Cutoff Question

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by canadaump6

This is a question for all you players and coaches.

I was playing a game a couple days ago in my local adult league. I was in right field. With a runner on first base, a ball was hit through the hole to me. As I charged in to get it, I heard someone yell "go to three", and I knew the runner would be trying to go first to third. I fielded it, and threw it as hard as I could towards third base. It was an okay throw, and the shortstop ended up catching it between second and third base. The runner advanced to third, the batter stayed at first. I thought I did a good job of making a fairly strong, accurate throw.

But then I hear the third baseman say "you've gotta hit the cutoff on that one, we had a play on the guy going to third". Apparently it was my fault that I did not hit the cutoff guy. Funny thing is, the cutoff man was the second baseman, positioned just beyond the infield about 80 feet away from me, and had I pegged one in his direction that he decided to let go through, it would have ended up out of play, between home plate and third base.

Not only was the cutoff man not lined up between me and third base, he was too close to me, and he can't even throw. I take it as an insult that everyone would think that I should make a little-league distance throw to him, so that he can gun it across the infield.

When I got back to the dugout after the inning was over, I asked about what I did wrong. Apparently I am supposed to field the ball, look for the cutoff, and throw it to him, even if he is in a crappy position. I thought that I should just field it and throw it towards the base I am going to, without even worrying about whether the cutoff is there or not, and it is the cutoff's responsibility to be there in the first place. It's not like I have a feeble arm or anything, so I am offended that they would think I would even need a cutoff on a first to third type of play.

Something tells me there is a bit of favouritism on my team, as we have shortstops, first, second and third basemen who either cannot throw, field, or a combination of the two. Yet here I am, solid glove and okay arm, wasting away in right field.

Do you guys think I did the right thing in just throwing to the base and not worrying about whether the cutoff man was there or not, or should I have made a 80 foot throw to the cutoff man who was out of position and couldn't throw to save his life?

He's Baaaaaaaaaaaaack.

[canadaump6]

Mick [Foley], you're a good man. Steve, don't you think that was a little harsh? GarthB, thanks for the introduction. LMan, I do both. Jurassic Referee, how do you respond to me when you have me on your ignore list ? Mcrowder, my question is only 96.5% unrelated to the topic of umpiring.

Sorry about the off-topic post guys but I was really hoping we could get into some discussion about this play.

[mick]

Originally Posted by canadaump6

Mick [Foley] ....

Foley ?
That's not me. Yer thinkin' of someone else.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by canadaump6

Steve, don't you think that was a little harsh?

No, I was just playin'. I think you are dealing with coaches who don't know the difference between a cut and a relay. What they wanted you to do was hit a relay man (who can't throw), instead of pegging the shortstop (who was acting as cut off man in this case) and holding R1 at third base. If you would have thrown to F4, the 3rd base coach would have probably sent R1 home if he knew of F4's weak arm. It sounds like you did the right thing, but got reamed for it.

Now, no more player questions or rants on the umpire board!

Yeah, like that's gonna stop them.