Glossary
Baseball glossary
The words coaches use on defense, explained in plain English. Every term links to the plays in the app where you can watch it happen, position by position.
Relays and throws
- Cutoff manThe cutoff man is the infielder who lines up between an outfielder and the base the throw is going to. He can catch the throw and redirect it, or let it go through, depending on the call he hears.
- Relay manThe relay man is the infielder who goes out toward a deep hit, catches the outfielder's throw and throws it on to the base. On a double the ball is too far to throw all the way in, so the relay man catches every throw.
- TrailerThe trailer is the second infielder who sets up 25 to 30 feet behind the relay man, on the same line. He is the insurance: he catches an overthrow and long-hops an underthrow so the ball doesn't get away.
- Through"Through" is the call that tells the cutoff man to let the throw go to the base. It is always said out loud: silence is never a signal.
- Cut callsCut calls tell the cutoff or relay man what to do with a throw. "Cut hold" means catch it and hold it. "Cut" plus a base, like Cut 2, Cut 3 or Cut 4, means catch it and throw it to that base, with Cut 4 being home plate.
- Backdoor playA backdoor play is a throw behind a runner who has rounded a base too far, to catch him before he gets back. The most common is "Cut 2": the cutoff or relay man throws to second behind a batter-runner who rounded it.
- Backing upBacking up means getting behind a base or a fielder, in line with the throw, so a ball that gets past doesn't roll away and give runners extra bases.
- Lead runnerThe lead runner is the runner farthest along the bases. When there's a choice, the defense tries to get him out first, because he's the one closest to scoring.
Bunt defense
- Bunt defenseA bunt defense is a plan, decided before the pitch, for who charges, who covers each base and who makes the call when the batter bunts. The batter showing bunt is the trigger; the ball only decides which fielder picks it up.
- Crashing the cornersCrashing means the first and third basemen charge hard toward the plate as soon as the batter shows bunt, so they can field the bunt quickly and still make a throw.
- Wheel playThe wheel play is an aggressive bunt defense built to get the lead runner. The third baseman crashes before the pitch, the shortstop rotates over to cover third, the second baseman covers first and the center fielder comes all the way in to cover second.
- Pitcher-to-third bunt coverageIn the pitcher-to-third coverage, the pitcher breaks toward the third-base line on every pitch so the third baseman can stay home. The first baseman charges, the second baseman covers first and the shortstop covers second.
- Squeeze playA squeeze play is a bunt with a runner on third, meant to score him. On a suicide squeeze the runner breaks for home on the pitch; on a safety squeeze he waits until he sees the bunt is down.
- Sacrifice buntA sacrifice bunt is a bunt where the batter gives himself up to move a runner to the next base. The offense trades an out for 90 feet.
Fly balls
- Fly-ball priorityThe center fielder has priority over the other outfielders, any outfielder has priority over any infielder, the shortstop over the other infielders, and infielders over the pitcher and catcher.
- Calling for the ballCalling for the ball means the fielder who will catch it says so loudly and more than once, so everyone else knows to stop. Infielders call early; outfielders and infielders use different words so an infielder instantly knows when an outfielder has it.
- Peeling offPeeling off means a fielder who has been called off a fly ball turns away from the catch and gets out of the way, usually moving to back up the player who has it.
Rules and outs
- Force playA force play happens when a runner has to advance because the batter became a runner. The defense can get him out by touching the base he's forced to with the ball in hand; no tag needed.
- Infield fly ruleWith runners on first and second, or the bases loaded, and fewer than two outs, a fair fly ball an infielder can catch with ordinary effort is an infield fly. The umpire calls it, and the batter is out whether or not the ball is caught.
- Tagging upTagging up means a runner returns to touch his base after a fly ball is caught before he tries to advance. He can leave as soon as a fielder first touches the ball.
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