The ability for a team to move a baserunner into scoring position through sacrifice bunting can be the difference between making and missing the playoffs. The same can be said for a sound defensive team that can prevent runners from advancing by playing the bunt perfectly. Learning how to execute and defend the bunt can only be done through effective and repetitive on-field drills.
Squaring Up
Squaring your body to the pitcher is the first step in making contact with the ball. Practice without balls. Have a few pitchers stand in front of an equal number of batters. Each batter should set a glove down in front of them to act as home plate. The pitchers should throw mock pitches to the batters in unison. The batters should move their back foot forward so that their belly buttons are facing the pitchers, making sure to keep enough distance from the glove/plate to be able to do this safely.
T-Ball Bunting
Before you can learn how to bunt a moving ball properly, you have to know how to bunt a stationary ball properly. Using a bucket of balls, place the tee in various height positions and practice bunting to all parts of the infield. Stress the importance of making contact with the top half of the ball and keeping all fingers behind the bat.
Pepper Bunting
Create four groups of four players each. Place one group at home, one group at third base, one group at second base and the last group at first base. One player will have a bat and the other three players will act as defenders. The group at home can use the foul lines to determine a fair or foul ball, and the groups at various bases can use the baselines. Line up the three defenders side by side 15 feet away from the batter with the defender in the middle being the pitcher. The area between the two side defenders and the foul lines are "safe" for the batter to bunt the ball and are awarded one point. Any balls bunted to the middle are considered out. After an out, each player rotates clockwise. The player at the right position becomes the batter and the drill continues. After the drill is over, the player with the most points wins.
In the Bucket
Have a line of hitters waiting to bunt and one bucket laid down each foul line in fair territory on its side with the open side facing the batter. Against live pitching, batters should practice aiming bunts toward the bucket. After contact they should run to first base. Give each batter 10 bunt attempts and award batters points for hitting their bunts into the bucket.
Sacrifice Bunt
This drill is meant to operate as a game situation. Players should use a full infield of players and a runner on various starting bases as well as a runner going from home to first. Bunt the ball to random locations, and as soon as contact is made, the pitcher, third baseman or first baseman must charge the ball and attempt to throw the proper runner out. Every player in the infield needs to know their role depending on where the ball is bunted and what base the runner is attempting to advance to.
Member Comments