Fake Bunt

[CoachKevin]

So what is the proper reaction to a bunt n slash? Take one for the team?

Well for one like FFS said, corners should be creeping. Most of the time, the batters are showing bunt early, then pulling back as the pitcher starts in her windmill. I instruct our corners to focus on the hands while creeping forward, if they see movement from the hands pulling the bat back they stop immediately. I've seen corners charging so hard when a bunt is shown (I'm talking showing early, not a late showing like a drag) they are like 10 feet from the batter when the pitch arrives. So if your teaching your corners to crash that hard, I'm going to use the counter to that. Why should I give your defense the advantage?

I put this into the category like slappers. You never know if they are going to drag, hit a chopper, or power slap. I've seen plenty of slappers hit a linedrive shot by F5.

 

[CoachKevin]

Say's the coaches sitting behind the fence.......
There's casualties in war.

Sooo you're saying there are no injuries that happen in softball??? That sounds like the media, creative editing, you failed to put the rest of the point in your quote

 

[rdbass]

Sooo you're saying there are no injuries that happen in softball???

No, didn't say that at all.....I'm saying that 'slash & bunt' has more of a chance to hurt some one.
I hope you at least sit on your bucket outside the fence.

Also sounds like you knowing know some girl may get hurt.

Will some still get hurt? Sure,

 

[CoachKevin]

No, didn't say that at all.....I'm saying that 'slash & bunt' has more of a chance to hurt some one.
I hope you at least sit on your bucket outside the fence.

LOL a tad snarky huh?

I just don't understand the "Has more of a chance to hurt someone". Again if the corners are charging that hard immediately... that isn't the problem?

 

[rdbass]

LOL a tad snarky huh?

Not at all. Just wondering why use a tactic that you know might hurt a player?
You did say this. Correct.

Will some still get hurt? Sure,

Not all teams/players are as well trained as your players seemed to be.
For the record my DD plays SS or 2B. So, not concerned for my DD's safety.

 

[CoachKevin]

Using a tactic that might hurt a player? Well your quote, as I pointed out left off the point, here is what the rest says, "Will some still get hurt? Sure, from the foul ball breaking the catcher's wrist to the girl sliding into a base and breaking her ankle." Point being, the bunt & slash is just another play, as is slapping, or having the infield pulled in on a bases loaded scenario with #4 batting.

I think they need to teach a "controlled charge", not a run as fast as you can toward the batter charge. Again, you blame the offensive coach for calling this, but not the defensive coach teaching to charge as hard as you can. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

I believe what CoachKevin is suggesting is that if you play the game stupid (for example, if you crash hard prematurely) then an opposing team is going to take advantage of that weakness.

I don't know what level folks are playing at ... but I consider it pretty standard to sum up the opponent's weaknesses and exploit them to your advantage during the game.

 

[_MIA_]

I don't know what level folks are playing at ... but I consider it pretty standard to sum up the opponent's weaknesses and exploit them to your advantage during the game.

I agree with this in most all circumstances in sports. However this is one of the few cases in sports where
exploitation of the weakness (of the coach in this case) can have a significant
increase in the probability of serious injury. I mean pitching up and in is dangerous,
but not nearly as dangerous as putting a kid 20 feet away from a ball with an exit velocity of 75mph,
oftentimes with no mask. You can say that it is the coach's job to teach the kid the right way of doing it,
and you would be right. However a litmus test for me when I make a decision is always can I live with the worst possible result
from my decision and in this case I am not sure i could.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

I agree with this in most all circumstances in sports. However this is one of the few cases in sports where exploitation of the weakness (of the coach in this case) can have a significant
increase in the probability of serious injury. I mean pitching up and in is dangerous, but not nearly as dangerous as putting a kid 20 feet away from a ball with an exit velocity of 75mph, oftentimes with no
mask. You can say that it is the coach's job to teach the kid the right way of doing it, and you would be right. However a litmus test for me when I make a decision is always can I live with the worst possible result
from my decision and in this case I am not sure i could.

Don't agree with you.

Learn the game, or hand the coaching over to someone that knows the game, or play rec-ball.

I'm not going to instruct my players to hit the ball weakly. Neither am I going to instruct slappers to stop reading the defense to exploit their weaknesses.

A third baser that crashes too quickly will lose full confidence in crashing if they play me. That's a promise. It won't be long before they stop listening to their coach when instructed to crash, and instead hang back ... allowing batters to short-game them.

 

[_MIA_]

Don't agree with you.

Learn the game, or hand the coaching over to someone that knows the game, or play rec-ball.

I'm not going to instruct my players to hit the ball weakly. Neither am I going to instruct slappers to stop reading the defense to exploit their weaknesses.

A third baser that crashes too quickly will lose full confidence in crashing if they play me. That's a promise. It won't be long before they stop listening to their coach when instructed to crash, and instead hang back ... allowing batters to short-game them.

If the coach was the one charging I would tend to agree with your attitude towards this.