Bunt Coverage

If pitcher is quick off mound I would try it. We got killed on a few occas last yr w new first baseman who did not understand how to play the bunts. Kept coming off base late and second could not cover. 

was your 2 bagger slow? Our base with no one on is everyone crashes.....2 bagger covers first.

Or your 2 bagger was hesitant due to the 1st basemen being hesitant?

 With runner's on 1st and 2nd we sometimes let the corners stay put and pitcher and 2b crash.

Only if the hitter is a dead left pull hitter.

Do not place the pitcher is a position "crash" the bunter. When I played 1b with no outs and runner on 1st and 2nd I ran all the way to home plate to dare the bunter to bunt to me.

 

Many outs were made at 3b. This allowed the 3b to remain close to the bag and the pitcher covers the gap at the 3b line. SS covers 2nd base and 2b covers 1st.

RF back up 1b and LF backs up 3b

 

This is in the Seattle Mariners play book.

 

Bob

<www.Goodwill Series.org>

It isn't so much you have to have the 1b stay back it is that you can. With right handed pitchers falling to that side anyway the 1b becomes a type of safety valve if the pitcher can't cover it.

Overall it is an easier play to have the 1b not have to field the ball on the bunt.

So you only did this with a lefty up?

Absolutely. with a righty up, I think by the time the 2 bagger sees the hitters hands to bunt and the fact a righty falls off a little, this gives 2nd plenty of time to cover 1st and the 1 bagger can cover some extra ground.....just in case.

I just can't think of a good reason to run a play where the 1st basemen has to stay back except to hold the runner briefly.

1b plays back [behind the runner] only on a dead pull hitter, who is not instructed to bunt. On every other bunt situation the 1b charges.

 

There is the "pick off" from the catcher possible by playing back. The 1b has the opportunity to 'kill" a rally.

1. Pick off [catcher to 1b

2. Force out at 3b.

 

Bob

Santa Rosa, California

 

 

 

That works depending which way a pitcher falls off the mound.  Some righties fall hard to the left and can't recover to get to the 3B line.  Can work with a lefty, though.

plus, if you fake a bunt to draw out the coverage, and you crash all the way to hame again, you may be getting a surprise on the next pitch....lol

 

Yes, the RHP falls to the left, however he is not in a strong defense position and is "off balanced". He could be hit by a line drive.

The Japanese HS pitcher becomes the 5th infielder 2 seconds quicker than the American HS pitcher. Many Japanese HS coaches instruct their hitters to bunt or show bunt until 2 strikes.

 

Ichiro HS team's coach did this in a National tournament and won the tournament. I was at the game and told the Japanese HS official that I would move in my LF to the infield until 2 strikes. He said "Japanese coach lose face". I said "I will win the game".

 

Bob