cutoff man (definition and details)

[Laurence Horn]

At 5:37 AM -0400 9/12/02, Frank Abate wrote:
>If the base hit is to right-center, the cutoff man would be the second
>baseman, and the shortstop would "cover" (stand near/at) second base.
>
>If the base hit is to straightaway center, left-center, or down the third
>base line, the cutoff man is the shortstop, and the second baseman covers
>second base.
>
>One of the cardinal sins for an outfielder to make is to miss or overthrow
>the cutoff man.  When you "miss the cutoff man", the baserunner(s) usually
>have a chance to reach another base.
>
>There can also be double cutoffs set up, on base hits that go all the way to
>the outfield fence -- but enough already.
>
The first baseman can also serve as a cut-off man for hits to right.
The classic line here is from a period after the Mets' heyday of the
late '80's, when troubled right-fielder Darryl Strawberry got into
some sort of squabble with first baseman Keith Hernandez during a
team photo shoot, which ended with Strawberry punching Hernandez.
This led one pundit to remark that it was the first time Strawberry
managed to hit the cut-off man.

Larry