Baseball signs, they sure are a-changing

The intricate sequences of gestures and touching various body parts to signal plays has been part of baseball for more than a century.

So has missing and stealing those signs. It not only drove St. Viator coach Mike Manno a bit crazy but also drove him to make a change.

Now when Manno is in the third-base coaching box he shouts out a three-digit number off a laminated play sheet. Hitters and baserunners can look at their laminated wristbands - similar to those worn by quarterbacks - and know if it's time to bunt, hit-and-run, steal or take a pitch.

"He looks like (head football coach Chris) Kirkpatrick," Buffalo Grove coach Jeff Grybash said with a laugh of Manno.

"I thought about it the last two years but I never really pulled the trigger on it," Manno said. "I felt some teams were stealing our signs and we were missing a lot of signs at the end of the year.

"We said, 'Let's make things easier for us.' Last year we were 30 games in and we missed six signs."

This year the Lions have played 23 games and Manno said the only time the new system didn't work occurred when a player was confused about whether a code was for a delayed or a double steal.

"It took a couple of days for the players to get used to looking at it and finding the numbers," Manno said.

But high school baseball fans may see the new-school system as a sign of the future.

Naperville Central pitching coach Phil Lawler, who passed away two weeks ago after a long battle with cancer, started using a coded system five years ago to call pitches. Lawler's brother Jim also used coded systems during his college coaching career.

Huntley coach Andy Jakubowski started using one last year. Buffalo Grove and Lake Park are using them this year to call pitches.

BG assistant coach Joe Ryback developed his own computerized system and approached Grybash about using it.

Ryback, who was a catcher at Palatine and in college, calls out a four-digit number from the dugout off his wristband and catchers Steve Pollakov or Tommy Ricciardi check theirs for the pitch call. Ryback still gives location with hand signals.

"For years it was easy (for other teams) to pick up the signs," Ryback said.

"I distinctly remember a couple of years ago (certain opponents) had players looking at me giving signs when I was calling pitches," Grybash said. "I can only think of one or two times the wrong pitch was called. They picked it up really quickly and real easily."

It's an idea that has picked up its share of believers at the collegiate level. Southern Idaho coaches Boomer Walker and David Carter are credited with developing the system in 2004.

It was taken to an even greater level by former college players Liam Woodward and Bryce Gardinier, who created Own the Zone Sports and "Pick Proof Baseball/Softball Software." The program ranges from $300 to more than $600 and has been used by College World Series champions Louisiana State (2009) and Oregon State (2006 and 2007).

Manno said "no one is able to pick it up" because of the large number and varieties of codes for plays at his disposal. But just to be sure, Manno said he has two different cards for teams the Lions play twice.

Manno said he's been asked by other coaches about the system. And he sees an additional benefit for a game that has a tendency to drag on at times.

"I think it makes the game go faster," Manno said. "You aren't out there for 20 seconds giving signs."

And then wondering if they'll be missed or stolen.

mmaciaszek@dailyherald.com