Catcher and pitcher communication and paranoia, a breakdown
What Happened
Gary Sanchez, the catcher for the New York Yankees, is working with starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka as they face the Houston Astros. With no runners on base, Sanchez is clearly concerned about the potential for sign stealing, so he meticulously sequences his signs to Tanaka, flicking his thumb up to indicate a high pitch even when the actual pitch is low. This paranoia and intense focus on sign sequencing is a constant between the catcher and pitcher throughout the at-bats. Sanchez sets up his target late, not wanting to telegraph anything to the batter or potential sign-stealing observers. When Tanaka throws a good pitch that just misses the zone, Sanchez nods his head in acknowledgment, providing positive reinforcement. After a foul ball hits Sanchez in the leg, the umpire tries to call timeout, but Sanchez insists on keeping the rhythm going, not wanting to disrupt Tanaka's flow. In another at-bat, Tanaka throws a splitter that Jose Altuve takes for a called strike. Sanchez nods his head, indicating that it was a good pitch, but Altuve lays off the next low offering. Sanchez then signals to Tanaka that they need to change the sequence and Tanaka dutifully looks at his hat to get the new set of signs. Altuve continues to take close pitches and Sanchez holds up three fingers and points to his wristband, again communicating a sequence change to Tanaka. Altuve swings and misses at the next pitch, ending the inning. Sanchez and Tanaka celebrate the successful sequence changes and the strikeout to conclude the video. Throughout the exchange, the intense focus on communication, sign sequencing and rhythm between the catcher and pitcher is on full display. Sanchez's paranoia about potential sign stealing drives his meticulous approach, while Tanaka remains locked in and adaptable to the changing sequences. The subtle non-verbal cues and the sense of collaboration between the batterymates are a fascinating glimpse into the intricate chess match that unfolds between pitchers and catchers in Major League Baseball.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentI wanted to talk about catcher and
pitcher relationships and how paranoid
everyone is look at this no one is on
base and Gary is giving Tanaka a
sequence of signs there's no one on
usually when there's a runner on second
you think he's peeking in and trying to
tell the hitter what's coming so you do
a sequence I also like that let me go
back a little bit
Gary flicks the thumb up which usually
means the high pitch is coming if
anyone's watching it doesn't this is a
low pitch
so they got a sequence going with no one
on Gary's doing whatever he can to trick
them and it's just the whole game these
little things are going on I love the
communication between the pitcher and
the catcher look how late Gary's setting
up in his location because he doesn't
want anyone signaling to the batter
outside inside high down so he's just
waiting a lot of pitchers might want to
see the glove so they know where they're
aiming can't risk it everyone's paranoid
look how late he sets up into the spot
he wants to be to not get yelling at
himself they're mad and then he's doing
when they want it high they want him to
chase that pitch or just see it so he's
setting up hide let him know he doesn't
care if they know but other times he
fakes the glove high and then goes low
does this work I don't know probably not
but they do it just in case people are
looking at where he sets up if they're
cheating if someone's relaying another
thing is getting the ball back to the
pitcher fast in a rhythm and this isn't
special to Gary Sanchez where Moss
here's naka this every catcher does this
it's just cool I like it so look how
fast he gets it back you want to keep
the pitcher in a good rhythm and keep
them going especially when they're
feeling good even when you take a foul
ball to the thigh and the umpires trying
to call timeout to see if you're okay
you say no no no no no blue I'm keeping
massa and his rhythm Lucas took this
ball right to the thigh the umpire and
the catcher usually I have an agreement
like we'll call timeout for each other
if we get banged up he doesn't and then
look at this I like the positive
Reformation the catcher gives the
pitcher like I that was close I know we
should have had it I thought it was good
nice pitch a lot of communication goes
on without saying any words haha yeah I
thought wouldn't look good to gets out
of the inning here with the pop-up and
Gary's happy form and clapping the glove
I like watching that little stuff
and this is a cool at-bat so takes the
splitter there Gary goes up gets there's
a called strike nods his head so he
fakes high they go low and Gary nods his
head like no even though he didn't chase
but that's a good pitch but Gary says
well he spat on that so let's change the
sequence so he tells Tanaka they're
changing the sequence
Tanaka looks in his hat and he's like
okay I got the new sequence we're good
to go
fakes high again goes low gets the K now
here's another at-bat where stuff like
this happens Altuve is up and he's gonna
chase that pitch and then he's not
chasing the slider right there I mean it
was pretty bad pitch way off the zone he
doesn't chase that splitter just looks
at it and then he's got a doesn't chase
that one the next one he's got a big
swing and we're kind of getting deep in
the count four pitches have been thrown
that's the fifth pitch and you can see
Gary he holds up the three fingers top
left and then points to the wristband
tells Tanaka we're changing the sequence
we've thrown five pitches he took a big
hack at that one let's change it up
maybe they're on to something big swing
again and then he's gonna get him
swinging and that ends the inning and
then that ends the video