Good post about the pitcher comment lhowser. Found out this summer when my dd played up, they tried the same thing. She stated, it's my job to get on base, walk me or hit me. Pitchers do not like this, as it takes away what they can throw. As a slapper, she likes the inside pitch to power slap over second. I think the polite thing they called her was a PEST to pitch to.
Bunting
- Thread starter Mike
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Generally when the hitter has a balance problem with the pivot technique, it's because she's pivoting on the balls of both feet. Assuming she is using a neutral stance to start, that will put both feet in a line, like walking a tightrope. Not surprised they would have balance problems!
A better technique is to pivot on the ball of the back foot and the heel of the front foot. This technique spreads the feet out a little side-to-side for better balance.
I prefer the pivot for all bunting, but especially bunting for a hit. If you're intending to give up an out to move a runner 60 feet (and thus increase your chances of scoring her by 2%
), the crossover or square will probably work fine if they can execute it. If you want to try to get the bunter on base, though, a pivot puts you in more of a natural position to start running, and lets you hold back a little longer before moving into the bunt position. For the hands, I like both hands up the bat, with the top hand stopping below the barrel and the bottom hand next to it. Having the bottom hand part way up the barrel makes sense to me too from a firmness and control standpoint. I've never used or taught it, but it's something I've considered from time to time.
Ultimately, and especially with younger players, one thing to watch for is whether the hand technique they're using allows them to remain firm at contact. A lot of young hitters who are taught to pinch the bat with the top hand don't have the hand strength to use that technique, and thus will let the bat deflect upon contact, totally ruining what they were trying to do. If you teach your hitters to bunt the ball off the end of the bat, they can wrap their hands around the bat safely. Particularly if you keep the bat a little more in front of the body instead of sticking out to the side. Anything coming for the hands will also be coming for the body, and they'll move it all out of the way.
Here's a photo that sort of illustrates it. The hands are too far across the body, but you get the idea.
IMHO, the most important part of teaching bunting is for the coach to really understand what he is teaching and then to teach the entire team the same method. Good coaches have a bunting method that they believe in and teach to their kids.
The bad coaches don't have any one bunting method, so everyone on the team does something a little different, and so most kids end up being unable to bunt. So, when the bad coaches needs a bunt during a game, they don't have anyone who can get the job done, so they lose.
The bad coaches don't have any one bunting method, so everyone on the team does something a little different, and so most kids end up being unable to bunt. So, when the bad coaches needs a bunt during a game, they don't have anyone who can get the job done, so they lose.
- Dec 28, 2008
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I like to just have them pivot their legs, still keeping them lined up as they would for hitting. That gives the ability for fake bunt and then quick slap, or fake bunt to draw in and then pull back to full hit in the future but all of that is just a matter of preference and as they get older they can easily adjust to new styles.
To me the absolute most important, A #1 thing to teach young girls is to keep their eyes on the ball. So the first thing I do is have a conversation with them about what the fears are and I demonstrate what we've all seen girls do: Poke their hands out at the ball and tilt head away before the ball gets there. Then I ask them what the safest part of their body is when they are batting. Depending on age I get different answers but for all girls playing in our area anyway, the answer is their head because they have to wear helmets and face masks. So I bang each of their heads and faces with the ball (holding it) and ask how bad it hurts. They all say "it doesn't" then I have them demonstrate tilting their head away and slowly poke (hold the ball) their now wide open throat with the ball and ask them if they like that better or worse. Then I have them turn their head away again and this time I poke their hands with the ball. That tends to make the point that they don't want to pull their head away. Then I ask them what they see with. Eventually they figure out it isn't a trick question and say their eyes. I ask them if they see things clearer from far away or closer up. "Closer up" so I ask them if it makes any sense at all in light of all of this information to poke hands way away from their body and turn their heads so eyes are furthest possible from the ball and they say "No." Then we talk about the importance of watching the ball all the way in with our head as close to the ball/bat as it can be.
I do the following drills with Wiffle or Club K balls to get started:
Starting drill:
Have bucket directly below where the contact point would be, and then just toss the ball to them and have them do like a hot potato. Goal is to absorb the ball with both hands and have the ball just drop into the bucket. It gets them into the habit immediately of watching the ball all the way into their hands, absorbing the ball and not pushing forward on it, and having soft hands. All in a fun way.
Next progression
I like them to hold the bat at a position in their right hand where they can control the angle of the bat with that hand alone and the bat doesn't control them. The bucket stays in position, but this time they put their fielding glove on and then reach out and make the catch with that hand while holding the bat for the bunt. Again it gets them not only working on the muscle memory of catching the ball, it gets them doing more of what they do in the field in watching the ball all the way into their glove, and also gives them the object lesson of catching the ball.
Next progression:
Same basic drill this time they are actually trying to bunt the ball and get it to drop into the bucket.
So you think you are really watching it all they way in huh we will see about that:
Next progression is to have them hold their hands near the end of the bat head so that there is about 1 1/2 balls worth of room from the end of the bat. Now I do the same drill tossing it to them and they have to use that small amount of space at the end of the bat head to bunt the ball. Anyone dare take a guess how much more eye contact they will make now? Don't say 100% though ....
