Basic Bunting Techniques

Learn Baseball And Bunting Techniques

To be able to learn baseball and be adept at it, you must be prepared to adapt all the sport’s techniques. This is in line with achieving the twin goals of the game – hitting the most number of runs, and minimizing or eliminating the outs.
One of these is the art of bunting. Essentially, it is still part in the art of hitting. However, techniques used in the field are somehow different.

Bunting

Primarily, bunting is used for advancing a runner or getting the batter on base. However, most youngsters who are introduced to this concept think more on getting on base more than anything else.
This frame of mind, however, totally reverses the intent of the sacrifice.
To sacrifice, the batter will squarely face the pitcher. For our demonstration, imagine that the hitter is right-handed.
As the pitcher goes on the rubber, the batter takes his normal position. Just as the pitcher begins his throwing stance, the batter then turns left, steps back, and moves out with the left foot, moving the right foot up to the spot vacated by the left.

Quick steps 

In two quick steps, the feet will be parallel with the toes actually pointing at the pitcher. The right foot should be even with the plate and already inside the batter’s box.
For the moment, forget that you are going to use a baseball bat at all. Imagine instead you are going to catch the pitched ball.

Quick adjustments

Straighten right up a bit if you think the ball is high. If it looks low, squat slightly. Get your arms extended towards the pitcher with your hands.
This is to enable you to follow the flight of the ball. Use the same principle when using a bat and hitting into the baseball field.

The Bat

If you are right-handed, make a fist with the right hand with the little finger pointing the ground. Extend the index finger and raise the thumb, then crook the index finger like you would pull a gun’s trigger.
Place the bat between thumb and forefinger at a point some two to four inches above the label and squeeze. The V made by the thumb and forefinger is the cushion for the shock of the ball’s impact.
Loosely wrap your left hand on the bat under the knob, palm down, extending the arm forward. Hold the bat level with the ground and “catch” the ball with the bigger end, which should be extended into the strike zone.

Directing the ball

To place the ball toward the first base, keep the right hand rigid while pushing the left hand forward.
Bunting it to third base, keep the right ball like you had a glove on. Do not poke at it. (Do the opposite movements when you are a left-hander.)

Bunting the strike

If in the act of moving into a bunting position and the pitch looks like a ball, immediately yank the heavy end of the bat back. This helps convince an uncertain umpire it is a strike, helps the runner, and avoids a foul tip.

Anticipation

Always expect a sign for a sacrifice bunt when a runner is on first, first and second, with none out, and with probably a close score. To learn baseball, it is imperative to learn how to master the art of bunting.

One-Hand Drill

What You Will Need:

1. L-Screen/Short screen
2. Baseballs
3. Short-light bat

Instruction:

Place the l-screen/short screen about 20-30 feet away from the batter.  Have the batter either take a proper stance or get down on his/her back knee.  So we work the bottom hand have the batter choke his bottom hand up to the top of the grip/tape and place his top hand and arm across his/her chest.  The batter should now position the bat as if he/she were about to take regular batting practice, now start throwing.  The objective of this drill is for the batter to make nice solid contact with the ball focusing on line-drives and ground balls.  As the batter makes progress and becomes comfortable with the drill have him/her move their hands down the bat towards normal position. 

(This drill can also be reversed, using the top-hand to work on bringing hips through)

Conclusion

The one-hand drill is an excellent drill for younger players who are insecure about their hitting abilities.  It allows the batter to keep hands close to the body while working on proper extension and bat speed as well.  The bottom-hand is the "power" hand and should be the lead hand to the baseball.  Generally the bottom hand needs more work than the top.  Hope this was helpful!

Hitting Drill: The Fence Drill AGES 12+

Do you have a player that is extending their hands and arms to soon, or having trouble hitting the ball to the opposite field this is the drill for those players.

What you need: 

1. Chain link fence, brick-wall, any free standing solid surface (must be above batters head and bat)
2. Player and a bat

Instruction:

1. Have the batter stand parallel to the fence/wall (facing the fence).  Make sure the batter has a nice parallel stance and is about a foot/foot 1/2 away from the fence/wall (the batter should be able to reach out and touch the fence allowing a little bend in the arm, if the arm is strait out the batter is to far).
2. The batter should go into a slow motion stroke before taking a full swing (to get the fear of hitting the fence to go away).  The batter should keep the bat head above the back shoulder allowing it to drop down beside the shoulder until it is the appropriate time.  If the batter will open his/her back foot allowing the hips to thrust, he/she can rotate the hips keeping the bat above the shoulder.  Once this is done the batter can extend his/her arms and finish the swing down and through.
3. Once the batter becomes comfortable with the drill it will look and feel a lot more natural and can take 8-10 repetitions a day until the problem is fixed.

Hit by Pitch Drill AGES 7+

What you need:

1. Helmet
2. Tennis ball/Racquetball

Drill Instruction:

1. Have your batter step up to the plate and take his/her normal stance.
2. Throw the ball inside-at the batter.
3. Your batter should turn in towards the catcher tucking his/her chin and front elbow, allowing the ball to hit them in the back to absorb impact.

This is a great drill for younger inexperienced players that havent been hit by many if any, pitches.  It is also a very big aspect of the game knowing how to safely protect yourself from pitches. 

Hitting Basics: Soft-Toss

Soft-toss is one of the most simple and effective drills to date.  Hitters that soft-toss regularly should have a good fundamental error-free swing if executed properly.  Players should focus on getting good quality reps in as you develop muscle memory.  If a player is getting tired or worn out he should stop taking reps immediately as it will cause problems such as dropping the back shoulder.  Remember while soft-tossing keep shoulders closed, head down, hands and elbows up, bat parralel to the ground, squash the bug.

How to Correct a Player from Bailing out of the Batter's Box

Most batters will bail out because they are afraid of being hit with a pitch.  If you have a batter that is bailing out of the batter's box, stepping away from the plate and opening his front shoulder here is the solution.  Take a bat and lay it parallel to the plate right behind him/her.  Warn them that if they bail out they will step on the bat and risk falling, if they step over the bat lay 2 or 3 bats down to compensate.  Eventually the batter will start striding towards the pitchers grinding with his/her backfoot.

A youth's most under-rated hitting tool....

A Batting Tee is one of the most important hitting tools for our youth!  While your player is hitting off the tee you should be making sure he/she is keeping their elbow up and hands back, you don't want your player to wrap the bat around his/her neck ( have your player rest the bat on his/her shoulder then raise elbow and hands, this should give a good fundamental bat stance), the bat should be pointing up (45 degree angle).  Make sure your player is pivoting on their back foot, exploding with their hips, keeping their head down as they follow through with the swing.  Practice raising the tee to their "numbers" and lowering it to their knees...Inside...Outside...all the different areas of the strike-zone.