Baseball Defense UTOFF & RELAYS art 2: Bunt Defense opyright 2015 Inside Baseball All rights reserved.
opyright 2015 Inside Baseball Table of ontents hapter 20: Bunt Defense - Basic Runner on 1 st... 3 hapter 21: Bunt Defense - lay at 3 rd with Runners on 1 st and 2 nd... 4 hapter 22: Bunt Defense - Wheel lay Shortstop Early Break to 3 rd Base with Runners on 1 st and 2 nd... 5 hapter 23: Bunt Defense - Wheel lay Fake with ick-off at 2 nd Base with Runners on 1 st and 2 nd... 6 hapter 24: Bunt Defense - Fake ick-off at 2nd Base with Runners on 1st and 2nd... 7 hapter 25: Bunt Defense 2nd Baseman Early Break with Runner on 1 st... 8 hapter 26: Bunt Defense - First Baseman Early Break with Runner on 1 st... 9 hapter 27: Bunt Defense - First Baseman Early Break ick-off from atcher with Runner on 1 st... 10 2
opyright 2014 Inside Baseball hapter 20: Bunt Defense - Basic Runner on 1 st F ositioning: itcher: Move forward to home plate area. React to ball. over area immediately in front of home plate. Move to cover 3 rd base if fields the ball. Make play call for fielders. 1 st Baseman: harge in when pitcher throws ball. over 1 st base area if ball goes by pitcher. 2 nd Baseman: Hold your ground until you are sure the ball has been bunted, then cover 1 st base for play.. 3 rd Baseman: harge in when pitcher throws ball. over 3 rd base area. Hold your ground until you are sure the ball has been bunted, then cover 2 nd base for play. Back up 2 nd base area. NOTE: While the intent is to get the out with the lead runner and possibly turning a double play, always make sure of at least getting an out in this situation. 3
opyright 2015 Inside Baseball hapter 21: Bunt Defense - lay at 3 rd with Runners on 1 st and 2 nd F ositioning: itcher: Throw a quality strike, not convinced batter is bunting. over 3 rd base side. over area immediately in front of home plate. Move to cover 3 rd base if fields the ball. Make play call for fielders. * 1 st Baseman: harge in when pitcher throws ball. over 1 st base area. 2 nd Baseman: Shorten up. Hold ground until sure batter is bunting. over 1 st base. 3 rd Baseman: Hold position and cover 3 rd base if pitcher can field bunt. all pitcher off ball if you think you can field the ball and make out at 1 st base. Keep runner close at 2 nd base, then cover 2 nd base. Back up 3 rd base area for overthrows. NOTE: While the intent is to get the out with the lead runner and possibly turning a double play, always make sure of at least getting an out in this situation. Voice commands: 1-1-1 or 3-3-3. 4
opyright 2014 Inside Baseball hapter 22: Bunt Defense - Wheel lay Shortstop Early Break to 3 rd Base with Runners on 1 st and 2 nd F ositioning: itcher: Keep the runner close to 2 nd base. As you get into the set position, the will take a hard step towards 2 nd base, freezing the runner. When the breaks towards 3 rd base and has two steps on the runner, deliver a high strike to the batter and cover bunts directly in front of the pitching mound. If the runner takes off towards 3 rd base when the breaks, either step off or complete an inside pick-off move towards 2 nd base and get the runner in a run down. overs home plate and directs the play in front of him. 1 st Baseman: harges toward home plate and has 1 st base area coverage. 2 nd Baseman: overs 2 nd base on play and will key off s break to 3 rd base. 3 rd Baseman: Breaks towards home plate for coverage of bunts down 3 rd base area. If the runner breaks with the and the pitcher steps off, or completes an inside pickoff move, he should retreat back to 3 rd base to cover the play at third. ontrolled, walking approach off of the right shoulder of the runner, fakes a pickoff at 2 nd base, then breaks hard towards 3 rd base. Move in towards 3 rd base area for overthrows. 5
opyright 2015 Inside Baseball hapter 23: Bunt Defense - Wheel lay Fake with ick-off at 2 nd Base with Runners on 1 st and 2 nd F ositioning: itcher: Key off s fake break to 3 rd base. ickoff throw to. over home plate. 1 st Baseman: harge toward home plate. 2 nd Baseman: over 2 nd base on pickoff. Key off s fake break to 3 rd base. 3 rd Baseman: Fake break to home plate off s fake break. ontrolled, walking approach off of the right shoulder of the runner, then break toward 3 rd base. Move in towards 2 nd base area. 6
