When you first learn the game of baseball, you generally learn that you have two types of bunts: sacrifice bunts and bunts for a base hit. In fact, there are a few more types of touches than just those two. I like to call these types of touches special touches, because they’re only used in a few specific situations if a player feels it’s necessary. These touches are not as easy to execute as the normal touch, however, if you execute them correctly, they can give good results. These types of touches tend to be used in very important situations during a game, and therefore need to be mastered so that if you are ever called upon to act, you can do so with certainty.
Drag bunt – This particular bunt is widely used by left-handed hitters mainly because it is so much more effective. However, you can certainly make use of this touch if you are right-handed, however it will not be as effective. The object of the drag bunt is to get on base, not sacrifice a baserunner to the next base. To make this bunt, you must wait until the last possible fraction of a second to reveal your intent to bunt and bunt the ball to the same side you are batting (left-handed hitters to the first base side, right-handed hitters to the first base side). third base side). The trick (particularly for left-handed hitters) is to start running in the direction of first base while tagging the ball, which is a lot harder than it sounds! This move helps save valuable time and can be the difference between being safe and going out on first base on a close play.
Push Bunt – Typically, as soon as a bunt is displayed, the second baseman will go and cover first base while the pitcher, 3rd baseman, and 1st baseman try to field the ball. The goal of a push bunt is to get a hit by bunting the ball hard past charging fielders to where the second baseman would normally be (but note that you are covering too much first base, not covering its typical location). This leaves no one to field your bunt in time to throw you out on first base if you’re a half-decent runner. To perform this touch, you must push the ball while you are touching it. Normally this is a no-no during the bunt because you are supposed to “catch” the ball with the bat, but in this case you need to put some force into the bunt to get past the pitcher’s mound and into second base position. base.
Suicide Squeeze: The goal of the suicide squeeze would be to score a baserunner from third base, usually done with one out. With this bunt, you don’t care if you’re called out or safe at first, as long as the runner on third base scores. With this play, when the pitcher commits, the baserunner on third must break to steal home and then it is the batter’s job to get the bunt, preferably off home plate, so the baserunner trying to score cannot be put out. This touch is life or death. As a hitter, in an effort to protect his baserunner from near-certain death, he must make the bunt, even if it means bunting a bad pitch.
Hopefully, by knowing (and practicing) these different types of touches, you’ll be able to perform them during a game whenever your team needs it. While bunting isn’t usually the exciting part of hitting, it can be if you execute it at the right times. It’s about doing what you can to help your team win the game, and bunting is a big part of doing that. Being able to play correctly is a great advantage that coaches and scouts try to find in a player. Make sure you don’t slack off and learn to play correctly as it will pay off later!
