The value of pushing the short game towards the end of the season..?

Folks - DW & watching the LL Junior playback just now reminded me of a topic I would like to hear from y'all on:

DD getting to be an oldy-moldy at 17 yrs and I have been witness to many a tb season. What never ceases to amaze me is a coach that is blindly sold on "the short game".

What I mean by that is from my perspective, if a player has been coached/trained/urged to be good at the short game all season long, and then by 2/3 of the way through the season still does not know how to put down a bunt, WHY do some coaches ignorantly still "force" the short game on that girl (ESPECIALLY when the girl has shown she is a 50% OBP batter otherwise?)

I believe sometimes coaches feel it is "safe" to call for the sacrifice even though everyone in the stands knows there is a small chance of success. I feel it's an easy coach decision because all they have to say, and do, is that "every player needs to know how to bunt". (which I agree with but not at the cost of team performance ESPECIALLY when ya get to the ending nationals play).

I would also challenge that in this girls sport that emotion and rally's that produce positive emotion are not respected enough. Meaning that the desired outcome of the sacrifice is moving the runner over and giving up the out. What does this "successful" outcome do to the emotional & rally need for the batting team - NOTHING.

I challenge sb coaching (pre-college) to rethink their thoughts on blindly driving the short game, towards the end of the season, when it has proven ineffective.

Thoughts?

As a coach, my thoughts are that an experienced 17 YO player should be able to get a bunt down when asked. If she can't, she a) hasn't been coached or practiced how to do it, or b) knows how, but chooses not to. IMO, there's no good excuse not being able to get a sac bunt down.

Hmmmm. Good points there. It's tough from a coaching perspective because we all know what you are "supposed" to do in certain situations. Not saying its always the right call with a specific girl. A failed at bat doing what you are "not supposed" to do leaves parents grumbling and the bleacher managers questioning your judgement. It's not often that you get a seasoned parent who actually takes the time to learn tendencies of all the girls on a team (not just DD). As I'm sure you've seen through the years, all it takes is a couple parents asking others why you didn't do what they see happen on TV and your team can start to get shaky.

Then, I think that as coaches we possibly give ourselves too much credit sometimes in being able to take an immovable object and make it light as a feather...eg the girl who can't bunt if her life depended on it in game situations. She's fast...she's laid down hundreds of bunts in practice. She knows how to do it. We've worked on it...if she can just lay down this one..........

Even that .500 OB girl...surely she can bunt the ball half the time right? I don't need her on. I need her putting it down. It is really tough out there making the right call. And I submit that if you win, it is always the right call....no matter what you did....if you lose....it is always the wrong call....good example, but not exactly in the same lines with the short game....had a tournament over the summer. Last game to get in championship game. Man it was hot. Last inning. Our last at bat. Have one runner on. 2 outs. Pitcher is starting to struggle. She walks two straight batters. We have bases loaded, and losing 2-1. Coach calls time and goes out and talks to pitcher. Pitcher comes back out and throws three straight balls. Of course, I give batter take signal. Strike one...count is 3-1. Pitchers has thrown 11 balls and 1 strike in last 12 pitches. Batter is my lead off. She usually hits the ball well to the outfield. Smart batter...doesnt chase and doesnt strike out much. I'm looking at winning run on...but pitcher has thrown 11 balls and 1 strike with 3-1 count. 3-1....hitters count....11 balls....I know what to do now....now, I tell her to take, ball 4 is in the dirt next pitch and we're tied up with #2 at the plate with bases loaded and 2 outs with a chance to win the game. But that's not what I do. This girl that I know will not chase a ball hits the 3-1 pitch with a 4 iron out the dirt and grounds out to end the game. #2 batter is far weaker than #1....but I take my chances with her today....lol. Everyone in the stands thought that was the right call. And I doubt any of them think any different after. But I know better....

Long story longer, it ain't always easy making the right choice that pleases all the parents.

Greenmonsters said:

As a coach, my thoughts are that an experienced 17 YO player should be able to get a bunt down when asked. If she can't, she a) hasn't been coached or practiced how to do it, or b) knows how, but chooses not to. IMO, there's no good excuse not being able to get a sac bunt down.

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I agree with everything yer sayin but when the player has failed the last 15 sac attempts do ya still shoot for 16?......

CJD - i get what yer sayin as i have had long stints as all the roles involved here (coach/ump/parent/player).

Regardless, i think after 2/3 of the season ya got to apply the definition of insanity (ya cant just keep thinking youre gonna get a different outcome)

RubberBiscuit said:

I agree with everything yer sayin but when the player has failed the last 15 sac attempts do ya still shoot for 16?......

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15 in a row sounds like more than a mini-slump! Are they practicing? Versus live pitching? Is it a mental thing? I still have to wonder if its not intentional. Regardless, if I need a bunt that 16th time, I'm going to a pinch hitter.

Greenmonsters said:

15 in a row sounds like more than a mini-slump! Are they practicing? Versus live pitching? Is it a mental thing? I still have to wonder if its not intentional. Regardless, if I need a bunt that 16th time, I'm going to a pinch hitter.

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Ya all good things were done. I think it was one of those group-think times where the team convinced themselves they just suck at it and from there it was a self-fulfilling prophecy

Bunting and sacrificing are such a big part of both softball and baseball. If an experienced player absolutely cannot get a bunt down but has an on base percentage of 50 percent she probably just doesn't want to bunt. If I know a player is deliberately not giving me 100 percent on a called play there will be repercussions, either right then or at the practice field, and the parents will be aware of the issue. However, if we have not spent the appropriate amount of time at practice on getting the bunt down, that's on me. In my opinion, all players should be able to get 75 percent (or more) of their bunts down...providing the pitch is a strike. Its one of the easier things to teach a hitter. Maybe there are other factors involved---fear of getting hit, fear of getting out, etc. , but there are two many one-run games in softball to not be proficient at the short game.

I know I'm in the minority, but I really believe that the short game is overused. Yes, there are times when you play for the run or you are willing to sacrifice a batter to advance a runner, but I see so many instances of a coach calling for a bunt when the hitter has a high ave/obp and rarely strikes out. Yes, the runner advances. But odds were that the runner would have advanced anyways from a ball hit by that player and you'd usually have one less out.

When my team is on defense, I want the other team to bunt. There is a very high probability that we get the out. Higher probability that we get the out than most of the time when the batter swings away. So why would I want my offense to do something that I want my opponent doing to me when I'm in the field?

I'm with the OP here. If a kid has a lower chance of executing a bunt than she would have swinging away, then it is a mistake to call for a bunt. It may be a "bunt situation", but you go with the odds in THAT specific circumstance. Batter up who is swinging well, but bunting bad? No way I lower my odds by having her bunt there. I don't want to give up the out...I want runners on base.

From 14's on with my daughter's team, if you couldn't get the bunt down in pool, you probably weren't going to get much time in the bracket games. Amazing how good the girls got at bunting. They would show up early and stay late when the play time options were limited.