We had issues with the arms extending to bunt but when I finally got the girls to realize that a sac bunt is an out we started getting better at bunting. Get the girls to understand what their job is and the mechanics will improve. Nobody wants to be an automatic out.
Questions on bunting
- Thread starter CoogansBluff
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One thing that I've learned with this thread is that there are a lot of different preferences on bunting.
Would like to hear more about whether to meet the ball squarely or on top of the ball. ... Surprised to hear as much disagreement on that.
Would like to hear more about whether to meet the ball squarely or on top of the ball. ... Surprised to hear as much disagreement on that.
DD does a slap style bunt, but we have a bit more angle on the bat and our arms are extended and absorb the ball on contact. Not saying we are right or wrong, just what works for us. What I like about it is you transfer from a hitting position to bunt position at the last second without showing you cards too early. We try to top the ball, but if the pitch is a ball and we've shown our hand the defense moves up, we center up on ball and try to push past. DD has decent wheels, so we can beat a lot of these out when we get good location
- Mar 1, 2012
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What about hand position? 12yo DD went to HS open gym and the coach has them learning to bunt with both hands together in the middle of the barrel. Says it is easier to pull back. Both hands at the chin. When I tried it she was right about puttling back but not sure on this method. We always taught seperated hands. Sorry to get away from OP topic but thought this would be a good addition to this thread verses starting a new one.
for us, hands are together. Regular grip on handle, bottom hand at knob at start. When we cross over, open hands a bit and bat slides down to start of taper, at the end of wrap basically. There is really no hand seperation on the bat. I find it helps to deaden the ball, since its kind of a "weak" hand position and allows a little more room for error on where the ball is hit in relation to the sweet spot. Just my thoughts/observations though
Barrel stays above knob. Show at the top end of the strike zone. Come down as needed to meet the ball squarely and deaden. Bringing the entire bat down seems to help 'stay on top of the ball' in the sense that pop-ups are eliminated, but we are going for pretty square contact, not topping the ball purposely. I find that topping the ball tends to send the ball straight down for the catcher to easily and quickly pick up.
As a side note, 'sacrifice' bunt is not in our vocabulary unless the term is used after the occurrence. Yes, do move the runner, but we don't concede the out! We are blessed with some good bunters and baserunners though.
Good luck,
As the OP himself, I don't mind you going is this direction.
I prefer the traditional hand near knob and hand in the middle, but I've seen it coached the way you're discussing. Jessica Mendoza teaches to have the hands at the one-third marks on the bat like this .. --/--/--
The main concepts for bunting:
(1) Start the bat at the top of the zone and come down.
(2) Try to "catch" the ball with the bat.
(3) Know *WHY* you are bunting.
If you want a sacrifice (and there are times when advancing the runner is more important than the out), make sure the batter knows her job. Sure, it is great to "bunt for a hit". But, sometimes you need to advance the runner.
Nothing is more frustrating than having the score tied in the bottom of the 7th with a runner at 3rd and a batter who is clueless about how to sacrifice bunt.
Quick story: Trophy round, bottom of the 7th, our fastest runner on 3rd base, our best bunter at the plate and one out. The other team played their corners back. It was like taking candy from a baby.
(1) Start the bat at the top of the zone and come down.
(2) Try to "catch" the ball with the bat.
(3) Know *WHY* you are bunting.
If you want a sacrifice (and there are times when advancing the runner is more important than the out), make sure the batter knows her job. Sure, it is great to "bunt for a hit". But, sometimes you need to advance the runner.
Nothing is more frustrating than having the score tied in the bottom of the 7th with a runner at 3rd and a batter who is clueless about how to sacrifice bunt.
Quick story: Trophy round, bottom of the 7th, our fastest runner on 3rd base, our best bunter at the plate and one out. The other team played their corners back. It was like taking candy from a baby.
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02Crush
Way past gone
I am teaching chop the top half of the ball because we are teaching posture, feet, bent elbows, loose arms, etc... We also have the girls out front of plate over dirt so when it drops it adds to the slow roll forward or down the line. They have not perfected placement yet. It is obvious we are doing it to the opponent if they pay attention. But then again we play 10U so I only care about the ability to see the ball, wait for it and receive the ball and chop the top when it arrives so it goes down not straight out at the defense. My statement may not sound right and may be a poor choice of language but it is what it is. We are not stabbing at the ball when it arrives. I read my post later and realized it read incorrectly.
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Hands depends on if a kid can drag bunt, which is mainly used by fast lefty slappers.
