Bunting and the short-game offense.

How to create defensive pressure and enhance your offense with the bunt 

Bunting, especially on the high school level, offers a greater offensive weapon than many coaches think. It puts a lot of pressure on the defense to make good quick decisions and execute three or four things perfectly - pitch the ball to the right spot, field the ball instantly and perfectly, and throw it to the right base perfectly and with something on it.

That creates quite a few opportunities for both physical and mental errors. With the third baseman cheating in and the second baseman cheating over, a good run-and-bunt game can play cat and mouse with them forcing them to decide between covering the ball or the bag.

BUNTING TECHNIQUE

There are two distinct ways to execute the basic sacrifice bunt - the classic style in which the bunter squares around to face the pitcher, and the pivot style in which the bunter simply pivots his upper body around toward the mound.

Whenever the batter comes up to bunt, he must assume a position up in the batting box to enable him to place the bat over or slightly in front of the plate. This will assure him of plate coverage and having the bunt drop into fair territory.

Classic Style: As the pitcher prepares to deliver, the batter brings his back foot up parallel with the front foot in a squared-away stance slightly wider than the shoulders, with the knees flexed and the weight over the balls of the feet.

The bat is extended on a level with the top of the strike zone, which means that any pitch above it will have to be a ball. The top hand is slid about halfway up the bat and the bat is cradled lightly between the thumb (on top) and the index finger (underneath). The other fingers are curled underneath the bat and pointed toward the knob.

The bottom hand (considered the guide hand) is slid several inches up the handle and holds the bat lightly. The left hand is usually used to position the bat for the placement of the ball - down the left-field baseline, rightfield baseline, or up the middle, depending upon the situation and defensive positioning.

Note: We want our bunter to hold the bat up at a 30-degree angle with the barrel at eye level. The angled bat decreases the possibility of a pop-up and also facilitates any adjustments to the pitch.

Pivot Style: As the pitcher goes into his motion, the batter pivots on the balls of his feet and turns his upper body toward the pitcher, keeping most of his weight over the back foot.

Note: The feet stay put. This accomplishes three things: It disguises the intention to bunt, it makes it easier to get out of the way of a wild pitch, and it enables the batter to fake the bunt and slash at the ball.

Tips:

1. With a man on first, bunt down the first-base line. With runners on first and second, bunt down the third-base line.

2. Don't punch at the ball or stab at it. Let the ball hit the bat - sort of shake hands with it.

3. Go up to the plate with one thought in mind: "I'm going to give myself up in order to advance the runner(s)."

OFFENSIVE PLAYS

Once the players have mastered the skills, the coach can exploit several excellent play possibilities, ranging from the basic sacrifice bunt to the more complex bunt-fake-steal-safety squeeze options - all within the realm of high school players.

Let us check on several of the better options in the short-game offense:

Sacrifice Bunt: A simplistic play, but an essential one in the short-game attack.

Hitter. His main responsibility is to put the ball down on the grass, not the dirt in front of home plate, as that would give the catcher a play at the lead runner or even a stab at a double play.

The bunter's next job is to try to get the ball down a baseline, not back to the pitcher. He should make the first baseman (or third baseman) field the ball or at least make the pitcher work to get to the ball.

The batter's last responsibility is to turn into a baserunner. As he runs up the baseline, he should know who has fielded the ball. Can he (runner) out-race the pitcher to first base? Is the first baseman coming off the bag or otherwise being forced to handle a bad throw?

The runner will have to read the play as it unfolds, while also picking up his base coach.

Baserunner. Should get a normal lead off first, focusing on not getting picked off while reading the bunt and getting a good secondary lead. By the second "hop" of his secondary lead, he should be able to see the down angle of the bunt and be running to second base.

If he does not read a down angle of the ball, he must freeze. Either the ball was not bunted and he has to retreat to first immediately or it was bunted but not at a downward angle, meaning that he has to see whether the ball is going to be caught on the fly.

Once the runner has started to second, he should know how the defense is reacting and where the ball is going. He must then pick up the third-base coach to see about continuing to third.

If third base is not an option, he must make a short turn around second and pick up the first baseman. If there has been an overthrow or a mishandling, he must decide whether to try for third or stay at second.

