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playball186
3 Posts |
 Posted - 06/24/2009 : 17:32:19
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| More and more teams are moving away from swinging the bat in coach pitch dizzy dean games in favor of the bunt. I think the bunt is a great weapon when used properly to move runners over but what I have witnessed this summer is that the bunt is being used by some teams every other batter. I think it dulls the excitement of the game down which coach pitch is known for. Thoughts on using the bunt so much? Should dizzy dean remove the bunt from the playing field at these ages so players are forced to hit the ball or is the main goal winning only at this age at all costs - even if it means bunting some 20 or more times per game? Should they allow the pitcher to release from the circle once the batter squares to bunt instead of waiting for the ball to cross the plate? Just curious how others feel. |
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3sondad
220 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2009 : 22:17:38
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The 10U Bandits rode the bunt to the world series championship at 6U (we still call them the bunting bandits)... I and every other dad on the team hated bunts back then, but our coaches never practiced how to cover a bunt ... to be honest we did not see it until State. The bunt will make you put your quickest guy at pitcher. It use to be that the pitcher could not leave the circle until the ball crossed the plate, but in the five tournaments my youngest has played (including District) I have not seen that called.
If you have the speed, bunting on a big, slow, non-agile team is very effective. Take the week between District and State to teach your team to cover the bunt. We have bunted 10 times this year and I have only seen a couple of outs. And those were only because the bunt went straight to pitcher instead of up the lines. |
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bigfan
105 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2009 : 22:35:17
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I remember when my son was playing DD at this age and the only team we couldn't beat was the team that bunted. I'm not sure what it teaches the kids but now that there older the same team is not very competitive. Let the kids hit and make the defense play the game. Our park has since moved on from DD in favor of USSSA and I would tell you that DD is by far much funner than USSSA at this age. USSSA doesn't allow bunting by the way.
Not sure how old your child is but Southhaven MS in DD is awesome. When we played we had 64 teams in Southaven and it was a blast. |
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BREAMKING
323 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2009 : 23:26:51
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| They should change the rule. I watched one of these game the other day and the amount of bunts per team was crazy. I really do not know how you defend it at this age. The only thing I can think of is to have your fasted aka quickest player start in back of circle and have him full speed at contact coming in and have him dive to try and touch it before it gets out of that circle. They should change the rule to like you can only bunt once or twice per inning. The game I saw was also on a fence where they bunted on the guys then next guy would just hit a homerun. The fence was only like a 140ft which is crazy for a 8 yr. old kid. I think 15 homers were hit in one game. The score was a joke and watching the game was almost unbearable. |
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ronicard
117 Posts |
Posted - 06/25/2009 : 07:00:42
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I haven't coached in a coach-pitch game in several years, but I don't think you can take the bunt out of the game. If you do, you will make the 6-, 7-, and 8-year old All Star teams turn into a game of the biggest kids you can find who all go swing for the fences. Some of the smaller parks don't have the luxury of finding 10 - 12 of those body type players and are forced to play a smaller, faster lineup. To take the bunt out of those teams' arsenal would be unfair to them.
My suggestion if you playing a team that bunts a lot is to make sure you put one of your faster players with a good arm (and decent baseball IQ) on the mound. If he throws out 70 - 80% of the bunters, they'll start trying other methods of getting on base. |
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Rocky
290 Posts |
Posted - 06/25/2009 : 07:05:34
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| What Dizzy Dean should do is allow the pitcher to leave the circle when the batter squares, the batter must bunt if he squares or pull the bat back and not attempt at the ball, this would be more like real baseball and cut out all this bush league baseball by taking advantage of a crappy rule. Either that or allow only one bunt per inning. Good luck Dizzy Dean will not change this rule as I know several people who have tried and begged them to change it. |
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loveforthegame25
448 Posts |
Posted - 06/25/2009 : 08:56:55
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| Going from my son at 6 years old, now 13 going to 14. I also have a 4 year old. He will not bunt at 5, 6, 7 coach pitch at all. In practice, YES, Games, NO. I believe coaches that bunt like crazy in these games are not teaching their kids properly. The kids are getting cheated. Having a 13 year old, realizing its about player development, not super coaches win loss record at 6 years old. Yea the kids love to see thier score higher than the other teams but every swing you cheat them out of they cant get back. Thats my opinion. Thoughts????? |
Edited by - loveforthegame25 on 06/25/2009 11:33:02 |
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BBall123
395 Posts |
Posted - 06/25/2009 : 10:50:13
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YES !! YES!!!
