Bunting

to the best of my recollection I haven't seen bunting discussed here.

For Softball, I typically teach the batter to grab the bat with the upper hand rather than the pinch-like grip taught in youth baseball. This is because a) I have seen MLB players bunt like this and b) I've seen girls get their thumbs torqued holding the bat like this, resulting in them becoming tentative bunters afterward. Also I teach them to hold the bat at an angle, maybe 45 with the knob low and the head of the bat at the top of the strike zone.

DD's coach (U18) this year is teaching the pinch-like grip and holding the bat dead level at the top of the strike zone. I'm not sure why the pinch grip but the level bat at the top of the zone is so that they go down to bunt and if they have to reach it tells them it's not a strike.To me it seems like it's easier to pop up a foul to the catcher this way.

I'm the assistant coach so I have to either go along with it or explain why another way is better.

What are your thoughts on the best way to teach bunting?

I'm a little surprised that an 18U team is teaching bunting. Bunting is something I think you teach with your preferred technique at a young age and as they get older they can develop their own style. Bunting is pretty easy for a more developed girl that has gotten over all of the fear of being hit, and they can lay a good one down with a variety of styles. It is really at the young ages that girls need a defined technique.

I prefer an angled bat, set at the top of the zone with the legs used to get the whole assembly down to the bottom of the strike zone not the arms, but 45 degrees is a little steep IMO. As long as the barrel is higher than the handle I am good with it.

As for grip, I teach a pinch grip (thumb pinching against the other fingers that are fanned out a little and behind the bat) at the neck and expect them to be able to avoid contact with their hands by making contact with the barrel instead of the neck.

I teach almost exactly the same as JJ, word for word almost.
And yes to clarify you start the bat at the top of zone and teach to pull back on anything above the bat since A- it should be a ball and B- anything you need to reach up for is likely to be a popup unless you have incredible bat control.

I also think very important to move up in the box when bunting. Better chance to keep the ball far.

rdbass said:

I also think very important to move up in the box when bunting. Better chance to keep the ball far.

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True, but it also tells an alert defense that you will be bunting.

Greenmonsters said:

True, but it also tells an alert defense that you will be bunting.

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Yeah I see some girls move all the way up and they telegraph that they are bunting. Ok to move slightly in front of home. Moving up to the front of the box, not so much. I mean unless you are trying to give it away as a straight sacrafice.

Greenmonsters said:

True, but it also tells an alert defense that you will be bunting.

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True. Defense still has to make the play on a fair ball. Most times bunting to move a runner not for a base hit.

I know I'll get kicked around and stoned, but I absolutely HATE sacrifice bunting! Sure, there may be a time and a place for it, but I tend to think it is overused.

Doug Romrell said:

I know I'll get kicked around and stoned, but I absolutely HATE sacrifice bunting! Sure, there may be a time and a place for it, but I tend to think it is overused.

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I agree with you I hate when the coach has my DD bunt instead of swinging away.