3rd to watch the bunt. You would have thought he had just been TSA screened by the look on his face and his reaction. He thought I had cracked his code!! No dummy, it was just a bunt situation as the batter tried to lay one down the previous at bat. This happened quite a few times this game and they were all mad over there because they thought I was stealing signs. It was hilarious, the guy was beside himself.

Thats why we only use up to #5... you don't yell out numbers, just flash them with 1 hand. I too hate yelling out all those numbers

 

[coachjwb]

Haven't been on here in a while, but I see I did get mentioned a few times ... if anyone is interested in more info on my systems, feel free to e-mail me at jffbaker3@gmail.com. I've done about 100 systems so far for teams anywhere from 10-U to high school to 18-U Gold to a few college teams. It's more a hobby than anything and most teams are able to get by for about $100-125 including the bands.

P.S. I don't like yelling out numbers either ... I also just flash a 3 number sign

 

[coachjwb]

Even though I do some systems for pitch-calling, I'm not a huge fan of youth pitchers having to look at a wristband to know what pitch to throw. It can be done of course, and we see it being done by some college teams, sometimes directly from the coach to the pitcher. If pitches are being called by the coach and they are worried about them being stolen between the coach and the catcher, then my recommended method is for just the catcher to wear a band, get the sign from the coach (which includes the location), and then "translate" it for the pitcher to a traditional 2 number sign (one for pitch, one for location) ... with the option of adding a 3rd decoy sign if necessary (e.g., runner on 2B). But about 85-90% of the teams I do wristbands for only use them for hitting and baserunning, with some adding in a few defensive plays.

I don't use them personally for pitch-calling, but would never go back to a non-wristband system for hitting and baserunning ... part of it is about the other team not stealing them, but more importantly there's just never a reason/excuse for your own team to miss signs.

 

[pdqkevin]

We went to the wristbands last summer with a high school aged team. Went from 1 tor 2 missed signs a game to 1 or 2 missed signs a season. Additionally with the method I'm using to generate the cards I am able to have way more specific and obscure play choices which I could never do with signs ("steal slowly, fall down half way, get in a pickle til the runner on 3rd scores").

As far as calling pitches we have the catcher with the wrist band and she relays the called pitch to the pitcher the conventional way.

I use 8 1/2" x 11" Epson Glossey Photo paper that Amazon has cheap and print 8 wristband cards per sheet and then cut them with scissors.

Not to be meant as an ad and I promise that aside from being a customer that is all I have to do with him but I use "nevermissasign.com". There are a number of videos there explaining the whole wristband system.

 

[SB23]

What brand of wrist bands is everyone using ?

EVO, Nike, Underarmour

 

[PA SB Dad]

From Epic Sports:

Martin Football 3 Compartment Wrist Coach
Epic SKU: E21235
COLOR: BLACK
SIZE: YOUTH $3.79