In baseball and softball, all nine fielders have defined responsibilities and need to move on every play.
Outfield fly to right with runner on second, the play is to make the catch and throw to third.
Play:
| Situation: | Runner on second with less than two outs |
| Offense: | Outfield fly to right field |
| Defense: | Play is to make the catch or field the ball and throw to third |
Player Responsibilities:
| Pitcher: | Back up the throw to third base |
| Catcher: | Cover home |
| 1st base: | Cover first base |
| 2nd base: | Move into outfield to cutoff throw to third base |
| 3rd base: | Cover third base |
| Shortstop: | Cover second base (see Note 2)
If the ball is hit to deep right field, then the shortstop will need to become the second (of two) cutoff men (double cut) |
| Left: | Back up third base |
| Center: | Back up right field |
| Right: | Go hard to the ball to make the catch and throw to third |
| Note 1: | The throw to the cutoff man only if necessary, otherwise throw directly to third. |
| Note 2: | Many professional and college teams will have the SS be the cutoff man for the throw from RF to 3B and 2B cover second. They do this since the RF has a good arm and they want the cutoff closer to the thrown at base. In youth sports, typically the RF does not have an exceptional arm and so the recommendation to use 2B as the cutoff. |
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