Bunt Defense Scenario - What do we do???

[SBFAMILY]

This is from a Divn 1 college coaches camp. Bunt and Slap defense with runner at first.
1. 1'st and 3rd baseman start out at 30 feet - no exceptions. We wil not try and "trick" the offense. Hold your ground untill the ball is down. If you charge too soon and the batter sees it she may try to push/slap it past you. As you creep in on the bunt- squeese into the middle.
2. The Pitcher will act as a "safety" and will not charge in as much as the corners. They will be acking up in case the bunt gets by the 1st or 3 rd baseman.
3. The middle infielders will start in the base-line. Shortstop will shade toward 2nd and the 2nd baseman will shade toward 1'st.
4. If the 3'rd baseman field the ball the catcher will cover 3'rd and the pitcher will go to 3rd to back up or take the bag if the catcher is unable to get there.
5. The left fielder wll back up 3rd , the center fielder will back up a throw to 2nd from the home area and if there is no throw they will break toward left field to back up a possible throw from 1st. The right fielder will break toward the right field line and then back up 1'st.
Slappers. Depending on how fast your right handed hitters are. At 12U we took my very fast daughter and coverted to a left handed hitter. She hit 427 as a right handed hitter, but the ability to slap from the left side and her speed now at 14 has made her a pest to get out. It took one year for her to learn to hit for power, but it was worth the change.

 

[softball33]

Regarding the question about coverage with runners on 1st and 2nd.
Usually, CF will cover 2nd. There are always other options, but at young ages I prefer to keep it simple. This coverage allows everyone's job to stay the same except for the SS and CF. You will try to avoid the throw there because you have no backup. If you're team ever has to throw it there on a bunt with runners on 1st and 2nd, then one of two things has probably happened. The first one is that the play has already gone to hades in a handbasket and you're trying to stop the bleeding. The second one is that you either got the lead runner or the out at 1st and the runner advancing to 2nd has tripped or pulled a hamstring or gone blind or has done something insane (not unheard of at 10U) and you have a chance at a double play. I've experienced the first plenty of times. The second one, not so much.
I think the strategy to take the outs at 1st is sound at younger ages. They will progress to the point where they can get the lead runner, but they probably can't right now. You can teach it and have them be aware of it. If they can't execute it, then take the outs they can get. This age is usually a timed game, so generally the team that gets their outs the quickest will win. There's no sense in increasing the time at bat for the other time and limiting your time on offense, if you can't execute the put out of the lead runner yet.
SBFAMILY answered your question about the corners having to bail out on a fake.
"1'st and 3rd baseman start out at 30 feet - no exceptions. We wil not try and "trick" the offense. Hold your ground untill the ball is down. If you charge too soon and the batter sees it she may try to push/slap it past you. As you creep in on the bunt- squeese into the middle"

 

[jimginas]

I'm a huge believer in a rotational defense. If Runner at 2B (or 1st & 2B), depending on the runner's speed at 2B, you may want 3B to cover 3B. I don't like a SS racing a runner from 2B if the runner at 2B is fast. IF you have a SS covering 3B with a fast runner, SS would have to cheat over at least one step and gambling on a fake bunt-slap or a swing that freezes her. SS would have to beat the baserunner, catch on the run and get the tag down. Awful lot to ask of her on a fast runner. What I prefer is:
3B shows Bunt coverage, then as pitcher's hand comes down from the top, 3B retreats to cover her base. SS covers 2nd and 2B covers 1st. 1B plays up and pitcher and catcher has 3B line. Pitcher pitches to 1B side of the plate to try and get bunt down to 1B side. IF RH batter, low and away.. VERY difficult to pull that to 3B line. If LH batter, probably High & In hoping for Popup or at LEAST 1B line.
(Its hard to turn a pitch on 1B side around to 3B line. This ALSO allows for 1B to make an easier throw to 3B as she is moving across the infield to her throw at 3B.) As Kenkrause states, as long as your pitcher is a good fielder, she can cover the line.

 

[jimginas]

SB33 coverage w/ a CF would mean there is not a 2nd layer of defense behind 2B, thus either causing a gamble on the throw to 2B (if she misses the ball, you are giving runner(s) at LEAST one extra base and morfe then likely 2 bases or committing to not make a play at 2B. Most times, you prefer to have a 2nd layer of defense. If you want a bunt to 3B line, Have 1B stay back and 2B cover the 2nd and SS cover 3rd, but again then you have to be aware whether your SS can win the race against a fast runner from 2B getting a running start while the SS has to play slap/hit before she can commit to 3B.

 

[softball33]

You're right. The throw to 2nd in this situation is definitely last resort. A lot of variables come into play - backup, control and speed of pitcher, # of outs, speed of runners, etc. I guess my thinking is that you are probably not going to go for the runner going to 2nd with runners on 1st and 2nd. Tons of options and probably none of them wrong, except leaving the lead runner uncovered. Wasn't there a team in the college world series last year that played their 2B right next to the pitcher? I certainly hadn't seen that much.

 

[StacieM]

Whatever your coverage, the key is practice. Each player MUST break quickly to their assignment once that bunt is put down PERIOD. No matter what scenario you choose, your defense must know exactly what they need to do and they have to move QUICKLY to cover their spot. Make sure you practice it enough so that each player recognizes the scenario and immediately drops in to proper coverage.

Obviously some coverages are simpler or more complicated than others. Some leave wholes that others don't. Your defense has to know what you're trying to accomplish and what they should and can do in each scenario. Know what your personnel can handle - know what YOU want to accomplish with your bunt defense. At the younger ages, I would keep it as simple as possible.

Having quick, agile, and athletic pitchers is definitely an asset. If they can help you cover a line, that gives you more options. But at higher levels with good bunters, your pitcher alone trying to cover a whole side of the field is probably not enough.

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

Less than 2 outs, runner on 1st with other bags clear I will always get the batter/runner at 1st. Did I say always? I would much rather get the easy out and defend third from the runner getting there.

Would you rather have the out and possibly have a runner on 3rd (hopefully only 2nd), or watch a mistake happen trying to get the lead runner and have runners at 3rd (if she doesn't get home) and a runner probably at 2nd (if she doesn't get to 3rd due to the error)?

With a pretty good defense the odds are about 50/50 that you can get the lead runner at 2nd on a bunt. the odds are way over 75% that you are going to get the batter runner and protect the lead runner from scoring.

IMHO

Oh, the answer to the original question is that SS covers 2nd in this scenario - no exceptions.

 

[jimginas]

yup-yup-yup. I agree w/ KenK. My 3B generally stays back based on situation with a runner at 1B & 2B OR if I think the baserunner at 2B only has a good chance of beating my SS to 3B, ESPECIALLY being she has to play her position first. I also tend to pitch 1B side and high if I feel bunt to get a popup or after 1st pitch bunt attempt, then 1B side and LOW to try and get bunt to 1B side.
(As long as you feel comfortable your 1B is a good fielder and can make a good throw to get the lead runner at 3B.)
If worried at 12U, then MAKE sure you get an out, even if it means giving up the lead runner. Too many times at a younger level we try and make the RIGHT play, but the players current abilities keep us from getting an out and all runners wind up safe.

If the situation is that there is only a runner at 1B, even at 12U, your catcher should learn that if 3B plays the ball, catcher covers 3B and after her throw covers home.
*** Highly suggest you reconsider having your pitcher cover 3B. I used to do that. Learned against that from DIV1 coaches much smarter then me!
"AGGRESIVE" teams will slide "agressively" when your pitcher is covering and at the VERY least, you put your pitcher at risk of injury. Probably ok at 12U, but would be cautious from doing that at 14U or higher.