Using plays on wristbands

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Oct 1, 2010
159
0
Marietta, GA
Folks,

We've had some discussion about using these wristbands instead of traditional signals in two situations:

1. Pitch call
2. Signs to batters

Has anyone used these before? What did you think of them? I'm not a fan, but one of our other coaches is and I'd like some input.

Thanks
 
Jun 16, 2010
259
28
Its not rocket science. If you cannot remember about 5-10 signals , are you really smart enough to be playing? You make it easy to remember using mnemonics. Are you really trusting a teenage girl not to lose one too?


Swipe chest =steal
heart = hit
ball fist = bunt
Two fingers across chest = double steal
Scratch head = Sacrifice
Tap bill of cap = take pitch

etc. easy as pie to remember Just made up examples,
 
Last edited:

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,133
113
Dallas, Texas
Hey, how about putting speakers in the helmets? Then, the coach at 3B could simply tell the batter what to do.
 
Jan 18, 2010
4,284
0
In your face
I will give a pick up player a band with calls. Makes it less confusing.

Mr. Ray, I will use technology sometimes. I'll use my bluetooth headpiece while calling pitches, and have a trusted parent behind the backstop giving me feedback on pitch placement and if a ball is breaking correctly. It also tells me what the umpire's strike zone is. Not every game.........just when needed.
 
Jun 16, 2010
259
28
I always had trouble with the signals, so yes, you can play and not be good at signals. The easy ones to remember are also the ones that everyone uses, so they have to be changed a lot.


Actually many people on other local teams have played with us before and do know our hitting signals, we havent changed them in years. It doesnt matter really, its the execution that counts, not some surprise factor. We might change an indicator at Nationals or such if we suspect a team we played before has picked up on something, but thats it. Keep it simple. Confusion on your own team will hurt you worse than the other team .
 
Last edited:
Oct 12, 2010
5
0
As a catcher, i use the wristband for pitch calls in tournament, when the pitches are different depending on the pitcher. I use it in school ball for scouting on teams we've played in the past, ie where they hit, hitting tendencies. I really enjoy it and it helps me a lot.
 
Jun 3, 2010
171
0
Our older group of girls have played in 2 JUCO Showcases this fall, and every JUCO school that we have played has worn the football type wristbands. The best I could tell, they had all the infield defense calls and offense calls on the bands. The cathcer had all the pitch calls/ location on hers.

The coach would call a color and a three digit number for every thing for defensive calls.

I like the idea of the wristbands, when a call is made, all the girls can look at the band and know exactly what is going on defense. If a girl is sitting in the dugout and she hears the coach say 623 to the batter, she can look at her band and know what the batter and the base runners are trying to do in this particular situation.
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
I forsee a new team fundraiser activity - selling lost wristbands to the team that lost them (or to the team they're playing)! I can see it for the catcher if a coach calls pitches but for the whole team the only way they won't be lost is if there's a coach responsible for issuing/collecting them immediately before/after games. Call me old-fashioned (or just old) but I don't likey
 
Oct 12, 2009
1,465
0
Its not rocket science. If you cannot remember about 5-10 signals , are you really smart enough to be playing? You make it easy to remember using mnemonics. Are you really trusting a teenage girl not to lose one too?


Swipe chest =steal
heart = hit
ball fist = bunt
Two fingers across chest = double steal
Scratch head = Sacrifice
Tap bill of cap = take pitch

etc. easy as pie to remember Just made up examples,

I did the same thing.

Skin = Steal.
 

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