Is bunting considered "old softball"

[radness]

Thats a big difference between well coached defenses and poorly coached defenses. A properly coached pitcher will not let you bunt in a bunting situation. Also a properly coached defense will kill that lead runner no question.

You see it all the time in fastpitch. Everybody in the park knows what a slapper or bunter is about to do, but poorly coached teams let it happen.

( lol many coaches think their good coaching beats the other teams good coaching)

It becomes a competition of skills.
EVERY PITCHER can be bunted against!!!
Quick out of the box and running speed can beat well trained defense & pitchers.
Thats what makes strategy and competition fun.
Skills against skills!

Add good eyes in the box with the ability to bunt on command puts pressure on the pitcher. Of course unless their satisfied with walking the batter.

 

[Powerof9]

If Bunting is old school then what is new school?

 

[Westwind]

Thats a big difference between well coached defenses and poorly coached defenses. A properly coached pitcher will not let you bunt in a bunting situation. Also a properly coached defense will kill that lead runner no question.

You see it all the time in fastpitch. Everybody in the park knows what a slapper or bunter is about to do, but poorly coached teams let it happen.

Yep. Coaches at older ages that do this are screaming out “I have no idea what I’m doing but I’m pretending this is ok with me because I can’t fix it.”

Bunting a runner to 2 and giving up an out? No. Bunting for a hit to get a runner to 3 especially when have a chance to put two runners in scoring position? Maybe. Bunting for hits to create abso-fricking-lute chaos and take advantage of your teams speed and take advantage of defense playing behind baselines because your hitters can hit? Oh, hell yes. That’s fun.

 

[Vertigo]

Thats a big difference between well coached defenses and poorly coached defenses. A properly coached pitcher will not let you bunt in a bunting situation. Also a properly coached defense will kill that lead runner no question.

You see it all the time in fastpitch. Everybody in the park knows what a slapper or bunter is about to do, but poorly coached teams let it happen.

Really? You know when a slapper can read the defense and hit it to the OF if they need to? Well-taught slappers can bunt, slap, and hit. It’s at the lower levels where they typically can only do 1-2 of those.

 

[ANNASDAD]

@625ender, I definitely get what you’re saying at the MLB level, boils down to coach’s knowing what his players are capable of, reading defenses, and calling for a sacrifice at the exact right time and situation.

It’s a dying art and I hope it never goes away, still a very valuable tool.

***And I probably should have stressed earlier at the MLB level bunting probably 95% of the time with no outs!

 

[625ender]

Really? You know when a slapper can read the defense and hit it to the OF if they need to? Well-taught slappers can bunt, slap, and hit. It’s at the lower levels where they typically can only do 1-2 of those.

I totally agree. I'm also a firm believer that great pitching beats great hitting

Every batter has a tendency. Not pitching to that tendency is critical. If you need a bunt and I'm the catcher everything in my soul will try to prevent that.

 

[quincy]

1 game DD is playing 2nd and on a bunt the 1st baseperson charged and DD went to backup 2nd base. No one covering first. Happened a few times. 1st base coach for other team, who was a jerk by the way, yells out we are going to keep bunting until they prove they can stop us.

After inning I asked DD what was going on, apparently they changed how they were covering bunts the day before and the 1st baseperson was not at practice.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

If Bunting is old school then what is new school?

The long ball. Doubles or better or you lost the AB.

One of the main reasons MLB doesn't bunt against the shift is that even if you do bunt successfully it's still an win for the defense (you are only at first base, it takes two more hits to score you, etc.).

 

[Vertigo]

Eh, I’d prefer our #4 hitter to hit with runners on than hit with no one on. Most times she’s hitting a double or a HR - doesn’t really help much if the batters ahead of her drove the ball to the fence but it was caught. It definitely helps when the #1 and #2 who are our speedy slappers get on - be it bunt, slap, ROE, etc.

 

[erniekru]

The long ball. Doubles or better or you lost the AB.

One of the main reasons MLB doesn't bunt against the shift is that even if you do bunt successfully it's still an win for the defense (you are only at first base, it takes two more hits to score you, etc.).

Ahh, totally disagree. I believe bunting is considered bush league in baseball..