Learn How to Coach Baseball: Bunting Basics

Learn how to teach Youth League Baseball players the correct technique and purpose of bunting.

We are going to show you a “Sacrifice Bunt”. The word “sacrifice” mean just giving something up. In this case, you are giving yourself up for an out to move a base runner up. For example, if there is a man on first, you will sacrifice yourself for an out, so that runner will now be on second base, and here is how you will do it. The batter will come into the batter’s box and take his stance. When the pitcher goes into the windup, the pitcher steps back. The batter will take his back foot and he will square towards the pitcher. It is important for the player to be slightly above the plate. So, if he bunts it, he is in fair territory. You do not want to be back here bunting because your angles, you are cutting your angles off to push the ball foul. Now, let us talk about this stance, right here, when I turn. Notice my backside. It is down, like you are sitting in a chair, but it is flexible. You bounce your knees up and down. My elbows and arms are slightly bent. You do not want to be too stiff out here. We wan to have the bat slightly bent with your elbows out here. When your knees go down and up, so should the bat. Okay, your knees will control the bat. You never want to go after the ball without your knees. If the pitcher is outside or low. You bend with your knees and take the bat with you. Very important, your right hand on the bat has to behind the bat. You do not ever want to be like this or like this, because if the ball comes this way, if it is thrown, it could hurt your finger. So, you want to pretend you are pinching the back of the bat, and your fingers are behind the bat and they are protected. The object of bunting is to try and bunt down either the first base side or the third base side. You do not want to bunt it directly back to the pitcher because then he has a play at second base. When we teach you, we will try and have you angle your bunt down the third base line or the first base line, and we will push the ball towards either line. The batter comes in, takes his stance, pitcher goes in his windup, batter turns, bends his elbow, hand behind, knees, then, go after the ball down the third base line. Notice how I pushed it down the third base line. An important aspect is to have the bat out-front, right below your eyes, and the reason for this is, if the ball is above the bat. It is obviously a “ball”. So, you want to pull the bat back and you will take a ball. You only want to bunt strikes. If the ball is below your belt when you are bending, let it go because the ball would be too low and that would be a “ball” also. One more time, stance, windup, turn, out and front, down to third base side. [Music Playing]