Bunting is not a glamorous activity in baseball or softball, but it can mean the difference between winning and losing. A batter who can lay down a successful bunt late in the game can help his team advance a runner along the base paths and give his team a better chance to get the tying or winning run home.
Footwork
When a hitter is laying down a push bunt, he wants to push the ball up the field to either reach base or advance a runner. A push bunt requires the batter to be in a good position to run after contact is made. When a right-handed batter is laying down a push bunt, his right foot drops back in the batter's box and his knee bends. This positioning allows him to bunt a pitch at waist height or below and direct it to the first-base side of the field and also allows him to get in an excellent position to sprint toward first base.
Bunting--For Base Hit
When you are trying to bunt for a base hit, you don't want to give the play away too early. In most cases, you will try to deaden the ball and angle your bat so the bunt goes toward the second baseman because the second baseman is normally playing much deeper than the first baseman. He will have to come charging in, field the ball on the run and throw the ball immediately to stop a good push bunt by a right-handed batter. When a left-handed batter tries a push bunt, it needs to go toward the shortstop.
Bunting--Sacrifice
The push bunt sacrifice is different from the straight sacrifice bunt. When the batter is attempting to use the push bunt for the sacrifice, he is also attempting to reach base himself. On a straight sacrifice, the batter will square around toward the pitcher and give himself up. He simply wants to help the runner advance. With the push bunt, the batter does not square around--he is also trying to reach base. The push bunt sacrifice goes toward the first baseman, while the left-hander will try to push the ball toward the third baseman. The bunter wants to avoid pushing the ball toward the second baseman or shortstop because the pitcher might cut it off and make a play at second to deny the sacrifice attempt.
Benefits
Many coaches prefer the push bunt because the hitter is not merely giving himself up to advance the runner. In baseball, it can be very difficult to get hits or runs. As a result, coaches don't like to give up outs easily. When a batter push bunts, an out is not being given up. The batter is moving the runner along but is attempting to get on base himself.
Considerations
The best time to use the push bunt is when the defense is expecting the batter to swing away. If it is late in the game and the batter senses the defense has no idea the bunt is coming, the push bunt will catch the defense on its heels. That allows the batter to get off to a running start, lay down a solid bunt and get a base hit. "I always liked the push bunt more than the sacrifice," said former major league manager Lou Piniella. "I didn't want my players to just give up their at-bat. I wanted to make something happen."
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