Stay out of the way
Honestly, if they can field the bunt great, if not they have no responsibility.
Bunt defense
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Stay out of the way
Honestly, if they can field the bunt great, if not they have no responsibility.
Easy...teach the SS to move to 3B only when she actually sees the bunt on the ground. Even if she is shaded towards 2B because of the runner on 1B, there is no need to rush over to 3B merely because somebody shows bunt. If the bunt is down, there is plenty of time for the SS to get there.
While certainly not the only way to do it, I've seen SS covering 3B enough on both competitive and school ball teams to call it standard practice. While it is possible to get the out at 2B, it doesn't happen often, even in college. Getting the out at 1B and holding what is typically a speedy lead runner at 2B is shooting par.
The way we play it is if 3B fields the bunt, catcher covers third. If anyone else fields the bunt, 3B slides back to cover third. LF backs up the possible throw.
I agree it's very tough to ever get the lead runner at 2B. Instead, we practice the throw behind which works quite a bit. In that scenario, we get the hitter out at 1B, then automatically throw to 2B. The runner has often rounded 2B since there was no play there, and gets caught a little too far off base. We have a much higher success rate with this play than trying to get the lead runner. If you pull the SS to cover 3B, their is nobody to cover 2B for the throw behind.
I agree it's very tough to ever get the lead runner at 2B. Instead, we practice the throw behind which works quite a bit. In that scenario, we get the hitter out at 1B, then automatically throw to 2B. The runner has often rounded 2B since there was no play there, and gets caught a little too far off base. We have a much higher success rate with this play than trying to get the lead runner. If you pull the SS to cover 3B, their is nobody to cover 2B for the throw behind.
- Jan 3, 2014
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[MENTION=5036]29dad[/MENTION] - Your head coach is a baseball guy right? That explains the pitcher covering first part. Looks like we play you 4/20 at your place. Hopefully I'll be able to come watch.
Wheel play - Bunt with a runner on 1B, SS should cover 2B to try to get the lead runner. 3B or pitcher, whichever does not field the bunt, should cover 3B. I have also seen catchers hustle down to cover 3B, and 3B covers home plate.
You could also run the LF in to cover 3B, but that leaves you with no backup.
As an alternative, I have seen teams with an athletic pitcher have the pitcher cover bunts on the 1st base side, 1B covers 1B, 2B covers 2B and SS covers 3B.
- Aug 6, 2013
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Stay out of the way
Honestly, if they can field the bunt great, if not they have no responsibility.
I always thought this ^^^ -but I have heard a lot of different ideas.
I think the Pitcher should generally just get the balls that are hit directly to them, or slow rollers in front of them, back up throws to the infield and cover home on a wild pitch.
I think of what the ex-Pirate pitcher Bob Walk said "a pitchers job is to pitch and Field balls hit directly to them, and to stay out of the way of the athletes who play the field"
I'm don't mean to disparage Pitchers in any way (although I think Bob was) often times the pitcher is one of the best athletes on the field.
But..
I think It is probably even more difficult for a pitcher in fast pitch than in baseball, to pitch the ball accurately while leaping towards home (shortening her fielding range from 43 ft. to probably 35 ft. or less), recover and make a clean play on a ball to her left or right and make an accurate over hand throw after throwing a sequance of underhand pitches.
The fielders are down and ready and anticipating the ball coming to them I think the pitcher tends to get in the way more often then make clean plays.
I would definitely not want my pitcher to try to cover first there is no way she can recover and beat out a speedy runner. I can see her covering third if no one else is there but I think SS or catcher is in a better position if needed.
C covering 3B is something you see in college and some high schools, which is fine for situations where you play one, maybe two games in a day. In TB, if you are playing 4, 5, 6, or even 7 games in the heat on a summer weekend, you do not want to do that to your catcher.
A pitcher can help herself if she can field her position. A pitcher fielding a bunt to the 1st base side of the rubber has to turn 90 degrees to make the throw, while the 1B has to turn 180 degrees. A typical 1B is also taller and has longer arms than the 2B who covers the bag if 1B charges - giving a bigger target for the throw if 1B stays back and covers the bag.
A few years ago we had a pitcher who did not like to field the ball. She would literally point at balls rolling back through the circle calling for the SS or 2B to make the play.....
Just chiming in here, for all those that say the % is way low getting the lead runner at 2B, saw it twice yesterday. Both times got the out at 2B, one was a hard bunt right back to the P, the other bunt dropped right in front of the plate and C made the throw.
