Purpose:
Full team practices relays, cutoffs and backups on base hits to left field with two runners on
Setup:
- Full infield and outfield in regular positions
- Coach with fungo bat at home plate
- Baserunners on first and second
Execution:
- Fungo 1 hits line drive base hit – anywhere from left field to down the line
- LF fields the ball
- SS covers third
- 2B covers second base
- 3B has the cutoff to home
- Pitcher backs up throw into home
- Return ball to Fungo 1
- Reset and repeat
Coaching Tips:
The shortstop acts as the cutoff man on all throws to third base. On throws to home plate, the third baseman will line up home on all throws to the right of the shortstop. The first baseman will line up home on all balls to the left of the shortstop.
The reason for using different cutoff men at home plate is the distance the first or third baseman would have to run to get in cutoff position. If the third baseman should read this and handle the cutoff to home because the third base man is out of position. The third baseman and shortstop would just crisscross; the third baseman would cover second and the shortstop would cover third.
The same would hold true if the ball were hit into right field and the first baseman dove for a ball. If this happens, the first and third baseman would crisscross. The first baseman would go to cover second, and the second baseman would cover first. The third baseman would become the cutoff man to home.