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Post by 44 on Mar 20, 2010 21:39:06 GMT 10
For 2 weeks in a row now, I have heard complaints about bunting in the U14 level as a baseball strategy ??
1: There is no BQ Rule against bunting that I know of.
2: I have never heard of a U14 Etiquette rule that does not allow bunting.
3: ALL of my USA friend coaches from LL/u12 up would laugh at this non-Bunting idea.. ...
Bunting is part of baseball same as teaching kids to hit line drives.
I agree development wise that kids need to learn to line drive hit 1st, but also Bunting is part of baseball and always will be.
Your Ideas ??
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Post by snoball on Mar 20, 2010 22:12:33 GMT 10
I agree 100%. Players need to learn how to bunt and infields need to learn how to defend it. A previous QLD State Director of Coaching made a statement that he didn't want juniors to bunt. I think that's where the unwritten rule came in.
You're right, it's a part of baseball.
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Post by pope on Mar 21, 2010 13:00:00 GMT 10
While I personally prefer kids to swing away, Bunting is an integral part of baseball so they should learn how and when to use it.
Also I have seen junior players bunt when coming back after arm injury's. While they have been given clearance to play sport, they have not built their confidence back up to make a full swing yet.
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homer
Little Leaguer
Posts: 19
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Post by homer on Mar 22, 2010 16:11:26 GMT 10
Just read a great article on why U14s and LLers should bunt or not bunt. Go to the BQ website, click on "Officials" then click on "Coaches" This will take you to the Queensland Coaches website. It is the first article in the "Latest News" There are also some other great articles in there.
Have a read and then decide whether our little ones should be bunting. I think that Queensland has it right.
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Post by williemays_hays on Mar 22, 2010 16:32:08 GMT 10
I think its fine, provided its the right situation. 4-4 tie in a semifinal, to me, is absolutely the right time to bunt. 38-0 blowout as mentioned on another thread - deserves a hauling over the coals for the player, coach and club. I think though, as Snoball said it has been entrenched in Qld's thinking for a number of years now that you shouldnt do it, and therefore needs to be "brought out into the open" a little before next year, so all teams and players know it is ok to do so. Not just sprung upon an unsuspecting team at arguably the biggest point of their season.
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Post by pope on Mar 22, 2010 16:41:28 GMT 10
Just read a great article on why U14s and LLers should bunt or not bunt. Go to the BQ website, click on "Officials" then click on "Coaches" This will take you to the Queensland Coaches website. It is the first article in the "Latest News" There are also some other great articles in there. Have a read and then decide whether our little ones should be bunting. I think that Queensland has it right. Good find homer  . For those that cant find it... www.qldcoaches.baseball.com.au/default.asp?Page=63766 |
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Post by 44 on Mar 22, 2010 17:16:43 GMT 10
I think its fine, provided its the right situation. 4-4 tie in a semifinal, to me, is absolutely the right time to bunt. 38-0 blowout as mentioned on another thread - deserves a hauling over the coals for the player, coach and club. I think though, as Snoball said it has been entrenched in Qld's thinking for a number of years now that you shouldnt do it, and therefore needs to be "brought out into the open" a little before next year, so all teams and players know it is ok to do so. Not just sprung upon an unsuspecting team at arguably the biggest point of their season. Great Post Willie. Going back to first season of LL titles. I watched a QLD LL team competing for the LL Nationals semi-final berth V Adelaide I believe it was. Tight game late innings. Situation was runners on 1 and 2 None out and batter up had some wheels and one of the few kids who could bunt well. Knowing how knowledgeable the Coach was, I told the parents watching including the parents of the batter "watch for the bunt here".. sure enough the bunt was on. It is a valid strategy in key finals games when the situation presents itself for younger age groups IMO, I don't think anyone would condone training kids bunting over line drive hitting training, it's baseball not softball. Here is another clue, at a recent U14 kids game and I overheard the defensive team's knowledgeable infielders say without Coach prompt "watch out for the bunt now" To me that is a sure tip those players are learning/have learnt the next level of baseball. |
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Post by oldmate on Mar 22, 2010 19:25:58 GMT 10
Dunno what game you were watching 44 but I remember that game, the qld LL team got beat up pretty badly and it ended up a murcy rule after 4 innings.16-6 if I remember correctly.
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Post by JRA Qld2 on Mar 23, 2010 2:06:48 GMT 10
A little off track and beside the point, but we played Adelaide in the quarter finals and it was 2-0
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Post by williemays_hays on Mar 23, 2010 8:15:19 GMT 10
44, i don't understand.
Players shouldn't practise how to bunt, but at a key time, they should be at the plate looking to bunt to get the job done??
How would they do that? How could they execute, or have the confidence to try? Or the coach have the confidence to put the play on, knowing the player has never done it before?
Seems we have a fence sitter to me, a little each way eh?
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Post by 44 on Mar 24, 2010 19:42:14 GMT 10
44, i don't understand. Players shouldn't practise how to bunt, but at a key time, they should be at the plate looking to bunt to get the job done?? How would they do that? How could they execute, or have the confidence to try? Or the coach have the confidence to put the play on, knowing the player has never done it before? Seems we have a fence sitter to me, a little each way eh?  There is no inference in my last post that correct Bunting technique should never be Coached from LL Minors and older Juniors. I've seen some QLD Junior U12 softball coaches that spend a lot of time coaching bunting from both sides of the plate. Fair enough if that is the softball game at a higher level. But Coaching and Training baseball Juniors to line drive hit with good mechanics is more important over Bunting was my point. BTW Willie.. I do not Fence sit, Bunting should be allowed in U14 Finals. Either do it, or defend it or Learn from it. Then the players might move on to U16 Level. Regards 44.. |
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Post by snoball on Mar 24, 2010 21:59:16 GMT 10
Hitting coaches at a higher level (US College and Pro's) spend less than 1/10th of their hitting time on bunting, the rest on hitting.
I think when coaching juniors that would be an appropriate ratio.
You'll find that at U14 or U16 level a bunt situation arises, on average, about once every 20 ab's. So, I would coach appropriate to that ratio -- have each player lay down a half dozen bunts each hitting session (that is if each player is getting in a min of 60 hacks a session -- tee work, side toss, front toss, live). It also allows the hitter, as Gareth said in his explanation, to see the ball early in the drill.
I think you have time to coach both -- line drive hitting and bunting -- and allocate the time accordingly.
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