Bunt coverages....?
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It is not one size fits all. Mine changes with who I have in the circle. RHP vs LHP. If the pitcher is an athlete things are different than one who is not. Likewise the skills of your catcher and corners come into play. If your catcher a lefty that changes things. At the lower levels when you are hiding a kid at 2B it may necessitate having the 1B stay at the bag. What level are you playing?
I kind of go back and forth on this and I think some of the answer is what level you are playing.
Until we get abused I like the 1st staying on her base. So SS goes to 3rd, 2nd to 2nd.
If is a hard play for 1st to spin and throw it to the 2nd baseperson covering.
Until we get abused I like the 1st staying on her base. So SS goes to 3rd, 2nd to 2nd.
If is a hard play for 1st to spin and throw it to the 2nd baseperson covering.
One of the many things I do not have a handle on is the 2nd baseperson crashing, I have never tried or practiced it.
BC1:
P and 3rd cover bunt; SS covers 3rd; 2nd covers 2nd; 1st covers 1st
Good for 10U and under or if you have a slow 1B\slow P as mentioned. You stand the real possibility of getting smoked on bunts down the 1B line. I'll bunt my whole lineup against you if defend like this until you prove you can defend it
I haven't had my team cover bunts like this since the were 9U. By 10U we moved to BC2.
BC2:
3rd and 1st crash; SS covers 2nd; 2nd covers 1st, LF covers 3rd. Stock coverage for us.
BC3:
2nd and 3rd crash; 1st stays at 1st; LF covers 3rd and 2nd covers 2nd. We practice this but rarely use it. I think it can be effective if you suspect a safety squeeze because 2nd has peripheral view of the runner coming from 3rd.
CP
P and 3rd cover bunt; SS covers 3rd; 2nd covers 2nd; 1st covers 1st
Good for 10U and under or if you have a slow 1B\slow P as mentioned. You stand the real possibility of getting smoked on bunts down the 1B line. I'll bunt my whole lineup against you if defend like this until you prove you can defend it
I haven't had my team cover bunts like this since the were 9U. By 10U we moved to BC2.
BC2:
3rd and 1st crash; SS covers 2nd; 2nd covers 1st, LF covers 3rd. Stock coverage for us.
BC3:
2nd and 3rd crash; 1st stays at 1st; LF covers 3rd and 2nd covers 2nd. We practice this but rarely use it. I think it can be effective if you suspect a safety squeeze because 2nd has peripheral view of the runner coming from 3rd.
CP
BC2 - I think I would prefer SS to go to 3rd and CF have 2nd.
I don't do it this way because CF is approx. 60 feet from 2nd base - if you're trying to get the lead runner who has to run 60 feet (plus has the benefit of knowing the play and leaving on the release of the pitch), CF probably won't get there in time. SS has 20 feet to run. Meanwhile, LF has 60 feet to run but if the base runner is coming from 1st, she has to run 120 feet giving the LF plenty of time to cover 3rd. Also, most of the fields we play in are semi-enclosed so an overthrow to the LF at 3rd stays "in the park." An overthrow to the CF turns a bunt into a "home run."
One other reason too...what if it's a fake bunt\steal? CF probably will not get there in time and I'm only 12U...at older ages, the CF is playing deeper than what my CF is...
One of the D1 colleges around here has the catcher cover 3rd and P cover home as another option...CP
That is OK but if you are leaving 3rd uncovered the LF coming in is a better choice. IMO
