Two rules for coaches

[satis1103]

I despise not trading an out, with no outs, for putting TWO runners in scoring position. I see double play your way. But of course you play hunches and go against this at times depending on the hitter as you stated. But neither way is absolute all of the time. I would never always bunt with runners on first and second with ZERO outs in innings 1-7.

You can end up with a double play bunting too. We've done that plenty in recent years.

I think the factor in this equation that many people miss is: bunting is hard. If one has never played or never played much, that may not be obvious. I don't know if you have or not. Maybe you did and were the bunting king. If so, that would be a hard earned skill.

But yeah, IMHO bunting is hard in general when it's not against a shift. It's particularly hard if people expect it. These scenarios require a bunt of quite specific power and direction, which is not simple given the pitch coming your way. It wasn't major league or college experience, but in my experience playing a lot of baseball, a good bunter who can master where the ball is going is very rare. Also in my experience it's harder to bunt with a composite or metal bat than a wooden one. I don't know what the physics are or whether that is accurate, but it felt easier, "softer", when using wooden.

Our struggles (and others' struggles) bunting recently lead me to believe it's not a skill that many incoming HS players have down pat. I don't want to rely on that in a scenerio where a swinging hit plates a run and sets the table for a big inning.

 

[2314]

You can end up with a double play bunting too. We've done that plenty in recent years.

I think the factor in this equation that many people miss is: bunting is hard. If one has never played or never played much, that may not be obvious. I don't know if you have or not. Maybe you did and were the bunting king. If so, that would be a hard earned skill.

But yeah, IMHO bunting is hard in general when it's not against a shift. It's particularly hard if people expect it. These scenarios require a bunt of quite specific power and direction, which is not simple given the pitch coming your way. It wasn't major league or college experience, but in my experience playing a lot of baseball, a good bunter who can master where the ball is going is very rare. Also in my experience it's harder to bunt with a composite or metal bat than a wooden one. I don't know what the physics are or whether that is accurate, but it felt easier, "softer", when using wooden.

Our struggles (and others' struggles) bunting recently lead me to believe it's not a skill that many incoming HS players have down pat. I don't want to rely on that in a scenerio where a swinging hit plates a run and sets the table for a big inning.

Good points. I cover high school baseball and there is not much bunting. As much as I hated the Soggy Burrito I kind of admired all the bunting and H&R. Make the defense make a play I always say. Your point about the bats is something I never even thought of. Thanks for that food for thought.

 

[satis1103]

Good points. I cover high school baseball and there is not much bunting. As much as I hated the Soggy Burrito I kind of admired all the bunting and H&R. Make the defense make a play I always say. Your point about the bats is something I never even thought of. Thanks for that food for thought.

Thank you for a good discussion.

I bet Soggy's teams practiced bunting twice as much as most teams because it played so much into their strategy.

 

[2314]

Thank you for a good discussion.

I bet Soggy's teams practiced bunting twice as much as most teams because it played so much into their strategy.

No question. Team speed or lack there of probably also plays into a manager's bunting philosophy.

 

[satis1103]

No question. Team speed or lack there of probably also plays into a manager's bunting philosophy.

We recruit a lot of line drive type hitters right? I don't follow recruiting closely, I'm not certain, but it feels that way.

 

[Billy Clyde]

That chick rocks. I would have loved to have seen them in person. And obviously I feel the same way about U2.

was amazing. SFO Civic Center, capacity seemed like around 1500 or so. Wasn’t familiar with either of them at the time, a gf bought the tickets. Glad she did.

 

[BrewingFrog]

As OP I have two comments. First, baseball, folks have added "against a shift" and although that is not my first and second with no outs point, I regard it as a subset of the question and for the life of me I cannot figure out why MLB players cannot end this shift nonsense by bunting.

I think it was in the '16 MLB season, that Josh Reddick was at the plate for the Astros, and the shift was on against him. 3rd baseman all the way over at short playing on the grass, and the rest of the infield all wadded up on the right side. Maybe the pitcher heaved a bad pitch, but Reddick dropped a beauty of a bunt down the 3rd baseline and trotted, leisurely, down to 1st.

I don't imagine anyone put the shift on against him ever again.

 

[TopFrog]

I guess I meant overall as a rule of thumb. But in this situation your boy Soggy Burrito would bunt....why are my reply posts doubling like this? I just wanted to reply with Top's comment.

Was going to say you went all Soggy on us.

 

[froginmn]

But neither way is absolute all of the time. I would never always bunt with runners on first and second with ZERO outs in innings 1-7.