The Ole Ball Game
 

Bunting ~ Base Hit; Take The Time To Place The Ball In The Right Spot, Then Run. You Will Be Successful!

Players often believe that you need to be a fast runner to attempt to bunt for a base hit.

While speed certainly doesn't hurt your chances for success, it doesn't guarantee them either. There are two basic things that do the most to increase a bunters opportunity for success:

  1. BUNTING, BASE HIT ~ LOOK FOR WHAT THE DEFENSE IS GIVING YOU.


  2. TAKE THE TIME TO LOCATE THE BALL WHERE THE DEFENSE IS WEAKEST, BEFORE YOU START TO RUN.
Red Rolfe, attempting to push a drag bunt past pitcher Dizzy Dean, 1938 World Series.


Right Handed Hitter

DRAG BUNT

right hand drag bunt

  • Read the position of the 3B


  • Right foot drops and pivots about 45 degrees, at the same time bringing the bat forward to the bunting position, angled to bunt the ball down the third base line


  • Knees are the key to getting in a low position, left knee bent at 45 degrees, right knee almost on the ground


  • Back and trunk get low, which allows your head to get close to bat barrel, so that you can track ball over bat


  • Top hand is in the same position as for a sacrifice bunt, just below trademark, between the thumb and index finger


  • Head and eyes watch the contact of the ball on the bat




Right Handed Hitter

PUSH BUNT

right hand push bunt

  • Bring your back foot to the ball.


  • Extend arms more toward the pitcher


  • Bat angled toward right field


  • Stay low and track ball over the top of the bat


  • The idea here is to "push" the ball past the pitcher, towards the second baseman


  • You are essentially running through the ball


Bunting-basehit Tips ~ From the Dugout

bunting basehit tips ~ from the dugout

Bunting for a base hit requires that the hitter understand the game situation at the moment.

Knowing the score, the inning and what hitters are coming up behind you are important.




Left Handed Hitter


DRAG BUNT

left hand drag bunt

  • Step forward with your back foot, right at the pitcher as he is releasing the ball


  • Get low, angle bat towards right field


  • Try to bunt the ball between the pitcher and the first baseman, making the second baseman try to field the bunt







Left Handed Hitter

PUSH BUNT

left hand push bunt

  • Normal batting stance

  • Pivot feet in place, while bending knees to get low

  • Extend hands and bat as you would with a sacrifice bunt


  • Angle bat to bunt up the third base line









Some Final Thoughts

A general tendency is to run too soon on a bunt attempt, particularly younger players. They feel pressured to "get out of the box quick", because the ball isn't traveling very far. In their rush to run, they make the contact portion of the bunt more difficult, often resulting in a missed attempt, or a ball right back at the pitcher.

Use of some baseball instruction time to get them to slow down and locate the bunt, then run, will provide great dividends.

Real estate agents say it is all about location, location, location! Bunting is the same, location, location, location!

Take the time to locate the ball in the right spot, you will be successful.

As you develop your baseball coaching philosophy or your offensive skills as a player, consider bunting as a weapon and an important component to a productive offense or a complete baseball player.














***z-blank-ad-shtml***
 

baseball equipment, building dreams for over 170 years, one player at a time


 


































 


Copyright© 2007-2019...theoleballgame.com. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright© 2007-2019...theoleballgame.com. All Rights Reserved.