This kind of baserunning can be discussed by the coach and players before the game and between innings. Such decisions are predicated on the players' speed and baserunning ability, the quality of the defense, the score, and the inning.

Run and Bunt With a Runner on First. A good play to have in your repetoire as it puts pressure on the defense at different positions.

Hitter. His first responsibility is not to square until the baserunner makes his break to second. Waiting for the runner to break causes the second baseman to cover second base for the steal (on a right-handed hitter).

Soon as the baserunner goes, the hitter must square around and prepare to bunt strikes only.

Young hitters often confuse this play with the "hit and run" and think that they have to bunt the pitch regardless of its location. The bunter has to wait for the strike, as bad pitches are hard for the catcher to handle, giving the runner a better chance to effect the steal.

Bunting bad pitches can also result in pop-ups and foul balls and nullify what could have been easy steals.

The batter should try to bunt a ball to the first baseman and then beat him and/or the pitcher to the bag. Because of the second-baseman's break to cover the steal, he won't be able to cover first base or will be late getting there. In fact, the first baseman and the pitcher will often be unaware of the uncovered bag and will thus be unable to complete the play.

Runner. Should take his normal lead and break for second. Three to four steps into the steal, he should take a peek to see what has transpired at home plate.

If, at this point the bunt is successful, the runner has two options:

1. If the first baseman or pitcher fields the ball and the play is to first base, the runner should not slide. He should take a short turn around second base and look for back-picks, mishandles, and overthrows. He should not try for third base unless the play is uncontested by the defense. No need to over-do a good play.

2. If the third baseman fields the ball and there is no play at second base, the runner again should not slide but immediately look at the third-base coach for instructions.

If the catcher and the pitcher both fail to cover third, the runner, if he has had a good jump and picked up momentum around second base, should have an easy slide into third base.

The tradeoff is simple but advantageous for the offense: Give up an out for a runner at third base. In a one-run ball game, this is a situation that is very desirable.

Run and Bunt With a Runner at Second: Another great play that can steal a base for the offense. We call it the "eyes" play because the hitter has to see the third baseman's reaction to the bunt and react to it. It takes a good bunter with quick reactions to complete this play.

Hitter. Should square after the runner makes his break and look and listen for the third baseman. If he yells bunt and charges, the hitter should pull the bat back at the last second (does not bunt). The runner (at second) should be able to beat the shortstop to third base.

If the third baseman stays home and covers the bag for the steal, the hitter should bunt the ball down the third-base line, trying to get it to stop right before it reaches the infield dirt.

This type of bunt is very difficult for the pitcher to field. If done correctly, it will cause indecision for the third baseman. He will see the bunt and either let it go or decide that he has to field it and leave third base unoccupied.

It will also force him to field the ball on the run and make a long throw in a big hurry. Once the hitter has bunted the ball, he should clearly understand that once he is safe at first base, his job is done. He should not be aggressive about going to second base on this play, unless he can make it uncontested.

Runner. His main focus is not getting picked off at second base. He should take a safe but not overly conservative lead and steal third on the pitcher's delivery to home. Once he has began the steal, he should pick up the third baseman and learn who is making the play on the bunt.

If it is the pitcher, the runner should be prepared to slide. If it is the third baseman, the runner should pick up his third-base coach to see if the shortstop is trailing the play.

The runner should make a short turn around third, pick up the ball, and make sure of the back picks by the shortstop. Once he has picked up the ball, he should look for overthrows and mishandles at first base and make a good judgment.

Several other good plays are also available for the short-game offense, such as the run and bunt with runners at first and third, the squeeze, the safety squeeze, and the bunt and fake run with runners at first and third.

In recent years, the evolution of the "explosive" bat and the rising physical strength of the players cause some coaches to revert to the big inning: score as many runs as quickly as possible and outscore the other team.

These days with the new regulations on the bats, we might look for a return to the old strategy - playing for the run. The short game can become a basic building block for the offense. Whatever your strategy - being aggressive on the basepaths or playing long ball - the bunt remains a very useful tool to have in your bag of tricks.

Coaches would also do well to teach techniques and incorporate the bunt into their daily practice plan. The bunting game can become every coach's short-game offense.

Dan Fager, Baseball Coach, Petaluma (CA) High School