Situations
Defending a single
On a single the outfielder throws through a cutoff man, chest high and firm enough that a ball he lets go still carries to the base on its own. The player at the base the throw is headed to watches the runners and makes the call. Where the throw goes, and who the cutoff man is, depends on the runners.
The rules that decide it
- Nobody on: the middle infielder on the ball's side is the cutoff man, and the other one takes second and makes the call.
- Runner on first: the throw goes through the shortstop to third on a single to any field. The third baseman makes the call, and the second baseman covers second for the backdoor.
- Runner on second, alone or with a runner on first: the throw goes home. The third baseman is the cutoff man on a ball to left, the first baseman on balls to center and right, and the catcher makes the call.
- "Through" is always spoken. A cutoff man who hears nothing doesn't know whether the call was missed.
- The pitcher backs up the base the throw is going to, in foul territory, and stays out of the runners' lanes.
Nobody on
- Nobody on, single to left fieldKeep the batter-runner at first. If he tries for second, the throw has to beat him there; if he rounds first too far, catch him with the backdoor throw.
- Nobody on, single to center fieldKeep the batter-runner at first. If he tries for second, the throw has to beat him there; if he rounds first too far, catch him with the backdoor throw.
- Nobody on, single to right fieldKeep the batter-runner at first. If he tries for second, the throw has to beat him there; if he rounds first too far, catch him with the backdoor throw.
Runner on first
- Runner on first, single to left fieldStop the runner from first going first to third, and keep the batter-runner at first. If the throw can't beat the runner to third, cut it and give up nothing more: runners on first and third, no free bases.
- Runner on first, single to center fieldStop the runner from first going first to third, and keep the batter-runner at first. If the throw can't beat the runner to third, cut it and give up nothing more: runners on first and third, no free bases.
- Runner on first, single to right fieldStop the runner from first going first to third, and keep the batter-runner at first. If the throw can't beat the runner to third, cut it and give up nothing more: runners on first and third, no free bases.
Runner on second
- Runner on second, single to left fieldThrow out the runner from second at the plate. If the run is going to score anyway, cut the throw, keep the batter-runner from taking an extra base and play the next pitch.
- Runner on second, single to center fieldThrow out the runner from second at the plate. If the run is going to score anyway, cut the throw, keep the batter-runner from taking an extra base and play the next pitch.
- Runner on second, single to right fieldThrow out the runner from second at the plate. If the run is going to score anyway, cut the throw, keep the batter-runner from taking an extra base and play the next pitch.
Runners on first and second
- Runners on first and second, single to left fieldThrow out the lead runner at the plate. If he is going to score anyway, cut the throw and go after the trail runner at third, and give up no free bases.
- Runners on first and second, single to center fieldThrow out the lead runner at the plate. If he is going to score anyway, cut the throw and go after the trail runner at third, and give up no free bases.
- Runners on first and second, single to right fieldThrow out the lead runner at the plate. If he is going to score anyway, cut the throw and go after the trail runner at third, and give up no free bases.
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