Final progression ....
I toss real balls instead of wiffle balls or Club K balls and have them do the same drill. Now you guessed correctly and they now will give 100% eye contact to ensure that there hands don't get hit. As we continue this drill practice after practice and in warmups before games I will try to throw the ball right at them and you'd be surprised how easy that is to bunt perfectly because it is so close to their eyes. After 3-4 times of doing this they have confidence that they can get their bunt down, will not get hurt, and can't wait to be the one with games on the line to get their bunt down.
Game time:
There is a huge difference in practicing bunting and bunting in games. So every season (don't laugh) I have every girl in the order bat every single time up to bat and on every single pitch the first scrimmage and the first game. 2 strikes they bunt. Bases loaded they bunt. I want them to not only have the confidence they can bunt in their heads, I want them to have the confidence they can bunt in their hearts and memory as well.
To me the absolute most important, A #1 thing to teach young girls is to keep their eyes on the ball. So the first thing I do is have a conversation with them about what the fears are and I demonstrate what we've all seen girls do: Poke their hands out at the ball and tilt head away before the ball gets there. Then I ask them what the safest part of their body is when they are batting. Depending on age I get different answers but for all girls playing in our area anyway, the answer is their head because they have to wear helmets and face masks. So I bang each of their heads and faces with the ball (holding it) and ask how bad it hurts. They all say "it doesn't" then I have them demonstrate tilting their head away and slowly poke (hold the ball) their now wide open throat with the ball and ask them if they like that better or worse. Then I have them turn their head away again and this time I poke their hands with the ball. That tends to make the point that they don't want to pull their head away. Then I ask them what they see with. Eventually they figure out it isn't a trick question and say their eyes. I ask them if they see things clearer from far away or closer up. "Closer up" so I ask them if it makes any sense at all in light of all of this information to poke hands way away from their body and turn their heads so eyes are furthest possible from the ball and they say "No." Then we talk about the importance of watching the ball all the way in with our head as close to the ball/bat as it can be.
I do the following drills with Wiffle or Club K balls to get started:
Starting drill:
Have bucket directly below where the contact point would be, and then just toss the ball to them and have them do like a hot potato. Goal is to absorb the ball with both hands and have the ball just drop into the bucket. It gets them into the habit immediately of watching the ball all the way into their hands, absorbing the ball and not pushing forward on it, and having soft hands. All in a fun way.
Next progression
I like them to hold the bat at a position in their right hand where they can control the angle of the bat with that hand alone and the bat doesn't control them. The bucket stays in position, but this time they put their fielding glove on and then reach out and make the catch with that hand while holding the bat for the bunt. Again it gets them not only working on the muscle memory of catching the ball, it gets them doing more of what they do in the field in watching the ball all the way into their glove, and also gives them the object lesson of catching the ball.
Next progression:
Same basic drill this time they are actually trying to bunt the ball and get it to drop into the bucket.
So you think you are really watching it all they way in huh we will see about that:
Next progression is to have them hold their hands near the end of the bat head so that there is about 1 1/2 balls worth of room from the end of the bat. Now I do the same drill tossing it to them and they have to use that small amount of space at the end of the bat head to bunt the ball. Anyone dare take a guess how much more eye contact they will make now? Don't say 100% though ....
Final progression ....
I toss real balls instead of wiffle balls or Club K balls and have them do the same drill. Now you guessed correctly and they now will give 100% eye contact to ensure that there hands don't get hit. As we continue this drill practice after practice and in warmups before games I will try to throw the ball right at them and you'd be surprised how easy that is to bunt perfectly because it is so close to their eyes. After 3-4 times of doing this they have confidence that they can get their bunt down, will not get hurt, and can't wait to be the one with games on the line to get their bunt down.
Game time:
There is a huge difference in practicing bunting and bunting in games. So every season (don't laugh) I have every girl in the order bat every single time up to bat and on every single pitch the first scrimmage and the first game. 2 strikes they bunt. Bases loaded they bunt. I want them to not only have the confidence they can bunt in their heads, I want them to have the confidence they can bunt in their hearts and memory as well.
Bunting Practice today... said 70mph Baseball on the token selector button ???
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PC, Slow it down so she can work on bunting fair.
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PC, Slow it down so she can work on bunting fair.
Here is machine set @ 50 mph.... slow enough ???
Have not seen it before but some say to catch the ball with the bat. That takes it literally.
Yes, I have done that. But it teaches the girl to have her right hand wrapped around the bat, like your DD does. One of my pitching students, that just turned 8, did that Sat. night and broke her thumb. She spent the night at the ER.
I just teach her to pitch, but now, I will teach her to bunt. The right hand just slides up the bat, making a C with the thumb and first finger. The wrist turns down and the rest of the hand hides behind the bat. In the mean time, I sent her a padded batting glove, because she is trying to play with a splint on.
I just teach her to pitch, but now, I will teach her to bunt. The right hand just slides up the bat, making a C with the thumb and first finger. The wrist turns down and the rest of the hand hides behind the bat. In the mean time, I sent her a padded batting glove, because she is trying to play with a splint on.
