Bunting and Your Baseball BatPublished Mar 05 2010 Baseball may very well be one of the most difficult sports in the world. Only in baseball are you given a bat, a cylindrical object, and told to hit another round object “square.” Furthermore, the round baseball you are trying to hit is being manipulated to move in a certain way by another person! Baseball players who consistently bat long drives and home runs against the world’s best pitchers earn deservedly the title “professional.” Hitting well in baseball is considerably difficult — is there no way for the less talented to shine in baseball offense? Have no fear, the art of bunting is here! Why bunt in baseball? Why call bunting an “art?” Executing a successful bunt in baseball requires real technique and strategy; bunting is a helpful tool for your entire baseball team. A bunt is useful in almost any baseball situation, whether for added pressure upon a defense, advancing base runners, or an old-fashioned squeeze play for that one-more-run cushion in late innings of a close baseball game. If the art of bunting is practiced well and applied in appropriate baseball game situations, a bunt can be a powerful weapon in any hitter’s back pocket. Take a look at some basic steps to perfect the art of bunting. 1. Be Aware Before even stepping up to the plate to bunt, be aware of where the defensive players at the corners have positioned themselves. If both are playing up, observe where the middle infielders are positioned. You might be able to push a bunt by the pitcher and get a base hit. Any indication that the infielders are playing back is a green light for where you need to direct your bunt. 2. Don’t Give Yourself Away Once you are in the batter’s box, try not to make any adjustments to your batting stance that will indicate you are going to bunt. Approach the upcoming pitch as if you were going to swing away. If you are bunting under your own judgment, make sure the pitch is a strike. Try not to give away your idea of bunting on revealing it on a bad pitch. With some situations, like a suicide squeeze play, you have no choice but to bunt, regardless of where the pitch is. 3. Be Smooth As the pitcher begins his motion, begin your transition into your bunt stance as smoothly as possible. Any quick and uncoordinated motions will make it that much more difficult for you to regain your focus and control of the bat to properly execute the bunt. Simply rotate on the balls of your feet and turn with your chest toward the direction of the pitcher. This fluid motion will enable you to stay in control of the bat as the pitch approaches. While turning, allow the bat to slide down through your hands to bring the barrel closer to your hands – this gives you more control over the weightiest part of the bat when bunting. 4. Your Big Moment These final bunting steps are both the quickest and most crucial. Once you have squared around to bunt, allowing the bat to slide down your hands, hold the bat with your hands at eye level. Holding the bat in this position gives a clearer view as you watch the pitch travel directly to your bat. Many a player keeps the bat lowered near his waist, expecting the pitch to be in that area – but this lowering increases the possibility of popping the bunt up for an easy out. Keep the bat at eye level, and your successful bunt percentage will dramatically increase. As the pitch comes closer, keep your arms locked with the bat in that position. Any further adjusting needed to effectively get the bunt down should occur by bending your knees. There are times when you must use your arms to move the bat for a bunt, but establishing this routine will help conquer any bad bunting habits you might have initially, not to mention improving your hand-eye coordination. Once you master this fundamental baseball bunting technique, you can begin to fine-tune your bunting skills to increase your chances of getting on base. Happy bunting! |
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