Skip to content
Insporta Book
en
EnglishРусскийDeutschEspañolEestiSuomiItalianoFrançaisPolski日本語한국어中文
FootballCricketFutsalTriathlonTennisGolfFigure SkatingBasketballVolleyballRugbyBaseballMethodologyWhy it worksTake a test

Baseball · Level 5: Upper-Intermediate · Sub-level 5.4

Signs and Communication

10 tests · 100 facts · updated 28 October 2026 · markdown

The chain of signs, answering a sign, the plays a coach can call, positioning from the dugout, relay calls, talking in the outfield, language on the field, the sign-stealing scandal, talking to umpires, and the dugout and the bullpen phone.

Each test below is ten questions on Insporta. The list under a test is what the questions check: one fact per question, with the source it was written from. Read it before the test, or come back from a wrong answer.

Test 1The chain of signsTake a test

  1. The manager makes the call and passes it on.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. The manager signals the coach, who relays it to the hitter and runners.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. A long string of coach's signs is harder to steal than one from the dugout.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Each pitch may bring a new instruction.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Most touches are fake; only the live sign after the indicator counts.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. New signs keep opponents from decoding them.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. A quiet confirmation tells the coach the sign was seen.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Dugout, coach, runner, confirmation.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. It starts with the manager and ends with the batter.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Managers signal plays to the coach, who passes them on.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 2Answering a signTake a test

  1. Batters touch the helmet or bat to say they saw the sign.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. If the batter misses the squeeze, the runner can be tagged out at home.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Stepping out and looking again avoids a costly mix-up.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Rubbing off tells players the earlier sign is off.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Missed signs leave one player doing the play alone.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Everyone needs the same signs before the game.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Simple signs reduce mistakes, though they are easier to steal.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Both batter and runner confirm before the play goes.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Step out, ask again, confirm.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. A touch of the helmet is a common return sign.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 3The plays a coach can callTake a test

  1. Steal, bunt, hit-and-run and take are offensive signs.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. A take sign asks the batter to let the pitch go.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. The green light lets him swing at a good 3-0 pitch.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. On a hit-and-run, the runner goes and the batter must swing.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. On a safety squeeze, the runner breaks only once the bunt is down well.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. A green light lets a good base stealer pick his own pitch.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Showing bunt can draw the corners in and open holes.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Two runners, one runner, then nobody.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. The suicide squeeze commits the runner before the bunt.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Teams agree what silence or a clap means on 3-0.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 4Positioning from the dugoutTake a test

  1. Cards list where to stand against each hitter.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Coaches wave fielders into place by hand signals.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Spray charts show where each hitter usually hits the ball.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. A wave in the right direction moves the fielder.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. A pitcher may aim pitches where fielders are set up.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. The shift ban keeps two infielders on each side of second, on the dirt.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Catchers often relay positioning and pickoff signs.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Card, wave, adjust, then the pitch.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Memory came first, charts later, data cards most recently.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Teams print a plan for every opposing batter.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 5Relay callsTake a test

  1. 'Cut' means stop the throw and hold the ball.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. The number in the call names the base to throw to.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Silence means the throw should go all the way.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. The catcher sees the whole play in front of him.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. A cut-off man must hear the call over the crowd.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Home is often called 'four', the fourth base.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Raised arms show the outfielder where to throw.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. The catcher's call sends the ball to the better base.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. 'Cut' holds it, 'cut two' redirects it, silence lets it through.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Pointing at second with 'cut two' sends the ball there.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 6Talking in the outfieldTake a test

  1. A clear call stops collisions between fielders.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. A team-mate warns him before he runs into the fence.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. 'Room' tells him there is still space before the wall.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Richie Ashburn learned the Spanish call for shortstop Elio Chacón, then was run over by Frank Thomas.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Calling too early can leave a ball nobody catches.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Saying it twice makes sure a team-mate hears it over the crowd.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. The centre fielder runs towards the ball facing the play.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. One clear call, the other backs off.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. 'Room' while there is space, 'wall' as it nears.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Team-mates warn a fielder before he hits the fence.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 7Language on the fieldTake a test

  1. MLB required clubs to employ a full-time Spanish-language interpreter.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Interpreters may join mound visits so the pitcher understands.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Players come from many countries, so shared words help.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Many players come from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Cuba.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Interpreters help in meetings, mound visits and with the media.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. A few shared words speed up mound talks.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Hand signals mean the same to every player.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. The interpreter turns the advice into the pitcher's language.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. 2016, 2022 and 2023.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Interpreters may join mound visits.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 8The sign-stealing scandalTake a test

  1. MLB found the Astros used a camera to decode signs.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. A bang told the hitter an off-speed pitch was coming.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Reading signs by eye is allowed; electronic help is not.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. The fine was the most the rules allowed then.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. They lost first- and second-round picks in 2020 and 2021.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. A.J. Hinch and Jeff Luhnow were suspended for a year, then fired by the club.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Electronic signals made sign stealing much harder.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Film, decode, signal, hit.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. 2017, January 2020, 2022.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. The Astros used a camera feed and a trash can to signal pitches.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 9Talking to umpiresTake a test

  1. On an appeal, the plate umpire asks a base umpire if the batter swung.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. The first base umpire has the best view of a right-handed batter.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Time is only granted when the umpire calls it.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Polite questions help catchers learn how the zone is called.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Arguing ball-and-strike calls is a common reason for ejection.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. A calm talk can lead to a replay challenge or crew conference.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. A crew conference lets umpires share what each saw.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. The plate umpire asks a base umpire on appeal.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Polite questions are fine; shouting about strikes risks ejection.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. The umpire with the better view of the swing decides.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 10The dugout and the bullpen phoneTake a test

  1. The bullpen coach tells the relievers who should warm up.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. He gets the right arms ready on the manager's call.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Approved tablets show charts and data, not live video.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Real-time video could be used to decode signs.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Video staff tell the manager whether to challenge.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. A slow walk gives a reliever extra warm-up seconds.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. He can pick the right arm once he sees who is due up.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Phone, coach, warm-up, signal.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Phones first, tablets in 2016, PitchCom in 2022.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. The bullpen coach passes on the manager's call.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Sources

General baseball references, WBSC and league material, coaching manuals; original questions authored, nothing reproduced. Numbered rules belong to the Rules category.

  • General baseball reference100