When deciding whether or not to try a base hit bunt, hitters have to take a number of variables into account. The score, the number of outs, the inning, where you are in the line-up, how many runners are on base, who is pitching, and where the first and third basemen are playing all play a role in the
Bunting to 1st or 3rd can just depend on how fast you are
decision. Due to all these variables, most hitters just take the easy road and just swing away even if a bunt may be warranted. Some either can’t or won’t put forth the mental energy to figure out whether a bunt is a good idea. Others just don’t trust their instincts.
That being said, if a batter does decide to try a base hit bunt, how would he choose which side of the field to bunt it towards?
Obviously, if one of the corner positions (first base or third base) is playing in on the grass, the no-brainer would be to bunt it the other way. But what if both are playing back?
First of all, some hitters (myself included) are just better at bunting in a particular direction. For some reason, whether batting left handed or right handed, it was always easier for me to bunt towards first base. For others, it might be more comfortable to bunt towards third base.
If a batter has no preference, here is something for them to consider … how fast can they run?
When you bunt towards first base you are trying to do two things: surprise the defense and get both the pitcher and the first baseman to go for the ball at the same time so there is nobody able to cover first base. When you bunt towards third base you are trying to put the ball in a spot where the pitcher and/or third baseman can’t get to in time. Basically, bunting to first is more about locating the bunt. Bunting towards third is more about outrunning the play
Learn to bunt both ways but if you have good speed, more bunts should go towards third. If you are not so fast you probably would be better off placing it better towards first.
Tomorrow’s post: What is your “fast average” ?