To anyone unfamiliar with baseball, catchers may look like they have the easiest job on the field; they crouch down, catch the ball, and toss it back to the pitcher. Nothing could be further from the truth. Aside from playing just about every position on the field as they chase pop-ups, bunts, foul balls, and protect home plate, they are also the voice of the coach out on the field. Because they are the only players who can keep an eye on the whole field of play, they must communicate defensive decisions to all the other players. Though the catcher’s communication with the all the players is importance, the most important communicating they do during a game is communicating with the pitcher. The catcher and pitcher must make complicated game decision together, without saying a word. Establishing pitches is an absolutely necessity for both players.

From a catcher’s perspective, they must establish with the pitcher, which pitch to throw without any other the opposing teams players seeing and decoding the catcher’s signals. Pre-game communication is of course important for this to happen smoothly. The catcher and pitcher should both agree upon and fully understand which hand signal means what and be able to act accordingly, and they must be able to communicate without allowing anyone else to see. There are a few methods the catcher can use to accomplish this. The catcher should shield their hands from the view of the third base coach by placing their glove on the outside of their left knee before signaling. To obscure the first base coach’s view, the catcher should point their right knee directly at the pitcher before signaling. The signals should be done between the catcher’s legs, at about groin level. Any lower or higher, and the signs may be visible to the other team. The signals should be done with the fingers spread as widely as possible, to make it easier for the pitcher to read.

The catcher should have two sets of signals they use to communicate with the pitcher. If there are no runners on base, the catcher can signal which pitch to throw using just one hand sign. If there are runners on base, or if the hitter keeps trying to catch a glimpse of the signals, the catcher should use a more complex system. They can signal to the pitcher using a series of signals instead of just one, with the agreed upon number of signal being the real message. For instance, if they agree in advance that the second sign is the intended sign, then when the catcher signals fastball-curveball-change, the pitcher understands to throw a curve ball. Of course, the system must not be so complex that either catcher or pitcher will struggle to remember it in the heat of the game! The simpler the system, the better; it should be only complicated enough that other side will not have time to decode it.

The pitcher can confirm the catcher’s direction or make an alternative suggestion with signals as well. A simple nod of the head or tip of the hat may be enough to communicate with the catcher that the pitcher plans to follow directions. If they want to be sure they have understood the catcher’s signals, or if they want to make an alternate suggestion, they can signal back a different kind of pitch. There are some widely used pitcher signals, like moving their glove up and over their chest area means a pitcher is going to throw a curve ball or showing the catcher their glove, palm side up, and then moving it close to their chest means the pitcher is planning on throwing a change. Of course, these pitcher signals can also be used to confuse the hitter, as long as the pitcher and catcher have agreed on a system before the game.

The catcher must determine the pitch by understanding the players coming up to bat and taking into account their own team’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as game specific circumstances, like how many runners are on base and how many outs they have. In this way, the catcher really does carry the weight of the team on their shoulders. Establishing pitchers is one of their most important responsibilities.