When to Square to Sac. Bunt?

What age group T-Ball? I agree that it would be a little premature to square before the pitcher starts his delivery. In real young kids, it may not hurt but is definately teaching them bad habits.

Squaring early is nothing but getting your body in the correct position so that you can do the job at hand. Those that square early, are only doing so in a definite bunt, definite sacrifice situation, where noone is suprised by the move. Just like a big league pitcher, they are squaring around as soon as they enter the box. If it were a drag bunt given, I can promise you he probably is not squaring at all, just in sacrifice situations. There is nothing worse than giving the sacrifice bunt, and a kid squaring late and not getting the job done, which is giving him self up to adavance a runner.

AgentDad,

13U.

If you ever hope to add the butcher block play (square and slash) you need them to set up very early to draw in the defense. If you only square late, you take this play out of any offensive arsenal. If you have no intention of using this play then you can teach the late square.

Most of the college teams and high school teams with good execution have their sac bunters square very early.....common practice.

Some times is good to square early to bunt, that way you see what kind of deffense the other team has for bunt, then hitter get out of the batting box and you desire what to do next pitch. Some times you square early and when the pitcher and defense believe you are bunting, you swing hard and take the infield out of position. But when you bunting for sacrifice the usual is to wait until the last moment to square.

I prefer to square around early. You aren't surprising anyone.

At the 13U age, in my opinion, your batters should be able to square when the pitcher separates his hands and still have ample time to get in position to effectively bunt. The only time we square early is in a fake bunt/steal scenario or fake bunt/swing away scenario. Occasionally, depending on the batter, we may square early and drag/slap bunt. Usually a pitcher is not likely to be able to change a location or pitch once he has broken his hands. If your batter is disciplined and can lay off the difficult to bunt pitches, you can square early and take the walk if he continues to throw out of the strike zone.

If you square early, and the picther adjusts his pitch location, most of the time it is a ball.

quote:

---

...But when you bunting for sacrifice the usual is to wait until the last moment to square.

---

This is the correct answer. However, it should be interpreted differently for each hitter.

Do you want to get the bunt down?

Then you have to let the batter do it the way he needs to.

Some are better squaring early. Some can wait until late.

If I'm the coach, and I'm calling for a sac bunt, I want the bunt down. I don't care what you have to do to get it down, but get it down and get it down properly.

Thanks for all the good opinions. Reading all the thoughts, I guess the very early square is not as uncommon, or as detrimental as I thought. As with most coaching it looks like it is very situational and player dependent...
Thanks
T-Ball

Just to keep the system the same I have my players square around when the pitcher lefts up his front leg or on the separation of hands. At certain levels pitchers aren't capable to make the adjustment you discussed. I think when they get to playing on the big field you have to show it a little late. With a good defensive team if you show it early the defense (corners) will react and be able to gain ground and get the lead runner. I personally only show the bunt early when we run slash. When you play teams only a couple times, it is very hard for the other team to recgonize somthing that small.

If it is a sac bunt you want them to square when the pitcher shows butt cheek. That gives the hitter plenty of time to square and prepare to bunt. In this situation you teach hitters to only bunt strikes period. I want the opposing pitcher to throw up and in and ajust his pitch in a sac situation because what can happen is better than a sac. A walk. Disciplined bunters can work a walk and then you dont have to give up an out to move a runner. Anywhere but right back to the pitcher hard will get the job done unless its right out in front of the plate. Squaring late will often times cause a bunter to foul or miss a good pitch to bunt. Your not trying to fool anyone with a sac bunt. You are saying take this out and we will take that bag. Of course sometimes teams botch the play at first and we will take that as well.

I teach to square when the pitchers comes to the set position. I want my players prepared and ready to bunt the ball. The players are to have the angle of the bat set for a bunt to the proper position on the field depending on where the baserunners are. All of this is for a sacrifice bunt of course.

Drag, push and squeeze are different.

If the defense reacts and brings their corners into the bunting lane to try and get the lead runner, the player will automatically slash.

