Northwestern College Defensive Plays




Where do we throw the ball once it has been hit
Look to keep the double play in place when
possible
We want to be prepared for all situations as to
what we are going to do when the ball is hit to
us
We want to define our defense by
understanding where we will throw the ball in
case of:



Fly Ball
Base Hit
Extra Base Hit

Direction to where the ball is hit

Path of the thrown ball

Direction of where the fielders move

Pitcher


Catcher


Back up 3rd base
Center Field


Move to 2nd base
Left Field


Move to 3rd base
Shortstop


Take the cutoff from right field
3rd Base


Move to 1st base
2nd Base


Back up 1st base
1st Base


Back up the throw coming from right
Back up the right fielder
Right Field

Catch the ball and throw to 2nd base

Pitcher


Catcher


Back up 3rd base
Center Field


Take the cutoff from right field
Left Field


Move to 3rd base
Shortstop


Move to 2nd base
3rd Base


Move to 1st base
2nd Base


Stay at home
1st Base


Back up the throw coming from right
Back up the right fielder
Right Field

Catch the ball and throw to 3rd base

Pitcher


Catcher


Back up 3rd base
Center Field


Move to 2nd base
Left Field


Move to 3rd base
Shortstop


Move to 1st base and if the ball gets by the right fielder, hustle out to be
a cutoff man
3rd Base


Take the cutoff from right field
2nd Base


Stay at home
1st Base


Back up the throw coming from right
Back up the right fielder
Right Field

Catch the ball and throw to Home Plate

Pitcher


Catcher


Back up 3rd base unless ball is hit to left center, then back up center
fielder
Center Field


Take the cutoff from center field
Left Field


Move to 3rd base
Shortstop


Move to 2nd base
3rd Base


Move to 1st base
2nd Base


Back up 1st base
1st Base


Back up the throw coming from center
Catch the ball and throw to 2nd base
Right Field

Back up center fielder unless ball is hit to left center, then back up 1st
base

Pitcher


Catcher


Back up 3rd base, unless the ball is hit to left center, then back up center
fielder
Center Field


Take the cutoff from center fielder
Left Field


Move to 3rd base
Shortstop


Move to 2nd base
3rd Base


Move to 1st base
2nd Base


Stay at home
1st Base


Back up the throw coming from Center
Catch the ball and throw to 3rd
Right Field

Back up the center fielder, unless the ball is hit to left center, then back
up 1st base

Pitcher


Catcher


Back up 3rd base, unless the ball is hit to left center, then back up center
fielder
Center Field


Take the cutoff from center fielder if the ball gets by the center fielder
Left Field


Move to 3rd base
Shortstop


Move to 1st base
3rd Base


Take the cutoff from center fielder
2nd Base


Stay at home
1st Base


Back up the throw coming from Center
Catch the ball and throw home
Right Field

Back up the center fielder, unless the ball is hit to left center

Pitcher


Catcher


Catch the ball and throw to 2nd base
Center Field


Take the cutoff from left fielder
Left Field


Move to 3rd base
Shortstop


Move to 2nd base
3rd Base


Move to 1st base
2nd Base


Back up 1st base
1st Base


Back up the throw from left field
Back up left fielder
Right Field

Back up 1st base

Pitcher


Catcher


Catch the ball and throw to 3rd base
Center Field


Take the cutoff from left fielder
Left Field


Move to 3rd base
Shortstop


Move to 2nd base
3rd Base


Move to 1st base
2nd Base


Stay at Home
1st Base


Back up the throw from left field
Back up left fielder
Right Field

Back up 1st and 2nd base

Pitcher


Catcher


Catch the ball and throw to home
Center Field


Move to 3rd base
Left Field


Take the cutoff from left fielder
Shortstop


Move to 2nd base
3rd Base


Move to 1st base
2nd Base


Stay at Home
1st Base


Back up the throw from left field
Back up left fielder
Right Field

Back up 1st and 2nd base

Pitcher


Catcher


Back up 2nd and/or 3rd base
Center Field


Move to back up 2nd baseman to be the second cutoff
Left Field


Move to 3rd base
Shortstop


Move to Right Field to be the first cutoff
3rd Base


Trail the runner to 2nd base
2nd Base


Stay at Home
1st Base


Back up the throw from Right Field
Move to right field to get the ball if right fielder does not
Right Field

Catch the ball and throw to 1st and/or 2nd cutoff

Pitcher


Catcher


Back up 3rd base
Center Field


Move to back up 2nd baseman to be the second cutoff
Left Field


Move to 3rd base
Shortstop


Move to Right-Center Field to be the first cutoff
3rd Base


Trail the runner to 2nd base
2nd Base


Stay at Home
1st Base


Back up the throw from Right-Center Field
Catch the ball and throw to 1st and/or 2nd cutoff or back up right
fielder
Right Field

Catch the ball and throw to 1st and/or 2nd cutoff or back up center
fielder

Pitcher


Catcher


Catch the ball and throw to 1st and/or 2nd cutoff or back up center
fielder
Center Field


