A good game requires effective communication between the catcher and the pitcher. It is evident that the pitcher and catcher will be unable to speak vocally and would have to rely on hand gestures to communicate. These signs allow for easy communication between one another. There are several different signs used by pitchers and catchers during a game. The first thing that you should know is that all hand signals are voluntary actions. This means that unless you want to signal your pitcher or catcher, you cannot make them happen. Knowing this will help you understand why pitchers and catchers use certain signs when they do. For example, when a pitcher wants to tell the catcher that he is about to throw a breaking pitch, he will lift his right hand off the ball while keeping his left hand on it. The catcher will then move his mitt away from his body in order to get out of the way if the pitcher decides to throw a strike or a ball. Another common sign used by pitchers is the "waggle walk". This is when a pitcher will slowly shake their head from side to side after delivering a pitch. They are doing this to let the catcher know that he should not call for a pitch that day because those would be signs that he has been hitting spots on the plate.