First time seeing cut off man throw out runner at home

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by oldfatbaldguy

I wonder if this is one of those things where what's animated isn't necessarily what happened, because I've noticed that the play-by-play always gives the credit to the outfielder who made the first throw, even if the game showed me a fairly long relay throw.

According to a quick search both the IF and OF get an assist on these plays. The OF still gets one even if the IF cuts the throw off and goes to a different base. Does OOTP not do this?

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by beepollen

In my playing of 26, I don't recall EVER seeing an outfield assist that did not go through the relay man.

Have seen a few where the OF'er throws home and gets the runner, no cut off.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

Have seen a few where the OF'er throws home and gets the runner, no cut off.

That's what I usually see on 25 and older. My save is on 25. I am currently using 26 only for research.

[oldfatbaldguy]

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

Have seen a few where the OF'er throws home and gets the runner, no cut off.

Yeah, I just saw one a few minutes ago. Center fielder threw a guy out at the plate.

[oldfatbaldguy]

Originally Posted by Brad K

According to a quick search both the IF and OF get an assist on these plays. The OF still gets one even if the IF cuts the throw off and goes to a different base. Does OOTP not do this?

The box score has a category for OF assists, so that doesn't show the relay man getting one. Whether it goes into his stats, I don't know. The commentary often gushes about the great throw from the OF and I've never seen it mention the cutoff man, even though the cutoff man often has to decide what base to throw it to.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by oldfatbaldguy

The box score has a category for OF assists, so that doesn't show the relay man getting one. Whether it goes into his stats, I don't know. The commentary often gushes about the great throw from the OF and I've never seen it mention the cutoff man, even though the cutoff man often has to decide what base to throw it to.

It would take a lot of study to determine if he does or doesn't.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by oldfatbaldguy

The box score has a category for OF assists, so that doesn't show the relay man getting one. Whether it goes into his stats, I don't know. The commentary often gushes about the great throw from the OF and I've never seen it mention the cutoff man, even though the cutoff man often has to decide what base to throw it to.

The game log shows the relay.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

The game log shows the relay.

Well... that's a lot easier than a lot of study! in the log but not in the PBP. Interesting.

[oldfatbaldguy]

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

The game log shows the relay.

Huh. I had not noticed that.

[zappa1]

Only one assist is given for a recorded out. Outfielders get the assist. The cutoff man or relay man does not get an assist.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by zappa1

Only one assist is given for a recorded out. Outfielders get the assist. The cutoff man or relay man does not get an assist.

Can the cutoff man be charged with an error?

[zappa1]

I believe that is possible. Throws away a relay throw. allows runners to advance. Official scorer might even decide the cutoff man should have caught the ball thrown to him. That is if that play causes any runners to advance. If no runners advance, I don't think an error would be given. Like say an overthrow. If nobody advances, no error. Like no harm, no foul type of thing.

[zappa1]

Remember they say every base needs to be accounted for.

[Brad K]

So a cutoff/relay man has no potential benefit from taking the throw but has a potential liability. That's not right.

[zappa1]

I don't agree with it either. I think he should very much get an assist. Maybe someday they'll change the rule. I guess the only benefit is that he gets an out. He should be getting an assist. Lots of what baseball does doesn't make sense to me.

[Matt Arnold]

The relay fielder gets credit for an assist on the play. You can definitely have more than one assist per out (https://www.mlb.com/glossary/standard-stats/assist).

One player cannot receive more than one assist on a play (if you have a rundown and the runner is out, you don't get an assist on each touch of the ball).

[zappa1]

Originally Posted by Matt Arnold

The relay fielder gets credit for an assist on the play. You can definitely have more than one assist per out (https://www.mlb.com/glossary/standard-stats/assist).

One player cannot receive more than one assist on a play (if you have a rundown and the runner is out, you don't get an assist on each touch of the ball).

Has this rule finally been changed? It wasn't always like this, was it?

Outfield Assist (OFA)
Definition
An outfielder records an assist when he throws the ball into the infield and an out is recorded as a result. Outfield assists are one of the most commonly referenced types of assists.

Outfield assists often result from throws directly to a base, without the help of an infielder. However, if a relay throw is needed or if an infielder cuts the throw off to get an out at a different base, the outfielder is still credited with an assist. Similarly, if one outfielder touches the ball before another outfielder throws to the infield for an out, both outfielders are awarded an assist.

[zappa1]

So both outfielder and infielder get assists. That's good and the way it should be.

[Rain King]

That is how it is recorded any time multiple players touch the ball leading up to an out.

You see this a lot with infielders also. If a pitcher, for example, deflects a ball to an infielder who throws the runner out at 1st then both the pitcher and the infielder get an assist.

[zappa1]

Yes, I did mention the pitcher deflection play.

And some box scores don't even list the assists or putouts. Some do. I guess that's the full box score. But nowhere does it mention about relay/cutoff man assists. I've never seen that in a box score.