shortstop coverage?

[novchild]

I’m new to this site and have found it to be a great resource with helping me as an assistant coach on my daughter’s 12u TB team.
Recently we started getting more detailed about our bunt coverage and one of the other coaches who comes from a baseball back ground suggested using our F6 to charge a bunt when we have runners on 1st and 2nt. Leaving F5 to cover 3rd. I have never seen this but then again I’m always willing to learn new stuff. Is this an true option with 60ft bases?

 

[riseball]

You may get away with it at 12U but as you advance you will get eaten up by fast players. A good corner will crash on a bunt and get the ball within several feet of home plate. No way a SS pulls that off.

 

[Seattlecoach]

It also depends on if you expect bunt. If so and your SS is in front of the baseline maybe. Normal depth-no way.

 

[PA SB Dad]

The suggestion to cover a bunt using F6 is not because the coach came from a baseball background - no one does this at any level in baseball! The reason he suggested it is probably because he really has no experience coaching softball, and just threw it out there.

 

[Little Angels Softball]

I have seen some defenses that are set up having middle infielders in really close, almost as close as the pitcher. You usually see it when fast slappers are at the plate. The logic behind it is that you have your best (and usually quickest) infielders fielding the ball and trying to get the out rather than slower corner infielders. I am not sure I have ever seen in it with a right-handed hitter up in a bunt situation, however.

I suppose it works fairly well because we still see it, even at 14U. I don't do it myself but a few of our opponents do.

 

[Ken Krause]

I’m new to this site and have found it to be a great resource with helping me as an assistant coach on my daughter’s 12u TB team.
Recently we started getting more detailed about our bunt coverage and one of the other coaches who comes from a baseball back ground suggested using our F6 to charge a bunt when we have runners on 1st and 2nt. Leaving F5 to cover 3rd. I have never seen this but then again I’m always willing to learn new stuff. Is this an true option with 60ft bases?

All I have to say is...

 

[Eric F]

You may get away with it at 12U but as you advance you will get eaten up by fast players. A good corner will crash on a bunt and get the ball within several feet of home plate. No way a SS pulls that off.

I haven't seen it in 12U, and I can't imagine it being a successful approach on a regular basis. SS simply has to come too far.

 

[quincy]

Does this work in baseball as a "normal" bunt coverage?

I could see if you scouted a batter that punched it thru the IF, a baseball slap.

 

[JAD]

I think the decision should be based on the personnel you have on the field and the pitcher in the circle. In the past we have used F4 and F6 to field bunts, while keeping F3 and F5 back to cover the bags (1B and 3B). After trying this a few times we switched back to F5 covering bunts and F6 covering 3B because of the athletes we had on the field. This defense can work against players that can only bunt and cannot slap or swing away. F4 and F6 need to be pulled in (almost parallel to F1).

In HS ball our F6 is a much better athlete than our F5, so against a fast player that the coach thinks will bunt he has F5 and F6 switch positions. That way the better athlete is inside the bag to field bunts, while the bigger, slower athlete still covers 3B.

 

[PlayPerfect]

this thread is nutz. anything a SS charges a P can field. (and if ur crashing a shortstop, Im stealing second on a show of bunt everytime.) 3B and 1B crash. 2B covers first. due to the lead, you will NEVER get a force at 2 on a bunt so you might as well send SS to 3rd and get CF to cover second. Thanks for coaching.