Trojan-skipper,
These might be fun to discuss as there are several that could have more than one correct answer. I don’t have time to do all of them, so I’ll start with the first one you listed.
quote:
On a squeeze play just bunt the ball if it’s a strike.
In "almost" every case you need to get the ball down on any pitch.
However, here is a play we would run once in a great while that was very successful. Usually done with one of our poorer hitters that was a good bunter at the plate and with the pitcher winding up, but not always. In fact we would practice this play.
Bases loaded, 3-1 or 3-2 count squeeze. In this situation the runners would take off earlier than in a normal squeeze play. In other words we wanted to let everyone know what was going on early. So in this case runners would take off as soon as they knew the pitcher had to go to the plate. The hitter would square around much earlier than on a normal squeeze.
The hitter/bunter, would understand that he will only bunt any pitch that has a possibility of being called a strike. Anything else is ball 4 and we score with the bases still loaded. If it is a strike he lays down the bunt. This is a fairly high percentage play for several reasons. The pitcher can not pitch out. The pitcher has a lot of extra pressure. The runner gets a big break much like trying to steal home, making any play on him on any bunt that is down, impossible. The hitter gets to square early and only needs to bunt a strike rather than try to get any pitch down. And almost always the hitter is going to see a fastball in this situation.
A couple times over the year we have seen the following happen on this play. The defense is yelling “SQUEEZE” when the runners take off early. The pitcher is programmed what to do on that play and so he pitched out… Walking in a run! We’ve also created a balk on this play and once our hitter was hit by the pitch. We have also had the bunter reach first base because of all the thungs going on, the second baseman didn't cover 1B.
I can’t remember for sure, but we probably did this a few times each year and only one time did it fail. You need a disciplined hitter who knows exactly what to do. The only time it failed was when our hitter tried to bunt a pitch in the dirt. He just had a brain cramp.
I preferred doing this with a 3-1 count rather than 3-2 but we have done both. Of course we all know that 3-1 is a great hitters count, but it is a great bunting count, too. 3-1 gives an even higher percentage to the offense because if the bunt goes foul the hitter is not out.
It takes the right situation and the right guy at the plate. When it works (especially when the pitch is ball 4) it can really upset a pitcher.
You have to have balls to do this and most importantly you have to have players who can execute it. I have seen it lead to big innings and
open up games. Worst case, it is an extremely high percentage of bunting the runner at 1B to 2B... just with a lot more going on.
I can guarantee you one thing... The opposing pitchers do not like this play.