Thats where the art of bunting needs to be taught! I tell you , at the ten and 11 year old age groups its a lost skill?? a few teams still do it but more than half the kids have never learned how? I have had parents tell me " I pay allot of money to play travel ball and I want him Hitting NOT bunting! He was the best hitter in our rec league , he doesn't need to be bunting" !!
Unbelievable!! And 3 son dad you are right , I watched the bandit at Cooperstown this morning and they bunted that team to death.
Its a shame that we as coaches are not teaching the complete game to these kids, they will be behind the curve later on because of it. |
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Dr. Old School
314 Posts |
Posted - 06/25/2009 : 13:07:28
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Teaching them to bunt is one thing, using it in a coach pitch game is a totally different subject. Coach pitch is already affected by the coach throwing the ball in the location he wants the batter to hit the ball, not the other way around. There is an defensive side that needs to be taught as well, that cannot be done unless the kids are doing the pitching.
I don't think anyone would disagree that bunting is an important part of the game that does not get used enough, but should be done in preparation for kid pitch, not during a coach pitch game. |
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BREAMKING
323 Posts |
Posted - 06/25/2009 : 14:48:43
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| what about the pitchers when they bunt run off to the side of the bunt. This happens all the time in that league. Now to me that is bush league. |
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AllStar
762 Posts |
Posted - 06/25/2009 : 15:30:14
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quote:
Originally posted by BREAMKING
what about the pitchers when they bunt run off to the side of the bunt. This happens all the time in that league. Now to me that is bush league.
Sounds like they need paid non-dad pitchers. |
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BBall123
395 Posts |
Posted - 06/25/2009 : 15:47:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Old School
Teaching them to bunt is one thing, using it in a coach pitch game is a totally different subject. Coach pitch is already affected by the coach throwing the ball in the location he wants the batter to hit the ball, not the other way around. There is an defensive side that needs to be taught as well, that cannot be done unless the kids are doing the pitching.
I don't think anyone would disagree that bunting is an important part of the game that does not get used enough, but should be done in preparation for kid pitch, not during a coach pitch game.
Fair enough Doc. and LFG I agree with that. The bunting thing is a hot button with me and in retrospect I probably over ran this thread subject , :-) |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 06/26/2009 : 15:46:22
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At that age, it is rediculous to take advantage of the other team by doing what is described above. That is simply about the coach wanting to win, not about teaching baseball. Does the bunt need to be taught? Absolutely!! Does bunt defense need to be taught? Absolutely!! Does a 6,7, or 8 year old team need to be bunting 20 or more times per game? NO WAY!!!! What ever coach is doing that should be ashamed of himself. These are little kids trying to learn baseball. They should be being taught the basic fundamentals of the game and quite frankly - at that age - being taught how to throw, catch and hit. Not out to win at all costs by essentially using trick plays to take advantage of other young inexperienced players.
I will not criticize others decisions, but playing any kind of travel ball at that age is pushing it as it is. There is nothing they can't accomplish playing rec ball at that age that they can gain by travel. It's a lot of pressure for little kids just learning the game. By a coach trying to trounce another team by bunting over and over for no other reason than to basically humiliate the other team is crazy.
These are little kids guys, let them have fun and play ball. Not try to win at all costs. |
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playball186
3 Posts |
Posted - 06/26/2009 : 15:59:40
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| Thanks for all your comments to my question. New topic coming soon. Dizzy Dean rules of playing ten batting ten vs. continuous batting and free substitution. I will put a new string in. |
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BREAMKING
323 Posts |
Posted - 06/26/2009 : 16:44:53
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| I think that rule stinks. Playing only 10 really stinks for a rec. league organization. These little guys are just trying to learn baseball and have some fun. Nobody cares if you win a tournament or not until you get to high school anyways. |
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Strike 2
61 Posts |
Posted - 06/27/2009 : 00:22:20
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| Bunting in Coach Pitch? Now that is ridiculous. Our kids were not allowed to bunt until kid pitch, never in coach pitch. |
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teddy41
421 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2009 : 10:17:17
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world series championship at 6U
the fact that there is a 6u world series shows what is wrong with sports...and who cant bunt a pitch layed on their bat by a coach with good aim..let them bunt the high cheese on a squeeze then talk bunt |
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HITANDRUN
436 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2009 : 13:19:05
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quote:
Originally posted by BBall123
YES !! YES!!!
Thats where the art of bunting needs to be taught! I tell you , at the ten and 11 year old age groups its a lost skill?? a few teams still do it but more than half the kids have never learned how? I have had parents tell me " I pay allot of money to play travel ball and I want him Hitting NOT bunting! He was the best hitter in our rec league , he doesn't need to be bunting" !!
