Show bunt then swing

[Strike2]

This is not a big problem. First, the vast majority of school-age hitters can't show bunt, pull back DURING the delivery, and then hit the ball squarely. The ones that can are typically older, very skilled, and headed to college ball. Teach your corners to understand the situation and what they're seeing from the hitter. Don't crash simply because you see someone showing bunt. Chances are, that's exactly what the other team wants, and now you're playing their game instead of yours. Creep in a bit if the situation actually says a bunt might come, but crash only when the hitter remains squared during the delivery.

Oh yeah...and wear a face mask.

 

[RetiredCoach]

In 10U, 12U, and 14U I have disparaged the use of the fake bunt and swing for safety reasons. Of course, there is a point where this technique is fair game. I think that it is a around 16U "A" for travel teams and JV for high school teams.

 

[JAD]

I remember when we were a second year 10U team and we were teaching our girls to charge when the batter squared to bunt. We were a low B/C team at the time. We played up in a B-level tournament and I will never forget the first time a girl squared to bunt and then pulled back to swing. Every coach yelled STOP trying to keep our 3B from getting killed. We had to rethink our instructions after that moment....

 

[canyonjoe]

Regardless of how you feel about the practice of slashing, it is within the rules so there are teams that are going to do it so prepare the kids for it.

My son's LL coach has the practice it. The funny thing is that the other teams don't even charge if they square early because they have it figured out.

 

[Jquick823]

So a I posted the time for a rule change post some while back. I still don't like the play at all but accept it's part of the game and will use it as needed.

These incidents of girls getting hurt by line drives to the face is not as wide spread as we think. Social media makes them more accessible, old photos now go viral and if timed right it appears that a bunch of injuries are happening and the mask will save them. A mask isn't the answer. Removal of the play is (I'm not advocating for the removal). But then we need to look at field maintenance, my DD when playing SS/2B does not wear a mask, only a mouthpiece, the field we were on last year was not drug all weekend. Bad hop and bang split chin, our starting SS went to the ER with a fractured orbital socket two plays later. To me there are more serious injuries had due to "BAD HOPS" than line drives back at mask less players.

Parent's you are the mandatory authority on whether or not your player wears a mask, it should not be the coaches job to mandate this. If you want the coach to enforce said rule, then let the coach know it's mandatory for your player and any coach out there will enforce it.

 

[canyonjoe]

Jquick, I'm not following you. If it's my responsibility if my kids wears a mask or not, why do I need the coach to enforce it. The coach has enough to worry about instead of keeping a list of whose parent is requiring the mask and whose doesn't. If I mandated my child wear a mask (I don't by the way), I would expect her to wear it not rely on the coach.

 

[MTR]

Let's look at this another way. People are acting like crashing the corners is mandated. You want to limit the batter because you instruct your players to run toward the plate.

Who is putting the players in harm's way? And then complain because your player isn't equipped to the level you believe they should be because no one is forcing them to do it.

Maybe we should just go back to the original rule in which a bunt is illegal.

 

[chinamigarden]

Jquick, I'm not following you. If it's my responsibility if my kids wears a mask or not, why do I need the coach to enforce it. The coach has enough to worry about instead of keeping a list of whose parent is requiring the mask and whose doesn't. If I mandated my child wear a mask (I don't by the way), I would expect her to wear it not rely on the coach.

Well not every kid does what their parent says, when the parent isn't around.

 

[hssoftball101]

Switch to 90ft bases, a 60ft mound and play with an 11" ball. Why do we have to play with large, heavy, high compression balls coming at us at 100+ mph (equiv) smh

 

[JJS]

https://m.facebook.com/Firecrackers...2383415276/1014779058613608/?type=3&source=48

HS game, batter show bunt, F1 charges in and takes hard hit to face when batter swings away. Not wearing a mask.

This really bothers me. I wish masks were mandatory through high school, but that's been debated here already.

I think showing bunt should mandate a bunt or taken pitch.

60' bases are too close to allow hitting after drawing in the defense with a bunt fake, especially with today's composite bats and some players not wearing masks. In this example, a mask could have prevented the facial fractures, but don't know if it could have prevented the broken neck.

I cringe when I see a batter pull back and swing when the corners are charging in. I've never seen anything like like this, but I have seen some close calls.

What do you think? I know my opinion is radical. Is the risk smaller than I am thinking?

I feel bad for the girl, but if the description is correct then she misplayed the batter. You don't just charge in as soon as a batter squares around. You wait until the pitch is far enough along that the hitter is committed.

Having said that, wear a mask