Relay Throw
Also known as: relay man throw, outfield relay
A relay throw breaks one impossible outfield throw into two makeable ones. An infielder runs out to take the first leg, then turns and throws the second.
Very few arms carry accurately across the full distance from the warning track to a far base. Splitting the distance keeps both legs hard and on-line. The alternative is one long, arcing heave that loses carry and hands the batter extra time. The middle man's job is almost entirely preparation. The middle man gets to a spot roughly between the ball and the target and shows a clear glove target. The feet should already be aligned on arrival, so the catch and the release become one motion rather than two.
The failure mode is subtle. A fielder who catches cleanly but resets before releasing has given back exactly the time the technique was invented to save. Communication matters as much as footwork, because the middle man is usually turned away from the play. They depend on teammates shouting which base to attack, or whether to let the ball travel through entirely.
Get to your spot and stop moving. A fielder still drifting when the ball arrives cannot set his feet. The catch-turn-release sequence is where the time saving actually lives — not in the sprint out.
Use a double cut on balls to the deepest part of the park: two infielders on the same axis about 40 feet apart. The first can handle a short arrival and the second is already in position to finish it. This protects against one long leg dying halfway home.
Example
The center fielder found him in the outfield grass. He caught it already moving toward the infield and fired a strike home to cut down the tying run.
Why it matters
A well-run sequence can save a full second against one long heave. That second is frequently the difference between a runner being safe or out at a distant base.
How it shows up on video
A good one shows the fielder already moving toward the target before the ball arrives, receiving it with the glove-side foot forward so transfer and release happen together. A poor one shows him flat-footed on the catch, adding a full stop-and-restart.
Common mistakes
- Standing still to receive the ball instead of already moving toward the target, adding time before the second leg
- Setting up off the direct axis between the ball and the base. This forces one of the two legs to be longer than it needs to be
- Failing to agree on the target base, causing hesitation or a delivery to the wrong bag
In SwingVantage Motion Lab
Motion Lab splits a transfer into phases, from the catch to the release, and reads your footwork from pose. The phases are estimates, not a timer, so it cannot say exactly where time is lost.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the cutoff man?
Depth and purpose. The middle man here goes well out into the outfield grass to shorten a very long distance into two legs. A cutoff man stays closer to the infield and exists mainly to intercept a ball already heading to a base.
Which fielder goes out on a ball in the gap?
The middle infielder on the side the ball was hit — shortstop toward left-center, second baseman toward right-center — while the other covers the base the batter-runner is heading for.
Should the outfielder deliver it on the fly or on a bounce?
On the fly, chest high. Anything that bounces has to be fielded before it can be turned. That lost half-second is exactly the margin the technique was designed to save.
Related terms
- Cutoff ManThe cutoff man is the infielder who sets up in a direct line between an outfielder and the base under threat, ready to intercept the ball and redirect it if the original target is no longer the best play.
- Carry (Throw)Carry is how well a throw holds its speed and straight line without tailing, sinking, or losing steam. A throw that "carries" arrives true to the target.
- Crow Hop (Throwing)A crow hop is a small skip-step a fielder uses after fielding a ball to gather momentum and line up the body. It comes before a long or off-balance throw.
- Defensive RangeDefensive range is how much ground a fielder can cover and convert into outs. It combines first step, speed, reads, and athleticism.
Available in other languages
Related guides & benchmarks
Put this into your swing
SwingVantage can spot this in your own swing — free to start.
See a sample Baseball report first