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Member
Bunting with 2 strikes always makes for an interesting discussion, and how an emotional Dad and player could have ruined her chances to be recruited because of it.
As a coach of many years I have a strong personal opinion on this subject: If you were asked to bunt twice and did not execute (especially at 13U & up) SHAME ON YOU! The odds are no better that you are going to now get re-set, swing with confidence and hit the ball for a base hit than they are for you to (try) to bunt for a third time. In addition, almost every defensive player "relaxes" and takes a couple steps back when you get 2 strikes because ;"You're not supposed to bunt with 2 strikes" a perfect opportunity to surprise the defense and get a bunt for a hit down. This is not done every time, but there are many opportunities to make it work and is silly to stand by some "rule" that you are not supposed to so never should....
Now to yesterday: Akron indoor tournament, high school aged kid makes 2 attempts to bunt and coach signals for her to do it again. She fouls the third one off and comes off the field crying....labored breathing, on the verge of getting out of control crying with big tears and all. Emotional dad walks up and says something to her she said "he told me to"...Dad proceeds to drop the F-bomb and says" why are we bunting with 2 strikes, the next time he asked you to do that ignore him!"
First of all Dad: He is the coach your not. Your tender little flower should have been able to execute a bunt at her age/practice it with her. You should focus your attention (after the game) on explaining what really was so terrible about that situation HER LACK OF EXECUTION, AND CRYING AND BLAMING THE COACH FOR HER LACK OF EXECUTION.
Let the debating begin!
As a coach of many years I have a strong personal opinion on this subject: If you were asked to bunt twice and did not execute (especially at 13U & up) SHAME ON YOU! The odds are no better that you are going to now get re-set, swing with confidence and hit the ball for a base hit than they are for you to (try) to bunt for a third time. In addition, almost every defensive player "relaxes" and takes a couple steps back when you get 2 strikes because ;"You're not supposed to bunt with 2 strikes" a perfect opportunity to surprise the defense and get a bunt for a hit down. This is not done every time, but there are many opportunities to make it work and is silly to stand by some "rule" that you are not supposed to so never should....
Now to yesterday: Akron indoor tournament, high school aged kid makes 2 attempts to bunt and coach signals for her to do it again. She fouls the third one off and comes off the field crying....labored breathing, on the verge of getting out of control crying with big tears and all. Emotional dad walks up and says something to her she said "he told me to"...Dad proceeds to drop the F-bomb and says" why are we bunting with 2 strikes, the next time he asked you to do that ignore him!"
First of all Dad: He is the coach your not. Your tender little flower should have been able to execute a bunt at her age/practice it with her. You should focus your attention (after the game) on explaining what really was so terrible about that situation HER LACK OF EXECUTION, AND CRYING AND BLAMING THE COACH FOR HER LACK OF EXECUTION.
Let the debating begin!