Again, the number system???

[coachjwb]

Jeff, I'd be interested in your thoughts on how using he bands teaches game strategy. Thanks in advance.

Darrell

Darrell ... I missed the fact that this post was under the "catching" section and was intended more around pitch-calling. While I do some pitch-calling systems for teams, I see pros and cons of using a wristband system for this especially at the youth level, partially because I'm not a big fan of youth pitchers having to look at a wristband to know what pitch to throw ... concerned about their rhythm or slowing things down too much. Some teams get by this by having the catcher get the sign from the coach, check her wristband, and then "translate" it to a traditional sign for the pitcher.

I do think that a wristband system can introduce (and therefore "teach") more strategy into the game for hitting and baserunning, as well as defensive plays though. While some coaches are great at giving traditional body signs for their teams, many aren't as good at it and either make it so simple that other teams can easily steal the signs or so complicated that their own team misses them. Many coaches won't call decoy signs because of fear of confusing their own team, which of course reduces the effectiveness of signs when something actually is on. I argue (and have had at least a few coaches agree) that by utilizing more decoys, and using a 3 digit system with multiple random combinations for the same sign which tells both the hitter and the baserunners what to do that one's own team will better understand game strategy, and it will definitely keep the other team guessing as to whether something is on or not. It also eliminates excuses from one's own team that they missed or didn't remember a sign in the traditional body sign.

 

[Cannonball]

Jeff, I'm sure we will go to the numbering system as well. I just wanted to point out in the OP that in those games, it was taking a heck of a long time and I could do it faster using what I use now. I truly like what I do now because I teach all of the game situations in practice.

If people are truly concerned about signs being stolen, they need to work a heck of a lot more with their catchers. I'm betting I could relay pitches to my hitters in over half of the games called last year. Maybe in a third of the games, pitchers give their pitches away. Something else to think about.

 

[WinThemAll]

I don't mind the arm bands at the college or even HS levels especially when you see the same team over and over.

But in travel when it slows the pace of the game and is used in such a way that the kids just try to react and don't know the why, this system is useless. Not to mention it takes away from the communication between the players on the field. I do not want robots. I want the athletes to understand the game.

Game knowledge is sometimes lacking at 14, just beginning to be understood at 12, and a lot to teach at 10.

So what, if they know what you are doing on offense or defense? The other team has to be ready to defend it anyway and at most skill levels it is iffy if they can. I don't want them worrying about what number it was, I want them thinking about what they are going to do and how they are going to adjust. As Joe Madden says DO SIMPLE BETTER.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

I don't mind the arm bands at the college or even HS levels especially when you see the same team over and over.

But in travel when it slows the pace of the game and is used in such a way that the kids just try to react and don't know the why, this system is useless. Not to mention it takes away from the communication between the players on the field. I do not want robots. I want the athletes to understand the game.

Game knowledge is sometimes lacking at 14, just beginning to be understood at 12, and a lot to teach at 10.

So what, if they know what you are doing on offense or defense? The other team has to be ready to defend it anyway and at most skill levels it is iffy if they can. I don't want them worrying about what number it was, I want them thinking about what they are going to do and how they are going to adjust. As Joe Madden says DO SIMPLE BETTER.

14u is the right age to start using wristbands. I disagree with just about everything in your post. How do you communicate bunts and steals? Verbally?

There is no chance that any physical signing of plays is faster or more efficient than a wristband. Some coaches aren't using them correctly; perhaps that's what you observed.

I have tried them all (physical signs, wristbands, signal fans, verbal cues) and wristbands always win.

The only complaint I ever get is that we signal too fast defensively and are ready to go before the batter (who is taking a physical sign and getting her practice swing between every pitch). Even if you use wristbands the pitcher must pause when they step on the mound before they pitch.

 

[WinThemAll]

14u is the right age to start using wristbands. I disagree with just about everything in your post. How do you communicate bunts and steals? Verbally?

There is no chance that any physical signing of plays is faster or more efficient than a wristband. Some coaches aren't using them correctly; perhaps that's what you observed.

I have tried them all (physical signs, wristbands, signal fans, verbal cues) and wristbands always win.

The only complaint I ever get is that we signal too fast defensively and are ready to go before the batter (who is taking a physical sign and getting her practice swing between every pitch). Even if you use wristbands the pitcher must pause when they step on the mound before they pitch.

I am sure that you have found a system that works for you but some coaches should actually teaching the game instead of trying to rely on some system they think is a quick fix.

I use the MOMMA LOOK!! Lol!! If you can't communicate in a simple hand or verbal single you do not have a bond with your team.

I had a high level college coach tell me he doesn't give signs from the third base coaches box. The player should KNOW what to do.

I don't really worry about the other team. I just try to put our kids in the best situation with the best attitude possible. I could care less what the other team is doing. I only focus on our team and what we can do better.

It's too bad that a few umpires at ASA A Nationals don't understand about the pause on the pitchers plate. ;-)

 

[turnin2]

I can understand your comment about a bond with your team, but I am really curious how many high level coaches would leave it up to their player to know what to do. There are options and how does the runner get in sync with the batter?

As a coach I want to try and control the game... even better if I can get my opponent to adjust.

I am sure that you have found a system that works for you but some coaches should actually teaching the game instead of trying to rely on some system they think is a quick fix.

I use the MOMMA LOOK!! Lol!! If you can't communicate in a simple hand or verbal single you do not have a bond with your team.

I had a high level college coach tell me he doesn't give signs from the third base coaches box. The player should KNOW what to do.

I don't really worry about the other team. I just try to put our kids in the best situation with the best attitude possible. I could care less what the other team is doing. I only focus on our team and what we can do better.

It's too bad that a few umpires at ASA A Nationals don't understand about the pause on the pitchers plate. ;-)

 

[coachjwb]

Probably a third of the wristband systems I have done are for 10U and 12U teams, and both the coaches and players in those age groups seem to love them. Now they are almost exclusively for hitting and baserunning, and I would not personally use one for pitch-calling at that age level for multiple reasons including that it could slow down the game or mess with the pitchers' rhythm. But it should not either slow down or dumb down the game for hitting and baserunning unless you're either not using a good system or not using it correctly.

 

[canyonjoe]

I'm not a fan of these things, but I don't understand the concept of introducing them at a younger age? They seem pretty simple to use so why do players need to learn how to use them when they are young?

We played an 18U team this year and it was a joke. The coach would yell the numbers to a girl on the bench would would yell to the defense. The 1B and RF would they yell it again to the IF and OF. It was 20-30 seconds a pitch. Then they complained we were trying to stall at the end of the game.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Yes no need to huddle in football or have timeouts in basketball, everyone should just know what to do at all times.

 

[coachjwb]

I'm not a fan of these things, but I don't understand the concept of introducing them at a younger age? They seem pretty simple to use so why do players need to learn how to use them when they are young?

We played an 18U team this year and it was a joke. The coach would yell the numbers to a girl on the bench would would yell to the defense. The 1B and RF would they yell it again to the IF and OF. It was 20-30 seconds a pitch. Then they complained we were trying to stall at the end of the game.

The reason to use them at any age is to reduce the risk of missed signs and eliminate the chance of stolen signs.

That is crazy though that an 18U team was relaying pitch-calling (or defensive plays?) like that. That's not really a wristband issue in my mind though ... that's just a stupid process. If you want the entire defense to have any sign, then why can't the coach just call it out or sign it once with his hands? Personally I think it's a bit overkill in our game to think that the outfield defense needs to know the pitch-calls, but I understand that very infrequently it may help ...