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7 replies

Bunt Coverage Question

N NatronMember
I have always taught my teams that depending where the baserunners were, that would determine who crash and who would stay home.

My son who is 9 and is a catcher just started practice with the 9-10 All Star team. His 9yo team won their district title. The 9-10 manager has a little different bunt coverage with a runner on 1st Base:

He wants 1st and 3rd to crash, 2b rotates to 1st base, SS to 2nd base and catcher runs straight down and covers 3rd base. This leaving every base covered. He says the catcher can beat the base runner to 3rd base and be waiting for the throw. Whoever doesnt get the ball between the 1st and 3rd baseman now stay and cover the plate.

I asked him who uses this defense and he said when Pudge Rodriguez played for the Tigers, this was how they did it. He is a big Tigers fan and incorporated it into his coaching.

Are you guys ok with this, or is he doing something they may never see again. I myself will go with it as I never want to undermine a manager if it works.
Natron
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redbird5redbird510,000+ posts
I've never used it. Personally, I think it is better to keep his crashing scheme but have the P or 3B retreat to 3B...depending on who does/does not field the ball.

As for undermining the coach, if you are a coach, I would suggest alternate coverages to make it easier on 9/10 year olds. If you are a parent, you need to keep quiet and encourage your son to do it the way the coach teaches him. It is always good to learn other coverages.
wraggArmwraggArm500+ posts
He's 9. He's going to learn at least 3 or 4 different bunt coverage schemes in his career, and any of them can be internalized in a single practice. It's not like learning the "wrong" one in this case is going to set the kid back on fundamantals.

At this point it doesn't really matter which one the coach picks, just let him pick one and work on it with the kids. (Hopefully he's spending most of the time working on bunt fielding mechanics...charge, breakdown, sweep up with two hands, set, throw, etc. When you get 9 year olds doing that right, you're succeeding at coaching.)

The kid batting isn't going to get the bunt down, anyway. He's 9.
wraggArmwraggArm500+ posts
Natron -
I'll apologize in advance for my last post. I'm about to get pummeled for being mean to the new guy.

Welcome to HSBB, and congrats to your kid for making the All-Stars.

What I really meant to say in my last post was:

"I'd give anything to go back to the 9-yo All-Star days to relive them again, knowing what I know now. I would settle the hell down, and have a lot more fun"
coach2709coach270910,000+ posts
Fairly standard bunt coverage and will work well for that age group. It's something good to get those kids thinking about the game in trying to figure out potential plays and how to stop them. Overall great for the mental development of their game.

As for the higher levels what you will find is that corners only crash / charge when they see the ball down towards them. Cheat the corners in a little, see bunt have momentum going forward to get ball but still able to stop if not down their side. Overall though to run this bunt coverage you better have some good athletic kids at the corners and pitcher.

My best bunt coverage with one pitcher was he had everything and my corners stayed home. The pitcher was a freak athlete and could just move.

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