Baseball - Stealing Signs

[SaltyTiger 7,763]

Always considered it a part of the game. Like everything changing big time with tech. Always been fascinated by baseball hand sign communications. Interesting article on changes due to tech today.

Astros burned and handed out some extreme punishments within their organization for using tech to steal sign. 

https://hosted.ap.org/citizensvoice/article/18ad9fd9264657e053d9b71b0bf0ed1d/stop-sign-stealing-mlb-could-fight-tech-tech

A partial model is already in place: The NCAA's Southeastern Conference has used electronic communication between coaches and catchers during league games for the past two seasons, which allows the coach to talk strategy with the catcher through an earpiece. It's much like the NFL, where an offensive coach tells plays to a quarterback.

No hand signals needed.

“I don't know why everyone isn't doing it — it's fantastic,” LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. “It allows the coach to speak directly to the catcher and speeds up the game."

In the SEC's system, the catcher still has to relay signs to the pitcher the old-fashioned way with hand signals, but Mainieri said there's no reason why pitchers couldn't eventually be included in the conversation. It's more common for coaches to call pitches in college, while catchers usually handle those responsibilities in the big leagues.