How to Read Baseball Signals

If you've ever watched a game of baseball you have probably seen the catcher or manager flash a series of signals that appear to be sign language only decipherable by a select few. These signals have a real purpose and are typically not nearly as complicated as they seem. Here are some tips to reading baseball signals.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Learn the signs. Signs are only helpful if both the person giving the signals and the person receiving them know what the signs mean. Spend some time as a team, either coaches and players or pitchers and catchers, going over what signs mean.

2. Watch the catcher for signals. One of the major places where signals matter in baseball is the communication between a catcher and a pitcher. The catcher will show a sign, usually holding any combination of 4 fingers pointing at the ground, to communicate which pitch he wants. For example, 1 finger may mean a fastball, 2 fingers a slider and 3 fingers a change up. The pitcher will then nod and throw or shake off the catcher and look for a new pitch. The catcher will also often point to a direction to indicate pitch location.

3. Create a series of signals to protect yourself from runners stealing signs. Typically, a catcher will only show one signal, but when there is a runner on second, there is the risk of that runner watching the catcher and communicating with the batter what the pitch will be. The process of multiple signs can change from game to game or even inning to inning to keep the other team from figuring out the sign. An example of the process would be that a catcher pounds his glove twice, which tells the pitcher that the second signal he flashes is the desired pitch.

4. Keep your eye on the coach for defensive signs. A coach will relay a defensive signal to the catcher and the catcher will relay it to the rest of the team. The coach may tug on his cap, touch his chest, scratch his nose or any other number of things. The catcher may then rub his hand in the dirt to signal he is about to make a signal, and then he will touch his mask, chest protector or do something else to relay the defensive play.

5. Look for base running signals. Coaches need to communicate if they want a base runner to steal or if they are planning a hit and run or bunt. This is often the series of gestures you see coaches making from the dugout. The base runner knows to look for a specific sign, such as touching the nose, that means a certain play is on. Most of the gestures are for show.

Tips & Warnings

• Coaches will make signals all the time, and much of the time they mean absolutely nothing. They do this to keep the other team from knowing what is being called.

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