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Baseball Signs and Signals
Effective Baseball Signs
Easy baseball signs and signals for kids are needed by youth baseball teams. Try to make the baseball signs for youth simple and easy to pick up.
The last thing we need is for youth players to be missing signs. The simpler the better.
Ideas for Simple Signs
How to give baseball signs: Giving baseball signs and signals should be short and quick. A good baseball team sign system does not need to be complicated.
Make sure the baserunners and the batter all have simultaneous eye contact with the 3b coach. I have the baserunners show me how many outs with both hands in the air mirroring the 3rd base coach.
Then I administer the signs as the 3b coach.
3rd Base Coach Signs
The third base coach puts on the signs with all eyes super focused on the hand signs.
The batter is out of the batters box and the baserunners have their foot on the base.
When the base coach is finished the batter returns to the batters box and baserunners may take their leads.
Baseball Signs for Kids
Baseball signs for little league age is rather simple. The kids cannot lead off so the steal and the hit and run play are off the table.
Of course stealing is allowed after the ball crosses the plate. That leaves the bunt sign and the take sign as the remaining offensive baseball signs and signals.
SIDE NOTE: You know that I do not like the bunt play for players pre-puberty age—Let the kids swing the bat!
Best Baseball Signs for Youth
Simple baseball signs for youth and kids usually involve a ‘HOT’ indicator that activates the next sequence or touches.
For example the 3b coach can touch the right hand to the bill of the hat and now the signs are “HOT’. If the coach touches certain areas or counts certain touches after the indicator is “HOT’ and activates the plays.
Understanding Baseball Signs
Learning baseball signs is pretty easy if you take time to go over them every time your team meets.
A quick review before the game or at the end of practice quickly keeps every player up to speed.
Huddle all the team together on one knee and put on some examples of signs and situations like a teacher quizzing their students for understanding.
Unpickable Baseball Signs
Using an indicator or “HOT’ area to touch which activates the play makes it almost impossible to pick off your team plays.
If you feel the opposing team has picked your signs then get all the team together and change the indicator. That should throw off the sneaky sign pickers for a while.
Wipe-off Sign
A wipe off is sometimes used to terminate or delete the play. If the 3rd base coach accidently put a play on but really did not intend to touch something to put a play on you can use a wipe off sign.
Maybe a wipe across the chest or down the arm acts as an eraser just like erasing something on the chalkboard or white board. Wipes the slate clean.
Baseball Signs and Signals for Hitters
Baseball hitting signs that involve the hitter include sacrifice bunts, bunts for base hits, squeeze bunts, hit and run plays, take signs, and steals.
On certain steal plays you may want the hitter to purposely swing and miss, take the pitch or fake a bunt and pull back at the last second to make if more difficult for the catcher to throw to 2nd base.
Baseball Catching Signs
Baseball signs using wristbands: Signs on wristbands have become more popular in recent years in the college baseball levels.
Coaches from the dugout read a coded chart when calling pitchers and relay the coded number to the catcher. The catcher then glances at their coded wristband to find out the pitch to call for the pitcher to throw.
If you let the catcher and pitcher call their own pitches then the wristband system is not necessary.
Baseball Signs and Signals
Using Numbers
Numerical baseball signs using numbers and number systems. Some baseball coaches are now using a number system for defensive plays for bunt defense and the 1st and 3rd situation.
A vocal number call out like ‘three-twenty-one’ tells the defense what defensive play is on for the 1st and 3rd situation for example.
I like the old school style using old-fashioned silent hand signs on my body touches. It is much simpler for ball players to memorize a body touch to a defensive play rather than trying to calculate a number association to a particular defensive play or situation.
Plus the opposing team will know your number play by how you perform the defense and be able to counter the play next time it comes up.
Baseball Signs Coach to Catcher
The baseball signs to catcher from a major league dugout are plays to defend the running game. Pick offs and pitchouts and slide steps for the pitcher and catcher.
SIDE NOTE: Pro teams do not call pitches for catchers and pitchers. They leave it up to the players closest to the action to call the game.
Catcher Signs to Pitchers
Pitching signs need to be reviewed before every game with the pitchers, catchers and middle infielders.
The catcher calls the pitches, some timed pick-off plays, throw overs to 1st base and pitchout plays. The dugout coaches can give the signs to the catchers to relay to the rest of the infielders.
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