Category: Hitting
Type: Tip
BUNTING FOR HITS
As a long- time college baseball coach, I am a big fan of the base hit bunt. Before I give a few tips, here are all the positive things, base hit bunting can do:
- Get you an easy hit.
- Make fielders play in against you, making it easier to get a ball past them when you swing.
- Advance a runner on base and become a sacrifice bunt if you get thrown out.
- Get you on base against a very tough pitcher.
- If you do get on, make the pitcher work from the stretch where he most likely won't be as effective.
Keys to being a good base hit bunter
- Make sure you take the time to place the bunt where you want it then run--rather than running out of the box too soon and produce a poor bunt.
- Pick where you will bunt the ball strategically. Are any of the fielders playing deep and not paying attention? Do they have a poor arm? Is the pitcher falling off to one side?
- When bunting to third, place the ball perfectly near the line. It is better to let the ball roll foul, then bunt it to the pitcher and find yourself thrown out by a mile.
- When bunting to first, decide if you want it on the line, past the pitcher, or a few feet off the bag where the first basemen and pitcher both go for the ball and the flip to first is difficult.
- Practice like crazy. Commit to 50 base hit bunts a day. If your team does not do it, find time before or after the practice or game to practice this skill.
Submitted by: Wayne Mazzoni
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