If you want to want to be a complete hitter then you need to master the art of bunting. Based on game situations and a team’s need to manufacture runs, every player can be called upon to bunt. Although many players struggle with laying down a good bunt, with a little practice and proper technique, everyone can learn to bunt the ball to move base runners. Effort during practice and desire to learn are all that it takes to be a good bunter.
Types of Bunts:
There are two types of bunts. One is when the player sacrifice bunts to move a teammate into scoring position by sacrificing their chance to get on base to make sure that they put the ball in play so a teammate can move one base closer to scoring. The other time player’s bunt is to bunt for a hit. Bunting for a hit is more difficult and requires the element of surprise and a batter with very good running speed.
Sacrifice Bunting Technique:
When sacrifice bunting the batter holds the bat in the hitting zone and “catches” the ball with the bat to deaden the ball so that the opposing fielders have farther to run and can only make the play at first base.
The keys to successful bunting are:
- Move into the front of the batter’s box to give yourself the best angles to bunt the ball fair.
- From your normal bating stance, pivot your body toward the pitcher so that your chest faces the pitcher. Slightly shift your weight forward to enable your front leg to easily lower your body to get a low pitch.
- Slide your top hand up the barrel of the bat while moving your bat across the plate and to the top of the hitting zone with the barrel of the bat slightly higher than the handle and the bat is in front of the plate. This makes it is easier for the bat to hit the ball into the ground. (In order to increase the bunter’s bat control, I have my players move their bottom hand up from the knob about 3 or 4 inches). By holding that bat at the top of the strike zone, the bunter will only move the bat downward and drive the ball into the ground. If the pitch is above the bat then it is a ball and the bunter should pull the bat back toward their body to take the pitch.
- Bend your knees to adjust to the height of the pitch. Don't just move the bat head to meet the ball. The barrel of the bat should always be kept higher than the grip even when bunting a pitch lower in the strike zone. If the pitch is low, bend your knees so your whole body goes down to get the bunt.
- Have the bat make contact with the ball in front of you and the plate. Like moving forward in the batter’s box, contacting the ball in front of your body also gives you more of the playing field to bunt the ball. Your bottom hand steers the bunt by moving the bat handle to direct the bat angle.
- Watch the ball make contact with the bat in front of you and the plate. As the ball hits the bat, give with the ball just like when you catch the ball in your glove. You should experience the sensation of "catching" the ball with your bat and guiding it to its destination.
Want to Develop Good Bunters?
In a typical batting practice, every player gets two pitches to bunt and ten pitches to swing. It doesn't matter if they successfully bunt the ball twice or not. On the third pitch the batter is swinging away.
In order to develop good bunters, a coach must make bunting an important part of batting practice. Keep the 12 pitches, but require the player to successfully bunt a ball toward first and another toward third before they can start swinging. If they foul the ball off, miss the ball, pop it up, or bunt to the wrong location then make them do it again. After they have successfully completed the two bunts then let them swing away until they have gotten their twelve pitches.
The first couple of times you put this rule into your batting practice, you might have players get their twelve pitches before completing two successful bunts. But if your consistent and have an assistant coach pull aside kids who need a little extra work, it won't be long before your players understand the importance on executing a successful bunt and have developed good bunting form and skills.
Photo Credit: Paul-W
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