The Art Of Bunting

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Hammerin'Hank

151 posts
Okay baseball gurus, in the art of bunting, do you teach just turning the hips to square up or do you teach moving the feet to square up?
Jan 25, 2010 8:47pm
darbypitcher22's avatar

darbypitcher22

8,000 posts
We teach the square around method.

Keep in mind.... you want to slide your hands at the same time, so one hand is controlling the handle and one hand is controlling the barrel. When you look at the bat, it should be divided into 3 equal parts.

Start at the top of the strike zone. This is for two reasons. one its much easier to move down with a pitch, and two, if the pitch is above your eyes, don't offer, because its a ball. WE ONLY BUNT STRIKES!

Move a step towards the plate and a step or two up in the box toward the pitcher. Allow for as much plate coverage and fair territory to bunt the ball in as possible.
Jan 26, 2010 6:06pm
BlueDevil11's avatar

BlueDevil11

1,911 posts
square the hips.
Jan 27, 2010 11:03am
H

Hammerin'Hank

151 posts
I understand squaring the hips, but you can do that whether you move your feet or keep them still.
I myself would teach moving the feet in a sacrifice situation and not moving the feet if bunting for a hit. Thoughts?
Jan 27, 2010 11:41am
L

lhs2ndbase

112 posts
you never want to pick your feet up and physically move them. you run the risk of moving them out of the box, you leave your whole body at risk of getting hit by the pitch and IMO it is a lot easier to bunt the ball when you just pivot your feet.
Jan 27, 2010 1:13pm
C

catchr22

72 posts
lhs--certainly you have a right to your opinion. However the word NEVER would fly in the face of some very knowledgable baseball people!!!
Jan 27, 2010 4:00pm
darbypitcher22's avatar

darbypitcher22

8,000 posts
catchr22 wrote: lhs--certainly you have a right to your opinion. However the word NEVER would fly in the face of some very knowledgable baseball people!!!
This.
Jan 28, 2010 9:17am
hasbeen's avatar

hasbeen

6,504 posts
I just can't do the square up method. Never have been. I don't like having "happy feet" and I feel you can't cover as much of the plate. When I pivot, I feel I have more control.
Jan 30, 2010 12:52pm
dont_belong's avatar

dont_belong

180 posts
I teach square the hips, pivot the feet.
Feb 1, 2010 8:32am
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dubnine

87 posts
square the hips, get the bunt down!!!!
Feb 1, 2010 9:28am
darbypitcher22's avatar

darbypitcher22

8,000 posts
not only get it down but get it down a line!
Feb 1, 2010 9:36am
Wooball's avatar

Wooball

1,325 posts
darbypitcher22 wrote: not only get it down but get it down a line!

Exactly, eliminate the pitcher or we may as well not bunt.
Basically want Darby said, start at the top of the strike zone, get the bat in front of the plate into fair territory and don't drop the barrel, and bunt strikes.
Feb 1, 2010 4:40pm
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baseballstud24

547 posts
When I played, I moved my feet around so that I was completely squared up to the pitcher. I felt it was easier for me to direct where I wanted the ball to go. Of course this was for a sac. bunt. If I were bunting for a hit, I just dropped my back foot so that I was in a running position and tried to get it down the third base line.

Now that I coach, I teach the pivot method...of course if a kid comes in comfortable with moving his feet around to get the bunt down (and can do it successfully) I won't change it. Never change what's not broken (Rule #1 for a coach that seems like it gets ignored far too often)
Feb 14, 2010 5:39pm
thePITman's avatar

thePITman

3,867 posts
We teach to pivot on both feet and face the pitcher but not lifting up your feet. We also teach to move up and in within the batter's box. Start at the top of the strike zone and work down.
Feb 17, 2010 8:31pm