Wristbands for catchers

Major League Baseball made game-calling more difficult for catchers this winter when it changed the rules governing mound visits. For backstops with the Tampa Bay Rays, things got even trickier when the club announced plans for a four-man rotation to open the season. Pitching coach Kyle Snyder had an idea to help — quarterback-style wristbands loaded with information designed to help with pitch calling. The Rays are joining the Indians, Mets and some others as teams are arming their catchers with data-filled forearm sleeves. Tampa Bay hasn’t decided precisely what will be on the wristbands, though it will mostly include information on signs and strategies for attacking opposing hitters. The cards will have a flap to make sure opponents and cameras can’t catch what’s been written down.