Hitting and Hitters Discussion Bunting - Bat Placement

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Member

• Feb 26, 2010

• #1

I've seen bunting two ways. 1 - maybe the old style where you place the bat parallel to the ground, 2 - place the bat at a 45 degree angle having the barrel of the bat placed at the top of the strike zone. My question is which is the better bat placement --- flat or at a 45 degree angle? Any links / articles for reference would also be appreciated.

 

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• Feb 26, 2010

• #2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHdQkzB7DpU Here is what most colleges teach and we use in softball, not baseball style. .

 

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• Feb 26, 2010

• #3

I teach bunting with an angle. With the barrel higher.

 

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• Feb 26, 2010

• #4

Dont forget to drop the bat right in front of the plate.....;&

 

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• Feb 26, 2010

• #5

SBFAMILY said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHdQkzB7DpU Here is what most colleges teach and we use in softball, not baseball style. .

Click to expand...

Im all about helping someone out but that had to be the worst slap i have ever seen. I would not use that as a teaching tool. That was a pop torwards second base not a big bounce on the ground torward the left side of the field. Read the youtube comments that will tell you all you need to know about that example.

 

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• Feb 26, 2010

• #6

This was posted about bunting not slapping. See post above. I teach slapping and if they were asking about slapping I would post a different site from Whatley's demo or Laura Berg who worked with my dd. www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-slap-ball-bat-softball-jes

Jessicaa Mendoza has some good youtube videos on slapping. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjZMXgCRb2U - 74k - Cached

 

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• Feb 26, 2010

• #7

I can't find any videos but I've seen girls bunt (right handed batter) with the bat at a 45 even when they make contact with the ball, is this to minimize the ball popping up and also to help the batter direct the ball down 1st or 3rd base? I see a lot of pop ups when the bat is horizontal. Maybe both ways are correct. Drag bunting and slapping I only see bat horizonatal.

 

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• Feb 26, 2010

• #8

As in most cases, I like the bat somewhere in the middle. Never horizontal, but I think 45 degrees is too steep. You always want the barrel above the hands, but I feel a lesser degree is correct. Most bunts aren't put down with a 45 degee angle on the bat so why would you want to square with the bat at 45 degrees. Just my opinion.

 

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• Feb 26, 2010

• #9

I would tend to think what works for the bunter. My DD tends to have the bat at a large angle, not horizontal to the ground. She bunts just fine that way. I have seen the bat in many positions from horizontal to 45 degress with either way being succesfull or a failed attempt.
Like I said its what works for each kid - they all our individuals
;&

 

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• Feb 26, 2010

• #10

On a squared up bunt, Arms Out in front, slighty bent elbows, bat slight angle to get more chance of bat area eyes peeking just behind the bat, good balance bending at the knees and not reaching with the bat for low ones. Before facemasks the fouled ball would pop over the helmet if the eyes were in the right spot behind the bat. If you got hit in the face.... Wrong spot...

 

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• Feb 26, 2010

• #11

Good points, that what I was thinking. My DD gets her bat at an angle, not horizontal. I was trying to find some videos for FP86 above, but all I see are bunts with the bat horizontal. Video is worth a thousand words!

 

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• Feb 26, 2010

• #12

Horizontal bat only if you plan on drawing it back to block the catchers eyes from seeing it.

 

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• Feb 26, 2010

• #13

My oldest has a 45 degree angle when starting, then either pushes it downward, forward, or backward when there's contact to get a spin on the ball. I've seen several times (out of several hundred) she has placed it on a line with a spin not moving.

 

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• Feb 26, 2010

• #14

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-hitting/2343-bunting-technique.html

A discussion on this subject by coaches.

 

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• Feb 26, 2010

• #15

I teach bat level to the ground. Not sure about you, but I don't want the batter dropping her hands to get that low outside pitch. If the bat is angled up and it is a pitch at the knees, on the outside corner, she is going to have to drop her bat head quite a bit to get to it.
Only movement I want is in the legs. Bat at the top of our "hitting zone" and bending the knees to go down and get the lower pitch. Once the batter drops to a point her knees are going to be touching the ground she knows the ball is to low to bunt and lets it go. If her bat is level and at the top of her "hitting zone" she knows anything above the barrel is a ball and lets it go as well.
Another reason I'm not a fan of bat angle is if you were to soft toss from the front you will notice they will not have full plate coverage on the bunt. The bat will likely be only covering half the plate, so any pitch on the outside corner they are going to have to dive out after.
Personal preference but the best bunters I've had and seen keep the bat level.

I also teach the crossover step for right and left handed bunters. Similar to the video SBFamily has posted. I have a link to my DD's skills video if anyone wants to see how I teach the short game for a right handed hitter.

 

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• Mar 1, 2010

• #16

LK,

Sent you a PM.

 

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• Mar 29, 2010

• #17

LADY_KNIGHTS said:

I teach bat level to the ground. Not sure about you, but I don't want the batter dropping her hands to get that low outside pitch. If the bat is angled up and it is a pitch at the knees, on the outside corner, she is going to have to drop her bat head quite a bit to get to it.
Only movement I want is in the legs. Bat at the top of our "hitting zone" and bending the knees to go down and get the lower pitch. Once the batter drops to a point her knees are going to be touching the ground she knows the ball is to low to bunt and lets it go. If her bat is level and at the top of her "hitting zone" she knows anything above the barrel is a ball and lets it go as well.
Another reason I'm not a fan of bat angle is if you were to soft toss from the front you will notice they will not have full plate coverage on the bunt. The bat will likely be only covering half the plate, so any pitch on the outside corner they are going to have to dive out after.
Personal preference but the best bunters I've had and seen keep the bat level.

I also teach the crossover step for right and left handed bunters. Similar to the video SBFamily has posted. I have a link to my DD's skills video if anyone wants to see how I teach the short game for a right handed hitter.

Click to expand...

Please send me the video, that would be appreciated.

 

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Member

• Mar 30, 2010

• #18

goggle it and you will find many demo's on bunting or slapping by some of the best !