opyright 2014 Inside Baseball hapter 24: Bunt Defense - Fake ick-off at 2nd Base with Runners on 1st and 2nd F ositioning: itcher: Key on runner. The runner must take a step back toward 2 nd base when the fakes to the bag. itcher delivers a quality strike, then covers 3 rd base side. Take a deeper angle toward 3 rd base on this play. over area immediately in front of home plate. all play as it develops. 1 st Baseman: harge toward home plate covering 1 st base side. 2 nd Baseman: Shorten up. over 1 st base on play. 3 rd Baseman: Same as regular bunt defense, if ball gets past pitcher, call pitcher off and make the play at first. If pitcher makes play, must cover 3 rd base for play. Must allow pitcher to come to set position and have eye contact before breaking toward 2 nd base. Break hard behind runner at 2 nd base. Has option to run pickoff play off sign. Move in towards 3 rd base area to back up throws. 7
opyright 2015 Inside Baseball hapter 25: Bunt Defense 2nd Baseman Early Break with Runner on 1 st F ositioning: itcher: Hold runner at 1 st base. Throw a quality strike, not convinced batter is bunting. over area in front of mound for bunt. over area immediately in front of home plate. Move to cover 3 rd base if fields the ball. Make play call for fielders. * 1 st Baseman: Holds runner on 1 st base, maintains his position at bag. 2 nd Baseman: Shorten up. harge in towards 1 st baseman cover area for bunt. 3 rd Baseman: Takes a starting position several steps on the infield grass and when pitcher throws ball to home, charges in to cover 3 rd base line for bunt. Maintains normal positioning, holds his position to make sure batter is bunting, then covers 2 nd base for play at second. Back up 2 nd base area for overthrows. NOTE: While the intent is to get the out with the lead runner and possibly turning a double play, always make sure of at least getting an out in this situation. 8
opyright 2014 Inside Baseball hapter 26: Bunt Defense - First Baseman Early Break with Runner on 1 st F ositioning: itcher: Throw a quality strike, not convinced batter is bunting. over area directly in front of the mound area for bunt. over area immediately in front of home plate. Move to cover 3 rd base if fields the ball. Make play call for fielders. * 1 st Baseman: Holds the runner on 1 st base and then charges in to cover the 1 st base side for bunt when pitcher is in the set position and begins his throw to home. 2 nd Baseman: Shorten up. Hold ground until sure batter is bunting. overs 1 st base for throw. 3 rd Baseman: ositions himself several steps on the grass prior to the pitch, and covers the 3 rd base line for bunt. Maintains normal positioning, holds ground until sure batter is bunting, then covers 2 nd base for throws. Back up 3 rd base area for overthrows. NOTE: While the intent is to get the out with the lead runner and possibly turning a double play, always make sure of at least getting an out in this situation. 9
opyright 2015 Inside Baseball hapter 27: Bunt Defense - First Baseman Early Break ick-off from atcher with Runner on 1 st F ositioning: itcher: Throw a quality strike, not convinced batter is bunting. over 3 rd base side. Gives the pitchout sign to pitcher. On the pitchout he throws to 1 st base, if there is a play at 1 st base, with the 2 nd baseman covering. 1 st Baseman: When the pitcher begins his throw to home, he will begin to charge in to defend a bunt. When the catcher throws to the 2 nd baseman covering 1 st base for the pickoff, he then retreats back to 1 st base in case there is a run down with the runner. 2 nd Baseman: Shorten up and when the pitcher throws a pitchout to the catcher, he sprints to 1 st base to cover for the pick-off throw from the catcher. 3 rd Baseman: Takes a position several steps onto the infield grass and charges in as if he is expecting a bunt down the 3 rd base line by the hitter. Maintains normal position, then cover 2 nd base in case of the runner takes towards 2 nd base. Back up 2 nd base area for overthrows.. 10
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