Bunt Coverage Options

lelwell said:

With a runner on 1b and 2nd I keep F5 back to cover base and cover the bunt with F1, F2, F3. F4 covers 1b and F6 covers 2B, outfielders back up throws. I've seen too many fake bunts to pull F5 up and then steal from 2B. It's very hard for F6 to beat the runner to the bag, recieve a ball, and make a tag. If there is only a runner at 2B and I'm pretty sure its a bunt I'll still leave F5 back, also leave F3 back, F6 covers 2B, and F4 comes into a slapping defense type position or even closer and covers bunt with F1 and F2.

lelwell

Click to expand...

That's how I handle it with 2 strikes on the batter. Otherwise I move F6 closer to 3B to cover. Personal preference, with less than 2 strikes I would rather commit F5 to fielding bunt and F6 covering steal and accept that this increases hole up the middle. By same logic I'll cheat F6 towards 2B with runner on 1B to make sure they get best chance to get a steal covered and accept that the hole between F5 and F6 just got bigger.

Depends on how many outs, but we bunt a bunch with runners on second or third. Plus in softball with someone with speed on second, you show bunt to try to steal third or we delay steal third . I use some of the same bunt coverages that cshilt uses. I got mine from Coach Larabee when he was a WSU. He passed out a booklet of different coverages and them seem to work based on outs, who is on base and the type of hitter you have up. As cshilt posted , they are laid out the same way on each page. Softball defense is so much different than baseball, because of the speed of the game. You got kids that can get to a base in less than 2.8 seconds, plus slapping and bunting is an art in softball.

Here's how we cover the two situations.

WITH RUNNER ON 1st or NO RUNNERS
Pitcher Charges ball for possible play, then moves to 3rd base.
Catcher Makes play on ball, then covers home.
1st base Yells "BUNT!" & charges to make play on ball.
2nd base Creep forward until ball is on the ground, then sprints to cover 1st.
Short Stop Covers 2nd.
3rd base Charges home plate to make possible play on ball.
Left field Sprints hard to cover 3rd or backup throw to 3rd.
Center field Backs up 2nd base.
Right field Backs up throw to 1st base.

BUNT DEFENSE WITH RUNNERS ON 1st AND 2nd
Pitcher Charges ball for possible play
Catcher Moves out in front of home plate to make possible play on ball, then covers home.
1st base Yells "BUNT!" & charges to make play on ball.
2nd base Creeps forward until ball is on the ground, then sprints to cover 1st.
Short Stop Sprints to cover 3rd base.
3rd base Charges home to make possible play on ball.
Left field Moves to back up possible play @ 3rd base.
Center field Covers 2nd base.
Right field Moves to back up throw to 1st.

this is off subject - SBFAMILY - what technique do you use to delay steal... in baseball we'd get our secondary lead and take an extra shuffle or two then go... how do you do it in softball?

Good ? You cannot get a lead in softball. You steal on the catcher. What we try to do is fake a bunt to draw third off the base and then watch short stop. If they are slow and your runner can get a good lead after the release of the pitch. Then we watch to see if the catcher just throws it back to the pitcher. If she does, we break to third base. It takes speed but the dd wins about 90% of the time. Your runner must learn to read the defense , since in most cases she must make the choice to steal. First base is a little different. You try to get a get jump and then bait the catcher to throw to first. As she does you release to second. If the kid is fast you almost always can beat two throws. DD , has been timed with the roll straddle start from first to second in 2.74 range. Dead start 2.80.

At the older ages I really don't like LF covering 3B base on a bunt. THE LF is about 100-120 ft from 3B about the same distance as the runner from 3B. That's a long run with a throw coming across the diamond from the 2B who usually doesn't have the greatest arm.
I Prefer 3B and P covering 3B. Bunt to P or 1B, 3B covers 3B a short 40-50 ft walk will get there long before the runner from 1B. Bunt to 3B, the P is already heading in the general direction of 3B they can waddle the 40 ft to 3B before that runner has run the 120 ft to 3B. Actually the 3B can usually make the play and still beat the runner back to 3B.
The only time I want an OF covering an IF base is with runners at 3B and it's late in the game and both corners are covering the bunt. 2B is uncovered and the bunter will usually run through 1B and go straight to 2B. I really don't want my C throwing to the CF at 2B because an overthrow is an additional run, the CF is just there as a deterent.

jd29 said:

To me your in a pickle when your pitchers are just avg in bunt coverage - because if they are good athletes they can almost get everything except that bunt down each line... and that's what i have - avg bunt fielding pitchers - i do have good athletes at both corners

Click to expand...

To me that is pretty the much crux of any defensive bunt coverage ... you have to know the strengths of the players you have in the positions and adjust based on that. I don't think there is really a magic formula that can be shared from team to team because players abilities vary so much.

I love working with slappers for just the reasons you've mentioned ... they can cause so much anxiety espeically with runners on base and if they are thinkers and can react to what you do defensively they are golden. Sorry I got carried away thinking about scoring runs ... this was about protecting from runs.

SBFAMILY said:

Good ? You cannot get a lead in softball. You steal on the catcher. .

Click to expand...

I had to smile when I read this. 100% yes we steal on the catcher. My current team has a catcher with
a cannon for an arm. Just to tease the other coaches, on her throwdown at the start of the 1st inning,
she likes to intentionally throw a 'rainbow' to 2B. When their 1st runner then tries to steal, she guns them
out easily. Yes, it only works with teams we haven't seen in the past, but it is pretty funny when she nails
the unsuspecting runner.

druer said:

To me that is pretty the much crux of any defensive bunt coverage ... you have to know the strengths of the players you have in the positions and adjust based on that. I don't think there is really a magic formula that can be shared from team to team because players abilities vary so much.

I love working with slappers for just the reasons you've mentioned ... they can cause so much anxiety espeically with runners on base and if they are thinkers and can react to what you do defensively they are golden. Sorry I got carried away thinking about scoring runs ... this was about protecting from runs.

Click to expand...

yes - and that is the problem i guess - those slappers and good bunters and speed on the basepaths create havoc - my old school coaching says play it safe and get an out - i have enjoyed everyone's thoughts on the subject.

We practice fielding the bunt as much if not more than any other play. Your options change with the quality of your opponent. If you try to field a bunt with anyone other than 3 or 5 you will find the bases loaded quite a bit. With a runner on 2nd to start the play you don't need anyone to cover the base. Your attention should be the out at first and making sure the runner stops at 3rd. Get the out and get the ball back in the circle as quickly as possible. Like stated if you throw to 2nd and it is over thrown then the runner on 3rd scores and the runner on 2nd may also. Our objective in every inning is to give the opponent no more than three outs.