Cut off to home plate

[Greenmonsters]

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.

SnoCatz - while I absolutely agree that catchers should be taught how to slide into the fence quickly and safely to retrieve passed balls, as a rule an overthrow of home plate should be the responsibility of the pitcher for the following reasons:
1. Some associations allow metal spikes.
2. Catcher wear protective gear, pitchers don't
3. Catcher's have more training/experience covering the plate than pitchers
4. Defensively, an exceptional pitcher generally has more impact on a game than an exceptional catcher, and therefor is more difficult to replace if injured
5. To retrieve an errant throw, catcher will take at least 1-1.5 second to run from plate to backstop (generously assuming 20 ft from plate to backstop and 3.0 sec home to first speed (w/out gear!) and then have to turn up to 180 degrees and make an accurate throw versus the pitcher, who, properly positioned, should be at the backstop and usually only has to move laterally to get the ball and throw to the plate w/out having to make a 180 turn.

While there always are exceptions (e.g., crazy ricochet,), its faster and safer to have the catcher making the play at the plate and the pitcher acting as backup

 

[SnocatzDad]

SnoCatz - while I absolutely agree that catchers should be taught how to slide into the fence quickly and safely to retrieve passed balls, as a rule an overthrow of home plate should be the responsibility of the pitcher for the following reasons:
1. Some associations allow metal spikes.
2. Catcher wear protective gear, pitchers don't
3. Catcher's have more training/experience covering the plate than pitchers
4. Defensively, an exceptional pitcher generally has more impact on a game than an exceptional catcher, and therefor is more difficult to replace if injured
5. To retrieve an errant throw, catcher will take at least 1-1.5 second to run from plate to backstop (generously assuming 20 ft from plate to backstop and 3.0 sec home to first speed (w/out gear!) and then have to turn up to 180 degrees and make an accurate throw versus the pitcher, who, properly positioned, should be at the backstop and usually only has to move laterally to get the ball and throw to the plate w/out having to make a 180 turn.

While there always are exceptions (e.g., crazy ricochet,), its faster and safer to have the catcher making the play at the plate and the pitcher acting as backup

IMO your arguments are still baseball-centric. In baseball you can expect a collision at the plate, it's legal to block the plate without the ball and it's legal to run a defender over, with or without the ball. I agree that the pitcher's the most valuable person on the diamond, but I don't agree with asking one of your 9 available athletes on the field to basically vacate the field which IMO is what asking her to back up the catcher is doing.

Here's my dilemma. Fast Runner on second, goes on the pitch, batter hits to RF, IMO no question RF's job is to quickly get the ball and (assuming reasonable depth) throw it on a rope home, but low enough that it can be cut in the infield if desired. IF you make that cut off F3 then the batter runner is free to round 1B with impunity and be in a very good position to advance to 2B if it the throw goes past the cutoff. IF F1 makes that cut and F3 stays home, you have an opportunity to cut the ball and throw the runner out at 1B which makes the batter runner stay closer to 1B and now if the throw goes through without a cut F2 has plenty of time to throw the batter-runner out if they try to advance to 2B with a shorter lead.

 

[Carty]

I also use F3 exclusively as the cut. What I teach is that she is to play on a line drawn from her initial starting position through the front of the circle and extended. That way positioning iwill be in line with any hit. Anything to the hard right side will keep her near 1st for a throw on the BR. As the hit moves toward center, we are going to throw ahead of the runner anyways and then it is pointless to have her defend the bag. She then becomes a cutoff (in the case of the runner at 2nd). I use the term relays for the middle infielders so they understand the difference in the task. Pitchers move to backup the most probable situation as the pplay unfolds.

 

[Snakehandler]

1st baseman is cut on balls hit to RF and CF(1st baseman must recognize if there can be a play at one or at four prior to positioning themselves on the bag, or cut/relay position), 2nd baseman covers 1st base if ball is hit to right side and SS covers 2nd base, 3rd baseman stays home. On a ball hit to LF the 3rd baseman is cut, SS covers 3rd base, 2nd baseman covers 2nd base, 1st baseman stays home. We only use this with runner on 2nd base and less than two outs. Catcher tells cutoff to cut it, let it go or relay the throw. On balls hit over OF's heads or in gaps past OF our middle infielders cut/relay the ball.

I've been a baseball guy my whole life and this is how we've always covered the left side with the 90 ft. base paths. My experience with fastpitch is that is tough deciding whether a play is going to be made at third or home on a gapper. SS is usually in shallow LF for cutoff to third base.

 

[StacieM]

If your 1B is handling it fine then no need to change. Not every team has the personnel to do it.

Plus some hot shots through the infield take the 1b back to 1st (if they think SS has a chance) then next thing you know it's in left center and 1b has to change direction. Not all are capable.

If it's working for you, there's nothing wrong with running it that way.

Personally, I wouldn't use 3b for cut. If anything I would use SS on that side - but again, personnel makes a difference.