Left Handed Pitcher Defending Bunt

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May 26, 2010
197
0
Central NJ
My DD's travel team has a left handed pitcher who has trouble defending the bunt. In our last tournament, an opposing team bunted straight up the middle to her twice and she wasn't able to make the play either time. She currently is trying to turn towards first base (counter-clockwise), stop her body rotation, and then reverse direction to make the throw. Would it be better if she turned away from first base (clockwise) 270 degrees to make the throw? I often see left handed MLB pitchers throw runners out at first this way. Thanks for any advice you can give.
 
Jul 26, 2010
3,567
0
Yes, fielders should always turn towards their glove, in her case, to her right, otherwise she is going to not set up correctly and will more then likely make an errant throw. BUT, even more important is that she fields the ball correctly, by going "around" the ball and setting her feet before she scoops it up or picks it up (depending on the bunt), much like a RH catcher or first baseman would field a bunt. This will have her in a much better position to throw.

Lefty pitchers, as well as heavy, tall, and slow pitchers, are common targets for the bunt. I usually tell my team to bunt up the middle against a lefty unless she proves to be an excellent fielder.

-W
 
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May 8, 2009
174
18
Florida
Starsufeer is correct. Teach your pitcher to step over the ball, turning and planting her left foot so her ankle is pointing to first (or second if she is going there)as much as possible. Then as she fields it (barehanded) she will be already loaded to throw. I place balls in the dirt in different spots and have the pitchers go from the front of the circle to each ball, fielding it and throwing to get the feeling of stepping past before fielding it. They return to the cirle after each throw. Start slow and the speed up the drill so they memorise it.
 
Nov 1, 2009
405
0
All bunts should be fielded with the feet in position to throw. If the bottom of this box is home then the feet should be : not like a middle infielder .. where you square to the ball.
 
Mar 6, 2018
33
18
Left handed pitcher with our current team, very athletic and quick is having trouble with bunts on the 1st base line.

This you-tube clip of a righty pitcher fielding a bunt and throwing to third is a good representation of how a a lefty should field a bunt on the first base side for a throw to 1st.

 
Nov 29, 2009
2,975
83
Starsufeer is correct. Teach your pitcher to step over the ball, turning and planting her left foot so her ankle is pointing to first (or second if she is going there)as much as possible. Then as she fields it (barehanded) she will be already loaded to throw. I place balls in the dirt in different spots and have the pitchers go from the front of the circle to each ball, fielding it and throwing to get the feeling of stepping past before fielding it. They return to the cirle after each throw. Start slow and the speed up the drill so they memorise it.

I do not recommend teaching barehanded for picking up a rolling ball which is covered dirt. For the most part the young female hand is too small to do that cleanly on a consistent basis. Try yourself to field a rolling 14" or 16" ball with only your throwing hand quickly.

The barehanded thing comes from baseball where the ball is much smaller, the male hand is larger and they field the ball on grass.
 
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Jul 31, 2019
495
43
What are your thoughts on a catcher fielding a bunt on the 3B line? Same with back to 1B or loop around ball to get hips lined up to 1B?
 
Nov 29, 2009
2,975
83
What are your thoughts on a catcher fielding a bunt on the 3B line? Same with back to 1B or loop around ball to get hips lined up to 1B?

I'm assuming you mean for the RH catcher. Had a left catchers once who was phenominal.

Most definitively... Absolutely.. Without a doubt.... It depends...

A lot of it depends on the athleticism of the catcher. Where the ball is at. If the ball moving away from and how fast it's moving away from the catcher.

I want them, ideally, to move around the outside of the ball IF they can. Moving around the outside of the ball allows them to pick up their target as they're loading to make the throw, hopefully, reducing the possibility of a bad throw. I don't want the catcher to have her back to where she is throwing the ball if possible. But sometimes that's what happens so I drill them both ways. The other thing I do is drill them with rolling balls to get them used to making the necessary adjustments on the fly. It's very infrequently they will be fielding a stationary ball.

Ideally, my 3rd baseman better be in there calling the catcher off the ball.
 
Nov 18, 2015
1,585
113
I do not recommend teaching barehanded for picking up a rolling ball which is covered dirt. For the most part the young female hand is too small to do that cleanly on a consistent basis. Try yourself to field a rolling 14" or 16" ball with only your throwing hand quickly.

The barehanded thing comes from baseball where the ball is much smaller, the male hand is larger and they field the ball on grass.
There is also the tendency (both barehanded and with the glove) to "stab" at the ball, rather than scoop or letting it roll into the glove or hand. Much greater chance of leaving something behind (like, the ball!) when they pull their hand back up.
 
Aug 20, 2017
1,474
113
Lefty pitchers should always try to field bunts with chest facing 3B line. Righties should field with chest facing 1B line. Hope that helps
 
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