Also, if the defense moves too early we will do some other things to put pressure on the defense, i.e. fake-bunt steal, slash-and-run.

Most misunderstood part of baseball...A "sacrifice" bunt!

Sacrifice by definition means (the act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else more important or worthy, i.e., you give up an out to move the runner into scoring position) that the COACH wants you to MAKE AN OUT so that the runner is moved to the next base. You are giving yourself up with the time at bat for the good of the team. Make an out at 1st base and the coach will be happy!

The summer that I coached, I didn't care who knew that the kid was going to bunt. If you "cheat", we'll push the ball past you for a cheap infield "hit".

WWWAAAYYYY too many kids don't understand the FUNDAMENTAL concept of a SACRIFICE. I used an example of an offering of an animal to the gods eons ago...according to the history books. You sacrifice during your at bat for the greater good of the team...simple as that!

Square as soon as ou get into the batters box.

Most misunderstood part of baseball...A "sacrifice" bunt!

Sacrifice by definition means (the act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else more important or worthy, i.e., you give up an out to move the runner into scoring position) that the COACH wants you to MAKE AN OUT so that the runner is moved to the next base. You are giving yourself up with the time at bat for the good of the team. Make an out at 1st base and the coach will be happy!

The summer that I coached, I didn't care who knew that the kid was going to bunt. If you "cheat", we'll push the ball past you for a cheap infield "hit".

WWWAAAYYYY too many kids don't understand the FUNDAMENTAL concept of a SACRIFICE. I used an example of an offering of an animal to the gods eons ago...according to the history books. You sacrifice during your at bat for the greater good of the team...simple as that!

Square as soon as you get into the batters box.

AMEN beenthere

There are only two reasons a player doesn't get a bunt down. One.....he's not ready. Two, he's trying to draw a walk. He's too selective.

Players take varying amounts of time to be ready. Depends on their experience and skill level. But, I have no problem squaring as early as when the pitcher draws his hands up to stretch. If they cheat, I'll beat em another way.

If I'm a coach and call for a bunt, I don't want him to walk, I don't want him to foul off pitches. I want him to get the bunt down. Otherwise, I wouldn't call for it.

I'm not saying bunt at bad pitches. But there is no such thing as a called strike that couldn't have been bunted.

Watch, the best bunters will get the first or second pitch down almost every time.

Why?......because they are ready and they are giving themselves up.

Coach May

I understand that a walk can benefit you as much (more) than a bunt.

But, when you gave the sign, you decided a bunt is what you need. If it was acceptable then, it should be the goal. Nothing else. But, then, you tell the player to be selective. Maybe you can walk.

Let me translate what the player hears you say. ......If I can't walk, bunt.

This mixed signal. Is that what you want? That will cause more screwed up bunt situations than anything else. Before you know it, the player has two strikes.

Like I said, check out the often times 8th place hitter who plays for defense and how he bunts. He knows he better get the ball down or it's his ***.

Guess what. He gets the first or second pitch down every time.

That's how you bunt.

Bunt strikes not balls. Trying to sac bunt on a pitch thrown intentionally up and in will not breed sucess. The pitcher will throw you something good to sac bunt before he walks you. If he does not then you walk mission accomplished. By going up to the plate and just bunting whatever the pitcher throws you are hurting your team not helping your team. Im not sending mixed signals when I tell a kid to bunt but I want you to bunt a strike. Thats pretty plain cut and dry. Would you rather bunt a pitch high and in or a strike. The rate of success is much higher when you bunt strikes and that is a fact. If the pitcher is so concerned that you are going to bunt that he does not throw a strike whats wrong with taking the walk? The goal is to get the bunt down but make sure that you bunt strikes. How is that a mixed signal. I dont tell them to look for the walk. I tell them to get it down. But on a strike.

Lamber is right.....If it's even close, bunt the ball......Move the runner......Ain't nothing hard about it......

Did you read all the posts? If you do you will see that I was responding to the post about pitchers intentionally throwing out of the zone when a player squares to bunt. We are not going to try to bunt a pitch that is up and in or way out of the zone. Please read all the posts.