Fundamentals – Bunting is a drill designed to teach, train, and practice bunting fundamentals.  While there are many bunting drills that involve scoring points through cones, this drill establishes the fundamentals that will remain consistent through ANY bunting drill.  Drill is run in a bullpen area, or even down the right field line (with a fence relatively close behind the batter).

EXECUTION – Place six “individual-cones” in a line for teaching and start the drill there.  Discuss first the concepts of a sacrifice bunt as compared to a bunt for a base hit.  Next, review the fundamentals of bunting technique (see below).  Finish by moving into bunt repetitions, and give each athlete two times at bat.  Use a throw-down home plate and a cones for baselines to create a bunting “field.”

Begin the drill with all athletes at a cone (each has bat), and review the steps to a proper bunt.  Keep in mind this is for the right-handed bunter:

• Pivot Back Foot & Bend Knees – “Squish bug” and get low to see the ball.  Feet don’t open up as this exposes the chest and leaves athlete vulnerable to being hit and injured.
• Top hand (RH) – Moves up to base of barrel in a “Turtle Bite” position.  No fingers are exposed on the front of the bat which avoids being smashed between ball and bat.
• Bottom hand (LH) – Moves up the bat tape comfortably.
• Bat Head Up – Attempt to keep barrel slightly above hands to promote ground ball off the bat.  Drooping barrel may result in popping up the bunt.

As a coach, take a knee and toss darts into the strike zone.  Athletes rotate from on-deck, to live bunter, to defense (around the bunting infield).  Each athlete will bunt 5 baseballs and then rotate.

DC KEYS

1. Knees to the Ball – Bend the knees to stay with the ball.  Athleticism and coordination take over at contact.
2. “Catch” the Pitch – Use the barrel of the bat to catch, or soften, the baseball at contact.
3. Distance Marker – Use a foul line, or cone-line, as a distance marker. Athletes work to keep the ball from crossing that line!
4. Teach! – Bat angles and types of bunts (ex: show early on Sacrifice Bunt).

EQUIPMENT LIST