showing bunt and pulling back to hit

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Sep 3, 2009
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Wife said they did it alot in HS, she said the girls thought it was stupid because it didn't fool anyone, and most of them bunted by letting bat slide down their hands. Once in college she said no one did it.

One college team I see doing it alot, is Creighton. I would say probably 5 or 6 girls in their lineup do this, every pitch.
I'm of the belief that it works once, and may help a baserunner advance. I think it probably hurts your timing more than anything else.
 
Sep 29, 2008
1,401
63
Northeast Ohio
I'm surprized by how many coaches employ this. Our local high school does it . They have had the worst team batting average for years in their conference.

Our high school does it and has appeared in the State Division 1 championship for 4 consecutive years and won the title last year in a pretty good fastpitch state.
 
Jul 14, 2008
1,800
63
I'm surprized by how many coaches employ this. Our local high school does it . They have had the worst team batting average for years in their conference.

Then you probably have the worst hitting coaches in the conference......

Most of their kids have alot more experience than the other teams , yet bat 100 points lower and have just as many strikeouts.

My point.....

I suppose hitting a weak grounder to second is preferable to striking out, but I would think most high school infielders can catch a groundball. I'd heard Mike Candrea introduced it to the college game , so when others adopted it, he'd have a bigger advantage.

If "weak grounders" are the result of proper "2 strike hitting" then I question your statement about the "higher level" of athletes on your local high school team......And the ability of the coaches to teach hitting.......

We aren't talking about a "swinging bunt".......We're talking about a measured DISTANCE the barrel is traveling with a POWERFUL short stroke.........

Speaking of short strokes......This cleared the fence.......

6yd0zd.gif


Sounds like it's time for the AD to put an add in the paper.........
 
Last edited:
Mar 15, 2010
544
0
This technique worked in my game yesterday. I had noticed earlier that second was committing to cover first too early leaving a gap. I had a very fast runner on second. Batter shows bunt early and was only cleared to pull back and hit if second committed early. 2nd did and may batter hit a nice shot into right field. Runner on second scored. If second had held her ground play was off. At the 14U level the talent is getting better and I cannot employ this tactic as much as younger divisions. I rarely if ever see it at the HS level as the middle infielers are more experienced and don't make the mistake of covering first or third too soon.
 
Feb 8, 2009
272
18
Then you probably have the worst hitting coaches in the conference.....







My point.....



If "weak grounders" are the result of proper "2 strike hitting" then I question your statement about the "higher level" of athletes on your local high school team......And the ability of the coaches to teach hitting.......

We aren't talking about a "swinging bunt".......We're talking about a measured DISTANCE the barrel is traveling with a POWERFUL short stroke.........

Speaking of short strokes......This cleared the fence.......

6yd0zd.gif


Sounds like it's time for the AD to put an add in the paper.........
Putting an ad in the paper should have been done years ago.
 
Feb 8, 2009
272
18
This technique worked in my game yesterday. I had noticed earlier that second was committing to cover first too early leaving a gap. I had a very fast runner on second. Batter shows bunt early and was only cleared to pull back and hit if second committed early. 2nd did and may batter hit a nice shot into right field. Runner on second scored. If second had held her ground play was off. At the 14U level the talent is getting better and I cannot employ this tactic as much as younger divisions. I rarely if ever see it at the HS level as the middle infielers are more experienced and don't make the mistake of covering first or third too soon.
I wasn't questioning the tactic to move fielders, only as an effective timing device. In most games there is an adjustment period for hitters in regard to timing a pitcher. I believe hitters will time them given the opportunity. I believe it is an unnecessary gimmick. i.e. The hitter will figure it out anyway.
 
Jul 14, 2008
1,800
63
I wasn't questioning the tactic to move fielders, only as an effective timing device. In most games there is an adjustment period for hitters in regard to timing a pitcher. I believe hitters will time them given the opportunity. I believe it is an unnecessary gimmick. i.e. The hitter will figure it out anyway.

Gimick?.......2 strike hitting is not a gimmick........But you won't know that until you're coaching at a level where the pitching is actually better then "the hitter will figure it out".......When you're behind 1 run with runners on 2nd and 3rd, 2 outs and 2 strikes on the hitter......

Until then.....You'll never understand the reasoning and especially the mechanics behind it.........

Not your fault........
 
My dd did this in the World Series a couple of summers ago - shocked us and her coaches, as she had never done it before. We had two runners on, two outs. She squared up, then drew back - nailed it far into right field after everyone had moved in for the bunt. She got a triple and 2 rbis. It was nice! :)
 
Feb 8, 2009
272
18
Gimick?.......2 strike hitting is not a gimmick........But you won't know that until you're coaching at a level where the pitching is actually better then "the hitter will figure it out".......When you're behind 1 run with runners on 2nd and 3rd, 2 outs and 2 strikes on the hitter......

Until then.....You'll never understand the reasoning and especially the mechanics behind it.........

Not your fault........
I understand the reasoning perfectly. The gray area in arguments seem to elude you.
 

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