What do you do with your second baseman when the cutoff is from center field and right field coming home? Runner is on second. Also what does your shortstop do?
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Runner is on second and a ball hit to outfield? Or no one on and a ball hit to the fence?
Runner is on second. Issue we are having is if the ball is in front of the center fielder and right fielder the first baseman is the cut. Now when the ball goes past the center fielder and right fielder to the fence we are doing double cuts. Thoughts?
The second baseman was getting in the way of cuts to home. We had him going to the bag at second and shortstop out in the grass.
When Cal Ripen played SS for Earl Weaver. He was the cut off for all throws from the OF.
Why?
He had the strong arm and had a photographic mind. 6th tool.
Bob
The only time he is in the way is if the throw is coming DIRECTLY from straight away CF. If it's shallow, he should be peeling out of the way of the throw home but still hovering in the vicinity of the bag, aware of R1 in case he tries to advance behind the throw. Remember, this won't apply to shallow pop ups because both MIF's will pursue the ball. If it's deeper, he is watching the play develop and watching the throw. If it needs to come through and it is going to hit him, he just side-steps or ducks. He just needs to have some spatial awareness. He is responsible for but not necessarily anchored to the bag.
Balls hit to RF - his first movement is to the ball. He then reads to see if it gets deep enough that he has to be a cut. Otherwise, he peels. No base to cover.
On hit to RF he could slide over to 1B to back pick a big turn by the batter.
On the ball hit to right, I have the second baseman handle it like a hit to right if there is no runner on - basically set up in his standard cut/relay position. Rationale is that if there is a mis-play of some sort by the right fielder, he's not throwing home anymore - but to 2nd or 3rd. Coming across to the bag at first is also a reasonable strategy. The downside of it though is if the ball gets past the right fielder, your second baseman will now have to change directions and run a long way to get out for a relay.
I think you have to take into consideration the reliability of your right fielder to not bobble the ball and then figure out which option best covers the likely outcome.
Balls to center, ss usually goes out - second baseman heads to the bag. He just has to stay off the line between CF and the plate.
MIF handles all cuts on their side, and the other covers the bag. 1B is the second guy in the tandem.