Move to left-center field to be the first cutoff
Left Field


Move to 3rd base
Shortstop


Move to back up shortstop to be the second cutoff
3rd Base


Trail the runner to 2nd base
2nd Base


Stay at Home
1st Base


Back up the throw from Left-Center Field
Catch the ball and throw to 1st and/or 2nd cutoff or back up left
fielder
Right Field

Back up 1st base

Pitcher


Catcher


Catch the ball and throw to 1st and/or 2nd cutoff
Center Field


Move to left-center field to be the first cutoff
Left Field


Move to 3rd base
Shortstop


Move to back up shortstop to be the second cutoff
3rd Base


Trail the runner to 2nd base
2nd Base


Stay at Home
1st Base


Back up the throw from Left Field
Move to left field to get the ball if left fielder does not
Right Field

Back up 1st base









Pitcher
 Back up the throw from Right Field
Catcher
 Stay at Home
1st Base
 Move to back up the 2nd baseman to be the second cutoff
2nd Base
 Move to right field to be the first cutoff
3rd Base
 Move to 3rd base
Shortstop
 Move to 2nd base
Left Field
 Move to back up 2nd base and possibly 3rd base
Center Field
 Move to right field to get the ball if right fielder does not
Right Field
 Catch the ball and throw the ball to the first and/or second cutoff

Pitcher


Catcher


Move to 2nd Base
Center Field


Move to Right-Center Field to be the second cutoff
Left Field


Move to 3rd base
Shortstop


Move to Right-Center Field to be the first relay
3rd Base


Move to the mound as a decoy cut
2nd Base


Stay at Home
1st Base


Back up the throw from Right-Center Field
Catch the ball and throw to 1st and/or 2nd cutoff or back up right fielder
Right Field

Catch the ball and throw to 1st and/or 2nd cutoff or back up center fielder

Pitcher


Catcher


Catch the ball and throw to 1st and/or 2nd cutoff or back up center fielder
Center Field


Move to left-center field to be the first relay
Left Field


Move to 3rd base
Shortstop


Move to back up shortstop to be the second relay
3rd Base


Move to the mound to be a decoy or cutoff
2nd Base


Stay at Home
1st Base


Back up the throw from Left-Center Field
Catch the ball and throw to 1st and/or 2nd cutoff or back up left fielder
Right Field

Move to 2nd base

Pitcher


Catcher


Catch the ball and throw to 1st and/or 2nd cutoff or back up center fielder
Center Field


Move to left-center field to be the first relay
Left Field


Move to 3rd base
Shortstop


Move to back up shortstop to be the second relay
3rd Base


Trail the base runner and move to 2nd base
2nd Base


Stay at Home
1st Base


Back up the throw from Left-Center Field
Catch the ball and throw to 1st and/or 2nd cutoff or back up left fielder
Right Field

Move to back up 2nd base
Change the looks for the offense –
3rd Base substitutes cuts for 1st base
Decoy Plays
Hit and Run Defensive Changes
Double Play Decoy – Runner at 1st
“Sure Double”









Pitcher
 Move to back up play at 3rd base
Catcher
 Cover Home
1st Base
 Holds runner at 1st and yells “Runner”
2nd Base
 On a ball hit to the gap, the 2nd baseman says, “mine-mine-mine”
after which, he moves to a cutoff position
3rd Base
 Move to 3rd base
Shortstop
 Moves toward 2nd base with both hands up looking at the 2nd
baseman as if to take a throw from 2nd baseman saying, “chest-chestchest”. As the runner get’s close to 2nd base, the shortstop reaches
both hands out to the 2nd baseman as if to take a throw and makes
sure his eyes are as wide open as possible.
Left Field
 Get the ball or back up 3rd
Center Field
 Go get the ball in either gap
Right Field
 Go get the ball or back up 2nd base

Pitcher



Catcher
 Round
1st Base






in foul territory to take a back door throw from 2nd base
Moves to an area in front of the base runner to back up the
throw going into 2nd base
2nd Base


Be prepared to back up the throw from Left Field
Take the throw into 2nd base, look to throw to catcher covering
1st
3rd Base

Move to 3rd base

Move to left field to be the cutoff

Catch the ball and throw to 2nd base

Move to left field to get the ball if left fielder does not

Back up 1st base
Shortstop
Left Field
Center Field
Right Field

Pitcher









Back up the throw from the outfield
Catcher
 Take throws
1st Base
 Cover 1st
2nd Base
from the outfield
base
 Cover 2nd
3rd Base
base

Take the cutoff from the outfielders

Cover 3rd base

Throw Home / Back up Center fielder

Throw Home / Back up Left or Right

Throw Home / Back up Center Fielder
Shortstop
Left Field
Center Field
Right Field

Pitcher









Back up the throw going to 3rd
Catcher
 Stays at
1st Base
the plate
 Cover 1st
2nd Base
base
 Attempts
3rd Base
to get the ball and circles back to cover 2nd base

Cover 3rd base

Take deep
cut from outfielder to induce the base runner at 1st to
take 2nd base
Shortstop
Left Field

Back up 3rd

Back up Right Fielder

Throw through to 3rd base
Center Field
Right Field