Tons of softball drills, softball tips, and advice on softball hitting, softball pitching, coaching softball, softball training, and more.

Bertarama · 06-21-2008, 12:47 PM

I am looking for thoughts and advice. I know bunting with two strikes has traditionally been very taboo, however when we have a hitter that is struggling at the plate we have her bunt with two strikes.

We tend to pick the hitters that are great bunters and typically fast. When they get two strikes on the hitter the defense ALWAYS backs up to be even with the bags at that corners. We have dropped bunts with two strikes and two out with runners on 2nd and 3rd. I would say we are successful about 60-70% of the time.

One issue though is when it doesn't work (typically the girl bunts foul) we have parents that think it is the stupidist play ever...

We are a 2nd year 12U team that plays up in a 14U league and we had a 2nd year 14U coach tell us that is the most aggressive play he has seen in a long time. We successfully execute the bunt with two strikes 3 times on him in one game.

Anyone else have any ideas or thoughts about this? Thanks

bigdaddy · 06-21-2008, 03:01 PM

My DD is 12 years old. She is a great bunter with good speed. Her coach gives her the green light to bunt with two strikes. If the defense is playing back and she feels like she can catch the defense sleeping, she will bunt with two strikes. This has worked many more times than it hasn't.

My favorite thing is when she shows bunt and pulls the bat back on a ball. Both F3 and F5 look at their coach like "what do we do?"

My advice is to not overuse this play and save it for the one or two best bunters.

Keith

Amy in AZ. · 06-21-2008, 03:25 PM

Teach them to slap. They can slap foul all day and not be out.

Other than that, ignore the parents that criticize your decisions. They aren't coaching.

Here's a play to really get the parents in an up roar. When you have runners on 1st and 3rd, with 2 outs. Send the runner on 1st and have her hold up and get in a rundown long enough for the girl from 3rd to score. This play works a good percentage of the time.

My sons' HS coach ran this play every time he got a chance. Of course, it was funny to us and aggravating for the opposing team.

ang4yanks · 06-22-2008, 05:06 PM

Amy...

It is amazing to me to watch a coach run the same play all day long without the defense getting hip. In the situation you described, my dd's team usually will give 2nd as defensive indifference, but my son played recently against a team sponsored by a hitting academy. They could tear the leather off of that ball. Runner on first, batter would take the first pitch. Runner would steal second, and the coach would put the sign on. Batter would bust the ball, not go past first, but score runner from 2nd. On and on and on...same strategy. One would have thought the coach would have had a meeting with the infield while pumping up his outfield.

Those are the games I take a walk to the ladies' room, concession stand, and visit with my friends on the way back to my seat

Ang

bruiseddad · 06-22-2008, 05:35 PM

Giving a struggling batter a six or seven hundred batting average sounds like good coaching to me. One thing to add, when it doesn't work, fake a big deal about her missing her sign, it will mess with the opposing coaches heads.

#14's_Dad · 06-27-2008, 03:37 PM

My DD has done this twice with 2 strikes and has been successful both times on close games but other than that it is always swing away on 2 strikes. I agree on not using it too much because then everyone expects it.

Marc Dagenais · 06-28-2008, 10:16 PM

Bunting with 2 strikes...

1) Sometimes when I have a player that missed the first two attempts and has two strikes, I will call it again to send a message. I am so big on properly executing the sacrifice bunt properly that I want the athlete to focus properly and I have had athletes that didn't take it seriously or didn't really want to do it so they wouldn't try very hard.. both in games and in practices.

2) Can be a useful strategy if you have a very good bunter as the defense doesn't expect it.

MTS · 06-29-2008, 12:28 AM

Two times this year I gave the bunt sign with 2 strikes after failed bunt attempts and both times the girls locked in and got the bunt down. IMO, as a coach you need to show that you will make players bunt with 2 strikes as some players will half ass it thinking they will get to swing away after the 2nd strike.

Unrelated somewhat is making even your better hitters bunt if game conditions warrant it. This sends the message that bunting is important and not just for certain players. Of course, it has been my experience that your better hitters are the better bunters...

