Fastball or Curve, which is easiest to bunt

Well it depends a lot on if the fastball is straight, if it isn't I'd rather have the curve ball.

IMO,

--A plus-fastball is easier to bunt than a plus-curveball.

--A pitch at the top of the zone is easier to bunt than a pitch at the bottom of the zone.

...a plus-curveball at the bottom of the zone is toughest of all to bunt.

I must ponder this one for a few. maybe it should be a poll qeustion?

I am going with the curve ball. At the levels you mentioned I think that the curveball, once recognized by the hitter, is more predictable than a cutting, moving fastball. Plus, IMO, you have a better chance of putting the curve on the ground vs potentially popping up a fastball

At 12U, both pitches are equally hard.

Of course when much older, a 90's+ fb is as equally hard as a 82+ slidepeace.

Of course getting it down perfect or foul, is a longer subject.

Some could depend on the bunter, and the quality of the pitches, but typically anything that is in the strike zone should be easy to bunt no matter what pitch it is. In sure bunt situations pitchers will normally throw high (above the waist) fastballs. It's not easy to get on top of a good high fastball. The down angle off the bat has to be more precise than pitches between the knees and waist. If you bunt it squarely on the low pitch it is on the ground. The same thing on the high pitch and it's more likely to be in the air.

The other thing to think about. Most good fastballs (excluding anything that sinks) are missed completely below the ball or hit the top of the bat. Most good curve balls that are missed completely are missed above the ball or hit the bottom of the bat.

A straight or cutting fastball at any speed = easiest

Curveball = not too bad, in the strike zone

Sinking fastball = most difficult


Back in the days when I used to pitch I got the most missed bunts on changeups. My changeup sunk a bit more than my sinker and it seemed like the timing would totally screw up hitters.

thanks for the replies so far... sort of a mixed bag. please keep 'em coming.

It depends on the quality of the pitch. A flat curve is the easiest pitch to bunt. A nasty curve is the most difficult. I'll take the curve over the fastball until the nasty curve. It also depends how well the batter bunts. A weak bunter might have trouble judging getting on top of the curve.

It depends how you are teaching the players to bunt.

Naturally you desire the ball to be bunted "downward", therefore the "batter' should bunt on the top half of the ball. If he uses the bat to "catch" the ball it will deaden the ball before an infielder can field the ball.

Practice game situations with runners on the bases. You will learn who are your best "bunters" are and in the game you can rely on your evaluations.

At the same time teach the "fake" bunt and swing away with the bat choked up.

Bob

Since my son has at least ten bunt hits and one sacrifice bunt this year, I texted him. He said, "As a lefthanded hitter an up and in fastball is the easiest for him, as he drops most of his bunts to the left side. He said curveballs can bounce off the bat funny sometimes. His answer kind of surprised me especially about the up and in fastballs.

3 bagger;
he can drag the bunt to the 2b and beat it out.
a sure base hit.
Willis did this w/ the Dodgers

bob

quote:

Originally posted by Three Bagger:
my son... lefthanded hitter... said curveballs can bounce off the bat funny sometimes.

As the defensive coach, RHP facing a LHB clearly looking to push a sac bunt--curveballs are the best bet to get you a miss, a foul, or flubbed short bunt fieldable by the catcher. The batter has to drop the bathead.

bob williams - luv ya but you didn't answer the original question.. would love to hear your opinion.

3 bagger - thanks for taking the time to txt son.

Coach;

On the Central Coast where the air is heavy, the curve will break downward, therefore the curve is the best to bunt as the batter needs to keep his eyes to the ball meeting the bat [he actually catches the ball with the bat]. Bunt should be on "breaking ball" counts, however the fast ball waist to knees also is a good pitch to bunt.

Can you video your hitters in practice? Study the video as to the success of each player as he bunts fast ball and curves from your coach pitches. Watch his hands.

Are they tense or relaxed?
Bob

As a pitcher being faced with a Sac bunt situation, I always tried to keep the fastball up when I saw the batter square. Much easier to induce a pop-up or foul ball.

My son added to his text about bunting that when he is dragging a bunt he definitely likes the fastball because he starts back in the box so that he is moving up as the ball comes and he prefers it slightly higher because he feels he can still get the lower half of the bat on the ball without popping up. He feels he sees the higher pitch to the bat easier and says it may just be a personal thing. He has popped up one bunt this year and a number have gone foul because he puts them right down the lines especially the third base line. We have practiced bunting countless hundreds of times since he was a small child. As a fact he broke a pinkie at age seven because we were practicing bunting but it never fazed him. I will say this, when he gets it in the right spot down the third base line, even when the guy plays him slightly on the grass as most do, they cannot throw him out at first. When he has been thrown out it is always too much toward the mound.

Thanks for the replies. Looks like you guys are done so here's my take...

As an ex-player and as common sense would dictate(to me at least) it is easier to bunt a fastball. The ball stays on the same vertical plane much more so than a curve and thus, is easier to bunt the top half of the ball with some consistency.

As a coach who has thrown a ton of BP, including mixing pitches from time to time, I see a far greater success rate with our hitters when bunting FB vs CB (particularly when they don't know what pitch is coming, which of course is the case in a game situation). This also seems to apply to directional efforts. This, too, makes sense to me as most CB's move more laterally than most FB's.

While some really good FB's have good tail and movement, none actually go up. So, if you start the barrel at the top of the zone and work down, success should be high. The ball isn't going to drop so much that you have to jab down at it. And no good FB's move more on either plane than good CB's except the true 12-6 CB's which are a bear to bunt.

Regarding spin - a FB spin (backwards) will kick downward while a CB spin is almost opposite.

Lastly, most hitters take the approach of looking FB and adjusting. So, when you get what you originally look for, there is less adjusting, more confidence and more consistent contact whether hitting or bunting.

cabbagedad,

That all makes perfect sense. However I would rather bunt the curveball in the strike zone than bunt the high fastball. Talking about sac bunt only.

Another reason why I would prefer the fastball (except the high one) is the defense gets a bit better jump on the curve ball that is bunted and it's easier to bunt it where you want on the fastball.