- Aug 21, 2008
- 2,393
- 113
First - when set up well it is not complicated. 3 numbers and done. Quick look on the band at the grid and off you go. When set up well, it is way faster than the old hand signs. 3 numbers and the player(s) on your team who needs to know, immediately knows. Takes about 1 minute to learn and you don't have to remember anything - not what body part means what or what number means what or when you change things, you don't have to remember what the changes are. And when you change teams - well you don't have to learn new signs or forget old ones.
And yes - it does make signs basically impossible to steal. But it also makes signs impossible to miss. The wristbands when set up well are easy to use and easy to make sure the signs are received and understood. And that means for all phases of the game you want to use them. Not just pitching, but fielding and hitting.
You ask why is it impossible to pick - well because on a wristband I have multiple numbers for every pitch or call I make and they were generated randomly. So in a game, I never need to repeat a number for a particular call. So when I go '321' and it is a fastball I never call '321' again that game. And if you DO bother to track that for future games - generate a new wristband and now '321' is something else. It is all a grid look up - so '321' is look across the top line for column '32' and then '1' down - whatever is in that box is your call.
I can also have different wristbands for different types of pitchers. Easy stuff.
If you go out to Nevermissasign.com and watch some videos there you can see how it all works.
-- Biggest mistake is making the grid too small to easily see. That is what you see sometimes when players are looking at their wristband - if you print it too small it can be hard to read.
I still just don't understand. Sorry. I still think it'd be a lot easier for someone to do their job and TEACH a catcher how to call a game. Then, with discussions before games, between innings, adjustments can be made. No way anyone on a bucket can know the intricacies of what the pitcher is comfortable throwing, if they have the right ball for the pitch being called, etc.
I guess I just have to see it in action, seeing the wrist bands, understanding the "code" before I can concede it's easier.
I still wish girls were taught from day 1 how to call their own game though, that would avoid the entire mess.
Bill