New pitch calling system changing the game for Redhawks baseball

Redhawks catcher Shea McGahan checks his wristband for the sign during the Redhawks' 5-3 loss to St. Thomas on Friday, Feb. 23, at Capaha Field.

Clay Herrell ~ cherrell@semoball.com

Technology has continued to make its way into the game of baseball.

It is now making its way to the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks baseball program as a donation of the Gameday Signals electronic pitch-calling system has changed things for the Redhawks.

“It was kind of a need for us,” Redhawks coach Andy Sawyers said. “It’s super convenient to get everyone on the same page but also convenient because of the pitch clock. One of our really good friends and friends of the program, Kim Hope, made a gift to allow us to purchase it.”

Essentially, the system allows pitching coach Matthew Kinney to press a button on a handheld device, and it is then transmitted to a wristband worn by everyone on the infield.

“(Kinney) inputs a series of numbers, and then two seconds later, it appears on everyone’s wristband,” Sawyers said. “It works pretty stinking good, and it’s pretty convenient.”

Redhawks catcher Shea McGahan said he feels the system has helped speed up the tempo of the game.

“The game moves a lot quicker,” McGahan said. “You don’t even really have to think. Everything is coming right at you.”

McGahan said it makes his life easier as a catcher as the system allows for more possibilities than just pitch-calling.

“We’ve got other things that go along with it,” McGahan said. “It just makes things so much easier and cuts down time.”

Perhaps the biggest benefit of the system is that it allows pitchers to stay in rhythm.

“One of (Kinney’s) big things is rhythm and tempo,” McGahan said. “It keeps everyone on track and on tempo, so it’s amazing.”

Redhawks left-handed pitcher Ethan Osborne said the team used a form of a wristband last year. It just wasn’t electronic.

“It’s not too big of a shift,” Osborne said. “I actually like it a lot. It’s much quicker, and you don’t have to use as much time.”

Like most things, there can always be issues, and some issues have already presented themselves just five games into the 2024 campaign.

“One thing we have to worry about is if someone’s wristband dies,” McGahan said. “Today, I blocked a ball, and one broke, so we have another system we do just in case one of them goes out.”

Schools around the country are making the shift to electronic pitch-calling as a way to speed things up with the pitch clock now being a part of the game.

“That’s the reason why everyone has gone to it, realistically,” Sawyers said. “With the old way of giving signals, we were late all the time. We weren’t fast enough.”

Just five games into the season, Sawyers has already seen a difference.

“We aren’t missing signs like before,” Sawyers said. “Not having to use these multiple, complicated systems to disguise your signals from runners on second base has been nice. We haven’t been crossed up ever. It gets in quickly and efficiently, so I think it’s a net positive all the way around.”

For now, the system is being used on the defensive side of the ball to call pitches, but in the future, Sawyers can see the Redhawks finding other ways to use the system.

“I think what we’re going to do is use it on offense next year,” Sawyers said. “It’s a monetary thing obviously because each unit costs money. So, if you’re going to use it on offense, then everyone is going to need to have one. It’s coming. We’re not going to be an early adopter to this stuff, but in like five years, you won’t see signs given on a baseball field.”