Is bunting considered "old softball"

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Jul 28, 2020
4
3
Its actually very pertinent. Its comparing players of like talents with known data over a long period if time. Also the D1 stats are the same.

Laws of probability and Benfords law are tough to ignore. Believe me I hate it, but it'll prove you wrong in an instant
If you have a young lady that has above average speed, she is always a candidate to bunt. The reason being to get the out the defense has to be almost perfect. Hitting a batted ball vs a bunted ball is much easier to field. Whoever came up with that equation is missing some variables, I will take experience over some math equation.

Case in point last year I watched the CF from the Chicago Bandits from the professional fast pitch league wreak havoc on a defense because of her speed when she bunted.

Your math equation only applies to ladies that have average speed to first 3.0+ seconds
 
Jun 23, 2018
222
63
Texas
I'm no expert, just dad of a 12U DD. In my opinion you have to split bunting into 2 categories. The sacrifice bunt and bunting to get on base.

I think the sacrifice has very limited uses. It really only makes sense to move runners in very few situations. I understand and agree that trading an out for a base doesn't make sense most of the time.

However, bunting to get on base can be extremely effective. It takes the right personnel, but I see it work every tournament. I have seen the right players show bunt, everyone knows it's coming, and still 75% (my observation not a statistic) of the time the defense can't stop it. It's beautiful when your team does it and frustrating when the other team does. It's not a play everyone in the lineup can effectively do, those that can are weapons, especially when paired with the right players around them in the lineup. Pressure the defense and when they make a mistake, punish them hard with extra bases and often runs.

Stress and pressure on the defense can be just as big a weapon as the players themselves.
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
Using MLB stats as a basis for supporting a viewpoint in softball is a very poor argument. Softball and baseball are very different games especially when discussing short game strategy.

This argument is so tiresome. Then don't use MLB stats, use fastpitch stats. The math works out the same.
 
May 23, 2015
999
63
No one on the planet will say that bunting can't be or isn't very effective. What the world of data says is that you're more likely to make bigger things happen if you choose to swing away.

Colleges and pro sports spend massive amounts of money on analytics. Reports are hand delivered to the doors of managers across the country every day. They live by it
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Its very true. Billions of dollars are at stake based on data. Why wouldn't you pay attention to it? Data doesn't lie

Bunting is down because data tells it to be down
It is still part of the game!
This is open discussion based on all aspects of its relevance in the game ..... of fastpitch.


Yes hitting and the game has changed.
Yes some stats have shifted.
Yes lefty slappers run and hit home runs now.
They can now do BOTH bunt or crush it.

As far as collecting all data available accross all levels of softball....no thats not been done....or have not seen it.

Can say (other than this summer of sb down time in Calif.)
Continually see bunting/small ball at ALL levels.
imo it has not decreased in all levels.
That is a visual interpretation of many games attended.
 
Jun 16, 2010
259
28
There's a lot of coaches that don't know how to bunt.

a lot of college coaches that just plain suck at being a coach as well

They only succeed because they receive good players

Trading an out for advancing a runner in a close low scoring game.....works.

You don't bunt to get on base.... Unless you're left-handed and very fast. You bunt to advance runners....it's somewhat easier to place that ball where you want it on a bunt against a difficult pitcher.

Daughter graduated 2 yrs ago. Played travel ball at highest level, and college. She was only player on her college team that could bunt worth a darn....even though she holds her school's home run record.... she was still bunted a lot. She was the only person on the team who was bunted.... Because she could bunt. I was amazed the coach couldn't teach these other girls how to lay down a bunt right. They did not even know how to hold the bat right, or kneel .

Same could be said for slapping as well a lot. slappers popping the ball up instead of hitting it into the dirt and bouncing it over to infield head.... look like they ain't got a clue what they're doing out there.

when playing travel ball if we discovered a team couldn't defend against the bunt worth a darn, we score half-a-dozen runs on them just by bunting in a row. Probe your opponents weakness....exploit it.
 
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May 7, 2015
842
93
SoCal
What are the stats going to be in Softball when see shifts from baseball trickle to softball? (More infielders with one open spot in the outfield)

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

with a competent slapper, you'd find the ball in the open spot in the OF. Keep in mind they don't always execute, but they are always looking to exploit the weakness of the defense.
 
Jun 16, 2010
259
28
with a competent slapper, you'd find the ball in the open spot in the OF. Keep in mind they don't always execute, but they are always looking to exploit the weakness of the defense.

My daughter's old travel ball coach would make other teams look stupid....

bring the right fielder or left fielder in and tell her just stand by second base and do nothing ..... Leaving a hole in the outfield.

then get the batter out while they tried to hit it in that gaping hole but couldn't because he was pitching them inside on every pitch

That won't work by the time they been in college a few years.... They become better at hitting to locations.

if allowed to hit away my daughter probably would have let her conference in home runs..... But she always had to hit the ball somewhere in some situation ...behind runner...etc..and wasn't allowed just to hit very often. Her highest home runs were her freshman year and each year they got less because of that. if you didn't hit it where you were supposed to you might be sat on the bench. The very least you were going to get yelled at.
 
Last edited:
May 23, 2015
999
63
My daughter's old travel ball coach would make other teams look stupid....

bring the right fielder or left fielder in and tell her just stand by second base and do nothing ..... Leaving a hole in the outfield.

then get the batter out while they tried to hit it in that gaping hole but couldn't because he was pitching them inside on every pitch
(y)(y)
 

PDM

Jun 18, 2019
165
43
NJ
I ran into a former HS player at a tournament who graduated from a Big 10 school this year. She had just gotten a job at a midwest college as an assistant coach. We spoke for several minutes on the state of our HS program, and game strategy we play. Near the end of our conversation she flat out said "and don't waste outs bunting".

I've always believed in small ball as a weapon. Is this now considered "old softball"?
I agree 100% with the recently graduated player, now coach. Playing small ball ensures that your team will finish games with a small number of runs. A bunt is a wasted out. On the younger levels, having a good hitter bunt makes no sense at all. More commonly, a poor hitter is told to bunt a lot just to avoid a strikeout, which ensures that the player never develops into a good hitter. As players get older and fielding improves, bunting is just giving away an out and you only get three of those per inning. I have seen a lot of potentially big innings fizzle out because a coach gave away an out or two calling for bunts. Bunting certainly has its place, but most coaches are just lazy and call for them without looking at the big picture.
 

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