First-baseman or third-baseman stay back on bunt?

[Doug Romrell]

I understand the philosophy of having the first-baseman stay back positioning just behind 1B and having the second-baseman play up almost even with the pitcher in a bunt situation. I find myself liking this particular philosophy for various reasons, but mainly due to the fact that the first-baseman is far more use to receiving the throw at 1B.

Under what conditions would you keep the third-baseman back with the first-baseman, catcher, and pitcher responsible for fielding the bunt?

 

[starsnuffer]

The only time you would keep 1B back is if she's slow and you're using 1B to hide a slugger, and you have a runner on 1st and 2nd. The exception to this is that you have a very quick pitcher who is able to field that side of the field. Your 2B should always be able to get to 1B to receive the throw, however with runners on 1st and 2nd, you may feel that either runner is slow enough to get them out, so you want short covering third and 2B covering 2nd. This is when you leave 1B back.

I can't think of any scenario when I'd leave 3B back. . . but honestly, at the upper levels of the game 3B should be quick, so you're not really cheating up or back as much as you do in the 12u game.

-W
-W

 

[mann]

So AGAIN today it happened.

My shortstop started cheating towards third on the steal from 2nd to third, and the ball was hit right to where the shortstop could have gotten it, had she not cheated.

I seem to give up this routine out more times than I ever would if I start having my 3rd get the steal.

This of course is all relative to your fielders range for sure, but I am seriously thinking of having 3rd handle the steal.

First crashing, I have no problem, 2nd has this handled well.

This is a dilemma, and always has been.

 

[Doug Romrell]

As I see it, these kind of decisions are more difficult than some would have us believe. Like mann implies, there are clearly trade-offs. Keeping the third-baseman back in the scenario mann describes results in benefits and costs, not just costs. I think all to often we more easily see the benefit of having the third-baseman play up for possible bunt, but it's much more difficult to fully recognize the cost (that shortstop cheating toward third and the ball being "hit right to where the shortstop could have gotten it").

 

[coach james]

I tend to stay in a typical defence. Corners crash and middle infielders cover bags. However I kinda like the idea of the 2b crashing because she's way faster than my 1b. I'm assuming the cf is crashing in to cover two if there are additional runners?

 

[Doug Romrell]

I tend to stay in a typical defence. Corners crash and middle infielders cover bags. However I kinda like the idea of the 2b crashing because she's way faster than my 1b. I'm assuming the cf is crashing in to cover two if there are additional runners?

We've actually worked on this with my team last fall. Why? Because I had a second-baseman who had tremendous range (could cover a lot of territory in a short time) and my first-baseman was slower but did a much better job of receiving throws at 1B than did the second-baseman.

Though many here will be very critical of what you have just suggested, I really like it. Get the surest out at 1B by having the first-baseman there to receive the throw, second-baseman positions almost even with pitcher between 1B and pitcher plate, third-baseman crashes bunt, SS covers 3B if there is a runner at 1B trying to get to 3B, center-fielder sprints in to keep any runner going to second more humble. I like this!

Now here come the darts.

 

[starsnuffer]

Nothing wrong what you're suggesting, I think the biggest argument/decision comes from deciding if you should do the most with what you have at the moment (as you describe) or do the best to teach the players c overages so that as they grow and improve they know what to expect from their positions.

It's sort of like the whole taking 2 bases on a walk when a runner occupies 3B. It's an easy gimme play at 10u and 12u, but once the kids know how to throw and realize there is a greater opportunity to score on a steal attempt with a runner on 3b then just getting the runner from 1st to 2nd for free, you stop seeing that play often.

-W

 

[smddad]

So AGAIN today it happened.

My shortstop started cheating towards third on the steal from 2nd to third, and the ball was hit right to where the shortstop could have gotten it, had she not cheated.

I seem to give up this routine out more times than I ever would if I start having my 3rd get the steal.

This of course is all relative to your fielders range for sure, but I am seriously thinking of having 3rd handle the steal.

First crashing, I have no problem, 2nd has this handled well.

This is a dilemma, and always has been.

What was her consequences for not playing her position?

 

[coachjwb]

You really have to play 3B up if you're expecting a bunt. If the P or SS covers, they are throwing across their bodies to get the runner at 1B. If runners are on 1B and 2B and no outs and the winning run is on 2B, and you have an exceptional fielding P and know you have to get the lead run at 3B, then I guess you might could make a case for it?

I like 2B playing up in a slap situation, but not as much in a bunt situation. While you're right that 1B is used to taking the throw, 2B has to get used to this as well in order to give your team the best chance to make plays. I like both corners in on bunt situations 90+% of the time.

 

[CoachKevin]

I use 3B back depending upon the situation. Runners at 1st and 2nd, with a right handed batter up. We tell our catcher to make sure they call pitches to the outside part of the plate because we don't want a bunt down 3B line. Worked like a charm this weekend, got the lead runner at 3rd.

We use F4 up and F3 back on slappers. Other than that we run the typical bunt defense.