Ray

06-21-2008, 12:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
Bertarama Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 2	Bunting with Two Strikes I am looking for thoughts and advice. I know bunting with two strikes has traditionally been very taboo, however when we have a hitter that is struggling at the plate we have her bunt with two strikes. We tend to pick the hitters that are great bunters and typically fast. When they get two strikes on the hitter the defense ALWAYS backs up to be even with the bags at that corners. We have dropped bunts with two strikes and two out with runners on 2nd and 3rd. I would say we are successful about 60-70% of the time. One issue though is when it doesn't work (typically the girl bunts foul) we have parents that think it is the stupidist play ever... We are a 2nd year 12U team that plays up in a 14U league and we had a 2nd year 14U coach tell us that is the most aggressive play he has seen in a long time. We successfully execute the bunt with two strikes 3 times on him in one game. Anyone else have any ideas or thoughts about this? Thanks

06-28-2008, 10:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
Marc Dagenais Peak Performance Coach Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Posts: 490	Bunting with 2 strikes... 1) Sometimes when I have a player that missed the first two attempts and has two strikes, I will call it again to send a message. I am so big on properly executing the sacrifice bunt properly that I want the athlete to focus properly and I have had athletes that didn't take it seriously or didn't really want to do it so they wouldn't try very hard.. both in games and in practices. 2) Can be a useful strategy if you have a very good bunter as the defense doesn't expect it. __________________ Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS http://www.softballperformance.com Connect with me - Follow me on Twitter and/or become my friend on Facebook Marc Dagenais is a softball peak performance coach that helps players be more confident, mentally tougher, hit with more power, run faster, throw harder, and be more dominant on the field. He also helps coaches win more games and get more out of their team. To boost your performance, check our softball drills directory or sign-up for our FREE newsletter to get tons of great softball tips by email!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

06-21-2008, 03:01 PM	#2 (permalink)
bigdaddy Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 109	My DD is 12 years old. She is a great bunter with good speed. Her coach gives her the green light to bunt with two strikes. If the defense is playing back and she feels like she can catch the defense sleeping, she will bunt with two strikes. This has worked many more times than it hasn't. My favorite thing is when she shows bunt and pulls the bat back on a ball. Both F3 and F5 look at their coach like "what do we do?" My advice is to not overuse this play and save it for the one or two best bunters. Keith

06-21-2008, 03:25 PM	#3 (permalink)
Amy in AZ. Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 360	Teach them to slap. They can slap foul all day and not be out. Other than that, ignore the parents that criticize your decisions. They aren't coaching. Here's a play to really get the parents in an up roar. When you have runners on 1st and 3rd, with 2 outs. Send the runner on 1st and have her hold up and get in a rundown long enough for the girl from 3rd to score. This play works a good percentage of the time. My sons' HS coach ran this play every time he got a chance. Of course, it was funny to us and aggravating for the opposing team.

06-22-2008, 05:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
ang4yanks Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 192	Amy... It is amazing to me to watch a coach run the same play all day long without the defense getting hip. In the situation you described, my dd's team usually will give 2nd as defensive indifference, but my son played recently against a team sponsored by a hitting academy. They could tear the leather off of that ball. Runner on first, batter would take the first pitch. Runner would steal second, and the coach would put the sign on. Batter would bust the ball, not go past first, but score runner from 2nd. On and on and on...same strategy. One would have thought the coach would have had a meeting with the infield while pumping up his outfield. Those are the games I take a walk to the ladies' room, concession stand, and visit with my friends on the way back to my seat Ang

06-22-2008, 05:35 PM	#5 (permalink)
bruiseddad Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: California Posts: 16	Giving a struggling batter a six or seven hundred batting average sounds like good coaching to me. One thing to add, when it doesn't work, fake a big deal about her missing her sign, it will mess with the opposing coaches heads.

06-27-2008, 03:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
#14's_Dad Coach One' Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 24	My DD has done this twice with 2 strikes and has been successful both times on close games but other than that it is always swing away on 2 strikes. I agree on not using it too much because then everyone expects it.

06-29-2008, 12:28 AM	#8 (permalink)
MTS Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: CT Posts: 70	Two times this year I gave the bunt sign with 2 strikes after failed bunt attempts and both times the girls locked in and got the bunt down. IMO, as a coach you need to show that you will make players bunt with 2 strikes as some players will half ass it thinking they will get to swing away after the 2nd strike. Unrelated somewhat is making even your better hitters bunt if game conditions warrant it. This sends the message that bunting is important and not just for certain players. Of course, it has been my experience that your better hitters are the better bunters... Ray