obbay
Banned
to the best of my recollection I haven't seen bunting discussed here.
For Softball, I typically teach the batter to grab the bat with the upper hand rather than the pinch-like grip taught in youth baseball. This is because a) I have seen MLB players bunt like this and b) I've seen girls get their thumbs torqued holding the bat like this, resulting in them becoming tentative bunters afterward. Also I teach them to hold the bat at an angle, maybe 45 with the knob low and the head of the bat at the top of the strike zone.
DD's coach (U18) this year is teaching the pinch-like grip and holding the bat dead level at the top of the strike zone. I'm not sure why the pinch grip but the level bat at the top of the zone is so that they go down to bunt and if they have to reach it tells them it's not a strike.To me it seems like it's easier to pop up a foul to the catcher this way.
I'm the assistant coach so I have to either go along with it or explain why another way is better.
What are your thoughts on the best way to teach bunting?
For Softball, I typically teach the batter to grab the bat with the upper hand rather than the pinch-like grip taught in youth baseball. This is because a) I have seen MLB players bunt like this and b) I've seen girls get their thumbs torqued holding the bat like this, resulting in them becoming tentative bunters afterward. Also I teach them to hold the bat at an angle, maybe 45 with the knob low and the head of the bat at the top of the strike zone.
DD's coach (U18) this year is teaching the pinch-like grip and holding the bat dead level at the top of the strike zone. I'm not sure why the pinch grip but the level bat at the top of the zone is so that they go down to bunt and if they have to reach it tells them it's not a strike.To me it seems like it's easier to pop up a foul to the catcher this way.
I'm the assistant coach so I have to either go along with it or explain why another way is better.
What are your thoughts on the best way to teach bunting?