Part of the Game or Cheating?

Absolutely. Calling them out from 2nd is bush league!

 

It doesn't surprise me that we have received different views on this subject. I asked this question because of a situation I encountered in a 15U travel ball tournament this past weekend. A 15U team was using hand signals to relay them to the batter. My issue is they are being taught this tactic by a high school coach. He happens to be coaching the 15U team we played this past weekend. Since he feels it's part of the game, does that mean "putting one in the earhole" of a kid playing 15U baseball is part of the game? I understand we all have differnent opinions and views on this topic, but why would a high school coach be teaching his players to steal signs at this age? How does stealing signs in 15U baseball help your hitters in the fall work on improving their hitting? I would much rather spend my time working with kids on the mental aspect of hitting (pitch count, one location, out or in) in the fall instead of teaching them how to steal signs and relay them to their hitters. Once we figured out what was happening, we did change our catcher/pitcher signs. It just surprises me that a high school coach would go to this extreme to try and win a meaningless 15U game in the fall season.

 

It's not cheating.....it is part of the game......sort of bush league if you ask me.

From a teaching perspective, spend your time teaching the kids to hit, field, and pitch.....not stealing signs.

The problem with this at the youth level....HS and below....is that one side teaches it without fear of the "part of the game, not against the rules" reaction. Big boy baseball polices itself but it's not for youth ball and youth coaches without the right priorities take advantage of this.

Blocking the plate is legal.....so is running over the catcher.
Dropping a knee to block first on a throw over is legal.....so is going back feet first.
Stealing signs is legal.......so is a fastball to the backside.

I would never teach kids the retribution side either....but too many coaches teach the first trying to win a game without accepting the reaction. Let's leave blocking plates, stealing signs, and bean balls for the big boys.

 

Years ago I was coaching a team and saw a 9 year old verbally giving signs from 2nd. After the game, I pulled him aside and simply explained to him that there were more less obvious ways of doing it if thats what he felt he needed to do, and that at higher levels he was subjecting his teamate ( and himself ) to dangerous consequences.

Picking up opponents signs has always been a part of the game, like it or not...but like anything, shouldn't be done in a way that disrespects the game.

 

Stealing signs is and always will be a part of baseball. Barking out the signs is a no no and plain stupid because the only thing you will acomplish is getting the batter a bruise to wear home. I asked my son if he wanted to know the signs or what pitch was coming and he said that, he wanted to know if he was on base because it is much easier to steal the base if it was a curve ball or some other off speed pitch was being thrown but as a batter he didn't want to know.

 

Of course it is like anything else , instead of teaching kids that working hard to be successful. You have a lot of coach's trying to teach kids the quick fix and they seem to use this all in life also. Hard work always pays off not only in baseball but in the game of Life also. Cheaters always get caught.

 

Its part of the game. Just finished watching a couple games of MLB playoffs tonight. Each time a runner gets on second base the signs get flashed longer or the catcher changes from fingers to different parts of the body. Good teams, coaches, catchers and pitchers should expect this and be ready for the runner on second to try to steal their signs.

 

Stealing signs

has and always will be part of the game. But there is a right and wrong way to go about it. First of all yelling out or barking out is bush league. And it doesn't help your team. With runners at 2b its up to the pitcher and catcher to get on the same page. Its just common sense. If runners are giving signs to the hitters so what? If your not smart enough to switch up your signs who is to blame? Right hand on hip outside, left hand taps the helmet curveball no tap fastball. On and on it can go. Is it bush for runners to tip pitches to hitters? No more than its bush for coaches to peek in from the first base coaches box and get signals from catchers. "Sit back 7" off speed pitch coming - "go get it 7" fastball coming.

Ok catcher properly hide your signs. If you dont want people to steal your signs then dont let them. Have enough baseball common sense to switch up your signs with a runner on 2b. Dont get mad at the team stealing the signs teach your players how to properly play the game. I never taught my players to tip pitches to hitters. The last thing I wanted my hitter to be doing is looking out at 2b for a tip while he was trying to hit. And it only takes one wrong tip to kill an at bat. But thats just me.

If I thought someone has stole my signs I wouldn't be made at the person who stole them. I would be mad at myself for letting them. From my experience the teams that spend the most time trying to steal signs, tip off hitters, etc etc were the teams that were not very good to start with. Good players just play the game. If you feel you need to steal signs to compete your probably not very good to start with. JMO

 

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Just read this account of a Yogi Berra story on this subject...priceless :

Jim Bunning of the Tigers was on the mound one day against the Yankee's, and the 1st base coach had picked up the catchers signs and was whistling every time he saw the sign for a fastball. After several innings of this, Mantle comes up, and the first fastball the coach whistles...Mantle takes for a ball. Next pitch he gets plunked, and takes his base.

Next batter is Yogi, gets the whistle but takes a fastball outside. So Yogi steps out of the box, and yells to Bunning.. " Hey Jim, he's whisteling but I aint listening. "
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Agreed

If your catcher can read, he should be taking notes. ;-)
If your catcher signals FB, and hears the batters last_name. offspeed, and hears his first_name. Or, name on FB, number on offspeed. Then you might want to switch up the signals. I guess the key thought is "be aware" of what's going on. Watch the game. And listen to the game.