1st bases crashing on a bunt

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sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
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Dallas, Texas
The answer depends upon level of play.

During my baseball days (playing and coaching), down the line was played by the pitcher. Why are we doing it differently in softball?
Why? 90 ft. vs. 60 feet. 4 sec vs. 3 sec.

At lower levels, P can cover 1B. My DD covered the line in TB and HS until college. As soon as got to college, she couldn't do it.

Reasons:
1) Runners are quicker.
2) She was the worst defensive player on the field in college. In HS and TB, she was one of the best.
3) More focus on pitching is required in college.


In your ordinary college lineup, probably 5 players can get down the line at 3 seconds or better. If you don't cover with your 1B, you end up making the 7, 8 and 9 batters .500 hitters.

As a TB coach or HS coach, you have to decide whether you are going to teach the correct way for college or the easy way now.

My question is; with no runners on or a runner on 1st, how many opportunities have been successful in regard to 1st base making a play on a bunt and it being successful?

Many, many times.
 
May 6, 2015
2,397
113
this past weekend, DD (Catcher) fielded bunt in that triangle (HP, rubber, TB), and there was a near collision between her and 1B (very tall and solid girl, could have been ugly for DD and 1B, since DD is in gear). coach told her to make certain to call 1B off if she is going to field it, but to me should have been obvious was catchers ball (showed late, so no real crash before the pitch possible).

I agree, unless super athletic, 1B should probably stay home, would be interested to see number of bunts fielded by 1B for our team for the year. honestly, with a lot of the girls that end up on 1B, 2B might actually be able to get there faster.
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
In the past, my 1Bs weren't so much able to "crash" as they might lumber toward home plate, so I just had 1B stay home on bunts.

Now, I have 1Bs who can move a little better, so of course we practiced with 1B crashing yesterday. Now I see this thread, and I wonder if it's such a good idea.

Sluggers makes a good point about the correct way for college or the easy way now, but when none of your 1B are playing in college, the easy way might also be the correct way. Something to think about.
 
Sep 19, 2018
928
93
1/2 the 1B in college probably played somewhere else in TB.....It doesn't work at the lower levels oftentimes because they put the least athletic kid there...
and to right along with that, (at the lower levels) the pitcher is often the most athletic. so lets keep those lumbering 1B out of the way.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Sluggers makes a good point about the correct way for college or the easy way now, but when none of your 1B are playing in college, the easy way might also be the correct way. Something to think about.
Like I said many college 1B never played 1B before college. Learning how to crash isn't rocket science. It would take a week of practice before the season in College.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
and to right along with that, (at the lower levels) the pitcher is often the most athletic. so lets keep those lumbering 1B out of the way.
People say this but (around here at least) I can probably count on 1 hand (or maybe 2 with a few fingers), at the 12U level, how many pitchers have their secondary positions being MI/CF. From my experience, it is a lot more likely in baseball than it is in softball..for whatever reason.
 
Last edited:
Jul 14, 2018
982
93
People say this but (around here at least) I can probably count on 1 hand (or maybe 2 with a few fingers), at the 12U level, how many pitchers have their secondary positions being MI/CF. From my experience, it is a lot more likely in baseball than it is in softball..for whatever reason.

I don’t think it’s too uncommon. IME pitchers generally come in two varieties: the big strong girl who can bring the heat but isn’t very nimble so she plays a corner when not pitching. Or, cnardone’s ‘best athlete on the field’ who can slot in anywhere.

Pitcher #1 is not the kid you want crashing from 1B.

DD is the second variety, a P/SS/CF.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Aug 17, 2019
89
18
My daughter's teams from 12u and up practiced and employed both defenses. The one where the 1B stays home was called lefty defense and was typically used for left batters. For righties 1B and 3B crashed. As DD moved onto to better teams and now on an 18 Gold team, both defenses are called and it depends on game situation and who the batter is not necessarily righty or lefty.
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
I still look at the 1B position as a serious hitters spot! Love the 1B player that can get it done on both sides of the ball!

If they're not a "serious hitter", they'd better be a vacuum cleaner over there!
 

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