[Stanford2020]

It looks like our guys have cards with signs on their belts or wrists.  Is this unique to Stanford?    Signs for batters/runners? Pitches and defense?  Are Stanford's signs particularly complicated to minimize sign-stealing?  Does the team have a baseball equivalent of a David Shaw playbook?

It's a newer trend (I would say last 10-15 years), however it is definitely not unique to Stanford, as it is pretty common within the high school and youth travel baseball ranks now as well. 

Typically the fielders all have one set of signs/play cards (for fielding alignments, 1st/3rd situations, adjustments by batter) and the catchers have two sets (the fielders set as well as pitch calls). The pitch calls is to minimize sign stealing, not only from 2nd but also from the other dugout, when you're giving signs from your dugout.

You could call it similar to football, but it's not quite as complicated. It's more just seeing that the #3 hitter is a pull hitter in the series prep so we are going to shade him ten feet towards left in the outfield every time he is up. Easier to make that known before the game on a play card than try to yell over the whiny TTU fans.

[Stanford2020]

It looks like our guys have cards with signs on their belts or wrists.  Is this unique to Stanford?    Signs for batters/runners? Pitches and defense?  Are Stanford's signs particularly complicated to minimize sign-stealing?  Does the team have a baseball equivalent of a David Shaw playbook?

It's a newer trend (I would say last 10-15 years), however it is definitely not unique to Stanford, as it is pretty common within the high school and youth travel baseball ranks now as well. 

Typically the fielders all have one set of signs/play cards (for fielding alignments, 1st/3rd situations, adjustments by batter) and the catchers have two sets (the fielders set as well as pitch calls). The pitch calls is to minimize sign stealing, not only from 2nd but also from the other dugout, when you're giving signs from your dugout.

You could call it similar to football, but it's not quite as complicated. It's more just seeing that the #3 hitter is a pull hitter in the series prep so we are going to shade him ten feet towards left in the outfield every time he is up. Easier to make that known before the game on a play card than try to yell over the whiny TTU fans.