Who Covers Second Base on a Steal? Shortstop or Second Baseman

Runner on first, the pitch is on its way, and the runner takes off. The catcher comes up throwing, and two infielders run to second base at the same time. Or worse, neither does. Here's the rule that settles it.

The rule: cover from the side the batter won't hit to

Batters usually pull the ball: right-handed hitters to the left side, lefties to the right side. So the infielder on the pull side stays home in case the ball is put in play, and the other one covers.

Batter	Covers 2nd	Backs up
Right-handed	Second baseman	Shortstop
Left-handed	Shortstop	Second baseman

Watch this play
Steal of 2nd with a right-handed batter. The second baseman covers and the shortstop backs up. Watch this play
The same steal with a left-handed batter. Now the shortstop covers.

Softball: the pull rule doesn't carry over cleanly. A left-handed slapper puts the ball on the left side, so "the lefty pulls to the right" flips around. Most fastpitch teams keep the shortstop covering 2nd and the second baseman owning 1st, or make a call before every pitch. Either system works if everyone knows it.

Many teams make it even simpler: the shortstop and second baseman decide before the pitch. One of them shows the other a closed mouth (me) or an open mouth (you) behind the glove. Whatever the system, they talk before every pitch with a runner on.

Everybody else

• Center fielder: charges in behind 2nd to back up the throw. This saves more runs than people think.
• Pitcher: after the pitch, gets out of the way. Duck or step aside so the catcher has a clear lane.
• Catcher: catches, comes up throwing, and aims at the bag, knee high, so the tag is quick.
• Covering infielder: straddles the bag, catches the ball, and puts the tag down in front of the base. Let the runner slide into the tag.

Stealing 3rd

Much simpler: the third baseman covers, the shortstop covers 2nd behind the runner, and the left fielder charges in to back up the throw. A bad throw to 3rd without a backup is a run.

Watch this play
Steal of 3rd. The third baseman covers and the left fielder charges in to back up.

1st & 3rd: the double steal

This is where teams differ most. The runner on 1st goes, and if the catcher throws to 2nd, the runner on 3rd breaks for home. Options include throwing through, faking to 3rd, throwing back to the pitcher, or holding the ball. With two outs, many teams just throw through to 2nd. That's a tag play, not a force: if the tag beats the runner from 3rd to the plate, the inning is over and the run doesn't count, but if that runner touches home first, the run counts. So the throw has to be quick. With less than two outs, one common youth version is the cut play: the second baseman comes in front of the bag, the shortstop covers 2nd, and the third baseman yells "Four!" if the runner breaks for home. The second baseman catches it and throws home.

Watch this play
1st & 3rd double steal: the second baseman cuts the throw in front of 2nd and fires home if the runner breaks.

A note on leagues

In Little League baseball on a 60-foot field, runners can't leave the base until the pitch reaches the batter. Steals are still common, because young catchers have a hard time throwing runners out, but the throw is shorter. Tee ball and coach pitch don't allow stealing at all, and some leagues limit stealing home in the younger divisions. In 50/70, the older divisions and many travel organizations, runners can lead off, so pickoffs and pitcher holds come into play too.

Fastpitch softball is different again. Pitchers don't make pickoff throws; runners leave when the pitcher releases the ball, and the catcher back-picks a runner who wanders too far off the base. Once the pitcher has the ball in the circle, the look-back rule applies, and the exact version varies by league. Many 10U softball leagues limit stealing too, for example no stealing home, or only one base on a passed ball. Check your league's rules. Simple Fielding has a setting for each league, and it changes when runners start moving.

Quick answers

Who covers second base on a steal with a right-handed batter?

The second baseman covers and the shortstop backs up. A right-handed batter usually pulls the ball to the left side, so the shortstop stays in position. In fastpitch softball, most teams keep the shortstop covering 2nd instead, because the second baseman owns 1st on bunts and slaps.

Who covers second on a steal with a left-handed batter?

The shortstop covers and the second baseman backs up, because a lefty tends to pull the ball toward the right side.

Can runners steal in Little League?

Yes, in the kid-pitch divisions. On a 60-foot field runners can't leave the base until the pitch reaches the batter, but steals are still common because young catchers have a hard time throwing runners out. Tee ball and coach pitch don't allow stealing, and some leagues limit stealing home in the younger divisions. Softball runners can leave when the pitcher releases the ball. Check your local rules.