Social Engineering

[Cowdogz]

I am signalling to my hitters from the 3B coach's box one day, when I randomly throw in a closed fist, which meant nothing. The jackass opposing coach yells to his pitcher "Taking!" I do it again, and he does the same thing. Between innings, I gather up my team: "Listen, this moron thinks I have a take sign, which is a closed fist, and he's tipping his pitcher when he sees it. I'm going to start throwing it left and right, he's going to tip his pitcher, and you look for a fastball right down the pipe. When you see it, let it rip." We got a few extra hits before they finally decided that maybe there was no "take sign."

What have you done to manipulate your opponent into doing what you wanted?

 

[slingnit]

I don't do anything to manipulate the opponent because the game belongs to the kids. If the kids want to do stuff fine (such as pick signals or make the other coach agitated by playing well), but I don't spend time engaging in that stuff nor worrying if the other coach does. The kids want to win based on what they do not some stupid coach thing.

Oh good gosh, so you don't call pitches, believe in changing speeds or movement pitches??? All those things are used to manipulate your opponent. Part of being a good coach is manipulation of your opponent. If it was all about what the kids wanted you would throw a bucket a balls on the field and say "you got two hours to practice on your own. I'm here in case some one gets hurt."

 

[riseball]

Many coaches will claim that they refuse to manipulate the other team because they lack the coaching acumen to pull it off. The best coaches in the game are masters at the art of manipulation.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Oh good gosh, so you don't call pitches, believe in changing speeds or movement pitches??? All those things are used to manipulate your opponent. Part of being a good coach is manipulation of your opponent. If it was all about what the kids wanted you would throw a bucket a balls on the field and say "you got two hours to practice on your own. I'm here in case some one gets hurt."

Now you've done and gone divulged OILF's secret to success.

 

[cuzmail]

I'm in this one for the troll fishing entertainment.
Too early for popcorn.

 

[Jquick823]

I always watch the catchers throwdown. If she doesn't have an arm I send most of the girls on the first pitch. You have to be careful though as sometimes the catchers are smart and they float the ball to 2nd I know my DD does .

 

[djcarter1966]

^^^^Mine does this too, throws a looping lazy ball off target down to second after warm up pitches, although after the first girl tries to steal the game is up. Although with JV games she is playing now it is super frustrating she hesitates all the time because no one is covering coach really lays into her throw the ball anyway...last game she just let lose with no one covering again and literally plunked the runner sliding into second right on the helmet...she looks over to coach who correctly IMO says "nice throw just keep throwing"

 

[mawilson2]

My DD has done all Change Ups for her 5 pitch warm up before first inning with the whole team watching and then....POW curve ball for a strike. Only works on them for the first batter, but still she likes to do this to teams that don't know her well.

 

[marriard]

I don't do anything to manipulate the opponent because the game belongs to the kids. If the kids want to do stuff fine (such as pick signals or make the other coach agitated by playing well), but I don't spend time engaging in that stuff nor worrying if the other coach does. The kids want to win based on what they do not some stupid coach thing.

You are just a ray of sunshine on a rainy day....

Or the opposite. Whatever.

We have a notorious sign stealer in 12U here. He still hasn't figured out that when we play them that I am not the one giving signs. It has been at least 2 years now. I also looked up what 'You are an enormous ******" is in international sign language.. I think he believes it is our bunt sign.

 

[YOCOACH]

Well, I never thought I'd be in this position. I'm actually going to defend OILF on this one. If the girls pick the signs, I feel that's part of the game. If the girls want to manipulate the other team, again, part of the game. For instance, we have several TB teams in the area that have girls which, when on 2nd, like to try and give their batter the location of the pitch. DD (catcher) and the pitchers have devised a system where if this starts to happen, DD sets up on certain pitches and the pitch will be opposite. It could be every other pitch, every third pitch, 1st,2nd and 4th pitch etc. It only takes one or two K's and it usually ends. The caveat is that it's their system. They devised it, they utilize it and they are responsible for whether it's successful or not. We, as coaches, do not try and pick the other team's signs. We feel that there are too many other things during the game that could and would be missed if we worried about that. However, have we taught our girls how to do it? Yes, and they do it pretty well. They're also smart enough to know not to advertise it. Once picked, they discuss them between innings in the dugout and it usually takes the other coaches an inning or 2 before they realize they need to change them. As coaches, we are responsible for teaching our players all aspects of the game, how to succeed and give them the tools and skills to do it. They are the ones that need to actually go out, play the game and succeed on the field.

ETA: Even if the signs are picked by the other team or their coaches, the players still have to execute in order to be successful. How many times have we seen the coach yell bunt, F5 fields the ball cleanly only to overthrow the first baseperson or put it in the dirt and have it go to RF?