Cut off to home plate

[mrslug01]

Thanks for playing along, and I think it's worthwhile to note that the cutoff should be used more to cut off an offline throw or catch an advancing back runner than the default person the outfielder aims for. Out of curiosity, what's the reason why no one (including me) uses the pitcher as the cut? She's usually more athletic and probably in the best position to take the cut from any field. I could always send someone else to cover if that's the only reason...

Because someone should back up the catcher and this should be the pitcher. She's half way there already and then that allows for 1B and or 3B to cutoff the throw from OF.

 

[hen]

Because someone should back up the catcher and this should be the pitcher. She's half way there already and then that allows for 1B and or 3B to cutoff the throw from OF.

Don't get me wrong, I use the corners for cuts as well. I was just wondering why we take one of our most athletic, game savy athletes and use them for backup. I found I can't yell at my 1B for not getting in position for a cut from CF b/c my SS has good range and 1B has to cover the bag in case SS gets to the ball. P on the other hand has no responsibility and only has to take 5 steps to either side to be in great position for a cut.

I'm guessing the next comment is, well why don't you use the P then? Honestly I don't know. I just thought about it and figured I'd bounce the idea around the forum. As I've learned many times before, just because it's engrained common knowledge doesn't necessarily mean it's the best and most efficient.

 

[mrslug01]

Don't get me wrong, I use the corners for cuts as well. I was just wondering why we take one of our most athletic, game savy athletes and use them for backup. I found I can't yell at my 1B for not getting in position for a cut from CF b/c my SS has good range and 1B has to cover the bag in case SS gets to the ball. P on the other hand has no responsibility and only has to take 5 steps to either side to be in great position for a cut.

I'm guessing the next comment is, well why don't you use the P then? Honestly I don't know. I just thought about it and figured I'd bounce the idea around the forum. As I've learned many times before, just because it's engrained common knowledge doesn't necessarily mean it's the best and most efficient.

For starters, I'm assuming we're talking girls who can make strong accurate throws here. So if that's the case, and if we're talking about a single to an outfielder with a runner on second base, your SS should be covering second base not getting the ball. The ball should be thrown to the 1B at the cutoff position (around the pitcher's circle). The only time the SS should get involved with a cut is if the ball goes to the fence at which point she would become the cut off on the left side of the field. At that point, if there was a girl on second, she would have already scored and all you're trying to do is prevent a triple. Why would first base need to cover the bag? All you're trying to do is prevent the girl who hit the ball from going to second if the ball is cut off. Second base needs to be covered (bythe SS), not first base.

 

[hen]

For starters, I'm assuming we're talking girls who can make strong accurate throws here. So if that's the case, and if we're talking about a single to an outfielder with a runner on second base, your SS should be covering second base not getting the ball. The ball should be thrown to the 1B at the cutoff position (around the pitcher's circle). The only time the SS should get involved with a cut is if the ball goes to the fence at which point she would become the cut off on the left side of the field. At that point, if there was a girl on second, she would have already scored and all you're trying to do is prevent a triple. Why would first base need to cover the bag? All you're trying to do is prevent the girl who hit the ball from going to second if the ball is cut off. Second base needs to be covered (bythe SS), not first base.

Ok I must've worded my post pretty badly. I 100% agree that SS/2B take cuts on balls past the OF and not on balls in front of them. I was trying to say that I've seen times on hit up the middle where 1B doesn't get in position to take the cut to home because she can't assume the ball will get past the SS. I believe we're on the same page when I say 1B should be taking a cut on a hit up the middle?

Maybe it's just me, but my pitchers are usually more athletic and game savy than my corners so why have them relegated to covering when I could just as easily have someone else cover home and have (in my opinion) a better athlete take the cut? The more I think about it, ball hit to left, 3B takes cut, but with all the moving parts, wouldn't it be easier to have P take the cut, 3B stay home instead of SS having to come over?

 

[mrslug01]

Ok I must've worded my post pretty badly. I 100% agree that SS/2B take cuts on balls past the OF and not on balls in front of them. I was trying to say that I've seen times on hit up the middle where 1B doesn't get in position to take the cut to home because she can't assume the ball will get past the SS. I believe we're on the same page when I say 1B should be taking a cut on a hit up the middle?

Maybe it's just me, but my pitchers are usually more athletic and game savy than my corners so why have them relegated to covering when I could just as easily have someone else cover home and have (in my opinion) a better athlete take the cut? The more I think about it, ball hit to left, 3B takes cut, but with all the moving parts, wouldn't it be easier to have P take the cut, 3B stay home instead of SS having to come over?

Luckily both of my pitchers play 1st base for me. Im all my years, I have seen very FEW teams execute it right anyway. But my thoughts are the fewer to teach it the better off. So I like only 1b (two players on my team) to take the cuts. All pitchers back up and 3rd base stay put and cover 3rd.

 

[hen]

Fair enough. Haha I never thought such a *basic* topic would've came up with all this discussion. Who knows, maybe I'll try it this year and spark a whole new revolution! Remember you heard it here first

 

[Greenmonsters]

IMHO, while pitchers being one of the best athletes and most game savy players may be true at younger ages, the same doesn't necessarily hold after U12. In fact, many of the wildest throws I've seen during games have been by a pitcher - not a real surprise considering they've been throwing windmill style all game and then have to throw overhand for the first time since warm ups prior to Game 1, which could've been several hours earlier!

 

[mrslug01]

IMHO, while pitchers being one of the best athletes and most game savy players may be true at younger ages, the same doesn't necessarily hold after U12. In fact, many of the wildest throws I've seen during games have been by a pitcher - not a real surprise considering they've been throwing windmill style all game and then have to throw overhand for the first time since warm ups prior to Game 1, which could've been several hours earlier!

Pitchers can't throw overhand lol! Even major leaguers. I alwyas tell my DD run over and softly underhand it

 

[SnocatzDad]

Because someone should back up the catcher and this should be the pitcher. She's half way there already and then that allows for 1B and or 3B to cutoff the throw from OF.

I agree 100% for baseball. I think the field dimensions on most softball fields make backing up the catcher less important than in baseball which is why some start to use the pitcher as an interior cut. Backstop is supposed to be 25 to 30 ft off the plate and foul lines in softball and at many dual purpose fields (slowpitch and fastpitch) that's likely to be 20-25'. Baseball is 60' backstop distance. Assume a catcher can move 10 - 15' on an offline throw from the outfield, there just isn't that much room to play backup to the catcher and a real limited area the ball can end up if it does get by. I'd rather see the catcher agressively sliding into the fence with pads on to retrieve an errrant past ball and throwing to the pitcher who's taken home than see a pitcher trying to finagle the ball at the fence line.

 

[Snakehandler]

I agree 100% for baseball. I think the field dimensions on most softball fields make backing up the catcher less important than in baseball which is why some start to use the pitcher as an interior cut. Backstop is supposed to be 25 to 30 ft off the plate and foul lines in softball and at many dual purpose fields (slowpitch and fastpitch) that's likely to be 20-25'. Baseball is 60' backstop distance. Assume a catcher can move 10 - 15' on an offline throw from the outfield, there just isn't that much room to play backup to the catcher and a real limited area the ball can end up if it does get by. I'd rather see the catcher agressively sliding into the fence with pads on to retrieve an errrant past ball and throwing to the pitcher who's taken home than see a pitcher trying to finagle the ball at the fence line.

Interesting point, and one that may deserve its own thread:

Do we really need a backup to home and third for OF throws?

If the answer is NO, then I have no problem leaving my pitcher in the middle of the field to be cutoff.