I think bunting should be learned and taught, but if you are teaching real baseball let the pitcher, 1B man and 3B man charge the bunt like "real baseball" not wait until it crosses a line before you can charge. That is not real baseball, these teams take advantage of a rule like someone said above. Bunting is important but I will say this I never saw a player at the college level get selected because he could bunt.if he couldnt do other things. Its just another tool that makes them more attractive and well rounded player. |
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teddy41
421 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2009 : 16:28:26
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| let them bunt in t-ball right off the tee..that should be fun |
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loveforthegame25
448 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2009 : 16:52:57
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| Where are all the coach pitch bunting coaches? Just curious if they have any rebuttle (is that spelled correctly??) |
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BBall123
395 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2009 : 23:19:47
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quote:
Originally posted by HITANDRUN
quote:
Originally posted by BBall123
YES !! YES!!!
Thats where the art of bunting needs to be taught! I tell you , at the ten and 11 year old age groups its a lost skill?? a few teams still do it but more than half the kids have never learned how? I have had parents tell me " I pay allot of money to play travel ball and I want him Hitting NOT bunting! He was the best hitter in our rec league , he doesn't need to be bunting" !!
I think bunting should be learned and taught, but if you are teaching real baseball let the pitcher, 1B man and 3B man charge the bunt like "real baseball" not wait until it crosses a line before you can charge. That is not real baseball, these teams take advantage of a rule like someone said above. Bunting is important but I will say this I never saw a player at the college level get selected because he could bunt.if he couldnt do other things. Its just another tool that makes them more attractive and well rounded player.
Agreed HR ,
As I said in another reply above. In my exuberance I kinda over ran this thread topic when I saw Bunting in the title.
To bunt over and over in coach pitch is ridiculous, Its been a while since we were in coach pitch and I had forgotten about the line thing.
I do feel that its not taught enough, and is becoming a lost art in this game we love, to some degree |
Edited by - BBall123 on 06/30/2009 08:39:32 |
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Phattso
143 Posts |
Posted - 06/30/2009 : 10:13:56
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As a current coach in the Dizzy Dean Coach Pitch world, bunting is alive and a part of the game. I could understand the complaints if defending a bunt was impossible, but it's not. A PERFECT bunt has to be laid down to be near impossible to defend. But, how often do these kids do anything perfect on a regular basis? If the pitcher is on his toes, he can either get to the ball before it crosses the arc or they can make a play on the ball and try for the out. And if the 3rd baseman is on his toes and sees a kid square, he should be charging full speed and can get to the ball and make a play.
I was a coach for the now 10U age group when they were 7 and 8. As someone mentioned, The Bandits were masters at bunting. At times we called them the Boynton Bunters because that seemed to be all they did. Did we complain, maybe in the beginning. But, you noticed other teams start to bunt more and learn to defend the bunt better.
I have a younger son and have been coaching his all star age group since last year (6yo) and you better believe bunting is a part of the game. Most teams out there can bunt and do bunt. I can promise you that if we are down late in a game or are looking for insurance if we are ahead, we may move a runner over via the bunt. At times we have sacrificed outs to move runners over, so to say you can't defend a bunt at this age is bologna.
I'd like to hear Papa's opinion on the subject, but seeing as bunting has always been a part of the Bandits' game, I probably already know what he will say. |
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Shut Out
512 Posts |
Posted - 06/30/2009 : 11:37:07
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| Papa kid was not with the Bandits until they were 9. |
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BREAMKING
323 Posts |
Posted - 06/30/2009 : 16:58:39
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Phattso most of the bunts I saw were close to perfect in the game I watched earlier this summer. It is coach pitch and really easy to teach a kid to bunt it where it needs to be. The pitcher has so much influence over the game at this level most people probably do not even realize it. You need a hit to left side you just throw it a little harder. You need him to pull it just take a little off. You need a good bunt just throw it a little lower around the knees. I think there is no comparison to bunting coach pitch vs real pitcher.
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Phattso
143 Posts |
Posted - 06/30/2009 : 21:52:09
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| Bream: I understand what you are saying, but it is what it is. My team can go toe to toe with any team out there, but the bunt is a part of every good team's offense. We also run like maniacs on the bases, should we not do that since it's forcing the other team to make and catch throws? Bottom line, we take what the defense gives us, just like real baseball. |
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loveforthegame25
448 Posts |
Posted - 06/30/2009 : 22:02:16
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| I dont agree Phat. My opinion is your kids need to be hitting in the games, not bunting. An occasional situational bunt yes. But the majority of the game needs be hitting. Teach bunting in practice. |
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Topic |
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Bunt or not to Bunt in coach pitch
