Pitching to a bunter.

My DD is a 9U pitcher. She has decent control and speed for her age. She averages about 40+mph (fastball with topspin) and has a change.

While watching a 14U game that went to an tie breaker, the pitchers were keeping the pitches low to the bunt/sacrifice. Now that DD is starting to overpower a lot of hitters I expect her to start seeing more bunts. I always thought "up and in" gave the best chance for the batter to pop the bunt up. Yet- the 14U game I watched was the opposite?

What is the best way/conventional wisdom to pitch a bunter? Does it change for girls at the lower levels?

High and tight, low and away. The problem at 9U is the control of the pitcher to effectively and consistently throw inside and not hit the batter? It also makes a difference if the bunt attempt is to move a runner or an attempt at a bunt single. If no one is on base you can also throw a change-up to get your defense some extra time to field the bunt and a 30 mph c/u isn't going to be easy to bunt anyways since it will die as it gets near home plate. If runners are on base I would pitch high in the zone if you have a catcher that can get it. Hard for 8 and 9 YO to lay down a bunt on a high pitch. Make sure your defense works on defending the bunt and the infield covers the bases correctly. The pitcher at your age may be fielding a lot of bunts so make sure your DD works on that as well. Fun age, enjoy it...they grow up so so fast...

We try to keep the vast majority of our pitches between the mid-thigh to the bottom of the zone. I teach my pitchers that when a play squares to shorten their stride. This brings the ball up in the zone often resulting in a pop up or at a minimum a pitch that is harder to place to a specific location.

I like to have my pitchers throw low to bunters at the younger ages. Most of them do not have good mechanics. They will bend and reach down for the ball by extending their arms out at the ball. Instead of bending their knees to get the lower pitch. Most times they miss.

I don't like throwing high in the zone to them because you're playing to the bunters strength. The ball is eye level and easier to track. They do not have to make big adjustments to put the bat on the ball.

When you get to the older levels things change.

High in, high out or very inside and low.

I prefer to stay up in the zone if we know she's bunting.... this is in an attempt to produce a pop up.
I also wont call a change up, because I want the extra speed to produce more recoil, and the defence has to run up less.(assuming the ball hit the sweet spot of the barrel)

DD likes to throw high to a bunter as said earlier to induce a pop up

I tend to favor up in the zone as well. Especially since a lot of young players will crouch too much as they go into their bunt stance, and even lower the bat some. When the pitch comes in higher they'll often chase and get under it to create that pop-up.

I like high, but my 9yr olds don't have that much control, especially because the thing around here is to have the bunters shake the bat at the pitcher, so basically just working on them staying relaxed and in control.

Jojo said:

the thing around here is to have the bunters shake the bat at the pitcher.

Click to expand...

Have seen this a few times at the younger levels and IMO the definition of "bush league". DD faced one team that did this in the first inning, and she went out and struck out the side. They stopped waving the bat around after that.

Coaches, please teach your batters how to hit the ball and not have every batter in the line-up try to distract the pitcher by waving the bat around like a crazy person in an attempt to get a walk.