Baseball Strategies & Definitions

Describe the key steps that must be taken for each signal and why each signal is used.

Play Hard Series (aka “Drop Glove)

A communication system where the coach calls out a player's name to designate them as the receiver of a pick-off.

• Coach says “Play Hard player’s name”

• Once The player that is receiving the pick breaks for the bag, the catcher’s glove will drop

• The pitcher will pick and throw to the bag

Used to execute pick-off play.

Hit and Run

The hitter must swing

-Unless it’s a ball in the dirt

The runner steals 2B

-After 3 hard steps look to find the baseball

-Pop fly have to go back, groundball keep running

Used to advance the runner to 2B.

Sacrifice Bunt

Bunt is shown early and down 1B or 3B line

Bunt must be down before we start running

A bunt to purely used to advance a runner at the high risk of the batter being out

Drag Bunt

We wait until the last second to show bunt and try to get it down the foul line

Run and bunt at the same time

A bunt to try for a base hit

Early Break

As soon as the pitcher comes set, the runner at 1B will start running to second (hopefully pitcher will make an error)

Once the pitcher throws the ball to second the runner at 3B runs home

When we have runners on 1B and 3B and we sacrifice the runner at first to score the guy from third

Delay Steal

A base-running tactic where the runner at first takes a lead and waits until the pitcher commits to home before stealing.

Green Light

A signal indicated by holding up one hand, allowing the runner to take action.

Red Light

A signal indicated by holding up two hands, signaling the runner to stop.